Books Over 400 Pages Read in 2024

 

What do you consider a big book? Over 400 pages? More than 500? In 2023 I read a dozen books over 400 pages. This past year I read fifteen for a total of 7,138 pages. Nine of these books wound up on my Top Reads and Honorable Mentions lists, so in spite of my hesitation to read a weighty tome, they tend to be my favorites. It should also come as no surprise that there are a few titles here by Stephen King.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (548 pages)

September by Rosamunde Pilcher (536 pages)

The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard (408 pages)

Billy Summers by Stephen King (515 pages)

Holly by Stephen King (449 pages)

Still Life by Sarah Winman (456 pages)

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (418 pages)

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane (418 pages)

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (401 pages)

The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg (489 page)

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (566 pages)

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (599 pages)

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (441 pages)

The Women by Kristin Hannah (471 pages)

The River We Remember (423 pages)

DNF in 2024

 

I tried. I really tried. As noted in my year-end summary, I read 711 pages and listened for almost 10 1/2 hours, but for a variety of reasons, couldn't finish these books. Some of them I've even tried to read more than once. The audiobooks remain in my audio library, but the others have been donated and quite honestly, I'm glad they are off my shelves. I realize that many of these books are highly regarded by you and others, but they weren't for me. 

Re-Reads of 2024

Re-reading a book is always a gamble. Will I enjoy it as much as the first time around? Will I discover new ideas or passages that speak to me now that didn't catch my eye during my first read? Am I bored, and thus curious as to why I initially enjoyed the book? I re-read 7 books in 2024. Some failed to entertain as much as the first time around, but others were just as good as my initial reading. 

Riding the White Horse Home by Teresa Jordan (3/5)

The Giver by Lois Lowry (4/5)

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (4/5)

The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama (4/5)

The Hours by Michael Cunningham (4/5)

September by Rosamunde Pilcher (4.5/5)

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (4/5)

Favorite Audiobooks of 2024

 

I listened to 13 audiobooks in 2024 for a total of 163 hours and 8 minutes. The following are my favorites, although to be honest, I don't remember much about The Golden Couple!

Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron (5/5)

Be Ready When Luck Happens by Ina Garten (4.5/5)

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain (4/5)

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (4.5/5)

The Wedding People by Alison Espach (4/5)

Favorite Nonfiction of 2024

 

I read a lot more nonfiction in 2024 compared to the previous year. My favorite type of nonfiction is obviously memoir, which I can sink into and read much more quickly than a historical work. I do have several heavier books in my stacks, though, and will try to give those a try this year. 

These are my favorites from 2024:

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith (5/5)

Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life by Delia Ephron (5/5)

Be Ready When Luck Happens by Ina Garten (4.5/5)

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes (4/5)

The Brave In-Between: Notes From the Last Room by Amy Low (4/5)

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (4/5)

Devorgilla Days: Finding Hope and Healing in Scotland's Book Town by Kathleen Hart (4/5)

2024 Year End Survey and Top Picks List

 

I thought my reading in 2023 was outstanding, but this past year was equally enjoyable. I didn't have as many 5-star reads in 2024 as I did in 2023, but the combination of 5 and 4.5 star ratings came out only one book shy of last year's totals. Remarkable!

Much like 2023, I surpassed my Goodreads goal of 60 books, and my numbers in November and December were better than anticipated. I also gave up on a lot of books. I might post a collage of those disappointments, eager to hear why others loved them, but doubt I'll be swayed to give them a second chance. I also sampled over two dozen books in December that have been on my shelves for years. They have gone in the donation box and it feels great to see some space in my bookcase!

Now for the fun stats of 2024!

Total Books Read: 63

Print Books: 50

Audiobooks: 13

ebooks: 0

Female Authors: 48

Male Authors: 15

New-To-Me Authors: 23

Fiction: 51

Nonfiction: 12

General Fiction: 29

Classics: 2

Poetry: 0

Historical Fiction: 5

Horror: 0

Science Fiction/Fantasy: 1

Time Travel: 0

Dystopia: 1

Mystery/Thrillers: 13

Westerns: 0

Epistolary: 1

Childrens: 1

Young Adult: 2

Memoir: 8

Travel/Food: 1

Nature/Science: 1

Essays: 0

Rereads: 7

Debuts: 9

Over 400 pages: 8

Over 500 pages: 3

ARCs: 12

Borrowed from Library: 11

From My Stacks: 40

Total Pages Read: 15,130

Pages not included from books I gave up on: 711!

