Books That Matter (Part One)
Twelve public readers share the books that mattered to them in 2024
While 2024 was a good-not-great reading year for me, it was a fantastic year professionally. This newsletter has grown more than I could have imagined, and I finally feel like I’ve hit my stride with a writing rhythm.
But best of all, 2024 was the year I got out of my bubble and connected with other professional readers. I can’t even begin to express what a gift that connection has been this year. Doing this kind of work can tend to feel like operating in a silo, and I much prefer collaboration—and even disagreement—to bolster my creativity. Conversations with others in the book world have sharpened my skills and helped me think through what it means to talk about books publicly. And, quite simply, these connections have made my work a lot more fun.
Over the next two Sundays I’ll be spreading some readerly love by spotlighting some of my favorite public readers and the books that matter to them. I asked each of these wonderful people to share one book that mattered to them that they read in 2024, either backlist or new release. I like thinking about books that matter in addition to or as part of books that are the best or my favorites because the slight reframe opens the door for books that might have slipped through the cracks in other reading roundups. I hope you’ll find some great books and—even better—new sources for book recommendations, criticism, and thoughtful discussions about reading.
Today’s list includes the Books That Matter to some exceptional reviewers, podcasters, bookstagrammers, and book industry insiders. Below each of their book blurbs, you’ll find a little note from me on what I enjoy so much about each of their work. Next Sunday, I’ll share a list from the readers behind my most frequented Substacks.
For the best experience, I recommend reading this in a web browser or on the Substack app.
As a quick reminder, I’m stunning running a sale for 20% off annual subscriptions and I extended that through the end of the year.
Happy holidays, everyone! Thanks for being part of a wonderful year in books!
Books That Matter - 2024
Light From Uncommon Stars, Ryka Aoki
Submitted by Christine Bollow, creator of Reading is Magical and co-owner of Loyalty Bookstores
I first read Light From Uncommon Stars when it came out in 2021 and when I started the Gaysians! Book Club for Loyalty Bookstores earlier this year, I knew that this was one of the first books I wanted to read for book club. I absolutely love re-experiencing beloved books by listening to the audiobook version, and the narrator Cindy Kay brings incredible depth to her narration. This book has a perfect blend of scifi and fantasy, with Faustian bargains, cursed violins, and a family of aliens who run a donut shop in the San Gabriel Valley. The characters are nuanced and lovable—flaws and all—and the main heroine Katrina Nguyen is a trans runaway who plays the violin with heartache and defiant joy. This is the kind of book that makes you appreciate the supposed little things in life — a perfect bowl of ramen, eating a donut in the park and feeding the koi, experiencing transcendent music and feeling it move you deep in your soul. This is one of my favorite books ever — a comfort read that will leave you feeling hopeful, inspired, and expansive.
Christine is the embodiment of joy. After bonding over books in Denver, it’s been amazing to see her bring her passion and knowledge to the beloved institution of Loyalty Bookstores and the wide world of books.
The Price of the Ticket, James Baldwin
Submitted by MJ Franklin, staff editor at The New York Times Book Review
One book that has been very important to me in 2024 is The Price of the Ticket by James Baldwin. This book is a giant, 700+ page anthology that collects the essays that Baldwin wrote between 1948-1985. Some of the essays featured here were already familiar to me (I’d read several of them in their standalone books); several were essays I’d never encountered before; but overall, there has been something powerful and delightful about having so much of James Baldwin’s work all in one place. And this is where I confess that I haven't finished this book yet — instead of reading it front to back, I keep The Price of the Ticket on my desk, and I dip into it and read an essay whenever I have a stolen moment, whenever I am between books, whenever I’m in search of a mighty voice and a keen eye, and/or whenever I’m in search of a reminder of the power of writing. James Baldwin has always been one of my favorite authors, but this reading experience this year with The Price of the Ticket has made him an invaluable companion too.
MJ is one of the kindest most delightful people I know. He’s also a brilliant reader whose insights always enhance my own understanding—and not just of the book he’s discussing. The way he frames his criticism always gets me to think deeply about books more broadly. Be sure to catch him hosting the Book Club episodes of the NYT Book Review Podcast.
Human Acts, Han Kang
Submitted by Tony P., creator of Life on Books and co-host of the Life on Books Podcast
For me this novel is a reminder of two things, first being the incredible power of literature, and that there are still so many discoveries we can make with the written word. Using first, second, and third person perspectives is just one way Kang breaks traditional storytelling rules to great effect. Secondly, Human Acts is a sobering reminder of the cruelty of the world, but at the same time, highlights the values we all share as human beings, regardless of culture. Of all the amazing books I read in 2024, this is one I know I could hand to any kind of reader and they would get something out of it, though if nothing else, a unique reading experience.
