It’s the end of another year, which means it’s time for another reading wrap-up!
And now… on to my favorites! Admittedly, If you follow me on social media or are signed up to my newsletter, you would have heard me gush about all of these already but here they are again. Sorry not sorry at all 🙂
Click on any of the images or links to read more about the book.
In no particular order, here are my favorite books of those I read (for the first time, so not including re-reads) in 2024:
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh
I wrote an entire blog post (here) about the impact this book had on me 😂 Yes, it was that good and impactful.
Courtney Walsh has this way of writing books that are deep but so sweet and light at the same time. The kind of books I pick up when I need a pick up or a break from reality, but are worth every minute and leave me both inspired and smiling long after I finish them.
This one had a definite grumpy/sunshine trope going through it and while I don’t usually like grumpy characters, Georgina had so many levels and so many reasons for being the way she was that she couldn’t have been anything else. I cheered, I laughed, I cried, I went away challenged and inspired and determined to take more risks and say yes more often.
In short, AMAZING book and easily one of my top reads of 2024.
You’re the Reason by Tari Faris
Heritage ❤️ Ahhh. Happy sigh. I adored Tari’s Restoring Heritage series so was pretty excited (read, totally over the moon) to hear she and some friends were writing more. I love this town and the characters who live there. I know they’re ‘just fictional characters’, but their lives, journeys, hurts, fears and brokenness are so relatable. I love the wisdom, the wit, the romance, Otis the travelling hippo, and the way faith is so simply and unjudgementally woven into each story. So good!
This one touched me deeply, to the point that I emailed the author as soon as I finished it to let her know how much it meant. Some books are just like that.
If you enjoy small towns, brokenly beautiful characters, sweet romance, family dynamics, great friendships, and genuine faith, definitely check out this series!
Winter’s Maiden by Morgan L Busse
Morgan L Busse is the author of the Ravenwood Saga, one of my favorite series that I’ve read over and over. (Okay in all honesty, I’ve read the first two of the trilogy over and over. The finale wrecked me emotionally and I’ve only ever read it once. Still amazing though.) I’ve enjoyed her other series too (except for the Skyworld one. That was a bit too out there for me.) so was both super excited and a little nervous to read this one.
While, like her Ravenwood Saga, Winter’s Maiden started slow, there was just enough hint of what was to come that I was invested from the page one. The intrigue grew and grew until, about halfway through, I was so utterly captivated I couldn’t put it down. Morgan sure can tell a story! Viking-Inspired, epic battles, hidden powers, deep characters. Easily a five star read. My only complaint is that I have to wait for the next book now. I don’t know if I can wait that long!!! Wonder how many times I’ll reread this one in the meantime. Can’t say I’ll be complaining about that. So good.
Suspended in the Stars by EA Hendryx
I’d been excited to read this since I first heard it was going to be a book. Actually, before that. This book has had a journey years in the making to publication, and it’s been a real honor to follow its travels, and that of its author.
I read this one for the first time as a 50k or so word serial story back in 2020, with the author releasing one chapter a day for a month. I discovered it almost at the end of that month, thought it sounded fun, so started reading it. And reading. And reading. I was supposed to be working but got, um, very distracted. I was utterly captivated. But thought that was it.
Needless to say, when the author announced she was working on expanding, editing and publishing that serial story into a full length novel, I was pretty excited.
I finally read it this year and was captivated all over again. I don’t read a lot of sci-fi (all the techy stuff goes straight over my head) but this one is just beautiful. I loved the romance, the whimsy, the intrigue, the beauty of the descriptions, the muffins… I laughed so many times, cried a couple, and just really loved it. So good.
Love and the Dream Come True by Tammy L Gray
I’ve been utterly captivated by this series since book one and have, since that book, been anticipating Cam’s story and how it would play out. It was, of course, everything I hoped.
So much beauty, so much heartache, so many hard truths, so much love, so much grace, so much depth and real life. I love how Tammy L Gray writes such real Christians – ones who are far from perfect but, in their imperfections, are so perfectly relatable. Absolutely beautiful and a series I know I’ll read again. Likely many times.
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell
There was so much hype around this one when it first released, which I totally understand and agree with now, but actually made me uncertain if I wanted to read it for a while. Would it live up to the excitement? Would I be disappointed? Was it more steampunk than I could handle? Would it just be too ridiculous and out there for me to relate to?
I bought it anyway, because I was just intrigued enough to know I’d read it, but it sat on my shelves unread for months. Then, around 4am one day when I totally should have been asleep, I had this random desire to read it. I went back to sleep 😜 But I did start that weekend. And finished it too. And loved every bit of it, from the very first chapter which totally had me grinning.
The language, the lyrical descriptions that had me both sighing with happiness and grinning at how perfect they were, the pets, the wisdom, the depth, the fun, the themes and subtle (yet also not subtle) message, the history and tour of Europe… Did I mention the fun? 😍
I laughed, I felt convicted, I laughed again. And again. And again. It’s absolutely beautiful.
I now understand, and agree with, how excited everyone has been about this book. It’s brilliant!
A Soft Breath of Wind by Roseanna M White
I loved the first of Roseanna’s Visibullis family stories (A Stray Drop of Blood) and was pretty eager to read this second one. I’m pretty sure I loved this one even more. It challenged me and inspired me and captivated me. I cried and swooned and cried some more and felt my heart pound with both wonder and anticipation. It’s deep, and hard to read in parts, and has that gritty beauty that comes with lives lived out in faith. True, gritty, heartbreaking but oh so beautiful and real faith.
