Another year has come to a close – a year of old and new reads that captivated our hearts and minds. Our wonderful team at Fully Booked has read a hefty number of novels throughout the course of the year and has narrowed down their top choices for you to peruse.
Whether you’re looking for new reads published in 2024, or are happy to see a previous read of your own on the list, the team has curated a diverse list of stories of all genres. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find one of your own favourites here as well.
10. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
Master short-story writer Lucia Berlin presents an anthology full of wit and wonder, touching on various aspects of the human experience through seemingly mundane moments in a person’s life. Sometimes melancholy and always clever, A Manual for Cleaning Women lives in the pantheon of short stories and will continue to persist for generations to come.
Why Claire loved it: I love short stories and this collection is the embodiment of why. It’s full of heartbreaking, challenging, quietly observed slice-of-life stories. Lucia Berlin’s voice is both unflinching and compassionate, and the world she paints is ultimately hopeful, even if it’s filled with dark corners.
9. The Alienist by Caleb Carr
A historical fiction crime novel set in late 19th century New York City, The Alienist by Caleb Carr blends elements of noir and hardboiled detective stories. The book explores the emergence of psychology and modern forensic investigation techniques in the hunt to track down a gruesome serial killer amid the backdrop of city politics and immigrant experiences.
Why John loved it: It’s a very compelling read. You really feel like you are right there with the investigators and immersed in the gritty, turn-of-the-century setting.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter8. House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
The latest in the bestselling Crescent City series follows the continuation of Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar’s intertwined fates, now facing a perilous situation in a new world, with their return to Midgard and the future of their world hanging in the balance.
Why Shirin loved it: Maas’ world-building and characters never fail to impress, and fans of her wildly popular A Court of Thorns and Roses series will be thrilled to discover some intertwining lore and storylines within the novel.
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7. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
A beach-read-style thriller that one can get truly lost in, the story follows two women who meet while out celebrating their respective birthdays, which happen to fall on the same day. They soon develop a friendship, but things take a dark turn when one of them begins to share intimate details about her personal life.
Why Meaghan loved it: A fast-paced thriller that completely immerses you in its story is a rare gift, but Lisa Jewell delivers on all fronts with this tale. Definitely curious to see this play out on screen if the adaptation of the novel comes to fruition.
6. Paradise-1 by David Wellington
Science fiction titan David Wellington has certainly had his praises sung by our team in the past, and after reading the first of his Red Space series it’s not hard to see why. When two astronauts awaken from cryogenic sleep, they must uncover the mystery of the fate of the 150,000 members of Earth’s first deep-space colony, who have seemingly disappeared from their ship without a trace.
Why Arthur loved it: This is the first book from the Red Space series which already has the second book, Revenant-X, out as of November 2024. This is a perfect blend of horror and sci-fi, full of crazy twists and mind-bending horror! It is a perfect read for anyone who wants sci-fi, horror, and a mind-boggling adventure.
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5. Contact by Carl Sagan
If you’re looking for a novel that delves into deeper questions about the universe and what exists beyond our imagination. The novel was adapted into a largely successful film in 1997 starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey and continues to draw favour from sci-fi fans to this day.
Why Claire loved it: I don’t often read much speculative fiction, but this book opened the genre to me in an unexpected way. It tells the story of a scientist named Ellie who discovers extraterrestrial radio communications being sent to Earth. The resulting narrative extends far beyond national or international relations, asking a bigger question about our place in the universe. I loved the hopeful vision of the future, and this book made me feel uplifted and optimistic at a time when I needed it.
4. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Set in a near future United States in which the government has largely been supplanted by private corporations, Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson is a fast-paced science fiction novel that artfully smashes together themes ranging from computer science and linguistics to archaeology and religion. The main character, Hiro Protagonist, seamlessly fights and hacks his way through physical and virtual reality in order to combat a physical and digital virus and those who seek to exploit it for profit and control.
Why John loved it: There is so much going on in Snow Crash; it’s hard to take it all in at once. I appreciated the snappy wit, inventive use of language, juxtaposition of ancient and modern themes, cutting social critique, and the eerie accuracy of some of its predictions.
3. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix tackles monstrous bloodsuckers in this 2020 novel filled with horror and humor in a way that only he can. Set in a 1990s bible-belt town, a group of women from a small book club will have to band together in order to defeat a dark and dangerous force making its presence known.
Why Shirin loved it: As somewhat of a fraidy-cat and horror novice, this was definitely me stepping out of my comfort zone. That said, the combination of dark humor with truly horrific moments and the strong female relationships present in the novel make this the perfect jumping-off point for folks looking for a great vampire read.
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2. Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
This novel will make you never want to sleep with the closet door open again. With a non-linear narrative structure, the story follows a young girl named Bella who lives alone with her parents. At least, her parents believe that no one else is living with them…
Why Meaghan loved it: This novel feels almost like a version of Coraline for adults, if you turned up the dial on the fear factor of the Other Mother and upped the stakes for a young girl who does not wholly understand her circumstances. This had so many genuine moments of horror, and the narration presented entirely from Bella’s perspective adds so much to the atmosphere. I loved it.
1. An Honorable Assassin by Steve Hamilton
Spy and assassin thrillers can be a dime-a-dozen type of story, but An Honorable Assassin sets itself apart by centering on a truly compelling protagonist and building a tense narrative, making it quite the page-turner. The third installment in the Nick Mason series sees the aforementioned assassin struggling with failure while chasing the answers he’s been searching for.
Why Arthur loved it: I was lucky enough to read An Honorable Assassin prior to its publication, and I’m thrilled to have found an exciting action-packed series to get lost in. As a massive fan of characters like Jack Reacher and Jack Ryan, Nick Mason does not disappoint.
We’re so grateful to have been able to share another year of content with you, fellow readers. Here’s hoping that 2025 brings even more fantastic reads to us, and t you! Happy New Year!
