I didn’t have a good reading year. Normally, I read about 50 books and re-read another 30-40. This year, I read about half that. I had several slumps this year when I just couldn’t get interested in anything. I’d either go read fan fiction, or I’d just not be reading anything. It was very unusual for me. But I did get some reading in, and now that I have a blog, I figure that I can join in on the best reads thing that BookTOK and Booktube do each year.
So, here are my top reads of 2024.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
5 Stars
This was my only 5 star new read this year. I loved this book. Comfy with very low stakes, it appeared in my life when I needed something exactly like that. The characters are well-developed, the emotions are very well written, and the romance wasn’t in your face. It is more about friendship and personal growth, and that was wonderful.
This spawned an entire new interest in cozy fantasy for me. Sadly, there isn’t much else out there that can match this one.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
4 Stars
Given the lashing I gave Mistborn, twice, you might be surprised to find a Sanderson novel here on my list. But Tress was actually my first Sanderson book, and is what spurred me into reading Mistborn. Those two novels couldn’t be further from each other. Tress is cozy but with some stakes, a very relatable set of characters and a plot that isn’t convoluted at all. A girl goes to find her lost love is about as classic as it gets.
This wasn’t 5 stars simply because the ending wasn’t great. The “beat down” of the big bad, similar to how it was done in Mistborn, was done rapidly and mostly by someone else. I have a fear that this is a Sanderson trait and that I should expect it to happen in his other novels. Don’t tell me if I’m right or wrong. I don’t want to know.
My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
4 Stars
Another very cozy story with low stakes. Girl needs a place to stay, finds a hot guy who seems not to have any clue how much he should charge for rent, and then falls in love. The catch? He’s a vampire, but she doesn’t find out right away.
I loved this book as well. Not much in terms of character development, but the relationship between the two MCs is great, and both are quirky, which I highly enjoyed. 4 stars because the “controversy” of her finding out was very contrived and predictable.
Demon World Boba Shop by RC Joshua
3.75 Stars
I still have no clue what the hell boba is. It’s tea with bread in it? Sounds atrocious.
Luckily, the book is better than that sounds. It’s in the same vein as Legend’s & Lattes, but instead we have a guy transported into another world where literally everyone is awesome. No crime or hatred or any of that. Everyone works together to create the best world possible.
This is the definition of fluffy. I marked it down a star, simply because there’s nothing really here to make me want to keep going with the series. The plot was mostly forgettable, for all that I enjoyed it.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
3.5 Stars
I don’t know why I was on such a werewolf and vampire kick this year. I must have discovered my inner 13-year-old girl. But, I did read quite a few novels that bordered on Twilight, and that is disturbing for my inner manliness.
All that said, Bride was a good book. A little trope-y and a little full of cliché, but overall very enjoyable. The ending was actually excellent, and will be what causes me to go back and re-read this some day. I love the angst hit there at the end. Very well done.
Marked down because of my bias against vampires and werewolves. Seriously, Matt, what were you thinking? Go read some Stephen King or something, quick, before you start to sparkle.
Conclusion
There were more that could be on this list that were ranked about the same as Bride, but none that really stand out as spectacular. I will do my DNFs of the year in a few days. If I can find that list. I think I lost it on purpose. I read some terrible books this year.