top of page
Gabrielle Benoit

2024: April/May: Books I've Read (Ranked)

I read over 50 books since the start of 2024 (23 in April / May)! I'm feeling the pressure of my loftier goals this year (111 books) and trusting myself to DNF books (does anyone else get FOMO with books? Sheesh!) Here they are in ranked order, starting with my favorites!


A quick rundown of my favorites:

  • The Women- I'm a history teacher, but admittedly, The Vietnam War is not one of my strong suits. Still isn't, but I feel like I learned a lot from this book. Primarily, the human and psychological cost of this war. Absolutely brutal.

  • Grief Is for People - In case you didn't know, my grandmother and uncle died back to back within two weeks during Fall 2023. There are surreal gaping holes in my family structure and my own heart. This book was beautifully written; a tribute to the many dimensions and depths of grief that range from family and friends to physical objects. I don't think I could've read it sooner than I did (6 months post-trauma), but with some time and space, I felt a little less alone once I had time to process and truly feel the absences in my life.

  • Like Happiness: Did I find this book because it was recommended based on a song from Taylor Swift's new album (TTPD)? Yes. Did it match up with The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived? Yes (see the list HERE). It was written between alternating perspectives, first-person narrative and second-person letter, and it worked really well. Coming in at 297 pages, I would've gladly read 100 more. I don't feel like there were significant gaps in the story, but I would've loved a deeper dive into some of the narrator's experiences. CW for emotional abuse and neglect.

  • The Guncle Abroad (The Guncle #2) was even better than it's predecessor! I loved the expansion of GUP's tips for love and life, honestly, his




Loved (Recommend to anyone for any reason)

  • The Women- Kristin Hannah

  • Grief Is for People- Sloane Crosley

  • Like Happiness - Ursula Villarreal-Moura

  • The Guncle Abroad (The Guncle #2)- Steven Rowley


Really Liked (Top choice recommendations)

  • Lifting as We Climb: Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box- Evette Dionne

  • The House of Hidden Meanings- RuPaul

  • Expiration Dates- Rebecca Serle


Pretty Good (Recommend lite)

  • The Manicurist's Daughter- Susan Lieu

  • The War Outside- Monica Hesse

  • Stars in Your Eyes- Kacen Callender

  • The Brightwood Code- Monica Hesse

  • No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America - Ron Powers


Okay (Fine- Liked enough)

  • The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper - Hallie Rubenhold

  • In Memoriam- Alice Winn

  • Sugar, Baby - Celine Saintclare

  • Bright Young Women - Jessica Knoll

  • Home is Where the Bodies Are- Jeneva Rose


Not For Me (Wasn't the intended audience or did not like)

  • The Doll Factory - Elizabeth Macneal

  • Cult Classic- Sloane Crosley

  • I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times- Taylor Byas

  • Super Woman Rx: Unlock the Secrets to Lasting Health, Your Perfect Weight, Energy, and Passion with Dr. Taz's Power Type Plans - Tasneem Bhatia MD

  • Beyond Getting By: The Financial Diet's Guide to Abundant and Intentional Living - Holly Trantham

  • On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good


DNF (Did Not Finish)

  • Brutes- Dizz Tate (was recommended based off TS's Florida, and I just couldn't get into it)

  • A Tempest of Tea- Hafsah Faizal (felt plotless; a lot of context, and conflict was not compelling enough to keep going)


Final Reflection:



For further reviews of each book, check out my Goodreads account!

Comments


Post: Blog2 Post
bottom of page