Best of 2024 and The Year in Review
With only a couple days left in 2024, I figured I’d need to get this post up before it’s too late! But before we get to all the lists and fun stuff, a quick update on the state of The BiblioSanctum. What can I say? It’s been a busy year, not just the last few weeks. My December catch-up plans were shot to hell when I realized I wasn’t going to have time to cram a few more books into my reading schedule let alone get off my feet and write some actual reviews. So instead, I’ve decided to pour all my attention into getting ahead in 2025 and reading early new year releases. Current plans are for a number of reviews to go up in the first couple weeks of January, in order to get the ball rolling.
(A preview of some of the books I’ve been reading…)
Overall, 2024 was a good year, but it was also a rough one in some ways. Between balancing work, family and children, homeschooling (yes, I started teaching my oldest because she needed a more rigorous and advanced curriculum than public education could offer), I had to trim down many aspects of my life because I literally came close to losing my mind.
One thing you might have noticed is that this blog saw some changes, mainly in the posting schedule and a shift to focusing exclusively on reviews. Hopefully, next year I will be back in a good enough place to do challenges, book tags, weekly memes, and other fun features again. But making the effort to take a chill attitude towards book blogging has also led me to what I think are more positive habits in 2024. Finally allowing myself to DNF books has been very liberating, for one. And being able to relax and indulge in “just for fun” reads has also led me to books that are not on my review pile, checking out backlist titles and other genres.
(Historical Fiction and True Crime are a couple of “outside my comfort zone” genres I’ve been able to explore. And I finally got around to reading the Mr. Mercedes trilogy!)
And now it’s once again that time of the year where I look back at the last twelve months and do a round up my favorite reads. As I’m sure many fellow avid readers can relate, it’s hard to narrow a whole year’s worth of reading t0 a single list when the number of books you read are pushing triple digits, so what I do is highlight each genre category and all the books in it that are 4.5 stars and above…and then some!
Fantasy
Paranormal
Horror
Mystery & Thriller
Science Fiction
Fantasy dominated the charts again in 2024 while sci-fi as a genre has disappointed for the second year in a row, and I’m afraid that’s a trend which will continue for as long as messaging is prioritized ahead of good storytelling. All I will say is, thank goodness for the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.
No challenge updates to report because I stopped tracking midyear, but challenges are another thing I hope to resume in 2025. However, Goodreads has helpfully informed me that I have actually achieved my reading goal of 100 books this year–just barely!
And now, last but not least, my favorite part of end-of-year roundup posts: Goodreads stats and the pretty Year in Books collage!
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Best of 2014 and The Year in Review
Best of 2015 and The Year in Review
Best of 2016 and The Year in Review
Best of 2017 and The Year in Review
Best of 2018 and The Year in Review
Best of 2019 and The Year in Review
Best of 2020 and The Year in Review
Best of 2021 and The Year in Review
Best of 2022 and The Year in Review
Best of 2023 and The Year in Review
The BiblioSanctum 
Did you consider giving your oldest your TBR pile?
As for the best of the best… we share one. Ooof—but, BUT you still beat both Tammy and Rebecca, so… 😁 Hope 2025 is a better year for you!!
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hey, you made it over the 100 mark line! Good for you, hahahaha 😀
Personally, I am just glad you haven’t given up on blogging. This past year has seen a lot of bloggers just stopping, period. So it is encouraging to hear that you are still planning on continuing to blog, albeit differently than in years past. But as our lives changes, how we interact with our hobbies changes too.
How’s your courage for continuing the homeschooling? And are you slotted into a good group co-op? One of my cousins works for HSLDA (home school legal defense association) and is really plugged into that scene. I’d be happy to give you his contact info if you feel you want more info.
I always laugh at your lists, because almost invariably I’ve not read a single one of them, nor do I plan to 😀 Celebrating those differences!!!
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I didn’t quite make my goal of 100 books, so I’m impressed with all you have going on that you succeeded😁 We share a lot of favorites, my “best of” post will go up tomorrow. And I agree, science fiction has been a bit dismal in the last couple of years!
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We share several favorites this year! I hope you’re able to return to a more normal schedule next year 😊 I’m expecting my reading and blogging schedule will be all over the place in 2025 😅
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I loved The Daughter’s War, but The Spellshop I’ve been saving for a lazy winter weekend read. Dungeon Crawler Carl is one of those series I keep hearing about (it seems inescapable), but I don’t know that the novelty is enough to win me over for a 7 book series.
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Sometimes we just need to roll with what it turns out we need, so sounds like you did the right thing for you this year! And maybe we’ll see you around more in the next year. 😀
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That’s a lot you have to juggle so being able to fit in blogging when you can must have been a feat. I always love checking out your year-end lists and always get recommendations from them that I missed throughout the year. Hopefully we’ll all get a little more time in 2025 for more blogging – I also struggled with that this year – and make it a lighter hobby too.
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It sounds like it’s been a hectic year for you and I hope you found some time to relax at some point too. Here’s hoping next year will be a bit less chaotic. I’ll have to watch out for your thoughts on Water Moon as I’m curious about it. I’ve seen so much praise for a lot of these books that I’ve made them a priority on my TBR: Tainted Cup, Silverblood Promise, Last Phi Hunter, Haunting In The Artic & Heiress to name a few. I was going to ask how you found the Mr Mercedes series but I spotted it within your five star list. It’s also very exciting to see that Hitchcock Hotel got five stars. I loved another of the authors books and really need to check that one out soon. I hope you have a lovely new year with lots more wonderful books
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Mogsy blogging also took a backseat for me as I changed job and was very busy. I found a rhythm that’s working for me. And honestly I don’t know how you work, raise kids, homeschool and still blog! Kudos!
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I hope you enjoy Water Moon as much as I did. Something about it clicked for me. Your favorites have some I also hope to get to soon, so glad to see that. And glad to hear life seems to be working its way to what will hopefully be a sustainably new normal. Sounds like you had quite a load on your shoulders this year. Here’s hoping 2025 keeps with the positive trends you’ve set up to lighten the stress level.
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The tainted cup!
And yes DNF is liberating! Why struggle when u are supposed to enjoy books
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It’s so cool that you were able to blow past the 100 book milestone in 2024! Happy New Year and I hope the next year will be full of excellent reads, positivity, and pure fun! 😀
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I am delighted that you’re keeping on blogging, Mogsy – I thoroughly enjoy your reviews and recommendations. We evidently have quite a lot in common as several of my very near misses for my Outstanding Books list have appeared here. As for science fiction – I’ve just got hold of the first Matt Dinniman, having seen him here! Wishing you a happy, healthy 2025.
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I’ve read a lot of these – very happy to see them here.
Lynn 😀
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