The Best Books of 2024 So Far

It’s time for Joel and I to run through our favorite reads from 2024 so far. We mostly cover our fiction favorites, but we also mention a nonfiction fave as well as our worst reads of the year. Expand for more information. 👇
PLEASE NOTE: There is a spoiler discussion of one of the books at the end of this video, but we provide an opportunity for those who don’t want the spoiler to stop watching before that discussion begins.
Further Viewing 🎥
The 2024 Mid-Year Book Freakout: • The Mid-Year Book Frea...
Our Favorite Books Last Year: • The Best Books of 2023
Last Year’s Mid-Year Favorites: • The Best Books of 2023...
My Pulitzer Prize Deep Dive on Night Watch: • Did the Pulitzer Prize...
Titles Mentioned (Alphabetically by Author) 📚
Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun: bookshop.org/a/99775/97816680...
All the Sinners Bleed, S.A. Cosby: bookshop.org/a/99775/97812508...
Razorblade Tears, S.A. Cosby: bookshop.org/a/99775/97812502...
James, Percival Everett: bookshop.org/a/99775/97803855...
Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame, Olivia Ford: bookshop.org/a/99775/97805936...
Claire Keegan, Small Things Like These:
A Dash of Salt and Pepper, Kosoko Jackson: bookshop.org/a/
Just for the Summer, Abby Jimenez: bookshop.org/a/99775/97815387...
Fellow Travelers, Thomas Mallon: bookshop.org/a/99775/97803073...
The Royal Wulff Murders, Keith McCafferty: bookshop.org/a/99775/97801431...
Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt: bookshop.org/a/99775/97806848...
Amongst Women, John McGahern
Small Joys, Elvin James Mensah: bookshop.org/a/99775/97805934...
Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano: bookshop.org/a/99775/97805932...
The Lights on Knockbridge Lane, Roan Parrish
Tom Lake, Ann Patchett: bookshop.org/a/99775/97800633...
Night Watch, Jayne Anne Phillips: bookshop.org/a/99775/97804514...
Brokeback Mountain, Annie Proulx: bookshop.org/a/99775/97807432...
Close Range: Stories, Annie Proulx: bookshop.org/a/99775/97806848...
Fire Exit, Morgan Talty: bookshop.org/a/99775/97819590...
The Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden: bookshop.org/a/99775/97816680...
Tin Man, Sarah Winman: bookshop.org/a/99775/97807352...
My Affiliate Page on Bookshop: bookshop.org/shop/supposedlyfun
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[@alliebeesreading]

When Joel said go get your own cocktail and join us….you two are just so wholesome and endearing. It did make it feel like we were sitting around, having a cozy drink, and talking about books with our besties 💚💚

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm glad that's how it feels, because we want it to feel like a conversation among friends. ❤️ 🥂

[@marciajohansson769]

I just adore the two of you, the love of books you both share, the love of your dogs, the love of beautifully prepared foods, the reference to "cinnamon buns" which we all know is not just a reference to a sweet, comfort reads but a delicious reality now. We get to come along on your trips... in my time watching, first Italy, then Ireland and Scotland. (I think you should go to Sweden next 😉) Watching your channel is my comfort escape. It allows me to decompress after a long day at work (serious countdown has kicked in-22 days now). Thanks to the both of you. Give Teddy a head scratching for me. 💖 oh and my favorite read of this year so far The Road To Dalton by Shannon Bowring.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you so much! Reading is my comfort, and I'm so happy that the channel provides comfort in turn for others. I haven't read The Road to Dalton yet and it looks like the audio is on Scribd! 🎉 🎊

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

Thank you! Glad you join us! Good to get to know you too

[@jordana99]

I agree, love these three!

[@garthok6224]

I think couples like you are the cure against homophobia. You are wholesome couple.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you! I would love it if we could do something to open hearts and minds.

