So far in 2024, I read (and by read, I mean, mostly listened to, as I’m primarily an audiobook listener) 82 books! Like last year, I scrolled through my Goodreads reviews and tried to pick out the reads that were a cut above the rest, and tried to bin them in a genre.

For the record, I usually love fast-paced books with likable characters and satisfying endings. Throw a slowburn romance in there, and you’ve got me completely hooked. That said, sometimes the books I like the most are those I had no idea I was looking for. This year, I feel like my 8 favorites were all over the map.

Without further ado (and in no particular order):

Favorite Middle Grade read

So I read a lot of good middle grade this year, but this one was truly just a magical, cozy adventure. This book started me on T. Kingfisher reading binge, and I absolutely just adore the way her characters pop and her unique stories unfold. Can’t recommend this one enough. Full review here!

Favorite Young Adult Read

The show was amazing, and yet the graphic novel was somehow better. This series sucked me in so much I basically put everything else on hold so I could devour them. The characters are lovely, the art is fantastic, and the story just feels so poignantly YA, it’s really just jaw-droppingly good. I blew through the first five books, and you can find the full review here!

Favorite Fantasy

This one was so completely atmospheric and transportive. The writing was fantastic, the characters were delightful, and months later, I’m still thinking about this book. Quite frankly, this may have been one of the best fairy tale retellings I think I’ve ever read. And this was her debut!?! Seriously, I can’t wait for more from Poranek. Full review here.

Favorite Series

I’d file this under: books I didn’t know I needed in my life. Apparently this a LitRPG, and six audiobooks later (each of which are about 20 hours long), I still can’t get enough. Action-packed, hilarious, and with incredible world-building, if this series could actually never end, that would be awesome. Impatiently waiting for the seventh audiobook in 2025. Full review of books 1-6 here!

Favorite Children’s Book

I have a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old, so I have read *a lot* of picture books in the last five years, and it’s very rare that one sticks out. Really have to give it this one for being the full package with lovely illustrations, writing, and message. Full review here.

Favorite Horror

This was my first read of 2024, and I knew pretty much immediately that it would make this list. Hilarious, disturbing, and deep all at once, with turns that keep you guessing, I basically ran to recommend this to my friends. I definitely need more smart horror like this. Full review here.

Favorite Romance

This one legit jumped out of nowhere at me. Like seriously, I think I was aimlessly scrolling through the Libby app when I stumbled upon it. But it was just a such a sweet romance (with a little spice), I can’t even. I get a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about it! Full review here!

Favorite Paranormal

I read a *lot* of books that didn’t live up to the hype this year. This was not one of them. Ali Hazelwood books have been hit or miss for me, but this was a big hit. A vampire, werewolf world with the feel of a romcom? Um, yes please. Fingers seriously crossed for a sequel. Full review here.

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2024 was another fantastic year of reading! I’m still catching my blog up on my Goodreads reviews, but if I missed some of your favorites from this year, definitely drop them in the comments and I’ll check them out on Goodreads! Please remember to support your favorite authors with ratings and reviews to spread the word about their amazing books, and as always, thanks for reading! 😊