20 books I read in 2024 is a short post about the books that I’ve read during 2024. Last year I read a whooping number of 20 books. I usually manage around 10 books per year but last year I finished four and a half books just in January. That’s because I was between jobs at the beginning of the year. This post won’t divulge much about the actual content of the books mentioned below so you don’t have to worry about spoilers if you want to read them too. I borrowed all of these books from my local library except from the two books that I bought in London. So, all the other books were Croatian translations of the original editions.

You can also take a look at my previous book review posts if you want (2020 , 2021 , 2022. 2023 ).

20  books I read in 2024

Karel Čapek: Letters from England

This collection of letters by a Czech writer offers a humorous and insightful tour of early 20th-century England, highlighting the quirks of British society. Even though this book was written a hundred years ago, its insights about the British life and society still feel valid and contemporary. Karel Čapek introduced the word robot to the world.

R. Osman: The Man Who Died Twice

I read the first book about the Thursday murder club in 2023 and I was beyond happy when I found the next two sequels in my library. I loved this book too but in my opinion, it’s the weakest in the series. I haven’t read such great crime books in years until I stumbled upon these Osman’s books.

R. Osman: The bullet that Missed

This installment sees the main characters unravelling a perplexing case intertwined with their personal lives. I saw on social media that Osman’s first book in this book series is being made into a movie with my favorite James Bond actor as one of the leading stars.

B. Aaronovitch: Rivers of London

This urban fantasy blends police procedural with magical elements as the main character navigates the hidden supernatural underbelly of London. This book had the solid foundations of a great book for me because it combined London with murder mystery and magic but in the end I didn’t like it that much.

A. Benedict: Murder on the Christmas express

This festive mystery pays homage to classic whodunits and centers around a murder that takes place on a train. Since I’m a huge Agatha Christie’s fan this book ultimately fell short of my expectations. I actually bought this book in London during my birthday trip in December 2023.

J. Harris: The Strawberry Thief

I found this book enchanting and bewitching like her other works. It is actually the fourth book in a Chocolat book series and it continues the story of Vianne Rocher and her daughters, Anouk and Rosette.

C. Henn: The door to door bookstore

I love books about books. This international bestseller tells a story of an unlikely friendship between an old bookseller and a young girl. I found this book to be warm and sad at the same time.

Alka Jushi: The Perfumist of Paris

I didn’t actually read the previous two books in this Jaipur trilogy but it didn’t detract from my ability to follow the plot. It was interesting to read about perfume making but all in all I wasn’t too impressed by this book.

Taylor Jenkins Reid: The 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo

This book was a real page turner. Its captivating narrative chronicles the glamorous and scandalous life of an aging Hollywood movie star as she reveals the secrets of her seven marriages to a struggling journalist. Of course, there’s also a great unexpected twist in the end.

R. Freund: Ans meer

I read a couple of German books last year. This is a touching book about a group of practical strangers who get on their regular bus and end up going to the beach to fulfill a dying woman’s last wish. The end was a bit unrealistic though.

Julie Caplin: The Christmas castle in Scotland

Set against the stunning Scottish landscapes, this cozy romance combines holiday cheer with a tale of love, friendship, and the magic of Christmas. It was just what I’d expected and what I needed at that moment. A proper comfort book, predictable and heartwarming.

Daniela Krien: Die Liebe im Erstfall

The story about 5 different women whose life paths cross at some point. Stories about love, freedom and choices in Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. I felt close to some of the women in this book and their stories while I couldn’t understand others.

L. Brown: The Paris connection

I expected more of Paris magic in this book but it was an average romance book just exploiting Paris backdrop to lift the story of a chance encounter on the train.

Enid Blyton: Stories for Christmas

Timeless Christmas stories for children and adults alike. I grew up reading the Famous Five books so when I came across this book in London in 2023 I decided to buy it as a festive read. It was a lovely book indeed.

A.S.Greer: Less

A humorous and moving story about a failed novelist’s adventures as he travels the world to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. It was an interesting book but it could have been shorter.

J.Gutsch and M. Leo: Frankie

A book about a cat and life in general. It tackles many big issues such as loneliness, depression and friendship and loss but from a cat’s point of view. Very unusual book.

J. Caplin: The Northern Lights lodge

Another of Caplin’s charming travel books. A perfect winter read set around a hotel in Iceland. Apart from showcasing Iceland’s natural beauties and sights the book explores inner workings of a hotel and its personnel.

I read a couple of Croatian books as well.

I laughed out loud at this book by Andrea Andrassy (Skoro sve što znam do sad). It combines personal anecdotes with some personal world observations.

Another funny but insightful and truthful book was Dva puta u pet minuta by a Croatian author and actress Arijana Čulina.

I quite liked this book by Kristina Gavran: Između (In Between). This poignant story captures the immigrant experience through the eyes of a Croatian couple in England, revealing the struggles and triumphs of adapting to a new life and identity. I found many observations to be true. Kristina lives and works in England.

So, which books did I like the best? I absolutely loved Osman’s books and Evelyn Hugo book. I quite enjoyed Caplin’s travel romance books and I laughed so much at Andrea’s personal stories.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them? Would you recommend me some of the books that you have read?