My 9 Favourite Books of 2024

[@AliDoisRead]

"this is not a recommendation list" LOL

[@Sharletwitch]

She’s so funny 😂

[@MrSunglasses]

Sure Jan 🤭

[@candybear2230]

Stephen Graham Jones taught at Texas Tech back in the day, and I got to take a creative writing fiction class that he taught. He was a great teacher

[@高貴斎藤]

Let's chant Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. Only Namu Myoho Renge Kyo of Nichiren Shoshu can bring happiness.

[@awpageofabook]

Sending you all the good vibes for an incredible reading year in 2025! Goodness knows we both need it (I didn't have a five star all year, and I read 73 books 😭)

[@Raven_Nivhaar]

I read 36 and only had like 2 😭

[@kailyncorey8267]

Omg nooo I hope you read extra good books this year

[@jonnymullan2127]

“This is not a recommendation list” sounds like a challenge and seeing as I have read not a single one on this list I may take that challenge 👀

[@RK.daviddavid]

If there’s one book I think everyone should read this year, it’s keezano’s Your Life Your Game. It beautifully shows how connecting with God and building meaningful relationships can lead to spiritual growth, and success in both your personal and professional life. This book truly changed my life…a must-read. God bless!💟🙏🏼

[@welldonebooks]

ive been watching a lot of these favorite book videos and yours is by far the most electic and unique so far. i have only read your number 9 and number 1, so i have quite a few to add to my TBR now!

[@namdiy4576]

You have inspired me to participate more online with this post… it’s so lovely to hear you talk about books. I’m new to reading as an adult hobby, my journey has just begun and so I watch and enjoy recommendations videos for books and I was an avid book tube consumer for a while but i have whittled it down to a few… you and Merphy Napier because your love of books and reading is so evident. In terms of taste, I will need to read more… the current book I’m reading is great. I hope to review it on book tube. Thank you for sharing your love of books.

[@wendyrumley1770]

I absolutely adored Knock Knock Open Wide, for all its weirdness. You're the only other person I've seen who's actually read it.

[@candiceluth6244]

I also loved The Haunting of Velkwood, Knock Knock Open Wide, How to Become the Dark Lord, and We Used to Live Here! Can’t wait to read the rest of your favs! Just started The Husbands. Another fav of mine from this year was The Celebrants by Steven Rowley. Friendship, grief, an atmospheric vacation house - so good!

[@novelsandashley]

As someone who had like 13 favorites in common with you ( out of my top 15 of last year ), this is definitely a recommendation list for me.

[@kaiju_k5042]

#6 sounds amazing, it was already on my TBR but you really made me want to read it sooner rather than later! Also your hair looks gorgeous here!

[@narzibenoucdel]

I also had a rough year of few favorites. I really appreciate your passion about the new favorites, and you’ve convinced me to read several of them now! Looking forward to another year of interesting reads!

[@gabbyreads]

Ahhh I’m so happy to see We Used to Live Here and Knock Knock Open Wide make your list 😍🤩 I still need to read Sky Full of Elephants, that one sounds so good!

[@lxyreads]

I also read and rated We Used To Live Here as one of my favourites of the year! There’s a subreddit set up for the book as well which is a fun little addition for anyone who has read the book.

[@feliciajohnson6412]

I could get used to this Lala overload 🎉

[@LeeshaAnn17]

I'm so happy to see The Husbands, I've recommended that book to a lot of people! And We Used to Live Here is in my top 5 of the year!

[@nanimaonovi2528]

It really does capture the swipe right zeitgeist of this moment where partners and gigs are dropped for something new.

[@softlilrat]

9 out of 270 🥲 girl im sending you ALL the good reading vibes for 2025 🌸🌻🍓☘️

[@classicsed]

Since you loved Carson's Autobiography of Red, you might also enjoy her translations of ancient Greek texts, especially If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho.

[@BetweenLinesAndLife]

I know you said these probably weren't too surprising - but I genuinely was and I loved seeing the placing of all of these, I wouldn't have guessed that. And so happy to see Anne Carson so high!

[@mandydandy86]

Totally LOVE your hair in this video . Stunning 🤩

[@cosmosbtwnpages]

I read "The Blue Book of Nebo" and "I Was a Teenage Slasher" (through Literally Dead Bookclub!). Nebo was a five star for me too, I just thought it was an absolutely beautiful story. I'm not a parent, but I can definitely see how it could make you emotional. I gave Teenage Slasher 4 1/2 stars. It was my second SGJ book and I was a little nervous about it because I didn't really like "My Heart is a Chainsaw," but I actually had a lot of fun with this one! I met SGJ at the American Library Association conference in 2023, he was really nice. A lot of your other favorites have been on my TBR and I'm hoping to read this year!

