If there was anything this year was good for it was reading books. Now, were all of the books great? Absolutely not (I’m looking at you Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid). Am I happy I was somehow able to read 34.75 books this year? Yes (the 35th one will be completed on New Year’s Day).
After completely reading 12,656 pages this year, these are the top ten best books I’ve read. I don’t even know how I’m going to rank the top five, so don’t yell at me.
10. Finding Me
Author: Viola Davis
Release Date: April 26, 2022
End of Year Rating: 4/5
Quick Thoughts: For this to be number 10, you know it was hard to pick my top ten because I RAVED about this memoir. Viola Davis wrote a relatable masterpiece, which is not something I’ve experienced with a lot of memoirs written by celebrities (besides I’m Glad My Mom Died of course). When it comes to her success and accomplishments, it was very logistical instead of boastful. More than anything, this is about fighting during the journey of self-love and finding one’s self-worth. So beautifully written.
9. Things We Never Got Over
Author: Lucy Score
Release Date: January 12, 2022
End of Year Rating: 4/5
Quick Thoughts: This is so unnecessarily controversial, but this is my favorite out of the Knockemout series; most of the internet would totally disagree. I think what really sold this book for me is the inclusion of a genius 12-year-old child; something about the single parent trope really does something to me. The child tends to play a pivotal role in the FMC and MMC getting together, which is the case with this one. Also, I personally love how tattooed, moody, and blunt Knox (the MMC) is; something about it had me continuously melting in puddles.
8. The Fine Print
Author: Lauren Asher
Release Date: July 4, 2021
End of Year Rating: 4.5/5
Quick Thoughts: I wasn’t sure about another Lauren Asher book after starting my year off with Love Redesigned, but I’m so happy I read this book. The Dreamland Billionaire series is so freaking good; I couldn’t decide whether to put The Fine Print or Terms and Conditions on this list, but both are fantastic. The chemistry in both books is palpable. Once I hunt down the final book in the series, I cannot wait to read it. The Fine Print starts off the Dreamland Billionaire series, and the FMC is so perfectly written. In the two books I’ve read thus far, the MMCs fall in love with FMCs who are women of color. Beautiful.
7. Wild Love
Author: Elsie Silver
Release Date: April 9, 2024
End of Year Rating: 4.5/5
Quick Thoughts: This was my first Elsie Silver book, and I could not put it down. I believe it’s the first book in her Rose Hill series, and I’m still debating on if I want to read the second one. There were several tropes in Wild Love, and they all meshed so well with the way they were written. There were a few questionable grammar errors (such as spelling and a word missing for a sentence to make sense). Still, the book was so good that I managed to look past it. When it came to some of the steamy scenes, “wild” is the perfect word to describe them. I needed a fan.
6. Funny You Should Ask
Author: Elissa Sussman
Release Date: April 12, 2022
End of Year Rating: 4.5/5
Quick Thoughts: This was different from any romance I’ve read, and that’s why I rave about it. The switch between the past and present was seamlessly written, and the parallels two moments in time shared was exquisite. Elissa Sussman wrote a book I could see myself reading over and over again. The inclusion of gossip columns and the article the FMC was working on added to the plot, which isn’t often the case for other authors who attempt this particular style of writing. This is my first time reading any of her works, and now I must read Once More with Feeling.
5. Yours Truly
Author: Abby Jimenez
Release Date: April 11, 2023
End of Year Rating: 5/5
Quick Thoughts: I read this book at the beginning of 2024 and spent the entire year raving about it. Yours Truly was my introduction to Abby Jimenez, and I am incredibly obsessed with her writing. Since discovering the beautiful man that is Jacob Maddox, I have read Part of Your World and Just for the Summer. For Christmas, I received three more Abby Jimenez books that [I think] are part of a different series. If there’s anything I’ve learned about Abby Jimenez, she is truly the best at writing men. She makes the mundane tasks of everyday life seem so romantic. Ugh, obsessed.
4. Funny Story
Author: Emily Henry
Release Date: April 23, 2024
End of Year Rating: 5/5
Quick Thoughts: Yes, she wrote another hit. Reading this made me want to reread Book Lovers to determine if Funny Story is my new number one Emily Henry book. I honestly don’t have much to say on this one. When she initially announced the synopsis of the book, I was mildly confused and unsure about the vibe this would give off. I didn’t know if we were in for another People We Meet on Vacation (because we all know how I feel about that one). Despite the complexity of what the plot sounds like, it is so beautifully written. I fell in love with Miles and how different he is from Daphne, yet it somehow worked.
3. Fourth Wing
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Release Date: April 5, 2023
End of Year Rating: 5/5
Quick Thoughts: I am not one to annotate my books, but there was a whole paragraph I had to highlight in this book because wow. Oh my goodness. This was such a fantastically written romantasy book; we won’t talk about Iron Flame (because yikes). I truly don’t have much to say besides this is perfection. I could pretend this is not apart of a 5-book series and reread this as a standalone.
2. Crying in H Mart
Author: Michelle Zauner
Release Date: April 20, 2021
End of Year Rating: 5/5
Quick Thoughts: Going into this book, I knew nothing about Michelle Zauner. Now I want to give her a hug. This is such an unforgettable memoir; it lives in the back of my brain and has definitely altered some of my perspectives on life. Need a powerful memoir to read? This is the one. Be prepared for tears.
1. The Way I Used to Be
Author: Amber Smith
Release Date: March 22, 2016
End of Year Rating: 5/5
Quick Thoughts: A YA novel is my top read of 2024… crazy. I read this book in 24 hours and cried for 48 hours after reading it. By page three, I was in shambles. I got smacked with emotions, and the intensity of some of the book had me more than a little nauseous. Getting that level of a reaction out of me is when I knew it was a 5-star read. The journey we go on with the main character… gut wrenching. Though this is a book that’s technically for those 14 and up, everyone needs to read this. READ THE TRIGGERS FIRST because it has the power to trigger the crap out of you… literally.
