2024 in Books: Fiction

In looking over my lists for the past year, I discovered that I read a lot more fiction than nonfiction, something I hope to change next year. Some of it is because fiction is great for reading on the bus and during my busy months I spend a lot of time on the bus. Some of it is that fiction is usually just easier and quicker to read. Still, I'd like more in-depth reading this year.

That said, here is my list of favourite fiction books read in 2024:

The Fate of Arcrea and The Isle of Arcrea by Nicole Sagar. I read the first book in the trilogy in 2023 and finished it up in January.

Orange for the Sunsets by Tina Athaide. This one is youth fiction about the expulsion of Indians from Uganda under Idi Amin. I learned a lot of history that I had never learned before (along with the story was a timeline of the actual events, and of course I did some research as well).

The Percys and Aunt Jane's Hero by Elizabeth Prentiss.

Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards. I wanted to see if Julie Andrews could write or was published because she was famous. She can write.

Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson. There was only one bit of "No, that doesn't mesh with Anne of Green Gables."

The Staff and the Sword series by Patrick Carr. I got the first book for Christmas and borrowed the other two from my friend's son. Also, I just remembered that we have the first 2 in the church library and I need to buy the third one.

The Last Devil to Die and We Solve Murders by Richard Osman. The first is part of his Thursday Murder Club series; the second is a new series (I hope).

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. The book starts when Aminata Diallo is a child and is kidnapped from her home in Africa and sold into slavery. It tells of her life in slavery; how she found freedom; her involvement in the Revolutionary War; her time in Canada and eventual return to Africa. It is a brilliant piece of historical fiction. 

Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts. Letts describes her book as "a fictional story based closely on the truth". It is the story of L. Frank Baum's wife, Maud. It tells of her childhood, her life with Frank, and her interactions with Judy Garland during the making of the movie The Wizard of Oz. While it is fiction, it is very well researched fiction.

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan. I've written about this preciously (I really, really liked it). While is is fiction and the main story is pure fiction, the parts about C.S. Lewis are at least based on fact.

War in the Wasteland by Douglas Bond. More historical fiction, again about C.S. Lewis and his time in World War One.

9 books in the Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini. For the most part, these are fairly simple reads (and great bus and bedtime books). They are sometimes historical fiction about the people who once lived in and around the Elm Creek area, and sometimes contemporary fiction about the people working at and attending the quilt camps. Also, there are a lot of quilts.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson. Technically I finished this on in 2025, but since it was around 2:00 this morning and I hadn't gone to sleep yet, I'm counting it as the last book of 2024.

I read many more books, of course, but those were my favourites. I haven't started with this year's book yet, but I have a stack of library books, a new one from Christmas, many that I own and haven't read, and more coming (thank you, givers of gift cards). The only challenge is what to read first!