As I mentioned in my last post How I Read Over 50 Books in 2024 I read 56 books in 2024. A feat that was not easy to achieve. I had to slowly build the habit and learn about my own reading preferences to be able to reach that number.
If you like to read and want some recommendations, then here are my favourite books of 2024. Along with some dis-honorable mentions of the worst books I read and why I hated them so much.
Kings of the Wyld
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames was by far my favourite book of the year. It’s a story about a group of retired adventurers going on one last adventure. It’s a fun, epic adventure that feels like a D&D campaign while also commenting on how society and people change over time. I loved every moment.
店長がバカすぎて (My Manager is a Moron)
This novel follows a woman who works at a bookshop as she deals with her frustratingly stupid boss and obnoxious customers. I loved how her inner voice was juxtaposed with her external voice. I empathised profusely with her frustrations in a Japanese working environment.
Nemesis Games
I’ve been very slowing reading all the Expanse books (an epic sci-fi series) over the last five years and Nemesis Games was the best one yet. I love the characters, I love the stories in each novel, and I am super excited to see where this series goes.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
The Daevabad Trilogy by Shannon Chakraborty is one of my favourite series of all time, so I was excited to read her latest book, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, and I was not disappointed. This book is historic fantasy following an ex-pirate and Muslim as she’s dragged back into the pirate world she once fled from.
Majordomo
Majordomo by Tim Carter is a fantastic novella which follows a kobold trying to protect his home from so-called “heroes”. It’s a short and sweet story that honestly had me tearing up a little. If you like D&D and fantasy then this is a must read.
同氏処女よ、敵を撃て (Shoot the Enemy, Comrade)
I am not big on historic fiction but this novel about female Russian snipers in WWII was fantastic. You could tell Touma Aisaka did his research (which not many Japanese authors do) and was able to craft a very gripping anti-war story.
The Wishing Game
People described this novel as Willy Wonker but with a book instead of a Chocolate Factory and I have to agree. It’s a cozy read about a woman who’s invited to take part in a competition to win a novel by her favourite author.
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
This is a hilarious twist on the murder mystery novel as the narrator is someone who writes guides on how to write murder mysteries. He often breaks the fourth wall, telling you exactly when deaths are going to happen and what important clues to keep note of. This was a really fun read with lots of twists and turns that had me hooked.
Winter’s Orbit
I loved this slow burn sci-fi romance about a prince and widower forced into a political marriage. The story is told from both character’s perspective, so you get to see how the two male leads react to and interpret events differently because of their different personalities and life experiences. The world, story, character development, and character voices were all great.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
This stand-alone fantasy by Brandon Sanderson is Your Name crossed with Final Fantasy X but with its own Sanderson twist. On the surface this novel is about two characters have to work out why they’re body swapping, but underneath it’s a look at passion, art, and how you find joy when you do what you love as a job. Also the art is gorgeous.
Dis-honourable Mentions
I only want to mention these to save anyone else from picking up these books…or at least approach them with a grain of salt.
SPOILER WARNING: I mention spoilers for these books because I can’t talk about what made me mad without spoiling them.
そして、バトンは渡された (Then the Baton was Passed)
I would describe this novel as a big fat nothing sandwich. It’s supposed to be about a girl who’s passed from foster parent to foster parent and how she finds love in found family, but nothing happens! There is one moment where she’s being bullied but the main character doesn’t react at all. She is an emotionless doll. She isn’t impacted by anything, doesn’t do anything, and doesn’t change.
The ending made me extra mad when we find out one foster parent hid her from her dad when he returns from working abroad and the main character doesn’t care! I would be so mad if I found out someone hid one of my parents from me. That would mess you up! I don’t understand why so many Japanese people like this book.
黄色い家 (Yellow House)
This is another super popular novel in Japan that is really not great. The story sets up that something traumatic happened to these young women and it all came to a head when someone died, but nothing happens for most the book, and when things do finally happen the character who died does so off screen and it barely matters to the main characters. The main character conveniently forgets that she’s psychotic and the ending just fizzles out.
It’s like Kawakami wanted to look at the underbelly of Japanese society without looking at it, because then she should would have had to do some research. I couldn’t stop thinking about Yakuza Moon: The True Story of a Gangster’s Daughter while reading this because it’s a much better look at women forced into crime in Japan.
The Midnight Library
This was like reading sandpaper. The writing was so boring with a lot of unrealistic conversations and the morals were as subtle as a brick to the face. Matt Haig has a very shallow opinion of what depression is and thinks you can make it all go away if you just have a new outlook on life. I ended up skim reading the second half of the book because the story became incredibly repetitive.
Furies of Calderon
I feel bad putting this in my worst books of the year because it was a gift from my mother in law (it’s one of her favourite fantasy series). But it annoyed me so much.
The start was great but the main female lead quickly devolves into being pretty useless and dumb. She soon fawns over a man who’s at least twice her age. Jim Butcher (who also wrote The Dresden Files) once again has a scene where a woman throws herself naked onto a man because of magic and she can’t control herself. *gack*
正欲 (Abnormal Desires)
The premise for this novel is “what if people with fetishes were a minority just like LGBTQ+ people and just misunderstood?” But it reads more like an excuse for pedophilia. A great big NOPE.
I ended up DNFing it at the 300-page mark. Two character decided to commit double suicide in a hotel room because society doesn’t understand their fetish with running water. There’s a hotel bathroom right there! Just do it in the shower and stop being so overly dramatic!
*Deep breath*
That’s it! Thanks for letting me ramble about books. I love reading, I love good stories and good writing. I’m hoping I can read even more great books next year.
If you’re curious how I’m able to read so many books, I wrote a post about it here: How I Read Over 50 Books in 2024
I also shared my favourite books of 2023 here: My Favourite Books of 2023
