The Four Best Fiction Books I Read in 2024

by Ryan Gottfredson

Every year, to close out the year, I have identified the best books that I read throughout the year. And, turns out, these posts get the most traffic.

So, I am back at it again.

As of this writing, I have read/listened to 85 books during 2024.

I want to share the top books I have read across four genres and the value I have gained from reading them:

Fiction (12/9)
Non-Fiction (12/16)
Business/Leadership (12/23)
Self-Help (12/30)

The Four Fiction Books I Read in 2024

4. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

I originally found this book because there is an Apple TV series that came out that is the visual depiction of this book. Generally believing that the book is better than what appears on TV, I thought I would give this a go.

This is a unique time-traveling book that was fast paced and definitely kept me engaged. I think this would be a great book as a fun read or road trip.

This book has a 4.14 rating on Goodreads with 39% giving it five stars.

**3. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn**

There are a handful of authors that I have come to love so much that I will read anything that they put out, and Kate Quinn is one of those. While The Briar Club is not my most favorite Kate Quinn book (The Huntress is), and this book deviates dramatically from her prior books, I did really enjoy this book. Her writing is so smooth and a joy to dive into.

The main character of this book is a house in Washington, D.C., and it follows the women who live in the house and a murder that occurs within its walls. Each chapter features a different woman, and I enjoyed each of those characters. And, it was fun to see how Kate Quinn weaved all of their stories together.

This book has a 4.31 rating on Goodreads with 45% giving it five stars.

**2. The Will of the Many by James Islington**

If I can find an epic book series that I like (e.g., Harry Potter, Red Rising, Hunger Games, Stormlight Archive), I love getting sucked into them. The problem is that I find it very hard to find series that I like.

This book is the start of a new series, and I got hooked. I can’t wait for book 2 to come out.

The Will of the Many takes place in a fantasy world where the elites can sap the “will” of others to gain greater power. It follows a young man who refuses to succumb to societal norms, and is willing to fight back against the social norms and uncover the secrets that is binding the Republic together.

This book has a 4.62 rating on Goodreads with 69% giving it five stars.

**1. All the Glimmering Stars by Mark Sullivan**

Mark Sullivan has written one of my most favorite books, Beneath a Scarlet Sky. So, I enthusiastically picked up this new release without knowing what the book was about. I had no clue what I was in for.

This is the very best book that I read in 2024. It is maybe the most moving book I have ever read. And, I feel like I am a different and better person for having read it. Honestly, this book hit me hard. I am not much of a crier, but this book had me sobbing more than once. And, I felt this book in my heart and bones for weeks afterwards.

Technically, this is historical fiction, but it is as close to non-fiction as it can be as it follows the story of two teenagers who were captured by the Lord’s Republic Army (LRA), and the book covers their true story of their experience in and escaping from the LRA.

If there is going to be one book you read in 2025, I think this should be at the top of your list.

This book has a 4.64 rating on Goodreads with 70% giving it five stars.

Best Books from Prior Years

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