It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The time I peruse which books I want to share from my last 12 months of reading. 2024 was a fairly good year for reading, though I devoted a significant amount of time to writing my book, cutting back on the number of books I consumed.

I take a trip down this lane fairly regularly and it’s always a fun way for me to both review what I read and recommend some great titles to you. (Proof: my book lists from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2012, 2011)

In no particular order, I present to you 13 of the best books I read in 2024 (affiliate links used wherever possible):

This year, Jonathan and I have been working towards getting our foster care license. We’ve taken one small step at a time, praying, talking with each other and our children, considering, getting input, and praying some more. My sister recommended this book to me and I loved the inside look at fostering, especially the Gospel motivation behind it.

Typically, books on being a pastor’s wife make me feel tired. And I’m not talking about reading these books—just seeing them makes me tired. So nobody was more surprised than me when I bought this book and read the entire thing. (Now that you know I found it at a thrift store for $1.50, perhaps your surprise has dwindled.) I underlined a ton, resonated with so much of it, and appreciate how Christine Hoover reminds readers that believers are called to be faithful to the commands of Jesus (no matter their husband’s occupation).

I was completely drawn into this historical fiction book that goes into the life of a young boy living in communist Romania during the 1980s. Incredibly moving story (and surprisingly free of moral objections).

This book on time management deals with our mindset behind why we do what we do, the lies we believe about our existence and capabilities, and emphasizes living with gratefulness within our limits while also encouraging readers to stop making excuses about why they aren’t doing what they “wish” they could do. One of the best books I read this year!

A favorite quote:
“If a certain activity really matters to you – a creative project, say, though it could just as easily be nurturing a relationship, or activism in the service of some cause – the only way to be sure it will happen is to do some of it today, no matter how little, and no matter how many other genuinely big rocks may be begging for your attention.”

Esau McCaulley writes of his family’s story, his struggles with his Dad, and his faith. Two favorite quotes:

“If we are all a mix of good and bad, then there is always a chance that the good might emerge victorious in the end, if we give God enough time to do his work. Patience with broken people and broken things is a manifestation of trust in God.”

“Marriage is a collision of two people’s dreams, dysfunctions, histories, and hopes. It always involves a form of letting go and making space. But out of those sacrifices, sometimes something glorious emerges.”

I read A Praying Life despite my initial excuses (such as, “Why read a book on prayer when I could just…uh…pray?”) and God has used it to enrich both my understanding and habits of prayer. Highly recommend.

Favorite quote:

“At first glance, genuine faith and naive optimism appear identical since both foster confidence and hope. But the similarity is only surface deep. Genuine faith comes from knowing my Heavenly Father loves, enjoys, and cares for me. Naive optimism is groundless. It is childlike trust without the loving Father. 

In naive optimism we don’t need to pray because everything is under control, everything is possible. In cynicism, we don’t need to pray because everything is out of control. little is possible.”

Where the Light Fell is a memoir detailing the author’s troubled relationship he and his brother had with their mother. Though Yancey initially turned away from Christianity, God turned his eyes from darkness to light. “In the end, my resurrection of belief had little to do with logic or effort and everything to do with the unfathomable mystery of God.” This book does not have a happy ending for all the people mentioned, but it beautifully highlights the goodness of God amidst suffering. It left me more grateful for God who works through joy and suffering for his glory.

Favorite quotes:
“Lying helpless and strapped down, I would have felt utterly and inconsolably alone—except for the strong, sure sense that I had not made the long, winding journey unaccompanied.”

“I came to love God out of gratitude, not fear. Above all else, grace is a gift, one I cannot stop writing about until my story ends.”

I like to re-read The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness every year because it refocuses me on my standing with God in Christ and my purpose in this life.

“Do you realize that it is only in the gospel of Jesus Christ that you get the verdict before the performance? The atheist might say that they get their self-image from being a good person. They are a good person and they hope that eventually they will get a verdict that confirms that they are a good person. Performance leads to the verdict. For the Buddhist too, performance leads to the verdict. If you are a Muslim, performance leads to the verdict. All this means that every day, you are in the courtroom, every day you are on trial. That is the problem. But Paul is saying that in Christianity, the verdict leads to performance.”

I bought Timothy Keller for my husband when it first came out and he greatly enjoyed it, so  I decided to read it too. If you’ve ever wanted to know which people, authors, and preachers influenced the late Timothy Keller, this book will tell you in a very enjoyable, easily readable manner. I quite enjoyed this read and have already added several books to my “to-read” list because of it. I’m grateful for the way Keller has shaped my understanding of the Gospel and love for Christ.

Russ Ramsey does a wonderful job weaving together famous works of art with the lesser-known stories behind the artists. David’s Michelangelo, Rembrandt’s Storm, and several of Van Gogh’s paintings…your appreciation of these works will increase as you read about the difficulties these artists endured to produce their art. And you’ll leave with encouragement to be faithful with whatever the Lord has given you to do, leaving the results to him.

I listened to this book (narrated by the inimitable Jim Dale) and thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, description of characters, and most especially the delightful ending. It took me by surprise and was a delight.

I listened to this book with my kids this summer. The story is a classic, the characters are brilliant, and the narration of Andy Serkis is so enjoyable, especially since he recaptures the one-of-a-kind voice of Gollum.

I finished Rejoice and Tremble in December & recommend it for a helpful, refreshing look at what it means to fear the Lord. One of my favorite quotes:

That’s it—13 of the best books I read this year! For a (mostly) complete list of all the (good, bad, and ugly) books I read in 2024, check here.

What books did you read and love this past year?
Anything you’d recommend I add to my list for 2025? 

To keep up with the resources I ingest and recommend on a more regular basis, I suggest signing up for my monthly letter where I share the things I’m reading, thinking, and learning on the first Friday of every month.