We did it! Another year of reading books- old, new, fiction, non-fiction, and every genre in-between. We are aware that we're still two days away from wrapping up 2024, but we figure it is close enough! We wanted to take some time to look back and reminisce about our absolute FAVORITE reads from this year. This list includes both new releases and debuts from last year plus releases from previous years that we happened across for the first time. Perhaps our hype will convince you to take a chance on these books for your own 2025 reading lists!
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
This book was a masterclass on philosophical, scientific writing. As a botanist and as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Dr. Kimmerer reminds us of the value and necessity of reciprocity in the natural world. This book is a must-read for everyone in the physical and environmental sciences, and a highly recommended read for everyone else. A few of my favorite quotes:
“For what good is knowing unless it is coupled with caring? Science can give us knowing, but caring comes from someplace else.”
“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”
This book is a reminder to act small but dream big, to give more than you take, and to choose hope over cynicism. It was by-far my favorite read of 2024. -Allison
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
As soon as I heard about this book I knew I was going to fall in love with it. The first book in a duology, it follows an orphan girl and her crew, who get tangled in pulling a heist against vampires.
Arthie Casimir is one of my favorite new MCs, she is a criminal mastermind and keeps a lot of secrets. She also runs a tearoom for the citizens of White Roaring, which at night transforms into a bloodhouse that caters to the city's vampires. When her business is threatened, she agrees to an unlikely deal, but she needs the help of her outcast friends.
This book is a dark, very fun, heist novel that left me wishing for the second book. I absolutely adored the writing and the twists and turns throughout this story. The characters are really well thought out and the story itself felt really unique. - Maggie
The Monk and Robot Duology by Becky Chambers
This was a short, novella-length series that just hit me in the right place at the right time. I profoundly connected with Dex's struggles in both books. In a seemingly perfect world and a seemingly perfect life, why would someone like Dex experience an unplaceable sadness and a restlessness in their lot in life? How do feelings of inadequacy and deservingness still pop up and cause problems? Both the first book, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, and its sequel, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, were gut-punches straight in the feelings, more-so than I expected. But when coupled with the endearing fish-out-of-water qualities of the robot, Mosscap, Chambers is able to weave a fantastic tale of friendship, understanding, and everything in-between. This hopeful look at a future for humanity was refreshing after an entire childhood of dystopian YA novels, and I will definitely be looking for more "solarpunk" and "hopepunk" books in the future. -Allison
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
I know its probably weird to put a 'holiday' novel on this list, but this book surprised me with how much I liked it. It follows two authors, published under the same imprint, who are sent on a secret getaway to Scotland from a 'fan'. It turns out they were invited to spend Christmas with another famous author, in her castle.
But when she disappears, and the family seems less than concerned, the only two who can solve the mysteries are the writers. But they can't stand each other, at least they think they can't. But the more the search the more danger they are put in, and the closer they get to figure out what is going on.
This book was the perfect mix of holiday, mystery and spicy romance. It felt very Knives Out while also being very unique. I will be recommending this book to a lot of people in the next little bit. - Maggie
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Being called "a better Harry Potter" might be a disservice to the wonderful book (and anticipated 4-book series) that is Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. This fun look at the YA-fantasy genre includes old, reliable tropes alongside new, refreshing topics of concern. The "chosen one" is a young Black girl. Main character, Bree, is grieving the death of her mother while also discovering that the woman who raised her may have had more of a life than she ever imagined. The school where she learns magic sits atop the ever-too-familiar secrets of a segregated, racist, pro-slavery past. She meets a golden-retriever, ray-of-sunshine type, as well as a grumpy, gloomy, rain-cloud-of-a-man on her quest to learn more about this new world of magic she finds herself in- namely a world of "Ether" as it relates to the magical embodiments of the Knights of King Arthur's Round Table. Or is it the world of "Root," as the school's grief counselor, another Black woman, calls it?
If you are anything like me, you will fall in love with the worldbuilding in the first book and fall in love with the characters in the second book. All this to say that the third book, Oathbound, comes out in March 2025, and I CANNOT WAIT!!! -Allison
Inverse Cowgirl by Alicia Roth Weigel
I bet you guys didn't expected me to add a non-fiction book to my list. This book was super informative and really stayed with me when I was finished with it.
Alicia was born intersex and discusses how many kids are stripped of their identity by their parents making decisions about their bodies when they are just children. She goes into detail about how growing up felt, sitting through sex ed classes where she never felt included and how she started talking about her experience to help other people like her, who was trying to find their place in the world.
She also goes into how current political climates impact people who was Intersex and can be dangerous for them. This book is really powerful and highly informative. It's definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to understand more about the world and people around them. - Maggie
What were some of your favorite books of this year? Leave us a comment! We need some books for our 2025 TBRs!
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