My best books of 2024

It has been a great year for reading with 115 books in 2024. I set an annual reading goal of 100 books and at one point I thought I was not going to make it this year but our three week December holiday made for plenty of reading time! As always, I have read across genres and broken my recommendations down into these self created buckets. I hope you find something you love here and there is more happy reading in your future.

One thing that has helped with reading this year is joining the library. Whether you’re in South Africa or the UK (or anywhere else in the world!) join your local library. This isn’t actually about visiting the physical library but gaining access to the Libby app which is a brilliant library resource for taking out e-books and audiobooks! And yes, I can 100% confirm you have access to Libby through the South African libraries. I could do an entire post just about Libby but the crux of it is I have taken out so many books from the library through this app! Libby has led to great savings and new books I may not have tried without the Libby app.

If you’re in the UK – here’s the link to find your local library and get joining. (Please join! It really helps towards supporting your local community library!)

Find my best books of 2023 here and my best books of 2022 here.

Of the 115 books I read, these are my best books of 2024

1. Great books that are a little more serious

– Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I say this for every one of her books – but Taylor Jenkins Reid is a must read. Carrie Soto is Back is a perfect book. I don’t even like tennis and I was absolutely obsessed with it. I could not put this book down. And possibly one of my favourites of hers so far. I delayed reading it for quite some time as I really don’t care about tennis. But I was wrong. Read the stupid tennis book, it is great.

– Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
I have read Adrienne Young’s young adult pirate series Fable which is really charming. This is her first adult novel and it is definitely a step up in her writing. It’s a little witchy on a spooky island with a murder from years ago to solve. There’s also heart break and growing up and the turmoil of small town living.

– Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
Book two of the Beartown series. I have delayed reading this as the first book is one of my favourite books but wow it’s a punch in a heart. Book two was just as emotive – maybe even more so. It is a brilliant book and so far the series is flawless to me. It will break your heart and having you laughing out loud. 2025 will be the year I read book three. Wish my poor little heart luck.

– Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
Book one of the Clifton Chronicles. It’s a giant epic series and I am one book in. It’s very well written and sucks you in. But it’s a book you can’t rush through. This is a good reminder to read book two in 2025.

– Sandwich by Catherine Newman
This is one of my favourite books. It’s the story told over a week of an annual family holiday in Cape Cod from the perspective of Rocky – the mom “sandwiched” in between her adult children and elderly parents. It’s not really about anything but I absolutely loved the story. This is an over share, but this is the first book I have read that made me want to have children.

– The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry
A truly unique story of two children evacuated from London during World War Two and the fairytale world they create to escape. It’s beautifully written and a completely different WW2 story.

– The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Urgh this book is so great! A hotel is fully booked out for a wedding – except one room – which has been booked by Phoebe Stone with the express plan of checking in for one last hurray. As soon as I finished the book – I immediately messaged Rox to read it. We then pinged back and forth on how much we loved certain bits as she read through. The characters are all highly flawed and incredibly wonderful. I know I will love this book forever.

– Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau
Another brilliant book! Set in 1970s conservative America, it’s the story of a fourteen-year-old girl who is brought in to babysit whilst a psychiatrist and his wife play host to a famous rock star looking to get sober. Brilliant characters. Fantastic writing. Unique story. Loved this book!

– Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Goodness, I read so many unique stories in 2024. A story set in the near future where they have worked out time travel and “expats” across history are working with “bridges” to get acclimatised in the present day. It’s a epic tale and I found myself highlighting chunks of the text. I am better for reading this book. You can tell by reading this book that the author is highly highly intelligent.

– Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
Oh wow, another crazy story line! Oona lives her life out of order and every chapter is a different year. We start in 1982 when Oona turns 19 and at the stroke of midnight she faints and wakes up 32 years in the future at 51 years old and then the next year she pings back to being younger again. It’s bonkers and wonderful and somehow living life out of order teaches us so much about living life in order.

2. Sweet stories / romance

– The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
You may have seen the movie with Anne Hathaway – and it’s lovely. But the book is great! Mom of a tween gets dragged along to a music festival and meets the hot rockstar behind the head lining boy band. Absolutely smashed through this. If you read it, message me to discuss the ending. I want to know your thoughts.

– How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
It’s a love story but it definitely deals with heavier topics. Helen’s novel is being adapted into a TV series and she’s working alongside Grant who is tied in with her tragic past. I can’t tell you much more without spoiling the story.

– Ambrosia series by Aydra Richards
I read all three in the series in quick succession. Please goodness don’t look at the front covers as they’re awful…. The Ambrosia series is a historical romance series but it is packed with plot in equal measures to the spice. Honestly, you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. They’re honestly so great. Someone else needs these books to validate my great joy in reading them!

– Funny Story by Emily Henry
Everyone loves Emily Henry but I didn’t quite jump on the band wagon until this one. It a little chaotic, it’s a lot funny and it involved fake dating. I am SO in!

– Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
Two musical prodigies in an enemies to lovers type story. Zoomed through the book. And I would highly recommend listening to the playlist put together by the author to read alongside the book.

– This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune.
I absolutely loved Every Summer After and was thrilled for another hit from Carley Fortune. The love story is just delicious! So much tension! The location is as amazing as the romance. If we ever make it over to the states – Prince Edward Island is on my wish list. Of all the sweet stories I read this year, this one is probably my favourite.

– Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
Nora writes the best script of her life based on her marriage falling apart and the movie is being shot in her tea cottage. The superstar that plays her husband decides he’s not ready to leave when the movie wraps and offers to pay $1,000 a day to stay for the week. The story is charming and wholesome and I loved it. Okay, maybe this is my favourite sweet story of 2024….!

