The 20+ best books of 2024
It's my favorite time of the year. The weather gets chilly, and that means curling up next to a fire (or a heater), snuggling under a blanket, and reading a good book — or 20-something good books! I've been reading the new releases all year, and I've compiled a list of 20+ of the best books of 2024! From romance to thrillers and historical fiction to poetry, these books are perfect to gift or keep for yourself!
Note: I received many of these books as advance-reading copies from the publishers and NetGalley, and this blog post contains affiliate links, which means I will earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through these links.
20 must-read books of 2024
Beach reads, rom-coms, and chick-lit
Here One Moment
Liane Moriarty
The best books are the ones that make you feel something. And judging by the constant flares of goosebumps, and the tears in my eyes as the book ended, this is one of the good ones.
The passengers on the Sydney to Hobart flight thought the delay was the worst of their problems. But when one passenger stands up and works her way down the aisle, predicting the age and cause of death for every passenger, things get a little weird.
For many, death is in the distant future. But for some, it's just around the corner. When three passengers die as predicted, the other passengers wonder is fate can be fought. Liane Moriarty's novel follows the passengers as they try to change their destinies and uncover the true identity of the "Death Lady."
Tangled Up in You
Christina Lauren
There's no accident in the name of this novel. It's a modern day retelling of the Rapunzel story, and a really fun read! Ren grew up off the grid with no technology, but she's a major bookworm and absolute genius, who achieves her dream of going off to Corona College. There, the long-haired, slightly naive, and quirky teen meets Fitz, who plans to graduate at the top of his class and get his criminal record wiped. However, when a DNA test in an immunology class reveals a match for Ren's father (who, as far as she knows, is the tech-averse man who raised her on the homestead), both Ren and Fitz's future plans get thrown for a loop. I loved this book— even if it was a little predictable for a Disney fan like me!
Buy Tangled Up in You on Amazon
Once Upon a Boy Band
Jenny Proctor
What girl hasn't dreamed of their favorite boyband member professing their undying devotion for them? Surely it wasn't just me! Dr. Laney Lawson knows how I felt. She was one of Midnight Rush's biggest fans— and Deke was her favorite. But when Deke quit the band, he seemed to vanish into thin air. It's been years since the band last performed together.
Laney is a vet in the tiny town of Lawson Cove, and she's got a huge crush on the new guy in town, Adam Driscoll, who runs an animal rescue. And it's mutual. Which would be great, except that Adam has a secret that keeps him from getting close to anyone. He's Deke. Or he was.
Will he reveal his past to his number one fan? And will he let his former bandmates convince him to come back for a reunion tour? You'll have to read this book to find out!
Buy Once Upon a Boy Band on Amazon
The Paradise Problem
Christina Lauren
I'm not usually a huge fan of let's-fake-this-relationship books. I'm constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I love Christian Lauren, so I decided to give this book a read, and I'm glad I did. Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while they studied at UCLA. And she didn't actually read the divorce papers she signed when they graduated and moved out.
Come on, girl!! You've gotta read the fine print!
Three years after graduation, Anna is a struggling artist and West is a college professor. He's also due to inherit 100 million dollars— if he can prove he's been happily married for five years. Just before their fifth "anniversary," West is invited to his sister's wedding on a private island in Indonesia. The catch? His family wants to meet his wife. After getting over the shock at learning she's still married, Anna agrees to accompany West to the wedding in exchange for paying her father's medical bills. Will a fake marriage turn into a real romance when surrounded by real luxury and fake people? We'll find out!
Buy The Paradise Problem on Amazon
The Rom-Commers
Katherine Center
I'm a big believer that Katherine Center can do no wrong, and my fan-girling on the internet even led to a fun pack of goodies for The Rom-Commers book release. (Does this make me a bookstagrammer?!) In The Rom-Commers Emma Wheeler is a girl with a whole lot of writing talent— and a whole lot of responsibility, caring for her dad who needs round-the-clock help. When she gets a chance to work with big-time screenwriter Charlie Yates, it's an opportunity way too big to pass up. Emma's little sister comes to help their dad while Emma heads to LA.
