Can’t-Miss Books in 2024!
Ten Upcoming Book Releases to Look For…
Ever had a reading experience that just instantly makes you know that you'll pick up any and every book the author publishes in the future? I once tried to sit down and write out my favorite fiction authors and my list of auto-buy authors was already long. I quickly gave up on that project, but it’s safe to say that many have seriously impressed me with their writing talent!
When I looked at books that are coming out in 2024, I was thrilled to find the book list packed full of the latest (and hopefully greatest) books from many of my favorite authors. If you’re looking to grow your TBR stack — although, let’s be honest, do any of us really need help with that? — this book list of my top books to keep on your radar in 2024 is for you! Better yet, you can use this list to get in line now for your library holds!
All the Colors of the Dark
— by Chris Whitaker
— Publishing May 21, 2024
Billed as a “soaring thriller and epic love story,” All the Colors of the Dark may quickly rise to the top of the list of my most-anticipated books to read this year.
In a small rural town, girls are disappearing, including the daughter of a wealthy family. It’s a local boy who saves this girl, kicking off both a love story and a serial killer thriller. I love a little romance when it carries some emotional bite, and this book promises to deliver.
Whitaker’s previous work, We Begin at the End, absolutely took me to pieces before putting me back together again, and all the advance reviews suggest this book is just as well crafted. Cannot wait!
The Guncle Abroad
— by Steven Rowley
— Publishing May 21, 2024
I fell in love with Patrick in The Guncle, finding myself surprised by how much deeper the book was than the cover suggested. And how great that it’s being made into a movie — I will definitely be buying that ticket! We all know the book is always better, though, which is what has me so excited to dive into the sequel, The Guncle Abroad.
In this book, Patrick will be traveling to his brother’s wedding in Italy, where he will navigate through a wide range of what promises to be hilarious family dynamics. Here’s hoping this book is just as touching as the first!
The Rom-Commers
— by Katherine Center — Publishing June 11, 2024
I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Rom-Commers and found it to be another book in the win column from Katherine Center. I sank into the world of Emma and Charlie easily and had so much fun rooting for their success! Emma is a romance writer who has hoped to make it big, but never seemed to catch her big break while caring for her medically fragile father. Charlie is a screenwriter known for his high-octane action movies. When Charlie writes a romcom that is sure to bomb at the box office, Emma is brought in to help him clean up the script. This book wasn’t without flaws for me, but it was an entertaining page turner throughout.
The Nature of Disappearing
— by Kimi Cunningham Grant — Publishing June 18, 2024
Kimi Cunningham Grant’s These Silent Woods may just be my favorite book of all time (though you all know that’s like asking me to pick a favorite child), so I am hugely excited to get my hands on The Nature of Disappearing.
This book is described as “a captivating novel of suspense, when a wilderness guide must team up with the man who ruined her life years ago when the friend who introduced them goes missing.”
I’m already getting all the usual Cunningham Grant atmospheric vibes and I am 100% here for it!
A Novel Love Story
— by Ashley Poston — Publishing June 25, 2024
When Eileen Merriweather is on her way to an annual book club retreat, her car breaks down and leaves her stranded — in a town she grows to realize is the setting of her favorite fictional romance book series. And she quickly starts to suspect that she will need to play a role in moving this town’s story forward.
I absolutely loved Poston’s Dead Romantics, and had fun with The Seven-Year Slip, so I’m hopeful that Poston will deliver another entertaining read for us in 2024. Fingers crossed that she continues her unique blend of grittier romance and magical realism in A Novel Love Story, too.
Breaking the Dark
— by Lisa Jewell — Publishing July 4, 2024
Let me start with transparency — Lisa Jewell’s books are hit or miss for me, so I can’t say for sure that this will be a hit. That said, it has an intriguing premise that has me putting my name on the holds list, because I can’t wait to see how Jewell pulls this one off!
Breaking the Dark kicks off the “Marvel Crime series” which is exactly what it sounds like — a series revolving around Jessica Jones, a superheroine character from Marvel comic books. The plot sounds like a mash-up of scifi, comic action, and of course Jewell’s trademark thriller writing.
A note to audiobook listeners, it looks like this one is launching as an Audible exclusive.
The Life Impossible
— by Matt Haig
— Publishing August 29, 2024
Every single book I’ve read by Matt Haig has felt like a deeply satisfying hug tucked between two covers, so I’m excited for another life-affirming read with The Life Impossible.
Retiree Grace Winters is bequeathed an island home when a long-lost friend dies. After traveling to the island, Grace seeks answers about her friend’s life and death — as well as Grace’s own past.
It’s too soon to see much on early reviews for this one, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open and picking up a copy either way!