3. Who done it / mystery / thriller

– Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter
I have been reading these books for years and in 2024 I read “After the Night” which is book 11 and one of the best in the series in my opinion. Karin Slaughter is a must-read author for me but I would especially recommend this series from her. The characters are fantastic and the way she builds suspense is brilliant.

– Thursday murder club series by Richard Osman
In 2024 I read book 4 in the series – The Last Devil to Die. This series is pure joy. I would recommend these books to everyone but especially people who say they don’t like to read because this book will solve that! It’s a bunch of British octogenarian solving murders. It’s bonkers and hilarious and so very well written.

– False Witness by Karin Slaughter
Every book Karin Slaughter writes is brilliant. This is possibly her heaviest read yet and trying to explain what the book is about is riddled with spoilers. So if you’re a Karin Slaughter fan – just jump in.

– Amos Decker series by David Baldacci
Jono got me on to this series following Amos Decker, the Memory Man who remembers everything following a serious brain injury. He’s a grumpy cat with plenty of baggage but I have such a soft spot for him. The mysteries are all great. In 2024, I read Long Shadows and enjoyed it buuut maybe not my favourite of the series. However, Amos Decker will remain an automatic read for me.

– In Death series by J.D Robb
We have both been reading these books on and off for years. Jono uses them as palate cleansers in between bigger books. They’re always highly entertaining, the murders are super interesting and they’re easy reads. I am about halfway through the series reading in a chronological order. Jono just picks a random one at a time completely out of order and honestly it makes me like him less. ANYWAY! I read multiple In Death books in 2024 and would recommend you pick up one (whether in order or not….). But I will say the first book is a real favourite if you’re new to the series!

– First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Loved this! It’s about a con artist and the multiple layers as the job begins to unravel. I really would suggest going in cold as I think the blurb gives away too many spoilers. Highly entertaining and you will zoom through it.

– The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
Much better than the netflix show – and completely different! I really feel like the TV show did these brilliant characters and the love story such a disservice.

– We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
I was nervous going into this book as the Thursday murder club series is so perfect to me. But I am a grown up who can do tough things (this is a joke). It is definitely a slower story and I do think it could have been edited down in areas. But it’s the start of a new series, it was super funny with brilliant quirky characters and I will be reading the next one.

4. Absolute fluff

– It Happened one summer and Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Just great! Oh goooodness me. These fishermen – you’re joking with me? Great fluff, fantastic male leads. Honestly don’t think about it, just get involved. Toe-curling-squealing type of romance reading.

– Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher
This was a really great spicy book about childhood rivals working together to restore a historical home in a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business.

– Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
The writing duo behind Christina Lauren are just TOO good with this being a favourite of theirs. Perfect escapism read involving a marraige of convenience on a paradise island.

– Big Shot series by Tessa Bailey
I devoured these books and I am eagerly awaiting my turn at the library for book three. Book ones is Fangirl Down following a golf pro with a great grumpy sunshine dynamic. Book two is The Au Pair Affair involving a professional hockey player and his au pair. Look, these are not ground breaking novels but they’re super entertaining and great books for by the swimming pool.

– The Ruinous Love Trilogy
We’re talking serial killers and people in desperate need of both therapy and boundaries. It’s a lot bonkers but highly entertaining. I probably need therapy because of how quickly I zoomed through these.

5. Fantasy

– Empirium Series by Claire Legrand
The Story follows two women who are possibly the prophesied queens – either the Queen of Light or the Queen of Blood – one to save the world and the other to doom it with one thousand years between the stories. Great characters and a super entertaining read.

– The Sacred Stones Trilogy by Kate Golden
In 2024 I read book one and two of the trilogy. Book one was good but book two was great! It’s an enemies to lovers fantasy romance so I am IN.

– The War of Lost Hearts Series by Carissa Broadbent
Many of these “romantasy” series can folow pretty similar story lines. This series felt unique and I loved the world building and the magic. It’s not a light and fluffy smash through book but definitely worth your time.

– Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood is a great romance author but oh my goodness I am all about her fantasy books. Absolutely loved this! As soon as I finished it I messaged Rox to get reading it – which is the sign of a great book. We’re now both big fans and waiting for the next book in the series. Look, grumpy werewolf meets and hates sass-pants vampire. 100% reading that.

– The Night Market by Jesikah Sundin
This book is so unbelievably charming. Oh my goodness! The male lead is adorable, their love is slow and beautiful. The books is geniuely funny and I burst out laughing multiple times. And yeah – the fantasty word is brilliant too. I love this book and I want everyone to read it.

– Secrets of the Faeri Crown series by Emberly Ash
This series is a twisted mythology retelling of the King Arthur legend. Super interesting to recognise elements of the story but told in a different way. I’ve read two of the books in the four book series and definitely want to read more.

– Blood of a Fae series by Briar Boleyn
Never before have I read a King Arthur retelling and then I ended up reading two in 2024! But I was very quickly on board. This is a four book series and last year I read three of the four.

– A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L Jensen
This was maybe my favourite book of the fantasy reads in 2024. The series is based on Norse mythology which makes for a unique and different world. Dying for the second book out in May-25. Proper bad ass main characters.

– Powerless and Reckless by Lauren Roberts
This was such a cult favourite fantasy series that I put off reading so I could read book one and two together. And yip, everyone was right – super entertaining and I would recommend!

So there you have it! A very good year of reading!