Unfortunately, Charlie didn't ask for help. And he definitely doesn't want the help of “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Yikes. Emma's got grit, and some creative ways to convince that man who doesn't believe in love that maybe love isn't so bad after all. This is a fun read and you may even recognize some characters from Katherine Center's previous work! Love a full circle moment!
What Does It Feel Like?
Sophie Kinsella
The Shopaholic series got me hooked on Sophie Kinsella, and her books are always a no-questions-asked purchase. I wasn't too sure what I was getting into when I started What Does It Feel Like?, aside from the fact that the book promised to give a glimpse into the author's life in a fictionalized autobiography. What followed was a devastatingly brave, beautifully written account of her experience with a cancerous brain tumor that took so much from her. Sophie writes the book from the perspective of Eve, a successful novelist, who wakes up one day in a hospital bed without her memory. The story is told through snippets of life as she relearns the basics of who she is, how to walk/talk/eat, and how to navigate such a scary diagnosis with the family that loves her. Prepare to have your heart broken and then warmed in this really special novel.
Buy What Does It Feel Like? on Amazon
Christmas
The Merry Matchmaker
Sheila Roberts
I'm not sure what it is about this book, but it gave me all the Sweet Magnolia and Gilmore Girls feels. Frankie owns Holiday Happiness, where her mom and daughter both work. There, she's the reigning queen of Christmas and self-appointed meddler (for good, of course)! After losing her husband, it's a lot safer to help others than to imagine a life of happiness for herself. But when her fairy godmother antics thrust her once-mousy employee into the arms of her best friend, she wonders if maybe she's missed her chance at happily ever after... again. A cute, cozy, Christmassy read!
Buy The Merry Matchmaker on Amazon
Poetry
A Bit Much
Lyndsay Rush
I've followed @maryoliversdrunkcousin on Instagram for years, so when I heard that she was turning her pointed, poignant poetry into a book, I made sure to pre-order a copy! The cover is a sardine tin full of confetti, and the book is full of poems that will make you laugh, cry, and want to call your best friend and thank them for existing.
Thrillers
Bye, Baby
Carola Lovering
Bye, Baby is the story of two lifelong friends Billie and Cassie, who have drifted as the years progressed. Cassie is an influencer— constantly posting about her life married to a wealthy man, her experience as a new mom, and her fashion empire. Billie is unmarried and childless, obsessing over Cassie's Instagram stories, wishing they could go back to the way things were. The book opens with a scream in the night. As Cassie realizes her baby's gone, Billie looks down into her arms at the little one. How did they get here? And what happens next? Told between alternating character viewpoints and timelines, this novel is one you won't be able to put down!
Darling Girls
Sally Hepworth
Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have always been told how lucky they are. Rescued from terrible family situations and brought into the loving care of Miss. Fairchild, those girls are lucky. At least that's what it looks like to outsiders.
Inside the home, the girls feel anything but lucky, with Miss. Fairchild's unpredictable nature and strict rules. Eventually, the girls escape, and grow up. Now, a body's been discovered under Miss. Fairchild's escape and the women are called back to the home. Are they witnesses, or suspects? Just when you think you've got it figured out, Sally Hepworth throws in one of her signature twists and leaves you with your jaw on the floor. I love the multiple-viewpoint, multiple-time period telling of this story, as Hepworth weaves a fabulous story and draws you right in!
Finding Sophie
Imran Mahmood
How far would you go to find your missing teen? When 17-year-old Sophie goes missing, her parents do everything you're supposed to do when a child goes missing— then they do some things you're not supposed to do in order to move the case along. The story alternates perspectives, between Sophie's parents, and timelines, from the aftermath of Sophie's disappearance and a murder trial. This one twists and turns and you won't want to miss the surprise ending!
