at the end of january: what do my best/worst books of the year look like?

 I did this a couple times last year, kind of randomly, and I think I want to keep a better updated version this year. Of course, this does include re-reads, and my final, Top 19 of 2024 will not, but... here we go. Current top ten, worst 5 books of the year.

I've read 32 books this year, for context.

10. Holly by Stephen King

This was not my favorite Stephen King book (I rated it four stars), but it's not a bad Stephen King book. I could appreciate what it was trying to do and it was definitely gross at times. I love gross!

9. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Re-read! I read this with one of my groups of fifth graders and By God there is a Reason This Man Is Still The King of Middle Grade. 

8. Can We All Be Feminists? by June Eric-Udorie

Nonfiction essay collection. I felt like it said a lot but was more of an introduction to intersectional feminism than anything. 

7. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

I've stated that this mostly made me want to re-read Gentleman's Guide, but it was also a decent story with characters that I cared about, so, you know. 

6. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

Oh man this book. This one was intense. This one was a lot. Almost made me cry, a little, a couple of times.Very dark, very poignant, a good one.

5. Save the Date by Morgan Matson

My first five star read of this list! This is actually the book at the BOTTOM of my five star books from this year and last year, but it was very cute and I could appreciate it. 

4. Electric Idol by Katee Robert

Read Neon Gods last year. Was OK with it. Read this at the beginning of this year and holy FUCK was it everything I wanted and more. 

3. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

This was my first full-length Shirley Jackson novel and goddam was it good. Of course it was good. It was Shirley Jackson. 

2. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

This book has been talked up since its inception and yeah, it is hyped up for a reason. One of those situations where if I hadn't been in front of a room of fifth graders, I would have been bawling my eyes out. 

1. Needful Things by Stephen King

A re-read takes my number one spot for the year, currently. What can I say--I love the town books.

And, just for some fun, my current five least favorites of the year, with the absolute worst at the end. 

5. Savage Delinquents by Alan Bennett

This wasn't a bad book. It just really wasn't very good. 

4. The Silent Blade by RA Salvatore

Same here. This also claims to be a first book in a series but I do feel like I shouldn't have jumped in, um, here. 

3. Memories by Francine Pascal

SAVE ME FROM SWEET VALLEY HIGH

2. 27 Hours by Tristina Wright

This book is barricaded behind controversy and at the end of the day it just isn't very good. Like, man, if you're going to be controversial and racist at least be good. Or interesting.

1. Art is the Lie by Courtney Cook Hopp

For the love of God. Twilight but worse. 

But at the end of the day, hey, none of these books are anywhere near as bad as LEFT BEHIND BY TIM LAHAYE