As we look back at this year, I can see the books that were 5 stars amazing, and the one’s that didn’t even make it to the end. So, I’m going to share them with you.

My 5 Star Books in 2024

The Rom-Commers (Katherine Center)

Fun characters, love the writing angle, quirky forever.

Hover Car Racer (Matthew Reilly)

Fun look at futuristic version of racing cars, with conspiracies and a rookie with attitude and talent.

#CrimeTime (Jeneva Rose)

Audio dramatisation with a fame hungry guy posting live as people are being shot at and a crime is unfolding.

Skyward (Brandon Sanderson)

Loved seeing a young pilot learn how to fly… but on another planet with aliens above trying to destroy the remnant of humanity that calls the planet their home.

Snapshot (Brandon Sanderson)

Detectives that get to walk around in the past in real time with a “real” crime on the line and evidence being gathered.

My DNF’s in 2024

We Solve Murders (Richard Osman)

Dark and edgy with two main POVs that just didn’t have the same interest and levity as Osman’s other books.

Hood (Jenny Elder Moke)

Time period of Robin Hood, which is not something I particularly enjoy.

According To Yes (Dawn French)

Character study that I was not interested in following down the line.

Scythe (Neal Shusterman)

Glorifying murder and death… really? Tried to disguise it, but it was just a bit much for me.

A Tiny Bit Marvellous (Dawn French)

Another character study, and again, a pass for me. Plot girl all the way.

Unravel Me (Tahereh Mafi)

Turned in a different direction, all the work of the first book is being undone, and there’s still the stockholm syndrome angle which seems to continue down the series.

The Naturals (Jennifer Lynn-Barnes)

Too dark and too interested in following the mindset of the psychologically psychopathic.

Scarecrow (Matthew Reilly)

Very graphic and violent.

Powerless (Lauren Roberts)

A dark look with torture being glorified… not sure why that was necessary.

Cupcakes and Crumbs (Melissa McClone)

Boring with deeply emotional themes and not something I was interested in continuing.

A Thousand Boy Kisses (Tillie Cole)

Frustrating. People who in one breath seemed destined to be together, and in another letting their emotions run over them like a steamroller.

Just One Taste (Lizzy Dent)

Didn’t expect the sexual content and I don’t ordinarily like that sort of thing.

Malibu Rising (Taylor Jenkins Reid)

Bored, sensitive content, and I am just not a huge fan of TJR on the whole.

Last Time We Met (Emily Houghton)

Honestly got so bored, I couldn’t get into the book and it just floated away in my interest.

Anelthalien (H.a. Pruitt)

Independent book, but too much focus on background stories that didn’t have bearing on the story and strange things happening when we finally got into it.

Five Survive (Holly Jackson)

Pretty intense, and honestly I wasn’t interested in teenagers dodging a sniper in the woods. I was on edge, not in a good way, with dark secrets coming to light that I just didn’t care about.

Bookish and the Beast (Ashley Poston)

Content took me by surprise and I gave up.

Crater (Homer Hickman)

Bored, basically that was it. I was bored.

Winter (Marissa Meyers)

Too creepy with the powers, too deeply unsettling with mental illness, it was all around creepy.

Babel (R.F. Kuang)

Bored and frustrated – not for me.

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Well, those are the basic rundowns of why these books were either 5 stars, or DNFs. Have you read any of these and do you agree or not? Comment and let me know.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace