Keeping with traditions, we will post our separate top 10 reads of 2024 lists throughout January. This year we’ll have 4 such posts for you: Arina’s, Jen’s, Bjorn’s, and mine. Some of these will be only top 5 lists, however, as sadly not all of us had a great reading year, but it happens.
Our only rule was that any book on these lists has to be read during 2024, regardless of when they were published and by whom. And we had to love them, obviously. Maybe. I mean, when you keep shouting at the author in private for things they did, it’s surely a sign of love, right? Even if you call said author names… *ahem* Anyway. First up is Timy’s Top 10 Reads of 2024!
Before I get to my list, let me bore you with some statistics. You know how much I like to torture you guys 😉
2024 was a bit of a roller coaster of a year for reading. I had really good periods where I pushed myself to the edges of burnout, and I had some low periods, like the end of the year. Apparently it’s becoming a tradition with me that with the end of the SPFBO season, I give one last push for ARCs and other obligatory reads, and then I come to an almost full stop. Which is not a problem in itself, but it’s so goddamn hard to get back to it all in January with everything happening all at once.
I’ve read (fully or partially) 69 books in 2024 (3 more than in 2023, but SPFBO Phase 1 books (except semis) are not included). 13 of those were a DNF and 1 I put aside for later. 1 was a beta read and was published as well. I had 12 books that were rereads (same as in 2023, ha!) Out of the 68 books (I took out the beta), 43 were trad-published and 24 were indie/self-published. Not as even as I hoped, but could be worse. I read more trad last year, apparently. My average rating was 4.36 (not including DNFs) which honestly surprises me, because it’s a bit higher than in 2023 and I gave out only 1 more 5 star rating.
Across the 69 books, I read 34 audiobooks (5 more than in 2023), 32 ebooks, and 3 physical books. I reviewed 32 books (rereads not counted), which is a bit less than in 2023 (40), but looks like that was a pretty good year for reviews.
A quick word about how I did with reading challenges – I set my GR challenge to 40, which I overachieved, lol. I once again completed The Sound of Madness Reading Challenge 2024 edition, did well(ish) with Womble’s TBR reduction challenge, and smashed The Year in Aeldia choose your own adventure challenge. I updated my Reading Goals for 2024 with all I achieved ICYMI.
But enough about the numbers, I know you are all here for the books. I had a surprisingly few 5* reads (11, not including the rereads). You’d think that it was my work done, but I dug a bit deeper. I put together my top 10 list based on how much of an impression a book had on me. And so, not all of my top ratings made to the list, and a few lower ones did. I also decided not to include my beta, since it seemed unfair to put it on the top 10 list when I was involved with it (and that’s why I will not review my betas, sorry, I love you, but I can’t be 100% partial).
One problem I ran into was that I binged (partly or fully) a couple of series in 2024, and I usually gave them the exact same (high) scores. How the fuck one does pick only one book to feature in a top 10 list from each series?! And so here is my solution: I’m giving those books a special shout-out below and will only feature books on the list that were either standalone or part of a series of which I haven’t read more than one book in 2024.
- The Cesare Aldo series by D. V. Bishop – I binged all 4 of the currently published books in this historical mystery series (book 5 comes in 2025 and book 6 is currently being written) and I’m obsessed with it. It’s amazing. It’s mostly set in Florence which highly influenced my decision to finally visit it for my birthday. I. Can’t. Wait. Check the books out: City of Vengeance, The Darkest Sin, Ritual of Fire, Divine Fury
- The Reanimator Mysteries by Kara Jorgensen – It’s part historical fiction, part M/M romance, part mystery series got me by surprise this year. I read (and loved) all 3 books currently published (book 4 is in the works). It mixes everything I either was into already or recently got into (M/M romance) so it’s a great match for me. Absolutely recommended as well. Check the books out: The Reanimator’s Heart, The Reanimator’s Soul, The Reanimator’s Remains
- The DI Simon Wise series by Michael Dylan – What can I say? I had a great year with mystery/thrillers. Then again, I read book 1 (Rich Men, Dead Men) in 2023 as well as some of Mike’s previous books (under his name as Michael Dylan is a pen name) so it’s not much of a surprise that I also very much enjoyed the second and third book in this series. I need to catch up with book 4 though. Check the books out: The Killing Game, Talking of the Dead
- Card Mage: Tournament Topdecker by Benedict Patrick – My annual Benedict Patrick beta read. It’s the sequel to Card Mage: Slumdog Deckbuilder (of which I now own a super fancy hardcover copy thanks to Benedict), and it’s a mix of fantasy and LitRPG. Funnily, I really much enjoy this series, even though I’m not into LitRPG in general. Then again, I’m rarely let down by Benedict, but I might be biased.
