One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2024 was to get back into reading. So far, I have read 32 books this year, which is about 31 more than I had read in total over the 4 years prior. So, I think I’ve been fairly successful.
On this reading journey, I discovered quite a few genres and authors that I’ve come to love. As 2024 comes to an end, there are still a few more books I’ve been itching to read to close out the year. Here, I’ll share a couple of books on my current TBR list and a bit about why I’m excited to read them.
1. Intermezzo by sally rooney
Sally Rooney, author of the beloved book Normal People, released her fourth novel, Intermezzo on Sept. 24.
I read Normal People back in May, and I have not stopped thinking about it since I put it down. It’s absolutely a top-5 read of the year for me. I’m a huge fan of Rooney’s writing style. Though the lack of quotation marks is controversial among readers, I personally think it’s clever.
The ambiguity between thought and speech in Normal People reflects not only the lack of communication between the 2 main characters, Marianne and Connell, but it also reflects the way real, regular people approach relationships. Usually, we don’t say everything we want to. Other times we say things we don’t mean but can’t figure out how to dig ourselves out of the hole.
I enjoy it when a story is led by thought or following a character’s movements rather than dialogue. It allows the readers to feel a more intimate connection with the characters. Personally, I will always choose character development over a plot. From what I have heard, Intermezzo is written very similarly to Normal People, which is why it’s made its way to my TBR.
2. Blue sisters by coco Mellors
Coco Mellors’ second book, Blue Sisters, was released on Sept. 3. Her debut novel, Cleopatra and Frankenstein, was also a top-5 read of the year for me. However, Mellors’ writing is extremely character-driven and focused. If you prefer a more fast-paced plot, I may not recommend this to you, as this is the top criticism/controversy among readers.
I had never read a book quite like Cleopatra and Frankenstein before. The overarching plot is about 2 individuals, but every single chapter focuses on a different character. The story is told in third-person omniscient, meaning that the narrator knows all the thoughts, feelings, and actions of all the characters.
What I like so much about this style of writing is that there is almost no such thing as a “side character.” Every persona is humanized. Reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein felt like reading a compilation of short stories. Though the point-of-view was constantly changing, the plot still moved forward.
If Mellors wrote Blue Sisters in the same way she did her first book, it too will leave me staring at the wall once I finish it.
3. Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
Duck, Newburyport was published in 2019 and is a 1000-page novel made up of a single sentence. You read that right. One long sentence spanning 1000 pages.
The story is essentially the stream of consciousness of an Ohio woman as she reflects on her life. The only form of “punctuation” that separates the thoughts is the phrase “the fact that.”
I want to read this book because I think it will leave me feeling like I’ve known the main character for years. Being stuck in a person’s head for 1000 pages is bound to create some sort of connection, right?
I also want to read this book because I think it will be a challenge. I have heard mixed reviews about the difficulty of reading it. Some say it’s a taxing ordeal. Others say that the story actually moves quickly because it is all one sentence. Nonetheless, this is probably the most intriguing read on my TBR.
4. before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The first book of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series was released nearly 10 years ago. It’s part of a 5-book-long series, the latest of which was released in Sept. I have to admit that BookTok influenced me to add this to my TBR list.
The genre of this book is sci-fi, which I have not picked up in quite a few years. The story is about a coffee shop in Tokyo that allows its customers to time travel so long as they return before their coffee gets cold.
I’m excited to read this book because I want to see if it’s a genre I still enjoy years later. I don’t usually gravitate towards series, but perhaps Before the Coffee Gets Cold will change that.
5. one day by David Nicholls
If you know me, you know that I am not the biggest fan of contemporary romance novels, so this is a very interesting choice.
One Day was released in 2009. Like a couple of books I’ve mentioned so far, a Netflix series based on this book was released earlier this year, bringing a new wave of attention to the story.
The primary reason why I want to read this book is because it was written by a man. The majority of fan-favorite contemporary romance novels are written by women. Stereotypically speaking, women usually write the ideal relationship, the ideal man, and the ideal, fairytale ending. Plus, as a woman, I already have first-hand insight into how a woman speaks and thinks about men and love.
I want to read One Day because I want to read how a man speaks and thinks about women and love. I’m looking at reading this novel as a way of picking a man’s brain on romance.
Are all contemporary romance novels written the same way? Or will One Day restore my faith in love and men? Hopefully, it’s the latter outcome. For this book, I’ll give contemporary romance one more chance.
Though my actual TBR list is much longer than what I outlined here, I have been hyping up to read these 5 in particular for a while. I have a strong feeling I’ll love them all, but only time will tell. Usually, I try to read my books in the order that I’ve bought them. For these 5 though, I’ll make exceptions to my rule. Happy reading!