My Top 10 Reads of 2024

. . . this felt like picking a favorite child!

Today, on the blog, I rounded up every. single. book. I read in 2024. 102 of them—the most I’ve ever read in a single year. They are broken down by genre and then within each genre, ranked.

But what about favorite books, overall, genres aside? Today, I am sharing my personal top ten reads of 2024. This was not easy!

Head to the blog to read the full post, and tell me your favorite books of the year in the comments section. I’m dying to know, and also very curious to see if we have overlap!

10. Margo’s Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe. This book is a lesson in not judging a book by its cover. It looked cheesy and didn’t sound like something I wanted to read (a young mother signs up for Only Fans to pay her bills with help from her father, a former wrestling coach). But it’s wonderful. Unputdownable, funny, and surprisingly tender.

9. Real Americans, by Rachel Khong. This book is so special, with magical storytelling. A generational story that begins in the late nineties in New York City. It’s a meditation on fitting in, race, class, difficult (heartbreaking in some cases) decisions, and family. I loved it so much.

8. James, by Percival Everett. I listened to this one on Audible, and I’m really glad I did, as the narrator acts it out a little bit. This is a modern retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: told from the perspective of James (aka Jim). You really fall in love with his character. His intelligence, compassion, his wit. It will be made into a film — I am really looking forward to that.

7. Big Fan, by Alexandra Romanoff. A romance! I loved this tiny book so much. It’s really well-written, steamy, and just plain FUN to read. We stan a female lead who has her sh*t together and a famous person/not-famous person coupling. I passed it along to my sister when I was done; she loved it, too! This is perfect for busy moms who have a harder time reading so much.

6. Sociopath, by Patric Gagne. I listened to this on Audible (narrated by the author) and loved every word. I expected it to be salacious and juicy . . . maybe a little bit dark; and it is those things but it’s so much more than that. You really feel for Gagne’s difficulties and root for her. It changed how I think about the word “sociopath;” I will never throw that word around as an insult.

5. The Work, by Bri Lee. This was a semi-random reader recommendation that I’m so glad I listened to as I did not see much about it anywhere, it was a top read of the year. It’s a long-distance romance between a gallery owner and an antique dealer, set between New York and Sydney. It’s steamy (in a highbrow sort of way), vulnerable, funny, and beautifully written. A must!

6. Be Ready When the Luck Happens, by Ina Garten. I listened to this on Audible and had to savor it. Truly, it’s such a treat of a book. I loved hearing about Ina and Jeffrey’s relationship, I loved the business stories she told, I just loved every word. I was sad when it ended and will probably be that person who listens to it more than once.

3. All Fours, by Miranda July. I did not really want to read this (frankly, it did not sound enjoyable!), but I also desperately wanted to read it as it was all anyone was talking about this summer. It was completely different than I expected it to be — in a very good way. Truly, it is a transportive journey. It’s artsy and weird and a joy to read. On a practical note, there really should be more books about perimenopausal women!

2. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore // This could have been number one! I loved it so much. What a saga. The ending! All of it. I will never be over how well Liz Moore writes. She is so talented, and this story is absolutely magnificent.

1. All the Colors of the Dark, by Chris Whitaker // Another beautifully written, slow-burn saga of a thriller. It was a tough decision. This, or The God of the Woods. Ultimately, I just liked this one a little bit better. Either book could have been number one. Both A++ reads!

If you have a spare moment, tell me YOUR top reads from the year in the comments; I’d love to hear them!