books

What I Read in 2024 (and a plea to start using StoryGraph)

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It’s that time of year where I beg of you to drop Goodreads (boo, Amazon!) and start using The StoryGraph to track your reading. There are so many reasons that I love StoryGraph and I’ve definitely sung those praises in the past*. But this year they rolled out a new feature that I absolutely adore–allow me to tell you about it.

I don’t know if you’re like me but sometimes I don’t like reading book reviews or even the blurb on the inside of the cover because of the spoilers. Sometimes I just want to know if the book will be for me without giving it all away! And they understand. So, they started offering a feature called “StoryGraph Preview”. They use AI (their own AI, mind you–this isn’t connected to, like, Chat GPT or anything like that) to create little blurbs to describe who will enjoy this book. I love this so much!!! It’s a feature that you have to opt-in to. So if you want to see this, you’ll have to go into your settings to get it going, but here’s an example.

I just bought this book the other day so hopefully I’ll be starting it soon.

*Other reasons that I love StoryGraph: Any money made on this app doesn’t go to Amazon or Jeff Bezos–it goes to Bookshop.org which supports indie bookstores (and obv the app creators)!! It’s Black Woman owned. You can mark a book as DNF (my biggest gripe with Goodreads). You can do 1/2 and 1/4 star reviews. If you’re thinking you don’t want to switch to a different app because you’ve been using Goodreads for so long and you don’t want to lose your data, never fret! You can upload your Goodreads data into StoryGraph. Yeah, that’s right. They’ve thought of everything.

But my favorite part is THE DATA THAT THEY COLLECT?! They know way more about my reading than even I do. Which is fun. Every month there’s a cutie little graphic to show what you’ve read and how you’ve liked it. Here’s a very quick look at my 2024 Books in Review (but there’s so much more info–I just don’t want to bore you:

Since, I’ve written reviews of each of these books, I think that I’ll go ahead and just link to each of the reviews and keep a simple list. But also please know that I am very generous with my DNF’s and my finished books have an average rating of 4.5 so believe me when I say you can’t go wrong with almost any of the books I read this year (with the exception of Salem’s Lot, Till Death Do Us Part, and The Mystery Writer).

In no particular order, my absolute favorites were:

Family Family by Laurie Frankel

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

Funny Story by Emily Henry

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

Daydream by Hannah Grace

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Wild Love by Elsie Silver

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci

What I Read in October and November 2024

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I didn’t feel like writing about what I read in October. I don’t remember why but this past month I’ve been feeling more and more compelled to come over to this space. It’s just that… I don’t have a clue what to write about anymore. It’s wild because there was a time where I never wanted to do anything but write. I wanted to make it my whole livelihood! I’m not sure that much is for me, these days. But I would love to stretch that muscle a little bit more. I’m sure something will come to me but if you have any ideas, I’m all ears.

In October, I read three books.

I started with Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford.

I really loved this book so much. I just snagged it off the new release shelf at the library because I really like books about old ladies. And this one was no different.

On its face it’s a book about an older woman who joins a fictionalized version of the Great British Bake Off and has a secret that she’d really like to keep.

But at its core, this is a book about the complexity of long relationships, the power of unconditional love, but mostly about taking the opportunity to take what you want out of life–even if you haven’t believed that you’d deserve it until now. It’s never too late to take what you want–even if you didn’t know what that was until just now.

The characters are absolutely lovable and darling. I couldn’t get enough of these folks.

Then I read The Fastest Way To Fall by Denise Williams. Another book I absolutely loved!

Britt is a plus-sized hottie that works as a writer for a lifestyle blog (me in another life). She gets an assignment to try out a new body-positive fitness app and give her full and honest opinion. Things are going great when her posts start going viral and getting tons of views–and she also starts falling for her coach. Things start getting a little out of hand as her fame rises and then yadda yadda yadda… I’m not gonna give it all away.

Here’s what I will say: the banter is A+. The spice is comparatively tame (in relation to a lot of other books out there) I’d give it 2.5/5 chili peppers. I did take a point off because of a personal pet peeve of mine that I won’t tell you about because it’s a spoiler.
A note for my body-positive friends: I was nervous that this book would have weight loss talk in it or that our fat main character or other characters would be concerned with that. I can’t say there’s none of that but it is a topic used to point out who’s a good person and who sucks. So that’s nice. And the love interest is obsessed with her body as-is. There are also a few other scenes where the main character notices the way her body is changing but not in a way that glorifies thinness as much as it celebrates her strength. I recommend it!

