In Episode 184, Susie (@NovelVisits) and I close out the year with our Best Books of 2024 Genre Awards. We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and our full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, we’re sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community!

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Announcements

• My 2025 Reading Tracker is out! Plus, this year we’ve added another option — a LITE Tracker. Once again, the Tracker is ONLY available to Superstars patrons (i.e., no longer available as a separate purchase for $14.99 here on my website). Also, to avoid Apple’s 30% fee, be sure to join directly from Patreon’s site, mobile or desktop. Become a Superstars Patron here!
• Instructions for how to give an SBL Patreon membership as a gift.

Highlights

• Podcast reflections from 2024 — including top episodes based on download stats.
• A brief overview of Susie’s and Sarah’s 2024 year in reading.
• Our favorite books of the year: overall and by genre, including the SBL Patreon Community’s picks.

2024 Genre Awards [16:45 ]

Sarah

• Leaving by Roxana Robinson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:52 ]
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [21:21 ]
• Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:12 ]
• The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [28:42 ]
• The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:26 ]
• JFK Jr. by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:25 ]
• Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:42 ]
• How To End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:11 ]
• Real Americans by Rachel Khong | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [50:46 ]
• Victim by Andrew Boryga | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [57:26 ]
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [59:40 ]
• Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:04:24 ]
• Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:07:09 ]
• Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:08:47 ]

Susie

• Wolf at the Table by Adam Rapp | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:59 ]
• Sandwich by Catherine Newman | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [22:05 ]
• Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:42 ]
• What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:43 ]
• The Women by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:41 ]
• The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [38:16 ]
• One Day I’ll Grow Up and Be a Beautiful Woman by Abi Maxwell | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:47 ]
• Funny Story by Emily Henry | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:23 ]
• Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [51:54 ]
• The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [54:02 ]
• The Husbands by Holly Gramazio | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [58:18 ]
• Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:00:14 ]
• Perris, California by Rachel Stark | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:02:44 ]
• Liars by Sarah Manguso | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:05:18 ]
• Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:07:09 ]

Patrons

• James by Percival Everett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:55 ]
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe | <a href= "https://amzn.t