2024 was a fairly standard year of reading overall, minus the push in February and March to read shorter books that were outside my norm, in order to get more entries into a local library reading challenge. But I kinda made up for that in April, when I burned out a little and read a lot less.
I read 153 books in 2024, hitting my Goodreads challenge of 150 books (which I raised from 140 in November when I realized how close I was) on December 24th. My total page count was 42,857, making my average book length for the year 280 pages.
Below are the books I read in 2024. The link is to my review for that book, and a link to the book on Goodreads is at the bottom of each review.
January
Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt (5 / 5)
A Beautiful Disguise* by Roseanna M. White (5 / 5)
A Winter by the Sea* by Julie Klassen (3.5 / 5)
Tasty* by Victoria Grace Elliott (3.5 / 5)
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen (3.5 / 5)
The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun (2 / 5)
The Lassoed by Marriage Romance Collection by various authors (3.25 / 5)
Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse (3.5 / 5)
Once a Queen* by Sarah Arthur (3 / 5)
The Traitor by Richard Paul Evans (1 / 5)
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (4 / 5)
Masterminds by Gordon Korman (5 / 5)
The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper D. Basham (2.5 / 5)
February
First Degree by David Rosenfelt (5 / 5)
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (4 / 5)
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (4.5 / 5)
Hatchet** by Gary Paulsen (4 / 5)
Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton (5 / 5)
Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park (4 / 5)
The Raven by Mike Nappa (5 / 5)
The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen (3 / 5)
The Battlemage** by Taran Matharu (5 / 5)
The Giver: Graphic Novel by Lois Lowry, adapted & illustrated by P. Craig Russell (5 / 5)
Dragon and Herdsman by Timothy Zahn (4 / 5)
Escape from Warsaw by Ian Serraillier (3 / 5)
Into the Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix (4 / 5)
The Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse (3.5 / 5)
The Summer of the Swans** by Betsy Byars (4 / 5)
March
Faith, Hope and Hilarity by Dick Van Dyke (3 / 5)
The Magic Factory by Morgan Rice (3 / 5)
Criminal Destiny by Gordon Korman (5 / 5)
Stars Beyond Realms* by Marie-Hélène Lebeault (2 / 5)
We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee (3 / 5)
The Outsiders** by S.E. Hinton (5 / 5)
Twister and Shout by Bill Myers (5 / 5)
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary (5 / 5)
World of Warcraft, v. 1 by Walter Simonson (4 / 5)
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Circus Clown by David A. Adler (4 / 5)
The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene (4 / 5)
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (5 / 5)
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (4 / 5)
The Nazi Architects of the Holocaust by Corona Brezina (4 / 5)
A Noble Scheme* by Roseanna M. White (5 / 5)
Butterflies in the Storm* by Gary Warner (2 / 5)
Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (3.5 / 5)
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (5 / 5)
April
The Juliet Code* by Pepper Basham (3 / 5)
Bee’s Gift by Dana Romanin (4 / 5)
Embers in the London Sky* by Sarah Sundin (4 / 5)
Illusion** by Frank E. Peretti (5 / 5)
Dragon and Judge by Timothy Zahn (4.5 / 5)
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure* by Angela Bell (5 / 5)
Anne of Green Gables** by L.M. Montgomery (5 / 5)
The Black Book of Buried Secrets by Mallory Kass (4 / 5)
May
Bury the Lead by David Rosenfelt (4.5 / 5)
The Captain’s Daughter by Jennifer Delamere (3 / 5)
The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene (4 / 5)
The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank by Ellen Feldman (3 / 5)
The Regency Brides Collection by various authors (3.5 / 5)
Dragon and Liberator by Timothy Zahn (4.5 / 5)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (3 / 5)
The Last Man* by Thomas Goodman (3.5 / 5)
The Minor Miracle* by Meredith Davis (4 / 5)
Seeking Real Life Irish RomCom by Katie Nelson (2.5 / 5)
Payback by Gordon Korman (5 / 5)
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (review pending)
Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit* by Clare Harlow (4 / 5)
June
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson (1.5 / 5)
Anne of Avonlea** by L.M. Montgomery (4 / 5)
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (3 / 5)
Lightkeepers by Kennedy Plumb (3 / 5)
Sudden Death by David Rosenfelt (5 / 5)
He Should Have Told the Bees* by Amanda Cox (4 / 5)
The Maze of Bones** by Rick Riordan (4 / 5)
A Dream within a Dream by Mike Nappa & Melissa Kosci (4 / 5)
Dog Day Afternoon* by David Rosenfelt (4.5 / 5)
July
Reflections of the Mole by Bill McDaniel (5 / 5)
The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene (4 / 5)
Elizabeth’s Playground by Dana Romanin (2 / 5)
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie (4 / 5)
Last Girl Breathing* by Court Stevens (3.5 / 5)
Eléonore by Faith Rivens (3 / 5)
The Groundworld Heroes* by Adrian So (4 / 5)
The Mystery of Locked Rooms* by Lindsay Currie (2.5 / 5)
Anne of the Island** by L.M. Montgomery (4 / 5)
Starter Villain by John Scalzi (3 / 5)
Vespers Rising by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, Jude Watson (4 / 5)
