This year was a lot of rereads, so I'm structuring my recap in two tiers: rereads first, and then new titles.

Books PT 1: Rereads

1. Strange New World
Carl Trueman

I think I reread this one piecemeal over the course of a few weeks. I don't remember what jumpstarted the urge but Trueman is always excellently readable.

2. Moccasin Trail
Eloise Jarvis McGraw

This really kicked off my streak of intentionally rediscovering the classic middle-grade historical fictions I fell in love with over the course of homeschool literature. I see shades of Kenhelm trio inspiration in the Keath siblings. Made me cry. Good book.

3. Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
Mildred D. Taylor

Made me cry. Will always make me cry. Stunner of a book.

4-11. Anne of Green Gables
........Anne of Avonlea
........Anne of the Island
........Anne of Windy Poplars
........Anne's House of Dreams
........Anne of Ingleside
........Rainbow Valley
........Rilla of Ingleside
Lucy Maud Montgomery

I had a whole blog post planned to rank these but never wrote it because my life is too stupid busy haha fun for me. Now my thoughts which I had directly after reading them are mostly no longer accessible, but I truly enjoyed the visit.

12. Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte

Got my hands on a Penguin Classics copy of this and been wanting to reread for over a year, but a rousing discussion with some pals online finally kickstarted the intention into action. Pretty much exactly as grotesquely gripping, offputting, and vaguely satisfying as I remembered.

13. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
Jean Lee Latham

Read-aloud to younger sibs. My sister was so mad at me bc I kept saying, "I think that's all the major deaths" and then there would be another one. Real-people historical fiction is rough that way. Sorry kiddo.

14. Red Sails to Capri
Ann Weiland

Hearing this read to me is one of my fondest memories, but silent or read-aloud it hits just the same. One of those books where the humor walks right in step with pathos.

15. Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown
Maud Hart Lovelace

I still think these books are some of the most relatable pieces of literature ever crafted for me personally. I gotta remember Betsy Ray next time someone asks "what book character most resembles you"

16. Sing Down the Moon
Scott O'Dell

Listen friends I love Scott O'Dell and he is super informative and the stories will stick with you but his writing has the weirdest vibes. It feels like how people describe dissociative experiences.

17. Third Winter's War
M. L. Little aka nightwraith17

Look who it is! It's Ver pulling in with her review of TWW three years late! Ren's story will always be *chef's kiss*

18. Johnny Tremain
Esther Forbes

This book is like LOTR in that I can never read it too many times because each time it will be simply Iconic

19. All Sail Set
Armstrong Sperry

okay so I cried.

***

That wraps up the rereads. Now for the new stuff.

Books PT 2: From the TBR

1. A Captain for Laura Rose
Stephanie Grace Whitson

Historical Christian romance (I picked it up at a library sale bc the premise of a female riverboat captain looked interesting). I now mainly remember two things, those being 1) that it sprung a Very Passionate Makeout+fade-to-black scene between two side characters on me, early in the book with no warning, and 2) that the minister fellow had some very moving and theologically grounded conversations with the various crew members. Goodreads says I rated it 4 stars but I was mentally anticipating it to be 3.

2. What Is and Could Be
Katelyn Buxton

Historical (Victorian-era) fantasy with hardcore Dickensian and Secret Garden-esque themes. Honestly cannot say enough good about this book. Author is actually on Wattpad as is some of her work, though I met her elsewhere.

3. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Zoulfa Katouh

I read this in Florida visiting a friend in February. Deeply touching. It's written in present tense, which doesn't always get along with me, and I didn't connect well with it until the twists started paying off and my perspective on the story was completely reinvented. Make the choice to read this one with discretion (do not recommend for kids/younger teens) and prepare to have your emotions wrung a bit.

4. Running out of Time
Margaret Peterson Haddix

I've heard the praises of this book sung but nobody really said why it was good, so the YA-trendy cover turned me off eternally until I found an adorbs older edition with a much more winsome cover in the library. An 1800's prairie town tourist exhibit swings to a bit of a dark side in the founders' attempts to keep it "authentic", and the inhabitants find themselves facing a cholera epidemic with only one chance to save the town. Very fun concept, executed well, 4-star read for me.

5. A Stolen Heart
Selina R. Gonzalez

Miraveld Chronicles ruuuuuulllleeeeee. This one has a short, workaholic, protective male lead with a dead mom and an estranged fae father, who falls for a tall girl doing the wrong thing to try to protect her brother. Goose Girl retelling from the perspective of the usurper-princess & the only person who can see through her magical glamour.

6. News of the World
Paulette Jiles

This book destroyed me okay DESTROYED ME I will never be the same bye fave book of 2024 (sorta tied with What Is and Could Be)

7. The King's Shadow
Elizabeth Alder

A recommendation ages ago from CelticWarriorQueen17 that I finally dove into on New Year's Eve. Historical fiction following a mute squire who serves the Earl of Wessex/King Harold II in the years leading up to the Battle of Hastings. Lovely writing, excellently researched. Fun stuff.

***

2025 I'd like to chase some higher reading numbers but pretty much more of the same. Rediscover old loves and work steadily through the TBR I've already got waiting without loading too much more on.

Also I'm not hanging too much on the idea of actually reading more because I've averaged 24/25 books a year for the last, like, four years so it looks like I'm pretty much in a groove.

Also wanna reorganize my bookshelf.

What about you? What did you read? What are you thinking about for this year?