Three From 2024 and Three For 2025

What are your reading plans?

There have been a lot of these posts in the book world recently. I am always concerned about committing to my top three in December; what about if I read a killer book in the last week? So, as it is January, I can securely say these were my top three books in 2024.

I have also included three books I am excited to read next year. The biggest shock to me when I look back on my 2024 reading is the number of my favourites that come from audiobooks.

If you have followed me for any length of time, you will know that I only started listening to audiobooks this year.

My Favourite 24 Reads

My favourite read by a long way was Alice Winn's In Memoriam. This was a beautiful story of forbidden love in World War I. It follows Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood, two English boarding school students secretly in love, as they navigate the brutalities of war and societal taboos.

Gaunt enlists to protect his family from anti-German sentiment, and Ellwood follows. This leads to a harrowing depiction of trench warfare and the psychological toll on young soldiers. Interwoven with letters and journal entries, the story explores themes of love, identity, class, and the futility of war.

The love story was so beautifully told, and I loved the historical aspect of the novel. Regarding the war, it pulled no punches and told of the real horror the soldiers went through.

My second read was a classic, Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I love Victorian literature, and this story is beautifully told. Unlike Dickens, Hardy deals with the country's poorer aspects of society. Hardy is a real talent. The book is thought-provoking and heartbreaking in equal parts.

This is a tragic tale of innocence, betrayal, and societal hypocrisy. Tess Durbeyfield, a poor rural girl, learns her family may be descended from the noble D'Urbervilles.

Sent to seek help from wealthy relatives, she meets Alec D'Urberville, who exploits and seduces her. Later, Tess falls in love with Angel Clare, a farmer's son, but their happiness is shattered when Tess reveals her past.

Betrayed and desperate, Tess's life spirals into tragedy, culminating in her ultimate downfall. The novel critiques Victorian morality and explores themes of fate, purity, and social injustice.

My last favourite book was Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. It was the first book I enjoyed on audiobook, so it will always have a special place in my heart. I loved the way friendship was portrayed throughout this book.

It follows Sam and Sadie, childhood friends who reconnect in college and build a successful career as video game designers. Together, they create imaginative worlds that reflect their deep bond, but personal struggles, unspoken feelings, and the pressures of fame and ambition test their partnership.

Spanning decades, the novel delves into love, loss, and the enduring power of artistic connection, offering a poignant exploration of how relationships shape the worlds we build. It is one of the most heartwarming and heartbreaking books ever.

Three to Look Forward To

Every year, I choose one book and one classic I want to read for every month; everything else I leave to chance. Moving onto 2025, I have added three books to my reading list, and I am the most excited to read them.

My first read this year will be The Heart's Invisible Fury by John Boyne. I have seen several people speaking about this on BookTok. The book chronicles the life of Cyril Avery, an Irishman born out of wedlock in the 1940s.

Adopted by eccentric parents, Cyril grows up feeling out of place in conservative, religious Ireland. As he comes to terms with his identity as a gay man, he navigates decades of societal judgment, personal heartbreak, and moments of joy, spanning from Ireland to Amsterdam and New York.

The novel explores love, identity, family, and forgiveness, infused with humour and profound emotional depth.

The next read I am looking forward to reading is a classic, East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Having read several of his shorter works, I am looking forward to reading a longer one. Many people also consider this his best work.

This is an epic multigenerational saga set in California's Salinas Valley. It intertwines the lives of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, exploring themes of good and evil, free will, and the enduring impact of family dynamics.

The story parallels the Biblical tale of Cain and Abel, focusing on the rivalry between brothers and the choices that define their lives. With complex characters like the enigmatic Cathy Ames and the idealistic Adam Trask, the novel examines human nature's capacity for both sin and redemption.

My final read is Donna Tartt's Goldfinch. Having read The Secret History twice, I feel it is time to try another of her highly acclaimed novels.

The novel follows Theo Decker, a boy whose life is upended when his mother dies in a terrorist attack at a New York City museum. Amid the chaos, Theo steals a small, priceless painting, The Goldfinch, which becomes both a burden and a source of solace as he grows up.

The novel traces his journey through grief, guilt, and a descent into the criminal underworld while exploring themes of art, loss, and identity. It is a sweeping, emotionally rich tale of survival and the enduring power of beauty in a fractured world.

I love the subjective nature of reading. Have you read any of these? If so, what was your opinion? What are your reading plans this year?