In the Nick of Time by Bill Myers & Robert West (4 / 5)
August
Dead Center by David Rosenfelt (5 / 5)
S. by J.J. Abrams & Doug Dorst (3 / 5)
The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene (3 / 5)
One False Note** by Gordon Korman (4 / 5)
The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore (4 / 5)
Monster by Frank E. Peretti (4 / 5)
Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (3.5 / 5)
Between Flowers and Bones* by Carolyn Leiloglou (4 / 5)
The Big Four by Agatha Christie (4 / 5)
An Invitation to Murder by Leighann Dobbs & Harmony Williams (2 / 5)
Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor* by Roseanna M. White (5 / 5)
The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line** by Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham (4 / 5)
September
World of Warcraft, v. 2 by Walter Simonson (4 / 5)
Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin (3 / 5)
Anne of Windy Poplars** by L.M. Montgomery (3 / 5)
Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko (4 / 5)
A Thieving at Carlton House by Erica Vetsch (5 / 5)
Play Dead by David Rosenfelt (5 / 5)
The Sword Thief** by Peter Lerangis (4 / 5)
Kristy’s Great Idea** by Ann M. Martin (5 / 5)
The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman (4 / 5)
The More the Terrier* by David Rosenfelt (4 / 5)
The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene (3 / 5)
Wimpy, Weak, & Woke by John L. Cooper (4 / 5)
October
Nightfall by Jake Halpern & Peter Kujawinski (3.5 / 5)
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie (3 / 5)
The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore (5 / 5)
Beyond the Grave** by Jude Watson (5 / 5)
The Seat Beside Me by Nancy Moser (5 / 5)
New Tricks by David Rosenfelt (4 / 5)
A King’s Ransom by Jude Watson (5 / 5)
Anne’s House of Dreams** by L.M. Montgomery (5 / 5)
Clergy Couples in Crisis by Dean Merrill (5 / 5)
The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene (4 / 5)
Unfixed* by Amy L. Sauder (2.5 / 5)
The Blunder Years by Bill Myers & Robert West (5 / 5)
I Think I Was Murdered* by Colleen Coble (4 / 5)
Hold Back the Night by Axel Blackwell (4 / 5)
Peril at End House by Agatha Christie (5 / 5)
November
The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore (5 / 5)
Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt (4 / 5)
The Black Circle** by Patrick Carman (4.5 / 5)
What’s So Funny? by Tim Conway with Jane Scovell (5 / 5)
Mr. Lemoncello’s Fantabulous Finale* by Chris Grabenstein (5 / 5)
Anne of Ingleside** by L.M. Montgomery (4 / 5)
An Honorable Deception* by Roseanna M. White (5 / 5)
World of Warcraft, v. 3 by Walter Simonson & Louise Simonson (4 / 5)
The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene (4 / 5)
Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson (3 / 5)
Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie (4.5 / 5)
The Dead of Night by Peter Lerangis (4.5 / 5)
One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt (4 / 5)
December
In Too Deep** by Jude Watson (4 / 5)
Trust + Follow* by Maddie Joy Fischer (4 / 5)
The Seaside Homecoming* by Julie Klassen (4.5 / 5)
The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore (4 / 5)
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (4 / 5)
Nancy’s Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (2.5 / 5)
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5 / 5)
Leader of the Pack by David Rosenfelt (5 / 5)
Rediscovering Christmas* by AJ Sherrill (3 / 5)
The Viper’s Nest** by Peter Lerangis (4 / 5)
Christmas in Bethel* by Richard Paul Evans (2 / 5)
The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene (2 / 5)
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (5 / 5)
This list includes 29 ARCs (marked with a *) and 20 re-reads (marked with a **). During the last year, I started 20 series and finished 12 series, caught up on 2 series (meaning the author plans to release more in the future), and decided not to continue 4 series (after being at least 2 books into the series). I currently have 13 series in progress. I also DNF’d 1 book (not listed anywhere in this post).
Here is a break-down of the ratings I gave (minus some re-reads whose rating I didn’t count again):
1 star: 1
1.5 stars: 1
2 stars: 7
2.5 stars: 4
3 stars: 22
3.25 stars: 1
3.5 stars: 12
4 stars: 50
4.5 stars: 7
5 stars: 40
Average rating: 3.9
I spaced on posting a top-ten post about my favorite books from the year, so I’ll just list my top 5 here (in order of when I read them, not of preference):
A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White
Masterminds by Gordon Korman
The Raven by Mike Nappa
Sudden Death by David Rosenfelt
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Though I did read 150 books, I know that has a lot to do with the reading challenge at my local library early in the year. I’ll stick with 140 books for this year’s goal for the Goodreads challenge. This number is already only achievable if I read a lot of shorter children’s books, which is always my plan, just maybe not as many as I read last year.
My ever-changing short list of to-be-reads, as well as a flag for the book I’m currently reading and an ongoing list of those I’ve read and posted about can be found here. I’m also keeping my Goodreads page updated with a more extensive list of to-be-reads, if anyone is interested in that.
What did you read last year? Let me know in the comments, and even feel free to link to your own summary post!
A Journey of Words 