While I’ve always loved Roseanna’s historical fiction, there’s something about her Biblical fiction (also historical, I guess, come to think of it!) that stays with me long after I finish the books. I know I’ll be coming back to this one (and A Stray Drop of Blood and Giver of Wonders) time and time again. And be challenged and inspired again every time.
My lone non-fiction book of the year. Ha!
I actually started this one as a physical book in 2023 as part of my Backlist 23 in 23 challenge but only got a few chapters in. Then I found the audiobook at the library and ended up listening to it instead, which was amazing. I’ve been a fan of the Harry Potter series for years, and love hearing people’s stories, and behind the scenes facts, so was pretty sure I’d enjoy it.
I did, of course. The behind the scenes was fascinating, the stories of this very normal kid who grew up on the set of a huge movie franchise intriguing, and, not gonna lie, I’m a total sucker for a British accent! But it was Tom’s story outside of the Harry Potter movies that made it unforgettable. The mix of wit, self-deprecation, and dry humor with which he shared. The very real-ness of his battle with mental illness and how he normalized therapy and the struggle of it. The brutal honesty of the stories he shared and, with the audiobook’s bonus chapters (added since its original release), how the publishing of this book has impacted his life in a good way.
Really enjoyed this one, and the fact that I also had a paperback copy to go back and underline quotes from to remember later.
The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill
I went into this book uncertain if I’d enjoy it or not. Chicago in the roaring twenties with its gangs and speakeasies and all that isn’t really something I’ve been that interested in – and yet the premise and book just sounded so intriguing. Especially with the Veronica Mars comparison in the endorsement. Such a great show.
I absolutely LOVED it! It was so beautifully written and the characters were super sweet and fun and the story/mystery held me captivated. So good. I want more!! (And the Veronica Mars comparison was right on!)
Christmas With A Crank by Courtney Walsh
Yep, it’s another one by Courtney Walsh. What can I say, I love her books! I love the fun the characters have together and the witty dialogue that constantly makes me smile as I’m reading. I love the close families and sweet settings and the guaranteed happily ever after.
I also love how, despite being cute, sweet, fun romances, they have so much depth. Not in a way that hits you over the head with doctrine or advice, but in that ‘hey, I’ve been there, I know what it’s like, maybe I’m even still there with you in the wondering. And while I don’t have all the answers, I’m here for you, let’s walk this road together’ kind of way.
They’re beautiful and encouraging and fun and if I can write books that are even half as inspiring to others as Courtney’s lately have been to me, I’ll be one very happy author.
All that to say, I loved this book.
Christmas With You by Tari Faris
It would be impossible to put into words how much this story touched my heart. Maybe not even touched it so much as impressed hope and grace and understanding of God’s love in a way that will leave a mark for a long time. Tari Faris has such a beautiful way of writing stories of grace and second chances.
I loved reading Cole and Fallon’s stories and while at times, their journeys were utterly heartbreaking, they were also so full of hope and love and truth. They’re broken people but that just made them all the more relatable.
Small towns, wise parents, Christmas dreams, creatives, and two brokenly beautiful main characters made for a book I couldn’t put down. And didn’t want to. I know I’ll be coming back to the wisdom and grace found in this book time and time again.
Hold Her Close by Hannah Currie
I know some, maybe a lot of, authors don’t read their books for a long time after they’re released. Maybe not ever again. But I do.
Part of that is because for the first time, I can read them as a reader, not thinking about edits or if I’ve done enough or whether that sentence I’ve already spent two hours tweaking is good enough let alone perfect. The work is done, beyond my control, and I can just enjoy the story. But mostly, it’s because I love these stories. I write what I love to read, so obviously, it’s what I’m going to pick up to read too.
It’s a while since I’ve been as captivated rereading one of mine as I was with Hold Her Close. I found myself underlining things. Which, I’ll admit, is weird, but God’s been teaching me the same lessons Rose is learning.
I love this book. I love these characters and the journey they take to love and accepting who they are. I love the way it pulls together so many of the stories from the first two books. I love the ballads and psalms, the themes, the brokenness, the stars, the pinpricks of hope. I love Rose’s faith, even when it shakes, and her courage to stand again and again. I’ve come to love and understand the Parable of the Pearl, and God’s love and faithfulness, in a deeper way because of it, which just makes the book even more special.
Yeah, I really love this book.
In all honesty, I wasn’t sure whether to add this one to the list or not because, due to the violence, spice, and language, it’s definitely not one I’d be recommending to most of my readers. However, it was one of my favorite reads of the year so I’m putting it in.
It’s brilliantly written and held me captivated from first page to last (no small feat given the 600+ pages). I loved the dragons, the challenges Violet (the main character) faced, the (sometimes unwanted) bonds she shares, and the friendships. But, mostly, I loved Violet’s strength. She’s got a very real disability which, in most people’s eyes, would make her too weak to do anything. She’s not tall enough or strong enough to ride a dragon. In a world of dragon-riders. That, and most of the school are out to kill her. And yet, she doesn’t let that stop her. She doesn’t ignore her weakness but uses it, lets it grow her into the person she needs to be. I love that. She both inspires and challenges me.
“I wouldn’t be standing here if I’d quit every time something seemed impossible to overcome. I will not die today.” – Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros
So, there you have it – my favorite (first time) of 2024. Have you read any of these? What were your favorite reads of 2024? 🙂
As always, happy reading!
Hannah
Hannah Currie 