Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Today’s topic is the best books I read in 2024, which can be both fun and exciting, and difficult as well. I’m not a picky reader, so I tend to enjoy everything I read. So, picking The Best can be rough. But here we go!
In no particular order:
Starter Villain by John Scalzi. Last year, I read Redshirts and fell in love with this author. Starter Villain is ten times better (and more ridiculous). So much better in audio, too, because Wil Wheaton is a treasure, and no one quite does incredulous like he does.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. I never knew I needed cozy fantasy in my life, but this is the perfect gateway, even for someone who might not like fantasy. Bonsu: the author, a prolific audiobook narrator, reads his own book.
The Lies Among Us by Sarah Beth Durst. This was one of the most unique and interesting books I’ve read in a very long time. An addictive story that nearly breaks your heart at times.
Lucky Bounce by Cait Nary. I’m a huge hockey fan, so a bit of hockey romance is necessary each year. Zeke and Spencer are probably my second favorite hockey couple.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. A very different sort of story involving alternating worlds and a ladder to an attic full of alternate husbands.
Silver Alert by Lee Smith. I picked this up on a whim because you don’t find a lot of stories centered around senior citizens. But this was a blast. Herb, struggling to care for his aging wife, takes off on a road trip with the young woman hired to care for his wife. Sweet, funny, and a little sad at times, it was a refreshing read.
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland. A blend of historical romance and fantasy, this really sucked me in from page one. I don’t read a lot of lesbian fiction, but the love story contained within is epic in its own right. Beautifully written, too.
Check Please! Book 1 by Ngozi Ukazu. As I said above, I love hockey. I also love manga and graphic novels, so when the two combine, I’m sold. This was a super sweet story about a kid who loves to bake and his maybe boyfriend. College romance done up in adorable graphics.
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner. Another cozy fantasy but this time add a dash of The Great British Bake Off. Super cute and quick read.
She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica. I love her books in general, but this has been my favorite to date. Twisty and engrossing, I couldn’t stop reading until I knew the truth.
Have you read any of these? What did you think, if you did?
I think that’s awesome you enjoy most of what you read! Generally I feel like I do too. Glad you found some to still feature on your list. Happy 2025 reading! Thanks so much for visiting my list today.
Thank you! I’m not a picky reader, so I’m easy to please. And the same to you, let’s hope there’s a good reading year ahead for us both. 🙂
All of these sound great and adding them all to my TBR – starting with Starter Villain (er, no pun intended). Thanks for a great rec list, and wish you a very happy new year 2025.
Oh man, I hope you love Starter Villain! And if you do audiobooks, Wil Wheaton’s narration is fantastic. No one does incredulous quite like Wil.
Happy New Year!
Congrats on all the good books read. I want to read Sarah Beth Durst this year 2025, which it is here in NZ. I’ll read the Spellshop first but will keep this one here in mind.
I hope you enjoy them both! And Happy New Year!
Fabulous list! They all sound interesting! Happy new reading year! 📚🥂
Thank you! And the same to you!
Great list! Mary Kubica is a favorite with my library patrons. Happy New Year!
Thanks! I stumbled onto her by accident years ago and she’s become a favorite of mine. Happy New Year!
I’m a big fan of John Scalzi, he can always lighten my mood and make me laugh. Nice list!
Oh man, I seriously adore him! He’s just a riot and I know that I’m going to have a good time no matter what book I pick up. 🙂
I keep hearing great things about The Husbands. I really enjoyed Legends & Lattes and its sequel (prequel?). Happy new year!
The Husbands was so different that it sucked me right in. I hope you enjoy it if you do read it. OH! And I just found out this afternoon that there’s going to be a third Legends & Lattes book, so I’m stoked for that. Happy New Year!
Glad you found so many great books to love this year!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Thank you!
I kind of get not being a picky reader. I will only read books I’m 90% sure I’ll love so I wind up with a lot of 4 and 5 star reads. I may just have to read Legends and Lattes because of the hype. Great list!
That could be the secret to my success, too, honestly. I hope you do give Legends & Lattes a try – it’s fun and lighthearted. Sort of a slice-of-life fantasy story.
Looks like you had a great reading year too! Hope you find many new favorites in 2025!
I did, thanks! And right back atcha!
I’ve heard really good things about The Husbands.
Happy New Year!
