2024 Year End Book Freak Out

Hello, hello and welcome to my end of the year book freak out. I have modified this tag from the mid-year freak out which was co-created by Ely @ Earl Grey Books and Chami @ Read Like Wildfire. I did the mid-year version way back in July, and you can see that one by clicking here.

Because I read a lot of books every year and I did the mid-year freak out, this post will only cover books I read from July to December. I am including stats for the whole year though. I will also include my three favorite books of the year at the end of the post. Enjoy!

How much have I read this year?

Other interesting stats from the full year:

I read:

61 ARCs

62 audiobooks

12 nonfiction books

8 debuts (although this might be a low count. I’m not very good about keeping track of this one)

---

Best book (July – December)

This was a pretty hard choice from all of the books I read the second half of the year, but I finally settled on these three.

The Most wonderful Crime of the Year was a very recent find and I am so thankful I found it.

The Black Loch is possibly the last book ever from this author which made me sad, but loved the book nevertheless.

Unruly was a fun nonfiction audiobook read by the author. I learned quite a bit about England’s early history.

---

Best Sequel (July – December)

Apprentice to the Villain was a great follow up to one of my favorites from last year.

How to Steal a Galaxy was a great second book in this novella trilogy.

An Instruction in Shadow was a wonderful second book in this underrated urban fantasy series.

---

New Releases I haven’t read yet

According to Goodreads I have 33 books that were published this year that I wanted to read but didn’t get around to. That isn’t too bad I guess. It was hard to choose just three out of those though, but I think these might be at the top of my list right now. I picked these three from books published in the second half of the year.

I actually own Heir now and I hope to read it sometime in the first half of the new year.

Alibi just came out in November. It is a science fiction mystery with teleportation at the center of the story.

Warrior of Legend is the second book in the Heromaker series. I liked the first book and hope to get to this one in the next month or two.

---

Most anticipated release for the first half of 2025?

So Many to choose from! I have right now 27 books on my 2025 TBR that I really want to read, but I think these three are at the top of the list.

Holmes is Missing is the second book in this series. I requested an ARC way back at the start of the month, but alas have not received it yet. It comes out on January 6th.

The Ragpicker King is also a second book in a series. Loved the first and I’m very much looking forward to reading the sequel. This comes out in early March.

Last Chance to Save the World is the final book in this wonderful novella trilogy. It comes out in April.

---

Biggest disappointment of 2024 (July – December)

I don’t have more to say for this one. I have linked the titles to my reviews for the first two. The last one I just didn’t bother to review. It wasn’t necessarily bad, just not for me.

The Party Sweet Nightmare The Millicent Quibb School

---

Biggest surprise of 2024 (July – December)

Cozy fantasies don’t always work for me, but I just adored A Rival Most Vial. I am so happy that I get to read the next one in January.

Murder Your Employer was also a surprise how much I enjoyed it. It was funny and sweet and I loved the tips on how to murder someone.

Assassins Anonymous was also a bit of a surprise as to how much I liked it. There was a lot of fun action as well as witty dialogue.

---

Favorite new author of 2024 (July – December)

Kaliane Bradley: The Ministry of Time is a debut book that has received some very much deserved attention. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Rebecca Ross: Divine Rivals and the sequel were my first books by this author. I really enjoyed them and hope to pick up more of her books.

CG Drews: I have been following this author’s blog, Paper Fury, for year, but this is the first time I read one of her books. Don’t Let The Forest In was surprisingly good.

Newest Favorite Characters (July – December)

Selly, Leander, Jude and Keegen: The audiobook for The Heart of the World is what really endeared these characters to me. The narrators did a fabulous job bringing them to life.

Davith: Paladin’s Faith had some great characters, but for some reason I just loved Davith the best. He is a secondary character, but he always seemed to steal the show whenever he was on the page.

Sloane and Naomi: I just loved their do or die friendship. So Thirsty was such a great take on the vampire genre.

---

Underrated gems you discovered recently (July – December)

Remember Me Tomorrow was a very sweet YA romance with a little bit of clever time travel mixed in. I really enjoyed it and wish more people would read it.

Break to You is a very unconventional love story about two incarcerated teens. But it was lovely and sweet and well as heartbreaking.

Haunted Ever After has a much lower rating on Goodreads than I think it deserves. It was sweet and romantic and I loved the paranormal part of the story.

---

Books that made you happy (July – Decemeber)

The Prince and the Apocalypse was such a lot of fun. I loved the couple and their race to get home before the end of the world.

Everyone This Christmas has a Secret was a fun book to read on Christmas Day. Loved the mystery and the characters.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking was a little bit long, but otherwise made me happy while I was listening to it. Loved the warrior gingerbread men.

Book that made me cry

No books to report here again. I tend to not choose books that I know will make me cry, so I guess I’m not surprised. There is usually at least one book each year that makes me cry, but alas not this one.

My four Favorite books from the whole year 2024!

I just couldn’t narrow it down to less than four. Each of these books have a special place in my heart and I have been recommending them to anyone who will listen to me.

Listen For the Lie is still hands down the best audiobook I have ever listened to. Even if you don’t do audiobooks I highly recommend you give this one a try.

The Backyard Bird Chronicles was the best nonfiction book of the year. I still find myself picking it up and skimming through it to my favorite parts.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is the holiday book I have been talking about all week. Even though the holidays are over, I still recommend you read it.

Finally a cozy fantasy that I have just adored. A Rival Most Vial has great characters a wonderful setting and a romance that I really enjoyed.

---

How I did on my 2024 goals.

I only had one goal this year as far as my blog was concerned and that was to write more review. I think I did pretty good on this one. I don’t have a specific number, but I know I wrote a lot of them.

My only other goals were to just relax and enjoy my reading more, which I think I did ok on. Eliminating my Goodreads goal helped me relax a little bit, but I still feel a little bit stressed at times about getting all of the books I want to read done.

I completed all of my challenges this year as well. You can read about them by clicking here.

I will be posting my goals for 2025 tomorrow as well as what challenges I plan on participating in. Until then…

Happy Reading!