Books I’m eager to read in 2024!

It appears 2023 came and now it’s almost done! Time flies by when you’re having fun is the popular saying. Let me say I’ve had a much better year in 2023 than I did in the years 2019-2022. I can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store when it comes to my future! Especially when it comes to the books I will read and review in the new year!

Number 15 Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a love story mixed with magical realism. Daphne Belle believes that the universe has a plan for her. When Daphne meets a new man she receives a piece of paper that has the mans name on it and a number which is the exact amount of time. Daphne literally knows each relationship will go nowhere until she meets a man named Jake. The piece of paper that has Jake’s name on it has no expiration date. Could Jake be the one? Daphne knows things that might break his heart. I had a chance to read this on netgalley and I started reading it but ran out of time. Expiration Dates will be published on March 19^th, 2024.

Number 14 The City And Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

The City And Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami is a story about being confined behind the walls of a city where old dreams are woken up and unraveled in a long ago archive. I love the idea for the story already. While it’s already published in Japan, everyone here in the USA (and possibly UK, Australia, & New Zealand) are waiting for the English translation to be available. All I know is it will be available in 2024 at some point. I’ve always wanted to read Murakami and this year I finally did, and I’ve become a fan! I love how all of his stories are so unique and he writes great relatable characters. I realize he’s not for everyone. But really what author or what stories appeal to everyone?

Number 13 The Queens Faithful Companion by Eliza Knight

The Queens Faithful Companion is the historical fiction novel about a young Queen Elizabeth II from her point of view, her corgi Susan’s point of view & her fictional servant and keeper of the queens corgi’s, Hanna Penqwyck’s point of view. I love reading anything about royal families. The book will be published on June 11^th 2024!

Number 12 The Passionate Tudor A Novel of Queen Mary I by Alison Weir

The Passionate Tudor A Novel of Queen Mary I is about Henry VIII’s first daughter from his first marriage to Kathrine of Aaragon. Princess Mary I is set to be the Queen after her father dies since Katherine can no longer bear any children. Henry’s wandering eye however settles on the beguiling Anne Boelyn. In hopes of a male heir, he creates his own church breaking away from the Catholic church so he can divorce Katherine and marry Anne. By doing this Henry banishes Katherine & Mary from court and Mary becomes a bastard. I can’t wait to see this novel cover Mary’s early life as a girl, Anne becoming the evil stepmother to Mary, how Mary reacts to her fathers’ multiple marriages and her short reign as Queen and how she was dubbed Bloody Mary. The Passionate Tudor will be released on May 7^th!

Number 11 Mademoiselle Eiffel by Aimie K. Runyan

Mademoiselle Eiffel by Aimie K. Runyan takes place in nineteenth century Paris and it’s the story of Claire Eiffel and her father Gustave Eiffel who built the Eiffel Tower, the famous towering building I wanna see someday. Claire learns her fathers trade and finds she can stand on her own two feet. After falling in love with Aimie’s previous book A Bakery In Paris and reading her upcoming contemporary novel The Memory of Lavender And Sage, I can’t wait to read this one! Mademoiselle Eiffel will be released on September 10^th 2024.

Number 10 The Waltham Murders by Susan Clare Zalkind

Susan Zalkind is an investigative reporter who spent years trying to solve the triple homicide of her friend Erik Weissman and his two friends. The book is a true crime memoir and more than 10 years of reporting. I can’t wait to know how she motivated herself to keep going to find the answers as to what happened to her friend. I can’t wait to read an early copy when it arrives and to do the Q&A with Susan as well. The Waltham Murders will be available on March 1^st, 2024! If you’re into non-fiction, true crime, & memoirs I would preorder this now!

Number 9 More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa & translated by Eric Ozowa

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a sequel to Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. In this sequel Takako’s relationship with her uncle deepens and they meet a new set of characters that enter the bookshop as well as seeing old friends. As time goes on, Satoru with Takako’s help must make a choice. Keep the bookshop open or shut the doors forever. Making this choice will take the two on an emotional journey to their family roots and help them realize what a bookstore can mean to people and their culture. I loved the first book and I can’t wait to see Takako and her uncle make this journey and see them keep growing as characters along with great books! The book comes out on July 2^nd, 2024!

Number 8 Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren

Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren is part of a series where fairytales told in the Disney version are made for a modern day audience. For those who know their Disney and fairytales we all know this is Rapunzel but for the modern day. While Disney books are normally hit or miss, knowing that the queens of romance Christina Lauren are the authors, I expect that this book will be great! I’ve enjoyed reading many of their books so far! The book will be released on June 25^th, 2024!

