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My Ten Favorite Reads of 2024

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I read over 150 books this year, and these were my favorites. Most lists of top reads are books published in the current year. None of these books happened to be published in 2024; this is just the year I read them. I don’t often read books when they first come out. I did read several books from 2024, but none of them made my particular list.

I read across many genres as this list will attest. All of these are ones I enjoyed enough to give five stars. If I enjoy a book all the way through (without a snooze fest in the middle) and am happy with the ending, I will generally give it 5 stars. I’m not necessarily grading the writing or questioning their research. These are just books that made me happy, that I would read again, and that I would gladly recommend to others–starting with you.

I had four books in the historical fiction category (one of those a historical mystery); one mystery; one fantasy; three contemporary or literary fiction; and one biography.

  1. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023). In Maine, 1789. Martha Ballard, a local midwife, is called in to examine a body found frozen in the ice. She recognizes the man has someone who has caused trouble to many in town, including being accused of rape. Martha knows everyone in town and is privy to most of their secrets. Over the next several months, she testifies as to the cause of death (though a new doctor from Harvard disagrees with her) as well as being a witness of another man accused of rape, a prominent judge. Ballard is based on a real midwife of that time who kept a diary that has been preserved. Lawhon does an excellent job of telling her story, making the time and place come alive. I read this with a book group and everyone loved it

2. Lonesome Dove Larry McMurty. (1985). I read this Pulitzer winner (fiction in 1986), beginning in January as a slow read throughout the year with an online group. McMurty is an awesome writer who knows how to create memorable characters. Former Texas Rangers, now running a ranch where they break and sell horses, decide to make a cattle drive to Montana where the grass is green and land abundant. At times hilarious and others heart-breaking, these wannabe cowboys are ones you will cheer for through all 858 pages.

3. Florence Adler Swims Forever Rachel Beanland. (2020) Though this book is full of sadness, I enjoyed reading about this family and what they did to handle their grief and protect their children. It’s 1934 and Esther and Joseph Adler have rented out their house to vacationers and are staying in their apartment over the bakery where they started their lives. Their daughter, Florence, is home from college and training to swim the English Channel. Fannie is pregnant and on bedrest because she lost her last baby. Joseph is trying to help an old friend emigrate from Nazi Germany and has already brought over her daughter. The author’s note at the end is not to be missed. P.S. I read her second book, The House is on Fire and it was excellent as well.

4. Sovereign C.J. Sansom. (2006) (Matthew Shardlake #3). The third in this historical mystery series takes place in the fall of 1541. Henry VIII has set out on a Progress to the North to force his rebellious subjects in York to submit to him, turning it into a public spectacle. Lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak have been sent ahead as part of the legal process of submitting petitions to the king. Shardlake has also been instructed by Archbishop Cranmer to look after a prisoner—one destined for the tower. He must make sure the prisoner stays alive to face the rack. Shardlake is unhappy with this task but has little choice. Shardlake soon finds himself investigating a murder and learning more than he wants to know about a conspiracy. Will he and Jack make it home alive? This is an excellent series in terms of historical events and people, constant suspense, and engaging characters. 5 stars. (Note: Sadly, Sansom died just two days before the Shardlake series premiered on Hulu/Disney).

5. The Twist of a Knife Anthony Horowitz (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4). (2022) In this fourth installment of the series, Horowitz tells Hawthorne he is not interested in writing any more books. He has a new play about to open, and all his concentration is on that. On opening night, a well-known (though not well-loved) critic shows up at the cast party and before the night is over, writes a scathing review of the play. When she is found dead the next morning, Anthony is arrested for her murder. Who can he call on but Hawthorne? As with the other books in the series, Horowitz (via Hawthorne) leads us through a slew of suspects who all have motives, yet there are twists and surprises at the end. 

6. The Winners Fredrik Backman (Beartown Trilogy #3). (2022). We return to Beartown where two years have passed since the event that shook up the town in the first book. Maya has gone away to college; Benji has been traveling around as if in a daze; Peter is working for his wife, Kira. The death of someone in the community brings the wanderers home and everyone back together; for a time. Backman has a way of bringing his characters to life so that you share their heartaches, frustrations, misunderstandings, hate, and love. At times, this one got a little long, but I certainly didn’t want to put it down.

