2024 Superlatives
Book ones, of course
Welcome back to our end of year countdowns. I hope your Christmases were Merry, your Hanukkah’s happy, and your Kwanzaas and Yules and midwinter festivals full of cheer. Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday, and that was why I was missing from your mailboxes last week.1
I hope you got many bookish presents, and if not, then that definitely means you need to go treat yourself to bookish presents. My Dad got me this very on point hoodie.
And my Mom got me this very on point purse:
But we’re not here to talk about presents. (Though it is fun.)
We’re here to talk about my Superlatives for 2024. Book ones, of course.
Last year, instead of doing a standard ranking of best and worst books of the year, I gave out Superlatives. I liked it so much, that I’m doing it again this year. Ahead, my 2024 Book Superlative Awards.
Best gateway drug: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I technically read Fourth Wing for the first time last year, but I reread it at the beginning of this year to then read Iron Flame and well. It’s all this book’s fault that I’m now on a kick reading the most popular romantasy books. The dragons are sassy as heck, the plot is not plotting and it is just pure fun. It is this book’s fault that I joined an ACOTAR themed book club (and read ACOTAR) as well as became Carissa Broadbent’s new number one fan. I regret nothing. Onyx Storm comes out January 21st, so you know where I’ll be come mid January. I wrote about reading about an EDS protagonist for the first time last year, link below if that’s of any interest.
Best book featuring talking animals: The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
Strangely, this is not the only book I read this year that had talking animals in it. But it was the best.
Translated from the Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, this is a lovely little book about a cafe finding folks right when they need it. But only at night during the Full Moon. And it’s run by talking cats. There’s astrology and fabulous desserts and it is all a little serendipitous, but honestly I want a talking cat to tell me my fortunes so don’t knock it until you try it. This is very reminiscent of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, so if you like that series, you’ll probably like this book, too.
Best book to read in one sitting in a nail salon: Women by Chloe Caldwell
A novella that was finished in one sitting while in a nail salon getting a pedicure, Women was a perfect afternoon companion.
First published in 2014 with a limited run, Women has now become a cult classic for its depiction of a woman discovering her queerness and having her first relationship with a woman. It was a quick but intense read, perfectly covering the emotions of a first love and the heartbreak that comes along with it.
Best book cover: Ashes and Stones by Allyson Shaw
Borrowed from Salve Regina’s library when I was teaching last spring, Ashes and Stones wins the prettiest cover award. Sadly, the book didn’t live up to its promised description, but oh boy was it lovely to look at every time I saw it.
Billed as a ‘moving and personal journey’, Ashes and Stones is more history lesson and less memoir, which is what I expected the book would be. I enjoyed learning about the history of witches in Scotland, but it felt like I was being kept at an arms length from the author and her own emotional journey. After a while, the book got a bit repetitive, which could have been alleviated by more input from the author. But still - so pretty.
Best standalone: Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
My first T. Kingfisher book was a hit. I have a few others, and I’m excited to read them all now. Featuring a loyal canine companion, an adult female protagonist, excellent worldbuilding and dry humor, Nettle & Bone was a fun read. Also fairly short, and ALSO a standalone. Standalones are rare with Science Fiction and Fantasy, mainly because since you’re making everything up, the more time you have to explain things, the better. So all the more impressive that T. Kingfisher built an expansive world and kept her story concise. 10/10 two thumbs way way up.2
Best spooky story: Dead of Winter by Sarah Clegg
Look, I’m not a spooky girl. I don’t like being scared. My imagination is overactive enough, I don’t need additional input. I saw Carrie when I was 11 and was afraid to walk *on the ground* for the next week because I was concerned dead people were going to drag me down to hell or whatever. I have no chill.
Even though I did read a few spooky/witchy/Halloweeny books in October, this one wins. Mainly cause I enjoyed it the most: I got to read about spooky Christmas traditions. Acquired during my recent Wales trip, Dead of Winter covers historical European Christmas traditions including: Krampus, Saturnalia, Kalends, Mari Lywd and more. Basically, Christmas got turned into the cozy family holiday it is today back in the 19th century, what with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and all. The Christmases of yore were really ROLLICKING celebrations that bear more resemblance to Carnival. I learned a lot and now want to go follow a horse head around some apple orchards.
