The other day I released a new podcast episode where I talked about all the books I read this past year. In total, I read 41 books. As I said at the end of the podcast episode, this may seem like a lot to some and it may seem like not a lot to others. At the end of the day though (or the end of the year, rather), it’s not about the number of books you’ve read but what you take away from each one you do read.

With that said, I wanted to follow the podcast episode up with a blog post about my favourite books from the 41 that I read in 2024.

So, without further ado.

Losing Joe’s Place by Gordon Korman

This was one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time. I read this while on vacation, and it was exactly what I needed – light-hearted and fun. This book follows the story of a young boy and his two friends as they live in his brother’s apartment while the brother is away, and all the chaos that ensues. And let me tell you … chaos does ensue!

Black Boys Like Me: Confrontations with Race, Identity, and Belonging by Matthew R. Morris

As soon as I heard Matthew speak at gritLIT 2024 I knew I had to pick up his book. The power and passion he conveyed whilst reading from it … I could only imagine the potency of his words on a page. This book did not disappoint me in the slightest. It is such an important, heartbreaking, and emotional read.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

If you’re looking for a book to remind you about the importance of bookstores and stories in society, let this be it! This is a short and quick read but don’t let the length fool you. It may be short, but it packs an immense amount of depth and tugs at the heartstrings.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is well … gorgeously written and worth absolutely all the hype it gets. I can’t believe it took me this long to read it.

Imagining Imagining: Essays on Writing, Identity and Infinity by Gary Barwin

Picture your perfect day. A day where everything falls into place, everything works out for you, and you are at peace. Content. That’s what this book feels like. The beauty of each word in each essay is so eloquently strung together it made me feel like I was floating on a cloud. This is definitely an essay collection I’ll be returning to.

I read a lot of great books in 2024, and it was hard to narrow it down to just these five. I am grateful for all the books I did read and all the authors who shared their stories.

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