7. The Cartographers Peng Shepherd (2022). Nell Young has always been fascinated with cartography and wants to do nothing else. Not so surprising since her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a well-known cartographer with a highly esteemed position with the New York Public Library. But, some years ago, Dr. Young fired his daughter from her job at the NYPL and made sure she would never work again in the field. Nell never learned why her father became so enraged over her finding of a cheap gas station highway map. And now, Dr. Young has been found dead in his office. When Nell finds the supposedly worthless map hidden in his desk, she has to investigate. What she finds leads her into danger and into a strange world where maps have secrets. I greatly enjoyed this fantasy where different worlds and secrets collide.

8. The Most Fun We Ever Had Claire Lombardo (2019). Family drama in which four adult daughters–whose parents seem to have the perfect marriage—bring love, hate, jealousy, comedy, and drama to the table. The story goes back and forth in time from when Marilyn and David fell madly in love to the present day when an unexpected member of the family shows up–bringing tension, love, and forgiveness. The four daughters have different personalities and different goals, but their ties are strong. I loved the story itself as well as the way the family dynamics played out. 

9. Vacationland Meg Mitchell Moore (2022). A family drama set in Maine during the summer. Louisa comes to her parents’ home in Maine with her three children (who are just the best characters!) needing to finish her book and full of resentment over her husband’s seeming lack of commitment. Her father, a well-respected judge, is now suffering with Alzheimer’s, and her mother is trying to keep everything together. Kristie has also come to Maine following the death of her mother, trying to find answers concerning her past. Most family dramas seem to involve adult children, which is fine, but I greatly enjoyed hearing the voices of these three: Matty (age 12), Abigail (10), and Claire (7). Their wisdom, perspective, and charm added depth to the book and made even the darkest moments lighter.

10. Being Elisabeth Elliot: The Authorized Biography: Elisabeth’s Later Years Ellen Vaugn (2023). Though I’ve known that Elisabeth Elliot was the wife of Jim Elliot, a missionary killed in Ecuador, that’s pretty much all I knew about her. A shame since she was living and writing during my younger years. So, this book relates the second part of Elliot’s life. I did not read the first book, so that’s not necessary but I would like to go back and read it. Though Elliot went through many heartaches and faced discouragement and despair (including often not pleasing the “Christian crowd”), her faith remained strong and she constantly looked to the Lord for answers and direction. Unfortunately, she did not always make the best decisions and there was one that would cause her much grief. A good example of the impact Elisabeth had on others was given by Cornell Capa, a non-believing photographer who spent some time with Elisabeth and other “missionary widows.” In spite of his own unbelief, Cornell saw that Elisabeth’s faith was deep. “Then there’s you—and a million others—who are not satisfied with the trimmings. You are in the core. You know that He is there because you know He is there. You know that it seems God was NOT THERE when you wanted Him, yet you say you know He was there.”

Happy New Year! May 2025 be filled with many great reads!

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:3

Favorite Reads of February ’24

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Murder Your Employer Rupert Holmes. Chosen for a book club, this book has a strange concept that I wasn’t too sure I could get behind. However, the dark humor drew me in and though one hopes that no such place exists (The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts), this turned out to be an enjoyable read filled with puns, unsavory characters, and several opportunities for revenge. Set in the 50’s, the book begins with Cliff, an electrical engineer with a sadistic boss. After the death of two close friends and a potential disaster in the making, Cliff decides he must do away with his now former boss. Unfortunately, he is unskilled in the art of murder and bumbles the job. Fortunately, he is taken in by two policeman who take him to a school where murder and how to get away with it are taught to specially chosen students. (Students who have an ethical reason for needing to delete a member of society who is only causing harm and has no remorse for doing so). This is the first novel by the talented songwriter, Holmes, who is quite famous for the song, “Escape”. (Better known to most of us as the “Pina Colada Song”). 4 stars

The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell. Rupert’s 30th birthday party is a black-tie dinner at the Kentish Town McDonald’s because Rupert is, well, Rupert. The party flows with champagne and cocaine rather than burgers and fries. His girlfriend, Clemmie, never shows up, but Rupert isn’t overly worried. He plans to break up with her anyway. While out jogging, Detective Caius Beauchamp sees a stiletto heel under a bush. Not surprisingly, the heel is still on a foot. Beauchamp’s investigation takes him into the world of the rich and privileged. It’s only coincidence that his last name is the same as the main suspect, Rupert. They pronounce their last name differently and live in vastly different worlds. An entertaining mystery with quite a few characters to love and to hate. This is to be the first in a series. I look forward to the next one. 4 stars

Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist  Karen Swallow Prior. The biography of a woman who has been mostly forgotten, though in her day (18th century) she used her writing to change the opinions and ideas of Britain’s upper classes, especially concerning slavery and education. More was one of five sisters and their father was unusual in that he believed women should be educated and not live in ignorance. Prior does an excellent job in showing how More grew and became involved in society. She spent some of her early days writing plays and socializing in high society. As her faith grew, she became more interested in helping others and using her writing to shape and conform ideas. She became friends with many influential people, including Wilbur Wilberforce and David Garrick. Along with her sisters, she began the first Sunday Schools which were designed to teach poor children to read and write–something many of the upper class found unnecessary and even dangerous. More lived just long enough to see slavery outlawed in England. A fascinating woman who lived a very interesting and complex life. 4 stars

A Shadow in Moscow Katherine Reay. The story of two spies—both women—one MI6’s best Soviet spy and the other a spy for the CIA in Moscow. Ingrid lives in Vienna in 1954 when she loses both of her parents. She meets a Soviet embassy worker and agrees to marry him and follow him to Moscow. Life in the Soviet is not what she expected and she begins to suspect that her husband works for the KGB. After her daughter is born, she decides she has to do something for her daughter’s future and reaches out to the country of her mother’s birth—Britain. She begins passing on intelligence to MI6 and leading a life of lies and secrets. In Washington D.C., 1980, Anya finishes her degree at Georgetown University and prepares to head home to Moscow. She has fallen in love in the U.S. and learned to respect the people there, but believes she must return to her home and leave the young man and his ideals behind. But, it’s not long before she begins to feel the oppression of keeping secrets and not being able to speak her mind. A tragedy makes her decide to reach out to the CIA and offer to pass on Soviet military plans from where she works. Though not based specifically on any two real spies, Reay did her research and used the stories of several spies and real events to bring this story to life. A gripping and heart-breaking story of two brave women who gave their lives for freedom. 4 stars

Norwegian Wood Haruki Murakami. I’ve been meaning to read Murakami for some time and have heard it is best to start with this one. Most of the book takes place in 1969 with the serious college student, Toru, who wrestles with growing up and relationships. He is somewhat in love with a friend from high school, Naoko, but while Toru is learning to adjust to the world, Naoko is not. As Naoko retreats from the world, Toru makes other friends though he still struggles with how to sort through his various relationships. As the title suggests, music plays an important part of Toru’s life. Apparently, this book is different than Murakami’s other books in that it is realistic. No magical realism, talking cats, little people, etc. The book was extremely popular in Japan and Murakami’s fame was launched; much to his dismay. He was so unhappy with his popularity that he and his wife moved to Europe, then to the U.S. for a number of years. I look forward to reading more of Murakami’s work. 4 stars

A Winter in New York Josie Silver; audio hybrid (meaning I partly listened to this on audio). Iris has recently lost her mom and needs to escape a bad relationship, so she leaves England and goes to New York to start over. She knows NY was special for her mom, a place she had lived in when younger, so Iris looks for the landmarks that will remind her of her mom. She finds work in a noodle shop, which hardly test her culinary skills, but it’s a job and she makes a friend and landlord in the owner, Bobby. When Bobby takes her to a street fair in Little Italy, the door of a gelato shop catches her eye. She knows she’s seen that door in a photo of her mom’s. She returns the next day and meets Gio and learns that the shop is in trouble because his uncle, the keeper of their secret gelato recipe, is in a coma. Iris thinks she has the recipe, but how can she tell Gio that her mom had the family’s secret recipe? And why did she have it? As Iris falls in love with both Gio and his family, keeping her many secrets becomes difficult. Will making a full confession put her new relationships in jeopardy? 4 stars

The Twist of a Knife Anthony Horowitz (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4). In this fourth installment of the series, Horowitz tells Hawthorne he is not interested in writing any more books. He has a new play about to open, and all his concentration is on that. On opening night, a well-known (though not well-loved) critic shows up at the cast party and before the night is over, writes a scathing review of the play. When she is found dead the next morning, Anthony is arrested for her murder. Who can he call on but Hawthorne? As with the other books in the series, Horowitz (via Hawthorne) leads us through a slew of suspects who all have motives, yet there are twists and surprises at the end. 5 stars

Dark Matter Blake Crouch. Jason went to a bar to meet a friend and on his way, he is kidnapped. When he wakes up, he is in a different life. He tries to escape, but where can he go? This isn’t his Chicago and the woman he knows as his wife is living quite a different life than the one he remembers. To make matters worse, according to those who are trying to control him, this is all his doing. He is the scientist who discovered how to put yourself in different worlds. But getting back to what he remembers is all that matters. This is a book that makes your head spin. Good action and entertaining plot. 4 stars

