Aren’t books the best? Open a cover and adventurer leads you into a new world, or a wise guide directs you further down the path of truth. I love reading books of all sorts.

 

I read 117 books this year: down just a bit from 2023 (not surprising since I went on sabbatical in the summer of 2023). I actually plan on trying to intentionally read fewer books in the coming year. I have been trying to grow in my spiritual disciplines of silence, solitude, and meditation. Input comes naturally to me. I need to grow in my ability to slow down and listen to God. And that has come at the cost of some of my reading time.

 

Here were my favorite books of 2024. I hope you try some of them out in 2025! What were your favorite books you read this year? You can find my full reviews over at Goodreads.

 

My favorite fiction books

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

“In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.”

Patchett is a fabulous word smith. While the story doesn’t have the moral backbone that would make it a true classic, it is still well worth your time.

 

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

“Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.”

The first entry in “The Stormlight Archive,” Sanderson has lots of layers in his fun world-building adventure.

 

My favorite non-fiction book

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

“After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time.”

Quite simply a book that every parent or teen needs to read, Haidt’s warnings should not be diminished or shrugged off.

 

My favorite Christian books

Friendship with God by Mike McKinley

“In John 15, Jesus says, “I have called you friends.” But what does it mean to be friends with Jesus? In the early 1650s, theologian John Owen attempted to answer this question through a series of sermons, eventually compiled as Communion with God. The book is full of truths about having fellowship with God, but Owen’s work is often a struggle for modern readers to understand. In Friendship with God, pastor Mike McKinley takes a key idea or insight from Communion with God and clarifies it for readers in each chapter, giving them practical guidance for how to develop fellowship with God.”

Clear, accessible, and encouraging to the soul. I’m so grateful McKinley took the time to bring Owen’s monumental work into our contemporary world.

 

The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney

“As the poet once said, The world is charged with the grandeur of God. The smile of a wife. Baseball in October. The Sawtooth Mountain Range. Toddlers’ laughing. Meatballs in spaghetti. A very good whiskey. What are Christians to make of these earthly pleasures? In this book, Rigney offers relief to Christians wrongly burdened by anxious guilt that they might enjoy their stuff too much.”

Rigney in John Piper-esque fashion, examines how we can experience the mundane joyful things in life with the mind and heart of Christ. A delightful book.

 

Notable fiction

Coraline by Neil Geiman: this slender children’s book packs a surprising punch for kids and adults alike.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese: beautifully written novel set in South India across several generations.

Exodus by Leon Uris: a sweeping tale of the history of modern Israel.

The Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly: just fun detective fiction.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: a great little story spoiled a bit by heavy-handed politics.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: a very different sort of time-travel book that was uneven, but intriguing.

 

Notable non-fiction

Beyond Order by Jordan Peterson: I thought Peterson’s follow-up to 12 Rules for Life was more balanced and nuanced.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson: the story of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago where the serial killer Henry H. Holmes was hidden in plain sight.

Hidden Potential Adam Grant: practical book pulls together research on how to grow.

The Power of Moments by Chip Heath: the authors of Made to Stick share how to made events memorable and impactful.

My Grandfather’s Son by Clarence Thomas: no matter your political leanings, Thomas’s story is well-worth reading.

The Wager by David Grann: gripping true story of a 18th century vessel.

 

Notable Christian

Authentic Ministry by Michael Reeves: an invitation to do ministry out of our union with Christ.

Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused edited by Brad Hambrick: an important compilation for any ministry leader.

Before You Lose Your Faith edited by Ivan Mesa: an important read for anyone who is deconstructing or walking with someone who is.

A Call to Contentment by David Kaywood: who doesn’t need to step deeper into contentment.

Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger: a must read for any pastor—Bolsinger uses Lewis and Clark as examples of adaptive leadership.

Ghosted by Nancy French: French’s moving autobiography.

Honoring the Son by Larry Hurtado: Hurtado examines the worship of Jesus as God in the early church.

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory by Tim Alberta: Alberta’s reflection on evangelical’s grasp for power is important to read while slanted.

Look Like Jesus by Roger Barrier and Brianna Wetherbee: I appreciated sitting at the feet of my childhood pastor again.

Loveology by John Mark Comer: an excellent resource for pre-marriage and young marrieds couples.

Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley: a simple invitation to make space for what we were made for: relationships.

Married Sex by Gary Thomas and Debra Fileta: one of the better books on the subject.

The Party Crasher by Joshua Ryan Butler: Butler argues that our divisions are not merely conservative v. liberal but also modern v. postmodern.

Peace Talks by David Drum: in a similar vein, Drum asks how we can cut through our cultural political divide as Christians.

Pivot by Scot McKnight

Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer: Comer urges us to be formed by Christ and not the world.

The Soul of Desire by Curt Thompson: an invitation to consider how desire shapes us.

Suffering by Paul David Tripp: this was one of the most moving and impactful books I read this year. Highly recommended for any Christian.

Tempered Resilience by Tod Bolsinger: Bolsinger tackles the flip-side of Canoeing the Mountains, considering how a leader is shaped by leading change.

The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Larry Loftis: If you loved The Hiding Place, you’ll appreciate Loftis’s telling of the ten Boom family’s travails.

What Should I Do Now That I’m a Christian? by Sam Emadi: helpful and readable booklet from 9 Marks—perfect to give away.

Why Should I Join a Church? by Mark Dever: another booklet from 9 Marks.

Photo by Olena Bohovyk on Unsplash