11 of the best new books of 2024 that you may've missed
The 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards winners have been announced, cue the confetti! Big congrats to all the winners across every category. But, because books are wildly subjective (and I love to run my mouth), I thought I’d shout out my favourites.
No surprises in Romantasy: Sarah J. Maas cleaned the house, as she always does. Emily Henry, the queen of love and banter, rightfully nabbed the Romance crown, and Stephen King, well, he is the King of Horror.
Look, the Goodreads Choice Awards are basically a giant literary popularity contest, powered by sheer voter enthusiasm. Is it a balanced, well-rounded reflection of the year’s best books? Based on the way they’re chosen, nah. But hey, that’s how the cookie crumbles.
Anyway, if you’re looking for solid recommendations for 2024 releases I actually read and can hand-on-heart vouch for, these are my personally vetted best new books of 2024, released in 2024, which you may’ve missed.
The best new books of 2024, that I actually read.
Okay, let’s be real, I have a very clear genre bias, and I’m not even sorry about it. If you’re here looking for literary fiction or historical fiction, you’re out of luck, because I didn’t read a single one this year. But hey, this is my little corner of the internet, and I make the rules. So instead, I’m sharing what I did read and loved.
And if I couldn’t narrow it down to just one book per category? I didn’t. Because why choose when there’s so much good stuff out there? Here are my top pick for the best new books of 2024 reads, sorted by genre for your convenience.
In no particular order…
Horror.
Horror had me in a chokehold this year, and I’m not mad about it. Feminine rage and a meta take on slasher horror won it for me this year, with Monika Kim and Stephen Graham Jones serving up the most unhinged, blood-splattered best horror books of 2024.
Monica Kim’s narrative slices through misogyny, racism, cultural fetishisation, exoticism and hypersexualisation with surgical precision. Bring a strong stomach.
If you’re the kind of reader who loves their psychological horror served with a side of cannibalistic body horror, this one’s got your name all over it.
Get The Eyes Are the Best Part.
The king of campy meta-horror strikes again with a coming-of-age teenage slasher memoir.
This one is a blood-soaked love letter to slasher films, teen angst, and surviving the monstrous.
Stephen Graham Jones blends nostalgia, gore, and wit like nobody else can, and I ate up every page. If you like Grady Hendrix or Stephen King, you might be a good match for SGJ too.
Get I Was a Teenage Slasher.Fantasy.
Fantasy remains my ultimate escape, and 2024 gave me some absolute bangers. Magical worlds, morally grey characters, and lush prose? Say less.
Mirrored Heavens (Between Earth and Sky #3) by Rebecca Roanhorse.
The stunning conclusion to the Between Earth and Sky trilogy.
Featuring reincarnated crow gods, giant water beetles, winged serpents, and a cast as vibrant as it is diverse, this high fantasy gem set in the pre-Columbian Americas goes toe-to-toe with Game of Thrones but somehow flew under everyone’s radar.
And the cherry on top? It’s a complete and finished trilogy (yes I’m side-eyeing George R.R. Martin).
Get the Between Earth & Sky trilogy.
This is hands down one of the most unforgettable dark academia reads I’ve devoured this year.
Perfect for school-of-magic enthusiasts who can handle a story laced with blood, gore, and chilling horror elements—consider this my enthusiastic (and slightly ominous) recommendation.
Get An Academy for Liars.
A folklore-inspired backpack fantasy, a murder mystery, and sapphic romance with a dash of dark academia.
Throw in sentient forests that rearrange themselves at night, fantastical wildlife, and a hiking buddy who’s equal parts rival and annoyingly charming, and you’ve got a recipe for all my favourite tropes. Yep, this was a real big hit for me!
Get A Dark and Drowning Tide.
Could this dark retelling of The Goose Girl out-dark the original, which already boasts horse decapitation and some grim justice?
Spoiler: it does. Not the scary kind of dark, but the creepy, murdery, and delightfully unhinged kind. Add in a dash of Regency-era dry humor and razor-sharp satire, and you’ve got that kind of dark.
Be sure to check the trigger and content warnings and proceed with caution.
Get A Sorceress Comes to Call.Young Adult (YA) Fantasy.
YA Fantasy didn’t exactly dominate my reading list this year, but I did read the Goodreads Choice winner, Ruthless Vows, and I ended up liking it. Still, let’s be real, it won mostly because of its hype. So, I’m shining a spotlight on another standout YA Fantasy from 2024 that might’ve slipped under your radar, but I absolutely adored.
Tahir’s return to the An Ember in the Ashes world hits hard.
It’s fierce, emotional, and beautifully written, with multiple protagonists you may or may not root for from page one. Heir is part one of a duology and is standalone, so even if you haven’t finished AEITA, you can dive right in. And trust me, you’ll want to. Sirsha Westering is a QUEEN.
Get Heir.Mystery & Thriller.
I only read one psychological thriller this year, and I loved it. Here is my best new thriller book choice for 2024.
I’m picky when it comes to thrillers, if I can predict the twist, I’m out.
Thankfully, Listen for the Lie kept me guessing in this small town murder mystery, whilst laughing at the dark humour.
Tintera’s wit and sharp writing make this an absolute page-turner. Grandma Beverly is the real MVP, clearly.
Get Listen for the Lie.Sci-fi.
Sci-i was a mixed bag for me this year. Baby X didn’t quite hit the mark for me but The Ministry of Time was an interesting standout.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.
Eclectic, but awesome.
A time-travel story that intertwines with real historical events about the worst disaster in British polar exploration history.
A poignant, weird, funny, romantic, speculative, comedy, historical fiction, spy thriller, that somehow works.
Get The Ministry of Time.Romantasy.
While many of you were cheering for SJM and Crescent City to win best romantasy of 2024, here are a few 2024 romantasies you might’ve overlooked, filled with deadly trials, steamy romance, and immersive world-building that’ll keep you hooked. These were some of my favourites published in 2024!
The followup to where The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King left off, Broadbent does it again.
Weaving Mische and Asar’s story full of heartbreaking backstories, aching romance, and lush prose, the tension in this book had me on the edge of my seat.
Oh, and let’s not forget Luce—truly the goodest girl in the world.
Get The Songbird & the Heart of Stone.
Welcome to Phantasma.
There are only two rules to the game. Stay alive. And don’t fall in love.
Easier said than done when it comes to forced proximity in a haunted house with a hot phantom.
Get Phantasma.And that’s a wrap for the best new books of 2024, that flew under the radar.
If your TBR wasn’t already a disaster zone, I hope this list helped push it to full-blown chaos. You're welcome. Here’s to 2025 bringing us even more stories that make us laugh, cry, and ignore all adult responsibilities while we whisper “just one more chapter” for the fourth time.
Happy reading, friends. May your books be brilliant and your sleep schedules questionable.
