Happy 2025!!
Below are the books I read in 2024, in the order I read them. If they have an *, I recommend them:
- * Maybe Next Time – Cesca Major
- If You Would Have Told Me – John Stamos
- Normal Women – Ainslie Hogarth
- *You, With a View – Jessica Joyce
- *Iron Flame – Rebecca Yarros
- Love, Me – Jessica Saunders
- A Court of Thorn and Roses – Sarah J. Maas
- *The Exception to the Rule (novella) – Christina Lauren
- *Mercury – Amy Jo Burns
- *Bride – Ali Hazelwood
- *Simply the Best – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
- *The Backup Plan – Jill Shalvis
- Worst Wingman Ever (novella) – Abby Jimenez
- *How to End a Love Story – Yulin Kuang
- *Chain-Gang All-Stars – Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
- Good Material – Dolly Alderton
- *Just for the Summer – Abby Jimenez
- Tangled Up in You – Christina Lauren
- *Check & Mate – Ali Hazelwood
- **Tom Lake – Ann Patchett
- The Husbands – Holly Gramazio
- *Funny Story – Emily Henry
- *The Guncle Abroad – Steven Rowley
- Eruption – Michael Chrichton & James Patterson
- *Summer Romance – Annabel Monaghan
- *Slow Dance – Rainbow Rowell
- Welcome Home, Caroline Kline – Courtney Preiss
- *A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah J. Maas
- *The Paradise Problem – Christina Lauren
- A Novel Love Story – Ashley Poston
- *Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew – Emmanuel Acho & Noa Tishby
- Always Remember – Mary Balogh
- *Not in Love – Ali Hazelwood
- **Sandwich – Catherine Newman
- *The Rom-Commers – Katherine Center
- *The Women – Kristen Hannah
- *Sylvia’s Second Act – Hillary Yablon
- *The Wedding People – Alison Espach
- *Here One Moment – Liane Moriarty
- Variation – Rebecca Yarros
- *The Life Impossible – Matt Haig
My faves from this list (if there’s no explanation, see past posts):
- Tom Lake – Audiobook – Meryl!!
- Sandwich
- How to End a Love Story
- Chain-Gang All-Stars
- The Women – I listened to this one and thought the narrator did a wonderful job. I have not previously read a book about Vietnam, I don’t think. This is my favorite Kristen Hannah book so far.
- The Wedding People – I also listened to this one and further realize how important the audiobook narrator is, as I’m listening to different book now and am not enjoying it as much because I don’t like the narrator. Anyway, I was hesitant about the plot in the beginning, but it won me over. Some good lessons learned here.
- Here One Moment – A woman on an Australian flight goes row by row informing passengers (whether they want to know or not) at what age and how they each will die. Chapters alternate between specific passengers, post-flight, and the woman. It’s an interesting question, one I’ve posed here before (with regard to The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin), if you could find out how and when you will die, would you want to know?
- The Life Impossible – This book is not going to be for everyone, and it may not be for you at this moment. I do think it has something to offer people who need to hear some of the messaging. Grief and guilt and hard beasts to tame, and life is not always easy. The sad/bad, however, allow us to appreciate the happy/beautiful.
Movies I saw in 2024 that I gave an A or A-:
- Irena’s Vow – A-
- Remembering Gene Wilder (documentary) – A-
- The Holdovers – A-
- The Fall Guy – A-
- Inside Out 2 – A-
- Twisters – A-
- Thelma – A
- Will & Harper (documentary) – A
- Wicked – A
Will & Harper is a wonderful documentary (available on Netflix) following Will Ferrell and his close friend, former head writer at SNL – who has come out as a trans woman – Harper, as they road trip across the country. Heartfelt and educational for those who are afraid of what they don’t understand, it’s a must watch. Plus, you will come away thinking the world of Will Ferrell.
TV I loved:
“Shrinking” – my fave!
“Nobody Wants This” – adorable
“The Diplomat” – that last episode!
“High Potential” – smart and sassy
“Hacks” – season 3 was its best yet
“Matlock” – clever and yay for Kathy Bates!
That’s it for now – may 2025 bring good health and happiness to you all!
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