I wasn’t going to add to the huge noise of every reader online putting out their “Best Of” lists, but here we are. Truth – my reading in 2024 was pretty superficial – lots of cozy mysteries and children’s books. However, there were three books that I have not been able to forget, so here they are.
Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden – I actually read this in 2023, but it was published in 2024. If you’re not reading Katherine Arden, what’s stopping you? Her Winternight Trilogy is by far the best fantasy series I’ve read in the last decade, but this book…this book cannot be categorized. It’s part fantasy, part magical realism, and part historical fiction all wound up in one utterly draining and powerful story about the changing form of evil.
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo – I’ve recommended this book more times than I can remember. Gorgeous writing provides the foundation for a magical, tender tale of mothers & children, the power of childhood memories, and the cost of vengeance.
Lilith by Eric Rickstad – This heartrending, potent story of a mother going after the people she believes responsible for her child being involved in a school shooting is a timely, painful, and dark reading experience. There isn’t a parent out there who hasn’t thought about what they’d do if their child was a victim of gun violence.
Read these. Really.
It's All About the Book 