[@samantharose1001]

me trying to guess what the book will be based upon the color of the number of its ranking

[@pucksandpaperbacks]

the husbands sounds soooo good! sending you good reading vibes for 2025.

[@TheSunriseInside]

Happy new year, Kayla! 🥰 so excited for all the fun things you‘ll throw at us in 2025!

[@neofytoskaltzidis5472]

BY FAR my favorite book tube channel; BY FAR the book tuber whose recommendations (almost) always work for me, so of course I have to check these nine out!

[@Jezzy0613]

The husbands was soo good ! Def one of my favorites this year, and I can’t wait to read I was a teenage slasher

[@amandablankenship9311]

We Used To Live Here made me completely spiral in the best possible way. I'm working up the courage to read House of Leaves, but it just seems so intimidating.

[@christinacampbellbooks]

I'm on the waiting list at my library for We Used to Live Here so really excited to hear it's one of your favourite books of 2024. Immediately added Sky Full of Elephants and The Blue Book of Nebo to my reservations too. They both sound brilliant and right up my street ☺

[@CulinaryCrime]

We Used To Live Here is on my TBR for this month. I have heard great things and I love that it's a Canadian author. ❤

[@kailyncorey8267]

It’s amazing !!

[@nashdome]

I WILL take this whole list as a recommendation as a way to broaden my reading, and you can't stop me 😤 lol. I am glad you were able to compile a favorites list, despite your reading year being abysmal. And i love how you went really into explaining each. I thought the Django wexller one would be for based on premise alone but you specifying how horny of a read it is has helped me realize that i wouldn't enjoy it as much as i thought. I am grateful for that cause all I've seen SO FAR that have sung this books praises have not pointed out that detail.

[@louiseb5046]

I haven't read or really plan to read any of these but I just love hearing Kayla talk about books

[@SarahHolmes_]

This might be a more niche video, but I would really love a video from you of books you recommend to mothers who want to read about motherhood and characters who are moms. Scoping all genres from horror to literary fiction to fantasy. I would LOVEEEE that

[@beccabee8439]

We Used To Live Here & How To Become The Dark Lord and Die Trying were also two of my favorites this year! ❤

[@susan_brehm_art]

I really loved The Husbands. I rarely see what's coming in books and it was the same with this one so the ending was so so good! Perfect really. I was so excited when you loved this book too! 😊

[@wasunakagawa]

I love the books I’ve read off your favorites - now to go read the rest! I’ve been meaning to get to Knock Knock Open Wide and Velkwood for a while now. This made me excited to pick them up!

[@saqua608]

Thanks for this! I'm reserving about half of these from the library because of this vid. I can't wait for your honorable mentions video!!! Happy New Year!

[@skylarweiss]

i also read and loved i was a teenage slasher! i'm slowly reading through what stephen graham jones has written and having a good time. we used to live here is my first book i'm reading for this year and you've got me really excited for it.

[@wormdoodles]

I'm so happy to see The Autobiography of Red here! That book made my I think 2021 best of list. It's so beautiful and surreal.

[@majonnaise]

I read The Blue Book of Nebo solely because of seeing it on your channel and it ended up on my top 10 reads of the year as well :))

[@Persianbookworm]

YESSS! IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS

[@BookedandBusy]

Im so ready

[@neilsharpson996]

Thank you so much Lala. I'm honoured.

[@VeraFran]

Happy 2025! We both got Knock Knock Open Wide in the favorite list!

[@miss_piggyy]

always trust your recs! hoping for a better 2025 reads

[@feral_and_sensitive]

#8 was like when your friends ask to see a picture of the guy you’re talking to and you gotta scramble to list all of his good attributes before you show them 😂

[@BooksandLala]

real

[@OcyTaviAh]

I love Autobiography of Red! It was actually one of my course text for a n English Literature subject that I took and I’ve never read anything like it before. It’s doing so much and there is such a depth of analysis you can take on it. I ended up writing my major essay on that book (along with two others, because it was comparative, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel and The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers… they’re not similar but each does something very different with literature, especially for the time published, so would recommend them).

[@louise5493]

SGJ has such a distinct & unique authorial voice which you’ll either love or hate. After reading The Only Good Indians this year I cannot stop thinking about it, not only one of my favourite endings of a book but the writing style is a master class in penmanship. I’m obsessed! I’ll be reading his backlist for 2025!

[@fearlesslyreads13]

My girlfriend read how to become the dark lord and die trying after not reading for years and it made her fall in love with reading again! I’m so glad you enjoyed it too!