Now, without further ado, here are my top 10 reads of 2024 more or less ordered with my absolute favorite at the bottom:
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This book had been on my radar for a while, but I only decided to read it when I heard the news about the Netflix series based on this. I picked it up on audiobook and I enjoyed it very much – so much so that I’m planning to read the series on this year. And I think the Netflix series will get a second season as well, which is good news, as I liked it. Obviously, they changed some things, but I thought it was a good adaptation anyway.
Everyone in Fairview knows the story.
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.
But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?
Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg
I’ve been eyeing Charlie’s books for a while now, but I only just read one of her books – definitely won’t be my last. I already have the Paper Magician series in ebooks and I want to go on with the audiobooks of the Whimbrel House series – of which Keeper of Enchanted Rooms is the first book.
Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.
Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.
Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern—something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.
A Matter of Execution by Nicholas & Olivia Atwater
I’ve known the Atwaters for a few years now and I previously enjoyed several of Olivia’s books I’ve got to read. In 2024 I only read their prequel novella, A Matter of Execution in preparation to read the first novel in the Tales of the Iron Rose series, Echoes of the Imperium, but life had other plans for me. Maybe in 2025.
Nicholas and Olivia Atwater entertain in this “rollicking and deeply satisfying steampunk adventure” (Jacquelyn Benson), which acts as an introductory prequel novella to the Tales of the Iron Rose.
The Ebon Warden is about to execute the wrong goblin.
The Ebon Warden has sentenced Captain William Blair to hang for another goblin’s crime. Thankfully, he’s got his sharp wits, his loyal crew, and a long history of dubious behaviour on his side. When the man who’s supposed to hang next to Wil offers his help, however, the crew of the Iron Rose is unexpectedly drawn into local politics. Soon, the stakes are far higher than any one goblin… and the only way out of a dreadful disaster is to steal from the Ebon Warden herself.
“If you are looking for a bite sized steampunk adventure with fun characters and high stakes, don’t look any further. A Matter of Execution will whet your appetite for more.”
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
I’m not quite sure what made me pick up The Fox Wife on NetGalley (it’s been a year already, and my memory sucks) but I’m glad I did. This was my first Yangsze Choo novel, but it won’t be my last. I liked the setting, the writing, the story, so I’m curious to explore more.
Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .
Manchuria, 1908.
In the last years of the dying Qing Empire, a courtesan is found frozen in a doorway. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and handsome men. Bao, a detective with an uncanny ability to sniff out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach—until, perhaps, now.
Meanwhile, a family who owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments but can’t escape the curse that afflicts them—their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. When a disruptively winsome servant named Snow enters their household, the family’s luck seems to change—or does it?
Snow is a creature of many secrets, but most of all she’s a mother seeking vengeance for her lost child. Hunting a murderer, she will follow the trail from northern China to Japan, while Bao follows doggedly behind. Navigating the myths and misconceptions of fox spirits, both Snow and Bao will encounter old friends and new foes, even as more deaths occur.
New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. Epic in scope and full of singular, unforgettable characters, The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about old loves and second chances, the depths of maternal love, and ancient folktales that may very well be true.
“I think The Fox Wife is rather a tragic story about love, second chances, and the choices that we make. Our actions have consequences, be they good or bad. If you ever wondered about fox spirits and what it would be like if they walked around us, then The Fox Wife won’t disappoint.”
The Market of 100 Fortunes by Marie Brannen
Yeah, so… I was a bit of an idiot in 2024 as I managed to request and read 2 books that were both third books in a trilogy… What can I say? I’m a genius. In the other case it wasn’t that much of an issue, but when it came to The Market of 100 Fortunes, I was missing some background info that would have helped. Despite that, I enjoyed it very much and I’m planning to read the whole series in the right order.
Enthralling fantasy mystery from the world of Legend of the Five Rings as two samurai risk everything to rescue an old friend from the clutches of a shadowy trickster
Having vanquished demons and halted invasions of devious creatures from the Spirit Realms, Asako Sekken and Agasha no Isao Ryotora are finally going to be married. But when a note from their old ally Sayashi arrives unexpectedly, the samurai find themselves dragged into another supernatural mystery.
