The second half of 2024 has been full of many more enjoyable reads, so why not join me as I look back on 14 more books I read in the second half of this year.
If you want to look back at the books I read in the first half of the year, you can find the post here – 14 Books I’ve Read In The First Half Of 2024.
My Goodreads goal this year was to read 25 books, then I got to 26 and I thought why not, let’s try and get to 28! A good goal for the end of the year would have been to finish all the books I’m currently reading, but I kept starting too many new books for that.
This has actually been the most books I’ve read in a year since 2014, when I also read 28! Now before you ask, in 2004 I don’t remember really reading many books if any at all and in 1994 I was only 5. Had I discovered my favourite childhood book by then? Quite possibly, but I certainly wasn’t an avid reader. If you’re wondering, my favourite book as a young child was a picture book called Can’t You Sleep Little Bear by Martin Waddell and Barbara Firth, but anyway, I digress.
Let’s start off with the first book I read in the second half of the year which was The Suspect by Rob Rinder, another brilliant book. I read the first one, The Trial, last year. While writing this blog post I discovered there’s going to be a third book in the series released next year!! That’s definitely going to be going on my tbr.
Then there was the latest book in the Karen Pirie series, Past Lying by Val McDermid. I always enjoy returning to this crime series set in Scotland.
The Law of Innocence by Michael Connolly, I bought this book after watching The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. I found it a really fast paced read, it was great to read while waiting for the next series too.
Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs, the second Temperance Brennan story I read this year (after listening to Swamp Bones earlier in the year) this was another gripping read. I’ve now started watching Bones for the first time too.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson, the second book in the Good Girls Guide to Murder Series and another book I enjoyed reading. I liked how snapshots of the clues were incorporated into the book.
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin, I absolutely loved the premise of this, how the magic was entwined with the seasons.
The Little Book of Palaeontology by Rasha Barrage, the only non-fiction book making it onto my list in the second half of the year, this was such a fascinating read though!
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang, I started reading this in October last year. I know, I know, you must think ugh she really can’t have liked this book very much to have taken over a year to read it. But… and okay, it might not have been one I was diving to pick up again very quickly, but I’d been listening to it on audiobook before Libby disappeared from the local library and it never got added to Borrowbox, (I kept thinking it might), so that definitely played a part in me taking a while to finish reading it.
My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine, a fun light-hearted read.
Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi, another series I’m enjoying reading, in fact from what I’ve read of it so far, Shatter Me is one of my all time favourite series right now.
The Hike by Lucy Clarke, I listened to this on audio then bought a copy for my shelf. For one I love the cover, but the book was brilliant too.
Poppy’s Christmas Cracker by Leigh Russell, after enjoying Barking Mad earlier this year I’m sad to say this one disappointed me. I found the whodunnit a little too obvious and honestly? The aggression shown towards Poppy in later chapters was a nope for me.
Silent Night by Lily Seabrooke is the loveliest, cosiest, festive romance. I would definitely buy a copy for my shelf if a paperback version existed!
Last but not least is Kill Joy by Holly Jackson. I’m just going to share this extra picture here because look at the sprayed edges, they were such a lovely surprise when the book arrived after ordering it from Waterstones the other week.
This is another one in the Good Girls Guide to Murder series. It felt immersive to read, like you were one of the guests along for the ride (but obviously with absolutely no chance of being a suspect!) I liked Pip’s theory at the end, I too guessed it was someone else – not the same as Pip though. It felt weird to see a certain character back, or not back but you know what I mean, after reading the first two books in the series… (if you know, you know) I really do need to get to book 3.
If you want to hear me talk about books I was reading in October, why not check out my video over on YouTube, Books I’ve Been Reading This Month – Oct ’24.
I hope you’ve all had a lovely festive season.
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