[@phix27]

So many of these were among my favorites too! We Used to Live Here and The Blue Book of Nebo especially

[@nannybells]

had a bit of a flop reading year as well. but a top 9 is good! autobiography of red is one of my favorites, so glad you liked it.

[@martalbahn]

you say this is not a recommendation list but i've found our reading tastes to be so aligned that i definitely will treat it as a recommendation list 🤣

[@thevlookup]

I only read like the first few pages of We Used to Live Here and I was spooked. I haven’t picked it up since. Will get back to it when the weather gets better.😅

[@heathiedoodle]

I just got back into reading last year. I read 33 books and most of them were great. I can’t imagine reading almost 300 books and feel like it was abysmal! I hope 2025 is a better reading year for you!

[@crimsonwhispersva2498]

My favourite books of 2024 1. Dune By Frank Herbert 2. The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson 3. The Hot Hex Boyfriend By Carly Bloom 4. Hate To Love You By Jennifer Sucevic 5. Dungeon Crawler Carl By Matt Dinniman 6. Quilt Of Souls By Phyllis Biffle Elmore (non-fiction) 7. The Sliverblood Promise By James Logan 8. Just For The Summer By Abby Jinenez 9. Walking Practice By Dolki Hin 10. Covenant Vol 2 By Lysandra Wuong (Graphic Novel). I suggest Dungeon Crawler Carl so so much, especially the audiobook it's so funny I have quite a few of your top 10 on my tbr for this year

[@BooksandLala]

I'm definitely intrigued by this Dungeon Crawler Carl title I've been seeing around! 👀 Fun list!!

[@knjscorpio]

I loved I Was A Teenage Slasher -- I had a lot of fun, I cried, I laughed. I loved it so much.

[@sharonlovesbooks]

I read "We Used to Live Here" last year and LOVED IT.

[@jomariemoon]

my bestfriend told me I wouldn't like the husbands but your description of it here makes me want to read it so badly, I think now I have to!!

[@cnrt7835]

Sorry, the e in Nebo is pronounced closer to the first e in never 😁 also one of my favourite books - manon steffan ros is an autobuy for me. Her best book (imo) is Llechi, but thats not been translated into English 😕

[@kailyncorey8267]

I read we used to live here this year too and it genuinely unsettled me and gave me anxiety. It was SOOOO GOOD.

[@bawby06]

I felt the same way about I Was A Teenage Slasher but didn’t realize it until you said it! The supernatural element sealed it for me!

[@alwaysreadingseason]

Just picked up Sky Full of Elephants from the library today, can't wait to read it!

[@lindsayhartje6678]

I still think about The Husbands from time to time and I read it in May. I RAN through that book.

[@JoshsBookishVoyage]

great list. youve convinced me on husbands and the dark lord. teenage slasher was one i already planend to get to but still love to see you loved it.

[@laurawinter3523]

The only reason I didn't have Knock Knock Open Wide in my favourites of the year is because I haven't finished it yet, but I love it!

[@ChanelChapters]

I read and loved blue book of nebo thanks to you 💙

[@twistedgoddess88]

Sky Full of Elephants was so good!

[@dilificus]

I started reading Stephen Graham Jones because of you, and looove him. So... I admit I always take your "this is not for everyone" and "i wouldn't widely recommend this" as a recommendation now.

[@Hannieah]

Velkwood was "fine" as soon as I closed it, but after thinking about it for a few hours I dropped it from a 3 to a 1 star. It just didn't hit for me and it annoyed me more and more after I had read it, and I kept thinking about how, to me at least, the whole book read like a draft of something better.

[@queenkim8631]

Happy New Year🥳🎉🎉🎉

[@martureads]

I think the husbands and sky full of elephants are the ones I would want to read!! Sending loads of 5 star energy your way for 2025 (it’s in the number it’s gotta go welllll)

[@kaliontherocks]

There are three of this list in my nightstand per your recommendation and I couldn't be happier.

[@SharniandBooks]

oh i've been waiting for this!!! 🤩

[@104bunnyboo]

You inspired me to read The Husbands after initially being turned off by negative reviews - I had such a fun time with it too!! Wondering if you’ve heard of The Fold (The Festival of Literary Diversity) Reading Challenge? I think you would enjoy the prompts (romance by an Asian Canadian author, memoir by an transgender author, dystopian novel by an indigenous author, etc.) and find some interesting Canadian reads!

[@lumensapace]

I enjoyed the Stephen Graham Jones one too but I think a lot of what makes it interesting went over my head since I don’t watch slasher movies. If I did, then I think it would be one of my favorite reads of the year.

