Top 10 Books of 2024 | Ronit J's Yearly Wrap-Up

Top 10 Books of 2024 | Ronit J’s Yearly Wrap-Up

Top 10 Books of 2024 was a list I was going to include in my reading wrap-up because I was planning to only read two books this month. But then I ended up reading 2 novellas between books, and I thought—well, 14 might just be too much. So, I decided to just do a separate Top 10 list.

But first, here’s all the books that I read in the year of 2024:

I always love seeing such compilations. I spend all year slowly assembling these one book at a time, which finally leads me to this very fulfilling image. It’s a look back at what an amazing year I’ve had. I always used to do this for movies, but this year I decided to do it for my books too, and well… you can see the result!

One last thing before I start with my Top 10 Books of 2024 list, I just want to make one thing clear. These aren’t books that necessarily released in 2024, but books that I read this year. Also, I’m going to be brutally honest and say there’s no objectivity in this list. These books are purely based on what I had the most fun reading. In fact, two on here aren’t even 5-star reads, but they did outdo some other 5-star reads in terms of enjoyment, retention, and other factors that matter in the long run.

Top 10 Books of 2024:

1) Circe by Madeline Miller- ★★★★★

Not only was this the first book that I read in 2024, this was also the first that I was confident would make it to my top 10 books of 2024 list.

Just imagine how epic a goddess’ life would be, and then imagine it being presented as a series of mesmerising poetic prose that condenses it all within a mere 333 pages! Yup, this was a beautifully magical book to start off my 2024 reading journey.

You can read my full review on SFF Insiders.

2) The Storm Beneath The World by Michael R Fletcher – ★★★★

This one sorta came out of nowhere. I saw a call for ARCs from the author on my Twitter feed, signed up for it, and ended up being one of the most un-put-down-able books I read all year.

Check out my full review on Goodreads.

3) Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson – ★★★★★

This year, I decided to get all caught up with the Cosmere, and it all started with Oathbringer!

I’ll admit, I had my doubts about whether or not this would outdo Words of Radiance. Irrespective, the book was awesome enough to make it to my top 10 books of 2024 list!

You can read my full review on SFF Insiders.

4) God Eater Saga by Rob J Hayes – ★★★★★

Honestly, I’d love to include all 3 book ones of the God Eater Saga here, but then my Top 10 list would look more like a best Rob J Hayes list. Honestly, Hayes really killed it with all his releases this year, and that man deserves a warm virtual hug for the magic he’s given us. But, of all his reads, Herald hands down had the deepest impact on me. It’s an epic slow burn that ends on such an emotionally kinetic moment that 1) concludes this story, 2) teases the future, and 3) leaves you positively mind-blown.

So yeah, Herald is on my top 10 list. Deathless and Demon are amazing reads, but Herald takes the cake.

Check out my full review on SFF Insiders.

5) A Dirge for Cascius by Calum Lott – ★★★★★

I discovered Calum Lott on Twitter when he posted about his plan to share free monthly short stories. Two shorts in, I knew I was going to love his immensely complex and fully realised world of Valsollas. What I did not expect was to go on a spiritual journey that’s as dense as it was dreamlike. I’ll admit, the book is not the easiest thing to read out there, but the satisfaction you feel upon reaching its end is akin to the likes of Malazan.

Lott plans to release Dirge 2 next year, and it is undoubtedly one of my most anticipated releases of 2025!

Check out my full review on SFF Insiders.

6) Poonachi: or The Story Of A Black Goat by Perumal Murugan- ★★★★★

The only Indian book to make it to my Top 10 Books of 2024 list. Is this also the only non-SFF book? Not really. The book does feature elements of magic realism, so by a stretch of the definition, it is still an SFF book.

What really makes Poonachi special is the deeply layered narrative that is allegorical for a lot of very real and contemporary socio-political issues that continue to haunt my home country. My only regret with this book is that I could not read it in its original Tamil, making me wonder what was lost in translation.

You can read my full review on my blog.

7) Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett – ★★★★★

I thought I was diving into a fun and cozy read with Men at Arms, but it ended up being a very thought-provoking satire, driven forth by strong character work and Pratchett’s signature humour. This is the point where Discworld has markedly stopped being just a comedic fantasy and is becoming a satire. Absolutely loved everything about this! Especially how the character, plot, and narrative perfectly expound on the book’s themes without being expository.

You can read my full review on SFF Insiders.

8) Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – ★★★★★

This spiritual successor to The Martian was everything that I expected of it, and more! I had the vaguest idea of what the book was about, but discovering more along the read was truly magical (yes, I get the irony of using that adjective). I genuinely believe that Project Hail Mary is best enjoyed without any prior knowledge.

Check out my full review on SFF Insiders.

9) The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson – ★★★★★

The Lost Metal was an absolute delight to read as a Cosmere fan. I don’t remember the last time I sat down and read for hours at a stretch, that’s how much I was hooked to this book. Especially Part 2.

The Lost Metal was the perfect closing chapter for Mistborn Era 2, as well as the perfect segway from the ‘loosely connected’ Cosmere era to the ‘highly Cosmere-aware’ era.

You can read my full review on SFF Insiders.

10) Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – ★★★★

Yes, I compared Matt Dinniman to Douglas Adams, and I stand by it. Dungeon Crawler Carl is very much layered with relevant social commentary that becomes apparent the more you think about the book. It’s an absolute blast to read, with Princess Donut and Carl’s characters really driving the narrative forward with their quirks, but it’s so much more than just an action-packed comedy. For that, this book is in my top 10 list of the year.

Top 10 Books of 2024 | Honorary Mentions

These are books that I really wanted to include in my top 10 list. But, it’s top 10 list, and not top-cram-in-all-your-favourites for a reason. But, I’d be remiss to not mention these mind-blowing experiences! They are:

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy: This was the hardest book to read all year. However, it was also the most visceral and evocative experience of 2024.
The Price of Power by Michael Michel: Michel’s writing is one of my favourite discoveries of 2024. After finishing Price of Power, I can say without a doubt that he is now one of my favourite authors.
Blood Brothers Beyond by Rob J Hayes: As much as 2024 was the year of Sanderson for me, it was also the year of Hayes. This one is the most emotionally satisfying story I’ve read, not just in the Mortal Techniques series, but in 2024 in general.
Wind & Truth by Brandon Sanderson: I genuinely thought it’d make it to my top 10 list. I had initially even included it in my draft. But then, there were quite a few things that I did not enjoy. However, I have to admit that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive did end with a fittingly epic finale. My 4th favourite book of the Stormlight Archive so far, and it deserves an honorary mention.

If it were up to me, I’d include all my 5-star reads here, but that’d kinda defeat the purpose of the list. So, I decided only to highlight the best of the best. And I still got 4 honorary mentions… so just imagine what a year I’ve had reading wise.