#201: My Fave 2024 Books & Most Anticipated 2025 Books

On today’s show I discuss my favorite books I read in 2024 and share my most anticipated books of 2025, plus some popular authors coming out with new books this year. A few statistics first. In 2024: I read 67 books.I did not finish (DNF) 16 books.67% of my books were fiction, with 33% nonfiction.All but one book was for adults; I read one young adult book.I read 21 debuts, or first-time-published authors, which was about 31% of all my books.All my books were physical books. I don’t use an e-reader or listen to audiobooks.Mystery/thriller was my most read genre. Here are the books I read that were mentioned in this episode: Worst Case Scenario by T.J. NewmanFalling by T.J. NewmanDrowning by T.J. NewmanKill for Me, Kill for You by Steve CavanaughThe Eddie Flynn series by Steve CavanaughColored Television by Danzy SennaJames by Percival Everett The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark TwainSame Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel MonaghanSummer Romance by Annabel MonaghanThe Caretaker by Ron RashAdelaide by Genevieve WheelerThe Women by Kristin HannahThe Nightingale by Kristin HannahLenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn MayneStrange Sally Diamond by Liz NugentThe God of the Woods by Liz MooreLong Bright River by Liz MooreThe Frankie Elkin series by Lisa Gardner (loved books 1-2; hated book 3)Silent Came the Monster by Amy Hill HearthThe Madness by Dawn KurtagichDracula by Bram StokerThe Flatshare by Beth O’LearyColton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff ZentnerOnly Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner (memoir)The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin (memoir)The Message by Ta-Nehisis Coates (nonfiction)Into the Forest: A Holocaust Story of Survival, Triumph, and Love by Rebecca Frankel (nonfiction)How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley 2024 books I tried to read in January but DNFed: The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston (very popular but I couldn’t get into it)Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj (debut I was excited about but discovered the main characters were all teenagers) 2024 books I’m still excited to try: The Safekeep by Yael van der WoudenMargo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi ThorpeThe Storm We Made by Vanessa ChanSafe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family by Mark DaleyThe Wives: A Memoir by Simone GorrindoDinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show by Bethany Joy Lenz (memoir)A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever by Kim Mager and Lisa PulitzerThe Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement by Sharon McMahonWe Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson 2025 books I’m excited about: Back After This by Linda Holmes — publishes Feb. 25 (author of Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo)Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister — publishes Feb. 25 (author of Wrong Place Wrong Time)The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker — publishes Feb. 25 (author of The Age Of Miracles and The DreamersWhat If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon — publishes April 15It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan — publishes May 27 Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid — publishes June 3 (author of Daisy Jones & The Six)King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby — publishes June 10 (author of All the Sinners Bleed and Razorblade Teers)Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner (fourth in Frankie Elkin series) — publishes August 12All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall — published Jan. 7 (I loved it! Similar in tone to Station Eleven)Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel — published Feb. 4 GoodReads’ “Readers Most Anticipated Books of 2025” Big-name authors with new books in 2025: Fiona DavisAnne TylerJojo MoyesChimamanda Ngozi AdichieFrederik BackmanKevin WilsonAlice FeeneyFreida McFaddenRiley SagerLisa JewellJohn ScalziGrady HendrixStephen King — book #4 in the Holly Gibney series publishes May 27Ali HazelwoodAbby JimenezJasmine GuilloryEmily HenryBeth O’Leary Resources: Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee