What I’m Reading in 2024
Three years ago I started the practice of sitting down late in the year and drafting a reading list for the upcoming new year. I grew up as a big reader, but that habit faded when I started university. I was simply too busy to consistently read for enjoyment and found myself finishing only one or two novels throughout the entire school year.
When the pandemic began in 2020, this habit changed. Over summer 2020 I read 13 books. When I went back to school in the fall I took this habit with me. I started setting aside a bit of time each night before bed to read. It didn’t matter if I only read a few pages or paragraphs, the point was to read a bit each day.
In 2022 I read 22 books, which inspired me to align the number of books on my annual reading lists with the year. My 2023 list had 23 books and now my 2024 list has, you guessed it, 24 books to be read this year.
How I Pick My Books
This list is a compilation of recommendations from friends, family, and online book communities such as Reese’s Book Club. For those who are unfamiliar, Reese’s Book Club was created by actress Reese Witherspoon. Each month the book club picks a new book centered around a female character, written by a female author. I’ve read many of the Reese’s Book Club picks over the years and have been delighted by each and every one. If you are looking for a place to start when deciding what to read, I’d recommend browsing her book picks.
I like to have variety in my book lists. For example, I pick a mix of memoirs, fiction, thrillers and books that are both new and older to keep things interesting. This is why it is nice to get recommendations from a variety of different sources. Everyone has different taste and comes by books differently, so if variety is what you crave, I’d suggest getting curious about what other people in your life are reading. I’m lucky that both my mom and my grandmother are members of bookclubs, so I come by many books through them.
The List
Romance, Friendship and Family
- Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny
- After You by Jojo Moyes
- The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
- Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
- Our Missing Hearts by Celest Ng
- Honour by Thrity Umrigar
- Anxious PeopleΒ by Fredrik Backman
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Thrillers and Mysteries
- Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
- The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
- The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
Memoirs and True Stories
- From Scratch by Tembi Locke
- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
- Good for a Girl: a Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman
- I’m Glad that my Mom Died by Janette McCurdy
- I am, I am, I am by Maggie O’Farrell
- You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
- Women Talking by Miriam Toews
- Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
- The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
Historical Fiction
- The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My Top Books From 2023
I read a lot of great books, a few average ones, and a couple that I did not love in 2023. Here are my top picks from my 2023 reading list:
- The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
- Untamed by Glenon Doyle
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley
- The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
Other New Years Habits
Along with selecting a list of books to read in the new year, I also consciously try to make a sustainable swap in my everyday life each year. Read the post below for more details about my New Years habits:
New Years Sustainable Swap: 2023
I hope this post has inspired you to get back into the habit of reading or to start as the new year begins! If you liked this post be sure to leave a comment below and let me know if you read and of my book picks.
xx
Ashley