In the realm of books you can't put down, each story whispers to your heart, gently guiding you through a tapestry of words, where every page feels like coming home.

The 2024 year is shaping up, and so are the brilliant book releases that are upcoming or have just been released. Some are continuation pieces from seasoned authors, while others are set to be debuts of different genres.

I already created an upcoming book list, that includes the most awaited titles, but I felt that some of title deserve more attention, this is why I compiled this list article.

Now, I am not one to tie myself to a specific genre as I believe every book has a unique experience and lessons. This is why I have compiled a varied collection of 2024 books that will offer whatever kind of escapism you fancy.

Whether you like epic fantasies, thrilling mysteries, non-fiction, historical epics, or are a sucker for romance, there is always a book you can't put down. So, let’s see the list.

What Are The Top Books That You Can't Put Down?

Come and Get It, by Kiley Reid (2024)

Starting off our list of books you can’t put down this year is this title by the renowned author of “Such a Fun Age”. If you fancy a tension-filled tale of desire coupled with reckless abandon, materialism, and indiscretion, you will love this story.

It concerns Millie Cousins, a residential assistant hoping to graduate, get employed, and buy herself a house. But she gets into a messy entanglement with Agatha Paul and three unruly students. Agatha offers Millie a strange but easy opportunity, and inevitably, she jumps at it. However, Millie’s hustle is jeopardized by her new friends, illicit intrigue, and pranks.

I have always admired how Kiley excellently teases apart the complicated but subtle layers of social dynamics, and she still does not disappoint one bit in this book. She brilliantly illuminates responsibility and the study of power and keenly reveals the life-altering mistakes we make sometimes.

I must say that the guilty pleasure of Come And Get It is how Reid nails the characters’ language and behavior with probing moral clarity. This book is realistic, fascinating, and beautifully paced to offer a deep reflection of life, a look into your relationships, and an exploration of how small aggressions can result in colossal consequences.

The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson (2024)

The Demon of Unrest is an American Civil War biography that delves into the simmering crisis that occurred five months before Abraham Lincoln was elected and in the wake of the war. If you do not have precise details of this monumental historical time, this book excellently paints a picture of what happened.

During this time, Southern extremists were very close to destroying the Union as states seceded,

and Lincoln was unable to stop them. Even though slavery reinforced this conflict, the North and South passions were on firing Fort Sumter.

Erik’s account is gripping and distinctively describes this dark period that was marked by miscommunications and tragic errors. It portrays how the people were affected by their craven intentions and enflamed egos, bringing forth the worst betrayals and tragedies.

This story paints a picture of the parallels between conflict, opportunism, slavery, unwavering loyalty, and relationships. Get to see how Lincoln felt overwhelmed and how William Seward desperately tried to avert the inevitable war that would eventually claim the lives of 750,000 Americans. This read is a dark reminder that we often fail to see an incoming catastrophe until it’s too late.

You Like It Darker, by Stephen King (2024)

If you love short fiction, you must get your hands on this book. It is a collection of twelve short stories that may just be some of the best works by Stephen King. In the book, Stephen writes about the dark side of life metaphorically and literally.

I won’t get into the specifics of each story, but it is good to mention that these stories are excellently written to convey different things about life. They portray luck, mortality, tragedy, fate, and the reality that with life, anything can happen. I love that these stories exhilarate you to leave ordinary everyday life and seek something more.

Like with his previous works, King has delivered amusement, surprise, unsettling pleasure, terror, empathy, and solace in this book. You will love how every one of the stories holds its thrill, mystery, and joy. But most importantly, you will marvel at how iconic each one is.

Choice, by Neel Mukherjee (2024)

Everything that happens in our lives reflects our choices (s), and this book profoundly examines the power and impact of choice. If you have questioned how free you are to make your own choices, this read might just give you a deeper perspective.

In the book, Ayush, a London-based publisher, is hung up on the question, ‘How ought one to live?’ propelling him to question every consumption act. This is how he kicks off an experiment about his life and the lives of other people connected to him- his family and the authors he works for. These authors write different stories whose narratives question the freedom of choice, and they build Neel’s story.

In the book, he confronts critical economics assumptions, race, apportionment, and the tangled contemporary life ethics.

I love that this book reveals how far imagination, accompanied by conscience and courage, can go. It has given me a new perception of honesty and the refusal to despair and clothed my mindset about ethical conflict in a new way.

It is haunting and will help you reflect deeply on freedom, guilt, agency, and duty in a savagely disparate world. Choice depicts that life is not about rational choices but the rich and swaying lull between them.

Good Material, by Dolly Alderton (2024)

I have known Dolly for writing books revolving around female characters traversing dating and love. But this time, she has chosen a different route by centering her writing around a man. It’s pretty rare to find a romantic comedy focusing on the male perspective, which makes this book so captivating. Dolly has nailed this imagination, and she beautifully explores a theme around friendship and lost love.

Andy is a comedian and has just undergone a breakup that will turn his life upside down. What’s worse, he is now homeless, hoping his stand-up career will pick up. Everyone else is growing except for him. Stuck on the idea of solving a puzzle about the end of his relationship, he hopes to find an answer that may bring Jen back. He has much to learn, not just Jen’s story.

This is a story of relatable life issues- friendships, a romantic disaster, and how to survive them. I consider it an authentic voice of what the new generation is going through. Dolly uses intimate wisdom to piece the story together.

