My Year-End Favorite Book List – 2024

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I finished this book on January 2, 2024, and knew immediately it would be on this list in December. It’s sweet, tragic, honest, quirky, and moving. (Lots of language, some rough plot points.)

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley. Written in 1917, a true book-lover’s book, charming and delightful. The author is male, and the narrator is a woman with a very strong personality for her time. That combination is always interesting to me, and Morley does it well. (Read my more detailed review here.)

The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George. I loved this 900+ page book, and my full review is here. Very much rated R for adult content because, you know, it’s Henry VIII.

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. Magical realism is normally not my genre, but this was so beautifully written I sometimes gasped at the loveliness of the language. Premise: some people have a mutation that makes them turn into animals. A totally unique book, a very secular approach to big topics (if that bothers you, you might not like it), but some profound thoughts on letting go, trusting and loving, and human relationships.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. I loved this mystery inspired by the life of Martha Ballard (read her true story in A Midwife’s Tale). Lots of details on New England midwifery in the late 1700s, plus an invented mystery story that Martha solves. Also a ten-page Author’s Note from this very personable author explaining her research and the choices she made.

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor. Not that Elizabeth Taylor, but still a popular writer in 1971. Such a charming, lovely book about getting and being old. Unsentimental, funny, a bit dated, but timelessly poignant.

Dracula by Bram Stoker. I really enjoyed my reread of this 1897 book and had forgotten its many Christian themes. I found his portrayal of women (Lucy, Mina, and the three vampires) especially interesting; it’s always fascinating to see men’s perceptions of women and how those perceptions change and yet stay the same throughout time.

The Storied Life: Christian Writing as Art and Worship by Jared C. Wilson. A great resource and encouragement for Christians who write or want to write, whether fiction or nonfiction. Wilson is witty, reflective, and wise. He gives a good list of suggested readings, too.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff. Such a great reread—another book-lover’s book, funny and poignant. Also, if I remember correctly, a really good movie. (Read my more detailed review here.)

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. If there could be a Book of the Year regarding Gen Z/Gen Alpha, this would be it. Read my full review here. (Runner up: Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier, which I also enjoyed this year.)

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green. This author is mostly known for his fiction (The Fault in Our Stars) but I like him better as a writer of essays and memoir. At first I didn’t care for the self-consciously clever, ironic tone, but then he redeemed himself in an essay on the Indy 500: “It’s been my experience that almost everything easy to mock turns out to be interesting if you pay closer attention.” That’s a mature self-observation, and the world would be a much kinder place if this truth were appreciated more often.

Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults by James T. Webb, PhD et al. Growing up gifted, parenting a gifted child, or being a gifted adult is a challenge, and this 2005 book explains clearly why that is, and why misdiagnosis is so common. “Our goal for parents, health care professionals, educators, and others is that when they see certain behaviors as normal for gifted individuals, they will ‘reframe’ the problem behaviors in ways that will allow them to more appropriately guide and shape these behaviors, rather than to label them with a diagnosis that results in treating the behaviors to extinguish them.” This is a hugely helpful book for any adult who is gifted or who has a gifted child. (See my Not Neurotypical: A Love Story post for an excellent Venn diagram and some other information on 2e, or twice exceptional, individuals.)

Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms by Tim Challies. This book is a mere 124 pages long but is packed with encouragement, exhortation, and downright fascinating stories about eleven famous Christian men and their mothers. It also has excellent, relevant reflections and questions for each chapter (written by women, I assume mothers). This book isn’t just for moms of sons; it’s for moms in general. Read my full review here.

Project Hail Mary by Andrew Weir is fun, original, and well written, with a perfect ending. Not nearly as scientifically heavy as The Martian, his first book. Every single person I’ve recommended it to has loved it.

Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge, written in 1944, is great historical fiction. I love the author’s wit (I’ve laughed out loud several times), the mid-1800s Channel Islands setting, and Goudge’s insight into human nature throughout all of life’s stages. (Original title: Green Dolphin Country)