Total Hours Listened: 163 hours and 8 minutes

Time not included from books I gave up on: 10 hours and 23 minutes

Ratings:

5 stars: 7

4.5 stars: 14

4 stars: 24

3.5 stars: 6

3 stars: 7

2 stars: 5

Top Picks of 2024 (5 stars):

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane

Billy Summers by Stephen King

Honorable Mentions (4.5/5 stars):

Still Life by Sarah Winman

Holly by Stephen King

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

September by Rosamunde Pilcher

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

The Comforts of Home by Susan Hill

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

The Soul of Discretion by Susan Hill

Find my previous Year End Surveys and Top Pick lists here.

The Best of 2024

Little Whale Cove

Depoe Bay, Oregon

January 1, 2025

2024 was a year of ice storms, new wheels, camping with friends, new obsessions (hiking and sober curiosity), RV road trips, wildlife viewing, tense moments while rooting for the Dodgers, and a new book by my husband.

Some highlights that are not book-related:

Power outage for 52 hours! 

We now own 1 generator and 3 power stations.

Celebrated 5 years of Mah Jong Fridays

 Bought ourselves a new convertible sports car.

Camped with friends.

Visited family and lifelong friends in CA.

Celebrated Rod's (72) and Mom's (91) birthdays.

Enjoyed a week-long visit with my brother's family from CA & TN.

Celebrated the 4th of July with Mah Jong pals.

Hiked Cascade Head

Hiked Cape Perpetua

Hiked Mary's Peak

Got to hang out with friends from Nebraska.

Road trip to Yellowstone 

and Grand Teton National Parks (plus my first moose).

Celebrated the Dodgers' World Series win!

Celebrated 36 years of marriage to my best friend.

Woohoo! 

Rod's 5th book was released (best thing about November 5th).

We also enjoyed having family here for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (I failed to take any pictures during Thanksgiving, and already shared some from Christmas a few days ago.)

165 out of 183 days with no alcohol. Cut back in December 2023, but didn't start tracking my consumption with a new app until July.

And, 18 years of blogging! Thanks for reading (and commenting) throughout the years!

A Month in Summary - December 2024

Little Whale Cove

Depoe Bay, Oregon

Christmas Eve 2024

And just like that, another year has come to a close. It was a busy month with a book launch party for Rod, my birthday celebration, several social events, and of course, Christmas. We enjoyed having my younger brother and one of his daughters here to help us celebrate Christmas, which was a lot of fun. My niece and I enjoyed a leisurely coffee date on Christmas Eve (we had fun playing chess in the cafe), and after the gifts were opened Christmas morning, we all had fun working on a puzzle, playing more chess, listening to holiday music, and baking cookies. It was a very festive week! I am currently working on my year-end review, but wanted to get this final monthly summary posted before the beginning of 2025.

I had an excellent month of reading, which surprised me since December is usually super busy. Since retirement, however, I have a lot more free time to get things done for the holiday season, so reading doesn't need to take a back seat. Not only did I read a lot of books, but they were mostly all winners. 

Books Read (click on the title for my review):

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (4/5) 

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (4.5/5)

Recitatif by Toni Morrison (3.5/5)

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney (3.5/5)

In Memoriam by Alice Winn (5/5)

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (4.5/5)

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy (4/5)

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka (4/5)

Movies & TV Series:

The Day of the Jackal - Excellent! Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch are outstanding.

The Quiet Girl - Based on Claire Keegan's novella, Foster, this film is simply lovely. Spare, yet full of depth and tender moments.

The Morning Show (Season 3) - I can't remember the last time I watched multiple episodes of a series in a single night. While it became a bit of a soap opera, I loved this show. 

Shrinking (Season 2) - Still enjoying this one! Great cast.

Joy: The Birth of IVF - Another quiet film that I enjoyed. Bill Nighy is one of my favorite actors. 

Granite Harbour - Watched two episodes and gave up.

The Agency - Watched four episodes and gave up. Too slow and convoluted.

Bad Sisters (Season One) - Great series! These sisters crack me up.

Christmas 2024:

Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year!

The Swimmers

 

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

Fiction

2022

Finished on December 20, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

The swimmers are unknown to one another except through their private routines (slow lane, medium lane, fast lane) and the solace each takes in their morning or afternoon laps. But when a crack appears at the bottom of the pool, they are cast out into an unforgiving world without comfort or relief.

One of these swimmers is Alice, who is slowly losing her memory. For Alice, the pool was a final stand against the darkness of her encroaching dementia. Without the fellowship of other swimmers and the routine of her daily laps she is plunged into dislocation and chaos, swept into memories of her childhood and the Japanese American incarceration camp in which she spent the war. Alice’s estranged daughter, reentering her mother’s life too late, witnesses her stark and devastating decline. Written in spellbinding, incantatory prose, The Swimmers is a searing, intimate story of mothers and daughters, and the sorrows of implacable loss: the most commanding and unforgettable work yet from a modern master.

