My 5 Star Reads of 2024
Best Books I Read Last Year
Another list of favorite books, my ranking of 5 stars includes if I continuously think about it after I finished reading it, if it made me sob, if it made my stomach flip or heart drop. My starting ranking is a 4, so if it makes it to 5 there is a good reason. I also went back to my 22 5 Star Reads and if I didn’t have anything noteworthy to say about it, I have excluded it from this list in an effort of brevity.
Fast Stats:
90 books in 2024
Average rating was 4.13/5
72 Audiobooks, 12 Ebooks, 3 Paperback and 3 Hardcover
35 Romance Novels, 12 Fiction, 16 Non-Fiction or Memoir.
66 Books from Libby, 9 Kindle Unlimited, 2 Audible+ and I bought or was gifted 13 books.
Molly’s 5 Star Noteworthy Reads In 2024
These are all affiliate links to Amazon, I get a little something if you buy the book but no extra cost for you.
When Breath Becomes Air - A 36 year old neurosurgeon gets diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, as he becomes a new dad and faces his imminent mortality. Powerful.
Four Thousand Weeks - An anti time-management book. I plan to read this one annually, it was life changing and a perfect way to start 2024.
The Great Alone & The Women - Putting both Kristen Hannah books in one slot, amazing stories, sad yet powerful. I remember how these books fully encompassed me while reading.
Just For The Summer - Abby Jimenez gets a 5 star review every year. This book was fun yet deep, I devoured it. I call her books “grown up rom coms.” Kindle Unlimited.
Bride - A change from the usual STEM-centric Ali Hazelwood books and if you’re unsure that Werewolves and Vampires can work after the long gone days of Twilight, they FOR SURE still do. Plus its steamy. Also shoutout to another Ali Hazelwood 5 star read from this year of the STEM variety - Not In Love.
Funny Story - I love all of Emily Henry books but every other year seems to be a book I like better than the last year’s book (personal preference), this was an up year for sure.
One In A Millennial - Many times while listening to this book (and I love hearing Kate Kennedy go on and on) I was like “OMG ME TOO” or “YES! EXACTLY!” This book was meant for my generation, I was born in ‘89 and all the references were nostalgic and fitting. Years and years from now I will and this book to my grandchildren and tell them “this is what it was like when I was growing up” as a way to explain the way I am. Kindle Unlimited.
How To End A Love Story - Smart, sexy and sobbing… My 3 favorites S’s when reading a 5 star book.
Things We Never Got Over - I avoided reading this book for a couple years while it was blowing up on bookstagram. The cover just doesn’t look impressive and its a lot of pages, well holy hell I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. It flips your stomach, swells your heart and has you all hot and steamy. Kindle Unlimited.
How To Keep A House While Drowning - I don’t suffer from anxiety or depression BUT I think everyone can gather nuggets from this book to help lighten their load. I found it extremely beneficial to look into areas in my life that I could make a bit easier on myself.
Pucking Sweet - If steamy is the name of the game, this series is for you, AND it’s hockey. I’d start with the first book in the Jacksonville Rays series, this one is in a similar timeline as the first (this is book 3). The steam thermometer is all the way up with this series. Highly recommend. Kindle Unlimited.
11/22/63 - This book was a COMMITMENT at 880 pages and I had trouble keeping with it but as my first Stephen King book it still got 5 stars because it really has stuck with me and is so creative. I’m glad I committed.
Greenlights - The only way you should listen to this book is in audio format so you can hear Matthew McConaughy tell his story in his voice. Thoroughly entertaining and surprisingly (though not surprisingly) insightful.
The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments - I personally believe in heaven, and this book, written by a hospice nurse, basically solidified proof (for me) to an afterlife and how beautiful and un-scary death is.
Say You Swear - Now, normally I strongly dislike reading romance novels about people in their early 20’s or YOUNGER. I constantly roll my eyes with the drama and child-ish behavior and while yes, these people are in college in the book it HAD ME HOOKED. The twists and turns and gut punches and tears and heart strings pulled. It did have young characters, and like so much underage drinking, but honestly I still gave it 5 stars.
Quick Runners Up:
American Wife - a fictional telling of the life of Laura Bush. Mayluna - romance novel that had me SOBBING (Kindle Unlimited). The Nordic Theory of Everything - non-fiction and making me so mad at America and wanting to move abroad (Kindle Unlimited). Behind Every Good Man and Don’t Forget To Write both by Sara Goodman Confino, excellent fiction novels with strong female leads (Kindle Unlimited). The Paradise Problem - I just really love Christina Lauren books. The Serpent and the Wings of Night - steamy fantasy (Kindle Unlimited). Worst Case Scenario - This author creates the only thriller books I can read, I was on the edge of my seat. The Husbands - a great conversation starter.
If you got this far I’m impressed! Thank you for reading and helping me record my history and book recommendations. Love you! Mean it!
Molly