2024 Reading Roundup

Hello, book lovers! It truly is the happiest time of year. The Best of lists are in, and I’m ready to go post-holiday shopping and update my bookshelf with some of the buzziest books for the new year. After scouring the plethora of lists (TIME, NYT, Literary Hub, Goodreads, Barnes and Nobles, Vulture, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Chicago Tribune, Guardian, and LA Times), these are the ones that I’m going to be adding to my TBR list. I would also like to take this time to reflect on some of the best books that I’ve read this year. I managed to read over 100 books and enjoyed most of them. It was hard to narrow my top books to just 10. I linked my reviews of each book in the title. Hope you enjoy. Happy New Year and happy reading!

TBR Fiction

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

As a longlisted nominee for the Booker Prize and with all of the praise it received, this is a must-read.

Small Rain by Garth Greenwell

This also made it on a longlist for the National Critics Circle Award. You know I’m a sucker for reading books that have been nominated for literary awards. I want to be a part of the conversation with this one.

Concerning the Future of Souls by Joy Williams

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but come on, this cover is beautiful. It’s a short 176 pages, but Willams managed to fit 99 bit-size stories in those few pages. This is an experimental book pondering morality. I got this one for Christmas and can’t wait to dive in.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

This book is described as a funny, spy thriller, time travel romance. A lot going on there, but I am a sucker for a time-travel story.

Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer

The Southern Reach trilogy is one of my all-time favorite book series. VanderMeer is a master at creating an eerie story. Absolution is both a prequel and sequel to the series and comes ten years after the last book in the trilogy. I’m cautiously optimistic. Do I think there needs to be another book in this utterly perfect triology? No. Can I not wait to devour his writing? Yes.

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty

This is another one longlisted for a few book awards, three in fact: Joyce Carol Oates, Aspen Word Literary Prize, and Andrew Carnegie. Must I say more?

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I’ve heard mixed reviews about this mystery thriller, but it has ended up on a lot of the Best of lists, so I’m in.

TBR Nonfiction

Letters by Oliver Sacks

I have such a soft spot for Oliver Sacks. He was a genius in his field, and his writing is superb. What Sacks fan wouldn’t want to read some of his personal letters to some of his famous friends like Jane Goodall and Francis Crick? Now, would Sacks be okay with some of his personal letters being published for the nosey public to read? I don’t want to think about that and just enjoy his innermost thoughts.

The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookshop by Evan Friss

What reader doesn’t love to read about books and bookstores? My husband was gifted this one for Christmas. I plan on stealing it and reading it ASAP.

When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracies, and How America Cracked Up in the Early 1900s by John Ganz

I know very little about the early '90s era after Reagan and the extinction of the Soviet Union. Adding it to the list!

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench

A book written by the treasure that is Dame Judi Dench about her Shakespearean roles. Say no more!

Roman Year: A Memoir by André Aciman

After being exiled from Egypt, Aciman (also the author of Call Me by Your Name) and his family moved to Rome for one magical year of his life. Sounds like it could be interesting.

The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon by Adam Shatz

This book has been everywhere this year. It’s been longlisted for many, many awards and has made several Best of lists. I also know nothing about Frantz Fanon. This seems like a no-brainer to add to my TBR.

The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper that Changed American Culture by Tricia Romano

Another book that received rave reviews about a subject matter I know nothing about. Adding it!

The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi by Wright Thompson

The author reports on an infamous murder that took place 23 miles from his childhood home. It has over 1,500 reviews on Goodreads with a 4.4 rating. Color me intrigued.

Monet: The Restless Vision by Jackie Wullschläger

Who doesn’t want to read about the private life of Monet?

Consent: A Memoir by Jill Ciment

This is an interesting concept. The author wrote a popular memoir in the '90s about her love affair with a much older man when she was a minor. She eventually married the man, and they had many happy years together before his passing. Now, through a more mature lens, Ciment reexamines their relationship, looking at the imbalance of power between a young girl and a much older man. And also another eye-catching cover.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewriting of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

This one came out last spring and has gotten so much hype since then. I’m interested to dive into the research about what makes this “phone-based” generation so anxious.

My Top 10 Favorite Fiction Books for 2024 (In no specific order)