2024 Full Year Reading Wrap
- Ald Idunn
- Feb 17
- 6 min read
Welcome to the 2024 Reading Recap. Overall 2024 was a rather turbulent time with a lot of hope and happiness and a lot of disappointment. 2024 started strong with a great new initiative being implemented at my workplace that cut down my expected working hours by 220. So basically giving me back 27.5 8-hour working days! So I was locked and loaded to read, read, read! Then in an exciting twist, I was promoted at work a year or two earlier then I would have expected. So the time I used to use reading while doing admin things at work got converted into… well working on higher brain power tasks that I couldn’t read during. But I still had those working hours given back to me so I felt pleased. But then… as the US election season came into play and it became more and more obvious how tight things were… I had a really hard time dialing in and focusing on anything. Sometimes that meant I binge read for a weekend and sometimes it meant I was barely reading for days. Then the US election was lost to the party of book banning… and I buried myself in my books.
All the above to say, it was a crazy rollercoaster of a year. But, despite it all, I was able to meet all of my reading goals for the year, and I read some amazing things that I’m excited to share with you here! My goals were to revamp my “to be read list” (TBR). I did this by starting the year with 467 books on the list, removed around 200 and added enough books to end 2024 with 839 on my list. An increase of only 79% and my TBR is now full of diverse and interesting books that I truly feel I want to read instead of some of the books I’ve felt like I “should” read for ages. Besides this goal, I wanted to read more LGBTQ+, non-male authors, and more around the world than in years prior. This was such a success as it made my reading in 2024 feel all the more rich, interesting, and fun!
Coming out of 2024 I have some recommendations that represent in some way the diversity of my reading throughout the year. So without further ado, here are the books of various different genres, themes, and styles that I would recommend:
Zia Erases the World by Bree Barton
Fiction, Magical Realism, Middle Grade
A charming read for those who want to let this 2022 publication reach back to their past self who was a child experiencing anxiety for the first time with no words for it.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almedia by Shehan Karunatilaka
Fiction, Historical, Literary, Magical Realism
The perfect read for people sick and tired of being sick and tired of the same Western/Christian afterlife vibes. Fresh and vibrant with characters that jump off the page and a beautiful writing style that doesn't give you whiplash even if you know nothing about Sri Lankan history.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Fiction, Fantasy
The vibes are immaculate. Inspired by Pre-Columbian Americas this is a high-fantasy unlike anything else I've read. The characters are effortlessly themselves, broken, and intriguing. The magic system, lore, and world are equal parts mysterious and dark. Death isn't a stranger to anybody. Bonus, the whole series is complete so you don't have to wait.
Dune Messiah (Dune Book 2) by Frank Herbert
Science Fiction
Originally written and published chapter by chapter, you can feel a solid and enjoyable arc with each chapter read. I read and greatly enjoyed Dune, but the punchy pacing of this book would have had me giving it a 6 star rating if I could! Each chapter shifts to a new and interesting moment that is happening in the universe. Honestly, would recommend reading Dune just to read this book, if you haven't already.
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Fiction, Contemporary, Literary
The pure poetry that is this book... I will never recover from it. Deeply emotional, celebratory, grieving, and pure. I fell in love with my best friend, and there were so many parts of this book that had me struggling to keep the pages dry (from tears) while I was in my feelings. Just so touching and with such wonderful references to rap, jazz, and physical art. This book is truly a gift to the world.
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture edited by Roxane Gay written by authors from various backgrounds
Nonfiction, Essays, Feminism, Memoir, Sociology
Rape culture is all around us and permeates how all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, etc. feel, interact and exist. Many people may not be aware of how it impacts them, but the authors for this collection do and express it in such diverse and impactful ways. These essays helped heal things I never realized ached due to being broken. Maybe it could for you.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Science Fiction, Classics, Historical, Literary
There is a reason this book is a classic but doesn't read like a "classic." It is witty, contemporary, and vibrant. It is insane how well Vonnegut handles deeply emotional, personal, and tragic events with the most bright and witty sense of humor. I was brought to tears as much from the tragedy of it all as the humor of his writing.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Nonfiction, Memoir, Race, Essay
Written as a letter from father to son, this is a beautiful essay/letter style memoir that discusses the realities of the Black American experience so beautifully. As an audiobook experience, read by the author, it felt even more powerful and intimate. I felt privileged to have found this work.
The Salt Grows Heave by Cassandra Khaw
Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
This is for the people who like slow, dark, gory, folkloresque stories. The vibes are immaculate if you are down for something truly dark and gross. It certainly isn't a book for everyone. But, it definitely is for those adults who loved Grimms fairy tales a bit too much as a kid.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Fiction, Classics, Horror, Literary
Told through letters, news clippings, and other missives it is dark, mysterious and exciting to see things pieced together. It takes a minute to get into it, but once you get into the meat of the story it is surprisingly feminist, critical of society, and just plain fun. The main characters are ride or dies for life.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Science Fiction, Dystopian, Literary
This book is so deeply thoughtful and full of hope. It asks one to consider what it means to be human, to love, and to be loved. A slowly unraveling plot combined with the deeply charming and loveable main characters point of view was gripping, mysterious and heart wrenching in all the best ways. The ending, it will keep me thinking forever.
Uzumaki (complete set) by Junji Ito translated by Yuji Oniki
Fiction, Horror, Manga
So very deeply unsettling in so many ways. The body horror in this work is unmatched by anything I've read as it combines well crafted narrative with such Lovecraftian imagery. I can never think of snails, whirlpools, or spirals in the same way again. This is best read on a dark winter day with only a few candles lit for company embracing terror.
Now for some peoples favorite part of a wrap (if you are anything like me and like to be nosy and see graphics). So if you are anything like me, you might enjoy some of the following stats from my 2024 reading:
(Note arrow to the right to scroll through all 8 graphics)
I'm putting several of these on my TBR! If you weren't such an excellent auditor, I would say you could get a job in a publishing house for sure! Thank you for the awesome synopsis of each book!