Yesterday I shared the 40 Books I Read in 2024 (I made a page with all of them in my Amazon if you’d love to see all the covers at a glance!) I promised you that today I’d share my Top 4 Favorite Books from 2024.
I chose these 4 titles based upon which books most stuck with me, most challenged me, and the ones I found myself talking about and recommending after I read them.
My Top 4 Favorite Reads From 2024
Through the Eyes of the Lion — While I’ve never experienced the loss of a child, I felt this book was packed with practical encouragement for anyone who has found themselves feeling gutted by grief and brokenhearted. It is the story of the Lusko family losing their 5-year-old daughter right before Christmas as the result of an asthma attack.
It is heartbreaking and honest, but also infused with hope and points to Jesus again and again. I really feel like every Christian would be personally inspired by reading this message of walking though horrific circumstances without losing your faith in Jesus. It also helped me have a tiny window into what it would be like to lose a child and how to walk well with someone who is going through this devastation.
Nothing is Wasted — In 2015, Davey’s wife Amanda and their unborn child were murdered. In this memoir, he shares more about what it was like to walk through that horrific loss, the real and raw emotions he felt, and how changing his perspective from bitterness to compassion gave him the ability to forgive the perpetrators.
He candidly discusses his initial rage and the complexities of forgiveness – both of others and himself, taking through the challenges of rebuilding amidst deep loss, including the unexpected closure of the church he and Amanda founded. Through it all, Davey shares how he felt God’s presence even in the darkest moments.
One of the most impactful parts of this book for me was when Davey shares about how empathy for those who caused him unimaginable pain and stepping into their stories transformed his perspective on grace and redemption. His insights are a powerful reminder of God’s ability to bring beauty from ashes, reshaping our understanding of suffering and resilience!
I was so honored to get the opportunity to meet Davey this past year and interview him on my podcast. His episode was one of the most-loved episodes I shared on the podcast this year and I would highly recommend it! Listen here.
Slow Productivity — I savored this book slowly (the title alone makes you want to be sure not to fly through it!) and it resonated with me at a deep level. I will be mulling over the suggestions for years to come. It’s already challenged me to rethink the way I set up my days and weeks (especially in light of one of the big premises of the book which is to do fewer things!) and it’s also really made me think about the best way to set up our business and systems.
It was so simple and yet so profound. If you are a business owner, work in any sort of profession, and/or struggle with finding your worth in productivity or feel like crossing things off your list and packing your days as full as possible is what “productivity” is, definitely consider reading this book!
The Unplugged Hours — This was one of those books that will likely challenge and stick with me for a very long time. And it was one of two books that inspired my word for 2025 (more on that in a few days!). I especially loved how the book felt inspiring and doable, not guilt-ridden or legalistic! It made you want to unplug more because of how it would enrich your life and relationships not unplug because you felt like you must or you should or that all technology is bad.
Inspired by this book, I set the goal of unplugging 1000 hours over the next year and to enjoy a more untethered life. I’ll share more what that’s going to look like in my Word for 2025 post!
By the way, I got to do an Instagram Live with the author of this book all about The Unplugged Hours. It’s very worth listening to/watching if you have a little time! Go here to listen.
What were your top reads from 2024? I’d love to hear! Tell us in the comments!
Coming tomorrow: My Book Stack for January and my reading goals for the next month.
Need help making your habits finally stick?
Join our FREE habit tracking challenge!
Thanks for your book suggestions! I have taken them and the ones in the comments and I think the first one I want to read is Reconnected because my word of the year is Connection, and then Slow Productivity. One of my favorite reads from 2024 that I also gifted to my friends at a birthday retreat I hosted was All We Can Do: A Fresh View of God, Ourselves, and the World by Gretchen Rubin. She is a farm wife who shares her personal, sometimes heart wrenching but most often relatable daily life experiences and how her view of the scripture “after all we can do” and God’s grace transformed. It’s a beautiful and inspiring book and I would read it again and again.
I didn’t get as much reading done in 2024 as I wanted, but I’m hoping (and planning!) to do better in 2025. My favorite read-alouds I did with my kids last year were “The Long Winter” by Laura Ingalls Wilder (which is my absolute favorite from the Little House series and I’ve read it at least 4 times) and “Cheaper by the dozen” was a surprisingly delightful audiobook (be prepared for both strange and hilarious). I also really enjoyed “The Sisters of Sea View” by Julie Klassen. I read “In order to live” in just a few days in late December 2023 and it is one of thos books that has really stuck with me (highly recommended!) and I can’t wait to get my hands on Yeonmi Park’s second book “While time remains”. My want-to-read list always grows fast than I can keep up with, haha.
My favorites were
Patriot: A Memoir by Alexei Navalny
The Rebel and the Kingdom by Bradley Hope
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
And I loved Lisa See’s book so much, I looked for something similar and also loved
Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck.
The Christie Affair was a very interesting read about Agatha Christie, albeit fiction, it was part truth, part novel.
Thank you for sharing!!
Your book reviews were needed. Unplugged Hours is a given since Ive long noticed how much better I feel when I have been too busy to be checking my phone for hours. The others-since my son (45) took his life a year ago, anger at someone involved has consumed me. Also the what ifs, if onlys.
Glad to be a MSM “lifer”. Thanks to you and everyone for sharing.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your great loss. I’d love to send you a copy of the two books, Nothing is Wasted and Through the Eyes of the Lion. Just email me your mailing address and I’ll get them sent to you! [email protected]
That is very kind of you to send her the books! I love seeing people support each other. Gives me more faith in humanity and kindness. 🥰
Also so sorry for your loss Helene!
Those sound like excellent reads!
Right now I’m Reading The Well Watered Woman and soaking it up!
I’m also reading How To Learn, very useful and practical for both me personally and for my kids as I homeschool them.
I also enjoyed Naturally Curly By Kristi Lasher
Thank you for sharing! I’m reading Word Before World by Gretchen Saffles as my devotional — I haven’t read Well-Watered Woman yet but I bet it’s good!
The Gift of Limitations–Sara Hagerty(Also going through Adore slowly and so so good!)
The Tanglewoods’ Secrets–Patricia St. John(kids’ book and so enjoyable even for me)
In Order to Live–Yeonmi Park
I loved The Gift of Limitations! I’ve not heard of the other two! Thank you for the recommendations!
You may like looking into other books written by Patricia St. John. At least two were made into movies, also.
In Order to Live is amazing. North Korea is a subject I can’t get enough of and this book is a top favorite.