What I’ve Been Reading in 2024

Rather than doing a regular blog recording my monthly reads I thought I’d do an end of year round-up of some of my favourite books this year. So here’s what I’ve been reading in 2024!

But first, my 2024 reading “unwrapped”

I’ve read 44 books in 2024 (with three still on the go!) which is one more than last year. Don’t think I’ll ever beat the lockdown year where I managed 60 books 😂😂 My average book length is 391 pages – I rarely read any books shorter than 300 pages (although my shortest this year was Cecile Pin’s “Wandering Souls” at 256 pages) and my longest read was “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese at a whopping 796 pages.

What I’ve Been Reading in 2024

These are my 12 most highly rated books of 2024, in no particular order!

Babel – R.F Kuang

Set in 19th-century Oxford, this historical fantasy epic delves into the world of linguistics, colonialism and student revolution. A Chinese orphan named Robin Swift is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell and recruited to study at Babel, a prestigious institute of translation. Here he discovers that silver can be imbued with magical charms via language. It’s a difficult read in places, with some heavy subjects covered, but I enjoyed this complex blend of history, fantasy and academia. No spoilers, as Mr Fletche is still reading this one!

Strange Sally Diamond – Liz Nugent

Sally Diamond, a reclusive woman in a small Irish village, becomes the centre of media attention after disposing of her father’s (dead) body in an unconventional way. This act unearths long-buried secrets about Sally’s traumatic past, and forces her to find out more about who she really is. In the meantime, she begins to make friends, form relationships and find her own identity. As readers, we often hear Sally’s inner monologue as she tries to make sense of neurotypical situations. But behind the light-hearted commentary is a darkness, and at times this story is incredibly uncomfortable as it explores challenging themes of abuse.

You Are Here – David Nicholls

A poignant tale of loneliness and love, You Are Here follows two middle-aged protagonists as they unexpectedly find themselves walking a long-distance trail across northern England together. Marnie and Michael join a mutual friend Cleo, who organises a coast-to-coast walk with the hopes that it will help them ease the pain of recent divorce. But as their fellow hikers drop out, they end up traversing the country together. Set against the backdrop of picturesque English countryside, it’s a heart warming story of self-discovery, the complexity of new relationships, and the beauty of second chances. Nicholls – as always in his novels – offers both laugh-out-loud moments and deeply emotional reflection.

A God In Ruins (re-read) – Kate Atkinson

After re-reading Life After Life recently, I picked up A God In Ruins at a charity shop for another delve into the world of the Todd family, this time focusing on Ursula’s sweet-natured younger brother. This companion novel follows the life of Teddy Todd, a would-be poet, loving family man and heroic WWII bomber pilot. The story spans decades, revealing the emotional toll of war and the navigation of post-war life as a husband, father, and grandfather. Told in a non-linear manner, occasionally Atkinson will return to earlier scenes and re-tell them from a different perspective, allowing us to see a more rounded view of characters. I’m a huge fan of Kate Atkinson’s books.

The Lincoln Highway – Amor Towles

Set in 1954, this epic American road trip novel follows 18 year old Emmett Watson as he embarks on a cross-country journey from Nebraska to California with his younger brother Billy. Recently released from a juvenile correctional facility after the death of their father, Emmett is keen to start a new life. However, when they are unexpectedly joined by Duchess and Wolly, runaways from the facility, the Watsons’ plans are derailed and they find themselves in New York City. It’s a vivid and sweeping coming-of-age tale, as the three teenagers find out that you can’t always run away from the past. Note that the chapters are numbered backwards; as Billy says “all good stories start in the middle”.

My Favourite Mistake – Marian Keyes

The Walsh sisters return in their seventh novel, this time focusing on second-youngest sister Anna. This is the second “Anna-centric” novel after Anybody Out There which dealt with her grief after the death of her husband. Now fast approaching 50, Anna trades life as a high-flying PR in New York for a small Irish village to help out old friends with their own PR disaster setting up a controversial luxury resort. As well as adjusting to a separation and the joys of perimenopause, an old flame appears in the form of Joey Armstrong. They have unfinished business… As with all Keyes book, this is a delightful read, celebrating midlife women. In fact it’s one of the first I’ve read that covers with topics such as the HRT conundrum, changing bodies and the invisibility of women of a certain age.