I was quite sure that I'd read one of Julie Otsuka's earlier novels, but if so, it must have been pre-blogging days since I can't find a review here or on Goodreads. I picked up a copy of The Swimmers while on one of our recent road trips and I'm glad I didn't let it sit on my shelves for too long. It's a quick read (under 200 pages) and despite the sad themes of estrangement, dementia, and loss, I was enjoyed the book and was deeply moved. 

The first part of the novel revolves around the group of swimmers and their daily routines, habits, and quirks at the pool. There was a time, many years ago, that I thought I could add lap swimming to my workout routine. I got a colorful Speedo swimsuit and some fancy goggles and began a short-lived venture into swimming at our gym. I'm not sure how many weeks (days?) I lasted, but I do remember that I found it very dull, and it was all I could do to swim for 30 minutes. I was a runner at the time, and I quickly returned to my daily runs outside while listening to my favorite music. I'm not sure my knees appreciate my choice of running over swimming, and now I do neither. But I digress.

Most days, at the pool, we are here to leave our troubles on land behind. Failed painters become elegant breaststrokers. Untenured professors slice, shark-like, through the water, with breathtaking speed. The newly divorced HR Manager grabs a faded red Styrofoam board and kicks with impunity. The downsized adman floats, otter-like, on his back, as he stares up at the clouds on the painted pale blue ceiling, thinking, for the first time all day long, of nothing. Let it go. Worriers stop worrying. Bereaved widows cease to grieve. Out-of-work actors unable to get traction above ground glide effortlessly down the fast lane, in their element, at last. I've arrived! And for a brief interlude we are at home in the world. Bad moods life, tics disappear, memories reawaken, migraines dissolve, and slowly, slowly, the chatter in our minds begins to subside as stroke after stroke, length after length, we swim.

The cadence of Otsuka's prose is snappy and at times, circular or repetitive, and I think I would have enjoyed listening to the audio edition of the book in order to hear the poetic delivery of the story. The middle section lost momentum, and I grew tired of the swimmers' anxious queries about the ongoing discovery of new cracks in the pool surface. However, the final section drew me back in, but oh how my heart ached for Alice, who suffers from frontotemporal dementia.

FTD. Some of the symptoms: gradual changes in personality, inappropriate behavior in public, apathy, weight gain, loss of inhibition, the desire to hoard.

Lisa Genova's brilliant work, Still Alice (reviewed here), put a face on Alzheimer's, and Julie Otsuka has done the same with dementia and the heartbreaking existence in a memory care facility. Otsuka's collective point-of-view, as well as her litany of traits and behaviors of the swimmers (and residents in the "home") requires patience from her readers, but overall, I thought the book was exceptionally good. It might hit too close to home for some, but the inclusion of humor provides some levity to an otherwise devastating narrative. Recommend with reservations.

Sipsworth

 

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy

Fiction

2024

Finished on December 17, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Over the course of two weeks, in a small English town, a reclusive widow discovers an unexpected reason to live.

Following the loss of her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns to the village of her childhood after living abroad for six decades. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss. She retreats into her home on Westminster Crescent, becoming a creature of routine and habit: "Each day was an impersonation of the one before with only a slight shuffle--as though even for death there is a queue."

Then, one cold winter night, a chance encounter with a mouse sets Helen on a surprising journey.

Sipsworth is a reminder that there can be second chances. No matter what we have planned for ourselves, sometimes life has plans of its own. With profound compassion, Simon Van Booy illuminates not only a deep friendship forged between two lonely creatures, but the reverberations of goodness that ripple out from that unique bond.

We live in a forest on the Oregon Coast. While we love to watch the birds outside our windows, we've recently stopped feeding them since the seed has been attracting rats! We wound up with a rat in our attic a few months ago, and after closing off the spot where we thought it was going in, we decided to put the bird feeders away...at least until next spring. This is all to say that I am not a fan of rodents. Unlike Van Booy's main character, I do not welcome mice (or rats) in this house. I'm happy that Helen found companionship with a furry four-legged creature, but if I wind up living alone in my old age, I'm more likely to get a dog.

Every day was an impersonation of the one before with only a slight shuffle--as though even for death there is a queue.

I've read some of Simon Van Booy's short stories, and while they didn't wow me, I was curious about Sipsworth, as I enjoy books about aging women. The novel is an easy read, and I enjoyed the opening chapters, but as I progressed in my reading, I felt the story was edging toward something overly sappy. I continued reading and with a surprising revelation about Helen, my attention returned. Those who believe in second chances and are looking for a feel-good read will delight in Van Booy's tender novel.

Recommend.