Somewhere Beyond the Sea
— by TJ Klune — Publishing September 10, 2024
Speaking of books that hug you back, TJ Klune is a fabulous author known for tales of self-acceptance and stories featuring lost characters who find their place in the world. With heartwarming themes like that, it’s no wonder that I’m joining a large crowd of readers who are excited for the next chapter in the life of Arthur, Linus, and other popular characters from the popular hit The House in the Cerulean Sea.
“Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.”
Eddie Winston is Looking for Love
— by Marianne Cronin — Publishing September 10, 2024
All the yesssss for another book from Marianne Cronin! If you have not yet read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, please do add that to your list (it’s especially great as an audiobook, where the accents are so charming) — but also keep your eyes out for her second novel, Eddie Winston is Looking for Love.
At 90 years old, Eddie has loved many but has never been kissed. A hopeless romantic, he spends his days saving tokens of love from the items he sorts through at the local charity thrift shop. There, he meets 24-year-old Bella, who teams up with Eddie to help him find true love — and his first kiss.
Heavenly Tyrant
— by Xiran Jay Zhao
— Publishing December 24, 2024
This one’s on my list for my 13-year-old ravenous reader, who absolutely loved reading Iron Widow this year and instantly asked if there was a sequel. He reads a lot of fantasy, so I know that anything that stands out to him is a knockout in the genre.
This book is said to pick up right where Iron Widow left off, with Zetian in a seat of power in Huaxia — but she soon discovers that she must also share her power with a dangerous man. As the two circle around each other, they must execute “a dance of truth and lies and perform their roles to perfection.”
ICYMI: Great Books Just Released in 2024…
In case you missed it, there are also a number of books from popular authors that have already been released this year and are worth the read!
The Women
— by Kristin Hannah — Published February 6, 2024
An emotional look at the contributions women made to the Vietnam War, specifically in the medical field. The main character, Frankie, signs up to become a nurse on the front lines of the war, fresh from recruitment and with too little experience to be prepared for what comes next.
Some readers claim this book reads like a soap opera because there is a lot of turbulence and romance built in, but I still found it deeply engaging — and a 4.68-star average from 275K ratings on Goodreads doesn’t lie!
The Fury
— by Alex Michaelides
— Published January 16, 2024
I know it isn't a universal experience with this book but, for me, "The Fury" has put Alex Michaelides back on my must-read list. I highly recommend listening to this novel on audiobook, because Alex Jennings absolutely knocks it out of the park with his narration.
It's interesting to see in the early buzz on this book that "The Fury" tends to polarize people into two camps: if you loved "The Silent Patient," you're likely to enjoy this less. But if you, like me, found "The Silent Patient" more middle of the road, you're likely to enjoy "The Fury" far more. Ultimately, give it a try for yourself — I'd love to hear what you think!
The Last Verse
— by Caroline Frost
— Published March 5, 2024
I absolutely adored Caroline Frost’s debut novel, Shadows of Pecan Hollow, so I knew I wanted to get my hands on this next book as soon as it was released. When it came up in my library holds, though, I worried that I wouldn't be able to connect to it because I’m not inherently interested in country music. That worry was proven unnecessary because I loved it and quickly fell in love with main character Twyla, a young musician coming of age while making a life for herself in Nashville on her own — see my full review here.
The Last Murder at the End of the World
— by Stuart Turton
— Published March 28, 2024
Granted, The Seven ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was not universally loved and was a bit confusing at times, it also was a wholly unique novel that stretched and blew my mind. Because of that, I’m excited to dive into Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World. This one is billed as “an inventive, high-concept murder mystery: an ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, and an audacious solution.”
While most of the world is in ruin, life is idyllic on one island. Villagers live in peace with three scientists — until one of the scientists is murdered. When the safety net around the island is compromised, the islanders must solve the murder quickly to restore it.
Just for the Summer
— by Abby Jiminez
— Published April 2, 2024
Another fun and wild ride! Fans of Abby Jimenez will be thrilled with "Just for the Summer," a punchy and heart-warming romance that delivers enough of an emotional edge to feel real. While this wasn't my favorite Jiminez book, I found it to be a compulsive page-turner and immediately connected to the characters.
"Just for the Summer" gains points for being more than a Hallmark romance — trigger warnings for those who may be dealing with childhood PTSD — but I came away feeling this darker side pushed the book away from traditional Jiminez writing and more into the territory of Colleen Hoover. Just when you think the drama can't get messier, it does, and not always for the better. Still, it's a cute concept and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to romance fans.
In My Opinion …
There are also a couple of recently released books that I feel you can skip. I read both Murder Road, by Simone St. James, and Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth — while both authors remain on my must-read list, these were not my favorite books from their collections.