Kiss, Marry or Kill: My 5-star book roundup of 2024

I read a LOT in 2024 (magic, fantasy, time travel, and more!) Here are my 5-star reads; trilogies and duologies that slapped; and books I'd sell my soul to read for the first time again.

I read a lot of books every year in general, but 2024 offered me extra opportunities. Our trip to South Africa in March had very long flights and plenty of down time. The New Whole30 book tour in August also had a lot of travel and hotel time. (I usually don’t work on planes; I just read and watch movies.) I also had a week of down time post-foot surgery in November. It might have been a record-breaking year for books completed—but I don’t bother keeping track.

Not all of them were bangers, of course. A few earned a DNF, a few I finished but said “meh,” and a few were four-star, but four stars won’t make this list. Here are all of the truly five-star-I’d-recommend-these-to-anyone books I read in 2024, with a few special call-outs.

Five star reads

These were the best of the best, the five-plus stars, the ones I couldn’t put down. I ruthlessly edited this down; there were four or five I originally listed, but didn’t make the final cut. That’s how you know these are good. (In no particular order.)

The Wedding People by Alison Espach: Damn, did I devour this book. The writing is crisp, the storyline serious and humorous (TW: suicide), the characters so richly portrayed they jumped off the page. I’m not sure I’ve admired nor rooted for a protagonist as much as Phoebe. Darkly delightful!

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs: If I could give this 5-1/2 stars, I would! It’s magic plus mystery plus twists you’ll never see coming. I saw another reviewer describe it as “tender” and that honestly fits the bill, especially with respect to the sweet child at the center of the story.