My 2024 Year in Books and 2025 Reading Intentions

Everything I read in 2024, top 10 favorite books, and looking ahead to 2025

Hello, new year—hello to fresh opportunities to reflect on the areas of my life I want to nurture and prioritize. One of my perennial favorites? My reading life.

Reading has always been a cornerstone of my life. From childhood adventures with Goosebumps and The Baby-Sitters Club to the addictive drama of Twilight and Emily Giffin novels in college, books have remained a steady source of joy. Even as parenthood shifted my priorities, my love for reading found its rhythm again.

As one year wraps up and another begins, I delight in reflecting on my reading journey in 2024 and looking ahead to what 2025 might hold.

I’m a mood reader through and through. My choices follow my heart—whether it wants to be broken, comforted, or inspired to grow. This year, my heart leaned heavily into romance (21 romance reads for me this year…. I KNOW 🤯) while stepping back from thrillers, a genre I’ve long adored but found a bit stale in recent months. Overall, 2024 was a wonderful and rewarding reading year.

Drop a question in the comments if you want my take on any of the books shared above or if we read any of the same books.

I consider myself a generous book reviewer. It’s partly my optimistic nature—I tend to find the best in things, especially when the stakes are low—and partly the result of meticulous book selection. I scour reviews, seeking titles I’m almost certain to enjoy.

When I look back at my 2024 reads, there’s not a single book I regret. I DNF’d only one, and even that felt like a win for my reading life. These favorites, however, stood out as unforgettable: the ones I couldn’t stop gushing about and still think about regularly. Surprisingly, many were 2024 releases.

In no particular order…

Funny Story by Emily Henry
I loved everything about this book—the drama, the setting, and especially Miles. It was an absolute delight from start to finish.

James by Percival Everett
This book earned every bit of its hype. Equal parts gut-wrenching and entertaining, it left a lasting impression.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
Based on the synopsis, I didn’t think this book would be for me—but I’m so glad it proved me wrong. It quickly became one of my top two favorites of the year. Heartwarming, enlightening, and incredibly smart, this story completely won me over.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman
If I had to pick just one favorite of the year, this would be it. When I finished, I hugged the book instinctively—it was that good. I cherished every moment of the reading experience.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller
It’s hard to believe I only read this book this year because it feels like it’s been with me forever. At the same time, I wish I’d read it sooner. It’s such a powerful, vital story.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
Though slower-paced than my usual reads, I savored every moment of this book. A love letter to book lovers, it transported me to a cozy café table in the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop whenever I needed a mental reprieve from the world.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
This book took me by surprise in the best way. I loved the way the author wove the tale, the characters that enriched it, and the emotional journey of the protagonist.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Kimmerer’s voice still dances in my head daily, offering a greater presence and awareness for our natural world. Her stories both challenged and comforted me, making this book a meaningful experience.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
This story blends historical fiction from the Harlem Renaissance with a magical romance so beautifully. It was my favorite romance of the year—I couldn’t put it down!

Good Material by Dolly Alderton
I’ve never laughed or highlighted so much in a book! Told from the perspective of a recently dumped male protagonist, this clever, hilarious story was such a good time.

Honorable Mentions
Because I read so many great books this year…

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
A riveting historical fiction novel about a fascinating woman and time period I knew too little about.

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
A creative, fun, and insightful story with a beautiful takeaway.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
I devoured this book and enjoyed being swept away by it.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
My favorite read-aloud with my kids this year. We can’t wait to see the film adaptation!

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
Such a delightfully odd and surprising read.

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
I still think of Annie from time to time, what a ride this was.

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
I ate up this normal 40-year-old single mom and boyband heartthrob romance like a plate of cookies.

Worry by Alexandra Tanner
Another surprise book I unexpectedly flew through.

(Note: While Flight by Lynn Steger Strong made it onto my 2024 list, it was one of my top favorite reads of 2023, so I didn’t include it here among this year’s highlights.)

Reading is as vital to my life as health and happiness—and arguably contributes to both. With a new year comes the excitement of resetting reading trackers, obsessively consuming “best of” lists, and envisioning the kind of reading life I want to cultivate. Here’s how I plan to approach 2025:

1. no new books
   Last year, I limited new book purchases with a few exceptions (birthdays, vacations, book subscriptions) and still found myself swimming in unread titles. This year, I’m doubling down. I canceled my beloved subscription (for now) and plan to rely on my library, existing audiobook credits, and gifts for any new releases. This shift should help me focus on the books already on my shelves and make receiving new ones even more special.

2. pick one “must-read” each month
   My 2024 “24 in 24” list was an epic fail, but creating TBR lists is a hobby in itself for me, so I’m fine with it. For 2025, I’m aiming to select just one priority book per month, leaving space for mood reading while tackling long-overlooked titles.

3. more e-books
   Since receiving my new Kindle at Christmas, I devoured two books in just days. While I’ll always love physical books, I want to lean more on the convenience of e-books as life has gotten busier than ever with sports and activities for my older kiddos.

4. embrace DNFing
   This year, I deliberately DNF’d a book for the first time and felt no regrets. Moving forward, I want to lean into this practice.

5. read more middle grade
   I love reading middle-grade books aloud to my children, but the timing doesn’t always align with my ideal pace. In 2025, I want to explore this genre independently. As my older kids delve into middle-grade reading, I’d love to connect with the books they might soon enjoy while rediscovering the delight of children’s literature.

We’ll keep this brief— In December, I read three Christmasy books and one New Year’sy book that I finished on January 1, so it’ll appear in my next roundup.

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh | ☆☆☆☆

Could this be my new favorite Christmas romance? I think so! Two travel pals turned friends turned lovers. I loved the banter and the friends-to-lovers relationship, but I also loved the different samplings of Christmas experiences— from airports to London to Ireland to the coziest country farmhouse, the setting and imagery were so indulgent and satisfying.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter | ☆☆☆

I picked this up via a Libro.FM audiobook sale and enjoyed it in my Christmas baking frenzy and it was perfect for just that. The mystery was fun, the setting was holiday perfection and I enjoyed the depth of the female main character’s back story. My only gripe is that (at least on audio) the male main character felt a bit cringy to me. 😅 I was able to mostly look past that for an otherwise enjoyable audiobook for my days dusted in powdered sugar and flour in the kitchen.

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver | ☆☆☆.5

Equal parts romance and a love letter to New York City, this book hooked me from the start and felt like a mash up of One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and the movie While You Were Sleeping. I was desperate to understand how the main character was going to move forward with her situation.

Phew— that’s a lot of book talk, but there’s always room for more— tell me— What was your favorite book in 2024? And what are you excited to read in 2025?

Here’s toe fresh stacks and fresh pages—