2024 Reading List
I am a little late getting this out - but last year I read (mostly audiobooks) 123 books. A few years ago, I stopped watching TV and movies while editing because too much screen time was causing me to have optical migraines (I needed to get glasses, too, apparently). Since then, I have become an audiobook lover - and read while editing, running, driving, or working around the house. I know a lot of people discount audiobooks as real reading, but I will say that I remember the stories pretty well and can switch back and forth between physical books, Kindle, and audiobooks without personally feeling any different about the story.
Like last year, in addition to my preferred genre of Fantasy, I have found that romcoms also make for good listening and have made up a noticeable percentage of my list. If you are looking for some new books to jump into, hit me up, and I'd be happy to share ideas!
My 2024 Top Ten (not in order):
Will Wight: Cradle Series
Brandon Sanderson: Wind and Truth
Shelby Van Pelt: Remarkably Bright Creatures
James Islington: The Will of the Many
Sierra Greer: Annie Bot
Haley Cass: Those Who Wait
Sylvie Cathrall: A Letter to the Luminous Deep
Wesley Chu: The Art of Prophecy
Hank Green: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
what I read in 2024:
Jordan Rivet: (8)
Dual of Fire
King of Mist
Dance of Steel
City of Wind
Night of Flame (Maybe I read the series to quickly, but at this point - I just wanted it to be done)
The Watermight Thief (I read this Trilogy first and liked it the most)
The Thunderbird Queen
The Dragonfly Oath
Will Wight: (15)
I discovered Will Wight on the recommendation of one of my grooms in August, and then promptly read everything he has ever written, which is a lot! He sorta created his own sub-genre of Progressive Fantasy (characters advance levels sort of like in video games) - and it really works for me.
Cradle: Unsouled
Cradle: Soulsmith
Cradle: Blackflame
Cradle: Skysworn
Cradle: Ghostwater
Cradle: Underlord
Cradle: Uncrowned
Cradle: Wintersteel
Cradle: Bloodline
Cradle: Reaper
Cradle: Dreadgod
Cradle: Waybound
The Travelers Gate: House of Blades
The Travelers Gate: The Crimson Vault
The Travelers Gate: City of Light
Brandon Sanderson: (11)
Brandon Sanderson is a perennial favorite - I have read all of his fantasy genre books. His interesting and emotionally complex characters, coupled with really unique magic systems and slow burn world building, all together are just delightful.
The Way of Kings (WoK 1)
Words of Radiance (WoK 2)
Edgedancer
Oathbringer (WoK 3)
Dawnshard
Rhythm of War (WoK 4)
Wind and Truth (WoK 5)
White Sand: Volume One
White Sand: Volume Two
White Sand: Volume Three
The Emperor’s Soul
Kristan Higgins: (9)
Kristan writes compelling characters who feel real, and who I wish were my friends in real life. I am always sad to leave her characters behind when the books are over. She is typically read by Xe Sands—one of my favorite narrators!
Out of the Clear Blue Sky
Until There Was You
The Next Best Thing
All I Ever Wanted
My One and Only
Too Good to Be True
Just one of the guys
Catch of the Day
Good Luck With That
Juliet Blackwell: (11)
These were a lot of fun, with an ensemble of clever characters and a good balance of silly shenanigans and story line.
Secondhand Spirits (1)
A Cast-Off Coven (2)
Hexes and Hemlines (3)
In a Witches Wardrobe (4)
Tarnished and Torn 5
A Vision in Velvet 6
Spellcasting in Silk 7
A Toxic Trousseau 8
A Magical Match 9
Bewitched and Betrothed 10
Synchronized Sorcery 11
Jennifer Hart:
It’s pretty great to read a story where the protagonist is middle-aged and not a “very special” teenager. This is a series and I plan to ready more!
Over the Faery Hill
Patrick Rothfuss
I was tricked into reading this, and while it was fine, I want Patrick to sit down at his typewriter and get serious about finishing his trilogy.
