I have never tried making reading lists. Even though I love being organized, I dislike putting too much rules on myself because they always make me restless. I end up rebelling for no good reason apart from I can. So, I have steered away from them.
But, last year, I made a reading list: an entire flow of what book I’ll read after which book. I followed it and taking away that temptation of window shopping on Kindle or Goodreads for my next read helped me stay focussed.
This time, since I’m participating in 4 (!) reading challenges, it has necessitated the making of lists. I’ll talk about the challenges in the latter half of the blog post. For now, here are the 10 books I’m really looking forward to reading in 2024:
1. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
Since I have known Richa, she has talked about how special this book is. I had tried reading it about 10 years ago and I remember returning it to my library because I couldn’t understand anything. I recently read its sample and now, I feel equipped enough to give it another try.
Read: November 2024
My Rating: What a fun ride
I chose to listen to the audiobook with this one and I’m glad I did. I don’t think I would have been able to finish it had it been a book. It’s a marvellous story, dense and delicious. It does not let you rest until you have turned the last page.
2. Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
Murtagh was perhaps my favourite character from the Eragon series – apart from Saphira – and if there’s an entire book on him, I’m definitely going to read it. Not to forget, there will be dragons!
Update: Gah I’m so upset but I had to DNF this at 50 pages. It was boring and Murtagh didn’t feel like a character but more like a piece being used to further the plot. Plus the opening scene felt so cliched (he goes to a pub for information, gets into trouble, kills people, yada yada yawn) and cookie cutter I just knew this wasn’t the book I was hoping for.
3. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The cover and description of this book has intrigued me since I added it to my TBR list. But the 720 pages have always felt intimidating. This year, I want to read bigger books, so it gets added to the list.
Update: Choosing to not read this book. I heard about the themes that the book explores which made me read up the summary on Wikipedia. After that summary, there is no way I can read this book.
4. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
I love the premise of this book: a grief-stricken woman befriends an octopus. And the bright cover that reminds me of the ocean. I am sold!
Read: April 2024
My Rating: Thank you for existing
There are very few books that celebrate the day-to-day mundane. This was one such book. Right from the characters and the unexpected connection that is revealed through the story between Marcellus the octopus and Tova, the book hit me right in the feels.
5. Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
I have found I quite enjoy reading horror. This book has been on my TBR forever and I want to cross it off my list in 2024.
Read: February 2024
My Rating: What a fun ride
An intense read, I finished this in like 3 days and I love when a book makes me so wholly focussed on it.
6. Acts of God by Kanan Gill
I really like Kanan Gill’s brand of stand-up comedy and since stand-up requires good writing and storytelling skills, I’m hoping this book will be a fun read.
Read: January 2024
My Rating: Hmmm
This was a disappointing read. The point and plot were completely lost on me and despite its laugh out loud moments, the ending did not work for me which coloured the overall experience.
7. At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails by Sarah Bakewell
When I had more time and patience, I used to love reading philosophy. There was a point where I was obsessed with Camus and his absurdism theory. I hope this book will be a crash course in existentialism that I always wanted to do, but couldn’t find the right time to do it
Read: January 2024
My Rating: Thank you for existing
A book that completely lived up to my expectations and I enjoyed reading so much I wrote an entire review of it! You can read it here.
8. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
This has been doing quite a few rounds on bookstagram and booktube as the book that’ll save the romantasy genre. As a genre I don’t know what to do with it but I’m intrigued, so.
Read: October 2024
My Rating: Meh
This book was thin. Right from the plot, to the character development to the world building to all the beats that the story went through. Thin, predictable and something I have read before.
9. Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher
Thanks to Stranger Things, I know what Dungeons & Dragons is and consequently, what a paladin is. I wish I could play this game but until then, this book will have to do. Also T. Kingfisher as a writer excites me because of the range of genres she has written.
Read: March 2024
My Rating: What a fun ride
T. Kingfisher did not disappoint with this one! It’s a romantic fantasy but it has enough world building, character building and intrigue to keep you hooked.
10. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
I love how Brandon Sanderson writes, his world building and how he turns the regular fantasy tropes on their head. Though this is a 1000-page book, I don’t get scared when it is a fantasy book. I have mentally prepared myself to dive into this tome so hopefully I’ll be okay.
Read: May 2024
My Rating: What a fun ride
There is a reason he is who he is. Reading this book just reminded me why I love reading fantasy so much. I wrote a word vomit here on my experience of reading a 1000 page book.
Coming to the 4 challenges I will be participating in 2024
- TBRChallenge by Blogchatter for the joy of sharing books with the reading community. If that’s something you’re looking for too, you can read the rules and join it here.
- Goodreads Challenge for the ease of organizing books that I read year on year.
- Reading With Muffy which is a self-paced challenge with 12 easy prompts. If you’re looking for some cute goodies and growing your bookstagram, check the rules here to join.
- 12 Reads by 12 People that Ritu from Bookish League is championing. You basically pick up 12 books that are recommended by other people. Again a self-paced challenge, you can find the templates here from the originator of the challenge.
I have never done so many challenges before so I’m going to try real hard to not get overwhelmed. It’s one of the reasons my yearly goal is fixed at 30. I have found it to be a doable number for me and it is high enough that I won’t die of guilt for not reading enough.
Coming to you, what’s one book you’re looking forward to reading in 2024? Please tell me so I can increase my TBR – and make more lists!
This post is part of Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile and the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter.
tales of Suchita 
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