Number 7 The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren I can already tell will be another great rom com by the queens of romance. The book almost reminds me of Sweet Home Alabama meets marriage of convenience. Since Anna thought she signed the divorce papers but didn’t so technically she’s still married to her ex(?) Liam. For Liam to inherit his grandfather’s money, Liam must be happily married to Anna for five years. So, they play pretend for Liam’s parents. Of course, no one catches feelings when doing this right? The Paradise Problem will be released on May 14^th, 2024! If you’re a fan of rom coms, romantic books & Christina Lauren I would get to preordering this book now!

Number 6 House Of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

House Of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is another murder mystery. We all become envious of seeing families who are perfect compared to our own don’t we? Correction, we get jealous of those who appear to be perfect. Note I italicized the word appear. The Barclay family appear perfect in public but behind the scenes they are anything but. A young nanny fell to her death. Question is, did she plunge to her death or was she pushed? Everyone in that house is a suspect from the divorcing parents to 9 year old Ruth Barclay herself. Stella Hudson serves as counsel for children in custody cases, comes to the house to try to figure out what happened to the nanny and why someone would want her dead. House Of Glass will be published on August 6^th, 2024!

Number 5 Every One Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Every One Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is a murder mystery that takes place in a secluded California Mansion. What makes this one unique is it’s a reality tv series being streamed around the world. The contestants are The Best Friend, The Confidant, The Senator, The Boyfriend, & The Executive. The prize should one of them win is $10 million dollars. Long kept secrets come to the surface and soon the contestants realize someone is out for blood. I like the unique concept for this book. It’s a mixture of Big Brother meets And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. While I’m not a huge fan of the reality show Big Brother, the concept hooked me in. I can’t wait to read Every One Is Watching coming out on March 26^th 2024 and to do the Q&A with Heather after I finish reading it.

Number 4 I Need You To Read This by Jessa Maxwell

I Need You To Read This by Jessa Maxwell is about a woman named Alex Marks who takes on more than just a new job after her favorite advice columnist Francis Keen is brutally murdered. Soon after taking Francis’s place she quickly proves she can stand on her own. Soon after though Alex receives threatening letters at the office and Francis’s killer is still out there. This makes everyone at Alex’s job a suspect including Alex’s sleazy boss editor in chief Howard Dmitri. Alex must work fast if she wants to solve Francis’s murder so she herself doesn’t become next. I fell in love with Jessa’s debut The Golden Spoon so I can’t wait to read I Need You To Read This & to do a Behind The Book with her. I Need You To Read This will be published on August 13^th 2024!

Number 3 The New Couple In Apartment 5B by Lisa Unger

I’ve become a fan of Lisa Unger after reading Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six & Christmas Presents. In this story a husband inherits an expensive apartment complex where he and his wife move to. It all seems like a dream come true till, the butler seems to be everywhere, cameras are always watching them and so many gruesome murders happened in that area. This book will be released on March 5^th 2024! I also can’t wait to read this and do a Behind The Book with Lisa Unger.

Number 2 After World by Debbie Urbanski

After World by Debbie Urbanski, recently came out this month but I imagine it will be one of my 2024 reads. I’m currently waiting for a copy. While I don’t read many sci-fi books everyone is raving about this one. I have to admit I like the premise of this. Its about an AI man writing a book about the last human woman on earth so he follows his subject around only to fall in love with her. AI and romance? Sounds like my type of book! I can’t wait for my copy to arrive and to do the Q&A with Debbie Urbanski!

Number 1 Tokyo Noir by Jake Adelstein

Tokyo Noir by Jake Adelstein is the long-awaited sequel to Tokyo Vice. When I did one of my early Q&As with him last year he provided a press release about it. (at the time it was named Tokyo Private Eye) In this sequel it opens up around 2011 when a nuclear melt down happened on March 11^th 2011. Jake became a journalist turned private eye bringing back bags of supplies from The USA to be taken to the disaster area by yakuza friends discovering he’s having a meltdown of his own: liver cancer. I can’t wait to read about what new investigations Jake explores as well as how he rose above his circumstances when his personal life takes huge hits. Tokyo Noir comes out in the fall. I can’t wait to do another Behind The Book with Jake.  If you enjoy true crime, memoirs & Japan, & Jake’s previous books Tokyo Vice & The Last Yakuza if I were you I would get to preordering it!