The Narrow Road Between Desires
Raymond E. Feist:
I read these books multiple times as a kid, and loved them just as much as an adult. It’s a classic orphan to hero story with some unexpected twists along the way.
Magician: Apprentice
Magician: Master
Sarah J Maas:
I am not Sarah’s target audience (Romantasy lovers), but I still find enough to like in what she writes to keep me reading her books.
House of Flame and Shadow
Court of Silver Flames
Shelby Van Pelt
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Kim Michele Richardson:
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
Ava Reid
A Study in Drowning
Tracy Wolff
I am again not the target audience (more for Romantasy lovers), but several friends recommend it - so I gave it a shot. It wasnt until the 5th long book that I had sorta had enough.
Crave
Crush
Charm
Covet
Court (This one was a series of meaningless side quests leading to a significant plot armor resolution)
Namina Forna
The Gilded Ones
Hannah Kaner:
Sunbringer
Leeanne Slade:
Told You So
The Rebound
The Glitch
Jill Smolinski:
Objects of My Affection
Ali Hazelwood:
Love, Theoretically
Bride
The Love Hypothesis
James Islington:
The Will of the Many was such a captivating series launch that I read his other giant trilogy because I needed something more. It was also excellent and ended up being such a tightly woven story - through all of the thousands of pages.
The Will of the Many
The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius 1)
The Light of All That Falls (Licanius 2)
The Echo of Things to Come (Licanius 3)
Annette Marie
This was a series I bought on a whim because of the narrator - Emily Woo Zeller - and it turned out to be very fun. I liked the characters a lot.
Red Winter: Red Winter
Red Winter: Dark Tempest
Red Winter: Immortal Fire
Bethany Crandall
See Jane Snap
Wesley Chu
Wesley Chu’s grumpy Marshal Arts Master Taishi, underachieving Prodigy Jian, and Qisami the comedian Assassin are some of my favorite fantasy characters of the year - and the dialogue in this book is as sharp as the swords. Narrated by Natatlie Naudus!
The Art of Prophecy
The Art of Destiny
Sarah Kuhn:
Heroine Complex
Heroine Worship
Heroine’s Journey
Haunted Heroine
Hollywood Heroine
Lily Chu:
Drop Dead
Thea Guanzon:
The Hurricane Wars
Lauren Blakely:
The Accidental Dating Experiment
Natalie Naudus:
I grew up cult adjacent too - so this book hit home on many levels. Natalie is one of my favorite narrators, so it was fun to read a book she actually wrote.
Gay the Pray Away
Sierra Greer:
Annie Bot
R. A. Salvator:
I read this book series probably 20 times as a kid. I dreamed of being Drizzt the heroic dark elf with his flashing Scimitars - and while the character holds up to my imagination - the story was just fine.
The Crystal Shard
Cara Bastone:
Maybe This Time
Love at First Psych
Call me Maybe
Seatmate
Sweet Talk
Wendy Webb:
Daughters of the Lake
Amy A. Bartol:
Inescapable
Intuition
Abby Jimenez:
Just for the Summer
Part of Your World
Yours Truly
Alison Cochrun:
Here We Go Again
Alix E. Harrow:
Starling House
Hank Green:
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
Tasha Suri:
The Lotus Empire
Pierce Brown:
Red Rising
Golden Son
Morning Star (DNF at 95% - I just got tired of the main character being a total idiot and couldn’t finish)
Kimberly Lemming:
That time, I got drunk and saved a Demon
Sylvie Cathrall:
A Letter to the Luminous Deep
Haley Cass:
I went through a Saphic love story reading phase - and Haley’s were my favorite - especially Those Who Wait. I felt like the characters were real and that they were my beloved friends, and that we were all going through this together. I was so caught up in the people that I am sure I wasn’t critically evaluating the writing techique - so I am not claiming they are literary classics - but I did grieve a little when they were over that my relationship with the characters was finished.
On the Same Page
When you least expect it
Those Who Wait
Forever and a day