Next up was Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks. Full disclosure: I got this book because I thought it would be a nice, semi-spooky romance to read for Halloween. I was wrong (no spook whatsoever). But that’s okay because I loved it anyway!

It’s about this shy, demisexual Irish mortician (that’s where “morbidly” comes from in the title) who has to get married before he turns 35 or he’ll lose his family’s funeral home. Meanwhile, his new neighbor is a feisty Texas girl who’s trying to leave her messy past behind. They’re total opposites, obviously, and it’s super awkward at first, but then… you know. Feelings. It’s funny, it’s sweet, and it’s got just the right amount of chaos.

I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book that took place in Ireland before! The beginning of the book has a glossary full of Irish words and their English translations. So when Irish characters use those words, you can flip to the front to get the phonetic spelling so you can say it, quietly, to yourself and feel cool. Also… there are extra spicy Irish words and phrases at the back of the book. Because… you’ll need that too.

In October I DNF’d these two books:
The Old Place by Bobby Finger (was really enjoying it but not feeling compelled)
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (this book seems really good but my brain is still smooth and just wants light stuff–I can’t wait to dig back into all my thrillers again though!)

In November, I read two books.

I read fewer pages this month, but I feel like I read a lot more often than I did in October! I’ve been reading every day (or close to it) and that feels good. That’s something I want to keep up with.

Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young was so good! I have never read a book that handled disability the way this did. UGH! I felt really seen–even though our disabilities are very different.

I will tell you something I didn’t know about before picking it up–but also, it’s something that if I had known, it would have kept me from reading this book. And I would be poorer for it. This book does prominently feature a pregnancy. If you’re avoiding pregnancy tropes because of trigger reasons–by all means, avoid this one. But if it’s just because you think you know how it’s going to go or something like that? I recommend getting past that and picking this one up.

Both main characters in this book have limb disabilities (as does the author of this book!) and while that’s not the main feature of any character–it’s also absolutely not ignored! And I love that. Because in your relationship, your family, your friendships, no matter what accommodations you need, they will come up! And this demonstrates it so beautifully.

Also, and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say this, there is no annoying 3rd act breakup scene. *Siri, play the Hallelujah Chorus*

The day after the election, I was dead inside and I didn’t feel like reading anything at all. But then the bookstore called and said that a book that Ryan had special ordered came in and, what do you know, he’d bought me a copy of Stanley Tucci’s newest book. That was exactly what I needed.

So then I read What I Ate in a Year by Stanley Tucci. I would tell you about it here but I actually had to come over to my blog and write a whole post dedicated to only this book. Here’s a link.

Stanley Tucci, What I Ate in One Year (and Related Thoughts)

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I started Stanley Tucci’s latest memoir the day after the election because I needed something that required absolutely nothing from me. This book didn’t need my emotions or intellect. I didn’t have to be smart or even all that invested in order to give it my attention. On a week when I’m all brained out? Perfect.

I was heartbroken to finish the book today. Between the cost of hardcover books these days (thirty five US dollars) and how much I was enjoying it, I was saddened to turn the last page.

As you would assume, What I Ate in One Year starts on January 2, 2023 and goes through January 1, 2024 chronicling a year in the life of Stanley Tucci. When the book opens, he’s in the middle of filming a movie that I just saw a preview for in a theater last month. So… that was pretty fascinating to me. I had no interest in the film when I saw the preview but now that I know he was staying in a hotel suite that he really didn’t care for and avoiding terrible craft services by making his own minestrone (but thoroughly enjoying his co-stars and director) throughout, I gotta say, I’m invested.

I’m never drawn to celebrity memoirs. Probably because I am certain that they’ll be filled with fancy cars, yachts, and other things I don’t care about. Something about Stanley’s first memoir, Taste, appealed to me though. The fact that it was centered around food instead of celebrity. But the main reason that I read Taste was because I was a bookseller at the time and I got a free advance of the audiobook and he narrated it. And I do love his voice ever so much. Who could resist? Taste was magical. And I’m glad I listened on audiobook, if only to hear him gag as he speaks of breaking spaghetti prior to cooking it.

So I picked up What I Ate in One Year knowing that I’d find a book full of heart and thoughtfulness and humor (and a few recipes). And I certainly did. There was also a fair share of things like luxurious vacations and a-list celebrity friends and relatives, movie premieres, galas, etc. But I think what I loved so much about this book was the way that Stanley is all of us. At the end of the day, he comes home from work. He makes spaghetti for his children. He scrubs the dishes. He watches a movie on the couch until bedtime. He wakes up and does it all again.

The way he talks about his family and friends is with so much love–as someone who has known the depths of grief. And we know that he did–his wife of 14 years passed away when his oldest children were quite young. I wonder if that’s why he writes of his family and friends with so much ache and appreciation.

