Best Books Read In 2024

1. Murder at Blackwater Bend, Clara McKenna, Narrator: Sarah Zimmerman (#2 Stella & Lyndy series)

I continued this audiobook series that I started at the end of December 2023. While a little more predictable and without the secondary character development of other favorites like Maisie Dobbs and Poppy Denby, I thoroughly enjoyed them. I liked the two main characters and the overarching storyline of their evolving arranged marriage through the series. I definitely recommend the audiobooks with narration by one of my favorites, Sarah Zimmerman, who does a great job bringing the characters and story to life. I found the books to be a fun way to pass the time with interesting characters, light mysteries, and a sweet love story in the background. I wanted to keep listening, which is why the series made it to my best of list.

2. Tom Lake, Anne Patchett, Narrator: Meryl Streep

It’s important to mention that this is narrated by Meryl Streep because I think it’s one of the reasons this made it on my best of list. You probably aren’t surprised to hear that she’s SO good – I really felt like I was simply listening to the mother in the story tell her daughters about her life LIKE I’M RIGHT THERE, instead of someone reading an audiobook. The story did hold my interest, but it was a quiet, sometimes pretty slow story, which held enough revelations to make me want to keep reading (typical Ann Patchett). If you’re interested, definitely do the audiobook!

3. The Boys in The Boat, Daniel James Brown

Wow, wow – Brian and I listened to this book together and we were gobsmacked (I’ve always wanted to use that word and it finally really fits!). Like, if this were just a story someone had made up we would’ve rolled our eyes at each other numerous times at how seemingly unbelievable things were. But it’s REAL. It didn’t matter that we’d seen the movie (which I still like, even though they had to leave a lot out), this author did an amazing job at bringing the excitement of the races to the book – something that I’d never even really cared about before. This is simply an amazing story.

4. The Other Bennet Sister, Janice Hadlow

This book featuring Mary from Pride and Prejudice had been on my radar since it came out in 2020, but I had read quite a few Austen retellings that weren’t that great, so I didn’t prioritize this book. Then a blogger I follow raved about it and I quickly grabbed it from the library. And this is a good one! The first third of the book takes place before the happenings in Pride and Prejudice and the second third during. To be honest, these were hard chapters to get though with Mary because she wasn’t treated well, especially by her father (Lizzy and Jane were kind, though) – but please keep reading because it sets the stage for the last third of the book when she comes into her own and is out under the shadow of her family. We see and understand why she acted as she did and we witness her growth and maturity. And then she gets her own happy ending, too.

5. Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in WW II, Daniel James Brown

An amazing, important book that nonetheless is a hard read/listen. It’s like watching Schindler’s List – you know you need to and you’re glad you did, but the going was tough. That’s this book – Brian and I listened and neither of us knew the extent and degradation that occurred when the US government rounded up every single person of Japanese descent living in the US after Pearl Harbor – American citizen or not – and moved them to rough camps without the facilities needed for groups of that size. And behind barbed wire with military officers with guns on guard – for grandparents, children, mothers and more. It was unconscionable, actually. This is the first half – then when the US needed more fighting men they all of a sudden allowed Japanese Americans a chance to enlist. Many didn’t (who can blame them after their treatment?), but those who did were able to go above and beyond fighting in Europe – able to do things other regiments couldn’t. They were true heroes in so many ways. This author (the same who wrote our favorite The Boys in The Boat) again gets personal with stories, anecdotes, and details that are nothing short of amazing, really bringing the people and the whole story to life. I totally recommend as both important and fascinating, as well as inspirational in the end.

6. Unequal Affections, Laura S Ormiston

This took me a long time to decide to read – I remember seeing it when it was published in 2014, but thought I’d had enough Jane Austen Pride & Prejudice retellings. Then recently a blogger I trust mentioned it and I’m so glad I picked it up finally because I think it’s the best alternate-retelling I’ve read! The author stays so close the the language, actions, and the settings that I wouldn’t know it was written so recently. The premise is – what might have happened if Elizabeth accepted Darcy’s first proposal? If she had done what a lot of society did then and taken the route of marriage to ensure her and her family’s future? The book explores the emotions, motivations, and affections as they work through Darcy’s openness about loving her and her equal openness about accepting while not being in love with him. She realizes her mistake in judging him and he realizes his in bulldozing her. It’s really lovely to have this extra time with these two characters, seeing them a bit more in depth and how they are with each other as they both come to the realization that they were meant for each other. Lots of stares across the room, hand-holding under tables, and walks in the garden – with a few chaste kisses thrown in for good measure. Sigh. I may have to read this again- though actually, it made me want to reread P&P yet again!

