Books on the Flip Flop
My favorite reads of 2024
I wrote a similar post last year, and I loved taking a stroll through my past reads. I thought this was an excellent way for me to share my true thoughts on books that I read during the year since I do not leave written reviews.
This being said, I was successful in completing my reading goal this year I was very happy to discover another app for tracking reading, getting recommendations, and with a better rating system than Goodreads (IMO).
StoryGraph allows half-star reviews, as well as the ability to rate the plot, characters, pace and so much more without having to write out a review.
I (clap) LOVE (clap) THIS (clap) SO (clap) MUCH (clap)!
It also does many other things to help with tracking your reading and you can import all of your Goodreads info into it rather quickly and easily, which is great because I use both.
You should definitely check it out (this is not a paid sponsorship - I doubt they know I even exist, to be honest). If it’s not your cup of tea, no worries, but I LOVE IT.
Onto the books!
Like last year, these are the books I enjoyed the most during the year in no particular order, from no particular genre, and with no particular number in mind.
Last year I read 71 books out of my goal of 85.
This year I met my goal of 85 books.
So here are my favorite reads of 20241…
Wolf of the Sands by Amy Kuivalainen
If you are a fan of the cinematic masterpiece that is The Mummy (1999) you will absolutely LOVE this book. Ancient Norse and Egyptian mythologies, magic, found family, romance, and women are the feared and revered bodyguards - this book has it all and it delivers without actually being The Mummy (1999).
Rating: Brendan Frasier in The Mummy (1999)
Ruthless Stranger by Maggie Cole
I read this twice. I read it once and loved it SOOOO much that I forced myself to wait to reread it, even though I wanted to jump RIGHT BACK IN. I held off for two months, and the second read was just as good as the first. Yes, it’s a romance. Yes, the MMC is slightly morally grey. Yes, he is a billionaire. Yes, she is “a strong and independent woman who don’t need no man”. All so freaking cliche, but… it was done SO FREAKING WELL! I think in part it was about two mature people (aka NOT 18-20s or early 30s) and it dealt with the weight and baggage that type of maturity brings in a budding relationship. I know I will read this one again.
Rating: Two gin gimlets followed by a rose-scented bubble bath, a bouquet of your favorite flowers with a bottle of champagne.
Counterfeit by Kirsten Chen
What a ride! This book started a bit slow for me but about halfway through a twist hits that you don't see coming and the rest of it just races by! I have to say that the journey of the two main characters was heartfelt and their relationship with each other and the people in their lives were complicated. But the messiness of it reflected the life and choices of women (one a married mother, the other a single college dropout). I would read it again, but I got this one from the library and I may have to grab a Kindle copy to peruse again.
Rating: One gorgeous new Birkin bag.
Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser
While this book was a step out of my normal reading patterns (non-fiction and a much slower read), it was an immensely powerful read/listen. If for nothing else, the quote that I will now be living by for all eternity was bestowed upon me while reading it: “Dream a little before you think.” - Toni Morrison
Just for that quote (and the fact that we all need more Toni Morrison in our lives) this book made this list. But not only that, the Lesser dissects and debates the ideas of feminism that she was raised with, how they have changed, and how we need to continue to evolve and change them still. The book doesn’t so much answer questions but helps us find the right questions to ask, as well a jumping off point.
Rating: A salon with all the best and brightest of women thinkers, readers, writers and dreamers.
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
As short as this book is, it eloquently and beautifully deals with loss, grief, and healing old wounds - personal, familial, and communal. There are giants, lights that dance around through the woods at night, and a mystery of lost young love. We follow two women through their introduction, and re-introduction to a small barbeque town in North Carolina where they are both dealing with the choices of what secrets to unearth, and which ones they want to keep hidden and ultimately have to make the choice to either let the events of the past define them, or if they should rewrite the ending.
Rating: A late summer evening with a Carolina pulled pork sandwich and a tall glass of sweet tea on a wrap-around porch while the fireflies come out to dance.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs
This was on of the books that the book club at my office picked (with my urging) for our October read. In doing so, I managed to convert some solid “thriller-only” readers into “magical realism/speculative fiction” readers. The system of magic in the world was excellent and unique and all of the characters were all so nuanced and different it was a truly beautiful story that revealed the information in a well-paced and excellent way. I caught almost all of the twists but a few slipped by (and I normally catch all of the twists before they happen).
Rating: A hidden door to a vast library that can equally kill and comfort you, with cozy chairs and a pot of tea. Just don’t spill the tea, the librarian isn’t what one would call friendly.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
This was another book club pick, and it was the first book of the book club that I rated higher than 1 star. Yes, I am that savage.2 I had a Brene book on last year’s list too. This one I really enjoyed, while several of the book club members did not. I pointed out that it was because the book forces them to acknowledge their shortcomings, and does not offer fast and easy fixes, as opposed to a previous book we read in the club that they all seemed to love. I like diving into the why. I don’t shy away from the messy. I don’t always like what I find, but it’s more challenging and you do learn something from it. Whether we like what we learn or not.
Rating: 3 journals of self-reflection, a new annotation process, and a righteous feeling of earned knowledge.
If you want to check out the entire list of books recommended, you can find them all on this list on Amazon. (I’m all about ease of use!)
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
While I am that savage on my ratings, I take pride in the fact that if I am going to rate a book that badly, I will actually finish it, and I finished both of those awful books before gracing them with a rating that was merely just a benchmark of finishing a book. I do DNF frequently. If you’re interested in that particular list, let me know and I’ll share it.