And through it all–whether you’re in-laws with Emily Blunt and John Krasinski or a regular person flailing her way through a mid-life change (hi), there are dishes in the sink. Not because the chores are endless but because we are sharing meals and wine with people that we love.

Anyway, I’m wondering if I’m opposed to celebrity memoirs because of what I imagine celebrity to be and not because I’m appreciating the very real humanity of the person who just so happens to be a celebrity. In the end, we all eat spaghetti.

What I Read in September 2024

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Yeah, I skipped a month. I didn’t read anything in August at all. And I’ve read hardly anything (relatively speaking) in September. There’s a lot of change happening in my life right now and, I’ll be honest, the adjustment period is far longer than I expected it to be.

First of all, I sold our bookstore! We had been planning to do this for well over a year at this point, so I’m kind of shocked that I can say that we did it. The new owner took over last month and it’s been so fun to see the way that she’s changing things and making it her own! She jumped in and made changes that I’d been thinking of but too tired to do for years, now. I’m really excited for the fresh energy that has been injected into this store and I’m thrilled that our local, indie bookstore is still around for our community! Small towns NEED indie bookstores. In my humble opinion.

That being said, I worked in the bookstore since 2016 and as a result, my reading life was weird. I read a lot–but almost never just for the sheer pleasure of it all. I didn’t read anything without wondering how I would sell it, who I might sell it to, how I would write a catchy review about it… If you look back at my previous blog posts, you’ll see that I was reading almost exclusively books that hadn’t been released yet or books that just came out. If a book was more than a few weeks old, I didn’t even bother reading it. I had newer things I needed to be on top of so that I could stock the store with good things that I was intimately familiar with. And that was fun! Getting books before anyone else did was fun. It was also kind of lonely, honestly, because I didn’t have anyone to talk books with. No one had ever read the books I was reading.

And I was also so busy that I hardly ever read physical books. It was all audiobooks all the time. Well, let me tell you, that sure has flipped! I haven’t listened to an audiobook since July–and here it is October (well, tomorrow it will be October). The effects of burnout are far-reaching, turns out. And not quickly healed. I can’t focus on an audiobook at this time. I can focus on thirty minute podcast episodes. I can focus on the new Sabrina Carpenter album. That’s what I can focus on.

That being said, I have finished 2 books (and sadly DNF’d a book) this month! The two books I finished were so good and I got wrapped up in them so quickly. They were also romances. I don’t want my entire book-personality to be just romances. But for right now, those are what are grabbing me. And that’s just fine. I’m going easy on myself.

Wild Love by Elsie Silver

I picked this up because I completely misunderstood and thought that Elsie Silver wrote western romances. And I wanted to challenge myself by reading outside of my usual genre by picking up a western. But instead, I tricked myself into reading my go-to genre instead–a contemporary romance about a billionaire with a heart of gold.

I’ve never read a 500 page book this fast before. I would have thought that 500 pages was excessive for a romance (and generally it is) but the pacing of this book was excellent. At no point did it feel like it was dragging or anything like that.

This is exactly how you do “grumpy meets sunshine” in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The 3rd act “break up” scene is absolutely believable (this will make or break a book for me) and the reunion is just as believable, which is hard to do!

I am not a series reader but I’ll read the entire Rose Hill series, I’m sure of it!

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

God, I love everything Tia Williams writes. She is a master at incorporating the reality of our life and showing the way that we can fit love and wholeness alongside the hurt that we’ve experienced, too. There’s room for all of it.

Eva and Shane fell into a tumultuous and acute love affair when they were both severely traumatized teenagers. When they meet up again as adults, they’re faced with the question of whether or not they are capable of functioning relationship as healed grown-ups. It’s such a powerful conversation and not one you see very often in the romance genre.

I liked both of these books because of how real they felt. A lot of times romance can just feel like mostly silly make believe–and to be clear I also love that when I need it! But as someone who’s hoping to get back into my love of literary fiction. Or, as one friend put it, Sad Bastard Fiction, this was a good first step in that direction.

Now, the book it broke my heart to DNF. This is definitely an It’s Not You, It’s Me situation.

Ever since I started thinking about what I’d read after I sold the store and could read backlist titles again, I’ve been wanting to read Still Life by Louise Penny. She was the author that everyone wanted at the used bookstore and the author that no one ever sold us. She’s so beloved that everyone who buys her books keep them forever and ever–at least that’s how it goes in our town.

