Opinion

My Favorite Reads of 2024

As of December 2024, I have read 30 books this year. As a recap and wrap up of the reading year, I would like to share my top reads from this year. I explored new genres, like classics and young adult fantasy, eventually becoming two of my three favorite genres. These books consumed my every thought for at least two weeks after reading them. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite reads of 2024!

1. Emma by Jane Austen

I read this book in April of 2024 for a historical fiction project in school. Emma has become one of my all-time favorite books. Although harder to read than modern literature, the plot and characters will make the challenging read worth it.

Emma, by Jane Austen, was published in 1815 and remains a classic today. In this story we follow a 21-year-old woman appropriately named Emma. As a young girl, Emma believes she will never marry by choice. Instead, she spends her time matchmaking and trying to find a partner for everyone she meets. The story follows Emma and her friend, Harriet, on an adventure to find Harriet an adequate love match. Emma's headstrong, spoiled, and self-satisfied manner leads her into trouble after meddling in people's business. Emma follows a theme of letting things happen on their own. 

This book was certainly a 5-star read. It provided comedic, romantic, sometimes embarrassing, and heartfelt moments between the characters. Jane Austen's writing never fails to captivate readers within the worlds she creates. Personally, I argue that Mr. Knightly is the superior man in the Jane Austen universe. The writing style, plot, and characters all make this book a 5-star read for me. This classic was the center of my thoughts for three weeks after finishing it. 

2. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo 

These two books are a duology written by Leigh Bardugo. The Six of Crows duology follows the Shadow and Bone trilogy in reading and publishing order. Six of Crows is a very popular book and received its recognition and praise on BookTok.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo follows a group of six teenage criminals and misfits. Kaz and his crew are hired by a merchant to complete an impossible mission. The merchant employs them to infiltrate an impenetrable building and steal a chemist who was imprisoned. Set in a fictional city named Ketterdam, the story follows the leader of the Dregs gang, a highly skilled spy, a sharpshooter, an ex-soldier, a Grisha Heartender, and the merchant's son, who team up to complete the impossible heist. The story includes questionable morals, romance, adventure, suspense, and an amazing plot.  

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo continues the story of the six crows. It follows the aftermath of the previous novel’s heist and the complications that came along with it. 

Leigh Bardugo has one of my favorite writing styles ever. Her writing is easy to read, but contains deeper meanings. Her ability to write six rounded and dynamic characters really makes the story. I was invested in the plot from page one. I picked the book up from the library without thinking much of it and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did this book introduce me to fantasy novels, but it became one of my favorite books of the year. The sequel, Crooked Kingdom, was on par with the first book. I found it enjoyable and easy to get through once started. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo are definitely the top contenders for my favorite book of the year. 

3. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

This book was recommended to me by my sister. She had begged me to read it for a while and I finally caved. At first, I was daunted by the length and size of the book. However, I ended up finishing it in one day. 

Renegades by Marissa Meyer is the first book in a trilogy. It is a sci-fi book that questions the lines between good and evil, hero and villain. In the city of Gatlon, prodigies and non-prodigies co-exist. Prodigies have unique abilities that are practically superpowers, and non-prodigies are regular citizens. The city of Gatlon was less than kind to prodigies, which led to rebellions and a collapse of the government. During the time of anarchy, the Renegades, a superhero association, rose up to combat against villains misusing their prodigy abilities. Nova grew up during the end of the anarchy period. She idolized the Renegades and looked up to them. Nova begins to hate the Renegades and what they do, so she joins the Anarchists. Years later, civilization and order rises again at the hand of the Renegades, and Nova is looking for revenge. A series that will have you questioning what good and evil truly are. 

If anything can get me to read a book, it's having Marissa Meyers name on the cover. She is a genius sci-fi writer and never fails to capture my attention. Renegades is yet another start of an amazing series she has created. I've read the first two books in this trilogy, Renegades and Archeneimies, and I'd say the first book was a 5/5 stars for me and the second book would be a 4.5/5 stars. Overall, Renegades is an amazing book and Marissa Meyer is a genius. 

4. Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber

If I could only read one series for the rest of my life, it would be this one. I finished these three books in a day each, it's that good.

Once Upon A Broken Heart is a continuation of Stephanie Garber’s other series Caraval. It follows an unusually pink-haired girl from Valenda named Evangeline. The love of her life, Luc, is getting married to her stepsister. Evangeline knows that this marriage is all a ploy from her controlling stepmother, so she consults an all-powerful Fate for help, the Prince of Hearts. Once Upon A Broken Heart follows Evangeline and the Prince of Hearts, Jacks, on their journeys. Evangeline deals with the consequences for involving the Fates with her life.

The next two books, A Ballad of Neverafter and A Curse for True Love, continue Evangeline and Jack’s story. I have never read a better series in my life. All three books were 5/5 stars and I sped right through them. When I read Stephanie Garber’s writing, I feel so immersed in the world, she never fails to make me forget I’m reading. The characters, the plot, and simply the idea for the novel is so interesting. I fell in love with the characters and everything about the book. These three books are all tied for first place in my favorite book for 2024. 

5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I picked The Bell Jar up in the early fall and struggled to get through the first 100 pages, but in late October I finished the book with ease. The book sat on my bookshelf for almost a year when I finally decided to enter Sylvia Plath's world.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath follows a young girl named Esther. She is a smart and driven individual. As readers we follow her thoughts and life as a young adult. We watch Esther figure out the paths of life and decide where she wants to go. Esther's story is emotional and almost too real, a deep dive into the human mind. Her descent into insanity is prolonged throughout the book making for a suspenseful and thoughtful read. 

Esther's story really showed what it's like to be a woman and have everyone think you're crazy. I found The Bell Jar to be very similar to “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, both conveying themes of feminism and insanity. Sylvia Plath wrote this book as a semi-autobiographical novel, which makes the words and phrases even more heartbreaking. Esther's story reflects on moments and struggles in Sylvia’s life as a young woman. This classic is a universal story, where everyone can find bits and pieces of themselves in Esther. The quotes and analogies Plath uses are some of the best and most thought-provoking I've ever heard, often relating to me in some way. The Bell Jar should be a classic that everyone reads at some point in their life. The Bell Jar received a 5/5 star rating and is tied for one of my favorite classics.