My Favorite Reads of 2024

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized

Hello everyone!!! I hope you are all doing well – and finding time to read!

Ok – I am calling it now. It is close enough and I don’t foresee a bunch of reading to happen between now and the new year!

I had a hard time deciding on my favorite reads this year. I feel like this year was all about trying new genres and new authors that I loved; I went through different reading phases and my read list this year is just a hodgepodge of titles and genres. I didn’t read nearly as many books as other people, I am just slower now that my lifestyle is different! Pre-Wyatt I read over 100 books a year – now I read nowhere near that, and that is ok. Wyatt and I are making memories together everyday, and more importantly, I have turned him into a giant bookworm and library lover just like me. The library loves when he comes in (or so they say!) because he is so excited about getting books and reading. His favorite this year was The Phantom Tollbooth.

I tracked my reading in a hand drawn little chart this year!

I also started making these little journal pages.

They are not anything fancy but they are fun to do.

And I have digressed enough! My favorites, in no particular order:

A Dark and Secret Magic || A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking || The Teller of Small Fortunes

A Dark and Secret Magic was just the perfect autumnal spooky season read. It had everything. The atmosphere, the setting, the characters, the traditions – I really loved it and I hope the author writes another one in this world with these characters. I have a feeling that she is going to.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking really surprised me with how much I absolutely loved it. I loved the message regarding heroes, which was a more serious message hidden within these rather whimsical and magical world. It also touched on intolerance as well, another serious message and theme. However, it was handled in such a way that it didn’t feel heavy – sort of like when people make the perfect bread. I loved the little gingerbread man and of course Bob. I have been telling my husband nearly every day since I read this to read it. So come on Billy, let’s get to it!

The Teller of Small Fortunes is just a small, easy little read but it was so heartwarming to me. I love found family stories, I love adventures, I love magical tales, and this book had it all. It had Wheel of Time vibes but low stakes and cozy instead of huge and world building.

The Blue Castle || Tress of the Emerald Sea || The Berry Pickers

The Blue Castle: Lisa from Boondock Ramblings gifted me this book this year and I absolutely loved it!!! The imagery, the nature writing, Valancy just kicking butt and becoming her own person and taking her life into her own hands. Just all of it. I also learned that there is more to Montgomery than the beloved Anne. (I love Anne too though)

Tress of the Emerald Sea: Another kickbutt heroine. I love Tress so much. Sanderson and his wife watched The Princess Bride on day together, and his wife wondered what the story would have been like had Buttercup just not given up on Wesley after she heard he was dead, and instead which searching for him. And then, this book was born.

The Berry Pickers: This book was not light and fluffy or cozy. In fact, it destroyed me for personal reasons but it was still such an amazing book. I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to give anything away, but I do highly recommend it.

Miracles on Maple Hill || Kildee House

I went through a time in February/March when I just wanted to read some wholesome, old fashioned kids books. So I did. These two were my favorites. Miracles on Maple Hill was a touching story of a family that was struggling through some issues and when they move to the country, find what they needed to make it through to the other side. Kildee House is also about someone moving to the country, and finding a whole new life that suits them much better. This one has wild animals that live in the house which I of course loved, but it also had some parts that made me sob so be prepared for that. I asked Billy if I could have some foxes and a possum for Christmas but he told me no. What a stick in the mud he is. Maybe just a possum then? Think I could sneak one in this new year?

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers || What You are Looking for is in the Library

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is a cozy little mystery with found family and most of all, hope. I love the love in this book.

What You are Looking for in the Library really started me down the path of translated fiction/Asian fiction/healing fiction. I could read this book over and over again. Instead of a little synopsis, I am just linking my review here.

And that my friends is a wrap! I learned that I love cozy fantasy and translated fiction. I fell down the Riley Sagar and Lucy Foley rabbit holes (if there was an 11 and 12 on this list, they would be The Only One Left by Sagar, and The Midnight Feast by Foley). I gave myself permission to indulge in all the middle grade fiction I want. I also read a lot of books with absurdly long titles, but that is another story. Overall, it’s been a good year of reading!

51 thoughts on “My Favorite Reads of 2024”

  4. shawnnaroberts77's avatar shawnnaroberts77

    Hi Erin! As someone that works at the library I can confirm that yes we love when we get to see Wyatt, he always makes everyone smile!!

    I love hearing what everyone’s favorite books were for the year, it’s always cool to see what people liked compared to what was checked out the most. I, myself had a complete flashback year for reading and read as many of my childhood favorites as possible. It was so fun and brought back lots of good memories!

    I hope you guys had a great Christmas, and that you’ll have a wonderful new year too!

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    1. Aw thank you Shawnna! I am glad to hear that!! He loves the library so much. He asks to go everyday lol.

      I think that is awesome! I love rereading my childhood favorites as well. I would love to hear what some of them were!

      I hope that you guys did as well. 🙂

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    2. shawnnaroberts77's avatar shawnnaroberts77

      My son asks every day too lol I think he gets jealous when I go into work!

      Let’s see, my son and I went through the Fraggle Rock books and the Amelia Bedelia books, which she’s had quite an update so I had to search around for the older versions. We also read some of the older and more forgotten golden books and Dr Seuss books.

      I reread the Anne of Green Gables books and then went way back and reread the Babysitters Club books lol which was a little embarrassing when someone saw me reading a kids paperback but it was fun getting through a book a day, it reminded me of zooming through books in elementary school for the Book It program. Do you remember Book It?

