Richelle Hofer

Better late than never 🙂

It’s already almost halfway through 2025, and I didn’t even realize I hadn’t posted my favorite books from last year until a friend pointed it out to me. So here I am, catching up—because it’s never too late to celebrate great stories!

Every year, my reading goals look a little different, but one thing that never changes is my love for getting lost in a great story—or in a powerful idea that makes me see the world in a new way.

So, without further ado, here are my absolute favorite books from 2024:

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Hands down, this was my favorite book of the year—and honestly, probably in my top five of all time. I loved every second of this book, but I think you have to read it with a slightly different mindset. You can’t read to finish; you have to read to savor… like a bedtime story almost – one that goes on night after night without a distinct beginning, middle, and end. The part where Big Ammachi explains to her granddaughter why they lit the lamp when she was born made me sob. It’s a generational story and I absolutely loved it.

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
I can’t believe I waited so long to read this one. It was a masterpiece—heartfelt and deeply moving. What made it so poignant is that it was horrible and beautiful at the same time. It highlighted how, even in the middle of all the hard and heartbreaking moments, there are still threads of grace—ordinary grace—woven into it all.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Wow. Just wow. I flew through this biography like it was a fiction novel—it reads like one! It’s unbelievable and inspiring in every way. It made me grateful and gave me a whole new appreciation for what true resilience looks like.

The Women by Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah never disappoints, and The Women was no exception. It was a gut punch of a book—painful in parts, but so worth the journey. Her writing is always immersive. The story is about the Women of the Vietnam War.

Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
This one was just plain fun! It’s witty and clever and unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. I loved it from beginning until the very last sentence. Literally. One of my favorite endings of all time (no spoilers here, but trust me—it’s perfect).

Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
I always try to include some nonfiction in my reading list, and Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential was a standout. It’s thought-provoking and motivating, but also deeply practical. Grant has a way of making you believe that growth is always possible.

For my final four picks, I’m not even going to try to rank them because I loved them all equally and for totally different reasons:

• As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh – A moving, powerful story set against the backdrop of the Syrian conflict.
• If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch – A haunting and beautifully written tale of survival and hope.
• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon – I didn’t enjoy this one as much while I was reading it, but when I finished and realized it’s based on the actual diary of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife, I was blown away. I love stories about brave and strong women who had courage long before it was culturally acceptable.
• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese – Another book by Verghese that made me a fan. His stories are so layered and rich, and his characters stay with you.

One more mention—because it feels important:
I also read Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry. I can’t say that I loved it—but man… reading it in light of his death was so sobering. Addiction is indeed a Big Terrible Thing, and I think it’s so important to remove the stigma around it. I’m glad I read it, even if it wasn’t an easy read.

---

I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading this year! What books did you fall in love with? What surprised you? Let me know—because there’s always room on my to-read list.

Happy reading!