My Top 10 Books of 2024

All about my favorite reads last year

I love putting this list together every year! Since this is my first time sharing this over on Substack, I feel like I should let you know my criteria for making this list.

• I can choose any book I read in 2024 (it doesn’t matter when it was published)

• These are my favorite reads of the year (and they may or may not have been a 5-star read for me at the time)

• These are the books that left an impression on me. I haven’t stopped thinking about them, whether I read them nine months ago or last month

• And these are not ranked (they’re in no particular order)

Now let me tell you why I loved all of these books!

HERE AFTER by Amy Lin*

• I thought this was a beautiful memoir on grief. It’s absolutely devastating, but it also made me feel seen. I thought the sparse writing made it even more poignant and impactful, and I could feel the author’s grief in her raw and honest words.

HOW TO END A LOVE STORY by Yulin Kuang*

• I’m still marveling at the way Kuang made me root for these two characters despite the tragic incident that brought them together. I literally thought to myself, “How in the world are these two people going to end up together??” But she totally pulls it off in a way that reminds you that life is messy and complicated and it doesn’t always follow the path you think it will.

THE EX VOWS by Jessica Joyce*

• Jessica Joyce has a new fan in me! This second chance romance was sexy, sweet, and relatable. The tension and chemistry between the two main characters was excellent and it just felt like they were meant to be together.

BETWEEN FRIENDS & LOVERS by Shirlene Obuobi*

• I feel like people were sleeping on this romance novel and it’s one of my favorites that I read last year. The author writes about the main character’s struggle with depression and I thought that was so important because it smashes the stereotype of the “strong Black woman.” Above all I loved seeing Jo find the type of love she deserved in this fun and sexy romance.

REEL by Kennedy Ryan*

• Say hello to my new favorite Kennedy Ryan book! I absolutely loved the blend of the modern day love story between Neevah and Canon with the historical setting of the movie they are filming together. I wish I could see the movie they’re making because it sounds like it would be amazing, and I enjoyed learned things about the Harlem Renaissance that I didn’t know before. Kennedy puts SO much heart and tenderness into her stories and she makes sure that her characters are loved outrageously.

MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe*

• On the surface this book didn’t sound like one I would gravitate towards. The synopsis is totally kooky, but somehow it all works and the characters quickly won me over. Margo is one of those characters that I came to care about deeply. Her situation really highlighted how American society is not set up for motherhood and it made me angry on her behalf. This was a fresh, surprising, and delightful reading experience.

OLD ENOUGH by Haley Jakobson*

• I simply loved this queer, coming-of-age novel. Even though I haven’t had all of the same experiences as the main character, Sav, this book still resonated and reminded me of being in my early 20s. It was both funny and poignant, and it made my heart ache.

A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE by Tia Williams*

• I really loved seeing Tia Williams explore another genre in this passionate love story about Ricki and Ezra. Even though I knew there had to be a HEA, my heart still got caught in my throat towards the end. Ricki was such a vibrant main character and reading this brightened up my day during a series of dull winter days. And the fact that it was set during a leap year and I read it during a leap year was just chef’s kiss.

BLUE SISTERS by Coco Mellors*

• The writing in this book was so so good. Mellors writes about sisterhood, grief, and addiction and captures those themes beautifully in this book. These sisters got under my skin. I was rooting for them and even after finishing the book, I still think about them. This is definitely one of those books that has stuck with me.

REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong*

• I became so invested in the characters in this beautifully-written, sweeping family saga. It’s told from multiple perspectives and I thought the way the author played around with the structure of the story was surprising and unexpected. Khong explores themes of race, class, family dynamics, and parent-child relationship and I thought she captured so many parts of the human experience beautifully on the page.

• *Gifted by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Tell me, did any of these books make your 2024 favorites list too? Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these!