As an avid reader, my 2024 read list has been getting longer every month, but it can be hard to get out of the vicious cycle of reading the same genre over and over again. If you’re like me and want to branch into different genres, look no further. Here are four books for adventurous readers wanting to get into something new!
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
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For my science fiction lovers, this is perhaps my favorite book I’ve read this year. I Who Have Never Known Men is a thrilling dystopian novel set in a fictitious world where a group of women live behind bars in a bunker, with no knowledge of how they got there. They’re imprisoned with no knowledge of the outside world or why they’re being kept hidden away. They live their lives performing everyday tasks while guards monitor them from outside their cage. That is until one day, after a series of strange events, they find themselves freed and completely alone.
I read this book in a day and fell completely in love with Harpman’s narration style. It was originally written in French, and the translation by Ros Schwartz is flawless. If you’re a fan of dystopian literature, I definitely recommend checking out this book.
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
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If you’re a mysterious fiction genre fan, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful story about family, friendship, and the internal monologue of a giant Pacific octopus. Tova Sullivan, a widow working as a janitor at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, finds herself connecting with and befriending an unlikely companion behind the glass. Marcellus, a grumpy but curious octopus, finds comfort in his new friendship with Tova. However, one day, she isn’t the one coming to clean every night and she’s instead replaced by a strange man from out of town.
Normally, I don’t find human-animal relationships plausible, but Marcellus and his hilarious platitudes charmed me from the very start of the novel. The heartbreak and hope Tova experiences, along with her quest for answers about her missing son, compelled me until the very end. If you’re looking for an inspirational read, this is a great book to dive into.
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
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This one is a great contemporary literary fiction book. Sam Masur and Sadie Green, two remarkably brilliant video game enthusiasts, find their lives intertwined over and over again. Through the course of their lives, the pair become friends, enemies, business partners, and eventually incredibly successful video game designers. This novel spans over 30 years. Sam and Sadie explore success, failure, identity, failure, and love, all while navigating their complicated connection.
Exceptionally written and devastatingly real, this novel brought me to tears. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. At any given moment, I had no idea where Sam and Sadie’s story was going, just like real life. Zevin’s words felt so vulnerable and raw. I genuinely felt like I was there with her characters, experiencing all of their pain, heartbreak, and success. If you’re ready for an emotional rollercoaster that feels all too real, I definitely recommend picking this book up.
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
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Daphne, a children’s librarian, has just had her life flipped completely upside down. Her fiancé Peter has dumped her for his childhood best friend Petra (classic). Her job is barely paying the bills (seriously, barely), and her new roommate is Petra’s ex, Miles (could this get any worse?). Daphne finds herself in this both exciting and terrifying situation of completely starting over in this new life she has found herself in.
Daphne and Miles bond over their heartbreak and slowly start to warm up to each other’s company. They even take it so far as to pretend to date in order to make their exes jealous, which is fine because it’s all pretend… isn’t it? Daphne quickly starts to learn that second chances, starting over, and reinventing yourself might not be such a bad thing.
Emily Henry has done it again with this fantastic contemporary romance that will make anyone immediately want to move to Michigan. Hilarious, touching, and real, this book is perfect for anyone looking for an escape from reality…or a new book boyfriend.
If you don’t feel like you’ve made the most of your 2024 reading list, you still have plenty of time before the new year to fall in love with a new book!
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