The 25 best books of 2024
The 25 highest-ranked books first published in 2024 in our ranking of 2,819, scored on how much readers love them, their prize, best-list and bestseller record, and current buzz. We rank 74 books of 2024 in all. How we rank
- 1
James99.0Must-Read ScoreJames
Everett takes one of the most famous books in American literature and turns it inside out.
- 2
The Women91.4Must-Read ScoreThe Women
Kristin Hannah gives voice to a group history almost forgot, the women who served in Vietnam, and the result is deeply emotional storytelling that has made readers everywhere cry.
- 3
The Anxious Generation87.3Must-Read ScoreThe Anxious Generation
It's one of the most influential books of the decade, already reshaping school phone policies and family rules around the world.
- 4
Quicksilver87.1Must-Read ScoreQuicksilver
It's an addictive enemies-to-lovers romantasy with fast-paced action, sharp banter and a slow burn that readers devour.
- 5
The Tainted Cup86.2Must-Read ScoreThe Tainted Cup
It's Sherlock Holmes in a strange, inventive fantasy world, a genuinely clever mystery with a delightful detective duo, and it won the Hugo Award.
- 6Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space85.7Must-Read Score
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
It's gripping, heartbreaking and meticulously researched, the definitive account of a disaster that could have been prevented.
- 7Native Nations: A Millennium in North America85.3Must-Read Score
Native Nations: A Millennium in North America
It won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for History, along with the Bancroft Prize and the Cundill History Prize.
- 8
My Friends84.0Must-Read ScoreMy Friends
It's a quiet, profound novel about exile and friendship from one of today's finest writers, and it won the NBCC Award and was longlisted for the Booker Prize.
- 9Patriot: A Memoir83.5Must-Read Score
Patriot: A Memoir
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for memoir.
- 10The Safekeep83.4Must-Read Score
The Safekeep
It won the Women's Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for the Booker Prize.
- 11
Nuclear War: A Scenario83.2Must-Read ScoreNuclear War: A Scenario
It was a Baillie Gifford Prize finalist and one of the most talked-about nonfiction books of 2024.
- 12
Just for the Summer82.2Must-Read ScoreJust for the Summer
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Goodreads Choice finalist.
- 13
The God of the Woods80.0Must-Read ScoreThe God of the Woods
It won the Goodreads Choice Award for mystery, was an Edgar finalist and spent more than forty weeks on the New York Times lists.
- 14An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s78.8Must-Read Score
An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist.
- 15
All the Colors of the Dark78.4Must-Read ScoreAll the Colors of the Dark
It spent months on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist.
- 16
The Demon of Unrest77.9Must-Read ScoreThe Demon of Unrest
It spent five weeks at #1 on the New York Times list.
- 17
The Small and the Mighty77.7Must-Read ScoreThe Small and the Mighty
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist.
- 18
Be Ready When the Luck Happens77.7Must-Read ScoreBe Ready When the Luck Happens
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and spent months there.
- 19
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World77.5Must-Read ScoreThe Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World
It spent months on the New York Times lists.
- 20
Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions76.4Must-Read ScoreFramed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist.
- 21
Lights Out76.2Must-Read ScoreLights Out
It spent more than a year on the New York Times lists and reached #1.
- 22
Raising Hare: A Memoir75.9Must-Read ScoreRaising Hare: A Memoir
It spent months on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist.
- 23
Listen for the Lie75.8Must-Read ScoreListen for the Lie
It was a finalist for the Edgar and Goodreads Choice awards.
- 24
The Wedding People75.7Must-Read ScoreThe Wedding People
It won the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction and spent about a year on the New York Times lists.
- 25Red Sky Mourning75.3Must-Read Score
Red Sky Mourning
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.