The Best Books I Read In 2024

Plus a few books on my radar for 2025

Dec 23, 2024

The year is not over yet and I may want to amend this later but this is the last email of the year and I want to go ahead and give you this list!

I think I’m literally going to stop making reading goals because the truth is…I read a LOT. I read A WHOLE LOT.

I read 126 books as of yesterday.

And it was a much better reading year than last year. I acutally enjoyed most of the books that I read. And only three got a 2 star rating and no 1 stars this year even though it was close. ( Side eye to you Sister Souljah) .

And they deserved that shit.

MOVING ON!

This list is full of 4 and 5 star reads. I had a LOT to choose from this year. This list is full of books that I loved and books that I just think need to be read. I hope you find something for your TBR here!

A Word On My Rating System

There is a big debate online about giving books that you enjoyed anything below 4 stars. I firmly believe that reviews are subjective. And while I understand the algorithms of it all, my rating system is my rating system.

5/5 stars: Couldn’t put it down, loved it. Will re-read. Will recommend it to any and everyone. Will have a place on my bookshelf

4/5 Stars: A Solid book. I really,really liked it. Or it or it made me think. I would recommend it. Might buy the paperback or at least let it live on my Kindle.

3/5 Stars: Not the best thing I’ve ever read but I finished it and most likely it was enjoyable. If someone asked, my response would be, yeah it was good. Or, it was cute. Probably wouldn’t read it again, and it doesn’t need a place on my bookshelves.

2/5 stars: This is usually the lowest rating I will give. This means that I didn’t really like it, but finished it because I felt I had to. Usually a book that disappoints me in some way. If someone asked I am quick to say: don’t do it.

1/5 Star: true WTH moment in reading. I usually list out the reasons why. Could be a DNF.

Here are 24 of the best books I read in 2024

This post contains affiliate links. meaning, if you click through and buy something, at no cost to you, I may be able to pay for…another book!

A Love Song For Ricki Wilde By Tia Williams, 5 Stars: I will read a Tia Williams book with no questions asked but this one right here was pure magic.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez, 5 stars: A must-buy author for me because she does romance well. It’s the perfect combo of romance, longing, slow burning, emotional, real-life issues but still a happily ever after.
Erasure By Percival Everett 4 stars: This is the book that the movie American Fiction was based on. The book is hilarious but weird at the same damn time. But the man can write.
This Could Be Us By Kennedy Ryan, 5 stars: This is the second installment in her Skyland Series and it was so good. Just…just read it.
Red Rising By Pierce Brown, 5 stars: I was trying to get back to reading more than just romance and romantasy this year and this book reignited my love for Sci-Fi. This is a whole series that I will dive back into in 2025.
Mercury by Amy Jo Burns 4 stars: This saga about a blue-collar family full of secrets and a mystery was an unexpected find. I enjoyed it
This Summer Could Be Different by Carly Fortune 4 stars: It was the full on Anne of Green Gable vibes of this romance based on Prince Edwards Island that drew me in and kept me. I loved loved loved it.
James By Percival Everett, 5 Stars: This was my unexpected find of the year. Yes, it’s on everyone’s Book of the Year lists. And for good reasons. READ IT.
Wild Love By Elsie Silver 4 stars: I love Elsie Silver as a romance author and frankly, she can do no wrong. And this first book of the new series proves my point.
Funny Story by Emily Henry, 4 Stars: Every summer, I look forward to an Emily Henry book. This was not my favorite, but I still loved it.
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things By Bryn Greenwood 4 stars: The trigger warnings that go with this book should determine if you pick it up or not. But if you decide to, it was emotional, compelling, beautifully written and disturbing all at the same time.
Annie Bot by Sierra Greer, 5 stars: This book was so wild and fun and made me scream and throw the book and cuss out some of the characters and was so fun I had to make it a book club pick on IG.
Blood and Steel By Helen Scheuerer 4 stars: I love finding a new romantasy series with a fiesty main female character with powers she didn’t know she had and a strong brooding male main character who loves her. You know, typical romantasy but this one is done well.
The Ministry of Time By Kaliane Bradley 4 stars: Again, moving out of my comfort zone this year, this part sci-fi part time travel, part slow burn romance with a twist..kept me on my toes.
The Blackbird Oracle by Deborah Harkness 5 stars: I have waited YEARS for the next installment of the Discovery of Witches series and I was not disappointed. Even though it was obviously setting us up for the next book.
Play Along By Liz Tomforde 4 stars: I have waited all throughout this series for these two characters and was not disappointed at ALL.
God Of Fury By Rina Ken 4.5 stars: This book isn’t for everyone but it was fun for meeeeee. I love a morally ambiguous/shady/depraved Main male character and Niko was that. Oh and this is a Male/male romance.
Parable of the Sower By Octavia Butler 4 stars: I mean in light of current real life events, my brain is still trying to understand how Butler managed to write about the future before it happened.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe 5 stars: I mean, a girl gets pregnant by her professor and then decides to start an Only Fans with the help of her Wrestler Father? Yep.
If it Makes You Happy By Julie Olivia 5 stars: If Harry Met Sally and Gilmore Girls had a baby it was be this book set in the 90s and fall. I looovveedd it.
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden 4 stars: I loved this thriller. I was wrong about who was our villian THE ENTIRE TIME. But it was a good ride.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 4 stars: I hate read this book, mad at all the characters I had to keep up with , mad that it was taking too long to solve the mystery ( both of them) and I only gave it a 4 because the way everything was wrapped up in the end left me satisfied.
Forget Me Not by Karissa Kinwood, 4 stars: This book is written in first person omniscient. Which at first confuses you, but then makes perfect sense when you get to the last chapter. I loved this but took off a star because even for ME…it was a lot of sex. LOL
Thank you for Listening by Julia Wheland 4 stars: I listened to this book about an audible book narrator..yes it was meta. And it was also a very good love story.

Books I’ve already Pre-ordered for 2025

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros January 21, 2025death

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor February 14, 2025

A Sea of Unspoken Things By Adrienne Young January 7, 2025

Can’t Get Enough Kennedy Ryan May 25, 2025

The Girls Who Grew Big By Leila Mottley June 24, 2025

Currently reading:

Fourth Wing: I’m re-reading the series in prep for the third book. I never read the second book last year so now I feel like I can even though there are still 2 books left in the series. Plus if I don’t read it soon, I won’t be able to avoid spoilers from the internet.

Fate of the Sun King: This is the third in a completed romantasy series. It’s really good but I keep getting distracted by new books.

This Motherless Land: I am still working my way through this epic loose retelling of Mansfield Park based in England and Lagos. Its so good.

Flyy Girl By Omar Tyree: This is the first pick of the 90s Chick lit book club that starts ….next week.

Bookclub update:

If you have signed up for book club, look for an email in your in box next week on the details for how the book club will run and getting started on our January read. You can still sign up of course! I have a Christmas special where you can sign up for 25% OFF until December 31st at midnight.

Learn More here.

Anyway, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas , Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year friends!

See you in 2025!

Letters From LaShawn

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