We’re now halfway through the year – can you believe?! – and so far, I’ve read 37 books. I wanted to put a list of the best books I’ve read so far this year, so here it is.
From romance to fantasy to thriller, this list has a mix of just about everything.
From some of my favourite authors like Freida McFadden, Lucy Score and Jessa Hastings to new appearances from Elle Kennedy and Rebecca Yarros.
Below are the seven best books that I’ve read so far in 2024.
Related blog posts to read:
- 10 Obsessively Addictive Book Series to Read This Year
- The Best Books by Freida McFadden You Need to Read Immediately
- 10 Binge-Worthy Books to Read Before They Hit the Big Screen
- 15 New York Books for Those Who Love New York
- 11 of the Best Fantasy Books to Read This Summer
The 7 Best Books I’ve Read So Far This Year
1. Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score
Nash Morgan, the once charming and affable chief of police, is now battling panic attacks and nightmares after being shot, hiding his struggles from those around him. His new neighbor, Lina, notices his turmoil despite her own aversion to physical contact. Their undeniable chemistry provides a unique solace for Nash and ignites Lina’s curiosity about a deeper connection. However, Lina harbors secrets that could destroy Nash’s trust if revealed. Leaving her to grapple with the potential consequences of their relationship.
My Rating: ★★★★★
This is book number two in the Knockemout series and I was hoping for it to be almost as good as the first in the series (Things We Never Got Over) because I didn’t think there would be any chance that it could be better. But oh I was wrong. Nash and Lina’s love story was somehow even better than Knox and Naomi’s and again, I couldn’t put this chunky (600-page) book down, finishing in just a few days.
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Achilles, the formidable son of the sea goddess Thetis and King Peleus, and Patroclus, an exiled prince, form an inseparable bond despite divine disapproval. Trained by the centaur Chiron in war and medicine, their friendship faces its ultimate test when Achilles joins the Greek heroes to siege Troy, seduced by the promise of glory. Patroclus, driven by love and fear, follows him into the conflict, unaware that the Fates will exact a harrowing price from them both.
My Rating: ★★★★★
I had this book on my shelf for around two years. I’d heard all the rave reviews, heard everyone claim this as a modern-day classic, but still couldn’t bring myself to read it. After reading Circe by the same author and low-key hating it, I couldn’t face another of Madeline Miller’s books on Greek Mythology. But boy am I glad that I finally picked this up. A beautiful and tragic love story, I couldn’t put this down. I may have also shed a tear or two (which if you know me, you’ll know is very unlike me). One of the best books I’ve read this year!
3. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Violet Sorrengail, expected to die during her first year at Basgiath War College, now faces even harsher trials as the real training begins. Enduring brutal and grueling challenges designed to push riders beyond their limits, Violet must also contend with a vice commandant determined to show her powerlessness unless she betrays her love. Armed with the college’s centuries-old secret, Violet realizes that even dragon fire may not be enough to save them in the end.
My rating: ★★★★★
I can’t get enough of this series. This is only the second book with more still to be published, but I wish I could stay in this fantasy universe for a lot longer than the 600 pages the book provides. So good!!!!!
4. Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings
It’s been nearly a year since everything happened between Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine on the steps of the Mandarin Oriental, and since then it seems like everything has changed. Magnolia has a life in New York now and BJ appears to have finally let go and moved on. But when they both wind up back in London and are thrust together once again, they find themselves asking their age-old How many loves do you actually get in a lifetime, and, most important—are they each other’s?
My rating: ★★★★★
You probably know by now how obsessed I am with this series. And as I read further into the series, the more obsessed I become. I had started to favour Daisy Haites’ story above Magnolia’s in book two, but now I’m back to being a fan of Magnolia and BJ again. You were able to see a softer, more vulnerable side of Magnolia in The Long Way Home and there were so many times I had to put my head in the book out of frustration at these two characters doing everything they can to push the other away, when it’s so clear they belong together. The most frustratingly incredible series that you need to read!
5. Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan, in search of their dream home, find themselves trapped in a remote manor during a violent winter storm. The estate once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished mysteriously four years ago. While waiting for the blizzard to end, Tricia discovers a secret room containing audio transcripts of Dr. Hale’s patient interviews. As she listens to the tapes, she uncovers a chilling series of events that led to the doctor’s disappearance.
My rating: ★★★★★
I would read anything by Freida McFadden at this rate and have made my way through a few of her books already. This was one of the best books by Freida McFadden that I’ve read – full of her signature twists and turns that you feel stupid not noticing. So good!
6. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Hannah Wells, burdened by insecurities about sex and seduction, agrees to tutor the cocky hockey team captain, Garrett Graham, in exchange for a fake date to attract her crush. However, when their pretend relationship leads to genuine passion, Garrett must persuade Hannah that he is the one she truly desires.
My rating: ★★★★★
I read my first hockey romance back in March after seeing Icebreaker by Hannah Grace all over TikTok. I didn’t have high hopes for The Deal as it seemed like it was going to be exactly the same. However, I was very surprised at the chemistry between the two main characters and how well the story was written. I loved it. I’m eyeing up the rest of the series if it appears on the Kindle Deals page.
7. Here is New York by E. B. White
Perceptive, funny, and nostalgic, E.B. White’s stroll around Manhattan remains the quintessential love letter to the city, written by one of America’s foremost literary figures. The New York Times has named Here is New York one of the ten best books ever written about the metropolis, and The New Yorker calls it “the wittiest essay, and one of the most perceptive, ever done on the city.
My Rating: ★★★★★
I would say this was more of an essay than a book, but it was a beautiful essay at that. Written back in 1949, the words that E. B. White put to paper still stand true today. There’s one passage in the book that talks about the people of New York as three different cities and it’s a passage about New York that will stick with me forever.
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