At the beginning of the new year I love to look back on where we’ve been, and blog happenings are no exception. I used to share both the most popular posts and my personal favorites of the year but in recent years decided to nix the numbers-driven popular post roundup. (If you’d like to see an example of what “most popular” looked like, check that out here.) But I still wanted to share my decidedly more subjective, uninfluenced-by-algorithms favorite posts.
These are the posts of 2024 that I personally liked the most, the ones that mean a lot to me, and the ones I find myself often thinking about many moons after their publication. I picked them for different reasons: because I remember the inspiration, because I’m fond of the idea or the writing, because reading it put a big smile on my face (especially likely with our posts penned by team members), because the comments section is fabulous.
My favorite posts of the year
In no particular order …
1. 17 recommended reads for those traveling to Florida.
Team member and lifelong Floridian Brigid offered a slew of bookstore and book recs for those looking for some armchair travel to the Sunshine State.
2. The joy (and nerdery) of a crossword puzzle routine.
Team member Leigh opined about the satisfaction of a completed crossword puzzle.
3. Let’s go to the bookstore: international edition.
Photos and musings galore from my family’s international adventure.
4. The 2024 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide.
Our eleventh annual essential summer reading guide for minimalists and decision haters.
My highly anecdotal, non-authoritative, super-nosy compendium from a week at the beach.
6. 7 tips for planning your own personal reader’s retreat.
Team member Shannan shares what she’s learned about hosting her own personal reader’s retreat and how you can plan your own.
7. 6 (mostly little) things I’m loving for summer.
The small things that brought me a disproportionate amount of happiness, joy, or satisfaction over the summer.
8. Novels featuring seasoned protagonists for every reading mood.
Novels of every genre featuring older characters in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond.
9. 14 recommended reads for those traveling to Japan.
Team member Holly shares a selection of her favorite books set in Japan.
10. 12 quiet novels for those seeking compelling character-driven reads.
A book list inspired by my conversation with author Susan Meissner in WSIRN #423: Quiet, compelling, and wildly popular novels. These novels invite readers to savor the story.
11. The books I reach for during SAD season.
Team member Shannan shares books—and helpful tips—for dealing with the winter blues.
Thanks so much for reading, friends!
P.S. For more superlatives: check out my favorite books of 2024 and my favorite audiobooks of 2024.