2024 top 10 reads
2024 was a great year of reading for me. I set my reading goal on Goodreads for 375 books and ended up reading 582 books. Yes, I read several books in a day due to them either being short or DNF’g them. This was the year I stopped forcing myself to finish books I couldn’t stand or get into. If a character annoyed me, bye! If the story dragged, buh-bye. Goodreads has released their annual My Year in Books and some of the stats were surprising for me.
I read 121,695 pages this year and the average book length was 209 pages. The most shelved book that I added on Goodreads is Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy which has been shelved by 3,230,194 people. The least shelved book that I added on Goodreads was Danger in the Air by Franklin W. Dixon, a Hardy Boys novel. 0 people shelved it (I LOL’d at this). My average rating was 3.3 out of 5 stars. I can definitely see this because I was a bit harsher in my reviewing this year. I used to 4 or 5 star everything I read. My first review of 2024 was The Bigamist by Mary Turner Thomson, which I quit reading at 20%. My last review of the year (according to Goodreads, since the year isn’t over yet) was The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson. I DNF at page 79.
Perfect Ten (Palm Island #1) - K.M. Neuhold: I loved the first book in this series (as well as the rest). It was the perfect start and I devoured it. If you’re looking for a good summer series, this is it!
Ready or Not - Cara Bastone: This was such a sweet, springtime read. It’s a slow burn romance about a woman who gets pregnant from a one-night stand and how it changes more than just her life.
Check & Mate - Ali Hazelwood: Yes, I gave this book 5 stars and I would do it again. I have a love/hate relationship with Ali Hazelwood’s books, but this was the best one I’ve read yet. The characters were complex and the romance didn’t take center stage. I also haven’t read a romance involving chess, so it was a nice change in the genre.
Punk-In (Wayward Lane #1) - Ava Olsen: The sloooooowest burn, but it was so good! The chemistry between the MCs was off-the-charts and I couldn’t stop reading.
A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated #1) - Danielle L. Jensen: Another book I devoured. I was hooked and loved the action and romance in it. I can’t wait for the next book so I can find out what happens after the doozy of a cliffhanger in this one.
Hello Stranger - Katherine Center: I declared this the best romance book I’ve ever read on Goodreads and I still think that. This was utterly charming and such a unique concept of a book. Please, if you readjust one book next year, make it this one because it is so good!
Just a Bit Captivated (Straight Guys #14) - Alessandra Hazzard: I’ve loved this series since I first read it and it’s been a re-read series for me. The first couple books were so good, but then they got into the thriller genre more. After a few lackluster entries, this one blew me away.
Yours Truly (Part of Your World #2) - Abby Jimenez: I wasn’t a fan of the first book in the series, but this one stayed on my mind a lot after I finished it. It’s very realistic in its depiction of anxiety and the letter writing in it was so cute.
Just for the Summer (Part of Your World #3) - Abby Jiminez: The third book in the series was such a good summer read. The angst and romance went well together and I couldn’t put it down.
Darling Girls - Sally Hepworth: This was the thriller of the year for me. I cannot recommend this one enough. The twist in it was so good and blew my mind.
What books did you 5-star this year? Let me know in the comments.
Hope to see you here again,
Kirsten