This year I have nineteen five star reads. I'll do another post later this week that details how many books I read, average stars, and the like, but let's start with the books I loved this year. (NOTE: I'm currently reading an ebook and listening to an audiobook. Unless something dramatically changes with these books as I finish them, they will definitely not be five star reads for me.)
Three of my five star reads are The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett and four were books 4-7 in the Harry Potter series, so nine of my nineteen five star books were long audiobooks that I binged and loved. I'm going to do a top ten list of books for the year and leave these books out of it, but I want you to know that deep inside, these are in the top ten.
#10: A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett - Insane soap opera of a book. Obviously, I loved it. Hey, maybe I should watch soap operas?
#9: Swordheart (The World of the White Rat) by T Kingfisher - Fantasy at its best.
#8: Mammoths at the Gate (Singing Hills Cycle #4) by Nghi Vo - I like that fantasy is represented on this list. It's a wonderful time to be a fantasy reader right now.
#7: The Memory Palace: True Stories of the Past by Nate DiMeo - Turning footnotes into the focal point of a story is DiMeo's bread and butter and I'd like to have tea with him every day.
#6: A Midwife's Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich - Ulrich took a rich primary source and made it even richer.
#5: The Color Purple by Alice Walker - It's as good as people say. Why didn't I read this one before 2024?
#4: The Wager by David Grann - The first book in my 2024 spreadsheet! Batshit story of a shipwreck. So good!
#3: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera - The audiobook made this for me. It sounded just like a podcast, complete with terrible intro music and everything.
#2: Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacbosen - The most terrifying thing I've ever listened to. I still highly recommend it. The research is impeccable.
#1: Love Letters by Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf - This book is officially my personality now. Do you want to talk about Vita and Virginia? Because I do! I actually asked for this as a Christmas present and is one of two new books I got as presents. I suspect a reread will be happening soon. I have my own book! I can write in the margins! I can underline!
If you're super curious as to the rest of my five stars, they were Alphabetical Diaries by Shiela Heti and My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante.
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Have you read any of these books? What was your #1 book of 2024?
I have not read any of these books and I am taking notes! You and Jenny both loved the Follett trilogy, and I do want to read some longer books next year. Also I've lost count of the number of people who have raved about Listen for the Lie.
ReplyDeleteI stayed away from picking a favorite book from last year because I can't do it...there were so many good books.
I have not yet talked to someone who doesn't enjoy Follett. I'm sure he has his detractors, but his writing really does work for me.
DeleteI think I can say Love Letters is really my favorite book. It's the only book I read this year (that wasn't a reread - Harry Potter, My Brilliant Friend don't count) that I really wanted to OWN a physical copy of my own. That seems like a sign to me.
Oh, A Midwife's Tale sounds like one I'd enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI have Listen For The Lie in my 'to listen to' Audible app.
I do not think you'll be disappointed in either!
DeleteI just put The Memory Palace on hold! Someone recommended the podcast to me last week; now seeing this on your list, it feels like the universe wants me to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI am super tempted to get The Memory Palace as an audiobook. DiMeo's reading probably elevates it even more!
DeleteWhy yes! The Harry Potter books are my favorites of all time, and The Century Trilogy was probably my favorite book(s) of the year. I also read and enjoyed Listen for the Lie. I'm putting A Dangerour Fortune directly onto my TBR, and I'm going to look at a few of the other ones you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine how long your TBR is, Jenny. You should read the Kingsbridge trilogy before you read A Dangerous Fortune. They are AMAZING. Maybe I should do a reread this year.
DeleteThe only book I have read on your list is The Colour Purple, but that was decades ago, so perhaps time for a re-read!
ReplyDeleteYES!! I think you would like Love Letters a lot, too.
DeleteNineteen 5 star reads is awesome! I'm not even sure I read 19 books in total this year, and I haven't read any on your list except My Brilliant Friend. My favorite book of 2024 is The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith. I adore this series.
ReplyDeleteHa ha. I relied heavily on audiobooks this year, so that's something to keep in mind. I'm rarely just doing something without listening to a book.
DeleteI have read NONE of these (except for Harry Potter). I really should read The Color Purple, clearly. And I went back and read your post on The Wager, which sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteAll these books are SO GOOD. I notice that no one is putting Nuclear War on their TBR.
DeleteI have a hold through Libby for The Wager. Can't wait to get my hands on that one!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a crazy story. CRAZY. You're going to love it.
DeleteAlthough it's been years, The Color Purple is SO good. As, of course, is Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe no one had put The Color Purple in my hands before this!
DeleteI loved Listen for the Lie too, although I read it with my eyes. The voice was absolutely perfect. I got the Vita and Virginia Love Letters for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI squealed with joy! You're going to love Love Letters! It's perfect!
DeleteMade a note to get Listen for the Lie for my wife. Insert fist bump here.
ReplyDeleteIf she's a podcast lady, she'll love it.
DeleteI think I was curious about this when you first posted about _Love Letters_
ReplyDeleteHow was the intro by Alison Bechdel? I love her too!
The intro was fine. It didn't prepare me nearly enough for the glory of the book, though.
DeleteI obvioulsy put the kingfisher book down on my TBR. The other fantasy one Singing Hills Cycle I will not. I started the first book in the series as audiobook a couple weeks ago and it was a DNF. However I have to admit my mind was all over the place and I was not able to follow really.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe I need to give it another try with reading.
interesting that love letters is making the top.
I just found the writing in Love Letters to be so beautiful. I wish my casual writing were so perfect.
DeleteI haven't read most of these so will have to check out some of them! I have read the Century and HP books in the past and gave them an enthusiastic 5 stars. I can't wait for Paul to be ready for the HP books. We tried starting the first one this fall but he is a very sensitive little guy and it was too much for him so we'll wait a bit.
ReplyDeleteI had a really great year of reading. I'll be recapping it in January. The 2nd to last book I read was a 5 star read - it was Madwoman but I would not recommend it for you because it heavily features domestic abuse. The author is a survivor of domestic abuse so it all felt inspired by real life events sadly... but it was so well done.
What is a good age to start HP do you think? I feel like it might still be too much for my 7yo nephew? I don't know. It's weird what scares some kids!
DeleteOh, yes, I've heard about Madwoman and I'm out on that one. I don't need that in my pleasure reading!
I had heard another podcasters say that they started reading the series when their son turned 11 which is how old Harry is in the first book. I think kids can vary so much in terms of their sensitivity as a reader. Paul might be a "highly sensitive person." I'm going to wait until next fall to try the book again. 11 seems so far off!!
DeleteI have to agree, this is such a great time to be a fantasy reader! Though I was looking at a list of cozy fantasy books yesterday and wow, it seemed like half of them were basically rip-offs of Legends and Lattes. Write your own book, people!
ReplyDeleteYeah, cozy fantasy is HARD. I feel like Legends and Lattes and the Wayfarer series (which is actually sci-fi) is the gold standard. T. Kingfisher, Seanan McGuire, and Nghi Vo do great work, though, too. I love that it's a thing!
DeleteThe only book I've read from this list is Listen for the Lie and GAH, IT WAS SO GOOD. Especially on audio!
ReplyDeleteI haven't even heard of so many of these books!
I picked up Fall of Giants by Ken Follett when I was at the used bookstore yesterday, so I am going to give it a try sometime in 2025!