Last year I barely broke 20 finished books. By comparison I outdid myself in 2024. I didn’t make a specific goal for myself, but I did aim to fit more reading into my days. I consciously kept a book in my car or bag to have on me at (most) times, and I found myself reading a few pages here and there while waiting for appointments, enjoying sunshine in the yard, or perched at the kitchen counter while the family played, cooked, or fought around me. Those interstitial moments added up to dozens of books read.
JANUARY:
Tom Lake - Ann Patchett
5 stars
This is a book about mothers and daughters, memories and lovers, and pandemic times. I was all in. In my book (pun intended), Ann Patchett can do no wrong.
FEBRUARY:
Romantic Comedy - Curtis Sittenfeld
4 stars
This was my first Sittenfeld book and I loved it. Another COVID-era book and a great love story to lose yourself in.
Simplicity Parenting - Kim John Payne
4 stars
Payne is a parenting guru with a half a dozen books penned. A big takeaway for me was the focus on simplifying the family home. Reducing toys, clutter, and the overall amount of stuff in our home is something I have been meaning to tackle for ages.
MARCH:
Hello Beautiful - Ann Napolitano
5 stars
This was my favorite book of the year. You would think I would remember it in detail, but given that it was nine months ago, I really don’t. But I remember how it made me feel at the time, and how much I loved and related to the characters, particularly Sylvie. I felt a kinship to her. It also reminded me a lot of my mom and her four sisters and the deep sadness of sibling estrangement. This is one I would love to read again.
Spare - Prince Harry
4 stars
Last year I rated Spare at a 2.5, but I was way more invested once Meghan came on the scene. I felt for Meg and Haz deeply in regards to their battle with the paps and the antiquated family expectations. I can relate to being a bit of an outsider with the in-laws.
Quirky Kids: Understanding and Supporting Your Child With Developmental Differences - Perri Klass and Eileen Costello
4 stars
A great resource, recommended by a fellow ASD mom.
APRIL:
The Marriage Portrait - Maggie O’Farrell
4.5 stars
I read this on spring break, primarily on the airplane, while sitting between two kids - nothing could tear me away. It’s a fascinating historical fiction that had me ripping through the pages.
Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future - Ginny Yurich
4 stars
A quick and easy read (or listen) by the host of the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. I love her data and insights about why kids should be outside as much as they possibly can!
All The Bright Places - Jennifer Niven
4 stars
A YA book club pick that wasn’t at all what I expected. It’s about high school misfits, mental health and it’s very moving. You’ll be inspired to explore local points of interest with new appreciation. Also on Netflix.
The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life - Mike Rucker
3 stars
This one is simple: as a society we need to have more fun. There are plenty of ideas for making that possible in your own life. But the read wasn’t as fun as you’d think.
The Anxious Generation - Jonathan Haidt
4.5 stars
Probably one of the most talked-about books of the year, at least in the parenting realm. I am all in for Jonathan Haidt’s four norms about delaying smarts phones and social media. I feel lucky that my kids are still very young, and hope there will be a sea change in this direction before they are much older.
The Tortilla Curtain - T.C. Boyle
4.5 stars
Another vacation read, although this one is not light. It’s about class and race and privilege and the intersection of very different lives.
MAY:
Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
5 stars
I am obsessed with children’s lit great Kate DiCamillo. This was her first book, published when she was 36 (my age when I read it.) Color me inspired!
Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids - Mona Delahook
4.5 stars
A book from renowned child psychologist Delahook, focusing on nervous system support and connection over compliance ,was validating for me in how I approach my son’s behaviors. Will need a re-read soon.
Stollen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — and How to Think Deeply Again - Johann Hari
5 stars
I think about Hari’s thesis a LOT: we need to be the change we wish to see in the world when it comes to where we put our focus and where we let organizations lead us (which is away from our own goals and toward more money for them).
