101 books that got me through 2024

reflections, rankings, top ten, honorable mentions, awards, and intentions for 2025

Table of Contents:

• Prologue: reading reflections

• Chapter 1: home library edits + the ever-expanding TBR

• Chapter 2: 2024 reading stats

• Chapter 3: the 101 books that I read in 2024 (ranked)

• Chapter 4: 2024 book awards

• Epilogue: 2025 reading intentions

reading reflections

I started 2024 with every intention of slowing down the reading, but also taking life a little slower…that lasted about five seconds. Life started life-ing. One thing that I have fully realized over the course of this year is that reading is my therapy, and books are my religion. When life gets tough, I do turn to close family and friends, but next on the list of things I need to help cope with the tumultuous flow of life…are my books. Reading is that one activity that I can engage in that requires focus, produces emotion, and provides an escape when escape is warranted. I’m also acutely aware that I am the definition of a mood-reader. I’ve always thought I was mostly a fiction reader, with a penchant for a celebrity memoir, but the numbers don’t lie…I am all over the place these days.

There was a lot of manga this year, too in the form of my Sailor Moon and Pokemon nostalgia reads.

This year I have fully realized that books are one of the few constants in my life, and for that I am self-proclaimed bookaholic for life.

confessions of a bookaholic

home library edits + the ever-expanding TBR

the home library situation in it's current form

this year i went so crazy with the book thrifting and buying…so much so that I needed to buy more shelves to home my book babies. while my TBR is ever expanding, and my collection is growing in number, it has been a blast to curate a home library, especially as a kid who loved books but could never afford to buy my favorites to keep me company. life is good.

book thrift addict

2024 reading stats

the 101 books that I read in 2024

the top 10 of 2024

1. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (2024) Literary Fiction | Poetry | LGBTQ+

   My favorite book of the year! It’s chaotic, queer, and deeply human— I can’t believe this is a debut novel! Cyrus Shams, a queer, bicultural poet wrestling with addiction, grief, and identity and is at times too sad boy. It’s poetic, humorous, a story about generational trauma and our relationships with our parents (dead or alive). Funny enough I bought a large print copy of this book, and lowkey loved the big text. Chaotic queer, immigrant stories, here for it.

2. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021) Science Fiction | Thriller |Space:

   I have been saving this book for over two years now, and I am so glad that I dove right into it. It’s a space thriller of sorts, and part buddy comedy, meets dystopian or apocalyptic vibes and space, and science nerd stuff, it’s fabulous. This author is great at what he does and let me tell you, this book gave me all the feels, with some Interstellar nostalgia.

3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (2020) Fantasy | LGBTQ+ | Wholesome | Romance:

   This book was magic, literally and kind of figuratively. I can’t believe I waited so long to read this wholesome tale with romance, family, and having the courage to stand out in a world that refuses to accept you. There are elements of fantasy in this, which were unexpected and much needed at the same time. A+

4. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (2023) Romantasy | Dragons | Fantasy:

   Another book I waited a minute to read. I am starting to sense a pattern here, books that I put off reading, that I loved. Dragons + academia + steamy romance and chaotic families. Sign me up! If you like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, or maybe even just one of those things, you will like this. Also, the biggest mic drop moment on the literal last page of the book! no spoilers here, but woah!

5. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Contemporary Fiction | Traumatic | LGBTQ+:

   This is the one and only book I would recommend but with caution. It is essentially trauma porn, mixed in with a deep dive on the human condition, and a test of how many bad things can happen to one person. There is romance sprinkled in, the importance of connection and friendships is at the forefront of this novels themes. I recommend, if you have the time to read this beast of a novel, but also if you are of sound mind, it can be very triggering.

   

   

6. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) Non-fiction | Memoir | Medicine:

   One of the saddest books I have read, but also one of the most inspirational. i really found this book to be a call to action, with the core message being life is too short and we should embrace the time we have. There is some medicine, some personal family dynamics, and more touched on in this memoir…but overall amazing read.

7. Keep Going! by Austin Kleon (2019) Non-fiction | Art | Self-Help:

   Anything that Austin puts out, I need to read, I find it all deeply inspirational as an artist and as someone who is just trying to figure it out and create and be as much of my authentic self as possible, and to not be my own worst enemy. This one is a masterclass in maintaining motivation and chasing your joy, whether you are creating art or just trying to thrive in this world.

8. The Way Forward by Yung Pueblo (2023) Poetry | Self-Help | Non-fiction:

   Yung Pueblo always comes into my life when I need his poetry and inspirational words the most. Non-ironically, this book helped me forge my own way forward through a dark time of my year where i was doubting myself a lot.

9. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters (2023) Historical Fiction | Mystery | Indigenous People:

   This mystery/social commentary/history lesson on the indigenous berry pickers of the northeast was mind opening. It was also incredibly sad, and has characters that you know and can feel every emotion, the writing was impeccable. The title of the book really deterred me for a minute, but saw it on a good friends bookshelf and had to try it and glad i did. Be prepared for tears.

10. A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (2019) Thriller | Whodunnit | Young Adult:

    I am so glad my friends Shayla and Stephanie recommended this one to me, this book was a wonderful thriller and whodunnit. Pip is main character energy to a T. She is a chaotic, messy, modern, and girl boss investigator. I don’t want to spoil too much but let’s just say this book had more twists and turns than you’d expect. Spoiler alert: didn’t love the show on Netflix though, as a book loyalist, they changed far too much for me

    

    

the rest (ranked)

11. Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal

12. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (honorable mention)

13. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

14. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (honorable mention)

15. Finish by Jon Acuff

16. Golden Son by Pierce Brown

17. The End of Her by Shari Lapena

18. Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

19. Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life by Roxie Nafousi

20. The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul

21. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 3 by Hidenori Kusaka

22. Dune by Frank Herbert

23. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 10 by Hidenori Kusaka

24. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Volume 10 by Naoko Takeuchi

25. Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan

26. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Volume 9 by Naoko Takeuchi

27. Black Friend by Ziwe

28. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 12 by Hidenori Kusaka

29. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 6 by Hidenori Kusaka

30. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 4 by Hidenori Kusaka

31. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 5 by Hidenori Kusaka

32. This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

33. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Volume 7 by Naoko Takeuchi

34. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 7 by Hidenori Kusaka

35. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 11 by Hidenori Kusaka

36. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 14 by Hidenori Kusaka

37. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

38. Pokemon Journeys: Volume 1 by Machito Gomi

39. Show Your Work by Austin Kleon

40. Beach Read by Emily Henry (honorable mention)

41. Evenings & Weekends by Oisín McKenna (honorable mention)

42. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutano

43. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 1 by Hidenori Kusaka

44. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 2 by Hidenori Kusaka

45. You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

46. You & I, Rewritten by Chip Pons

47. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

48. Milk Fed by Melissa Broder (honorable mention)

49. Big Swiss by Jen Beagin (honorable mention)

50. The Vegetarian by Han Kang

51. Five Survive by Holly Jackson

52. Morning Star by Pierce Brown

53. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

54. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Volume 8 by Naoko Takeuchi

55. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Volume 6 by Naoko Takeuchi

56. Red Rising by Pierce Brown

57. Loveless by Alice Oseman

58. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 9 by Hidenori Kusaka

59. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 8 by Hidenori Kusaka

60. Pokemon Adventures: Volume 13 by Hidenori Kusaka

61. Pokemon Journeys: Volume 2 by Machito Gomi

62. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

63. Old Enough by Haley Jakobson

64. As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

65. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

66. So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan

67. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

68. The Fury by Alex Michaelides

69. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

70. The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gannon

71. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

72. Inward by Yung Pueblo

73. Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

74. Hell Yeah or Hell No! by Derek Sivers

75. Over the Influence by Joanna (JoJo) Levesque

76. Poor Things by Alastair Gray

77. Millionaire Fastlane by MJ Demarco

78. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

79. Write Dumb by James Dowd

80. In Deeper Waters by FT Lukens

81. All About Yvie by Yvie Oddly

82. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

83. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

84. The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

85. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

86. Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri

87. Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazzterica

88. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagatsu

89. Fantastic Beasts by Newt Scamander

90. Orbital by Samantha Harvey

91. No Longer Human (Manga Version) by Osamu Dazai

92. Role Models by John Waters

93. The World According to Garp by John Irving

94. Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire by Luke Burgis

95. A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

96. Wellness by Nathan Hill

97. Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

98. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

99. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

100. Thicker than Water by Kerry Washington

101. Dune: Messiah by Frank Herbert

2024 book awards

2025 reading intentions

I have an insane and unrealistic amount of books that I have not read on my bookshelf. So my only intention this year is to read THOSE! Last time I counted it was close to 100, if not more, and at this rate, it would take me a year to read through them all…not including the new books or thrifted books that might happen to fall into my lap/life over the course of 2025…so take that for what it is…

Actually I have one more intention. Go back to bringing a book with me everywhere I go, it’s a practice I stopped but want to reclaim it.

Oh. And chat more about books, in real time, instead of waiting until the end of the year to share a deep dive.

That’s all.