Riot Headline The Best Books of 2024

And Then Someone Does A Crime

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Amanda and Jenn discuss summery reads, dance stories, essay collections, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community, Harper Perennial and Twisted by Emma Dabiri, and Humanity’s Gauntlet: The Archons Rise by Brian A. Sieteski, June 17th 2020.

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The Fate of Stars by SD Simper, The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and A Fish Out of Water by Karin Kallmaker (rec’d by Wynnde)

Taste by Kris Bryant (rec’d by Wynnde)

Ann McMann’s Dust, Jericho, and Beowulf for Cretins (rec’d by Wynnde)

Questions:

1. I love to read books with a seasonal feel (cold and snowy in the Winter, spooky in Fall, etc.). I would love a book for summer that feels sunny and hot, but, the problem is, all of my favorite books are dark or gothic. My favorite genres are fantasy, mystery, and gothic but I am also open to lit fic and non-fiction. My favorite books of all time are The Diviners series by Libba Bray, Lonesome Dove, The Thirteenth Tale, Rebecca, The Night Circus, anything Tana French, The Queen of the Night, and The Secret History.

-Danielle

2. Hi! I’ve sent in before but this isn’t a recommendation for me. My brother is a teenager but is only now just starting to get into reading (which I’ve been trying to do for years). He enjoys anything action packed, historical, logical, and or science fiction. As long as the book is exciting to keep him engaged and not too long. He’s 16 and grew up on Percy Jackson but hasn’t read much else from then on. Hope that helps!
 
-Gigi

3. Hey y’all! I would like a YA book based on the dance world. I have read some nonfiction, but I would really like a fiction book. I have been dancing for 13 years, and right now am dancing primarily ballet and pointe. I do not want a drama- filled cliche book, like dance moms. Just something where dance is a huge part of the main character’s life and is really good. 
Thanks so much!
-Allison 

4. Hi
I’ve recently been reading a lot of middlegrade books, I find they are just the mood I want for this lockdown & it’s helped me clear my backlog.
My favourite was Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm
It features all the elements of science fiction I love, a bit of peril, a lot of space travel and a view of a positive future.
It reminded me of Heinlien’s juveniles (without the sexism), Becky Chambers and KA Applegate’s Remnant Chronicles.
I’m looking for more middle grade that is proper science fiction please help me find something that is not an earth bound dystopian future (that seems to be all that comes up in searches) I’ve got Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee on order but need more!

-Bex

5. Something to escape into: fantasy, fairytale, folklore, time slippage

-Kim

6. Hi,

I have fallen in love with essay collections this year. They have all been thematically different but written by female authors, beautiful writing as well as are on interesting topics. 
I have loved:
Constellations by Sinead Gleeson
Axiomatic by Maria Tumarkin
Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
Make It Scream, Make it Burn by Leslie Jamison 
Thick by Tressie Macmillan Cottam

Would love to hear some further recommendations! Not that keen on anything by straight white men. Thanks. 
-Georgia

7. Hi! Me and a friend are starting a book club! We’re a group of disabled and chronically ill young people, from the US and UK (so books released in both is a must). Available in audio and on Kindle also important for accessibility reasons, nothing too long or hard to read, and maybe older books so they’re also available second hand/in libraries without huge hold lists. Disability representation is obviously important, but other diversities (especially LGBTQ+) would be great too, and personally I’d quite like something with mental health or neurodiversity themes. Fiction and non both okay, any and all genres too!
Books already on the list include Get a Life, Chloe Brown and The Pretty One

-Caz

Books Discussed

Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller

Each of Us A Desert by Mark Oshiro (out in September 2020) (tw: abusive parent, graphic violence)

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

Zero Sum Game by SL Huang

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

A Time To Dance by Padma Venkatraman  

We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey

Sal and Gabi Break The Universe by Carlos Hernandez

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora (TW slavery, rape)

Unraveling by Karen Lord (tw: harm to children)

My Time Among the Whites by Jennine Capó Crucet

Beyoncé In Formation by Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley

Far From You by Tess Sharpe (TW homophobia, drug addiction)

So Lucky by Nicola Griffith