Take a peek at some of our favorite books, movies, games, and more from the past year. These didn’t necessarily debut in 2024. They were all simply adored in 2024.
Brenna
In Born of Silence, by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kere, the notorious explosives expert and second-in-command of the shadow organization Sentella, secretly works against his own family to avenge his father’s stolen crown. Zarya, a resistance leader, betrays Kere by using a weapon he designed against his family. Now, Kere seeks vengeance where he becomes the monster, and Zarya must find a way to save her people—and herself. Please read trigger warnings before reading this book. It’s very intense.
Pan’s Labyrinth, directed by Guillermo del Toro, is a dark fantasy film set in post-Civil War Spain. A young girl named Ofelia, escaping her harsh reality, discovers a mystical labyrinth. Guided by a faun, she embarks on a quest to prove her royal lineage, facing both magical trials and brutal real-world dangers.
Chuck
I’m a huge board game nerd! My favorite tabletop board game of 2024 is Robot Quest Arena from Wise Wizard Games. This deck-building features easy to learn rules, cute robot miniatures, and lots of robot-on-robot violence! Over the course of the game, you’ll customize your robot’s card deck with weapons like heavy hammers and grease guns, and devices like 3D printers and pogo sticks to aid your robot’s quest to be the king of the arena. While definitely an aggressive game, it’s not mean-spirited and is suitable for families!
Meg
Books in my house have to do battle with a toddler for my attention. They are closed under my nose with a “No, Mama”. I lose my page over and over and over and over and over and over. So plot and characters must be compelling to overcome such constant antagonism. Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone, by Benjamin Stevenson proved up for the fight. This clever murder-mystery was pure entertainment: the author delivers more surprise reveals than he owes, and shows off his wit with meta-commentary from a protagonist who self-publishes how-to books on writing murder-mysteries. It’s the same kind of fun Anthony Horowitz has with his Susan Ryeland and Hawthorne and Horowitz series.
Jennifer
Recently, while running errands, I wandered into the new books section at Target. When I picked up Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, a young woman approached. I was looking at the second book in the series, she informed me, and then she pointed out the first, Fourth Wing. After hearing her review, and her insistence that some series need to be read in order, I knew I needed a copy of Fourth Wing immediately.
Normally, I patiently place a hold through my NCLibraries app. However, the discussion I’d just had with the Fourth Wing zealot made this a “book emergency.” I purchased the book and, within a week, devoured all 500+ pages. Upon finishing, I checked my NCLibraries app, drove immediately to my home library, which still had a copy on the shelf, and checked it out as the librarian noted how the book never stayed on the shelf long. Thus, I came to read my second favorite book of 2024, Iron Flame.
The books chronicle the journey of Violet Sorrengail through “the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders.” The stories are engaging and full of adventure and won’t disappoint fantasy fiction fans. The third installment of this series, Onyx Storm, will likely be on my list of favorite reads in 2025. The release date is January 21, for anyone else who wants to count the days.
Katelyn
The author Katherine Center unintentionally became my author of the year, after reading seven of her books. She writes contemporary romance in a way that is new and refreshing to me. Her plots center around strong female protagonists who navigate complex personal challenges (e.g., medical conditions, gender role expectations) and work to overcome them. While the main character does find a love interest, this part of the story feels like a supporting role, not the main plot point of the novel. The two novels that stuck with me the most were Hello Stranger and Things You Save in a Fire (please read trigger warning before reading).
I feel like I could be an ambassador for the Libby app at this point in my life because I will refer anyone I know to it. If this is new to you, you can link your library card(s) to access free ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. The selection will depend on your library. New York State residents can get a library card from their local library and the New York Public Library. Happy browsing!