I haven’t done a book review in soooo long, but, trust me, I’ve still been reading up a storm! I actually bought my first Kindle this year and clocked so many books on it that 2024 may have been a record reading year for me! I even branched away from my normal preferred genre of thrillers to discover that I really like the “romantasy” genre, too! So… instead of a typical book review where I share the good and the bad, I thought it would be fun to share my top five favorite books of the year. These are all outstanding works and I highly recommend each one!
First Lie Wins, by Ashley Elston
This was the best thriller I read in 2024! So, if you like my usual recommendations, you will probably love this one. It’s a quick and easy book that is nearly impossible to put down! The story is very unique from others in the same genre… not often do I come across a good con artist thriller, and one with a female lead! Evie Porter is sent on a job by her mysterious boss, “Mr. Smith,” whom she has never met. The target: Ryan Sumner. Soon, Ryan is head over heels for Evie and she finds herself living the perfect southern life with the perfect, doting boyfriend… even down to the white picket fence, garden, and a fancy group of friends. But Evie Porter isn’t her real identity… and who is Mr. Smith? Be prepared for this wild and entertaining game of cat and mouse!
Daughter of Mine, by Megan Miranda
I am a long-time fan of Megan Miranda, she can do no wrong in my book! Her latest novel, Daughter of Mine, was no exception – I LOVED this classic small town mystery! There’s a lot to pack in one paragraph, but basically, the novel follows Hazel Sharp as she returns to her hometown of Mirror Lake after the passing of her father. She’s shocked to find that her father has left his house to just her, cutting out her two brothers. As the family drama heats up, so do some long-buried secrets… like the car at the bottom of the lake. Who put it there? And does it have anything to do with Hazel’s mother, who went missing during her childhood? This book has everything… a little bit of romance with tons and tons of layers… and secrets.
Quicksilver, by Callie Hart
I first discovered the book Quicksilver on TikTok… it was ALL over my “for your page,” so I decided to give it a try, having never read anything like it before. I LOVED IT. So much, so, that it had me diving into an entire new genre of books – Romantasy (a mix of Romance and Fantasy) – and now I’m addicted! In this novel, we follow our main character, Saeris, through a magic portal that transports her into a fae kingdom that is at war. She needs to figure out how to embrace her new alchemy magic in order to stop the war and find her way home. This book has everything from a unique magical world to plot twists, funny banter, crazy battle scenes, and romance. Lots of romance. The slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance will have you kicking your feet. You can FEEL the tension radiating off the pages, and when it heats up, it gets HOT. Word on the street is that Netflix just signed a deal with the author, so expect to see this book on your TV screens soon – just make sure to read it first!!
Vesselless, by Cortney Winn
I know this book is further down on my list, but Vesselless actually topped the list as my FAVORITE book I read this year, and PERHAPS, my entire life. I can’t even put into works how good this book is. The author spends the first 100 pages setting up the plot, and I’m not going to lie… it does move very slowly at first. For the first 100 pages, I trudged through, questioning if I should even keep going. But, trust me, KEEP GOING. Because after the first 100 pages, I flew through the rest of the book like wildfire, forgetting to do basic things like eat, sleep or bathe because I was so engrossed by this book. The ending literally had me GASPING for air. Even though this book has lots of battle scenes and brutal moments, my absolute favorite part is the romance that develops between the main characters – perhaps my favorite relationship I’ve EVER READ ABOUT IN MY LIFE. I won’t go into too much detail because you’ll just have to trust me and read it for yourself!
Fey Spy Academy Series, by C.N. Crawford
If you are into the fey world, you need to pick up this series by C.N. Crawford!! These books are so fun, I couldn’t put them down. The first one is a bit silly at times, but still entertaining.. and I actually found the second book of the series to be even better than the first!! (And now I’m DYING for the third to come out.) The whole series revolves around Nia, an American “human” who ends up on holiday in France, bumps into her ex, and ends up getting swept up in a spy mission. We have trials, forbidden romance, and a King Arthur reimagining with lots of drama. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, easy to read romantasy that will keep your eyes GLUED to the pages… this is it!!
I’d love to know your favorite reads of 2024! Cheers, friends!!
Xoxo, Caitlin