Their investigation leads them to Crane lands and an ancient market ruled by a mysterious being. Now Sekken and Ryotora must use all their wit and charm to save Sayashi from a hundred year bargain before they find themselves embroiled in a conflict with a forgotten deity of unimaginable power.
“The Market of 100 Fortunes was a book I didn’t know I needed, as it seems to have brought back my reading mojo that had been lost to me for a few months. There could have been a bit more meat on the main plot maybe, but the characters just made up for that. I have no idea why is this trilogy not more widely known, but if you love Japanese mythology, or the game on which this world is based, then please, please give these books a go! The Market of 100 Fortunes hooked me from page 1 and it never let go. It’s fun, it’s charming and it makes me long for more. I had an excellent time reading it.”
The Hungry Dark by Jen Williams
I read *checks notes* 3 books from Jen Williams in 2024, 2 from The Winnowing Flames trilogy, and her latest thriller. I only have one question for you all: WHY THE FUCK DID YOU LET ME WAIT THIS LONG?! *ahem* It’s safe to say I’ll try to catch up on her stuff, because wow. I loved The Hungry Dark.
Macabre murders plague a rural town as a scam-artist psychic races to find the answers in this haunting thriller from award-winning author Jen Williams, perfect for fans of Camilla Sten and Alex North.
As a child, Ashley Whitelam could often see odd things nobody else could: quiet, watchful figures she called the Heedful Ones kept a strange vigil wherever she went. As an adult, she keeps these visions to herself, but she’s turned her taste of the beyond into a career as a “psychic” – parting people from their money with a combination of psychology and internet research. When the Lake District is gripped by a series of grisly child murders, Ashley offers her services to the police for the free publicity. But as Ashley leads the police on a fruitless search around the small town of Green Beck, she catches a glimpse of those old ghosts of her childhood and, following them into the woods, she finds something she never expected: the corpse of the latest missing child.
The press fly into a frenzy and the police grow suspicious: either Ashley’s psychic abilities are real, or she is guilty of murder. Hounded by interviews and interrogations, Ashley teams up with Freddie Miller, a podcaster covering the crimes. As they investigate, Ashley realises that there’s no way to distance herself from these murders: whoever or whatever it is that’s haunting the Lakes is haunting her, too.
Master of unsettling suspense Jen Williams is back with another chilling, dark read that will draw readers into a gruesome and atmospheric nightmare.
“The Hungry Dark is a delightfully dark and twisted thriller, about toxicity, really. And how every act has its consequences. That sacrifice is not always the solution we seek. All in all, The Hungry Dark is a novel I can recommend to anyone who loves a bit of heavy reading. Well worth your time!”
The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston
I’ll be honest, I was a bit unsure about The Last Shield at first. I’ve read one of Cameron’s books before and enjoyed it but at the time I was reading a lot more grimdark than I do now. Plus, the blurb wasn’t really speaking to me. But I still was curious (also had a super early copy which was nice) so I jumped in. And that was a good decision because I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. It was only a bonus that I could be present at its launch party in Glasgow!
A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle, Cameron Johnston’s The Last Shield is an engaging fantasy read, perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Mark Lawrence.
The ancient forest realm of Sunweald is bordered on two sides by far mightier nations – a precarious situation. At its centre, the Sunweald Palace is home to the Lord Regent and the heir to the throne, together with numerous precious and powerful artefacts. The Palace is protected by the realm’s elite Shields, dedicated to guarding the royal line against all foes.
A group of vicious brigands called the Wildwood Reivers have been stealing arcane artefacts and smuggling them across the borders, out of Sunweald. And the objects they most desire are stored in the mystical Wyrm Vault, hidden away deep in the bones of the earth, within the walls of the Palace itself.
As political and religious tensions mount, Sunweald’s druids prepare to enact rituals for the Summer Solstice – but the Wildwood Reivers and their treacherous allies have other plans. It falls to Briar, the commander of the Shields, to defend the ancient corridors and secret tunnels of the Palace. The odds may be against her, but she’ll see every enemy head adorning a spike or she’ll die trying…
“The Last Shield is a book you should have on your 2024 TBR, because it has everything the blurb promises. Action, bloodshed, secret tunnels, and a suicidal mission to save the kingdom from total ruin. It’s exhilarating, it’s fun, and it’s undeniably a Johnston novel through and through. Not one you should miss.”
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
If there was something I absolutely never saw coming, it was getting super into M/M romance. It started with A Rake of His Own by A.J. Lancaster, and then somehow it escalated. I picked Boyfriend Material on a whim because I wanted something similar, but better (sorry) than Red, White & Royal Blue and that’s how I stumbled upon Alexis Hall and his books. I fell head over heels, and read both Boyfriend Material and Husband Material (which I liked, but it was not as good as book 1) in two days. I need book 3 right about now.
When tangentially ― and reluctantly ― famous Luc O’Donnell is forced back into the spotlight in the worst possible way, he has to think fast if he wants to save his floundering reputation. Enter Oliver Blackwood. Stunningly handsome and effortlessly put together, Oliver is successful, an ethical vegetarian, and has never appeared in a scandal mag evenonce. In other words, he’s perfect boyfriend material and exactly what Luc needs to appear respectable again. But when their fake relationship starts to feel like real romance, Luc and Oliver might have to consider whether they’re willing to fight for the truth of their new relationship…scandal, and consequences, be damned.
A Rival Most Vial by R.K. Ashwick
It’s not a secret that I was struggling with SPFBO 9 a lot for various reasons, some personal, some not. I wasn’t into the finalists either all that much, until A Rival Most Vial. It was the last book I read and hands down my favorite. It’s a cozy fantasy M/M romance book with a great cast and some lighthearted fun. I have no idea why it didn’t do better. Oh well. Book 2 is out as well, but I haven’t got around to it yet.
Two potion shops, one heated rivalry…until hate bubbles over into something else.
Any adventurer worth their sword knows about Ambrose Beake. The proud, quiet half-elf sells the best, and only, potions in the city—until a handsome new shopkeeper named Eli opens another potion shop across the street, throwing Ambrose’s peace and ledgers far off balance.
Within weeks, they’re locked in a war of price tags and products—Ambrose’s expertise against Eli’s effortless charm. Toil leads to trouble, the safety gloves come off, and right as their rivalry reaches a boiling point…
The mayor commissions them to brew a potion together.
The task is as complex as it is lucrative, pushing both men to the limits of their abilities and patience. Yet as the fires burn and cauldrons bubble…they find a different sort of chemistry brewing.
“I probably could find something to pick on if I tried hard enough, but I’m putting the evil bitch Queen to rest for now and will join Bjørn in begging for books 2, 3 and however many there will be in this series. (…) A Rival Most Vial grabbed my heart, squeezed it and left me wishing for more.”
Arthur by Giles Kristian
Arthur was the book I had no idea I needed. I didn’t even know it was coming, I found out by accident when I decided to reread Lancelot. I was hesitant a bit to request it on NG, because while I really enjoyed Lancelot, Camelot was a bit of a disappointment and I had no idea what to expect. I had nothing to fear, Arthur ended up being my favorite of the trilogy.
Years have passed since the clash of shieldwalls echoed across the land. The Saxons are now the lords of Britain. And yet the bards still sing of Arthur – ‘In our darkest time, when we need him most, shall he come again.’
Yet old Beran has no love of bards’ songs. Nor of people, unless they are paying him to steal or kill. He is a mercenary, in the employ of the cutthroat Nabor ap Nabor, and he has been ordered to murder a boy fleeing a burning city. No ordinary boy either. No, this boy is the son of King Constantine and the grandson of High King Ambrosius. And he could be the hope of Britain . . . if he lives.
Betraying his companions and returning to a world he thought he had left forever, Beran gives his word that he will take the boy to the one place that still holds out against the Camelot.
Crossing a hostile land, they will meet the runaway lovers, Tristan and Isolde. They will seek the help of Guivret, called the Little King, and the Saracen, Palamedes, who once rode beneath Arthur’s banner.
Hunted by Saxons, Nabor ap Nabor, and Queen Morgana, this unlikely band must fight for their lives and for each other. For if there’s to be any hope for Britain, Beran must deliver the boy to Camelot. But to do that, he must also face his own past . . .
“I can’t express how happy I am that Kristian decided to return to the world of The Arthurian Tales and bring it up to a trilogy. I absolutely had no idea I needed this closure, and yet here we are. Arthur brought this emotional roller coaster ride I never saw coming, to a perfect end, and I enjoyed it immensely. If you like historical fiction novels or if you want to read a different kind of Arthur story, then you definitely should pick up a copy!”
And that concludes Timy’s Top 10 Reads of 2024.
Let us know which of these books you’ve read or would like to read and what you think about them!
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I really like historical mystery so adding City of Vengeance to my TBR! The rest of these also sound great and thanks for reminding me I really need to read Lancelot! My copy is just collecting dust at the moment. lol.
Ooh, I hope you’ll like them! And you are welcome 😁