books I rated 5 stars in 2024
Happy New Year!
I read 59 books in 2024, and suffice to say, some were better than others. I wanted to give a roundup of my favorite reads of the year, with the disclaimer that my 5 stars reviews are very subjective. I base my reviews off of how much I enjoyed the book and how likely I am to want to re-read it, so if you disagree with any of these ratings, I kindly invite you to stuff it. <3
Without further ado, let’s begin with my number one favorite book of the year:
A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings - A chilling insight into a Christian fundamentalist household and the incredible story of how Levings escaped by the skin of her teeth. This memoir is so relevant as the U.S. only sinks further into theocracy. Levings also runs an incredible Substack called The Anti-Fundamentalist! I highly encourage you to check out her work.
Educated by Tara Westover - A similar theme to A Well-Trained Wife, Educated details Westover’s life growing up in a fundamentalist Mormon household with an erratic father. Westover’s family “homeschooled” their children, but really this meant teaching the boys how to take over their father’s business and teaching the girls how to run a household. It’s heartbreaking, riveting, and inspiring.
As someone who was homeschooled by conservative Christians, I’ve become morbidly fascinating with stories like Levings’ and Westover’s. I feel so grateful that my upbringing was never that extreme—especially with my parents recently joining a quasi-fundamentalist church—but also scared to think how close I came to leading such a regressive life.
The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack - This book accomplished something incredible—getting a gender studies major to understand astrophysics. Mack’s writing is so approachable, even though she’s writing about mind-boggling concepts. The End of Everything explores some of the potential ways the universe could end, and it will give you an existential crisis.
Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism by Kristen R. Ghodsee - The intersection of gender studies and socialist theory? Sign me the fuck up. This book is a beautifully researched exploration of how capitalism harms women and an argument in favor of a more socialized government system.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer - I was super late to the party on this one, but Braiding Sweetgrass blends memoir and science in a beautiful exploration of indigenous ecology. This is a cozy, comforting read that will also expand your understanding of nature.
Come Together by Emily Nagoski - Another banger from one of my favorite authors. Emily Nagoski is best known for her book Come As You Are, which focuses on female sexuality and becoming more attuned to yourself and your body. Come Together is a sequel of sorts that navigates creating and maintaining healthy sexual relationships. One of my favorite things about Nagoski’s books is how radically inclusive they are. There’s something for everyone in this book, no matter what your relationship dynamic looks like.
Funny Story by Emily Henry - Okay, finally we’re getting into some fiction. I’m not a huge romance reader, least of all straight romance, but I got SO hooked on Emily Henry’s books this summer. She always finds a way to a take an old trope and breathe new life into it, turning it into something entirely unexpected. Funny Story sparked my love affair with Henry’s writing. As someone who’s worked in a public library for over six years, I was skeptical reading a book centered around a librarian. People tend to romanticize the profession, blissfully unaware of the grittier parts of the job, but Henry clearly did her research, as evidenced by “Handsy Stanley.”
Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx - I wish I knew how to quit you.
Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler - I was SHOCKED to see how poorly this book was rated on Goodreads after I finished it, because I fully thought it deserved five stars. I was disappointed to see that many of the reviews criticized Tendler for her grievances with men, saying that the things she complained about were just normal parts of dating shitty, emotionally immature dudes. Read: I’ve been putting up with loser boyfriends all my life. Why can’t you do the same? The other common theme in reviews of Men Have Called Her Crazy was offense at the lack of J*hn M*laney. Tendler only passingly mentions her ex-husband in this memoir, and never by name. I speculate that this was probably for legal reasons. Remember just a couple years ago when Johnny Depp sued Amber Heard for defamation after she identified herself in an article as a victim of domestic abuse (without even naming Depp as her abuser!), and he won. I think if Tendler had gotten into the details of her relationship with her extremely famous ex-husband, she would be putting herself on the line for public flagellation at best, and legal liability at worst. All that to say, despite what the haters are may think, I strongly encourage you should give this book a shot.
I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt by Madeline Pendleton - Part memoir, part guide to navigating finances in this capitalist hellscape we call America. Pendleton alternates between details of her life and advice for everything from negotiating salary, to putting a down payment on a house. My favorite part of this book was learning how Pendleton has set up her clothing company, Tunnel Vision, to operate as equitably as possible with a four-day work week, unlimited PTO, and equal pay for every employee. It’s an incredible blueprint for imagining a better way to do work.
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer - Another beautiful book for building a better future. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, writes about what the world might look like if we lived in a gift economy, and how it would improve our relationships with both the planet and our fellow humans.
Let this Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba - An essential read for anyone in political organizing spaces, this book talks about how to build better movements that are rooted in reciprocity and community care.
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen - Every once in a while, I need to escape into a middle-grade graphic novel to feel like a kid again. Anzu and the Realm of Darkness is a cozy story about a little girl who falls into the spirit realm. It’s full of suspense without being too stressful, plus it has the most beautiful illustrations!
The Skull by Jon Klassen - A cute kids book about a sentient skull, with imagery from one of my favorite children’s book illustrators (second only to Phoebe Wahl).
Honorable mentions:
The Antropocene Reviewed by John Green - Sneaking this one in here because while I did technically re-read it this year and rate is 5 stars, it’s my all-time favorite book and it didn’t feel fair to put it with the others.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty - This book gave me the heebie jeebies all the way through, but it was good exposure therapy for thinking about the reality of what happens to our bodies after we die.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot - A story that deserves much more attention. This book details the life of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cervical cells were taken without her permission to be used in medical research. Her cells proved to be incredibly valuable in advancing medical knowledge about cancer, HIV, vaccines for polio, flu, and covid, and so much more. Many medical institutions have profited off of Henrietta’s cells, but her family never received a penny. This book is about a tragic injustice and the importance of informed consent, but it also explores themes of family and spirituality.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown - I was NOT prepared for the amount of death in this middle-grade book, but I quickly understood that the circle of life/laws of nature was a major theme in this story. Some animals have to die for others to live, and I think this was a gentle way to introduce this topic to children. The Wild Robot was also made into a super cute movie earlier this year, and I cried pretty much from start to finish during it.
How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price - My phone is a soul-sucking machine that is turning my brain into sludge! But oh my god I can’t put it down!
If you want to keep up with my 2025 book reviews, you can follow me on Goodreads! Or if you’re more of a music person, you can check out my year in 10 songs on Spotify. You can also find me on Instagram, and Pinterest. Please consider supporting my work by becoming a paid subscriber, or leaving a tip. <3
such good recs! :)