I love reading people’s book round-ups at the end of the year. It leads to a Goodreads moment where I’m adding tons of new books on my “to-read” shelf. This year, I wanted to share 18. It feels like a big number, but it was a good reading year. I added a little tagline to help you narrow the options and find a book you want to read. So let’s dive into the best books I read in 2024.
The 17 Best Books I Read in 2024
If you love movies, read From Hollywood With Love
Romantic comedies have always been a favorite of mine, but it might be my age and the fact that I grew up in the golden age of the genre. This book breaks down a collection of movies and shares fun facts about how they were made and what made them successful. I learned so many fun things about some of my favorite movies, and it gave me a great excuse to rewatch some.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you’re going through a painful time in life, read Grief is For People
Suicide is so difficult to talk about for so many people. I pre-ordered this book because the author shares her experience of losing a close friend to suicide. Reading her words and thoughts made me feel less alone. She discusses her grieving process and shares beautiful stories about her friend from their time together. I don’t know if this would have a similar impact on others as me, but it met me right where I was and provided me some comfort.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you need help adjusting your mindset, read Meditations for Mortals
Oliver Burkeman has a way of describing life that I just understand. This book gives you a chapter to read daily for four weeks and would be a perfect way to start the new year. I read this at the same time as my husband, and we discussed it each day during our afternoon walks. It wasn’t life-changing, but it definitely gave us some ideas. This book inspired me to immediately purchase his other book, Four Thousand Weeks.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you want to be inspired by a bad-ass lady, read Be Ready When the Luck Happens
I listened to Ina Garten read this to me while walking the dog, and it was wonderful. Her story is inspiring and interesting. I loved hearing about their honeymoon through Europe with next to no money. I love hearing about the partnership that she has with her husband. We have more in common than I would have thought. I have never owned an Ina Garten cookbook, but I’ve got them on my library list to try soon.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you are ready for a wild story, read Here One Moment
I have to admit – I do not like the title or the cover of this book. I likely would’ve skipped it, but I know I love the author’s other work. The story is fascinating. A woman on a plane starts telling everyone on board what age they will die and how. While that could often be written off as a crazy lady, things started happening when the flight was over. I could not put it down.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you want to understand the buzz, read The Wedding People
Maybe it was just my social media feed, but I felt like I saw this book one million times this summer. It took months for my number to come up at the library, but once I read it, I got the hype. A woman treats herself to a night at a fancy hotel because her life has blown up, and she doesn’t think she can go on. She finds herself in the middle of a wedding celebration and decides to jump in with these people. This is a great vacation read.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you want an incredibly well-written mystery, read All the Colors of the Dark
I started this book and was worried it would just be a serial killer taking the lives of children, but instead, it’s a captivating story about a small town and a few of the families who live there. The story felt unique and not like anything I’ve ever read. I think this would be a perfect book for a winter weekend because you’re going to want to keep going once you get into it a bit.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you love unlikely heroes and have found yourself curious about Only Fans, read Margo’s Got Money Troubles
When you hear what this book is about, you’ll probably laugh. It’s a young single mother who turns to OnlyFans to make enough money to care for her child. The wild characters that offer supporting roles are loveable and strange. I’m beyond excited that they are turning this into a series this year because I think it can easily be adapted for screens.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you are into mysteries and summer camp, read The God of the Woods
This was another book I saw everywhere this summer. It’s a story about a summer camp and two children who have gone missing a decade apart. It’s all about a rich family and the camp that runs on their property. The story is packed with characters that you’ll hate, but you’ll be sneaking in reading time to figure out what happens. The ending was interesting and different, and I’d love to hear if anyone else felt the same way.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you appreciate a beautiful story about the older generations, read The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
A Man Called Ove is one of my favorite stories, and this book definitely had a similar feel. Frederick is an older man who is going through life alone and without much to be excited about. One encounter next to a river changes everything. It was such a lovely bunch of characters, and you just fall in love with everyone. I would love more stories that feature people at this age. They have so much life experience, and they make fascinating characters. You’ll want to hug a grandparent or volunteer at your local senior housing spot.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you don’t love sci-fi but you want to try a new genre, read The Husbands
Imagine that your husband climbs up into the attic to check something out and comes back down as a totally different person. This story features a woman who keeps ending up with new husbands. The creative twist made me want to keep reading, even though this isn’t typically a genre that I would pick up. I loved this book and recommended it to a lot of people when I was done. It was a fun take on the sliding doors story.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you have interest in what the world looks like in 40 years, read You’re Safe Here
I have followed Leslie Stephens for a long time, so I pre-ordered her debut novel as soon as it was announced. The book takes place in the future, and it was fascinating (and terrifying) to read her descriptions of the world and society. It’s a mixture of mystery and sci-fi, another genre I don’t usually read, but I loved it. There were some strong, bad-ass women and a fascinating setting, so I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you want a coming-of-age story with a touch of mystery, read The Round House
Our little book club read this one over the summer, and I loved it. It led to such a great conversation. The story follows a young teenage boy and his community. It addresses some challenges the Native American community faces in the Midwest. It’s a heavier book than others on this list, but it would be a great pick if you have a book club. I cannot wait to read more from Louise Erdrich.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you’ve dreamt about working in a library, read Funny Story
I’m not as big of an Emily Henry fan as most of the other internet girls, but I loved this book. It’s my favorite of hers. A woman finds out her partner is cheating on her and leaving her, and she ends up meeting and connecting with the ex of the girl she was left for. There are a lot of Midwest small lake town quips that made it feel like home for me. It’s like a rom-com in a book.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you think social media influencers are a little nuts, read Bye, Baby
We all know at least one social media personality who seems a little toxic, and this book has a character like that. I felt like I was immersed in the side of New York City that loves fancy parties, expensive gym classes, and trendy detoxes. The book had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down until I had figured out how it all wrapped up.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you want to travel to Italy without leaving your couch, read The Sicilian Inheritance
This story follows a women to Sicily as she works to uncover the truth about the women in generations before. It skips back and forth between two different timelines and you get to experience Sicily through the eyes of multiple characters. The author does such a great job of describing the place that I felt like I was there. I got to participate in an online bookclub with the author and learning about her process was so interesting. She also has a podcast where she shares more about her personal story that inspired the book. I love being able to dive even deeper.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
If you are interested in learning more about the Vietnam War, read The Women
I learned a lot about the Vietnam War when we visited the country, but this book tells things from an army nurse’s point of view. It was fascinating to see things from a different angle. Kristin Hannah is a brililant story teller and it’s obvious that she does the research to create a fictional world that is as close as possible to the real deal. This was a wartime story where you get to see what comes after and how challenging that was for those returning from Vietnam. I cried multiple times and would recommend this to anyone.
Grab a copy here from an independent bookseller or on Amazon if you’re a Kindle reader.
What were your favorite reads of 2024?
Comment and tell me what your favorite reads were from last year. Did you read any of mine? Here is last year’s list if you want even more ideas.