It was very odd at times, but I enjoyed it!
I liked Legends and Lattes and I have Check Please on my TBR!
Legends and Lattes was everything I didn’t know I needed, honestly! I hope you love Check Please! As a hockey fan and a baker, it hit all my buttons. LOL
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic was so cute, i hope to continue the series soon
I’ve read the first two and loved them both. Bonus – book 2 has a dragon!
The Husbands sounds interesting LOL, and I love Mary Kubica too, but haven’t read this one. These two will definitely go on my TBR. Happy 2025!
The Husbands was very odd, but good. Honestly, I think this is the best Mary Kubica I’ve read so far. I hope you love them both!
So nice to see Scalzi get onto one of these lists. Back in the 1990s, he was on an internet newsgroup with me, working on his first books. Now he’s published so many books!
He just mentioned something about it being 20 years for Old Man’s War? I hate that I’ve known his name for years, but never bothered to read any of his books until recently. He’s fantastic and seems like a pretty decent guy, too.
Ooh nice ones! These are all new to me ones! Glad you enjoyed all of these books this past year!
Thanks for visiting my TTT!
Thank you! I did, and I hope you have a great reading year this year.
I loved Starter Villian! Legends and Lattes was great too. I love cozy fantasy.
Starter Villain nearly caused me to have an accident. Cannot listen to John Scalzi while driving! YES. Cozy fantasy wasn’t something I knew I needed but ow I can’t get enough.
Starter Villain was a lot of fun! And Legends & Lattes is so good too — I’ve always loved the cosier side of fantasy, but I’m so glad that it prompted more of it and more marketing effort behind it.
Yes! I agree completely. As much as I love epic fantasy, these cozies are just right. It was inevitable – I love cozy mysteries, too. 😀
I’d like to check out Starter Villain at some point.
I hope you do! If you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend it in audio. Wil Wheaton is a delight.
An interesting list. I find it hard to pick favourites too!
Have a great New Year!
Thank you! I’m the same way – I don’t tend to be a very picky reader so everything’s my favorite at one point.
Interesting list! Haven’t read any of these.
Thanks! I hope you enjoy any you try off my list.
Starter Villian deserves more love!
It really does! Bonus points: the cat on the cover looks like one I had several years ago. (And he absolutely worked for a shady organization at one point.)
Fantastic list! I just got a copy of A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic and am eager to read it. Happy New Year! 🙂
Starter Villain was fun, but my favourite Scalzis are Lock In and The Kaiju Preservation Society…
I also liked Baldree a lot. Have you read Bookshops & Bonedust yet?
My TTT: https://cathysreadingbonanza.wordpress.com/2024/12/31/top-ten-tuesday-best-books-i-read-in-2024/
I read Lock In last year as well and I agree, it was fantastic.
Yes, l have! And I discovered he has a third coming out in November of this year. Brigands and Breadknives, I think it’s called. I’m excited.
Check Please is so freaking cute! I enjoyed it when I read it a few years ago.
And I really need to read Legends and Lattes soon. Glad you were able to find some great reads this year 🙂
I like a lot of what I read too, so it is SO hard to narrow it down. You did great!
I love Lee Smith! Her book Fair and Tender Ladies is one of my all-time favorites. I haven’t read Silver Alert yet, though I was just thinking about it last night as we watched the movie Thelma. It was hilarious if you haven’t watched it!
I didn’t know I needed cozy fantasy in my life either but I’m so glad it is now. The House in the Cerulean Sea is another book in this mini genre that I highly recommend.
Happy New Year!
This is a wonderful list. I’m not familiar with most of them, but I really loved Legends and Lattes, and The Lies Among Us and A Fellowship of Makers and Magic had to get added to my TBR!
Legends and Lattes made my list too! I loved it.
Sorry for the lateness of my visit but it looks like you had a lot of great books in 2024 and a few authors I hope to try in 2025 such as Sarah Beth Durst & John Scalzi. I also love Legends and Lattes and I’m fully on board with the cozy fantasy train! 🙂
I’ve never read John Scalzi (or much sci fi before), but Starter Villain was SO much fun. Great pick.
And wow, I didn’t even know Sarah Beth Durst HAD another release last year…I’ve only read Spellshop and The Lake House, but I liked them both enough that I’m now actively looking for her backlist.
Thanks for stopping by my list earlier.