This is one of the best times of the year for readers. The end of the year means book(-tokers/-tubers/-stagramers) revealing their total amounts of books read and carefully ranking them all to highlight the best ones. So many book recommendations, so little time.
Throughout this year, I completely surprised myself with how much I could read. I went from not finishing a single book, to only reading what was assigned for class in 2022-23, to… well, let’s just say more than ever before. Yet, I’ve felt hesitant to share my total—not out of embarrassment or shame, but because it feels like the focus has shifted. The number seems more important than the experience itself—the stories I connected with, the ones I didn’t, the genres I explored, and how those books shaped my beliefs.
To be clear, this isn’t me insinuating that BookTok or the reading community as it is today is “shallow” or “performative.” That’s simply not true. So many creators share beautifully curated and analytical reviews, underrated gems that deserve more attention, and bring thoughtful insights to the books they discuss. There’s genuinely something for everyone in this space, and it’s a huge reason why I love it so much. My hesitation isn’t about the quality of the conversations—it’s about how easy it can be to let the numbers take over the narrative.
Setting a specific number of books to read in a year can be a great way to build a habit if you’re trying to read more consistently. However, for those who are consistent readers, I find that numbered reading goals don’t serve much of a purpose.
Instead of centering reading goals around a fixed number, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to focus on intentions? For example, content creator Cameron (@slaggybookclub) recently shared her 2025 reading goals, which aren’t centered around hitting a specific number but rather on the kinds of reading habits she wants to build. Her goals focus on diversifying the books on her to-be-read (TBR) list, halving her physical TBR, stepping back from the constant focus on new releases, and writing more thoughtful reviews. To me, goals like these are much more appealing because they focus on personal growth as a reader rather than meeting a specific metric.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sharing your total books read—whether you read 10 books or 200, it’s worth celebrating. I personally won’t share my total in this article because I want to focus on what really defined my reading in 2024: the stories that stuck with me the most. So, here are my favorite reads of the year.
Best Adult Fantasy: Babel by R.F. Kuang
Best Young Adult Fantasy: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Best Literary Fiction: Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang
Best Romance: Tie between Abby Jimenez’s Yours Truly and Just for the Summer and Emily Henry’s Funny Story
Most memorable reads: Babel by R.F. Kuang, If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead