2024 Book Wrap Up

My 2024 Top Five Reads

Best Reads:

The The Bright Edge of the World

by Eowyn Ivey

This book about the wife of an army man takes place in Fort Vancouver (where I grew up) and covers an expedition to the wilds of Alaska (the other place where I've lived). I loved the wife and Ivey's writing, as always. Highly recommend.

The Girl in His Shadow

by Audrey Blake

This book about a surgeon's young woman apprentice takes place during the Spanish Flu and is both fascinating and gut wrenching. 

Greenwood

by Michael Christie

This book of generations, written in a jumping chapters, was part dystopian/part tree love story.  It was so well written, the descriptions absolutely captivating, and the characters were very real, imperfect and lovable. 

High Achiever

by Tiffany Jenkins

This memoir about Jenkins' struggle with addiction is gripping. 

A Little Life

by Hanya Yanagihara

This story about Jude and his three college roommates is like a tragedy told one painstaking, heartbreaking fact at a time. This book made me cry multiple times, which, if you know me, means it got an automatic five stars. Gah. So good. 

Just A Regular Boy

By Catherine Ryan Hyde

This story is about a little boy raised by a fearful survivalist in the backwoods.  The things that he experiences in the middle of nowhere are the stuff nightmares are made of. 

The Smell of Other People's Houses

by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

This Alaskan novel about four teenage lives weaved together is very true of life in an Alaskan village.  I could read stories about Alaska the rest of my life and not get tired of it. 

After Annie

by Anna Quindlen

This novel is about the aftermath of mother Annie's sudden death at the dinner table. It follows her husband and four children as they figure out life without their sun.

The God of the Woods

by Liz Moore

The God of the Woods is a book that takes place in a summer camp and follows the story of a family whose son goes missing. I found I couldn't put this one down and was in love with all the side characters. 

Summer of '69

by Elin Hilderbrand

This book was about a family whose only son was drafted to Vietnam. It mostly follows his little sister and the loss of her older brother in her day to day life. Like every Hilderbrand novel, her summer writing is delicious, but this was one of her books that also had a lot of depth.

This Is How It Always Is

by Laurie Frankel

I reread this amazing book for one of my book clubs and it was as good as I remembered. Raising four sons, one of whom feels he was born in the wrong body, is no easy feat for a doctor and a writer, but somehow the parents make it look feasible, and even at times enjoyable. You just have to try this book. It's so good.

A Quiet Life

by Ethan Joella

A Quiet Life is exactly the type of book you imagine it to be after reading the title. It is a slow moving book about a widower who befriends his newspaper delivery girl. The review on Amazon calls it soothing, and I would agree.  Like balm on your weary soul. 

Here After

by Amy Lin

Here After is a memoir about losing the love of your life. Written in verse, it is a fast, but deep and moving read. 

Top Five

The Other Year

by Rea Frey

The Other Year is a novel whose structure is unlike any other I've ever read. It follows mother Kate as her daughter Olivia drowns (or doesn't drown) at the beach. In alternating chapters, it tells the story of life after her daughter dies and life after her daughter survives, in turn. Her daughter is the same age as Carly and that made it incredibly moving. 

The Snow Child

by Eowyn Ivey

This is a yearly reread for me at this point and I enjoy it more every time. About a childless couple who moves to remote Alaska to get away from their family and all the babies around them, Mabel and Jack face the harsh truth of life in Alaska. There, though, they find friendship in neighbors, love in each other, and joy in what appears to be a snowgirl come to life. Despite it's magical realism, this book teaches us about resilience and what it is to love. And I can't get enough of it. 

Sandwich

by Catherine Newman

I read Sandwich this summer by the water at Lincoln Rock State Park, under the trees, surrounded by both my parents, my siblings and my children. It was the perfect setting for a book so focused on families growing up. I found myself underlining lines and nodding my head in solidarity with Rocky who is nostalgic for summers gone past, while still trying to cherish the present. 

The Frozen River

by Ariel Lawhon

The Frozen River is about a midwife in the middle of a town mystery. A body found frozen in the river points to one of her sons and she has to help clear his name. I adore midwife books, and this one was a favorite largely because of the time period and how much Marth loves her husband, a rare find in books these days. 

The Women

Kristin Hannah

I resisted this one at first and I'm not sure why. Maybe because it was all over bookstagram. But after reading The Summer of '69 about Vietnam, I heard this was also about Vietnam and I wanted to read more. 

It ended up being one of the most engrossing books I read last year and I was in love with all the female strength shown in the characters. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. It won't compete with The Nightingale, as it is its own story, but you'll find the pages just as turnable. 

Best on Audio

ADHD Is Awesome

by Penn & Kim Holderness

After discussing the possibility of one of our kiddos having ADHD, Josh found this book on Hoopla and listened to it. Then I started listening, and soon we were having a discussion about whether he (Josh) had ADHD and the fact that we thought all four of our kids may have it as well! 

Even if you (or your kids) don't have ADHD, this book is a great listen. It's a fast moving, fascinating book, filled with fun facts and engaging conversations between Penn (who has ADHD) and his wife Kim (who does not). It was incredibly validating and informative. Highly recommend!

A Walk In The Park

by Kevin Fedarko

A memoir of Fedarko's descent into the canyon, this is as good as any action movie I've seen. It was such an adventure to listen to, and made me wonder why anyone would subject themselves to such torture. Hah!

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Now that you know my favorite reads of 2024, 

I would love to know what you read and loved in 2024. 

Please share in the comments!