I read a lot of books in 2024, and I ended up really enjoying quite a big chunk of them. I was more inclined toward romance, historical fiction, and fantasy romance (romantasy) genre this year. I did end up reading a lot of fantasy books and enjoyed most of them. I explored many new authors from genres I hadn’t before. Overall, it was good reading year for me. These are a few of my favorite books of the year 2024.
Blood of the Fae Series by Briar Boleyn.
Blood of the Fae Series by Briar Boleyn is a fantasy romance book series with an Arthurian retelling. I was extremely surprised by the first book, Queen of Roses, because I was not sure what to expect. It hooked me from the start. I loved the second book, Court of Claws, even more with its political intrigue and the romance between Morgan and Draven finally paying off. The third and final books, Empress of Fae and Knight of the Goddess completed the story in a satisfying way. This romantasy series is very engaging. It has interesting characters, romance, fantasy, action, and even adventure done well. I simply enjoyed this series.
Stolen Heir by Sophia Lark is the second book of her Brutal Birthright Series, which I read as a standalone. This dark romance book surpassed any expectations I had for it. It had amazing characters in Mikolaj Wilk and Nessa Griffin. The mafia romance had Beauty and the Beast vibes, which I really liked. The romance between Miko and Nessa was beautifully done; it was intense, spicy, and sweet at the same time. Miko’s character arc was so interesting with where he starts from and how things change for him. I couldn’t keep the book down until I had to do it to eat and sleep. I loved reading this book.
Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven.
Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven is such an amazing YA book. The story follows two high schoolers, Jack and Libby. This story is anything but typical YA because of its characters. Jack and Libby build their friendship and trust in such an organic way. Although the story has romance, which is really cute, but it focuses more on accepting yourself. Libby has to deal with her past and learn to accept and love the person she has become. Jack has to find a way to stop pretending and accept himself and what his future will look like. Both these characters’ arcs were so well done. The book was an emotional rollercoaster.
The Baker’s Secret by Lelita Baldock.
The Baker’s Secret by Lelita Baldock is a historical fiction novel. The story follows two timelines parallelly; one is set in Latvia during World War II, and the other is set in Australia in 2018. The part of the story set in Latvia follows two sisters as they have to live under Soviet and then, the Nazi occupation. I like reading historical fiction books, but the setting of this story intrigued me from the beginning. This story is completely character-driven as it shows the effects of war on civilians and their struggle to fight back and survive. It kept me engaged from start to finish.
The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood.
The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood is a historical fiction book. The story follows two timelines; one is set in Vienna before World War II began and the other in 2022. Lacey finds a letter with a royal seal and sets out to find out more about her ancestor, her great-aunt. This journey leads her to a rediscovery of herself as well as to learn the story of Sophie Klein. I loved how the story unfolded with a young Sophie being forced to become a spy so she could leave Austria. Her quest to find her sister and protect the interest of a country that sheltered her. I enjoyed reading this story even though, it gets heavy at some points, it is well written.
The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori.
The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori is a dark romance novel. This mafia romance follows the story of Nicolas and Elena. These two characters start almost as enemies but the attraction between them doesn’t keep them away for long. I loved the spicy and forbidden aspects of their romance. I was a little unsure of Nico’s character in the beginning, but he ends up growing on you. Elena and Nico’s backstories made perfect sense in the way they are in the present. They kind of match each other perfectly. I love their romance and chemistry from start to finish. It is one of my favorite romance books of recent times.
Twisted Series by Ana Huang.
All four books of the Twisted Series by Ana Huang – Twisted Love, Twisted Games, Twisted Hate, and Twisted Lies were really interesting romance books. All the male and female protagonists of these stories held my interest, and their romances were different, but they were enjoyable. I am partial to Twisted Games because I loved the princess and the bodyguard trope. The story also didn’t go as I expected it which I loved. Rhys and Bridget’s characters have a slow burn and forbidden romance that plays out well. I loved reading all four books, and I am glad I waited for the hype to die down a little before I dived into them.
Reign of Cinders and Glass by Linsey Hall and Veronika Douglas.
Reign of Cinders and Glass by Linsey Hall and Veronika Douglas is a romance fantasy (romantasy) novel. This book is a retelling of Cinderella with vampires and magic. I loved reading this book. Ella ends up in the vampire palace to look for her sister and catches the eye of Prince Cassius. This book had magic and fantasy elements while keeping most of the Cinderella story we know intact. I love how Ella discovers her power, and Cassius is more than he seems. Their romance had a slow build but the tension between them kept me engaged. I loved reading this book and was so surprised by it.
The honorable mentions for this list are – Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean, a historical romance I really loved reading and Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, a tragic romance that I didn’t expect would end the way it did. 2024 turned out to be good reading year for me.
*Click on the book covers above to get a copy.
Books and blues 