Books

MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2024

Woo! I’m here today with my favorite books of 2024. During TikTok’s very short lived ban this past weekend, I thought maybe people were in the mood to read more. Regardless of how many books you read every year, I feel like it’s always the hardest thing to find great books. Sometimes I wish (as weird as it seems?) that I could have a bot of myself read the book and tell me if I’d like it or not before I commit to reading it. One thing that does help though is following people on social media whose book taste aligns with my own, watching video reviews of books, deep diving on Reddit, combing through Substacks for recommendations, etc. So my hope is that this post inspires you to add one or two (or more!) books to your TBR list.

2024 Personal Reading Reflections

Before I get into the list, I wanted to do a personal reflection of my reading for 2024. I did this in 2023 and appreciated re-reading it. Again, reading has been an absolute escape for me. With two kids now, that time for reading is even more sacred than ever. I made a goal to read (my kindle or an actual book) every single day and I surprisingly was able to do it. There were nights when I was so tired that I only made it five minutes before closing my eyes, but I think making that commitment to myself is that kept the forward momentum on my favorite hobby. I was SO worried I wouldn’t find time for reading, so making it a top priority helped. By the end of the year, I realized my best hope for reading was actually to get up before my boys woke up to read. I will continue to do this, when possible, because it absolutely makes a difference in my mental health. Not only to have some quiet time before the beautiful chaos hits, but also to make time to read when I’m not falling asleep.

My Favorite Books of 2023

⭐️ Favorite Book of the Year: BLUE SISTERS by Coco Mellors

If you read one book that I’ve ever recommended, please make it this one. Blue Sisters is an absolute masterpiece about the complicated, beautiful relationships unique to sisterhood. It follows three sisters who are navigating life after the untimely death of their fourth sister. It is a beautiful story of imperfect people. I sobbed at the end– happy tears. The writing is exceptional! I knew when I read this that it was going to be my #1 book of the year, if not the decade. I absolutely loved it.

⭐️ Favorite Memoir of the Year: THE MANY LIVES OF MAMA LOVE by Lara Love Hardin

An Oprah Book Club pick, I have seen this memoir on so many “best of” lists. It blew me away. It’s gritty and heartfelt and incredibly well-written. Lara was your typical suburban “soccer mom” and also tangled up in a web of lies and stealing to support her drug addiction. The memoir was difficult to read at times because you feel like you’re right alongside her taking one step forward and two steps back. Not only does she share her own journey with recovery, she also sheds light on the hypocrisies of incarceration in our country.

⭐️ Favorite Parenting Book of the Year: MATRESCENCE by Lucy Jones

I’m not sure that is technically considering a parenting book, but it’s parenting adjacent at least. THIS BOOK. WOW, wow, wow. I was given an early copy of Matrescence by the publisher and couldn’t put it down. Matrescence put into words all of the complicated and beautiful and hard things women go through with pregnancy and having babies. Everyone knows about adolescence, but matrescense is when women becomes a mother. When I tell you I’ve never felt more seen. I felt like I spent so much time highlighting passages I want to go back to and then begging friends that they need to order and read it asap. If you’re thinking about having kids, I think it is well-worth the read (I wish I had read it before having kids). And even if you’ve already had kids, I think you should also read it. I found it to be a healing experience. I read this earlier in the year and I continue to think about it daily and it’s probably been the most recommended book I’ve given IRL… I tell everyone about it.

⭐️ Favorite Thriller of the Year: NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell

I don’t love psychological thrillers typically and ended up loving this because the writing and set up was phenomenal. If you’re not someone who typically reaches for a thriller, I would recommend giving this one a try! It features unreliable narrators and realistically flawed characters. I could not put it down as I second guessed everything that was happening. Two women meet serendipitously on their 45th birthdays– they’re “birthday twins.” Their lives crossover again and become intertwined as secrets from the past are slowly unveiled.

My 5 (or nearly 5) Star Reads of the Year:

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

Real Americans by Rachel Khong

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *