Ranking every book I’ve read in 2024… so far
I think I should (no, I know I should) preface this post by noting that I am a slow reader. A sloooooooowwwwww reader. So when I tell you these are all the books I’ve read in 2024, I mean it.
I have read a grand total of 9. Woohoo! (I’ve DNF’ed some, but we’re going to ignore that and not add it to my count, since I don’t think it is really fair to rank a book I haven’t read in its entirety.)
I am a fantasy/thriller/women’s fiction/Greek myth girl, and by the time you finish this list, I suspect you will be able to tell.
Let’s get right into it!
9. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I am so sorry to break it to the Fourth Wing girls, but sadly, I am not one of you. I just didn’t connect with this story. I didn’t connect at all with the MC.
It took me months (I kid you not, months) for me to finish it, and while the end was exciting, I don’t think I will be continuing the series. That being said, the dragons are adorable and precious. I always love to see an animal in a series, any kind of animal. So that part did it for me. The rest… not quite so much.
8. Galatea by Madeline Miller
Does this count as a book? Sort of. Kind of. I guess.
It’s a short story. While I didn’t expect too much from this, as it’s incredibly brief, I did expect to enjoy the story or at least like Galatea a bit more, because I really enjoy Madeline Miller‘s writing typically.
That being said, Galatea was not bad, and I certainly wouldn’t give it a negative review. But instead, I would suggest reading Circe, as that is the story that made me truly appreciate this author.
7. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Now, I am a big fan of the first Maid book. It was such a fun story. It got an easy 4 stars from me, for the plot and MC.
This story… eh. I think I could have done without this one. In fact, I think it speaks to my belief that some books are better left as standalones. Not everything needs a sequel, no matter how fun the first book is.
But if you’re looking for more Molly and are less concerned about the mystery aspect, this might still be a cute read for you!
6. Killing the Witches by Bill O’Reilly
Now we’re getting into the 4-starrers… the real stars of the show. All of the books I rate 4 or 5 stars are ones I really, truly, immensely enjoyed, and that is what the rest of my ranking comprises of!
This book is one I will not be describing as I did the others: e.g. cute and fun.
Killing the Witches is neither cute nor fun. What it is is important, and also very heartbreaking. I find out a little new information every time I read a different piece of literature on witch hunts, and that is what this did for me. For that, I appreciate it.
5. Family Money by Chad Zunker
In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I love love love love to read straightforward books with simplistic language, especially within the thriller genre. (Not a diss. I’m dead serious.)
This was a fun (there’s that word again), fast mystery/thriller type story that I finished easily within a few nights.
The MC is a bit too much of a simp for my taste, but overall the characters were likable, the plot was engaging, and I’d definitely recommend it for someone who likes the genre. (Also the author seems like a cool guy. He’s got good vibes, which is not the end-all be-all, of course, but it’s sure nice to see a good guy succeed.)
4. The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
Ah, yes. We’ve reached them at last… my five star reads. The most precious and coveted stories I’ve read.
The Wolf Den holds a very special place in my heart that I believe it will likely never leave. It disturbed me on many occasions. I don’t read many books with overt sexual content (much less nonconsensual), and so that may be why it hit me harder.
Nonetheless, this was such an eye-opening look into the brutal lives of ancient Pompeiian women that is, for many of us, I think, difficult to even imagine. All I know is that this story will never, ever leave my mind.
3. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
It’s Percy Jackson for the grownup girls. Plain and simple. And I love it for that.
While I enjoy most every Greek myth retelling, this one was special in that it is written so differently from the rest. The gods are not beautiful and mystical, but corny and over-the-top. Perseus is not brave and strong, but whiny and awfully dumb.
This is not an idealized, sexy version of the story of Medusa, but a raw, ugly one, and that is what I adore so much about it. The fear, the fury, the nastiness. That is precisely what makes it beautiful.
2. She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica
This is my first Mary Kubica book, and I think I really hit the jackpot getting this ARC.
I audibly gasped at least 5 times. I flipped back a few pages and reread to make sure my eyes weren’t fooling me a few times too.
I love an MC who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, or who gets her hands dirty precisely because she fears what will happen if she doesn’t act. What an amazing MC. What a fantastic story. Wow.
But on a serious note: Do not read this if you plan on visiting a hospital any time soon. I can’t tell you why. Just trust me on this one.
1. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
You’re telling me this is the first adult thriller this woman has ever written?? What??
I cannot praise this book enough, and I do not praise super-hyped books easily. But this is truly phenomenal storytelling.
It is not your typical thriller. It’s the kind of thriller that Kaz Brekker would read and want to join in on. I love it. I love it so much. And that’s all I’ll say because I don’t want to risk spoiling even a second of this one for you!
There you have it…My official ranking for my January through March reads of 2024, though I will undoubtedly finish a couple more in the next few days, probably right after I post this. And then what??
I’ll probably be back with another one of these posts at some point.
Let me know in the comments…Have you read any of the books on my list? What is your #1 read of 2024 so far?
I’d love to hear from you!
And if you’re a fan of New Adult Thrillers, don’t forget to check out my own duology, The Half Theft, available in paperback and KU on Amazon.
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