Judging Books by Their Titles: More of the Best Book Titles of 2024
A few months ago, I compiled a list of what I thought were the best book titles of the year so far. Of course, since then, many more books have been released, meaning there are many more great book titles to consider.
I thought to do these lists because, while book covers play a vital role in attracting readers and have even worked their way into certain sayings downplaying superficiality, more often than not, they work in tandem with book titles to market their books and attract the right readers.
Like covers, titles tend to follow trends and even be specific in some genres. Romance, cozy mysteries, and even some horror books, for example, lean into puns, while nonfiction titles never seem to miss a chance to add a colon and a subtitle.
But even within trends, there are always a few that really stand out. The ones I chose below include titles that got me hype, make me go “wtf?,” and even disgusted me a little. Whatever they brought to the table, they were able to leave an impression and grab me in just a few words.
Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley
Listen, if I had been murdered like “bad girl Annie Lane” in this YA mystery/thriller horror, my tombstone would read very similarly, because best believe I’d be haunting everybody and their momma trying to get my lick back.
Pixel Flesh: How Toxic Beauty Culture Harms Women by Ellen Atlanta
This is one of those titles that combine with its subtitle to kind of turn your stomach. The word “flesh” is the main, stomach-turning culprit, but the juxtaposition of it with the word “beauty,” which normally has positive connotations, had me flip-flopping a bit between revulsion and anticipating some, well, beauty. Altogether, the entire title is so effective at communicating how vile the state of the very digitized beauty industry is in just a few words.
Such Lovely Skin by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
As the self-appointed skin care expert among all my friends, “such lovely skin” sounds like it should be something I’d love to hear. But, there is something about it that makes my skin crawl—like someone’s skin (mine?) is being assessed in less than savory ways. And that’s even before I see lying Twitch streamer Viv’s head lying under her evil demon doppelganger’s.
We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo, Mitch Anderson
When someone pulls up and they’re talking about how she and her people are about to be jaguars, you know that narrative is about to hit—maybe even make you want to do a lil something. A little activism, a little protesting, who knows. Like yes, Nenquimo, tell me about your childhood as part of the Waorani Tribe of Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest and as a climate activist while I finish painting this picket sign.
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We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang
Reading just the title of this without seeing the cover made me go, “Oh, really, because that sounds like something…not human would say.” And then, yup, I see these adorably illustrated aliens in a precious picture book about an alien invasion.
I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
I see “I was a teenage slasher” and think “Word? Hmm. Maybe it’s a metaphor? Maybe “slasher” means something else entirely?” And then I realize it’s Stephen Graham Jones, and that it’s definitely literal and that the story is most likely about to be a subversive ode to horror books and films (especially slashers, because obviously), with a good dollop of empathy for the most raggedy among us (the most raggedy/teenage slasher here being 17-year-old Tolly in 1989 Texas).
Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki
This title drew me in because it sounds kind of romantic, in an artistic kind of way. And pretty. Also potentially tragic and infuriating, like Medusa’s original story. Reading the blurb makes me feel like I’m on the right track, since it follows “Anjir, a morbid romantic and petty thief whose boyfriend disappears just as they’re planning to leave their hometown for good.”
Honolulu Noir, edited by Chris McKinney
“Honolulu Noir” is fetching simply because the two words of the title seem to contradict each other. When I—someone who has never been to Hawai’i but has very specific images of it—think of Honolulu, the first few seconds of my thought involve sunshine and palm trees, which are, of course, the exact opposite of what “noir” means. And I have to say, seemingly contradicting words in one title are pretty effective at pulling me in. Though, of course, no place is only sunshine and palm trees, especially one that has been and continues to be ravaged by colonialism and its tributaries.
Hitting the Punny Bone
Romance and cozy mystery (and low-key some horror) titles have a particular brand of camp and punnyness that I am highly susceptible to. Here are a few that have stood out the most.
- Deja Brew by Celestine Martin
- The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
- A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne
- Rest in Peaches by Alex Brown
- Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley
What have been your favorite book titles of 2024? Let’s chat in the comments!
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