It is wickedly funny, sincere, and cynical but also a place for solace. The luscious and radical details will engage you as you ponder upon the obsessiveness and myopia that can result from sudden heartbreak but compassionately.

House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City Book 3), by Sarah J. Maas (2024)

If you have a penchant for urban romance fantasy, this third entry to the Crescent City trilogy is bound to take your breath away. It is sexy and action-packed, just like the previous entries- House of Sky and Breath and House of Earth and Blood.

This is the story of Bryce Quinlan. She has only known Midgard as her world and has never expected to see any other. But when she does, she only wants to go back. Midgard is where her mate, friends, and family are. After getting stranded, she will have to depend on her wit to return home, but this will not be easy. Everybody is untrustworthy.

Meanwhile, Hunt Athalar has stumbled into some deep holes in his life and might just be getting into the deepest one of all. Back in Asteri’s dungeon, without any freedom and unaware of Bryce’s fate, he desperately wants to help her. Can he break free from Asteri with his tied hands?

I love how Sarah has continued the Crescent City series, which is on the verge of collapse. The characters present an incredibly moving story, and its mystery offers a stunning twist to surprise you at every turn. The smouldering romance and snarky humor will leave you breathless and ready to devour every page.

Sarah is a skilled world-building writer, and you cannot afford to miss this adventure.

The Fury, by Alex Michaelides (2024)

This book will be a delight if you love murder or psychological thrillers. It is a masterfully paced story about Lana Farrar, a former movie star, and her allies during a spontaneous trip. The trip, however, comes to an end following a murder.

This original story is developed with enough twists and characters you will love and hate. If you love erudite and locked room mysteries, you will enjoy this book's theatrical panache and Michaelides’ writing style.

The location of this story is to die for, but all the characters have a motive for murder. Alex puts your guesses to the test until the shocking finale.

I love that this book is written from a narrator’s perspective, and just when you think you have figured out something, a shift occurs. You will question the audacity of the characters, but this is just what makes this read even more compelling.

If you have read The Silent Patient, you know Alex is a grand master of a thrilling craft that exudes class with every page turn. In this book, he continues this skill even better and cleverly. It is more than a murder mystery with many contradictions that unite to blow you away.

Never Too Late, by Danielle Steel (2024)

Do you like books that focus on domestic life and fresh starts with contemporary romance? If so, then Never Too Late will be right up your alley. I appreciate Danielle for putting together an easy-to-read story, but one that will still linger even after you are done reading.

Kezia Cooper has just landed in New York City after leaving her previous home in San Francisco. She is focused on starting a fresh life with no board member responsibility to her late husband’s firm. New York is a city she has always loved and is where her daughters currently live.

Kezia meets with Sam Stewart, her next-door neighbor and a movie star, but a few weeks later, a disastrous crisis strikes the city. They both form a bond over their impulse to assist those in need. Kezia’s new friendship affects her mother-daughter relationships as everyone focuses more on their lives. But these changes are lessons, and they are entrances into new horizons.

This story is illuminating and powerfully depicts why human connections are essential. I love that this book shows the importance of women focusing on their independence and how it urges us to embrace brave change. It proves that a new start can happen at any point in life and still fulfil our hearts' desires.

The Bad Weather Friend, by Dean Koontz (2024)

This was my first read this year, and Oh My! What a masterpiece of Science fiction. I have read previous works by Dean, and the thrilling ride he puts together and the scary aspects make his books unique. He still delivers with this book.

Benny, the protagonist, is undergoing a rough patch in his life. He is unemployed and has lost his fiancée, reputation, and favorite chair. This is not paranoia. Someone is after him, but he can’t think of a reason why or who it may be.

When he gets an inheritance from an unknown uncle and a video message about things working out, both things are strange but blessings. His uncle has sent “Spike”- the bad weather friend in a crate to help him. Spike has a threatening presence and is intimidating in terrifying ways. Benny and Spike will go on a perilous journey he had never imagined.

This buddy story proves Dean can be hilarious, although many of us perceive him as a ‘terrifying' writer. This book is a thread of hope, and the exhilarating ride will have you returning for more books by Koontz. One thing, though, is that you will never view bugs like you have before.

House of Open Wounds (The Tyrant Philosophers Book 2), by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024)

The Palleseen are on a mission to impose Perfection and Correctness on a world they deem imperfect, deploying their legions to eradicate superstition with the force of reason. This crusade, however, results in extensive casualties, leading to a constant influx of wounded soldiers to the field hospital tents located just behind the frontline. Here, we find Yasnic, a former priest, healer, and rebel, who has narrowly escaped execution and now serves in the war, armed with a box of orphaned Gods.

He is assigned to a unique medical unit led by ‘the Butcher', a formidable figure skilled in both surgery and alchemy. This unit is a diverse group comprising conscripts, healers, and orderlies, all too familiar with the gruesome realities of war, including the devastation caused by monstrous creatures, magical weapons, and relentless enemy soldiers.

What makes this book truly unputdownable is the constant tension between the use of forbidden magic and the harsh realities of war.

Final Thoughts on Books You Can't Put Down

As we continue enjoying the year that has just begun, it is evident that it has a diverse array of reading material. The mentionable titles on this list are not merely books.

They are new world portal representatives, windows into different human experiences, and invitations for you to go on unforgettable literary adventures that will linger even after the last page.

If you are looking for future reads check out also our upcoming book list!

Featured on Joelbooks