Best audiobook to listen to: The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop
I don’t do well with audiobooks. I’m not a good audio processor. I have a hard time differentiating between what is text versus dialogue versus interior thoughts. Plus, I don’t retain what I hear as well as what I read. That hasn’t stopped me, though, from continuing to try. Mainly because audiobooks keep me awake and alert on long car drives. Plus I have a subscription to Everand which has a lot of them.3
All this to say, if I’m going to listen to an audiobook, it’s most likely going to be a memoir. Bonus points if the memoir is narrated by the author. Even MORE bonus points if the author is a performer in some way, shape or form. I enjoyed Betty Gilpin’s memoir last year, and this year, the top spot goes to The Third Gilmore Girl, written and narrated to perfection by Emily Gilmore herself, Kelly Bishop.
Bishop was a dancer and theater performer before she made the transition to acting, and had a fascinating career. Her signature voice and deadpan is on full display here, and she is both generous and honest with herself and others as she recounts her life. Even the slightest Gilmore Girls fan will enjoy this read.
Best Book I still haven’t finished: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Two years running…I really have to finish The Sparrow this year. This is getting embarrassing. ‘You can just DNF a book, Marissa,’ you say. To which I say:
No New Books™️ Challenge
So, how did I do this year? It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.4 I failed, I succeeded. I didn’t buy books, I bought books. Will I try again next year? You bet. Will I fail again next year? You betcha.
I have a feeling extenuating circumstances beyond my control will make it easier to refrain from buying books *cough cough* tariffs *cough cough* but until then, I shall see how long I can hold out before succumbing to the siren’s song that is the bookstore across the street from my house.
My most notable streak was 50 days, starting early in January last year and lasting through mid February. Maybe I can break that next year? If nothing else, I am stubborn and determined.
Streak to Beat: 50 days (January 1st - February 19th)
Mug Moment of the Week
In addition to some lovely bookish presents, I did also get a few mugs for Christmas. They’ll make appearances here in due course. For now, to end the Christmas season, here is another Rifle Paper Co. Christmas mug. Nutcracker themed, of course.
The Pandemic killed this tradition of mine, but I used to go see The Nutcracker every year when I lived in Boston. I adore the music to the ballet, and so obviously needed to see it live in person. I also went to school right outside of Davis Square in Boston, and there’s a Nutcracker…adjacent…performance we’ll say, that happens every year there. I used to go to that one, too. IYKYK. The more Nutcracker, the merrier. Hence why I now have a mug in its honor. There’s designs all around it, too. I really need Mug-O-Vision 360 or something to capture my mugs in all their glory.
My Christmas decorations stay up until Epiphany on the 6th, so I have a few more days to enjoy the soft lights and garlands. My New Year’s Eve will be calm and indoors. Ever since I dreamt up an entire novel one New Year’s Eve, I like to stay in and be cozy. But let’s be honest - my joints prefer to be on a couch than in a club celebrating the New Year. If you’re out and about, be safe and Happy 2025. May it bring good things for us all.
Before anyone goes ‘Um, actually…’ in many countries in Europe (Poland and Germany being the big ones), Christmas is celebrated on the 24th, not the 25th. This was the case for my Mom growing up. As a kid, we did the full Polish Christmas, Wigilia, with my Mom’s side of the family, and opened a majority of our presents on Christmas Eve. We do a hybrid version of this now, but this is why Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday and not the day itself. The 25th is anti-climatic in my #unpopularopinion.
Bonus points if you know where that’s from.
Pro Tip: for whatever reason, Everand seems to get audiobooks of new releases much faster than ebooks. It’s most likely a licensing issue. Yes, it’s a paying subscription, but if you like audiobooks, and want to experience the newest book releases without having to wait at the library or buy the book 👀. Insert ‘The More You Know’ meme here.
A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens, pg 1. 1859. First line, and honestly the only thing I remember about the whole book.