These were the books that I instinctively picked for my top 9 for Instagram for 2024 - just ones that stood out for me as being emotionally involving or just swept me away.
Honourable mentions to All the Colours of the Dark, The List of Suspicious Things, The God of the Woods AND and he shall appear

December 2024 reads - amazed I found the concentration to read any at all.
Open, Heaven was beautiful.
The Voyage of the Damned was hilarious and heartwarming.
I loved the weird, folklore vibe of The Darkness is Rising.

Has anyone else had any of those ‘hey, how’s it going?’ DMs on here or just me?

Watched The Holiday with daughter which made us both giggle a lot (mainly AT it) and cringe, but also feel just a little bit Christmassy.

A twisty, dark tale of family secrets, blackmail and revenge set on the isle of Capri. Compelling and thoroughly immersive - if you loved The Cloisters by Katy Hays, you will not be disappointed.

I had a lovely interaction once with a man on the phone who accused me of being a middle-aged, middle-class white woman and should be aware of my privilege. Yes, yes, and yes, kind sir!

The cosiest of cosy romantic fantasy that will leave you both craving a cup of dragon roasted coffee, and broody for a naughty baby dragon!

Just watched the Emily Brontë film in which Emily has sex with the curate and gets high with Branwell. Massive fun!

So happy to have championed this one after receiving a proof copy from @harpercollins.bsky.social which absolutely gripped me from the first page.

Schrödinger’s book?!

Well now, I’ve found you on here! Still on Twitter but only go on for the book posts.

Ooooh, this sounds intriguing. I love a bit of dystopia!

It’s 165 pages of perfect writing! I started on Sunday evening, so a quickie too!

This is just stunningly good, very thought provoking writing, with such a sense of atmosphere and all the emotions. Now, are the others in the quartet going to measure up?

Beautifully written and very thought provoking tale of two sisters who live in a secluded garden. Biblical echoes, fairy story vibes and a folk horror edge makes this a most gratifying read!
Many thanks @penguinhuddleuk.bsky.social @doubledayuk.bsky.social for this pretty proof.

Exactly! But up to now everyone has recoiled when I have said I couldn’t read it and it made me feel uncomfortable!

Totally with you!

You are now the only other person I know who hasn’t adored this book!

Giant cat. Nice books.

Most useful - thank you!

Thank you for the prompt - I’ve headed over and done my voting. I haven’t read Michael Wood’s book (although sure it was excellent) so that was a no-brainer vote for me!

Very engaging and eminently readable story about the power of family and community that centres around a lonely young girl and her grandfather - deftly handles themes of trauma, bullying, bereavement and gives a glimpse of the events of the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan.

I love a good time travel book!

So, I’m guessing there’s a way to follow people back that doesn’t mean individually going through a list of names?

I’d love to be a bookish beauty!

Perfect!!

Exactly - I’ve just started a proof that i was sent about a year ago!

So lovely - and I’ve found you on here now too. Huzzah!!

Further snowy whippy adventures.

I’ve got a copy of this waiting for me - just not fancying it yet and not sure why.