Episode 148 - 2024 Superlatives & Reading Resolutions

Listen to this episode from Well-Read on Spotify. We’re making reading resolutions for 2025 and giving out our 2024 book superlatives! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Women’s Prize for Fiction The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry From the Front Porch (podcast) Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Book of the Month Club The Bookshop Parnassus Books Brandon Sanderson books Jane Austen books Libba Bray books Colin Dexter books Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer Emily Henry books Ann Patchett books Most Timely Ann: Hum by Helen Phillips – Annie Bot by Sierra Greer Halle: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kristen Miller – The Change by Kristen Miller Most Disappointing Ann: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson; The Women by Kristin Hannah – Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson Halle: Bride by Ali Hazelwood; Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood; The Postcard by Anne Berest – Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood – In Memoriam by Alice Winn Favorite Reread Ann: None! Halle: The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater; Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas Biggest Surprise Ann: The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August; The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff Halle: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore – Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore – Gilmore Girls (TV) Least Favorite Ann: The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons; In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander – The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava Halle: Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey Book That Lived Up to the Hype: Ann: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley; The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez Halle: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney; James by Percival Everett – Normal People (TV) – Normal People by Sally Rooney Best Distraction Ann: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan Halle: Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal; Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas The Book That Ended a Mini Reading Slump Ann: Ghost Mother by Kelly Dwyer Halle: The Do-Over by Lynn Painter Most Unputdownable Ann: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan; We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer Halle: When We Were Bright and Beautiful by Jillian Medoff; The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell Better Late Than Never Ann: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – Good Omens (TV) – Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – Coraline by Neil Gaiman Halle: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Book That Has Stayed With Me Ann: The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler Halle: All Fours by Miranda July Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did! Ann: The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan Halle: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Author(s) we discovered in 2024 that we’re most excited to read more from in 2025 Ann: Kaliane Bradley; Kristen Perrin; Carmella Lowkis; Monika Kim; Cara Bastone – Fingersmith by Sarah Waters Halle: Cara Bastone; Kirsty Greenwood; Alice Wyn; Yulin Kuang; Holly Brickley; Olivia Muenter – Abby Jimenez books Hidden Gem: Ann: Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong; Ready or Not by Cara Bastone; The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd Halle: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood; Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa – The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune Best Audiobook Experience of the Year: Ann: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – Meryl Streep filmography Halle: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the Year Ann: The Bear (TV); The Traitors (TV); Kyle Maclaughlin ads for Arby’s; Moo Deng; The Eras Tour Halle: One Day (TV); Wicked (film); Nobody Wants This (TV); The Tortured Poets Department (album by Taylor Swift); BookTube; five-year journal The Book We Recommended the Most This Year Ann:  Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong; The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Halle: The Wedding People by Alison Espach; Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe What We’re Reading This Week: Ann: After Annie by Anna Quindlen Halle: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See – The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Well-Read on Facebook Well-Read on Bookshop Well-Read on Instagram