Some of my Favorite Books of the Year: Dec 2024
It’s been a great year of books! And today I wanted to round out 2024 with my third list of favorite reads (here are my Spring and Fall lists). Looking back through my Libby history this week was a total joy! There’s plenty of fiction on this list plus romance, nonfiction, magical realism, self help, and some totally unexpected reads I tried (and enjoyed!)! I’m sharing them all below. And please, tell me what some of your favorite books of 2024 were.
Like always, I’m sharing links to Amazon and Indiebound today. The former is a great spot to find reviews and for quick shipping (books make the best Christmas presents!), and the later is a great way to support local bookstores. And if you want to shop in person, you can find an independent bookstore near you here. Most of these books can also be read for free via your local library, either as a physical book or an audio copy (just download the Libby App and connect your library card!).
I listened to most of these books from our local library. While I love reading a paper book (and do most nights before bed for a few minutes), I find listening to audio books the fastest way for me to get through them. I especially love listening to books while doing house projects. Looking around the Poplar Cottage I’m reminded of what I listened to while siding the exterior, painting the kitchen ceiling, etc. It’s a fun connection!
Without further ado, here are all books I’ve enjoyed lately…
The Wedding People, Alison Espach - this novel begins in Newport, Rhode Island as Phoebe Stone arrives in a grand Inn, planning to kill herself. Immediately mistaken as a wedding guest of the grand weeklong celebration taking place, she’s pulled into the folds and her life will never be the same. This book was wise, tender and transformative! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
West with Giraffes, Lynda Rutledge - in 1938, two giraffes wash ashore in New York after surviving an Atlantic crossing and a hurricane. And their adventure doesn’t end there. For 12 days, they’re driven cross-country to San Diego with Woodrow Wilson Nickel, a young dust bowl survivor, along with a crusty old man with a past and a young female photographer. Part historical saga, part adventure novel, and part love story, this was a delightful tale. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Comfort of Crows, Margaret Renkl - I can’t say enough good things about this book. Part memoir, part commentary, Renkl crafts a beautiful love letter to the natural world. Highly recommend the audio version, which is read by the author. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Midnight Feast, Lucy Foley - this bestseller is one of those can’t-put-down novels that kept me up way past my bedtime. The morning after the opening night of The Manor, a rural luxury resort with a complicated history, a dead body is found. As we dive back into resort’s past, secrets and lies are exposed. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Endurance, Alfred Lansing - Endurance tells the story of the Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated 1914 expedition to the South Pole. After Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, is crushed by ice, he and his crew of twenty-seven men are forced to navigate 850 miles of the South Atlantic’s heaviest seas in the dead of winter in small lifeboats. Their survival and endurance is a tale for the ages. The audio version was recently redone and is excellent! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Real Americans, Rachel Khong - this novel was a page turner and incredibly unique. From the Amazon description: “How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures?“ (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt - this was a recommendation from Garrett and I gobbled it up. The novel investigates the mental health epidemic and the ‘great rewiring of childhood’ due to video games, social media, and the like. This book feels really important as a parent and as a media-consumer. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Wiliams - This book was such a delightful surprise! Here’s the Amazon description: “In 1901, the word ‘Bondmaid’ was discovered missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.” (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Spells for Forgetting, Adrienne Young - Jodi Picoult described this book best: “Lush with secrets, magic, and a past that won’t stay where it belongs, this novel is (quite fittingly) spellbinding”. Adrienne Young’s writing is a delight and this was a quick read! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Jackpot Summer, Elyssa Friedland - I was surprised with just how much I loved this novel. Here’s the spiel: “After the Jacobson siblings win a life-changing fortune in the lottery, they assume their messy lives will transform into sleek, storybook perfection–but they couldn’t be more wrong.” Siblings are awesome! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
A love song for Ricki Wilde, Tia Williams - If you like romance, Tia Williams is a must! This novel follows Ricki Wilde, a woman reinventing herself in Harlem. When she runs into a handsome, mysterious stranger, her world is knocked off balance. With elements of magical realism, this novel is a delight! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
How to Talk so Kids will Listen & Listen so Kids will Talk, Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish - this classic parenting book has been on my list for years and it did not disappoint. It’s a positive, down-to-earth approach to making relationships with kids more rewarding and less stressful. I listened to this, but I think it’s best to buy your own copy so you can write in the work areas. Highly recommend! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Exchange, John Grisham - I used to love John Grisham books and when I saw this sequel to The Firm, I had to read it! The book takes place 15 years after Mitch and Abby McDeere’s time in Memphis as they come up against another sinister plot that only a lawyer can solve. While not as good as Grisham’s first few books, this was still a fun read. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas Stanley and William Danko - a bit of a departure from my usual reads, but this this classic finance book has been on my list for years. The authors are researchers who have studied the affluent for decades and identified 7 common traits among America’s millionaire population. And those traits will likely surprise you! “Most of the truly wealthy in this country don't live in Beverly Hills or on Park Avenue-they live next door.” (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Happy reading!
xx
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