[@elizabethward4024]

Based on some things on this list, I think Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich could really work for you! It’s been described as similar The Handmaid’s Tale, but from an Indigenous perspective. It takes place in a dystopian/science fiction that isn’t really explained since we’re reading the main character’s journal entries. It’s weird, feels unfinished and disjointed at times, and is definitely experimental. It’s been polarizing, but I really loved it. I’d love to hear your opinion on this one!

[@inkylabyrinth]

I second this rec!

[@laindarko3591]

Autobiography of Red was also one of my favorites of 2024! I was lucky enough to find the blue book of Nebo at a used bookstore so maybe that will be a 2025 favorite....

[@emilyrogers3271]

I just added The Husbands to my TBR list. Happy New Year and Happy Reading in 2025!

[@cylesteblue]

Not to be COMPLETELY off topic, but what lipstick are you wearing? It looks gorgeous on you!

[@BRhymesss]

We Used to Live Here also made my top 9 of the year! Super rare for me but I love that creeped out feeling and it’s so rare for me to get it from a book. Omg and the husbands is also in my top 9! We usually don’t have much in common so this is fun to see

[@TheeKookyWildflower]

Happy New Year! On to more vlogs without recommendation lists, lol.

[@inkylabyrinth]

I am thinking because you liked The Husbands so much you might like This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub, about a 30 year old woman accidentally traveling back to her 16th birthday and then being able to experience different outcomes in her current life. (Also, I'm so happy that The Blue Book of Nebo placed so high up on this list! I know others have recommended it but I believe it was my comment that was the "final straw").

[@katsohal]

Yes I loved The Husbands too

[@sofiasamou]

10:49 that's so interesting because i hate heavy handed messaging. I try to avoid books with that or lower my rating if I see it 😅.

[@rachaelerin1]

Same. Anytime there’s heavy handed messaging I get instantly mad. To me, it feels like the author doesn’t trust the reader to pick up the themes or draw conclusions. Or they don’t trust their story enough to let it speak for itself.

[@sofiasamou]

@rachaelerin1 💯 this.

[@lapetitepritt]

i tried to predict them, but some spots were surprising!

[@cuppleschristopher]

THANY YOU! I LOVED The Husbands, too. But I can see why others won’t/don’t.

[@BrittWarren201]

The fact that I've read or have over half of these books on my tbr tells me I should add the rest to my tbr 😂😂

[@jess_writes_a_book]

Adding these to my TBR immediately 😂

[@kailyncorey8267]

I also really loved I was a teenage slasher, the audiobook really sells it.

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

I love we used to live here! Such a fun read!

[@urosmartinovic940]

I am so eager to find out 😭

[@XOmangoXO]

There were two scenes in We Used to Live Here where I had to momentarily switch to audiobook so I could cover my eyes in fear through them 😂 it was my Number 1 book this year!

[@orangeserendipity]

I know the exact scenes.lol

[@myselfctrl]

I adored I Was a Teenage Slasher as well. Truly a perfect horror book. And I wouldn’t have read it without your recommendation so thank you 🫶🏽

[@BookReviewsWithBecky]

You beat me! I read 249 in 2024. 😂 I had a good year with lots of 5 stars though! I had a hard time narrowing it down to top 10!

[@sandyroberts2911]

I’m here for the books…but your hair is beautiful….how do you curl it to look that good??

[@myocoree]

knock knock open wide sorta kinda maybe sounds like the movie “i saw the tv glow” i’ll have to read it before i can recommend the movie 🤔 (i still recommend it)

[@BooksandLala]

Thank you for reminding me I need to watch that one!!

[@orangeserendipity]

The Haunting of Velkwood, We Used to Live Here, and The Husbands were all on my top 10 too! Those 10 books were my only 5⭐️s.

[@nathaliapanesi3474]

I also love and adore I was a teenage slasher and it's my favorite of the year. Ah yeah, I read it because of you ❤

[@rachaelerin1]

270 books is kind of an insane amount. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it. Are you happy with your reading schedule or is it a KZbin thing? Some Booktubers lately have been making videos advocating for slow reading and not trying to read 100 books a year…let alone three times that! Just curious on your thoughts about this topic. I know this is your job so it’s a little different but still, almost 300 books a year is wild. I wouldn’t remember anything from one month to the next 😅 maybe I’m just dumb though haha

[@BooksandLala]

I read for probably 3 hours a day, a similar amount most of my friends watch a combination of tiktok and tv in a day 💞 I think its been working quite well for me the past few years so I'm good with it for sure 🤙🏻

[@JensssaBrooke]

I was a Teenage Slasher is also my favorite book I read in 2024!!

[@santoshkumawat3178]

Your smile is so beautiful❤