Thanks for coming along on my reading journey this year. Here’s my 2024 wrap up! Y’all, I made it to 144 books this year. Who even am I??
This includes audio and physical books – and my favorite style: hopping back and forth between audio/physical. Books “counted” if they were over 100 pages, but let’s also celebrate all those amazing picture books, graphic novels, books I quit, and internet scrolling. All reading counts!
Disclaimer: The best thing about books is how they can hit so differently from person to person. I have loathed some of my friends’ favorite books. So, these are purely based on vibes and my personal feelings and opinions.
Historical fiction? Grab me a pillow for a nap.
Realistic fiction that requires crying? How dare you.
Super random weirdo humor with a hint of magic? Sign me up.
So if you agree, tell me! If you disagree, fight me! If you are appalled by my choices, MAKE UP YOUR OWN AWARDS.
Here are the 2024 stats.
I read or listened to 144 books this year. And I logged them in a spreadsheet. Because I’m a nerd.
Without further ado, I present: The 2nd Heidi Ann-ual Reading Awards!
Favorite Book of the Year:
Do you remember what it was like to find a book when you were young and innocent and it had just the perfect amount of magic? This is adult fiction, but it will make you feel like a kid enjoying reading again. A girl that loves tea cups, a quest, funny sidekicks, and a magical adventure. Humorous and lovely, I sighed and wanted to hug it when it was over – and that’s my favorite kind of book.
Best Fiction of the Year:
This is probably going to be my most controversial pick. This is a weird book, and I could easily see why some people would hate it. I loved it (see disclaimer above). Every time the character’s husband goes into a magical attic, he disappears and it spits a new husband out. The most suspenseful part of this book was figuring out how in the world the author was going to write her way out of quite the plot pickle.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley
3.) Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano
4.) Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5.) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Best Children’s or Middle Grade:
It only took my 12 years to figure out what everyone already knew. This book is a winner, and I forgive it for making me cry.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) BOB by Wendy Mass
3.) Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper
4.) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
5.) The Life of Zarf by Rob Harrel
Best Romance:
Emily Henry made me fall in love with the genre (in all of its cheesy glory). Her latest book delighted me, and the banter was divine.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) Variation by Rebecca Yarros
3.) A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
4.) The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
5.) This Summer Will be Different by Carley Fortune
6.) Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Best YA
I can’t necessarily recommend this book, but it made me feel feelings and branch out into a different genre/format of book (thanks, library challenge!). I appreciated it for what it was.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
3.) Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins
4.) The Toll (The Scythe Series) by Neal Shusterman
5.) A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Best Sci-fi/Fantasy
This was the most lovely surprise. Humor, science, suspense. It made me overcome my fear of space books. Good recommendation, Husband!
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) The House in the Cerulean Sea (reread) by TJ Klune
3.) Starter Villain by John Scalzi
4.) The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
5.) Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
Best Thriller/Mystery
I will even forgive this book for using one of my least favorite plot lines: increasing suspense using diabetic emergency (eye rolls forever). This was creepy and intense and made me see the appeal of Ruth Ware (after the first book I read was a slight slog).
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
3.) None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
Best Nonfiction/Memior
I tip-toe into any book that I read that comes from an “influencer”, but I enjoy following Taylor Wolfe on Instagram and thought it was worth a shot. It climbed up to be one of my favorite audio books of the year.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2.) Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
3.) ADHD is Awesome by Penn and Kim Holderness
That’s a wrap from me. Whew! Feel free to give me suggestions. The library already released its Bingo board, so apparently we just keep reading! Here are my most anticipated books coming out in 2025:
Happy Reading to All in 2025!