More Best Book 2024 edition

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano: I loved the complex sister relationships as they came together and support each other as well as fell apart.  This brought up a lot of emotions as the sisters deal with William as he struggles with his mental health, wonderfully displaying the effects of trauma. 

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfield: This book was pure joy and focuses on the a SNL-type late night comedy show. Sally's given up on love, happy in her career as a writer on the show until a handsome musician guests on the show. Sparks fly but it takes awhile for it all to come together. I laughed so much. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang: This is a thriller set in the publishing world with an emphasis on diverse writers and stolen stories. It reminded me a little of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz and was a very unique story.  

Small Mercies by Denise Lehane: I loved the 1970s Boston setting, strong characters, and the twists and turns of the mystery during a volatile time in history. Denise Lehane is masterful in his writing. 

Huda F Are You; A Graphic Novel by Huda Fahmy: This graphic novel was hilarious and poignant. This should be required reading to raise awareness much like the New Kid series by Jerry Craft. 

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat: This memoir graphic novel shares Santat's middle school years and a trip to Europe with classmates as he navigates first love and coming into his own as a young person. Hilarious and took me back to my own middle school years. 

Honorable Mention and new Canadian author:

Carley Fortune! I read all three of these on my Kindle phone app often in the middle of the night with my illusive sleep patterns. This Summer Will Be Different was my favorite but all three are light, funny, and sexy with positive relationships and great yet not perfect men. I notice on her website she has a new book out as well. My sleep has been better which means I'll be forced to read this new one during the day. 

Write now I'm reading The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. 

I'm going to ignore all news stations tomorrow and pray that the next few days are low key. I'm concerned about deportations as the first order of business. There is much that makes me nervous and I hope my checklist does not become reality. Peace be with us all as we navigate this next term.

My Best Books-2024 edition

I far exceeded my reading goal this year which originally was 65 books and I think the reason I went beyond is because I'm reading more books digitally. I'm often reading under the covers in the early morning hours on my phone because of my sleep issues.  My daughter nicely bought me a kindle for Christmas because I don't like to sleep with my phone so I will be able to continue to read more digitally in 2025. I'll have to do more reading to keep my spirits up once DT takes office.  I don't recommend insomnia to help with your reading goal but for me it's better than doom scrolling.

There is a certain type of yummy book that works well for reading digitally. I'm not good with lots of characters or time changes. It is no surprise then that this is the year I discovered the fun of Elin Hilderbrand and I've quickly devoured several of her books. The Five-Star Weekend hit my 5-star mark.  Here are 13 more books I loved this year...

I loved Waubgeshig Rice's post-apocalyptic series Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves both very good post-apocalyptic stories featuring a world devoid of technology. The lights have gone out and the members of an Anishinaabe tribe on a reservation figure out how to live without and eventually send members of their Canadian community south to see how the rest of the world is faring. I also read this on kindle just so you know I can read more than just light-hearted beach reads.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt: This is an amazing story and probably my top but it's really hard to choose. Tova takes a job at the local aquarium after her husband dies and she discovers a giant Pacific octopus roaming the halls at night. Filled with dynamic connections.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: this was so good made better by the fact that I listened to Meryl Streep read the story to me. It took the book to a new level. This is a story about mothers and daughters and all that they know about each other. 

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan: A friend lent this to me with the words "I think you'll like this!" and I did. Picoult and Boylan weave together a satisfying story about two unusual families who've tried to start over and are forever changed.

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter: favorite historical fiction this year because it's based on the author's family history. It has lots of characters and switching timelines so I have the hard copy.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune: Other librarian friends talked about this fantasy story for awhile and I couldn't resist any longer. It's magical and filled with promise and delightful characters. They were right. Now I need to find time to read the second in the series. 

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker: A teacher friend handed this to me in a book trade and I loved it. Short chapters, interesting characters, and lots of little mysteries to solve made it read fast enough

Leaving by Roxanna Robinson: My friend Tina told me this was worth it and she was right. I think I read it in just a few days. I loved Sarah and Warren and their love story both in the past and the present. Very beautifully done (but also frustrating).

The Electric Kingdom and Mosquitoland by David Arnold:  My brother-in-law sent me Electric Kingdom for my birthday and I loved it so much I followed it up with another Arnold book. Both were very unique and yet so different from each other. Both stories had charming characters. 

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré: My friend Sarah handed me this book in another book trade and now I've passed it around to other friends. While this Nigerian tale has a crushing sadness to it it is also filled with hope that things might change. 

The Trees by Percival Everett: I heard a review about Everett's book James and wanted to read it but there was such a long wait at the library so I picked up this other title and was blown away by the amazing way he told such a heavy story with humor and wit. I have yet to read James even though I did get it from Libby but it was not the right book for reading digitally. It really makes a difference to me. 

Oh so many good reads! I hope you find one on this list you might be inspired to read. I have another list coming soon. Happy New Year, happy new reading goals!