It's Elementary
Elise Bryant
It's Elementary was one of my favorite books of 2024. It's quirky, fun to read, and kept me guessing who-done-it! Mavis Miller is definitely not your typical PTA mom. She's a single mom of a 7-year-old and works at a non-profit— with very little free time to herself. But as one of the only Black moms at her school, she gets tapped as the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chair. She reluctantly gives in to the persistent PTA president, Trisha, and attends the first PTA meeting. Trisha and the new principal butt heads over his plans for the school, and the meeting ends. But the next day, the principal is a no-show. And Mavis saw Trisha wearing yellow, rubber gloves and lugging something out of the school in big black trash bags after the meeting. On top of all her other responsibilities, Mavis goes full sleuth-mode to figure out what really happened to the principal.
If Something Happens To Me
Alex Finlay
Five years ago, Ryan and his girlfriend, Ali, drove to a secluded spot for a romantic time. And if the horror movies taught us anything— we know that’s where trouble begins. In this case, the bad guy attacks, knocking Ryan on the head and kidnapping Ali.
Just as Ryan thinks he’s put the past behind him, Ali’s car turns up submerged in a lake with two dead men inside.
And on a summer trip to Italy, Ryan catches a glimpse of the man who’s plagued his nightmares since that terrible night. That sighting kicks off a race around the world to clear his name and find out what really happened that night. I love everything Alex Finley writes, and this was no exception!
Buy If Something Happens To Me on Amazon
Ladykiller
Katherine Wood
Ladykiller is a beach read-meets-mystery that I devoured in less than a day. Gia and Abby have been best friends since childhood— their friendship forever forged by a tragedy in Greece that happened when the pair was 18. Now, glamorous Gia's back in Greece with her brand new husband and invites workaholic attorney Abby on an all-expenses-paid trip to Sweden to celebrate her birthday. When Abby and Gia's brother arrive in Sweden for the celebration, they're surprised to find that Gia's not there. The two fly to Greece to investigate, and discover that the estate's been deserted– with only Gia's unfinished manuscript as a clue to where she's gone. This novel reminds us that everyone has a story— but not every story is true...
The Lost Story
Meg Shaffer
When I read Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game, it became an immediate favorite. I wasn't sure her new book could possibly compete, and I was SO glad to be proved wrong.
As children, Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing for 6 months in the West Virginia forest, only to reappear unable to explain where they'd been or what happened in their absence. All grown up, Rafe is a reclusive artist who's still dealing with the internal aftermath of what happened while he was missing. Jeremy is a famed missing persons investigator— and Emilie Wendell's only hope for finding her sister who went missing from the same forest. Here's the thing... Jeremy knows exactly what happened so many years ago, and he's kept quiet to keep Rafe safe. Now, the two former lost boys must reunite and travel back to the magical land where they disappeared to decades before to face the secrets and the danger they escaped in an effort to find Emilie's missing sister. This book is magical and imaginative and anything but predictable. I know I'll be recommending Meg Shaffer and rushing to read everything she writes from now on!
Middle of the Night
Riley Sager
I truly believe everything Riley Sager writes is gold, and Middle of the Night just solidifies my theory. Thirty years ago, Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, go to sleep in a tent in his backyard on the Hemlock Circle cul-de-sac. When Ethan wakes up, there's a knife slit in the tent and an empty sleeping bag beside him.
Now, Ethan's back in his childhood home and he's being plagued by nightmares and something more tangible— signs that Billy (long thought to be dead) might be back. Ethan starts his own investigation, determined to find out what really happened to his friend that night, and who's been roaming around his home at night. His search will lead him deep into the woods behind Hemlock Circle, to a mysterious research institute in the woods, and an ending you'll have to read to believe!
Buy Middle of the Night on Amazon
The Midnight Feast
Lucy Foley
It’s the opening night of The Manor, a hot, new luxury resort, and everything is perfect— until it isn't. Local folklore warned something bad would happen, and now the past comes back to crash the party. Fans of The White Lotus will love this whodunnit, told through altering viewpoints and time periods.
Buy The Midnight Feast on Amazon
The Mystery Writer
Sulari Gentill
I was first introduced to Sulari Gentill two years ago— The Woman in the Library absolutely captivated me! When I saw her name on The Mystery Writer, it was an immediate NEED TO READ for me! And it did not disappoint!
