Ellie's Top Five Books From 2024

Hey angels, so happy to be here. Thank you Belly for choosing me to be part of this amazing opportunity, I cannot wait to see where this goes and to read the future posts. 

Books are the best things in the world and to share my love for them is something I am so passionate about. I love love love the fact reading is becoming more popular, it makes my heart so happy to see the book world expanding and authors receiving the love they truly deserve. 

In this post I am going to be sharing my top five books from 2024. It was quite hard to narrow it down to five, although technically it’s seven, but you’ll see what I mean. These books have imprinted their words onto my heart and will stick with me forever, so I can’t wait to share them with you all and hopefully after this, you will want to experience them too.

1. Non-fiction

Last year I wanted to breach out into a genre I had never tried before; non-fiction and by doing so I read some of my favourite Autobiographies, ones I will never forget.

- Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing – Matthew Perry

- I’m Glad My Mom Died

- The Woman In Me

These three books stuck out to me due to their taboo nature. The real life topics spoken about during the course of these books left me feeling so shocked and saddened by what these three individuals had gone through throughout their lives. They truly proved that you will never fully know what people go through behind the scenes and if you can be on thing in the world, be kind.

I could speak individually about these books for forever, but if you want some insightful, real, shocking truths, then I highly recommend these books. However, please search trigger warnings, because they touch on heavy topics.

2. Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark – Jessa Hastings

Next up we have a book that concludes two of my favourite characters ever: Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine. 

This book was the perfect ending to their story. Although, an extremely tumultuous relationship, one of my favourites and this book really encapsulates their deep love for one another. If you have read the book before this, The Long Way Home, you know the themes in the book are sad to say the least, but I think that’s what makes it so powerful. 

I loved this book with my whole heart and will think about it forever.

"how many loves do you get in a lifetime? I remember wondering that. How many people will look at me like he does, not just like I’m the sun but like I’m the whole god damn universe."

3. A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara

Possibly, the most heartbreaking book I’ve ever read and will ever read in my lifetime. Every possible trigger warning is put in place for this book, so only read if you think you can handle it. 

This Is a book that will stick with me forever in every way. I loved it with my whole heart, but I also found it very difficult to read at some points and absolutely cannot even fathom what Jude – our main character - went through during his life. I think the themes credited within this book really make you stop and think and appreciate your own. 

I also read this with a few booksta friends and I think that is the main reason why reading it was possible. It’s such a dark book in so many ways and having people to talk about it with at the same time as reading was so much easier than if I were to have read it alone.

"You won’t understand what I mean now, but someday you will: the only trick of friendship, I think, is to find people who are better than you are—not smarter, not cooler, but kinder, and more generous, and more forgiving—and then to appreciate them for what they can teach you, and to try to listen to them when they tell you something about yourself, no matter how bad—or good—it might be, and to trust them, which is the hardest thing of all. But the best, as well."

4. Heartless – Elsie Silver

Now, for something a little more uplifting. I ADORED this book and actually collaborated with Belly on her Chestnut Springs collection and featured on the website in the ‘I <3 Cade Eaton’ baby tee and that I do. I love Cade Eaton. This book was such a refreshing romance and I remember it immediately pulling me out of my reading slump. The romance was everything I wanted out of a romance book and the implementation of children in books is not something I usually like, but Luke was the cutest adaption and I loved both Willa and obviously Cade’s relationship with him in this book.

This is what ignited my love for cowboy’s and cowboy romances, I think they are so cool and just something different to your average romance.

There were so many little cute moments in this book, from them each spending time with Luke, each other, Cade caring for Willa when she was sick, them talking about each other to other people, ugh I loved everything and I don’t think another cowboy romance can come close to this one. There was nothing I didn’t like about this book, it was everything I wanted in a romance. 

"And I realize in that moment maybe I am heartless after all, because the beautiful girl with the copper hair grinning back at me right now is the one who stole it."

5. Yours Truly – Abby Jimenez

Lastly, we have such an underrated book. Your Truly was such a unique read, especially for a romance and I would do anything to read it for the first time again. The anxiety representation in this book was incredible and coming from someone with deep rooted anxiety, it was spot on. An absolutely perfect depiction of what it’s like to live with anxiety on a day to day basis. The way we overthink and stress in every possible way or situation. It was all in this book, represented through Jacob’s character. Which in itself, I loved that it was represented through the male character. That was a powerful move and bashed the stigma on the head. 

Jacob and Bri’s relationship was so pure and genuine aswell, you could tell how much they truly loved each other. It was so deep and meaningful. I always say I love a fake dating romance and this was top tier, put this on your tbr if you haven’t already.

“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. And I love every piece of you. Even the ones you wish didn’t exist.”

I think throughout 2024 I found myself trying so hard to reach my Goodreads goal for the year, I focused on the amount I was reading rather than the quality. When searching for my favourite books of the year for this post, I found books I’d read, but knew nothing about, which is crazy in itself, so I think for 2025, I want to make sure I focus on the quality of the books I am reading instead of how many. 

Here’s to finding the best books in 2025 and maybe some more favourites to add to this list.

Thank you Belly again for inviting me to share my favourites of 2024, I’ve loved sharing a bit about them all and I hope you find a good recommendation out of these :))

Love, Always, Ellie x