my favorite 2024 books so far
it was going to be my top ten, but there's thirteen ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
before I get into it, a note that this month’s story is live on Interstellar Flight Press: Sorry Not Sorry by Vivian Chou
in general, i either read books months before they come out and am sad because i have no one to talk to about them, or i read books years after they came out and am sad because everyone has moved on from talking about them. sometimes when i really love a book, and it’s a book i read months before it came out, i read it again right around release and get to feel like part of the zeitgeist. that’s fun when i manage it. (it’s been about twice.)
anyway. here are some of the books that came out in the first half of 2024 and which i read at some point. at the bottom i will also list some books i read in the first half of the year that came out before then, and maybe mention a few books that are or will be out in the second half of the year, which i’ve already read and loved.
whew, that was a lot of words. i guess i got used to writing unnecessarily long intros when i wrote for a website that was run by editors who seemed to be trying to turn it into a content farm ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
anyway, here’s some nice books in alphabetical order:
At First Spite by Olivia Dade—this book manages to have a scene where one character bathes another who is too depressed to do it herself and a scene where one character tortures the other with monsterfucking audiobooks played at high volumes.
At Her Service by Amy Spalding—Amy writes the kind of romcoms where you are affectionately furious at the characters for behaving so much like real people.
Desperately Seeking Something by Susan Seidelman—I love filmmaker memoirs and I love the movie Desperately Seeking Susan a truly abnormal amount, so this was a no-brainer for me.
The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond—a really fun heist novel, with magic and a very good dog. (please note that while there is a second-chance romance in this book, it’s like a c-plot!)
Funny Story by Emily Henry—this isn’t my favorite EmHen novel (that will probably always be Book Lovers), but it might be her most well-crafted book yet.
Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings—I honestly did not expect to like this one, but it’s so charming and these lesbians are such disasters!
Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni—these lesbians aren’t disasters, but their families are enemies so they make some choices that could be interpreted as disasters.
Looking for a Sign by Susie Dumond—more! disaster! lesbians! (please note that about half the characters i am referring to as lesbians are actually other flavors of queer, but are in f/f books.)
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston—what if you ended up in the town that’s the fictional setting of your favorite unfinished romance series, and you had to figure out what was wrong?
One Last Summer by Kate Spencer—this book reminds me of the movie Indian Summer in the best possible way, but with a charming second-chance romance at the center.
Pieces of a Girl by Stephanie Kuehnert—this YA memoir is written as a nineties DIY zine and it’s brilliant. I know Steph and am totally biased, but I’m also right.
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan—you know how sometimes you just root for a character to do well, to be happy, to get past whatever’s in her way and get everything she wants? yeah.
You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian—would you like to weep about cherries and getting up to walk a dog as a love language and waitresses who know your regular order and also late night payphone calls? HAVE I GOT THE BOOK FOR YOU.
i also enjoyed: The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn, Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun, and The Chemistry of Familiar Objects by Alexandra Vasti (free to her newsletter subscribers).
and in backlist, i adored The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe (a rec from my agent on our initial call, which is definitely no more than 90% of the reason i chose her), Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill, and Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan.
looking forward to the second half of the year, so far i have read these:
Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti (out now)—regency romcom, absolutely delicious, with a fast-moving plot and a ton of sexytimes.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (August 6)—this book made me weep about the meaning of love, okay?
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava (August 6)—a main character who is a compulsive liar might be a hard sell, but this book is so deliciously voice-y that even as you cringe at the lies Ember buries herself under, you will not be able to do anything but keep reading.
My Kind of Trouble by L.A. Schwartz (October 8)—y’all, it’s The Music Man if the con artist was a fat woman with a grudge and the librarian was an autistic man with a little sister, trying to fend off book-banning parents.
Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn (October 15)—I have so much love for books about stepfamilies, and this one is about building one.
For One Night Only by Jessica James (January 7, 2025)—between this book and The Pairing, I am finally sold on first-person dual POV.
and I’m really excited about The Earl Who Isn’t by Courtney Milan (out now) (Amazon affiliate link), which I’ve purchased but not yet read.
…maybe i should have a premium version of this newsletter where i tell you about the books i read and hated. (i will not do this.) (unless…???)
book links go to bookshop.org, and i get a commission on any sales via those links. movie links go to letterboxd.