2024 in books + some favorites

It’s that time of year I take stock of the dozens of books I’ve read over the last twelve months and pick some favorites to share with you! I always love seeing how many of your own recommendations make it to my reading list every year, so please, please, keep on sharing books with me, particularly in the comments section, so we can continue to cross-pollinate references!

As usual, this list doesn’t follow any specific order other than chronological, in the order I’ve read them.

This year, I’m including two links for each book — a Bookshop link and a Wook one (for my fellow Western Iberians). If there is a book without one of the links, then you can go down the rabbit hole to get a copy, either through your local library, bookstore, or an online option. On that note, I don’t include links that go to Bezos’ pockets.

• The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon — My first book of the year, riding the wave of last year’s fantasy dive. It was an enjoyable read, and I especially appreciated the change of scenery to something that rings a little closer to home, with orange trees and warmer weather. It took me quite a bit to really get into the story and understand who is who (I have to be honest!), but once that was through it was very much worth it!
  Bookshop // Wook

• Walden, by Henry David Thoreau — I was surprised by how relatable so much of what the author shares in 1854 is today. And don’t be fooled, Walden may be about living in the wilderness, but it is no wishy-washy tale of romanticized countryside living. After all, Thoreau was a political activist with a firm sense of social justice (also, if you haven’t read his Civil Disobedience yet, add that one to your list!).
  Bookshop // Wook

• A Darker Shade, by various authors, edited by Joyce Carol Oates — A beautiful, albeit chilling collection of short stories in the intersection of horror and feminism, smashing patriarchy throughout. Perfect company for late-night insomnia.
  Bookshop // Wook

• On The Savage Side, by Tiffany McDaniel — I picked this book up in a bookstore in Bordeaux thinking it would be a lighthearted mystery/ thriller to read during my travels back home, but it was nothing of the sort. It’s incredibly lyrical and poetical, in a way that’s almost striking at times, given its themes of abuse, substance addiction, and violence against women. It will break your heart open, but in the same way Mary Oliver would put it — “that it break open and never close again to the rest of the world”. Of the highest literary merit, this was probably my favorite book of the whole year!
  Bookshop // Wook

• Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese — This mammoth of a book was everything I expected and more. Abraham Verghese is a fascinating writer, weaving both history and clinical practice throughout this work of fiction that is not so fictional after all. Goodness, this story will stay with me for a long, long time. And not exactly part of the book, but the acknowledgments section is the bestest I’ve ever read.
  Bookshop // Wook

• The Last Tree on Easter Island, by Jared Diamond — An essay you can read in one afternoon. It’s a blend of history, geography, anthropology, and environmental studies, focusing on this one main question: how could a remote Indigenous community destroy itself? A necessary read in the Anthropocene, as we can all learn from this microcosm.
  Couldn’t find a Bookshop link for this one, sorry! // Wook

• Children of Anguish and Anarchy, by Tomi Adeyemi — Okay! I’ll put all my cards on the table now. Remember how psyched I was when the first two books of this series came out? Finally, romantic fantasy, with a strong dash of magic, written by a non-white author and not happening in Europe! Give me all that Black magic, inspired by West African folklore! I wanted to live in this story. I could feel my ancestors reading alongside me over my shoulder! But something shifted in this third and last book — some author’s flame went out, some passion withered, and this last book just doesn’t keep up with the excellence the first two served us. I’m still including it here for closure, but it’s a mournful one.
  Bookshop // Wook

• A Short History of the World According to Sheep, by Sally Coulthard — I’m cheating and including a book I haven’t finished yet, but I know I won’t regret it. Definitely not just for shepherds and fiber folk, but surely even more special for us, of course. This is a well-researched book that will make you fall in love with our woolly friends (even more), elevating them to the pedestal of society's backbone that they deserve. Curious? You’ll have to read it.
  Again, no Bookshop link for this one // Wook

And, if you want more page-flipping, here are links to previous years’ favorites:
✨ 2022 in books + some favorites
✨ 2023 in books + some favorites

Lastly, because books and education go hand in hand, you don’t want to miss this! The Herbal Academy is hosting its Annual Holiday Sale, with up to 30% off all herbal courses.

The Herbal Academy is an incredible resource for diving deeper into the world of herbalism and is exactly where I started my journey… Loving it so much that I ended up joining the team! All courses are online and self-paced, meaning you can work through your studies at your own pace, wherever you live. Enjoy up to 30% off all courses through January 5!

And as a sweet side note, this season there is a new quiz from the Herbal Academy that’s designed to help you figure out your herbal personality type and suggested next steps. And guess who inspired one of these herbal personas… Yes! Yours truly!

Take the quiz here (and see if you match with me!)

And now, a question for you: what are you reading at the moment? Which books do you think I should definitely add to my bedside (or woodstove-side) pile of books?

With a steaming herbal hot chocolate by my side,
Cat