2024 Reads!

In 2024, I am proud to announce I hit and even surpassed my reading goal of 100 books, reading 122 books this year! The genres I read the most this year were British literature, fantasy, and religion. Once again, C. S. Lewis comes out as a top author for my reading, since I read around nine of his books this year. Shakespeare came in second, as I read quite a few of his plays. My favorite book was probably Airman by Eoin Colfer; it's been a long time since I enjoyed a plot with so many twists and a compelling main character.

For the sake of consistency, me rating scale is based off of the one on Goodreads, where:

5 stars - it was amazing!

4 stars - really liked it

3 stars - liked it

2 stars - it was okay

1 star - did not like it

Art and Photography

4 stars

Rembrandt is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey

American Literature

3 stars

"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty

"The White Heron" by Sarah Orne Jewett

"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

British Literature

5 stars

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

4 stars

King John by William Shakespeare

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare

Dracula by Bram Stoker

"Leaf by Niggle" by J. R. R. Tolkien

3 stars

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Othello by William Shakespeare

Cymbeline by William Shakespeare

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

Utopia by Thomas More

Contemporary Fiction

3 stars

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

2 stars

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

1 star

Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr

Dystopian

4 stars

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Death Cure by James Dashner

3 stars

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Kill Order by James Dashner

The Fever Code by James Dashner

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Fantasy

5 stars

Airman by Eoin Colfer

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

4 stars

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck

The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

3 stars

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Mirror, Mirror by Jen Calonita

Dust by Kara Swanson

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young

1 star

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Food and Drink

4 stars

Whole Food Baby Food: Healthy Recipes to Help Infants and Toddlers Thrive by Laura Morton

3 stars

Cast-Iron Cooking: Recipes & Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Cast-Iron Cookware by Rachael Narins

Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of the Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich

Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories Behind America's Favorite Dishes by David Page

2 stars

Bread of Life: Savoring the All-Satisfying Goodness of Jesus Through the Art of Bread Making by Abigail Dodds

Guide and How-To

4 stars

Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow by Jamie Erickson

Living Without Plastic: More Than 100 Easy Swaps for Home, Travel, Dining, Holidays, and Beyond by Brigette Allen

3 stars

The Flower Recipe Book by Alethea Harampolis

Everyday Natural: Living a Pure and Simple Life Is Not As Complicated as You Think by Jacqueline Ritz

Theology of Home IV: Arranging the Seasons by Emily Malloy

The Backyard Homestead: Produce All the Food You Need on Just a Quarter Acre! by Carleen Madigan

2 stars

Better Homes and Gardens Step-by-Step Successful Gardening

Historical Fiction

3 stars

Hallelujah: The Story of the Coming Forth of Handel's Messiah by J. Scott Featherstone

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa M. Klein

Under a War-Torn Sky by L. M. Elliot

The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Trust by Hernan Diaz

A Fallen Sparrow: A Novel of the American Revolution by Lynne Tagawa

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Humanities and Social Sciences

5 stars

Bandersnatch: C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings by Diana Pavlac Glyer

Planet Narnia by Michael Ward

4 stars

A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-18 by Joseph Loconte

3 stars

One Race One Blood by Ken Ham

2 stars

Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind by Mark A. Noll

Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler

Literary Fiction

2 stars

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Memoir and Autobiography

5 stars

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of my Early Life by C. S. Lewis

4 stars

Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been by Jackie Hill Perry

The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom by Andrew Peterson

3 stars

A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Becoming Free Indeed by Jinger Duggar Vuolo

2 stars

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Mystery

3 stars

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Religion

5 stars

The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

4 stars

Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Timothy J. Keller

Stop Calling Me Beautiful: Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World by Phylicia D. Masonheimer

Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World by Michael S. Heiser

You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit by James K. A. Smith

The Allure of Gentleness: Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus by Dallas Willard

Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical by Timothy J. Keller

Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. Ortlund

Miracles by C. S. Lewis

The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis

Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing by Andy Crouch

3 stars

A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by Randolph E. Richards

1 star

The First Christmas by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan

Science and Technology

5 stars

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport

4 stars

The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in its Proper Place by Andy Crouch

3 stars

Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and the Future...and What We Can Do About It by Leonardo Trasande

Do You Believe in Magic? The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine by Paul A. Offit

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman

Science Fiction

4 stars

Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis

3 stars

Mindwar by Andrew Klavan

Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

Self-Help

4 stars

The Power to Change: Mastering the Habits that Matter Most by Craig Groeschel

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt

Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World by Jennie Allen

3 stars

Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life by Lara Casey

What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? by J. D. Greear

2 stars

The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God by Elisabeth Elliot

Travel

3 stars

Travels with Foxfire: Stories of People, Passions, and Practices from Southern Appalachia by Phil Hudgins

World Literature

4 stars

Tartuffe by Molière

"The Diamond Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant

3 stars

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

"The Great Hymn to Aten"

2 stars

The Assault by Harry Mulisch

"Le Lai de Lanval" by Marie de France

"Letter of Christopher Columbus Concerning His First Voyage to the New World" by Christopher Columbus