My Favorite Books of 2024

The Mysterious Bookshop, NYC

Reading among Gen Z and Millennials has skyrocketed in the past few years. Many have credited this to “BookTok”, which is where creators will post their favorite book recommendations to TikTok. I have to credit my friends for getting me hooked on reading by starting a book club for the Sarah J Maas books. Like many, I have to say the Sarah J. Maas books truly got me back into reading. 

Since reading those books, I have tried to expand my book horizons past the “romatasy” genre and into both non-fiction and fiction genres. I was given a kindle paperwhite for my birthday which has made it a lot easier to pick up new books after finishing them. In total, I read 28 books this year! The main ways I read new books through my kindle is by: 

• Kindle Unlimited: When I first received my kindle, I was given access to a free trial of Kindle Unlimited, which is a membership to download a bunch of books for free for $11.99/month. Although this has been a great way to find new books, I will probably discontinue my membership.

• Libby: One of my favorite things ever - Libby is an app where you can get books from the library to your kindle. It’s 100% free, and the transfer process is easy. The only downside is that there is a long wait for more popular books. BUT you could also look at this as something to look forward to.

Below I’ve listed the books I’ve read in 2024 along with the genre + description

Romantasy Books

Sarah J. Mass Books: 

To preface, I don’t typically lean towards reading fantasy. I never read or watched Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, and it’s not my first stop in the bookstore. The Sarah J Maas books are different -  I’ve read 3 of her series’: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass and Crescent City. 

ACOTAR (5 book series) 

• This is the Maas series I read first - I think reading these books is the perfect way to get introduced to her writing style and also introduced to her “worlds” that she builds within her writing. Although it starts off slow, by the middle of the second book you will be hooked. 

Throne of Glass (8 book series)

• Throne of Glass is my all-time favorite book series. It’s truly my Roman empire and I probably think about this series once a day. The overall message of this book is what makes it so great  - although you won’t figure out what it is until you finish the series. But I will say, this is the only book series I’ve  been willing to stay up past 1am to read. (and I’m typically in bed by 9pm). This is a great book series to read if you have a few months where you don’t have much going on, because it is something you can look forward to reading after work. 

Crescent City (3 book series) 

• Crescent City is her most recent series that she has written - it also takes place in more of a modern-day society, whereas her other books take place in an older world. I feel like this series is super under-rated and needs the same attention ACOTAR and Throne of Glass have. 

Fourth Wing Books (2 book series - almost 3!) 

• These books I would also label under the “Romantasy” Genre. These were the first books I read in that genre, and it’s what made me remember what it felt like to get immersed in the “world” of a book. The author is expecting to release her next book in the series in January of 2025! I will definitely be reading it when it comes out. 

Genre: Fiction Books

• The Nightingale: This book is one of my Mom’s favorites which meant I was super excited to read it! It tells the story of 2 sisters in France during WW2. It was truly a page turner and a story of bravery. I couldn’t stop reading it and hope to read more books by this author soon.

• Perfect Couple: I chose to read this book as a plane read because I was so excited to watch the show on Netflix! I’ve read other Elin Hidebrand books in the past and this has been my favorite one by her. Even if you have seen the Netflix show, I would still recommend reading the book since they did adjust the story quite a bit. In my opinion the book is better than Netflix’s interpretation.

• The Housemaid: I found this book through it being recommended to me on Kindle Unlimited! After I finished reading it, I was excited to find out that it’s being made into a movie soon. I would consider this book to be a thriller and if you like to read books with a little bit of suspense, you would like this series.

Genre: Classic Books

• Wuthering Heights: So. Good. It was a bit dark and twisted but is a very fascinating read that will forever be a classic. It’s being made into a movie soon and I really hope that they stay true to the book.

• Little Women: I couldn’t believe that I had never read Little Women before - I hadn’t even seen the movie. I really do think this is one of the best books of all time. I’ve never read a book that describes the timeless experience of having sisters so well - I love that each sister had their own distinct personality and had different gifts, despite coming from the same upbringing.

• Pride and Prejudice: Another classic I had never read - I never really understood why Regency-Era entertainment (similar to Bridgerton) was so popular. But I do understand it now - it’s very fascinating how dating worked back in that era. There was strategy involved, class and wealth, and manners. People would be horrified if they saw what dating came to in the 2020’s. After reading this book, I want to read both “Emma” and “Sense and Sensibility” which are written by the same author, Jane Austen.

• The Alchemist: After reading this, I can completely understand why it is considered to be a must-read book by many. It describes the human experiences of chasing a dream, being content where you are and finding enthusiasm in what you do. I feel that today’s society has labeled enthusiasm as childish, when in reality, it is one of the greatest gifts a person can possess. It really changed my perspective on that word and the importance of it.

Non-Fiction 

• In the Flow: SO interesting. Growing up I received zero education regarding how a Woman’s body functions on a 28 day cycle instead of a 24 hour cycle. This book taught me how to optimize my food and exercise to help me feel my best. 

• Nice Girls don’t get the Corner Office: I feel there is so much that nobody tells you about being a woman in the corporate world. This book provided lots of tips on how to navigate different situations - some of the advice was relevant now and other pieces could be relevant later in my career. 

• The 5am Club: This book was my last read of 2024 in hopes that it would kickstart some inspiration for me in 2025. Although the book itself is pretty cheesy, the overall message is super powerful. It really explains how your life can change simply by just getting up at 5am.