I am so grateful that Tony’s incredible Bookstagram account showed up in my IG feed this year. I appreciate that he never shies away from his love of serious and important books, and makes me want to read them to. His earnest and thought-provoking reviews are a gift that keeps on giving.
Charlie Hustle, Keith O'Brien
Submitted by Traci Thomas, creator and host of The Stacks Podcast and writer at Unstacked
It is so hard for me to pick a book that matters without going through a full crisis of the meaning of “mattering” but I picked a book that I loved that pulled on all my nostalgic daddy’s little girl heartstrings. It is the biography of Pete Rose, Charlie Hustle by Keith O'Brien. Yes, it is weird to say the biography of one of baseball's biggest cheats and despised jerks was a touching read, but, for me, it reminded me of the many baseball stories my dad and his friends regaled me with my whole life. Baseball is a sport of legends and very few loom as large as the great anti-hero Pete Rose. Now listen, if you’re “not a baseball person” I think you still might really like this book. It is a ride through mid-century American history, full of big brash personalities and a whole lot of scandal. It is juicy and gossipy and ends in shame and despair. Drama!
If you’re not listening to The Stacks, what are you doing?! Traci asks her author guests the best questions and her book club episodes are the type of conversational criticism that makes me a smarter, better reader.
These Precious Days, Ann Patchett
Submitted by Lauren Puckett-Pope, staff culture writer at ELLE
My Book That Matters is These Precious Days by Ann Patchett. I was late to this essay collection, but it became a powerful source of comfort this year as I listened to Patchett read the audiobook on my commute to and from work. Patchett, already such a national treasure in the literary sphere (and beyond it), writes about nothing less than life itself, and yet each of her essays is so intimate, particular, and singular. This is the kind of book you want to pick up when you can feel your faith teetering; it grounds you, encourages you, and reminds you how much there still is to do—and how much there still is to love.
Lauren is a sharp, graceful writer with exceptional taste. After years of linking to her book reviews and lists, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Lauren in person this year and she was the reason I prioritized reading what might become a favorite book of 2025.
You Are Here by David Nicholls
Submitted by Anne Bogel, creator of Modern Mrs. Darcy and the What Should I Read Next Podcast
I always enjoy stepping back and taking a look at what my reading life for the year gone by looked like as a whole, and teasing out recurring themes. In 2024, one such theme was books that gracefully combine the heavy and the light: in other words, they show life for the mixed bag that it is. This quiet yet very funny novel shows two middle-aged people who have been badly beat up by life and love falling in love as they trek through the English countryside. He's a geography teacher; she's a copyeditor of erotica, which means the opportunities for humor are unending (seriously, I laughed so hard I shook the whole couch). Nicholls wedges joy and pain side-by-side here, which could potentially feel chaotic but instead feels like real life. There's so much here for all sorts of readers: vicarious travel to London and the English moors, grammar jokes galore, and a sweet-but-not-sappy redemption story.
For over a decade, Anne has been sharing her favorite books and easy-to-implement reading strategies to help readers get the most out of their reading lives. Oh, and she’s the queen of pairing the right book with the right reader, just take a listen to her podcast!
Fingersmith, Sara Waters
Submitted by Tina, creator of TBR, etc. and co-host Book Talk, etc.
Perhaps it's recency bias, as this is also my latest read, but one book that mattered to me this year was Fingersmith by Sara Waters. This nearly 600-page tome really solidified the fact that I'm a different reader than I was even a couple of years ago. While I still love my fast-paced mystery and thrillers, there's just something special about sinking into solidly constructed literary fiction. Bonus: these books tend to stick with me!
Whether it’s on Bookstagram, her podcast, or her brand new YouTube channel, Tina keeps a pulse on new releases and makes sure her fellow mood readers always have a sky high to-be-read list.
Madwoman, Chelsea Bieker
Submitted by Sarah Dickinson, creator and host of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Podcast
Chelsea Bieker says this about Madwoman: “My mother died in September. On her death certificate it says she died of complications of alcoholism.
I’d like to make it truer: she died of complications of decades of domestic violence.” Madwoman is a VERY dark book about a difficult topic
(abuse and generational trauma), but it's wrapped in a suspenseful package. Bieker's portrayal of what it's like to live through domestic abuse as a
child is authentic (based on her own real life experience), raw, and not overdramatized or sugar coated. By telling a story where the abuse victims
get to fight back, Madwoman provides a counterpoint to an entertainment landscape that currently features a bestselling novel / buzzy movie
combo that glamorizes domestic abuse.
