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Hey friends!
What a reading 2024 was! I read 173 books. My longest was City of God by St. Augustin (didn't like) and I somehow ended up in the top 1% of Goodreads readers and reviewers. I'm not sure how. If you want to see all my stats on Goodreads, You can check them out HERE.
Now, to THE LIST.
As usual, I'll work up to my number one pick of the year. This year, I have an honorable mention.
This book, Inheritance of Tears, is honestly hard to share. My husband and I have gone through three miscarriages, including one at the beginning of 2024. In October of 2024, I was hit with a wave of grief over the losses and I picked up this book my dear friend, J. Grace Pennington, had sent me. I found this book helpful. It was so rich in mercy and good theology, that it helped root out some wrong ways of thinking that had slipped in without me knowing.
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I kept grinning all through reading this book. It was just so...whimsical. It reminded me why I love reading so much. I had never read Steampunk books, they always sounded weird, but this book made me think I might just enjoy one on occasion. This was grounded in real places and history, yet with a touch of the whimsical. I adored the retelling of the Nutcracker (trying a sweet from each country? Brilliant!) The message was wonderful as well. Honestly, I can't wait to read more from this author as well as reread this book.
Follow the author on Instagram HERE
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I discovered Joanna Davison Politano a couple of years ago and binge-read all her books. I had this book on preorder. I was nervous because early reviews were mixed. As you can tell. I ended up loving this book. It talked about the importance of stories and loving people where they are. It also was such a good reminder of how God uses hard things in our lives.
Follow the author on Instagram HERE
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Amy Lynn Green has been one of my top favorite authors since her debut novel, Things We Didn't Say. This book was another amazing book by this author. I loved the eclectic cast of characters (found family, anyone?) and the peek into a very different aspect of the war. I think one of the things I appreciate most about Green's books is that she deals well with average family problems in a godly way. I cannot wait until her next book.
Follow the author on Instagram HERE
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The author of Votes for Sophie has been a friend for years. I had no idea she was going to publish this until it arrived in the mail. This collection of stories is set in spring and my husband and I read them together. I loved how these stories were in the same village in England, spanning centuries. It was such a fun experience and I cannot wait to read all the other books!
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This might be an odd one to be on here. This is a series of academic lectures by a woman whose book on singleness was my absolute favorite. I feel like I learned so much that made me appreciate this book of the Bible even more as well as gave me a lot to think about.
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If you had told me this book would make my top ten a few months ago, I would have rolled my eyes and thought you didn't know me. I don't read much fantasy, much less fantasy retellings. However, I love Tebo's Instagram account (her stories often have some of the most fascinating information) and she got me to read Bewolf. So, I decided to try to read her retelling. God used the story to bolster me at a time when I was discouraged and just tired of fighting the good fight. I cried while reading one scene, and I don't actually cry while reading so that was big.
Follow the author on Instagram HERE
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Sometimes, I put books here because they impacted me enough I can't not put them here. This is one of those. This book is a good reminder of living a Titus 2 life. It pushed me to finally reach out to find a mentor. It has reaped huge benefits in my life to have Beth in my life, meeting regularly. She listens and asks me questions and reminds me of God's truth. I wouldn't have reached out if I hadn't been convicted by this book.
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You know how I just said Beth, my mentor, has been a blessing in my life? Well, she gave me this book. It's a book about dealing with overthinking. I found it very helpful in turning my mind toward God. I needed the reminder to keep fighting the battle of the mind.
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Sara Brunsvold does it again, clinching the number two spot on this list for the second year in a row. This was my favorite fiction book of the year. It was a story not only that was beautiful and deep, but also exactly what I needed. I loved the realistic family history - the joys and tragedies of life, all shown in the light of strong everyday faith.
This book is beautiful and healing. If you haven't read it, hop to it.
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Isn't it odd for a devotional to rank number one? But this devotional, which my husband and I read every day leading up to Easter, impacted me. It reminded me of how amazing our Savior really is. Some of the concepts stuck with me and the impact has stayed with me. I plan to reread it next year. Perhaps this wasn't the most mind-blowing book, but it was the most mind-shaping book I read.
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