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Welcome to my favorite blog post of the year! These are the ten best books I read in 2024.

I seriously debated if I should put ten books on the list. I only read 52 books this year, which makes it my worst reading year in recorded history. I guess I can't complain. I crammed a lot of life into 2024. I think 2025 is going to be the same. Reading is definitely on the back burner. I miss being able to rot in bed and read for hours. Now I fall asleep if I stand still.

Putting 10/52 books on a "Best" list seems too generous for a cold-hearted witch like me. But, it's been a difficult year. Let's be generous. These books are excellent. I recommend all of them.

Here are my favorite books of 2024. I arranged them countdown style for unnecessary drama.

Drumroll please . . . 

🧨  Best Books Of 2024  🥇

10. Don't Let The Forest In by C.G. Drews

Young Adult Horror

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator.

Why I recommend it: The body horror in this thing will give you literal nightmares. If a book can make me throw up in my mouth, I'm going to give it at least 4 stars.

Everything about this novel is intense. The characters' emotions are stuck at level 10. Even the writing style is constantly at top intensity. The characters don't fall in love. They rip their hearts out and giftwrap them. Or something like that. The nonstop intensity makes the book impossible to put down. I wanted to know how weird and twisted it would get.

If you enjoyed The Wicker King by K. Ancrum, then this is your next read.

Buy it on Amazon

9. The Fragile Threads Of Power by V.E. Schwab

Adult Fantasy

Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory―Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.

But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years―and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own―but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead.

And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely.

Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds.

Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together―or unravel it all.

Why I recommend it: It's the first book in a companion series to the Shades Of Magic trilogy. Reading it made me happy! I enjoyed seeing the characters from Shades Of Magic again. I loved being back in the parallel Londons. The new characters are just as compelling as the old characters. The magic system gets more depth. The plot is fun. I flew through it.

I'm not sure how to summarize this book without spoiling the original trilogy. Please don't read this one until you've read the first 3 books in the series. Even though it's a companion novel, it's not a good place to start.

Bring on the next book! I want it now. If you enjoy novels about parallel universes, you need to read this series. It's so good!

Buy it on Amazon

8. The Terror by Dan Simmons

Adult Horror

The men on board the HMS Terror—part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage—are entering a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice and darkness. Endlessly cold, they struggle to survive with poisonous rations, a dwindling coal supply, and ships buckling in the grip of crushing ice. But their real enemy is even more terrifying. There is something out there in the frigid dark: an unseen predator stalking their ship, a monstrous terror clawing to get in.

Why I recommend it: Honestly, I have a lot of quibbles about this book. First, it doesn't need to be 800 pages. The author loves long info dumps and repetitive conversations. I was tempted to skim them. Second, I hate how the female characters are written. All the main characters are men, and the female characters are mostly. . . boobs with legs. I wish they had more personality.

I put this book on my list because it won't leave my head! If I had read this book when I was 13 years old, I would have been obsessed. I know it would've been an instant favorite because it's very "me." There's a lot to love about it. Teenage-me would have been obsessed with the arctic setting and historical details. The details feel very authentic. It's a terrifying story! It's tense and full of plot twists. The men know they're going to die, but that doesn't stop them from fighting for their lives.

Despite my issues, I had a good time with this one. Read it if you want ice monsters in your head.

Buy it on Amazon

7. A Psalm For The Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Adult Science Fiction

Centuries before, robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, wandered, en masse into the wilderness, never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend.

Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They will need to ask it a lot. Chambers' series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

Why I recommend it: I wish I bought this book instead of getting it from the library so I could highlight it. It's a science fiction philosophy conversation between a monk and a robot. That probably sounds weird and boring, but it's interesting! I promise.

This novel is pretty much just a walk in the woods, so it's very low stakes. I appreciate the optimism about the future. The characters are good people (or robots) who respect each other's beliefs. They're not afraid of anyone they meet on their journey. They exist in a green, peaceful world. I like it.

If you're in the mood for a short, gentle story, this is a good one. It'll make you think about what you truly need in life.

Also, I accidentally convinced several of my coworkers to read this book because I wouldn't shut up about it at work. They liked it too!

Buy it on Amazon

6. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Adult Fantasy

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success—not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

Why I recommend it: An orc, a succubus, and a Ratatouille open a Medieval Cinnabon . . .