Sarah’s meticulous breakdown of new releases and thoughtful interviews make for great listening. She also puts out singularly exceptional podcast content for her Patreon community and I’m always eagerly awaiting the next episode.
Charming Billy, Alice McDermott
Submitted by Bernie Lombardi, Bookstagrammer
Reading Charming Billy early this year ignited my love for Alice McDermott’s writing and made me want to read every book she’s published. Aside from McDermott’s lush sentences, which swooned me from the start, what spoke to me so deeply about this book is how much I felt transported to the world of my grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles—children and grandchildren of immigrants, Catholics in New York post-WWII—a world I know from the stories I’ve been told but had never seen reflected so vividly in literature until reading this book. Once I finished, I made my mom read it and she fell in love too. We have since buddy read several of McDermott’s other books, and it has been a very special experience for us.
Bernie’s impeccable taste and insatiable curiosity make his book-filled Instagram account one of my favorites. He also hosts epic readalongs and author deep dives throughout the year for readers searching for community reads of great books and ongoing insights into modern classics.
The Mesmerist, Caroline Woods
Submitted by Meredith Monday Schwartz, co-host of the Currently Reading Podcast
The Mesmerist is an historical mystery based on a fascinating true crime. The book is incredibly well-written and evocative of both time and place, in this case, Minneapolis in the late 1890s. I love books with strong female characters and this book is filled with them. It’s a story about women helping women, about second chances and redemption, about reputation and the ways that our background (or our bad choices) can completely change the trajectory of our lives in a way that is not true of men – in the 1890s or now. It’s about a “confederacy of women” and I'll never forget it.
No one can sell a book like Meredith—she might be single-handedly responsible for reprints of a certain mermaid horror novel. She brings her discerning taste and unbridle enthusiasm for a wide range of books on her weekly podcast, where I frequently mind myself thinking its time to finally get into mysteries.
An Ember in the Ashes, Sabaa Tahir
Submitted by Kaytee Cobb, co-host of The Currently Reading Podcast
I'd love to spotlight An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. This is the start of a phenomenal YA to New Adult fantasy series of four books. The series is now complete, which is very important to this hater of cliffhangers. I blasted through all four titles in the summer of 2024 and absolutely loved it. The way Sabaa Tahir writes complex characters, a screaming plot, and a phenomenal setting, it feels like the perfect balance of all the elements needed for a true blockbuster. This series also includes morally gray characters and complicated feels, which I love in my fantasy and romance. It should be easy to get all four from the library now.
Kaytee loves books with all her heart and brings her joy to her popular podcast Currently Reading. The effervescent way she talks about the books she adores is utterly contagious. If you need a huggable book, she’s your go-to.
Two-Step Devil by Jamie Quatro
Submitted by of FictionMatters
One detriment to a career in books is that it becomes harder and harder to find books that surprise me. Enter Jamie Quatro’s magnificent 2024 release Two-Step Devil. Not only was this book unlike anything I’ve read, this novel consistently defied my expectations throughout the novel in a way that made me question why those expectations exist in the first place. Every time I thought, “I see where this was going,” I was wrong. And I loved being wrong in Jamie’s sure and capable hands.
Today, if you shop for any of the books above, please consider doing so through Loyalty Bookstores by visiting their website or supporting their Bookshop.org storefront.
End Notes.
I am in love with this episode of the Australian podcast The Bookshelf that gets into the importance of cultural criticism in a way I found delightful and deeply meaningful. I hope to return to it throughout the year as I work on writing more robust criticism in this newsletter.
Inspired by my friend
I got myself a Brick and I am obsessed. This device locks you out of apps (you can choose which ones) until you tap your phone to the Brick. It is so effective! I’ve started Bricking my phone when I leave the house to prevent myself from mindlessly scrolling Instagram when I’m out in the world interacting with real people. I used Traci’s code THESTACKS for a discount.I watched Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy and I kind of hated the aesthetic choices made throughout the documentary, but I learned a lot and it has helped strengthen my resolve to buy much less.
We successfully got Louise to watch a movie other than sing and—like many three-year-olds—she’s a Frozen girly now.
The NYT Book Review chose Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst as their January Book Club selection. I adored that book and I can’t wait to listen to MJ and the other editors discuss.
I always enjoy Lit Hub’s Ultimate Best Books List and the additional commentary about James confirms what I’ve felt seeing the lists roll out.
For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!
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Happy reading!
Sara
Oh I just LOVE seeing mentions of Light from Uncommon Stars. That's a book that has stayed with me over the years -- the best of quirky creativity and deep humanity.
These recs include some of my personal favs, James Baldwin, Alice McDermott and Ann Patchett.