In 2023, I had a modest goal of 26 books, and I managed 19. In 2024, I had a more ambitious goal of 52 books and finished 53 books. Most of my reading was a combination of e-books and audiobooks from my local library. While this isn’t all the authors, these are some of the authors I found notable and a great read.
Richard Osman
I’ve read both the Thursday Murder Club series and the new book We Solve Murders. I enjoy his pace and writing style.
Atlee Pine series from David Baldacci
I haven’t read the first book in the series yet since it’s always had a long wait on the library app. But the remaining ones that I’ve read or listened to are ones I liked. They’re fast paced and hard to put down. I remember staying up until 5 am finishing up the last book!
Carmel Harrington
In my question to listen to more Irish authors, I listened to The Girl from Donegal. The story was captivating and the voice actors were good at the different accents. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy historical fiction, but it was lovely! I went on to read a few more books by the same author. My current favorite is The Moon Over Kilmore Quay. I describe her books as time travel books. There is usually a combination of past and present over time that meet.
Fiona McArthur
I stumbled on Midwife on the Orient Express, most likely because it was a book available without wait. I proceeded to listen to all the books I could find by the author. It was fascinating to read about the remote corners of Australia.
The topic of healthcare and life in remote Australia was fascinating! I went onto read Beth Mcrae’s Outback Midwife detailing her career over 40 years.
Matthew Reilly
I’ve read and owned several of Matthew Reilly’s books in the past. I’m pretty sure I’ve owned Seven Ancient Wonders but I read it so long ago that I had to re-read. I’ve been working my way through that series. It was an excellent read. I tend to think of it as an Indiana Jones style book series.
Patricia Cornwell
The first book I picked up was when in 2004, about 20 years ago. I’ve actually never read the first few books or read the books in an organized manner. This year, I made an effort to read/listen to some of the books in order. It’s somewhat fascinating to hear a book set in the 90s. It took a bit for me to adjust to everyone smoking in their cars, offices, and so on.
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Yes, you’ve probably heard of the movie. But the audiobook is narrated by David Tenant and he gives a different voice to every character! There are 12 books and I’ve finished all but 2 in the middle. The wait time for those books run up to July 2025! I have them reserved. It is an excellent coming of age series. It is a children’s book, just like Harry Potter is a children’s book. I’d say it’s suitable for all ages!
There were many more excellent books from the last year, but these are the authors I enjoyed reading.
and watching the 