The best books I read in 2024

Well, hey there. It’s that time again: to take stock of all the books I consumed in the past year.

In 2024, I read 85 books (neatly exceeding my goal of 75 and neatly missing my stretch goal of 100), including some unpublished manuscripts that I can’t talk about publicly yet (boo).

I didn’t finish anything in Portuguese this year (having only read shorter pieces and continued slowly making my way through Persepolis but not finishing), which is something I need to work on next year.

It’s also worth noting that I do not include the following in my counts: 1) books I DNFed (Did Not Finish) – which easily includes 20+ books per year and 2) books I skimmed or spot-read for research (e.g. books I did not read cover-to-cover, which usually includes some hefty history texts and other non-fiction).

So, of the books I did read, let’s talk favorites (and least favorites).

(Please note that links below are affiliate links, which means if you click through and purchase something, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

(Books marked with an * were written by a writer from a marginalized group. By supporting these authors, you’re telling publishers we want more books from underrepresented authors.)

Okay, but first…did you know I wrote some books you can buy or pre-order now?

As of this blog post, I have four (yes, four!) books you can buy and read right now and one available for pre-order! Allow me to pause here and saw how much my younger self would be screaming if she knew that not only am I an author now but I’ve got multiple books in the world. I’m so grateful.

We Are the Beasts (my most recent release!) is about two teen girls who – when a mysterious beast starts stalking the countryside around them – seize the opportunity to try and save the girls of their village from a fate worse than beast. A BookToker recently described it as “historical girls would have chosen the bear” and now my life is complete.

The Wicked Unseen is a comedic young adult horror novel set during the 1990s Satanic Panic, in which a new girl moves to town just before Halloween and then the pastor’s daughter disappears.

The Lioness is based on the true story of French noblewoman-turned-pirate Jeanne de Clisson and her epic quest to kill the king who murdered her husband.

And the Trees Stare Back (available for pre-order) is based on a (real) eastern European myth about a five-year-old girl who disappears in a cursed forest and then reappears five years later still five years old.

And The Empress (of Netflix fame) follows the story of Empress Sisi before she was empress. (I don’t get royalties from this one, so if you want to support me instead of just Netflix while buying you can use my affiliate links – thanks in advance!)

Alright now, onto my fav reads of the year…

**Please note that links below are affiliate links, which means I get a little referral $ (which helps me keep this website going) when you buy through my links. Thanks in advance!**

Best new book you read (not including re-reads):

In fiction, I think The Poisons We Drink* takes this year’s cake. The writing is gorgeous. The plot is fast-paced. And what’s not to love about a story about witches brewing potions to control corrupt politicians?

In non-fiction, it’s a closer race. It’s impossible to choose between American Sirens* (the untold story of the Black EMTs who invented the paramedic practice in the US), Flowers in the Gutter (the story of the radical anti-Nazi youth of The Edelweiss Pirates), Cobalt Red* (about the current atrocities of cobalt mining in the Congo), and Not That Bad* (a collection of essays on sexual assault and rape culture).

Most surprising (in a good or bad way) book you read?

Tiananmen Square* by Lai Wen shocked me with its twist and made me cry. The book starts a little slow, but it’s worth sticking with.

On the other side of the surprise (and upset) spectrum, I DNFed Slow Horses at about 30% because I got so irritated at how poorly that man was writing the women in the book. Just the same old male gaze bullshit and a reminder why I so rarely read books by straight cis dudes these days.

Favorite new author you discovered?

I read so many debut novels this year and so many of those authors will get another read from me. Specifically: Bethany Baptiste* (obviously), Sami Ellis*, Maiga Doocey*, Emily Varga*, and Margaret Killjoy*. Many of these are authors in my circles or people I’ve admired a long time, but this was my first chance to read full-length works from them.

The non-debut I just discovered (and immediately added the rest of his books to my list) was David Graeber.

Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

This is a hard one this year. Perhaps Dead Girls Walking* by Sami Ellis, which follows a pissed-off teen who becomes a camp counselor in order to solve some mysteries about her serial killer father. It kicks off hard in chapter one and never lets up.

Which book would you be most likely to re-read?

I want to re-read Not That Bad* by Roxanne Gay because I think there’s a lot more to digest there.

Most memorable character?

Leo from Sorcery and Small Magics*. I LOVE a messy protagonist and this man is the epitome of mess.

Most beautifully written book?

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride*. A gorgeously written dark fairy-tale.

Which book was most fun to read/put a smile on your face?

Loud* by Drew Afualo and How to Piss Off Men by Kyle Prue. Note that both cover a lot of ground that those two influencers have already covered (e.g. if you already follow them on TikTok, you’ve probably already heard a lot of the jokes), but both were fun audiobook listens to me and managed to make me laugh.

Any other books you want to tell us about?

Waiting to Be Arrested At Night* is a well-written memoir by a Uyghur poet and an important read about the Uyghur genocide currently underway in China. Bull Shit Jobs is a fascinating (and easy to read) exploration of how capitalism supports the same waste that capitalists accuse governments of. The Hundred Years War on Palestine* is a thorough overview of the history of Palestine (and a must-read if you feel uninformed on the topic).

Books you’re most excited to read next year?

Right at the top of my to-read shelf are Vaishnavi Patel’s Goddess of the River*, Suzanne Collins’ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Blueprint for Revolution by Sroja Popvic, and As Born to Rule the Storm (a novella) by Cate Baumer.

I’m also especially excited by the not-yet-published novels The Girl You Know* by Elle Gonzalez-Rose, The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark, and Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

My goal to read more books by marginalized authors

For the last few years, I also challenged myself to read at least one book per month by an author of color, one book per month by a queer author, and one book per month by a disabled/mentally ill/chronically ill author.

There are a number of reasons I made this specific goal, including the fact that publishing tends to give marginalized authors less marketing support and less PR coverage, which means if you aren’t seeking these books out, you might simply not hear of them, even though they’re great.

I’ll be undertaking the same challenge next year and I hope you’ll join me, especially if you’ve never challenged yourself in this way before.

And now, to you: what were your favorite reads of 2024?