I am an avid fiction reader, with reading being a firm part of my daily evening routine, helping my mind to wind down before sleeping. I love to read while on holiday too, using my Kindle for travels, and when I’m Bristol based I borrow library books (a library card is free!). I read non-fiction less often, as I find it harder to carve out time during the day for this, though I did finish and really enjoy The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair. It provides fascinating insights into the origins and history of colours and paints.

Rare Birds Book Shop, Edinburgh

I’ve collated my top ten book recommendations from 2024 in no particular order below, in the hope that you might find your next read or may be able to suggest mine! As for my preferred genres, I definitely enjoy historical fiction and novels that span across multiple generations and time periods, and of course well written books with relatable characters that have depth. I’m less interested in crime and horror, and rarely pick up a sci-fi or fantasy novel (though The Martian by Andy Weir is a great exception to this!).

Topping & Company Booksellers, Bath

So, out of the 42 books I read in 2024, here are the 10 books I’d recommend to a friend:

1. Still Life, Sarah Winman – a vibrant tale with some wonderful, eccentric characters, set amongst the contrasting backdrops of gritty London and sun-soaked Tuscany.
2. Tom Lake, Ann Patchett – a lovely read. I’m so glad I picked up another book by this author as I wasn’t sure about The Dutch House which is what I read first. I also enjoyed State of Wonder and Bel Canto.
3. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler – this book features an amazing twist that I didn’t see coming!
4. The Door-to-Door Bookstore, Carsten Henn – a sweet, heartwarming story of the friendship between a young girl and an elderly man.
5. The Phone Box at the Edge of the World, Laura Imai Messina, Lucy Rand – this novel tackles the difficult subject of grief in a beautiful, relatable and reassuring way. I loved how the chapters were interspersed with snippets and momentos of daily life.
6. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin – I enjoyed reading this popular one from the book charts, which is proof that you don’t need to be into video games to read and enjoy!
7. Engleby, Sebastian Faulks – I continue to be impressed by the breadth of genres, settings and topics that Faulks covers across his different books, which are all really well written.
8. In a Good Light, Clare Chambers – a great book and easy reading, I’ve also enjoyed some of her other novels Small Pleasures and Learning to Swim.
9. Yellowface, R. F. Kuang – this satirical take on the publishing industry was a real page-turner.
10. The Figurine, Victoria Hislop – Hislop became one of my favourite authors after I read The Island, and her newest novel with its focus on Greek archaeology was equally as good.

The Stradling Collection, Bristol

I also had a look through my list of the 32 books I read in 2023 to pick out 8 quick highlights:

1. Great Circle, Maggie Shipstead – an epic tale of a bold female aviator, spanning continents and decades.
2. Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt – a unique, very readable story following a woman’s unlikely connection with an octopus.
3. Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus – the Apple TV adaption is so good too.
4. Life After Life, Kate Atkinson – I often seem to gravitate towards books set in the 1940s or crossing through wartime eras such as this one and Transcription.
5. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, Michiko Aoyama, Alison Watts  – a charming Japanese novel exploring meaningful book recommendations.
6. The Whalebone Theatre, Joanna Quinn – a coming-of-age story set on the Dorset coast.
7. The Island of Missing Trees, Elif Shafak – a truly moving book.
8. The Editor’s Wife, Clare Chambers – easy reading about an aspiring novelist.

I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these books and what you thought of them, and whether you’ve got any recommendations for me?

Alexa

P.S. If you enjoyed reading this post, I’d love for you to have a read of My 5 Favourite Baking Recipes, 2024 Bristol Food Highlights and Vintage furniture finds.

Header photo: Rare Birds Book Shop