2024 on Goodreads

Random thoughts about some of the 217 books I read in 2024:Author who never lets me down: [a:K.J. Charles 7123498 K.J. Charles https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418032373p2/7123498.jpg] - 5* for both [b:Death in the Spires 209563735 Death in the Spires K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1709747722l/209563735.SY75.jpg 215764805] and [b:The Duke at Hazard 208918808 The Duke at Hazard (Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune, #2) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1716812575l/208918808.SY75.jpg 215054826]. I have 41 KJC titles on my GR bookshelves (includes novellas and shorts) and every one of them are 4* or 5*. Diminutive grumpy magicians, neurodiverse boardinghouse keepers, nonbinary aerialists, horny henchmen, reclusive waste-men, intellectual radical doms - they all find their HEAs/HFNs, usually with the most inappropriate possible partners.Favorite author recommended by my millennial daughter: [a:Hanif Abdurraqib 14133519 Hanif Abdurraqib https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1567950898p2/14133519.jpg]. In 2024 I read [b:There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension 181346634 There's Always This Year On Basketball and Ascension Hanif Abdurraqib https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1691597828l/181346634.SY75.jpg 89651527] and [b:Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest 41864516 Go Ahead in the Rain Notes to A Tribe Called Quest (American Music Series) Hanif Abdurraqib https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541340690l/41864516.SX50.jpg 65354601]. I know just a little about basketball and nothing at all about ATCQ, but Abdurraqib's books are always about so much more than their titles indicate. Five star book that I loved, bought my own after reading library copy, and will probably never read again: [b:In Memoriam 59948520 In Memoriam Alice Winn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1670866445l/59948520.SX50.jpg 91373743]. British boarding school mates secretly pining for each other lose their innocence and most of their classmates in World War I. Novel I enjoyed the most and that also made me so glad I'm retired: [b:I Hope This Finds You Well 200987323 I Hope This Finds You Well Natalie Sue https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1729545169l/200987323.SY75.jpg 97838131]. Corporate bullshit, Human Resource nightmares, office politics and a rather inappropriate romance.2024 Goodreads Choice winner that I agree with the most: [b:The Wedding People 198902277 The Wedding People Alison Espach https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1721918653l/198902277.SY75.jpg 183467489]. Romance novel by way of lit-fic. High degree of difficulty, but Alison Espach sticks the landing. Goodreads Choice nominee whose appeal completely eludes me: [a:Freida McFadden 7244758 Freida McFadden https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1701487498p2/7244758.jpg]. 2* for [b:The Housemaid 60556912 The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1) Freida McFadden https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646534743l/60556912.SY75.jpg 95443525] (and the second star is mostly due to peer pressure).Favorite romance novel: [b:You Should Be So Lucky 196774347 You Should Be So Lucky Cat Sebastian https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1706544152l/196774347.SY75.jpg 199054639]. Mid-century New York City, baseball, opposites attract, moving past acute grief and just the right number of cameos from the MCs of 2023's fave [b:We Could Be So Good 62365905 We Could Be So Good Cat Sebastian https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1674685755l/62365905.SX50.jpg 95573575].Novel I am obviously not cool enough to appreciate: [b:The Husbands 193781998 The Husbands Holly Gramazio https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1713373397l/193781998.SY75.jpg 196483457]. Made several “best of” lists but just made me sad. Needs a warning label for prospective romance readers. Magical Realism is my jam: [b:The Book of Love 157981682 The Book of Love Kelly Link https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1695356776l/157981682.SY75.jpg 93202872] and [b:When the World Tips Over 203820262 When the World Tips Over Jandy Nelson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1709850279l/203820262.SY75.jpg 42254506]. YA and formerly-YA authors FTW. Nonfiction book that made me despair of my country's future the most: [b:The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism 112975131 The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism Tim Alberta https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1684205034l/112975131.SY75.jpg 135509243]. Read this insider's look at Evangelical Christian politics in May, when there was still some hope. Not sure I could get past the first chapter now. Nonfiction book that made me feel a little better: [b:How to Read a Book 62365896 How to Read a Book Monica Wood https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1668464017l/62365896.SX50.jpg 95204458]. This is assuming that bookstores continue to exist in the coming horrorscape. Favorite memoir: [b:An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s 196585876 An Unfinished Love Story A Personal History of the 1960s Doris Kearns Goodwin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1695416963l/196585876.SY75.jpg 198799915] (sentimental); [b:Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk 78130090 Rebel Girl My Life as a Feminist Punk Kathleen Hanna https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1691044450l/78130090.SY75.jpg 103344774] (non-sentimental)2025 book I am most looking forward to devour in one sitting: [b:Hemlock & Silver 217388302 Hemlock & Silver T. Kingfisher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1733949453l/217388302.SY75.jpg 223888430] by the singular [a:T. Kingfisher 7367300 T. Kingfisher https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1642281799p2/7367300.jpg].