My Top 5 Books of 2024

2024 was an amazing reading year for me. While my book consumption did taper off towards the end, I discovered several lengthy new series that I could work through. And in the end, I read around 57 books this year. And out of those 57, here are the top five books that still stick out to me at the end of the year. In no particular order because it was hard enough choosing the top five, let alone ranking them from favorite to least favorite. 

Number One. The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow. Fantasy, adventure, plenty of well-thought out magic. I gushed about this in my Prize Shelf post, but I have to bring it back up. This book… was incredible. Granted, it’s not for everyone. Several of the people I gave it to didn’t share my passionate love for it. Harrow’s writing style is very unique from what I’ve read before. Clearly, I loved it. But know that not everyone loves it. This book is about a girl by the name of January. Her father is always travelling for his work, which leaves her with his boss, an older gentleman– Mr. Locke. I don’t want to give away too much because you just need to go experience it for yourself, but Jauanary discovers that she has some… unusual gifts. It’s also a book within a book, so parts of the story is told from January’s perspective, and the other parts is the tale of a girl called Ade. And eventually, they intersect. But I guarantee you not in the way you’re thinking. 

Number Two. Six of Crows by Leigh Baradugo. High level fantasy and adventure, YA. I absolutely adored this book. The worldbuilding was flawlessly done, but Baradugo doesn’t dump it on you. Instead you are fully immersed in the world and fed tidbits along the way. The book is told from six different perspectives –one for each of the characters who band together to pull off an impossible heist. There was a high level of violence and some language in this book, as well as elements that are best suited for more mature readers. But it was much cleaner than I expected going in. (On a side note, the rest of Bardugo’s books do become increasingly more violent and contain more elements that as a Christian I don’t agree with, but I can recommend Six of Crows)

Number Three! Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. Classic.  I got into some of the classics this year after bingeing some of the more modern YA books, and Pride and Prejudice was one of the first. I may have actually read this book on the edge of 2023 and finished it in 2024, but I’m still counting it. I started it as a school book, but I couldn’t wait the weeks it was spread out over and took it to read on my own. Whatever good things you’ve heard about Pride and Prejudice– they’re right. It’s a classic for a reason. Hilarious, compelling, and my only complaint was that occasionally I couldn’t understand what they were saying, because I was born in the twenty-first century and unfortunately am not well versed in the language of that time. 

Number Four. Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi. Amazing. Dystopia, romance, low levels of fantasy. This novel is an emotional rollercoaster the whole way through. Mafi’s writing is compelling and riveting. I blew through this whole series in a week after seeing the first one in Barnes and Noble and getting hooked by the cover and the first page. The first page. Her style is very unique, particularly as the MC, Juliette, is slightly insane. The author pulled out all the stops and used crossed out lines, numbers, and scribbles to really bring this book to life. There is a high level of romance in it, and some passionate kissing scenes, but nothing beyond that in the first book. As with Six of Crows, the deeper you get into the series, the more the romance and language rises. The violence too, though not quite as blatant as in Six of Crows. 

And we’ve made it to Number Five! The Ranger’s Apprentice, John Flanagan. Medieval, adventure, anything with bows and arrows.  I… well… I cannot deny that this series was a defining group of books during this year, and since I read all twelve of them and the next sub-series, I guess it belongs here. I will state, these books basically all have the same plot. They are Medieval Ranger books. There’s always a battle, and the characters have to come up with a winning strategy. However, I devoured them. Personally, I would love to be a ranger with a bow and arrow, sneaking through the forest with my horse and living off the land. And for anyone else who wants that and doesn’t mind a simpler writing style –these are the books for you. 

And there you have it! The defining books of 2024 for Charissa J. Franklin. Have you read any? Which was your favorite?