Wow, 2024 has been a year, and not one that I want to repeat! I think it turned into a year of comfort reading and I like that. Comfort is one of the great things about reading. Looking back at my goals from last year, this year was supposed to be a “free for all” year so I guess I succeeded. I think I had hoped to read a few more of the books I already own and I’m not sure I did that, but whatever.
I read a respectable 80 books. My top genres are Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Historical Romance, Romantic, and Historical Mystery. Then a tie for 5th place between Contemporary Romance and Nonfiction. I read 9 nonfiction books this year, which is a record for me. And 15 books by Georgette Heyer, which is why historical romance is so high. I definitely found comfort in her books this year. They are just so charming and feel-good. I’m a big fan. Other stats: 68% of the books were paper vs 32% electronic, and 60% were purchased vs 40% borrowed.
So here are my favorites for the year in the order I read them.
Jane & Edward - Melodie Edwards
This retelling of Jane Eyre really hit the spot.
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands - Heather Fawcett
Emily drives me a little crazy but I found this series this year and really loved it. Bought the first 2 books and am waiting for the final early next year.
The Talisman Ring - Georgette Heyer
A hilarious farce. Heyer does the comedy of manners so well.
The Blond Identity - Ally Carter
This one may not be great literature but it was light and funny and I read it when I really needed that.
When Among Crows - Veronica Roth
A very interesting urban fantasy. It’s a novella with a completely fleshed out world and I would love to read more of.
The Toll-Gate - Georgette Heyer
Another really fun book. I’ve already re-read it as well.
The Spellshop - Sarah Beth Durst
Cozy, low angst and just a feel good book all the way around. It has cottages, mer-people, unicorns and magic in it.
One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns - Rachel Gillig
I don’t follow booktok and generally stay away from books hyped that way, but saw them on GR and downloaded them from Kindle Unlimited and read them on vacation. Not without flaws, but I haven’t been so sucked into a fantasy for a long time.
The Witchwood Knot - Olivia Atwater
A delicious dark fairy tale. I read 2 of Atwater’s fairy tales this year and can’t wait for more.
Life on Svalbard - Cecilia Blomdahl
This one is such a fun look at life in a small remote northern city. The pictures are fantastic and you can tell the author really loves it there. Makes me want to pack up my life and move there as well….or at least travel somewhere fun.
Full Speed to a Crash Landing - Beth Revis
I do love a good space romp and this one delivered. I’m making myself borrow the series from the library, but I may cave and buy them when book 3 comes out next year.
I’ve decided to have fun with my reading goal for 2025. I have 8 bookshelves in my library and on every single one of them I see books I haven’t read. So the goal is to pick a book I haven’t read from every bookshelf. If I get really ambitious, I’m going to try for every single shelf on the 8, but we’ll see. There are actually individual shelves where I have read all the books. LOL
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