2024 has been a whirlwind of stories, lessons, and unforgettable journeys between the pages of life and books I loved this year as well. From heartwarming fiction to insightful non-fiction, every read brought its own magic and left a mark on my year. Some made me laugh, others made me cry, and a few even left me pondering life’s biggest questions long after I closed the cover.

As I look back on the year, I’ve rounded up 24 books that stood out for me—stories that sparked joy, challenged my perspective, or simply offered a cozy escape. Whether you’re a fellow bookworm or just looking for your next great read, I hope this list inspires your literary adventures! 📚✨

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For this week’s theme of favorite reads of the year. Author names link to my review/earlier post featuring the book

24 Books I Loved This Year

1. Amil and the After by Veera Hiranandani (Children’s Historical Fiction | 8 – 12 years, and up) 
2. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi (Children’s Mythological Fiction | 9 – 12 years, and up) 
3. Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat (Teen and YA Fiction)
4. Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh with foreword by Jane Goodall (Zen Philosophy)
5. Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan (Children’s Native American Stories | 10 years and up)
6. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Fiction)
7. Each Day Is a Gift by Lisl H. Detlefsen and art by Natalia Vasilica (Picture Books | 4 – 8 years)
8. The Emperor of Absurdia by Chris Riddell (Picture Books | 3 – 7 years) 
9. Esma Farouk, Lost in the Souk by Lisa Boersen and Hasna Elbaamrani and art by Annelies Vandenbosch  (Picture Books | 4 – 7 years) 
10. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World by Matt Kracht (Bird Field Guides/Humor)
11. The Giraffe that Walked to Paris by Nancy Milton and art by Roger Roth (Picture Books | 5 years and up)
12. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz and illustrated by Robert Byrd (Children’s Medieval Fiction in Verse | 8 – 13 years, and up)
13. How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Quentin Blake (Children’s Humor | 6 – 9 years, and up)
14. Inheritance by Nora Roberts (Historical Thrillers)
15. Jazz by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Christopher Myers (Teen & Young Adult Music Fiction)
16. Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge (Teen & Young Adult Literary Biographies)
17. The Nature Book by Tom Comitta (Literary Sagas)
18. The Portable Curmudgeon by Jon Winokur (Quotation Reference Books)
19. Puzzle Me Twice: 70 Simple Puzzles (Almost) Everyone Gets Wrong by Alex Bellos (Puzzles)
20. The Spell of a Story by Mariajo Ilustrajo (Picture Books | 3 – 5 years, and up)
21. Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg (Communications/Social Skills/Self-help)
22. The Unknown Unknown: Bookshops and the delight of not getting what you wanted by Mark Forsyth
23. There’s a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers (Picture Books | 3 – 7 years+).
24. When the Skies Rained Freedom by Annette Oppenlander (Historical Fiction)

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, which of these books have you read, or which ones are calling out to you? Let’s swap thoughts and recommendations—share your favorites from 2024 in the comments! 📖👇