June:
Mad Honey - Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
5 stars
A heart-breaking read that is totally worth it. Apparently that’s kind of my genre.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - James Nestor
4.5 stars
This is probably one of the most life-changing books I read all year. I’ll give you a hot tip: breathe through your nose! If you do, good things will happen!
JULY:
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead - Brene Brown
5 stars
Nothing not to like about the infinite wisdom of Dr. Brené. It greatly inspired me to push past my fear and lean into vulnerability.
Solito: A Memoir - Javier Zamora
4 stars
A real life migrant saga by a boy who happened to end up in my home county and on the same soccer team as my brother. I highly recommend his unbelievable memoir.
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes - Jessica Pan
4.5 stars
I just thought about this title the other day and started giggling to myself. So apropos for an introvert like me. I was very inspired by the way author pushed herself out of her comfort zone over and over again doing things I couldn’t even fathom - Solo travel! Stand up comedy! Improv class! Oh my!
How To Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us about Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence - Michael Pollan
4 stars
This is the bible of the psychedelic trip and was a very helpful guide to prep myself and my husband for his medicinal retreat. Be warned, it is dense. The Netflix series of the same title an excellent alternative if you’re short(er) on time.
AUGUST:
Good Material - Dolly Alderton
4 stars
A very fun vacation read. Alderton has been likened to Nora Ephron in her writing about relationships - high praise!
Sandwich - Catherine Newman
5 stars
This is the book I didn’t even want to start because I knew I’d be so sad when it ended. (Spoiler: I was right.) The only negative is it’s way too short. But on the plus side, I can re-read it next summer!
I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jeanette McCurdy
4 stars
Child star McCurdy recounts in vivid detail the micromanaged childhood she experienced under her stage mom’s thumb.
Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love - John and Julie Gottman
3.5 stars
Haven’t finished this one but would love to follow the Gottman’s advice here and do these dates with my husband.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain
5 stars
The introvert’s bible!
SEPTEMBER:
The Wild and Free Family: Forging Your Own Path to a Life Full of Wonder, Adventure, and Connection - Ainsley Arment
3 stars
Always inspired by child-centric and outdoor-oriented homeschooling families.
The Life Impossible - Matt Haig
5 stars
A stunner from Matt Haig! I put this one on my short list of faves. An amazing reflection on the places life can take us, if only we’re open to following the breadcrumbs.
OCTOBER:
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures - Sabrina Imbler
4 stars
A stunning debut from Imbler. Their essays connect the natural world to their own personal and family stories, and the result is beautiful.
This is How Your Marriage Ends: A Hopeful Approach to Saving Relationships - Matthew Frey
5 stars
Frey puts into words a lot of what I have felt in my relationship but haven’t been able to express. I’m highly recommending (aka insisting) my husband read it too for its male POV.
NOVEMBER:
The Lions of Fifth Avenue - Fiona Davis
4.5 stars
I was really drawn to the storyline of a woman breaking away from her societal role and following her passion to write! Doesn’t hurt that she also gets to live in the iconic New York Public Library. (Grateful for the review that brought me to this book!)
The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
4 stars
It took me a LONG time to get though this book, not only because it’s 650 pages. (I got it for Christmas 2023!) But it was well worth it. I recommend paperback so you can bring it with. I had to leave mine at home for many trips because I didn’t want to lug it around! No doubt I would have finished much sooner if I’d packed it.
DECEMBER:
Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole - Susan Cain
4.5 stars
Another excellent read by Cain. Per her Bittersweet quiz, I score solidly the melancholy camp: I find sad songs to be elevating, I seek out beauty in the everyday, and poignant is a word that resonates with me.
Intermezzo - Sally Rooney
4 stars
This one also took me a long time to get through, but the ending won me over. I cried big time at the last scene, especially with mention of Christmas, as I was finished it on Christmas night 2024. Note to self: Don’t read multiple Irish books at the same time!
The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang
4 stars
A steamy romance that gave me fascinating insight into the internal world of the autistic protagonist, Stella Lane.
32 total (+ a few unfinished)
I have also read a good many of these. Lots of good suggestions!