Last week, I shared a blog post on Facebook about my 2023 resolution of reading more. I asked you what should I be reading in 2024…and boy did you deliver! There were over 2,000 comments filled with book titles and recommendations.
I went through the comments and some titles seemed to be recommended over and over. These 15 books were the most recommended and I’m proud to say I’ve read several of them but the rest are on my TBR (to be read) list.
15 Most Recommended Books
Here are the books we should be reading according to this wonderful community:
Not only was this one recommended by 50+ commenters, it caught my attention when you all mentioned an octopus being the narrator. What? Tova is a recent widow who has started working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. She becomes friends with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus, who helps her find out the truth behind her son’s disappearance. This is one of the wildest book descriptions I’ve ever seen. Many of you also mentioned that the audiobook is expertly narrated.
I’ve mentioned Emily Henry in several of my book posts, and many have said I need to try Abby Jimenez next. Her debut novel is The Friend Zone – the story of Kristen Petersen, a girl falling in love with a guy who wants a big family, right before she needs to have a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children. As a Henry fan, I love a romance with a little bit of reality thrown in so this seems like an easy pick for me.
I’m not usually one to pick up a “twisty psychological thriller,” but several of you praised The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden. It follows Millie who has become a live-in housemaid/nanny for Nina and Andrew. She thinks it’s a dream job until Nina becomes an extremely difficult boss. Spooky!
I’m not going to lie, I was shocked to see this autobiography recommended so many times! However, it won GoodReads Choice Award for Best Humor and shared Winkler’s journey as The Fonz and his difficulties with severe dyslexia.
I read this last year and I love to see it recommended by so many of you. It’s now an Apple TV+ show starring Brie Larson. The book (and now series) follows chemist Elizabeth Zott as the only woman on a research team in the early 60s as she becomes a reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show.
I always appreciate when you all introduce me to people or stories I hadn’t heard of. Tyler Merritt had a video go viral called “Before You Call the Cops.” In this memoir, he shares his experiences as a black man in America. He even jumped in our comment section and thanked you for sharing about his book.
I read this book after a team member *cough Sam cough* recommended it (over and over and over again). It did not disappoint. Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. I mean, I’ll listen to anyone who can pull off 7 husbands.
Dang some of these books have long titles! Seventeen-year-old Lenni joins an art class with fellow terminal cancer patient 83-year-old Margot. Their bond is instant as they realize that together they have lived an astonishing one hundred years. This description alone makes me want to cry so I have no idea how I’d get through this book!
In 1922, a tragic fire kills 19-year-old chambermaid, Grace Hadley, in the famous Nantucket hotel. One hundred years later, a billionaire buys the hotel to fix it up and finds Grace won’t stop haunting the hotel until her murder is acknowledged. I think I’ll save this one for a weekend at the beach.
Though this book is a few years old, it was mentioned several times as a must-read. Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect – a famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer. One evening her husband returns home late and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Once again, psychological thriller is not usually my cup of tea but this might break that spell.
I read this one last year and it’s so incredibly lovely. A woman’s three daughters beg her to tell the story of her young romance to now-famous actor Peter Duke. I hear this audiobook is narrated by Meryl Streep herself. I’m obsessed with anything Meryl Streep touches so I’ll be listening to it too. Add to cart!
Hello Beautiful is a big, emotional, heart-wrenching family drama. It encompasses the Padavano family of four sisters and the broken young man who marries into the family. I’ve seen this cover everywhere so I’m not surprised it has made this list.
I read this a few years ago, but it was one of my favorites that year. Historical fiction seems to be a big winner these days, with Hannah’s book taking place in 1939 France. Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…until they do.
When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problematic husband in order to make ends meet. Oops!
It seems ill-advised to share a list of book recommendations without mentioning Fourth Wing. This “romantasy” sweetheart shot out of nowhere and became a hit overnight. If you like Hunger Games, dragons, and a little bit of spice, Fourth Wing is a must-read.
What Should I Be Reading Next?
I know I missed many books that you all recommended, but I hope I did a good job compiling some of the top suggestions. Next time you ask yourself “what should I be reading next” you have a place to start. Which one will you be reading first?