[@michellemorrill888]

Pause and join us for a cocktail…it feels like we’re sitting down with good friends when you two do videos together. I love your banter together just as much as your reviews and recommendations! Thanks for bringing the calm in a crazy time in our world! ❤️❤️

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you so much! We're happy to provide some calm if we can.

[@MJ-in-Canada]

That hug at 27:02 🤗

[@SupposedlyFun]

🤗 ❤️ 🥂

[@tiffanydeckard8916]

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@MJ-in-Canada]

Would you consider making a short video (if you haven't already) about your fave audiobook narrators?

[@SupposedlyFun]

I think we covered the three people I can immediately think of in this video! I'm sure there are other narrators I could think of, but those three have probably been my favorites.

[@MJ-in-Canada]

@@SupposedlyFun Thanks, Greg.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Of course!

[@Shelf_Improvement]

Second this!

[@emmavd]

Thanks, Greg and Joel!🌷This was lovely! Among my favourites for the first part of this year: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, White Teeth, River East River West, Ordinary Human Failings. The Home-Maker, a rather progressive novel by Dorothy Canfield Fisher about gender roles in society, dating back to 1924, republished by Persephone Books (also the audiobook is great). A French modern classic: Things by Georges Perec. A collection of well-crafted short stories: Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro. An autobiographical account of “life” in Auschwitz: If This is a Man by Primo Levi. The sadness and horror caused by this book made me look for an… antidote which could make me happy again (and it did!😊): What You are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama. Then I discovered the crime novels by the French female author Fred Vargas with a cast of rather excentric characters I got addicted to😅I think I can say that I’ve had a great reading year so far.

[@aurinrose]

I’ve loved your channel since finding it recently! My ears perked up when i heard mention of Here We Go Again, as Cochrun was my english teacher for two years in high school. I’m so glad her work is reaching people, she was totally inspiring for me as a queer student. I’ve been adding the rest of your favorites to my tbr, so thank you for the recs!

[@SupposedlyFun]

That's so cool! I'm so glad to hear that she's a good person/teacher as well as a great writer.

[@catherinejager3264]

Going on vacation- just picked up Here We Go Again, per both of your recommendations- can’t wait 😊

[@tiffanydeckard8916]

Your excitement over kindness found in some of the books made me so happy. "Small Joys" and kindness is what makes life so beautiful!! Thank you for all that you do in these vlogs!!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks for watching!

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

Thank you! I think kindness is my religion.

[@Shelf_Improvement]

That cake looks fantastic! Amazing Joel!

[@SupposedlyFun]

He did great!

[@alldbooks9165]

So fun to see Abbey Jimenez crack the top five. Her new romance series is just fabulous.

[@ericw4377]

Do you think you might do a video on the NY Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century? I think it was just published on July 8th. They sent a questionnaire out to 503 novelists, non-fiction writers, editors, critics, etc. and they were asked to list their personal top 10 of the 21st century. There were some additional prompts and the feedback was then tallied to arrive at the list of 100 revealed 20 at a time. As of now, they are on books 40 - 21.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm hoping to film a video about it on Friday when the whole list is out! So it would be posted on Monday if all goes well.

[@Sunshinysky432]

I agree with you on Nightwatch. Shocked it won. I’m excited to read,”Tin Man”. I looooved, “Still Life”! Thank you to both for the fun video!😊

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks for watching! I can't wait to read Still Life now.

[@Sunshinysky432]

@@SupposedlyFun I read along with the audio which I believe enhanced it greatly, due to the numerous characters. SW is the narrator! Either way I think you will like it. You and I have very similar tastes in family novels. Enjoy!😊

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@Sunshinysky432 That's good to know! Thanks.