I'm not sure why a book about working at a coffee shop is labeled "cozy." Have you ever had a customer service job? "Cozy" is the last thing I'd call it. Technically, the book is "cozy fantasy." The "fantasy" part is where the customers are nice to the staff.

Mostly, this novel made me crave cinnamon rolls.

Legends & Lattes is subtilty hilarious. Most of the humor comes from watching the characters step outside of stereotypes. Orcs and succubusses succubi aren't usually the heroes of stories. And there's an entire movie about how people don't want their cinnamon rolls cooked by Ratatouilles. It's amusing to watch the characters enthusiastically pursue their dreams while sidestepping everybody's expectations. There are even moments where Viv has to sidestep her own expectations. She's not a violent soldier anymore. Now she's a coffee shop owner and has to act accordingly.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's quick and fun. I like fantasy worlds where customer service is "cozy."

Buy it on Amazon

5. So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

Young Adult Fantasy

Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next.

As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing.

With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong . . . until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along.

Why I recommend it: I love this book and need to find similar books. It's funny but not completely frivolous.

This fantasy novel is set after the characters finish their quest and fulfill a prophecy. They've killed the evil king and taken control of his kingdom, but now what? How do you rule a kingdom? And what about the expectation that the new king will get married and produce heirs?

This book will make you smile. The characters are endearing because they're fumbling through life with the best possible intentions. They want to do the right thing. They're just . . . really bad at everything. Their banter is hilarious. Every character is fabulously chaotic. I loved them all immediately and didn't want to put the book down. I was having too much fun.

I recommend this book if you like Rainbow Rowell's Simon Snow series.

Buy it on Amazon

4. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, And The Teachings Of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Adult Nature Nonfiction

As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these lenses of knowledge together to show that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings are we capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learning to give our own gifts in return.

Why I recommend it: You don't need to be a scientist to understand this book. The author makes the information extremely accessible. I can feel her passion for plants through the text.

She has a lot of ideas that made me stop and think. Many of the essays focus on gratitude and reciprocity. She sees humans as part of nature and talks about how some plants—like sweetgrass—have evolved to live with us. We should treat these plants as gifts. Instead of being greedy, we should take what we need and then give back to the earth by protecting it. The author believes humans will be happier if we see ourselves as part of nature rather than the masters of it. If you put yourself above the rest of the world, you're going to be lonely.

I love that the author promotes passion and awareness. She believes that humans should use the earth's natural resources, but we need to do it responsibly and be aware of the consequences. She also talks about how science is useless without passion. You can study plants in a detached way, but if you don't have passion and wonder for your subject, the results of your study won't change anything.

I was sad when I dropped this book into the library's return slot. I want my own copy so I can fill it with sticky notes.

Buy it on Amazon

3. Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, And The Imposter Behind The World's Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson

Adult True Crime Nonfiction

In 1971, Go Ask Alice reinvented the young adult genre with a blistering portrayal of sex, psychosis, and teenage self-destruction. The supposed diary of a middle-class addict, Go Ask Alice terrified adults and cemented LSD's fearsome reputation, fueling support for the War on Drugs. Five million copies later, Go Ask Alice remains a divisive bestseller, outraging censors and earning new fans, all of them drawn by the book's mythic premise: A Real Diary, by Anonymous.

But Alice was only the beginning.

In 1979, another diary rattled the culture, setting the stage for a national meltdown. The posthumous memoir of an alleged teenage Satanist, Jay's Journal merged with a frightening new crisis—adolescent suicide—to create a literal witch hunt, shattering countless lives and poisoning whole communities.

In reality, Go Ask Alice and Jay's Journal came from the same dark place: Beatrice Sparks, a serial con artist who betrayed a grieving family, stole a dead boy's memory, and lied her way to the National Book Awards.

Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries is a true story of contagious deception. It stretches from Hollywood to Quantico, and passes through a tiny patch of Utah nicknamed "the fraud capital of America." It's the story of a doomed romance and a vengeful celebrity. Of a lazy press and a public mob. Of two suicidal teenagers, and their exploitation by a literary vampire.

Unmask Alice . . . where truth is stranger than nonfiction.

