It's hard to believe that 2024 is winding down. This year was pretty eventful for me and the library stayed busier than ever, so the time has flown by.
I've managed to get quite a bit of reading in, and it will surprise nobody that I keep pretty extensive statistics on the books I read. I'm a bit of a nerd! So far this year I've read 108 books. Of those, 91 were written by women, 17 were re-reads, 102 were e-books, and I would recommend 88 of them. The average publication year was 2017 and they total 37,745 pages. I keep a simple spreadsheet and mark my favorite titles with an asterisk. I hope to add a few more by the end of the year. So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorites of the year.
Here One Moment, by Liane Moriarty. I usually enjoy Ms. Moriarty's books, and this one was no exception. Cherry is a widow in her early 70's. She is someone who doesn't stand out in a crowd. She is well-dressed, well-behaved, and unexceptional in every way. One day, on a short flight, she stands up on the plane and works her way down the aisle, predicting the age and manner of death for each person she encounters. She has no memory of the event after it happens. At first people just write it off as a quirky experience, but then some of her prophecies come true. The passengers begin wrestling with their fates. Can the mother whose son was told he would drown at age 7 change his fate by enrolling him in swimming lessons? Can the newlyweds change the predicted violent end to their marriage? How accurate is Cherry, now known as the "Death Lady"? This is the third book I've read over the last few years that discusses how life would change if we knew when we would die. I think of the three, I enjoyed this one the most.
The Teller of Small Fortunes, by Julie Leong. Tao is a fortune teller. She lives in her wagon and travels from place to place, only telling small fortunes. Her fortunes always come true. Only once, has she told a larger fortune, and she deeply regrets it. She lives and travels alone, and tries to draw very little attention to herself. Eventually she finds a sort of family in Mash and Silt, who are searching for Mash's lost daughter, and Kina, a baker of delicious, but ugly pastries. Together they continue the search for Mash's daughter, and eventually Tao must use her fortune telling ability for the good of her kingdom. I would classify this book as a cozy fantasy and I would like to see more like it. It's not too stressful, and leaves the reader with a good feeling at the end.
People We Meet on Vacation, by Emily Henry. Poppy and Alex are best friends. Every year they take a vacation together, something they look forward to all year long. Two years ago they had a falling out on their vacation and have hardly spoken since. This year's trip might be their last chance to save their friendship. However, they each have to wrestle with what they really want from the relationship and whether they dare to reach for something more. I have enjoyed Emily Henry and her romances this year. I think I've read everything she's written. She does romantic yearning really well which I enjoy. Be aware, though, that her books will have scenes that are not meant for young readers.
Adult Assembly Required, by Abbi Waxman. This is a sort-of sequel to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. Laura is a grad student and moves into a boarding house peopled with an interesting cast of characters. Laura is trying to work through some past trauma and deal with an overbearing family. She finds a community in the bookshop and in the boarding house, makes new friends, and falls in love. This is another one that leaves the reader with a peaceful feeling at the end.
Other favorites from this year that I've mentioned in earlier blog posts include, The Frozen River, The Last Flight, and A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking.
I expect to finish a few more books this year. I just checked out The Husbands, by Holly Gramazio. We'll see how it goes! Let me know what your favorite reads this year have been!