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I’m saying Slainte with cranberry juice. ☘️🍀🇮🇪 My best ( and only nonfiction) Strong Female Character by Fern Brady Fern is a brilliant Scottish comedian. The book is about her diagnosis as an adult with autism. Small Things Like These is now a film with Cillian Murphy playing the coalman. My top books so far this year Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad Brotherless Night by VV Ganeshananthan Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly Tom Lake by Ann Patchett Service by Sarah Gilmartin ☘️ Fayne by AnnMaire MacDonald Solider Sailor by Claire Kilroy☘️ Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Haworth ☘️ Stone Yard Devotional by Charolette Wood The Caretaker by Ron Rash Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan ☘️ How To Build A Boat by Elaine Feeney☘️ North Woods by Daniel Mason

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

Good list! Loved Bandit queen

[@SupposedlyFun]

Here's hoping the adaptation of Small Things makes it over to these parts!

[@44Victoria4]

Small Joys sounds wonderful - added it to my tbr! Also loved the energy of this video

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you! I hope you like Small Joys as much as we did.

[@kellyhunsaker3775]

Cosby's books are so good! Love Razorblade Tears, especially.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I feel like this should probably be the year I finally read Razorblade Tears.

[@shandramch]

I read both Razorblade tears and All the sinners bleed this year and they are both in my top 10 of 2024 so far :) I have not read blacktop wasteland but have it on hold on Libby. Hello Beautiful was disappointing to me but I think perhaps I had high expectations? Adding more to my TBR thanks to this video, you’ve mentioned several books I have not heard of, love the Christmas in July idea

[@Roscoethecat]

My top three so far this year are Hello Beautiful, Tom Lake and To the Moon and Back. I read Hello Beautiful in February and Sylvie still pops in my brain sometimes. I want to read Here We Go Again, but it feels like a winter book, so I'm going to wait a few months.

[@SupposedlyFun]

That's a really good top three! I hope you like Here We Go Again as much.

[@wandering_inge]

Watching your best books videos always makes my TBR grow. 2024 is a good reading year so far! My 5 star reads thus far are: - Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa - These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany - To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers And two re-reads that got 5 stars again: - The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

[@SupposedlyFun]

I've heard such great things about Becky Chambers. At some point, I'll need to try one of Chambers' books.

[@mradcaqbdb]

I am still stuck trying to get into James. I switched to audio and still couldn’t get very far. Part of it is definitely the vernacular which annoys me, but that’s a me problem, not a book problem. I think it just isn’t time to read it yet. Looking back through my reading app, I’d say I’ve also had a pretty good year. The order is hard, but the first six are pretty much in order. 1. My Government Means to Kill Me - Rasheed Newson 2. Strangers - Taichi Yamada 3. Three Fires - Denise Mina (do on audio!) 4. Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson 5. The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle - Matt Cain 6. The Warm Hands of Ghosts - Katherine Arden 7. Lie With Me - Philippe Besson 8. The Reformatory - Tananarive Due 9. Blizzard - Marie Vingtras 10. Eastbound - Maylis De Kerangal And some crime to round out the list: 11. Helle & Death - Oskar Jensen 12. The Excitements - C J Wray 13. Over My Dead Body - Maz Evans 14. The Collapsing Wave - Doug Johnstone Great video, great picks! I definitely need to listen to Small Joys.

[@Itismebruna]

Loved your lists! I'm totally minority on the Hello Beautiful debate and didn't really like it, but this year of books has been quite good!

[@SupposedlyFun]

I've heard from a couple of people who didn't like Hello Beautiful as much as I did. It may be a bit of a cilantro book.

[@sarahdaneke3674]

I have read All the Sinners Bleed, thought it was great. The sheriff showed great courage. I am now starting Blacktop Wasteland. Razor Blade Tears it on my wish list. I fast forwarded during the spoiler alert. I don't usually read romance. I saw this book on every KZbin book reviews, its 'The Seven Year Slip'. Fun read has two story lines, with the characters.

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

Hope you enjoy the Cosby Books!

[@SupposedlyFun]

The Seven Year Slip sounds interesting! Thanks for the recommendation.

[@HelenSchneider-tl3yh]

Long Island by Colm Toibin is an excellent summer read about Ireland and American melting pot. Audio version is great.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I definitely want to catch up to Long Island (after I read Blackwater Lightship and, of course, Brooklyn).