A Dangerous Collaboration (Veronica Speedwell #4) Deanna Raybourn. Stoker’s brother, Tiberius bribes Veronica with the promise of an unusual butterfly if she will go with him to Lord Malcolm Romily’s house party. Though Stoker is not invited, he shows up anyway. It doesn’t take long to learn that this is not just a jolly house party. Lord Malcolm’s bride disappeared on their wedding day three years ago, and Lord Malcolm wants everyone’s help in discovering what happened to her. Did she leave on her own? Or did she meet with a fatal ‘accident’? Interesting characters (who all seem to have a motive to want Rosamund dead) and a spooky atmosphere, along with the ever heating up of Veronica and Stoker’s relationship made this a fun, entertaining read. 4 stars

20 Favorite Reads from 2020

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In spite of all the craziness of this year, reading never stopped for me and continued to be an escape as well as a part of learning and growing. I had several favorites but wasn’t sure I would list twenty, but why not? These are my favorites from 2020 in no particular order of preference though most were published earlier.

1. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (1996).  I started the year reading this first book from Russell and though science fiction is not my usual genre, I did enjoy this one. A listening post in Puerto Rico picks up some music from another planet and a group of scientists and Jesuits set off to find this planet. Only one returns. Why? What happened to the rest of them?

2. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden, (1998). Allende, a Chilean/American, writes historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. In Daughter of Fortune, Eliza Sommers is raised in a British colony in Chile, falls in love with an unsuitable servant, and when the servant leaves for the goldrush of 1849 in California, Eliza manages to secretly follow him. I loved the beautiful writing of this book as well as the descriptions of the historical places and events.

3. The Lost Queen by Signe Pike (2018). Pike read a book which traces the origins of the real Merlin who had a twin sister who became a strong Scottish queen. From that, Pike writes an entertaining and compelling first book of a coming trilogy.

3. The Historian Elizabeth Kostova (2005) This book is long, slow-paced, rich in description, and a bit creepy. A father and his daughter are on a quest to learn more about Vlad the Impaler and what, if anything, he has to do with the legend of Dracula. Again, not my usual genre, (horror) but I enjoyed this one.

4. Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb (2015)What would my year be like without reading a Robin Hobb book? Hobb is my favorite fantasy writer, and I have spent years following Fitz and his adventures  or  misadventures.

5. Anthony Horowitz The Word is Murder (2018) If you’re looking for a good murder mystery, look no further than Anthony Horowitz. He always delivers and this mystery within a mystery is no exception.

6. The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia; translator Simon Bruni. Historical fiction, magical realism, this tells the story of a family during the Mexican revolution and the influenza of 1918. I loved it!

7. Started Early, Took My Dog Kate Atkinson (2010). This is the fourth of the Jackson Brodie books. I recently reread the first (Case Histories) for a library group meeting next week. I enjoy Atkinson’s rather dark humor and the way she weaves several story lines together.

9. Summer Queen Elizabeth Chadwick (2013).  I’ve been reading Chadwick for years. One of my favorites for historical fiction. This is the first of a trilogy about  Eleanor of Aquitane. She married King Louis of France at the age of 13 in 1137.

10. A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles (2019). A count is put under house arrest by the Bolsheviks in Moscow in 1922. Consequently, he spends the rest of his life in a hotel. If this premise doesn’t sound fascinating to you, you’ll just have to trust me (and hundreds of other readers) who found this book full of charming characters, humor, and great descriptions.

11. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner (2020). “Unforgettable novel about friendship and forgiveness set during a disastrous wedding on picturesque Cape Cod.” Though I did enjoy this (more than I thought I would), unforgettable is a bit of a stretch but maybe that’s just my age. Still, this was a fun read covering some serious issues concerning friendship. 

Audio These are my four top audiobooks. All fiction as I rarely listen to nonfiction.

12. The Mother-in-Law Sally Hepworth (2019). A woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law ends in suicide; or murder? This was so good, going back and forth with the different viewpoints and the ending totally surprised me.

13. The Goldfinch Donna Tartt (2013). This book won the Pulitzer for fiction in 2014. A young boy is with his mother in a museum when a bomb goes off. His mother is killed and he takes a priceless picture away with him. Both of these events haunt him for the rest of his childhood and into adulthood. Parts of this book I loved. The audio was excellent and I became attached to Theo and his friend Boris. Other parts were tiresome (drug use, language, etc.), but overall, a book that kept me entertained for many hours. 

