My Favorite Books of 2024

I set a goal to read 35 books in 2024. I’m writing this on December 26th, and have one to go to reach that goal. I’m almost finished with not one, but two books, and I started a third, so I feel pretty confident I’ll hit my goal and maybe even exceed it. I’m already planning to swing for the fences and aim to read 50 books in 2025. I’m feeling confident as of now… 

As an author, I read a lot in the genres I write in, romance and romantasy. I do it to find inspiration, to get a feel for the market, to be aware of what’s out there so I can make my own work unique, and because I enjoy those genres the most. I’m also never going to publicly share books I dislike out of respect for my fellow authors. I know how hard it is to write and publish a book. Their book may not have been for me, and that’s okay. No need to tell the internet I didn’t enjoy it. 

All that to say, I read a lot of great books this year. In no particular order, here are my favorite books of 2024. 

Divine Rivals. I read Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross while Knoxville was buried under more than a foot of snow. I devoured it, to be exact. It may be the most beautifully written book I read in 2024. The world-building, the characters, the magic, all of it was just magical, no pun intended. The romance between Roman and Iris had such a perfect build, and the ending had me immediately downloading the next book, Ruthless Vows. I had to buy both of them in hardback for my shelf. I even chose Divine Rivals as my book to bring to a book exchange of favorite books read in 2024. 

Nothing Is Missing: A Memoir of Living Boldly. I stumbled across Nicole Walters a few years ago on Instagram. I followed her for her business advice, I stayed because she feels like the big sister I don’t have. When she released her memoir, Nothing is Missing, in October 2023, I picked up a copy during release week, but didn’t get around to reading it until early 2024. Nicole’s story was authentic, real, and unfiltered. I have even more respect for her now. If you’re looking to be inspired in 2025, give this one a read. 

Ghosts. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is one of those books I wouldn’t have necessarily picked up on my own. It was a book club pick that I was admittedly unsure about. Very quickly, however, I found myself relating to the main character, Nina, as she navigated singleness, dating, and life not looking like she thought it would. I laughed, I cried, I even cheered once. It was such a fantastic read. 

Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life. I kept hearing Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, on podcasts I listen to in the runup to the release of her book, Worthy. Her message resonated with me, so I picked up a copy. Not to be dramatic, but Worthy may have changed the trajectory of my life. Jamie comes across as your older, wiser big sister and her advice is sound and actionable. It’s one of those books I will re-read periodically. Definitely consider picking up a copy. 

Funny Story. I tend to love anything Emily Henry writes, but I tried to put off reading Funny Story because, woes of all woes, it was only available in hardback and all my other Emily Henry books are in paperback. It was a book club pick, however, so I compromised and downloaded it on my Kindle. Friends, it is, officially, my favorite Emily Henry story. Miles is an absolute dream, and while I can agree that some of he and Daphne’s problems could have been avoided with a conversation, the miscommunication fit this particular story. I’m anxiously awaiting the paperback release (February 25, 2025 if Amazon is correct!) so I can add it to my shelf. 

Quicksilver. Kingfisher, y’all. Whew. I saw Quicksilver by Callie Hart all over social media, but when Lauren Moore of @BookHuddle couldn’t stop raving about it, I had to download it. I absolutely flew through it. The magic system is unique, Kingfisher is a filthier Rhysand for you ACOTAR girlies, and Saeris is an excellent FMC. One of my pet peeves about romantasy books is that a lot of them are unnecessarily long thanks to scenes that don’t necessarily progress the story. Quicksilver doesn’t have that. Each and every scene contributes to the story and it ends in a way that both wraps up the story and sets up the next book in the series, out in fall 2025. I also love Callie Hart’s story. She self-published Quicksilver and it got picked up by a traditional publisher. She’s living the dream, and I often say I can’t wait for my “Quicksilver” moment. 

Heartless Hunter. Heartless Hunter was another BookTok find. I think about this book at least a few times a week. It is true enemies-to-lovers (my favorite troupe!) and I was so invested in the relationship between Rune, a witch, and Gideon, a witch hunter. Fair warning – the ending is quite the cliffhanger, and the next book in the series, Rebel Witch, doesn’t come out until February 18, 2025. I will be downloading it immediately to read on my flight to Turks and Caicos a few days later. I know a few people who received an advanced copy, and they are RAVING about it. I can’t wait. 

Tired of Being Tired. My friend Liz recommended Tired of Being Tired to me. She and I tend to have similar tastes in books, both fiction and non-fiction, and I was really struggling at the time with burnout and exhaustion. This book spoke to my very soul. I’ve read a few Jess Connolly books now, and her book You Are The Girl for the Job had a similar impact on me in 2023. Not only did Tired of Being Tired resonate with me, it gave me actionable steps that I implemented in my daily life that have made a huge difference. I recommend this book to friends all the time. 

Daughter of No Worlds. I kept seeing the name ‘Maxantarius Farlione’ on social media and decided to investigate. Not only did I find my new book boyfriend when I downloaded Daughter of No Worlds, I found my entire personality. Daughter of No Worlds is my first Carissa Broadbent book and the first in her The War of Lost Hearts series. Obsessed hardly covers it. The magic, the politics, the romance, the side characters… All of it is top tier. I’m halfway through the second book, Children of Fallen Gods, and it’s just as hard to put down. This series is so underrated. Put it on your TBR immediately. 

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. I bought The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches in early 2024 and saved it for spooky season. It was a book I wanted to read for a while before I bought it, and once I finished it, I texted my friend Liz the following: “Irregular Witches was perfect. No notes.” She predicted I would love it when I told her I was reading it. She was correct. Found family, a journey of self-worth, representation done so very well… I could go on and on. Irregular Witches is right up there with Divine Rivals on my top of my favorite books of 2024 list. 

There you have it. My favorite books of 2024. I could sit and talk about any one of these books for an hour or more with you. If you’ve read any of them, let me know in the comments. Let me know, too, what your favorite books of 2024 were!