Theodosia Benton does a life-180 and decides to pursue writing instead of law, showing up on her brother Gus's doorstep hoping for his support as she writes. As Theo works on her novel at a local cafe, she befriends a man— who turns out to be a super famous author. A few weeks later, he's murdered. The police are on the case, but when they start looking at Gus, Theo starts going down some unconventional— and unsafe– paths to discover the true murderer. I loved this book and can't wait for Sulari's next one!
Buy The Mystery Writer on Amazon
The Night We Lost Him
Laura Dave
I finished this book in less than 24 hours. When a thrice-married billionaire falls off the cliff at his beloved cottage, it's deemed an accident. But some things just aren't adding up. As one of the twin boys from marriage #2 reaches out to the daughter from marriage #1, they team up to solve the mystery of what really happened that night. And, as they'll find, the mystery starts with family secrets kept for decades. This book kept me guessing until the very end, and really made me feel like I was right there beside the half-siblings, searching for answers.
Buy The Night We Lost Him on Amazon
Sci-fi
Run: A Novel
Blake Crouch
I started this book while waiting for new episodes of Dark Matter to be released on Apple+. I just can't get enough of Blake Crouch, and Run certainly satisfied that itch.
An epidemic of rage swept the nation, culminating in utter chaos and senseless killings. After the power goes out nationwide, Jack Colclough hears his name on his battery-powered radio, calling for his murder. He and his wife waste no time getting their children in the car and running— knowing that the affected will be at his door soon. Whatever happened turned seemingly normal people into bloodthirsty killers, and no one knows why.
This thriller is quite violent and unsettling, keeping you on the edge of your seat for the entire novel and making you question what you would do if the world went topsy-turvy and you didn't know who to trust. Where would you go? And who would you want by your side?
Historical Fiction
By Any Other Name
Jodi Picoult
This might just be the most memorable book I've read in 2024. Everyone knows William Shakespeare— but hardly anyone has heard the name Emilia Bassano. Young playwright Melina Green recently learned that she's related to Emilia (born in 1569), the first professional female poet in England. As Melina digs into her ancestor's life, she finds information that has her questioning whether Shakespeare really was who he says he was. Or rather, whether the plays published under his name really came from his own pen.
The dual-era novel follows Emilia from her early life as a ward of English aristocrats, her time as a mistress to Lord Chamberlain (who oversaw all theatre productions in England), and in a marriage arranged by family members. While much has changed since the 16th century, theatre still is a male-dominated field. When her roommate encourages Melina to submit her play about Emilia under a male pseudonym, it seems like history might just be repeating itself.
I can't stop thinking about this novel, and think it should be on everyone's must-read list! AND... it's largely written from primary historical sources. So maybe it's not fiction after all!
Buy By Any Other Name on Amazon
Shelterwood
Lisa Wingate
Lisa Wingate's Before We Were Yours shed light on the horrific truth about kidnappings and illegal adoptions in the 1930s.
Shelterwood is another well-written, well-researched, previously-untold story that will break your heart. The books oscillates between 1990, as the burial site of three young children is discovered in a cave, and 1909, as two children flee home and take to the mountains amidst treasure hunters and outlaws.
Valerie Boren-Odell is the Horsethief Trail National Park's newest law enforcement ranger, and first on call when a teen hiker goes missing and the old burial site is uncovered. Val's search for answers wins friends among the Choctaw Nation’s Tribal Police but causes trouble a little closer to home. This one is a must-read— I never learned about this part of history in school and Lisa Wingate is a master storyteller.
The Women
Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah has an incredible talent for writing novels that transport you to a different place and time, immersing you in the tragedy, triumph, and drama of days past. The Women is set during the Vietnam War, and while history usually focuses on the young men who fought, this novel shines a light on the brave women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country were often overlooked. Kristin Hannah will break your heart and put it back together in this heartwarming novel— it's definitely a must-read!
Want more recommendations? Here are the best books of years past!
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