I read 107 books in 2024 and out of all those, I had 25 books that I rated 5 stars. And an additional 39 more were 4 stars or between 4 and 5. (The StoryGraph, the tool that I use to track my reads, allows for fractional ratings down to a quarter of a star.) Many of my 5-star reads were part of a few thriller series I was reading, so we’re not going to cover those. But I want to share some thoughts on my top 6 reads from last year. If you are interested in more takeaways from my media consumption last year, I wrote a post about that here.
I went through all of my 5-star books, set aside all the series ones, and looked at all the standalone books, both nonfiction and fiction. I considered which ones impacted me the most as I looked back on them. Or another way to say it is, which books I was still thinking about now, months later. I have to clarify that this is not a “Top 6 Best Books” or a “6 Books You Must Read” kind of list, but this is more of a “My 6 Favorites” list. There are elements to books that are objectively good or bad, but often reading choices are a very subjective thing, so these books may not resonate with you the same way they did for me. But generally speaking, I think each of these books deserves a look at the very least. Don’t just take my word for it, check out their synopses, read some other reviews, and make a decision for yourself.
These are also not books published in 2024, just ones that I read in 2024. So let’s get into the Top 6 Books I Read in 2024, in no particular order.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
This is a medium-paced contemporary fiction novel. It's emotional and dark, yet very funny and hopeful too. Character-driven more than plot-driven, and there is very strong character development and we focus a lot on the flaws of our protagonist. On the surface, Eleanor is your average single person working in an office in Glasgow, Scotland, dealing with coworkers and IT issues. But as we get to know her, we see that Eleanor is a naive young woman who has had a troubled upbringing. But not naive in a stupid way, it actually makes her quite charming. The book deals with themes of being a misfit, and mental health, and even touches on suicide. So it might not be for everyone, but it's spectacularly good for a debut novel.
Favorite line/s:
"The past had been hiding from me - or l'd hidden from it - and yet there it was, still, lurking in darkness. It was time to let in a little light."
“If someone asks you how you are, you are meant to say FINE. You are not meant to say that you cried yourself to sleep last night because you hadn't spoken to another person for two consecutive days. FINE is what you say.”
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is a very well-known piece of classic literature. It's slow-paced historical fiction, that's mysterious and reflective. It's very character-driven, but the plot is also quite interesting and compelling. We have strong character development and lovable characters. It's about a small town, lawyer Atticus Finch, in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930s. Our protagonist is actually Finch's daughter, a little girl called Scout. She is an adorable character. She's precocious, spunky, and innocent. We follow her as she is navigating growing up in this time of racial discrimination and she's observing Atticus as he is right in the middle of the racial tension. It's just a fantastic, compelling, and engrossing read.
Favorite line/s:
“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
This is medium-paced fantasy fiction. It's adventurous, mysterious, and immersive. It's a mix of plot- and character-driven; very complex plot and complex characters, but there is strong character development and some of the characters are quite lovable. It's a pretty diverse cast of characters. And the flaws of those characters are a main focus. I'm a big Brandon Sanderson fan and I really loved this book. It had a bit of a slower start for me, but I didn't mind that. I think I still like Mistborn Era 1 and Elantris more, but I really enjoyed it. The magic system is fascinating and the characters are unique and interesting. I was definitely getting some Norse mythology vibes as we progressed more into the pantheon of this world. It's about a god in this fantasy world who doesn't really believe in his own religion. It's a very interesting premise for a story. His name is Lightsong and he was a great character. We also follow several mortal characters and some of those are Siri and Vivenna and they were both great POV characters and I enjoyed following both of them. (Yes, that is Siri spelled just like the smartphone assistant, but this was actually published well before Apple launched that.) The ending was spectacular and I really loved it! Now just a bit of warning: The pantheon in this world has one goddess who is sort of representative of sensuality and love, so it does get slightly on the adult side at points, but it's not anything explicit.
Favorite line/s:
“Every man is a hero of his own story.”
Story Craft: Reflections on Faith, Culture, and Writing from the Author of Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson
This is non-fiction written in a very approachable and accessible way; it's not overly academic or complex. It's part memoir, part essays on culture and art, and part writing tips. It's coming at these topics from an overtly Christian perspective. It's the most impactful book I read last year. Rarely can I say a book changed my life, but this one did. I resonated so deeply with John’s thoughts on what good art and writing should be and do. I found that I was connecting so deeply with some of the things he talked about that I would get emotional as I was reading. As a creative, I want my work to have the sort of impact that he talks about in this book.
Favorite line/s:
“If artists are more gifted than the rest of us, we keep hearing that they are, then let them find the order and harmony that are not so obvious to ordinary mortals. Let artists return to the ancient notion that art and literature should nourish the human spirit, not poison it.”
“We writers have big egos and sometimes it's hard for us to remember that our purpose is not to build monuments to ourselves, but rather to communicate. Yes, our names go on manuscripts and we want to get paid for our work but we write for someone else. We are translators and interpreters of experience. We should always be aware of the audience, speak to the audience, and respect the audience. If we only speak to ourselves we have failed to communicate. What makes our writing good is not just that we did it, and put our best effort into it, but that someone else benefited from it.”
1984 by George Orwell
This is medium-paced, dystopian, classic literature that most people are familiar with even if they haven't read it. It's challenging, it's dark, and it's sad. It's a mix of character and plot. But it is a genius work. It's about a totalitarian government that controls nearly every aspect of life. And it's scarily representative of some things that we see in culture today. I had read Animal Farm earlier in the year and I thought that was sobering, but this is ten times more so! At the time, I finished the book, I said, "I'll be pondering this for a long time," and I really did. In fact, I reread it again in its graphic novel format and it still pops into my mind every now and then even today.
Favorite line/s:
“Being in a minority, even in a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.”
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
This is a medium-paced historical fiction novel that is adventurous, mysterious, and reflective. It is an absolutely delightful and charming story. It's a novel that is set in 1930s Paris about an orphan named Hugo. It has some fantasy/magical/steampunk elements and it's written for younger readers but I was enthralled by it. I loved the story, loved our main character, and the supporting cast. The book is filled with gorgeous illustrations that further enhance the experience so I highly recommend getting a print copy. Though the audiobook is amazing as well because it also has music and sound effects. So either one is going to be a great experience. Maybe do both! And this might be even one to enjoy with your whole family.
Favorite line/s:
“I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”
Lastly, a little bonus: 3 series that I loved in 2024
- Rabbi Small Mysteries by Harry Kemelman
- Amulet graphic novel series by Kazu Kibuishi
- Blur Trilogy by Steven James
Want a Part 2? Let me know!
Resources/Links:
Did you enjoy this content or find it helpful? Please share it with someone!
Comments
Post a Comment