14. The Tidelands Philippa Gregory (2019). In England 1648, Alinor is a woman skilled with herbs and suspected of witchcraft. Her husband is missing and believed to be dead, so Alinor must use her wits and skills to provide for herself and her children. Another long one that kept me enthralled and ready for the next in the series.

15. All We Ever Wanted Emily Giffin (2018)  Set in Nashville and told with three different viewpoints (with different narrators), a girl’s picture is taken at a high school party and spread over the internet. Not only is the girl half clothed, a racial slur has been inserted. One boy is accused but is he guilty? A story of entitlement, family drama, and the dangers of social media. Excellent!

Nonfiction Yes, I do read some nonfiction.

16. Owls of the Eastern Ice Jonathan C. Slaght (2020). Slaght, a field scientist and conservationist, saw his first fish owl in Primorye, Russia. Though they have a wingspan of over six feet and a height of over two feet, they are elusive and little has been known about them. Slaght spent five years with other scientists in the wilds of Russia tracking, capturing, and learning about these fish owls and what they need to survive.

17. Isaiah by the Day Alec Motyer (2014) This is a translation by the Biblical scholar Alec Motyer along with a daily devotional. A friend and I have been studying Isaiah together and this book along with Motyer’s commentary has been a tremendous help and blessing to us. Highly recommended for anyone serious about studying the book of Isaiah.

18. Proverbs Eric Lane (2007). I used this book in a Bible study and though it was listed on my goodreads as the least favorite of my books for 2020 (meaning not many people listed it on goodreads), I found this to be a good study tool with intelligent questions.

19. Pudge: the Biography of Carlton Fisk Doug Wilson (2015). I’ve been a baseball fan since I was a kid, and I found this biography interesting both in telling about the life of Fisk and the history of baseball during the 70’s and 80’s.

20. The Prodigal Prophet and the Mystery of God’s Mercy Timothy Keller (2018). An excellent study on the book of Jonah though I don’t think I’ve read anything by Keller I didn’t enjoy and learn from.

Those are my favorites from 2020. Looking forward to another year of reading. How about you? Any highlights from 2020?

Favorite Reads of ’18

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One of my first reads of 2018, The Snow Child is a lovely retelling of a Russian fairy tale taking place in Alaska.

The Beautiful Mystery is Louise Penny’s eighth Inspector Gamache mystery. The whole book takes place at a secluded monastery in the wilderness of Quebec.

 

 

Rabbit Cake has a ten-year old protagonist whose mother drowned while sleepwalking. Sounds depressing, I know, but this is a delightful book. Favorite quote:

“That was what her rabbit cakes were about, celebrating every small good thing in your life. I know most families don’t celebrate every new moon or every solstice and equinox, but maybe they should. You never know when someone you love will shoot themselves in the middle of their own birthday party, or be found dead in another state, caught in a river dam, so everyone might as well have their cake right now.”

Beartown: About hockey, love, hope, tragedy, friendship, and loyalty in a small town where everyone knows everybody and everyone is affected by another’s hurt. “Everyone has a thousand wishes before a tragedy, but just one afterward.

 

 

 

The Queen of Hearts: Two women who became best friends in medical school are now practicing medicine and raising their families in Charlotte, NC. A doctor from their past comes to Charlotte and secrets better left buried come to surface.

Magpie Murders: A mystery within a mystery by a writer who not only writes spy novels and mysteries but also television dramas such as “Foyle’s War” and “Midsomer Murders.”

Dissolution: First of the Matthew Shardlake historical mysteries. Henry VIII has ordered the dissolution of monasteries. Informers abound and a murder soon takes place. Well-written historical fiction as well as a mystery. Looking forward to continuing this series.

Assassin’s Quest: Third in what was originally called The Farseer Trilogy. Has since grown to several more books but start with the first: Assassin’s Apprentice. Nobody builds fantasy worlds and develops characters better than Hobb.

Sorcerer to the Crown: First in a new fantasy series. Takes place in Victorian England. Zacharias Wythe, a freed slave and the new Sorcerer Royal, must find out why England’s magic is drying up. Bonus: there’s a dragon. Second book coming out in March.

A good year for reading! Looking forward to many more in 2019. How about you? What were your favorites in ’18? Which books are you excited about in 2019?

Happy New Year!