      I think this year I’m going to look for more of the obscure book series from the 80s and zip through those as well, they make me feel young again lol

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      1. Lol!!!

        That sounds amazing! I loved Amelia Bedelia!

        I had to just put those thoughts away, because I totally love reading kids books. LOL. I loved the Babysitters Club because Stacy and I had the same last name. I also really need to read the Anne series beyond the first book. And yes! I do remember it! It still exists! You can sign up online!

        I loved this one book as a kid, The Girl with Silver Eyes. I should look that one back up!

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      2. shawnnaroberts77's avatar shawnnaroberts77

        You should definitely look it up and read it again! If you ever do get around to reading all of the Anne books we just put out a really nice new set at the library, they have very pretty covers.

        I love the older books sometimes because they’re just so simple and completely different than the times we live in now. I find it to be a great way to slow down and let my mind rest a bit.

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  5. marsha57's avatar marsha57

    I’m not sure I could pick a favorite book for the year. I just finished Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books and loved it. I really loved A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking. I’m not sure if you’re the responsible party for me reading so much fantasy this year or not. It’s even carried over to our TV watching! I’ve got to read more this coming year as I didn’t come close to meeting my reading goal on Goodreads. I’m not sure that’s as important as just reading.

    Have a fabulous week!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Lol!! Ok, that might be me, at least a little bit. I have read so much fantasy this year, especially cozy fantasy.

      Oh thank you for mentioning that one! I had forgotten I wanted to read that! I need to write it down.

      Eh, I track my reading but don’t set a goal. I read what I read! 🙂

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  6. These all look wonderful and the ones I’ve read – The Blue Castle and What You Are Looking For is in the Library are two of my absolute favorites. Tress of the Emerald Seas and A Dark and Secret Magic are on my TBR. I’ve bought the audio of A Dark and Secret Magic and am really looking forward to it.

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  13. Oh my I love love your tracking and journal keeping, it really is fantastic. I’d love to do that but not sure I could. Well done on making Wyatt into a reader. Your top books look awesome, I really liked The Blue Castle too. Adding The Berry Pickers to consider reading.

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    1. Thank you Kathryn! It has been really fun to just have fun with making them. I don’t think too seriously about it, and sort of tap into that part of me that is still like 8 year old me, playing about with stickers and things. Lol. I just wish I would have started them in another book. I didn’t realize I was going to enjoy it so much when I started! And thank you. That is so much more important to me, that he loves books and reading.

      The Blue Castle came out of left field for me. I didn’t realize I would love it that much!

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  14. Your reading journal spreads looks so great! I always admire people who can create those visually appealing bookshelves in their spreads cos I’m so artistically challenged I struggle to do the same. 🤣 I haven’t read any of these books but many of them are still on my TBR and I can’t wait to get to them! I hope you and your son continue to discover new amazing books in 2025 🙂

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  21. The Phantom Tollbooth! Wyatt has great taste!

    I’ve read several of these, previously added a couple more on your recommendation, and now I’m adding even more.

    I already have What You Are Looking For Is In the Library on my TBR. I expect it to have a similar feel to Before the Coffee Gets Cold, though I don’t know if that’s a correct assumption. Have you read Coffee? It’s fantastic.

    I hope you find even more books to love in 2025!

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  22. Great post, Erin! I love those cute little journal pages you made – they look like fun. I’m just easing into journaling this year, and starting by just writing a daily reflection on my tarot reading. So far it’s going well, since I really want to learn the tarot better. The Berry Pickers and Tress of the Emerald Seas are two books I got really cheaply at a library sale. And I keep seeing A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking and The Teller of Small Fortunes everywhere. I have them both on my TBR, but it’s taking me longer than I’d like to get to them. Here’s to finding great new books, fun new experiences, and growth in 2025!

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  24. What lovely looking books you read and loved, too! I’m so glad Wyatt is such a big reader, such a comfort through one’s life. I did a top 20 as I read quite a lot this year, I expect you’ll have seen it by now as I’m soooo behind with my blog reading!

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  26. Pingback: My Sunday-Monday Post! – Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs..

  27. oliviabeck1's avatar oliviabeck1

    I am happy if I get in 50 books a year. As you said there is more to life than being curled up with a good book. I’ve added Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers to my TBR list.

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  28. RS's avatar RS

    Oh, that journal is wonderful! Thank you for sharing those pages — good inspiration for me to finally making my “read less, spend more reflecting on what I do” goal a reality.

    I was surprised how much I liked A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking (have’t read Kingfisher before), so it’s a delight to see it on your list. I’m hoping to read The Teller of Small Fortunes very soon — just got it out of the library, peeked at the first couple of pages and am already so excited I almost can’t settle down enough to start.

    Finally, Rutherford Montgomery is actually one of my favorite authors – there is no shortage of old-fashioned kids books on my annual reading lists, lol – but I haven’t read that particular one. Actually, every single book on your list looks good…

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    1. Thank you! I have so much fun making the pages. I started “reading closer” at the end of last year and I feel like I am gleaning more from my reads.

      I was surprised as well! It had such a deeper meaning wrapped all in the whimsical, and I loved both aspects. And of course I loved the little gingerbread man! I have only ever read one other by T. Kingfisher before but I hope to read more this year.

      I should see if I can find more by him. I absolutely loved this one.

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