Why I recommend it: It's the story of Mormon con artist Beatrice Sparks and how her collection of phony diaries sparked (hahaha) the Satanic Panic in the 1980s.

There's a lot going on in Unmask Alice. It's a mix of biography and history. It examines young adult literature and why it's so compelling. It's also a critique of the publishing industry and how it consistently puts profit ahead of people.

The author of Unmask Alice—Rick Emerson—was clearly inspired by Beatrice Sparks. Just like in Sparks' books, Unmask Alice has breakneck pacing and a plot that goes in a million directions at once. It leaves the reader breathless. You don't want to stop reading to question what's real. Like Sparks, the author inserts his opinions into everything. It's nonfiction, so you're inclined to believe what he's saying, but . . . the whole book is about an author who lied in nonfiction. How "nonfiction" is "nonfiction"? This book makes you question everything you've ever read.

I recommend Unmask Alice to anyone who's interested in 1980s culture or the publishing industry. It's provocative for sure.

Buy it on Amazon

2. The Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett

Adult Historical Fiction

Everything readers expect from Follett is here: intrigue, fast-paced action, and passionate romance. But what makes The Pillars of the Earth extraordinary is the time: the twelfth century; the place: feudal England; and the subject: the building of a glorious cathedral. Follett has re-created the crude, flamboyant England of the Middle Ages in every detail. The vast forests, the walled towns, the castles, and the monasteries become a familiar landscape.

Against this richly imagined and intricately interwoven backdrop, filled with the ravages of war and the rhythms of daily life, the master storyteller draws the reader irresistibly into the intertwined lives of his characters. Into their dreams, their labors, and their loves. Tom, the master builder; Aliena, the ravishingly beautiful noblewoman; Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge; Jack, the artist in stone; and Ellen, the woman of the forest who casts a terrifying curse. From humble stonemason to imperious monarch, each character is brought vividly to life.

The building of the cathedral, with the almost eerie artistry of the unschooled stonemasons, is the center of the drama. Around the site of the construction, Follett weaves a story of betrayal, revenge, and love, which begins with the public hanging of an innocent man and ends with the humiliation of a king.

Why I recommend it: This is one of the biggest books I've ever conquered. Looking at it gave me chest pains because I knew it was a 976-page brick about building a cathedral. Yes, building a cathedral. How tedious can you get? It sounds miserable! I fully expected to read a few hundred pages and then quietly jam the book into the library return slot. (Can it even fit in the slot? Would it cause a minor earthquake when it hit the floor?)

But. Um. I read the whole book. All 976 pages. And I accidentally loved it? Seriously. This beast consumed my life for twenty-one days. I couldn't leave it alone. I miss lugging it around like a morbidly obese house cat.

It's a book about building a cathedral in the Middle Ages. I promise it doesn't suck! Actually, it's a lot like A Game of Thrones without dragons and zombies. It starts with a mason searching for a job and then keeps sprawling outward until it's about a whole town. There are a ton of characters, but I never got confused because they're developed beautifully. They have distinctive personalities and goals. I was never mad about switching perspectives because I was invested in this town. I wanted to be in everybody's business.

For a giant book, the pacing moves quickly, and there's a new plot twist every few chapters. I can tell that the author was originally a thriller writer. Nothing goes right for these characters.

Buy it on Amazon

1. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia Of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Adult Fantasy

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

Why I recommend it: It's a cozy fantasy where faeries casually decapitate one another.

I've been craving a medium-stakes fantasy book with fun characters and a world that doesn't require my whole brain to understand. This is the exact novel I wanted! I loved it!

The book has cozy vibes like a small town rom-com, but there's still danger because the faeries are unpredictably violent. They torture humans for fun. It's not always a light, whimsical story. However, it's not a stressful story either. That's probably because it's written like a diary. You know that Emily and Wendell are alive and safe because they're writing diary entries about the scary stuff they experienced. Dead people can't write. (I don't think . . .)

Speaking of Emily and Wendell, their banter is hilarious. They have big personalities and use their research to help humanity, even though they dislike people. I enjoyed reading about them.

You should believe the hype about this novel. It's a fun time. I'll be reading the sequel when my library gets it.

Buy it on Amazon

What's the best book you read in 2024?