My 2024 book choices are on fire. And that’s saying something, considering I read some great books last year. So far this year, I’ve read eight books. And while all of them were good, four of them stood out as ones you should definitely add to your TBR list. Two of them introduced me to a new genre I never thought I would like. One was set in one of my favorite places to visit. And another is one of the best books I’ve ever read. If I were you, I would open up my Libby app and put them on hold, stat. Or if the wait is too long, just buy them. They’re that good.
Who knew I liked fantasy?
The first two books were a total surprise to me. When my friend Maria told me about a fantasy book she couldn’t put down where people bonded dragons and they fought to save the kingdom, I was skeptical. Fantasy isn’t my thing. I haven’t read the popular A Court of Thorns and Roses series. I never watched Game of Thrones. How could I possibly like this book? Well, I was about to find out. After Maria’s rave review, our book club selected The Fourth Wing as our first book of 2024.
Friends, I couldn’t put it down. I turned into that person who told everyone I knew to stop what they were doing, cancel their plans, and read this book. Took breaks from work just to sneak in a chapter or two. And stayed up waaaay too late just to find out what happened. I was spellbound.
Seriously, who knew I liked fantasy? And dragons?!? It’s all I talked about for the four days it took me to read it. That’s right, four days. I couldn’t put it down. And I convinced numerous people to start reading it so they could discuss it with me.
This book covers the journey of Violet Sorrengail as she enters Basgiath War College. Once destined to become a scribe, living a quiet life among books and history, Violet is forced to enter the riders quadrant and become one of Navarre’s elite riders. If she survives.
Throughout the story, Violet faces adversity at every corner. She’s smaller and weaker than the other candidates. And people want to kill her. But she’s savvy. And smart. And she uses these skills to her advantage.
This book has it all: friendship, enemies, unexpected allies, romance, and of course, dragons. And did I mention it ends in a cliffhanger? Which brings me to the next book you must add to your TBR list.
Fantasy is my new favorite genre
The saga continues. With Fourth Wing ending in cliffhanger, I couldn’t purchase the sequel, Iron Flame, fast enough. As you may have guessed, Violet survives her first year at Basgiath War College. But now the real challenge begins. With new threats emerging around every corner, it’s going to take Violet’s iron will to make it through. Pushed to her limits, Violet uncovers secrets hidden for centuries and is forced to make tough choices that impact her friends – and the ones she loves.
Iron Flame is intense. It’s nearly 900 pages of captivating fantasy that, again, I couldn’t put down. And once again, it ends in a cliffhanger. But this time, we must wait until January 2025 to find out what happens next.
Until then, I’ll be exploring theories about many of the questions left unanswered in the first two books convincing every book lover I know to read this book, even if they say “fantasy isn’t their thing.”
A trip down under
Changing gears, the next book I suggest is The Last Love Note.
Set in Australia, this book flashes between current day where a young widow, Kate, is mourning her late husband and the period of time when he was diagnosed and ill. Without giving too much away, this book was both sad and uplifting, all at the same time. I loved the subtle references to Australia, like the mention of Tim Tams. I laughed at Kate as she bounced from one crisis to the next. And cheered for her as she began to emerge from her grief and explore the possibility of a second chance at love.
One of the best books I’ve ever read
Wow. This book was unputdownable. Set during the Vietnam War, The Women follows Frankie McGrath, a nurse from Southern California who lived a shelter life. Frankie joins the Army Nurse Corp and heads to war-torn Vietnam. The first part of the book follows Frankie and her fellow nurses as they navigate the wreckage and chaos of the ER in country, frantically trying to save as many wounded soldiers as they can.
And then they return home, where Frankie and her friends face a new kind of battle. The country has changed. And returning to “normal life” isn’t as easy as it seems. This book is a powerful story of love and of loss. Of friendship. And of a defining era in our country’s history. Read it. I promise, you won’t regret it. It’s definitely the best book I’ve read this year (and that’s saying something!). And probably in my top five books of all time.
Other books I read (and liked) this year
To be clear, I did like these each of these books. But the four above are the ones that stood out. In addition to the books above, I also read:
If any of these books are on your TBR list, read them. Just make sure to add the ones above, too 😉
What are you reading? Any suggestions for me to add to my TBR list? I’m excited about a few I have in queue and can’t wait to share them with you soon!