Episode 148 - 2024 Superlatives & Reading Resolutions

We’re making reading resolutions for 2025 and giving out our 2024 book superlatives!

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

Women’s Prize for Fiction
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
From the Front Porch (podcast)
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Book of the Month Club
The Bookshop
Parnassus Books
Brandon Sanderson books
Jane Austen books
Libba Bray books
Colin Dexter books
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Emily Henry books
Ann Patchett books

Most Timely
Ann: Hum by Helen Phillips
– Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
Halle: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kristen Miller
– The Change by Kristen Miller

Most Disappointing
Ann: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson; The Women by Kristin Hannah
– Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson
Halle: Bride by Ali Hazelwood; Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood; The Postcard by Anne Berest
– Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
– In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Favorite Reread
Ann: None!
Halle: The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater; Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Biggest Surprise
Ann: The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August; The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff
Halle: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore
– Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore
– Gilmore Girls (TV)

Least Favorite
Ann: The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons; In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander
– The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
Halle: Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

Book That Lived Up to the Hype:
Ann: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley; The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez
Halle: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney; James by Percival Everett
– Normal People (TV)
– Normal People by Sally Rooney

Best Distraction
Ann: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
Halle: Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal; Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

The Book That Ended a Mini Reading Slump
Ann: Ghost Mother by Kelly Dwyer
Halle: The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

Most Unputdownable
Ann: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan; We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Halle: When We Were Bright and Beautiful by Jillian Medoff; The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

Better Late Than Never
Ann: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
– Good Omens (TV)
– Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer
– The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
– Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Halle: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Book That Has Stayed With Me
Ann: The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler
Halle: All Fours by Miranda July

Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did!
Ann: The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan
Halle: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

Author(s) we discovered in 2024 that we’re most excited to read more from in 2025
Ann: Kaliane Bradley; Kristen Perrin; Carmella Lowkis; Monika Kim; Cara Bastone
– Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Halle: Cara Bastone; Kirsty Greenwood; Alice Wyn; Yulin Kuang; Holly Brickley; Olivia Muenter
– Abby Jimenez books

Hidden Gem:
Ann: Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong; Ready or Not by Cara Bastone; The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd
Halle: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood; Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa
– The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Best Audiobook Experience of the Year:
Ann: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
– Meryl Streep filmography
Halle: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the Year
Ann: The Bear (TV); The Traitors (TV); Kyle Maclaughlin ads for Arby’s; Moo Deng; The Eras Tour
Halle: One Day (TV); Wicked (film); Nobody Wants This (TV); The Tortured Poets Department (album by Taylor Swift); BookTube; five-year journal

The Book We Recommended the Most This Year
Ann:  Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong; The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Halle: The Wedding People by Alison Espach; Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

What We’re Reading This Week:

• Ann: After Annie by Anna Quindlen
• Halle: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
  – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
  – The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

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