Hello everyone,
Every year in December, I like to look back and share lots of top five lists based on my last 12 months of reading. I am even later starting it in 2024, but better late than never!
First of all, I am reflecting on the most powerful books I have read. These are basically the ones that explore the most sensitive subject matters, contain strong overarching messages, or elicit a profound response from me as the reader.
To be honest, there were not many books that really jumped out for 2024 in this category, but I have just about put a top five together.
The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean
Easily the most powerful of all the physical books I have read in 2024, this is narrated by a Thai woman who is the victim of human trafficking, stuck on a remote farm with her captor. Her voice is realised incredibly well and her story is painfully raw, while the plot is filled with tension.
It definitely falls into the category of books I will never forget.
Three Sisters by Heather Morris
Every book by Heather Morris is extremely powerful because they are set during the Holocaust and tell the novelised stories of real people. I listened to this one on audiobook recently and it was my favourite of hers so far. For some reason, I just felt it was even more personal than the others, and the innocence of the three sisters comes out so well in the writing – or at least the audio narration.
The Household by Stacey Halls
This was another book inspired by true events, exploring the tale of a house for ‘fallen’ women established by Charles Dickens and his associates in the mid-nineteenth century.
The women were really well portrayed and had interesting stories to tell, aided by Halls’ majestic writing. I especially connected with Martha and her efforts to reunite with her sisters.
The House With The Golden Door by Elodie Harper
The sequel to The Wolf Den, which was on my list of most powerful books I read in 2023, this continues the story of Amara, the former slave who has been freed from her brothel and now lives under the financial protection of her patron.
It is impactful because it shows how fragile her freedom is and explores how bleak lives were for women and those enslaved in Ancient Rome.
The Girl Who Came Out Of The Woods by Emily Barr
On its own, the concept of this book is powerful, with the protagonist being a girl who has grown up away from civilisation seeing her family die and then have to go into the outside world to seek help. It is made even more of an absorbing read by the excellent storytelling, which accommodates dual timelines and in the end you feel like you have been on a real journey with the main character Arty.
This book had me close to crying at one stage, which I never expected.
Let’s Chat
What are the most powerful books you have read in 2024? Have you read any of the books on my list? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading :)
Stephen Reads Books 