Favorite Books of 2024
2025 is officially here, which means it’s time for Goodreads’ reading challenge! Last year I planned for 60 books and ended up reading 67. I might be a bit ambitious, but I’m aiming for 70 books this year! Now, I normally read young adult books (obviously), but I did have a fair amount of adult reads this year and was surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed some of them. I’m sure 2025’s books will bring a mix of audiences and I’m very curious to see what titles end up being my favorites. I’d like to do a wrap-up of my favorite YA books below and you can find some of these on the bookstore’s website!
What Happens After Midnight and Maybe Meant to Be
I read K.L. Walther’s first book, The Summer of Broken Rules, in 2023 and loved it so much so I knew that these next two books, were going to be some of my top favorites. The reconnecting in What Happens After Midnight is delectable. I adored the cast of characters in Maybe Meant to Be and Charlie’s story especially is so heartfelt that you just want to give him a hug. All three of these books are now available at The Reading Chamber!
Powerless
Originally I wasn’t going to read this book. The premise didn’t fully appeal to me and I wasn’t sure if #booktok was just hyping it up. My bookclub chose Powerless for its September read and I devoured it! Kai is swoon-worthy and I really enjoyed the dual perspective. There were definitely parts I didn’t love, but it was such a fun read so it got five stars.
Emerge, Submerge, and Immerse
I read the Mer Chronicles series at the beginning of 2024 and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. The storyline of the Little Mermaid accidentally cursing merpeople when she decided to not stab the prince was so unique and the characters were captivating. I had such a book hangover from Immerse! I got these books from the library so I ended up purchasing them so I could add them to my collection! I now sell the first two books (Emerge and Submerge) at The Reading Chamber!
Four Days of You and Me
You may be familiar with Miranda Kenneally’s Hundred Oaks series (I sell the first book, Catching Jordan, on the website). I found this book at the library and the synopsis was intriguing so it came home with me. It wasn’t until I went to open the spine that I realized Kenneally wrote it and I got so excited! Four Days of You and Me definitely exceeded my expectations and I’ll have to purchase it to add it to my collection soon!
The Ballad of Darcy and Russell
The Ballad of Darcy and Russell was on my TBR as soon as it was announced because I love Morgan Matson’s books. While Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour has a special place in my heart, this title quickly became my favorite Matson’s written so far. Darcy and Russell’s chemistry is perfect and similar to Amy and Roger’s story, I really loved how it was just them for the majority of the book. When additional characters are added, they compliment Darcy and Russell’s relationship so perfectly.
Secrets So Deep
I was never really into paranormal/horro-esque books until I picked up a copy of Ginny Myers Sain’s book Dark and Shallow Lies and Erin A. Craig’s book House of Salt and Sorrows in July 2022. I fell absolutely in love with them and decided to read all of their subsequent books. Secrets So Deep was my second Ginny Myers Sain book and while I didn’t love it as much as Dark and Shallow Lies, I still couldn’t put it down!
The Paper Girl of Paris
I saw this title in Barnes & Noble a couple times before I actually decided to buy it. The cover was so interesting and I love good historical fiction. Since this had one character from the present and one from the past I was especially intrigued. The Paper Girl of Paris did not disappoint. It was so moving and figuring out how the stories connected was extra special.
Violet Made of Thorns
Violet Made of Thorns didn’t have my favorite ending, but it still got five stars because of how much fun I had reading it. I loved the magic of it and Violet was a strong, dynamic character. I really wish the author didn’t decide to stop the series as there was so much more that could’ve been told, but at least it wasn’t a cliff hanger. I also appreciated that it was on the shorter side as sometimes I just want to escape into a world for a little bit instead of five hundred plus pages.
Court of Ice and Ash and Crown of Blood and Ruin
L.J. Andrews writes some really powerful characters. Court of Ice and Ash and Crown of Blood and Ruin were the second and third books respectfully in The Broken Kingdoms series and they absolutely lived up to the first title. Adding Viking lore into the fairytale aspects was so fun and Elise is a badass. It’s so cool to see characters develop and come into their own, which is what both Elise and Valen do. The books are finally back in stock at Ingram so the first title, Curse of Shadow and Thorns, will be here at the bookstore soon!
Thirteen five-star YA reads is pretty great for a year. And plenty more were four stars! I love updating my book journal with my reads so if you’d like to get a journal for yourself then click here.