So many people whose literature tastes’ mirror my own have gushed to me about Louise Penny. So I went to the library and grabbed the first book in the Inspector Gamache series. I love a small town murder mystery! I love getting to know everyone who lives in the town. And I really loved these characters, too. But it just took me two weeks of regular reading to get even to the half-way mark. I think my brain just isn’t ready for something this beautifully written if I’m being honest. I’ll try to pick it up again next year and I think I’ll love it at that point.

That’s the thing about books–even if they’re not for you right now, it doesn’t mean they’ll never be for you.

What I Read in January 2024

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This year I decided that the reading challenge that I would set for myself would be… no challenge. Life is challenging enough, I absolutely will not be engaging in “challenge” for fun in 2024 and that’s my one resolution.

Anyway! Here’s everything I read this month (all five stars in my book). Reminder, any purchases made from the links on this page go to support our bookstore, Twice Told Tales in McPherson KS!

Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
Download the audiobook here.
Get the hardcover here or stop in to Twice Told Tales

This book took me back to my college days—in a really good way. Early adulthood is such a special time of life where we are stressing about the decisions that we need to make that will affect us for the rest of our lives—but sometimes it’s the decisions we don’t know we’re even making that stick with us the longest.

This story primarily takes place in a dorm on the University of Arkansas campus where Millie is an RA. We get to know Millie and the students who live on her floor—particularly a group of suite-mates who live next door to her.

I really like Kiley Reid’s storytelling style (if you read her last book, Such a Fun Age, you know what I’m talking about) and the way that this book got me thinking about who I was when I was younger.

Family Family by Laurie Frankel
Download the audiobook here.
Buy the hardcover here or stop into Twice Told Tales.

I have loved every single one of Laurie Frankel’s books that I’ve read. In that way that when you finish the last page, you close the book and hug it to your chest. The same way I feel when I finish a Barbara Kingsolver book. The families in Laurie Frankel’s stories are so real. And sometimes when people use words like “honest” and “real” when they’re talking about books they mean “trauma filled” and “mean”. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. There’s trauma in this book in the same way that there’s no family out there that hasn’t experienced it–but what makes it honest is the way that Frankel shows her characters putting one foot in front of another to get through it and when you’re trying your best sometimes you fuck up in such a stupid way and on your very best day you’re able to laugh about it.

In this book, India is a famous actor who has two kids and just put out a movie about adoption. This movie focuses on the traumas of adoption and, as can be expected, the public isn’t wild about it. So when she’s asked for a comment, she’s honest that she thinks her movie missed the mark. Now the studios are mad at her, people on the internet are mad at her (because people on the internet are always mad). Her past life is becoming very public very fast and as she’s trying to mitigate this disaster her family gets even more complicated. We get to see India and her two kids juggle a public life, a private life, a past life, and what’s coming tomorrow all against the backdrop of “crisis mode”. In my opinion, they all flail their way through it with grit and grace and colossal fuckups.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Listen to the audiobook here.
Get the hardcover here or at Twice Told Tales.

This is the second book by Alex Michaelides that I’ve read and I’m starting to sense that writing from an unreliable narrator’s perspective is his sweet spot. Though I’m still not 100% sure that this narrator was unreliable. It’s been a week and I’m still thinking about this book.

It’s a quick mystery taking place on a tiny, private Greek island. A former movie star (big time–like, Marilyn Monroe but in 2024) grabs her friends and family and whisks them off to her island for an impromptu weekend away. Someone dies. That’s literally all I can tell you.

I love the locked-room, Agatha Christie vibes of this story. I also just realized that I read two books about movie stars this month.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
Listen to the audiobook here.
Order the book here or stop in to Twice Told Tales next week to pick it up on Pub Day.

I have been so excited to write about how much I loved this book. I’ll try not to spoil anything.

Ricki Wilde has extricated herself from her very rich, very controlling family in Atlanta and has moved to Harlem to open her dream floral shop. She found the perfect spot in a building that hasn’t been touched since the 1920’s–the height of the Harlem Renaissance. She meets a very sexy stranger and for reasons she can’t understand she is drawn to him like a magnet.

Now, I love a romance because sometimes I just want a predictable fluffy book to read. That’s not what this is! It’s sweet but it’s got some salt too and I didn’t find it predictable in that genre-reading kind of way. In general I had no idea where we were going with this book and I loved that. While most of this book takes place in 2024 (February of 2024 to be exact–the leap day plays a part in this story!), there are some flashbacks to the Harlem Renaissance so we get to catch glimpses of folks like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Josaphine Baker, etc. This book was excellent. And now I’m going to be on the hunt for Seven Days in June and every other book that Tia Williams will ever write.