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TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2024

TIME has shared its 100 must-read books of 2024, which include "gripping novels and short stories, eye-opening histories," and more

Community Nov 14, 2024

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Rejoice! For we have another best-of 2024 book list to fawn over, this time from TIME. The publication’s must-read list of 2024 is full of fiction (mostly of the literary variety) and nonfiction, with bestselling and debut authors alike.

TIME describes the list as being full of “Gripping novels and short stories, eye-opening histories, moving memoirs, and more. These are the books that entertained and enlightened us.”

Below is a sampling to get you started.

Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa

“Deborah Jackson Taffa’s debut memoir, Whiskey Tender, looks at her coming of age as a member of the Quechan (Yuma) Nation and Laguna Pueblo tribe in 1980s New Mexico…With humor and heart, she traces her complicated adolescence, weaving in Native American history that sheds a light on the injustices Indigenous people have faced in both the past and the present.” — Shannon Carlin, TIME

The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

“Yasmin Zaher’s debut, The Coin, is a surreal trip of a novel about one woman’s pain and isolation, along with her compulsive cleaning obsession and Birkin bag-selling scheme. The protagonist is a wealthy Palestinian woman living in Brooklyn whose inheritance is all tied up…In a battle against chaos and consumerism, the narrator becomes obsessed with purity and a desire to find some semblance of control in an overwhelming world.” —Meg Zukin, TIME

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty

“From the award-winning author of Night of the Living Rez comes a story of secrets. Since she was born more than 20 years ago, Charles Lamosway has watched Eizabeth’s life unfold across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. The truth is, he’s her father, but he’s never been able to act as such and laments the life he could have had on the reservation. Now that he hasn’t seen Elizabeth in weeks, he’s worried. What’s more, everything seems to be falling apart. His alcoholic friend is a mess in general, his mother is slipping deeper into dementia, and he’s wondering if it’s finally time to share the truth with Elizabeth or if it is fair to share at all.” —Erica Ezeifedi

Ghostroots by ‘Pemi Aguda

“The characters of this Lagos-set short story collection seek freedom from the shackles of the past. In 12 deliciously eerie stories, a woman bears an uncanny resemblance to a wicked but deceased grandmother, an architect comes across a house set on vengeance, and a girl gets kidnapped by the local market’s tomato seller.” —Erica Ezeifedi

Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly

“Reilly’s ear for dialogue shines in this novel full of snappy comebacks and witty observations. I found myself laughing out loud at our protagonists’ asides. What’s more, Greta and Valdin find themselves in awkward situations of their own making as they try to figure out their love lives. Full of heart, Greta & Valdin is a must-read family novel of the year.” —Kendra Winchester

Fi by Alexandra Fuller

“Six years ago, Alexander Fuller’s 21-year-old son died in his sleep. With her moving fifth memoir, Fi: A Memoir of My Son—named in honor of her late child, whose nickname was Fi—the author sets out to find a cure for her ‘deep mountain grief.'” —Shannon Carlin, TIME

James by Percival Everett

“Percival Everett reimagines The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s point of view in this action-packed take on the American classic. When Jim hears he is about to be sold away from his wife and daughter, he hides out on Jackson Island, where he soon runs into young Huck Finn. The two set off on a raft down the Mississippi River on a quest to reach the elusive promise of the Free States. It’s very much like the story you know, but Everett imbues Jim with all the intelligence and agency he always deserved to have.”— Rachel Brittain

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

“Do I really need to explain why Sally Rooney is on this list? Her books, like Normal People and Conversations with Friends, have gathered a passionate fanbase. Who else has multiple bookstores hosting midnight release parties these days? Her newest is about two brothers: Peter, a lawyer; and Ivan, a competitive chess player. As they both grieve the loss of their father, they find themselves tangled in unexpected romances.”— Danika Ellis

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

“Kevin Kwan, the author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with another page-turner of a romance. In Lies and Weddings, Rufus Leung Gresham is seemingly the perfect catch. He’s the future Duke of Greshambury and the son of a former Hong Kong supermodel. But he also has a mountain of debt. And so his mother gives him one option: attend his sister’s wedding at a luxury resort and seduce a woman with money.” — Emily Martin

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

“Make this debut novel from poet Kaveh Akbar one of the first books you read in 2024. Cyrus Shams is a man obsessed with the concept of martyrdom. It’s this obsession that leads him to explore his family history, from his uncle, who inspired Iranian soldiers by dressing as the angel of death, to his father, who worked at a chicken factory in the midwest, to his mother, who might be the biggest mystery of all. Cyrus’s mother was killed when her plane was shot down in Tehran. But after discovering a painting in a Brooklyn art gallery, Cyrus realizes his mother might not be who she seemed.”—Emily Martin

To see the full list, visit TIME.

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.