[@karenbrouard697]

I have just finished Small Things like These most thought provoking book I have read this year. For context I was born in 1962 my mother in 1944 and my eldest daughter 1984 this novel was set in 1985. At times it was so familiar but at others it was like I was reading a novel which was how I would imagine 1930s it is so shocking to think the Catholic laundries existed in my life time thankfully completely outside my upbringing on a small Island in the UK. I can't stop thinking about the book . I loved the ending

[@SupposedlyFun]

That would definitely make it a very personal experience for you. I'm glad you liked it!

[@readandre-read]

So many good selections here that I also loved and ideas for my future reading. I just bought The Safekeep. I'm so glad that Tin Man made it to the top! I need to reread that one. My library just got Mrs. Quinn so I'm skipping the spoiler. Great video!

[@SupposedlyFun]

I hope you enjoy The Safekeep as much as I did! And Mrs Quinn as well.

[@karenmoore4430]

I am picking up Small Joys from my library on Saturday

[@SupposedlyFun]

I hope you like it as much as we did!

[@catherinejager3264]

My #1 so far is How To Read A Book by Monica Wood. Highly recommend 😉

[@jeanninethompson6243]

The Women by Kristen Hannah and Just for the Summer were tops for me

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

Both great books!

[@pjreads]

The ending of James didn't work for me for several reasons. Especially because it did not fit the realistic tone of the rest of the book where James found ways to achieve things within the constraints he faced. What the ending has James do would have been disastrous for him, his family, and many others.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I do think there's an argument to be made that Everett's point is that James gets to that place, but I tend to agree that it loses the tone of the rest of the book.

[@solenncful]

Would you believe, I was feeling exactly the same about Tin Man. I was too nervous to read it as I feared I wouldn't love it as much as everyone told me I would, I read it in June and I just adored it.. Highly recommend Still Live if you haven't read it already by Sarah Winman..

[@SupposedlyFun]

I have a copy of Still Life and will try to get to it soon!

[@solenncful]

@SupposedlyFun I think you'll both love it but be prepared to start planning a trip to Florence after reading it 😀

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@solenncful There are worse things! 😂

[@HeatherB81]

Hi there! Do you follow Anne Bogels Summer Reading Guide at all? I would love to see your thoughts on some of the titles. They are all new releases I believe.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I haven't, and I admit I'm not familiar with her.

[@petermccavington8232]

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair ❤🎉🎉🎉

[@SupposedlyFun]

I haven't read that one yet.

[@Nina_DP]

I like Joel's ending better!

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

Thank you

[@SupposedlyFun]

It would have made sense!

[@shelleybell8729]

I'm scared to read Brokeback Mountain because I loved the movie soooo much that I'm worried the book will disappoint!

[@joelmcclanahan9004]

I do not think it will disappoint.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I love the story!

[@myreadinglife8816]

Love Abby Jimenez! She has become one of my favorite romance authors.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I just finished Just for the Summer myself and loved it! I'll definitely be checking out her other books over time.

[@jennrecord2784]

Tom Lake is my number 1 so far this year but currently listening to The Women by Kristen Hannah and it may kill me so we'll see.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Kristen Hannah just did an event in Helena for that book and the folks at Montana Book Company say she's a lovely human. I was sad to miss the event!

[@jennrecord2784]

@SupposedlyFun aww that's awesome! Just hearing Helena gives me homesickness. I haven't been there since we buried my mom. But it's home for me even though I haven't lived there full time since I was young.

[@jennrecord2784]

I'm going to recommend Hello, Beautiful as our next book club read.

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@jennrecord2784 A lot of places in Montana have changed A LOT over the last ten years, but Helena still feels the same.

[@jennrecord2784]

@@SupposedlyFun I was home just over 2 years ago. I need to go visit my extended family again soon. And you're right even with the changes since I was little it still feels very much the same :)