I can’t believe we’re already so far into 2024. My reading goal for the year is 30 books but I might have to up that based on how fast I’m reading this year (15 books down at the time of writing). I know putting things in quarters is super business-y, but I thought it would be a good way to break down the year so far.
First, an ode to StoryGraph
One thing that I’d like to highlight about this year’s reading so far is that I’ve started to use StoryGraph a lot more compared to Goodreads. I started to use StoryGraph originally last year for a buddy read I did, but I found that the tracking was just so much more comprehensive than Goodreads. I’m not only able to track the books that I’ve read, but also the pages, adding custom tags, genres, and just see breakdowns that I would have to do manually myself. All in all, I would totally recommend StoryGraph if you’re looking for the level of stats on your reading like I am.
The Cream of the Crop – Five Stars
OK let’s move into my favourite books of the year (so far). I’ll start off with the 5 stars as clearly those ones have been my most favourite so far. The first one is Bride by Ali Hazelwood. This book I was pretty sure I would love, and I was totally right. With this being her first paranormal romance (and really my first as a reader), I didn’t know what to expect. I found it engaging, the characters likeable, and the plot interesting. I can’t wait to read more in this series (cause it definitely set it up for a sequel).
I rated five stars to House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas. This is the third instalment of the Crescent City book series. It’s no surprise if you follow me that I am a huge fan and really enjoy her books. I know a lot of people had their qualms with this one which I totally respect and agree in some aspects, but this was still a five star read for me. I found it gripping and I liked where the characters went, including the crossover between her other series. I know some people say that Crescent City is one of Sarah J Maas’ weakest series, but to be honest it’s one of my favorites. I’m looking forward to her new ACOTAR book that’s coming out soon and I’m currently finishing off the Throne of Glass series slowly.
The last book I rated five stars (so far) is Denison Avenue by Christina Wong. This one I saw on CBC‘s Canada Reads competition where they have people champion books that they feel the entirety of Canada should read. Based on what I had heard on the show, I was super interested in just the concept and the multimedia nature of it with both the detailed line drawings, and the story itself. I have to say that this book was extremely personal to me and that I could see my family represented so clearly (scarily so). The five stars might be a personal choice for me for sure, but I do think it’s still worth a read as difficult as it can be at points
Still High, But Not The Highest – 4.5 and 4 Stars
I’ll go on to the books that I rated 4 and 4.5 stars. The first 4.5 stars that I have is Tell Me Everything by Minka Kelly. I listened to this one as an audiobook. I found it really captivating, and just hearing her narrate her own story was both heartbreaking and powerful.
Another 4.5 star read, Shut Up You’re Pretty by Tea Mutonji, also featured on Canada Reads. This features short stories related to the main character’s struggles within her world set in Scarborough. The writing really kept me hooked and I liked how the short stories jumped around. It definitely emulated the feeling of being lost and the need for survival.
One of the most recent books that I finished was The Space Between Here and Now by Sarah Suk this one actually really surprised me by how much I liked it. This is toted as a YA, but I do think this transcends genres. It’s a time travelling book with the main character, Aimee, who is struggling with a disorder that takes her back to memories. There’s a mystery aspect and a couple twists thrown in there too. I just found the writing really engaging and you could really feel for the character and support her.
The four star book which I also finished quite recently was Have You Seen Her by Catherine McKenzie. I picked this up in Montreal on a work trip and it intrigued me seeing that Catherine McKenzie is from Montreal and this book was picked up by the Montreal Mystery Festival. This was a very fast paced thriller that I got through super easily and was kept super engaged throughout. It was everything that I was looking for in a thriller and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
And those are my favourite books of the year (so far). I definitely think I’m quite liberal in my ratings. I either really like a book or it’s just OK. I have a feeling that I’ll be continuing to have higher rated books throughout the year and I can’t wait to see what will be next. Have you read any of these books? Thanks so much for reading. Have a great day!
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