All The Broken Places – John Boyne

A powerful sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, this novel follows Gretel Fernsby, a quiet elderly woman, living a quiet life in post-war London. She befriends the young boy living in the apartment below, but her involvement in his life brings back terrible memories of her wartime childhood, and of another little boy that haunts her dreams. To move on Gretel must confront guilt, grief, redemption, and her complicity in history. This is a gripping and emotional tale, rooted in one of the darkest periods of human history and the aftermath. And you don’t need to have read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (or seen the film) to understand this book.

Killjoy: Taking on a Macho Media Empire and Winning – Jo Cheetham

The only non-fiction book on this list. In 2012, Jo Cheetham turned up at a protest organised by No More Page 3, a campaign to end the images of topless women printed in the Sun newspaper. There was Jo, and four other people there. One was a man that had turned up by mistake. But after three years, through protests, flash mobs and letter-writing, ordinary people triumphed against a toxic, male-dominated media empire. Killjoy is a powerful narrative of courage, resilience, and the fight for justice in an industry rife with sexism. It’s a funny, frank and truly inspiring memoir.

Prize Women – Caroline Lea

Inspired by real events, this novel centres on the extraordinary story of women participating in the scandalous Great Stork Derby during the early 20th century. A childless millionaire (and well-known prankster) pledges to leave his fortune to the woman that bears the most children in the 10 years following his death. Lily and Mae, despite their differences, find themselves as unlikely friends, but as the Great Depression bites they find themselves in fierce competition for the prize money. The book is full of evocative historical detail with fascinating characters. It’s an engrossing exploration of motherhood, societal expectations, survival and heart breaking decisions.

The Women – Kristin Hannah

When Frances “Frankie” Mcgrath’s brother ships out to serve in the Vietnam War, she decides to join him, volunteering for the United States Army Nurses Corps, challenging societal norms and upsetting her conservative parents. Frankie quickly learns about the brutal chaos and destruction of war, yet copes by developing strong friendships and finding love. Upon her return, she struggles to reintegrate into a society that misunderstands and undervalues women’s contributions to the war effort. In order to tell an authentic story Hannah interviewed women who had served in the Vietnam hospitals. The Women is an eye-opening novel about love and loss, about patriotism and courage. But it’s mostly about deep friendship, and about how resilient and daring women have shaped history.

The Bandit Queens – Parini Shroff

In this darkly comedic novel, Geeta is falsely rumoured to have killed her good-for-nothing husband Ramesh. After all, he just mysteriously “disappeared” five years ago. But her reputation is oddly empowering. No-one messes with Geeta. She prefers her solitary life. But other women have started to ask for her help, dealing with their own “marital” problems. She reluctantly agrees to help, but is she really a murderer? The Bandit Queen is a witty feminist thriller, all about empowerment, revenge, and solidarity, and exploring the caste system and the treatment of women in contemporary India.

The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley – Sean Lusk

Renowned clockmaker and inventor of mechanical oddities Abel Cloudesley is left to raise a son when his wife dies in childbirth. It turns out that the curious Zachary has an extraordinary ability to foresee events, a gift which is strengthened when he is almost blinded in a workshop accident. When Abel is tasked with a secret mission for the Ottoman Empire, he doesn’t return and is feared dead. From Leadenhall in London to a bustling Constantinople, teenage Zachary embarks on a journey to find his father and uncover the truth. It’s an atmospheric and engaging tale, with shades of The Night Circus. There’s a wide cast of characters, and the story is as much about each of them as it is the titular Zachary. There’s a bit of a lacklustre ending, but the rest of the magical story made up for it.

Want some more book recommendations? Here’s my round-up from 2023!

5 Books on my radar for 2025

There’s a £25 Amazon voucher sitting on my account, so what to choose? These are the 5 books currently at the top of my wishlist:

• James – Percival Everett
• Intermezzo – Sally Rooney
• Butter – Asako Yuzuki
• Small Bomb at Dimperley – Lissa Evans
• Hera – Jennifer Saint

What books have you read in 2024? Have any of my favourites made your reading pile? And what books are you looking forward to reading in 2025? Let me know in the comments!