I am making good progress towards my goal of reading 60 books this year. I enjoyed so many books this year. I’ve read an eccentric mix of memoirs, non-fiction, sci-fi, dystopian literature, speculative fiction, and psychological thrillers. Here are some of my favorites.

Luiza Sauma’s Everything You Ever Wanted was an intriguing read. I devoured this book like it was a piece of chocolate cake. Iris, the narrator and main character, is miserable with the drudgery of life in a capitalist, materialistic society. She finds work and relationships dull, and feels disconnected from society. She feels insignificant and lonely. Her relationships always end in heartbreak.

She dreams of finding meaning somewhere, anywhere, even if it means leaving the planet entirely. And that she does.

“Soon the weekend would come and time would briefly belong to them – more or less, apart from the regular checking of emails. I’m projecting my feelings, thought Iris. They probably love their jobs. They’re nothing like me.”

Iris has a chance to leave this world behind for a new life in an experiential, televised underwater settlement. The settler’s lives will be broadcast to the outside world for consumption. Iris applies to be a participant in the grand experiment/reality tv show, and, surprisingly, she is chosen.

But there’s one big caveat – leaving is a one-way ticket. There is no way to return to Earth. Ever.

Iris knows this, and is so unhappy on Earth that she is willing to risk everything – including a loving relationship with her younger sister – to abandon everything for a new life. She has hope that this new place will change her outlook on life, that it will be the reset button she needs.

I don’t want to ruin the ending of this book, but let’s just say that the settlement isn’t what it was promised to be. But I think the real question at the end of the book was this truly “everything” Iris wanted it to be. Maybe it was.

Scott Alexander Howard’s The Other Valley has to be one of the most unique books I’ve read in years. It’s been a while since I finished it, but it stands out from other books because the concept is so unusual. When I read the book’s premise, I was doubtful Howard could execute a plot like that.

Imagine a world where you could travel back into the past or into the future. What would you do? Would you try to get a glimpse of your loved ones? Change the trajectory of your life? This world offers so many tantalizing possibilities.

But there’s a catch.

A committee decides if you are allowed to take a trip into the past or future. You must propose the reasons why you wish to travel to either place. If the committee approves, you will be watched carefully by guides who are there to ensure you do not interact with anyone while you are in the past or future. You are not to prevent what has transpired in the present world.

As one might imagine, the temptation to change the past or future or say hello to your loved ones is immense. But there are severe consequences for breaking the rules.

I wasn’t sure how this story would pan out, but it was a nice surprise filled with gorgeous writing. Loved this book and I highly recommend it.

I recently finished Angie Kim’s Happiness Falls, which is her follow-up to Mirace Creek. If you enjoyed Miracle Creek (I did!), then you will really enjoy her latest.

The two books share similar themes – how do families manage their obligations to one another? How do they manage interracial relationships, having special needs children, and racism? What does it mean to give up your dreams because of changing obligations and familial needs? What does it mean to be a wife, father, mother, sister, brother, and family member in this day and age? It is easy to paint a picture that is black and white when it comes to these issues, but anyone who has lived knows that life is much more complex.

The book opens with a father going missing after visiting a park with his son who has Angelman syndrome. There are a series of mishaps and mistakes the characters make, which makes finding the father even more difficult.

This book also explores how people with disabilities are treated by the external world and how families handle the caretaking of their loved ones. I found myself crying at different parts of this book because of how well the author captured family dynamics and expectations, especially when faced with the pressure of decoding the needs of a family member who is not able to verbally express their needs.

I listened to the audiobook version of Happiness Falls, which was voiced by a phenomenal voice actress. The epilogue of this book is also important to read – the author explains the research she conducted to write this book as well as articulates how her own personal experiences as an immigrant shaped its content.

Be ready to cry and have your heart broken into a million pieces, only to be put back together by the end of the novel. This is a remarkable book, so save it for a time when you really can sit down and enjoy reading a beautifully written novel.

I am a huge Ruth Ware fan, and her latest book, One Perfect Couple, does not disappoint. I read this on the beach in the Florida Keys in the middle of what thankfully did not turn into a hurricane. As I would discover, a storm in the Keys was the perfect setting for reading this book.

One Perfect Couple involves a reality show set on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere gone wrong. The narrator is a female scientist who has struggled to make it in higher education. She has a boyfriend, a flailing actor struggling to find work. When her boyfriend approaches her about an opportunity to make money and be on television, she initially balks at the idea.

When she is informed that the show will involve couple swapping, she puts her foot down. But he begs and pleads, and they need money. This show is his shot to make it big in Hollywood, for them to get out of debt. So she reluctantly agrees, and they are off to a remote island to begin filming.

Things are not what they seem, though. When the couple meets with the producers and participants, they realize they should have never signed up for the show. A terrible storm pummels the island, and then participants start dying.

This book reminded me of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. I love mysteries that involve a mystery in an isolated place where no one can leave. This is one of my favorite Ruth Ware books – I would put it in my top 3.

My last book recommendation from 2024 so far is Hum by Helen Phillips. I read her last book, The Need, and thought her voice and writing style were different than other writers. I like the sparseness of her prose, and how she can convey so much emotion in a short sentence. It takes skill to write compact prose that encapsulates tension and fear.

Hum is set in the not too distant future where machines and robots are living side by side with humans. I imagine this book was inspired by things like Alexa, which is both helpful and a bane to your existence. Alexa can help me locate a book title or play my favorite song, but she will also try to sell me products. This is the world of Hum.

The lead character in Hum is struggling to make ends meet. In a disaster capital world, she finds herself nearly out of work, displaced by AI and “smart” computers. Yet she strives to carve out joy for herself and her family, even if it comes at a great cost. This cost involves selling her identity, which brings in enough money to take a vacation at a simulated cabin in the forest.

“There was a crisp breeze in the park, the grass and trees alert with it, layers of movement, tiers of leaves and branches swaying against the sky. She wanted the children to be here to see it. Whenever she saw beauty, her only thought was that she wanted them to see it.”

This book felt like a Grimm’s fairytale where evil lurks beneath the surface. There is a sense of constant unease and tension that permeates each page. When something tragic happens amid a vacation she gave up nearly everything to afford, the main character is ostracized by society to the point she may lose everything she loves.

I had mixed feelings about the book’s ending. I felt it was too abrupt, but perhaps that was the author’s intention – that everything can be taken away from you in a second, especially in a capitalistic society that steals your very identity for profit. However, I really liked the story. It is a haunting reminder of what our society could quickly become if we don’t think twice about where it is currently heading.