7. All Systems Red, Murderbot Diaries Bk 1, Martha Wells (plus whole series)

Brian and I listened to and both LOVED this series about a semi-sentient robot that has hacked his governor so that he can do what he wants – which is watch space soap operas in peace. Too funny and very clever, each story follows our “hero” as he’s drawn into helping hapless humans and using his powers for good. The self-proclaimed “murderbot” tells the stories from it’s perspective in diary form. We enjoyed the humor and sarcasm, as well as the well-told stories in both the novellas and two novels. This quote pretty much sums up the vibe from the “SecUnit” (security unit):

“I hate caring about stuff. But apparently once you start, you can’t just stop.”

This is a popular series I’ve learned, especially in the youth market, and is going to be made into a series.

8. Funny Story, Emily Henry, Narrator: Julia Whelan

I’ve enjoyed Emily’s other books (though another I read in 2024, Happy Place, wasn’t a favorite), but this is the first book of hers that’s made my year end list. There was real emotional depth to this story (though the scene of her finding out about her fiancé and throwing things at his car was a little too much “movie scene style” for me), and I could completely feel how devastated both the protagonists were in the beginning. I found the progression towards each other slow (as it should be under the circumstances), believable and plausible. It definitely pulls at the heartstrings, giving a lot we like in a good romance – laughter, tears, joy, love. This is the type of story I’d read/listen to again when I want a feel good romance.

9. Finding Dorothy, Elizabeth Letts

This book hit all the right spots for me – the story was engaging, the history interesting, and the fact that most of the story was spot-on with what really happened always makes an historical fiction book the best. This tells the life story of Maude Baum, the wife of L. Frank Baum who wrote The Wizard of Oz, in flashbacks and then the story of how Mrs. Baum worked to be a part of the making of the movie in order to help it stay true to Mr. Baum’s vision. So we have their super interesting story of how they met and married (Mrs. Baum’s mother was a well-known suffragette) and the way things were in the late 1800s, and then the 1938-9 time of making the movie, complete with a teenaged Judy Garland. We get to see how the movie industry worked in it’s infancy, how the Baum’s life served as a basis for the story and characters in Oz, and the great love between the Baums. Highly recommended if you’re a fan of historical fiction!

10. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, Jennifer Ryan

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of three very different British women who are brought together through the WWII, fashion, and weddings. What I loved the most was seeing these women in the beginning, each in their rather insular and small worlds and how helping and thinking of others changed them for the better. They come together initially around an old wedding dress that because of WWII rations they want to remake for one of them who is to be a bride. This leads not only to friendship and their transformations, but also to starting a bigger wedding dress borrowing program with the local sewing circle for any bride who needed one in the area. Apparently, this was a real thing that happened with women from all walks of life who donated their old wedding dresses to be remade and reused. Bonus for people like me – this had a wonderfully happy ending for all three ladies!

11. Prayer In The Night, Tish Harrison Warren

After seeing this on someone else’s book list, I put a hold on it at the library. I’ve been savoring it all through the month of December and, spoiler – I’m going to buy my own copy so I can highlight and mark it up to my heart’s content! Now that’s the definition of a “best book,” don’t you think? If you, like me, sometimes struggle to pray – to find any words at all – from grief, struggles, and doubt (all very common!), then you may enjoy this book, too. The author, an Anglican priest, bares her very real struggles and grief in a dark time and shares how a specific liturgical prayer – the Compline – helped her through and how it can help all of us. It’s a deep dive into the different parts of the prayer, “for those who work, watch, or weep.” It’s affirming, hopeful, and is encouraging me to regularly pray using the Book of Common Prayer. This has resonated: “Inherited prayers and practices of the church tether us to belief far more securely than our own vacillating perspective or self-expression…To sustain faith over a lifetime, we need to learn different ways of praying.”

12. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, Ally Carter

I had to sneak this on the year’s best books list even though it was the last book I read for the year because it was just so delightful that I will remember it for awhile – I may even reread it next Christmas to start a tradtion! The hero and heroine are two writers with the same publishing company that we think don’t like each other and our heroine is definitely in competition with the hero. But through each of their viewpoints and the backstory that’s peppered throughout the book, we see this “hatred” is not really the case. And this is all set around a mystery in a snowed-in British manor house of a wealthy mystery writer (see the Agatha Christie tones?) when she disappears and dangerous things start happening. A who-done-it and a sweet romance all rolled into one? I’m there for it!

Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series, Claudia Gray

Okay, after giving the first book in the series a not so great review (and saying I wouldn’t read anymore, ha!) – I’m here to say this turned out to be a cute, cozy mystery series that while not the best (therefore the honorable mention position here) definitely kept me interested as the storylines – especially the developing relationship between the son of the Darcys, Jonathan, and the young Miss Tilney – got better with each book. By the third book I found it lighthearted and sweet with the two leads closer (sort of) to a romance by the end. I found it refreshing to read about a hero who struggles with neurodivergent behaviors and a heroine who sees past all that to the man himself. Book four is due in the spring of 2025 and I’ll be putting a hold on it at the library!