A year in books
I can’t believe that 2024 is nearly over (just a few days left as I write this blog). Going into 2024, I didn’t set any intentional reading goals—and honestly, I usually don’t set goals like that. I have a habit of being super hard on myself if I don’t reach even the simplest goals, so I’ve learned (in therapy) to focus more on what I accomplish rather than fixating on an arbitrary number. And yes, this mindset carries over into my drafting, which is one reason writing a book takes me longer—I have to give myself a lot of grace when it comes to timing. But I digress; back to the topic at hand.
This year, I started without expecting to do much personal reading. Mainly, this was because I told myself I didn’t want to read while drafting. I thought I needed to focus all my time on writing and avoid letting other writers’ voices influence my own. That was a poor decision because I think it actually made drafting harder—but I’ll write about that another time.
I’m often asked what my favorite genre is to read, as many assume it’s magical realism, fantasy, or romance since that’s what I write. However, I am very much a cross-genre reader. To be honest, I’m not a fan of high fantasy (which is why I’m purposely not writing high fantasy—but more on that another time). Since I read across genres and focus more on the story and what I feel drawn to at any given time, I’ve found that I have a lot of freedom in my reading choices. Ultimately, we all have the freedom to choose what we want to read, but sometimes I notice other writers sticking exclusively to the genre they write in, which can be a disservice to their voice.
With the freedom I gave myself this year—both in the number of books I read and the genres I chose—I ended up reading eight books (nine if I include my own). At the time of this writing, I’m working on books 10 and 11. These are the books I finished in 2024, along with my quick thoughts
One True Loves: I picked this up because it was on a table at B&N. I loved the story because it was a breezy read that felt really good. I’m a sucker for a sweet romance, and this one definitely hit the spot. Plus, who doesn’t love a novel with a bookstore as a central theme?
Lore Olympus Volume One: This may be cheating because I have read this volume before when it was just a webcomic. This is one of the last books I read in 2024 and was part of my Christmas presents. I can’t say enough about this graphic novel and how it has been a huge inspiration for the novel I am working on. I can’t wait to get through the full set!
The Echo of Old Books: I’m a big Barbara Davis fan and love how she weaves magical feelings into women’s literature with romance. The way this story was written from different perspectives that crossed decades was brilliant. This one was so good that I purchased it for my bookshelf and not just for my Kindle library.
Caraval: This was also one of my last reads of 2024, and I really liked it. My only complaint is that I think there should have been a trigger warning about themes of child abuse (physical). I’m not usually one for trigger warnings, but that caught me off guard. I haven’t read a lot of YA recently, but I really liked this one. I hope for my novel to feel like a YA, even though my protagonist is in her 40s.
A Well-Trained Wife: This was one of the first books I read in 2024, and I picked it up because of a TikTok creator’s review. I also grew up evangelical-adjacent, so I knew going into it that the themes would be intense. This book was so emotional to read, and I felt physically visceral reactions to Tia’s story. I highly suggest reading this book and following Tia on socials.
Assistant to the Villain: This was the other YA I read this year. I enjoyed the book, but it also reminded me why I don’t love YA. The character was in her early twenties and acted like it. I had a hard time relating to the “will-they-won’t-they” dynamic and the whiny main character—I had to stop reading a few times. This isn’t a dig on the author because I think she wrote the characters brilliantly. It’s just a reminder that YA isn’t typically for me anymore.
Devolution: I read this book alongside my husband, and it was the first book we’ve read together. I love Max Brooks as an author. Funny note: I had never looked him up in person and did not expect him to look the way he does. World War Z is one of my favorite books, and this one had all the brilliance of that book. The way Max is able to weave stories into the fabric of everyday society and leave you thinking, “Did this really happen?” is nothing short of amazing.
Sandwich: I picked this book up at B&N at the recommendation of a worker there when I was in Hawaii. I was not prepared for the emotional gut punch of this book. As a perimenopausal woman, with young kids and elderly in-laws, I felt so much of this in my bones. Since my children are still young, I felt every fear, worry, and weariness Catherine describes in her main character’s voice. This book is going to be at the top of my favorites list for sure. It may very well be a reread of mine. It’s just everything.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Right now I am reading Legend (the second book in the Caraval Series) and Lore Olympus Volume Two and I hope to finish those fairly quickly into 2025. My goal for the year (remember it’s a loose goal) is to ready at least 12 books. I know for sure I want to finish Wicked and the Carval Series plus Lore Olympus. I have a stack of other books on my TBR that are from various author friends of mine who I want to read as well. I plan on using audio books too when I’m driving or at the gym, I’ve found books in the high fantasy realm feel better when they are read to me. Hopefully 2025 reading is as good to me as 2024 has been.