I read so many good books this year! Maybe you’ve read these and maybe you haven’t, but here are my thoughts on my top 9 books of 2024. I would give all these books at least 5 stars…. Ok, well at least 4.9999999999…
Blood of Kings Trilogy by Jill Williamson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A slave boy taken on by a knight suddenly begins to hear strange voices in his head. The duchess’s daughter disguises as a boy to escape her marriage to the evil prince.
This is an action packed allegorical fantasy with themes of romance, coming of age, and doing what’s right.
One of my favorite books this year (obviously). I feel like this genre can be so cliched, but Jill Williamson made this book fresh. There is almost nothing I didn’t like about this book.
The Weeping Knight by Lauren Hildebrand ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What must I do to be cleansed?”
This is an allegory about a knight struggling with how to deal with his sin and be right before God. So beautifully done! The ending is the kind that makes your family wonder why you’re smiling.
Lines of Courage by Jennifer Nielsen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a historical fiction set during WWI and follows 5 teenagers of opposing countries as they learn the meaning of courage.
The uniqueness! The move from character to character was almost flawless. This is the kind of book with an “Aha!” moment around the corner every chapter.
Honey Butter by Millie Florence ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It all begins when Jamie is banished outdoors by her mother for fighting with her older sister and waking her baby brother.
This is a middle grade contemporary with themes of friendship and sistership. The sweetest sister book ever!
I read this book for free by signing up to Millie’s email list, and only a few weeks later, I bought two copies to share with my younger sister and my girl cousins. It was that good! This is a great family read-aloud, and also a good book to read with your younger (or older) sister.
The Ascendance Series by Jennifer Nielsen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The crown prince is dead, and once word of the murder spreads, war will break out in Carthya and the surrounding countries. One boy will be chosen to stop the devastating results. And that boy must pretend to be the crown prince for the rest of his life.
Jennifer Nielsen, through her unique main character, is literally the best at plot twists in this YA thriller fantasy. Sage is so unique and his humor and tricks keep the story unpredictable as it progresses. I’m just going to say, one of the twists blew my mind.
The Giver by Lois Lowry ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jonas lives in a perfect world…or does he?
This is a beautiful book filled with goodness, love, truth, and sacrifice. It’s the first YA dystopian I’ve read, and I loved it so much. Honestly, the first two sentences in this summary sum up what the book is.
Wars of the Realm by Chuck Black ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Drew Carter begins to see things others can’t after a science experiment gone wrong. Surrounded by angels and targeted by demons, he faces an impossible challenge–how to save his country without losing his soul.
This modern-day spiritual warfare series is so amazing and so eye-opening! The settings felt very realistic.
Chuck Black values portraying good as good and evil as evil, and he does that very well in this book. It reminds me of a quote…indeed, many of these books remind me of this quote: “There is some good in this world and it is worth fighting for.”
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lord of the Rings is priceless. Guess why I decided to quote Tolkien in the previous paragraph?
This year wasn’t the first year I read this book. I was first introduced to the Lord of the Rings when I watched The Fellowship of the Ring at my friend’s birthday party. I was confused about a lot of it and had lots of questions, but when I picked up the book, I was instantly a fan. I have an entire Google doc of LotR memes. (If you ask really politely, I may share a few)
Do Hard Things by Brett and Alex Harris ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A teenage rebellion against low expectations.
This book is a nonfiction that calls teens to take responsibility and rise up against the low expectations the world sets.
I have never been more inspired by a non-fiction book. (other than the Bible) I borrowed this book from a friend and later found my own copy. The Harris brothers are so inspiring because not only are they encouraging other teens to rebel against low expectations, they’re actually doing it themselves!
12 Editors Tackle 5 Major Flaws of Fiction by C.S. Lakin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I couldn’t complete my list without including at least one writing book in the mix. There are so many helpful tips in here! I think this is my favorite writing book. It’s especially helpful now that I’m in the editing stage of my novella.
If you haven’t read these, go check them out! What are your Top 9 books this year?