Happy New Year!! I have not been here since the summer, alas. That last instance was` to mourn over my lack of reading at that point in the year, and I fear nothing much changed in the second half of 2024. I meant to be here, but I was caught up in living which was rather nice. I also have opened up a new writing avenue for myself over on Substack! I’d been going back and forth about writing there and starting something new since the Spring, and I finally took the plunge in late August. If you are a fellow believer like myself, and would be interested in spiritual musings ~from the Reformed perspective~, I would absolutely love to see you there <3 In any case, here is my all too short 2024 reading digest!
Goodreads Summary
40 books is the lowest since I’ve begun recording my reads back in 2019, ooooopsie. I spent way too much time re-bingeing PLL for my 3rd ever rewatch, re-watching West Wing, and honestly probably too much time on Tiktok this year (rip btw). Also not Dr. Seuss being my shortest book of the year HAHA, it was a super nostalgic read for me when I was babysitting once, so I wanted to log it.
Although I was very adamant that I missed the classics by the end of my 2023 reading digest, I did not exactly do a great job of getting back into them this year. I kept meaning to, and did read through a couple, but not in a substantive way.
My pages dropped by over 10k+ this year, EMBARRASSING XXXX. I also had to lower my reading goal, not just once, but TWICE. Horrible scenes fr.
2024 Reading Goals
I FELL OFF. Did NOT read 60 books, did NOT read 25 classics, did NOT READ ENOUGH.
However. I DID actually manage to read 8 non-fiction books total, surpassing my goal of 5-7. I also read 5 theology/church-history books, meeting my goal of 3-5. So at least I can celebrate a couple of things!
Did NOT re-attempt Les Mis, use physical library books, get to a substantial amount of my own unread books, or read through a few more childhood favourites.
DID really make the most of my Kindle and Libby. Over half of my reads were from library e-books, 22/40!
General thoughts because this was such a generally short reading year
Can’t believe I didn’t re-read all of the Narnia books this year. First time ever since I started doing this back in like 2010. Wow. Shameful.
Also can’t believe I didn’t re-read any Tolkien this year. INSANE.
First audiobook ever was Jennette McCurdy’s heartbreaking, funny, and moving I’m Glad My Mom Died.
Books I really, really enjoyed
The entire Pierce Brown Red Rising series, I raaaan through books 2-5 throughout the year as soon as they were available in my library holds. I did not anticipate liking this series more than Dune at the start of the year, but my oh my do I adore it. It is one of the greatest, if not theeee greatest, modern high-fantasy sci-fi series of our day.
Really really loved Emma Thompson’s diaries from her time on Sense and Sensibility, which I talked about over summer. (I also talked about God Emperor of Dune and Red Rising 2 and 3 in that post.)
Was blown away and constantly moved and convicted whilst reading Dane Ortlund’s Gentle and Lowly, I truly believe it is a book every believer should read (aside from the Bible, of course!).
Loved being able to add some historical non-fic back to my reading because of my writing over on Substack! My paid-posts include in-depth historical profiles on actors in church history, so I got to add two excellent books to my log: Resilient Reformer: The Life and Thought of Martin Luther and Athanasius and His Legacy. I’m really looking forward to continuing this pattern in the coming year.
I thoroughly enjoyed my Harry Potter re-read this year as well. I’ve never done these books two consecutive years in a row before, at least not since junior and senior year of high school, and I loved it. I read them again this year because I was buddy-reading with an irl friend who hadn’t yet read or watched any of the films. I’ve found that my appreciation for these stories has only deepened with time, and I am so happy about that.
Although I’ve always known and experienced the joy of fairytales being more special to me as an adult–something Lewis wisely commented on, so many years ago–I didn’t expect to grow so much affection for these stories, and it’s like I get to experience that feeling of deepening appreciation in such a special way, especially since I’ve now done so watching the films weekly with my brother and friend.
This re-read and watch-along was even more meaningful this year because as the year closed, life got rather a bit tough, and the escape to these stories and this world with two of my favourite people alongside me was a comfort and a joy <3
Fin
My 2024 reading digest was all too short, and I really do look forward to changing that in 2025. I’m ready to be more unplugged from my phone and the internet and more present in the glories of books and Story. HNY! I hope you had a better reading year than I did, although looking back, the substance of my favourite books of the year really assauge the personal disappointment that I didn’t read more, and more of value :’)