About 52% of my reads in 2024 were from titles prior to 2024 if I did my math correctly, which as y’all should know, I cannot promise. I am so very excited to share with you my top fifteen favorites of the titles that were released prior to 2024, with only really minor cheating.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfah Katouh
This book shattered my heart. The writing is stunning. But also, my heart. It’s what has kept me from considering it a favorite all year, but I was looking back at the books I read this year and I really think it is one.
If Only You by Chloe Liese
I really just love Ziggy so much and this book with her and Sebastian was really wonderful. I loved the idea of faking this friendship between the two of them and watching the way Ziggy breaks down so many of Sebastian’s walls just by being herself was glorious. Also that bookstore date? My dream.
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
This middle grade has received so much hype over the years that I’ve had it hanging out on my Libro.fm app for a while and I absolutely adored it. This is just so fun and also, these plot twists? I did not see them coming. I just thought it was so much fun.
Friends Don’t Fall in Love by Erin Hahn
I really love books that combine music and romance and Friends Don’t Fall in Love was no exception. Not to mention, the way that Lorelai Jones was sort of inspired by The Chicks getting cancelled by country music due to having an opinion. Ugh. Anyway, I wound up really, really enjoying this book. Like so much. I just loved the romance. Thought it was truly fantastic. If, however, you’re going to get impatient by these two people being obviously in love with one another and not doing anything about it? I don’t recommend. But for me? This book was truly great.
These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan
Was I expecting to fall head over heels for this series? No. Honestly. I thought I would enjoy them, but I worried I waited too long to read them, given that they’re YA romantasy books with a love triangle. However, I finished These Hollow Vows while driving back home from a work training and I didn’t want to pull over to buy the second book in the series on audio so I called my sister and made her buy it on my Audible account so I could keep reading. I was deeply, deeply invested and I stand by that. These were such a fun vibe, well, a dark vibe, but fun!
Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop
This romance was so great. It was such a perfect book to read in the summer. Truly, genuinely, the connection between Rome and Janelle was everything and the way that he stood up for her and supported her when her family was absolute trash!!!!! I love him. Also this book was recently traditionally published, so we can and should all go pick up this book at the bookstore.
Glow of the Everflame by Penn Cole
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. No, but really, there’s something about the way Spark of the Everflame was so clearly a set up book for the rest of this series that left me so invested in Diem and Luther and MOST of the side characters… I am just so excited to continue on, but I really want a release date for Burn before I can convince myself to pick up Heat. Soon? Hopefully?
Lady of Shadows, Lady of Ashes, and Lady of Embers by Melissa K. Roehrich
Books two through four of the Lady of Darkness series really take the set up of the first book that gave Throne of Glass vibes in its own direction and had me seated. I haven’t read Lady of Starfire yet because I’m not convinced I’m ready to let this series go, but I really need to so that I can move on to Melissa K. Roehrich’s spin-off series. I’m not even sure how to describe this series to you, especially because like Throne of Glass the first book compared to where we are at the end of book four is wildly different… Let’s just leave it at, if you like a female assassin story and a found family story, give this one a shot.
A Castle in the Air by Kelley Armstrong
I absolutely adored this book in the A Stitch in Time series. I thought it was such a great installment in the series that took me to a time period that I still don’t think is super explored or at least, it had a storyline that felt different. I really enjoyed the gothic manor and the grumpy for good reason man. It was just quite the vibe!
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce
I mentioned in yesterday’s post about my favorite 2024 releases that a melancholic tone in books was something that I noticed repeated throughout my favorites and that was certainly the case with You, with a View. This book is dealing with grief of Noelle’s grandmother and then Theo’s got a really annoying father. So throughout this book, as the two of them fell in love, I just felt so drawn in because of the outside level of angst paired with their relationship as former high school rivals.
All I’ve Wanted, All I’ve Needed by A.E. Valdez
The perfect book for starting a new year or starting over. This book pairs a really great personal journey that Harlow is on with one of the best friends to lovers romances in the world. I really loved this book so freaking much and am so excited to continue on in the series.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
This graphic novel is the cutest thing and I will absolutely be reading it again every single fall. I loved this so very much. A bajillion stars from me.
The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
KALADIN MOTHERF**KIN’ STORMBLESSED. That’s how I feel about this series so far, honestly. Kaladin is my favorite character that I met all year. I mean. Met is definitely a key word because we all know my favorite character of all time is Julian Haites. But setting my beloved aside, my BABY is precious Kaladin. Okay, he had better end up living well and happy at the end of Wind and Truth, Brandon, do you hear me?? Will I read Wind and Truth even in the next year? That’s… not for me to say. We’ll both have to live it and find out. I’ve still got to convince myself to read more about Dalinar to actually push through Oathbringer. That man is a little too self-righteous for me, you know? But anyway, Kaladin. Oh, yeah, and if you need to know what this book is about… I am not the one to ask, okay? I have no clue how to describe this to you. I’m just here for the vibes. (Also, everyone telling me I really have to pick up Mistborn before reading Rhythm, please tell me that’s not actually necessary. I have limited amounts of attention. I need to just be able to carry right on through.)
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
You know, looking back, March was a really good reading month for me. At least three of the books on here, but I think four (I just can’t be bothered to double check) are all books I read because of the Swiftie Readathon. Shout out to the White Rabbits because y’all are the best. Anyway, I read The Alice Network back in March and I loved it so much. I would walk into the office for the three days or so it took me to read this one and I would sit at my friend’s desk and I would tell her everything that was happening in this book because she’s not really a reader. But that’s how invested in this book I was and the way I just wanted to share all the ins and outs with someone else. I am really hoping to read more books this year that give me the same feelings I felt while reading The Alice Network, where I’m just so absorbed, I want to prolong my chores or my drives just to listen to a few more minutes.
Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing and Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark
by Jessa Hastings
And now, for the books that became my entire personality, and gave me the single greatest character of my life, Julian Haites. I love this man. I will be re-reading Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing this year because I’ve already done my Into the Dark reread in like September. I cannot wait though to pick up The Great Undoing because that book gave me everything I could possibly want. Except. Well, never mind. Anyway, if you want to scream about how Julian is the best and you really hope he lives happily ever after, please feel free to hit up my DMs. And if you’re a romance fiend who reads the darker things and have a book where the MMC is giving Julian Haites vibes, please hit me up. I need to know so I can absolutely devour them.
Closing Thoughts
I had a good time looking back on my 2024 reads, but I’m also so excited to be onto the 2025 reads! So with that, this wraps up my look back at 2024. Please share with me your favorite reads of 2024!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 