You don’t have to rely on #BookTok to find out what’s trending in the world of literature.
The real influencers are the City of Sydney’s avid readers who regularly borrow from our libraries.
Browse this list of our most popular books of 2024 to find your next great read.
Fiction
Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang
How far would you be willing to go for fame and prestige, even if you don’t deserve it?
This timely novel from number one New York Times bestselling author Rebecca F Kuang taps into issues of diversity, racism and cultural appropriation of Asian American voices and wraps it all up into a gripping story.
A failed novelist steals from her now deceased rival to achieve the recognition she believes she rightly deserves. But how long can she keep her dark secret before it all comes crumbling down around her?
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Winner of the 2022 Booker Prize, this searing satire follows protagonist Maali Almeida - a war photographer, gambler and closet queen.
He attempts to solve his own murder amid the carnage of Sri Lanka’s civil war. The list of suspects is endless, and time is running out.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
Prophet Song is a work of breathtaking originality and devastating insight.
It finds scientist and mother-of-four Eilish Stack caught in the middle of an Irish government that is taking a turn towards tyranny.
Assailed by unpredictable forces beyond her control, Eilish will do whatever it takes to keep her family together.
Non-fiction
Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder
George Orwell is regarded as one of the great literary figures of the 20th century, but little is known about his wife Eileen O’Shaughnessy who helped shape his work.
Using newly discovered letters from Eileen to her best friend, Anna Funder takes an intimate look at Orwell’s marriage and uncovers what it takes to be a writer and what it is to be a wife.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
One of the world’s most iconic popstars bares all in this brave and moving story.
It chronicles her incredible journey through fame, motherhood and the court case that ultimately won back her freedom.
This is Britney’s story in her own words.
Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
Part memoir, part historical retelling and auto-fiction, Question 7 is all about the choices we make about love and the chain reaction that follows.
Beginning at a love hotel in Japan and ending by a river in Tasmania, this mind-bending story arises from the stories of others and the stories we tell about ourselves.
Young adult fiction
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
The first entry in Sarah J Maas’s epic 5-book series, this seductive fantasy adventure follows 19-year-old huntress Feyre as she’s dragged into a treacherous magical land by Tamlin, a lethal, immortal faerie.
What begins as icy hostility between the 2 soon transforms into a fiery passion that will challenge everything she knows about the dangerous world of the fae.
A Good Girl’s’ Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Now adapted into a popular Netflix drama, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder sees high school senior Pip re-examine the 5-year-old murder case of popular high school senior Andie Bell, which has continued to haunt her town.
Everyone knows her late boyfriend Sal committed the tragedy, but Pip soon discovers a trail of dark secrets that might prove otherwise – and now she could be in danger.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
A modern-day classic, The Hunger Games infamous dystopian backdrop pits young men and women against one another before a live TV audience, all in the name of ‘entertainment’.
There is only one rule: kill or be killed – may the odds be in your favour.
Digital audiobooks
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A Kiwi bestseller, Lessons in Chemistry puts equality under the microscope as chemist Elizabeth Zott navigates the challenges of being a single mother in an all-male research team in 1960s New Zealand.
Elizabeth soon breaks free of this domineering environment to become the unexpected star of an American cooking show – but she isn’t just teaching women to cook, she’s daring them to change the status quo.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
How many times have you tried to adopt healthy habits only to fail?
As anyone will tell you, changing your habits isn’t easy, but world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. His revolutionary system aims to improve your habits in tiny increments – he calls them atomic habits.
Filled with inspiring real-life stories from Olympic gold medallists, CEOs and distinguished scientists, these small changes will have a revolutionary effect on your career, relationships and your life.
The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
Europe is caught in the stranglehold of World War 1, and while the men of Britain are drawn into the fight, it’s the women who keep the nation running.
Twin sisters Peggy and Maude work in the bindery at Oxford University Press in Jericho, each following their own paths in life when refugees arrive from the devastated cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the sisters’ lives.
Authors
James Patterson
James Patterson is a legendary storyteller, bringing iconic characters and series to life such as Alex Cross and Maximum Ride as well as captivating true stories about the Kennedys, Tiger Woods and many more.
When his catalogue of novels crosses so many genres, it’s no wonder his stories find universal appeal across all ages and interests.
Agatha Christie
Is there a name more synonymous with crime novels than Dame Agatha Christie?
She may have penned her most famous works during the golden age of detective fiction in the 1920s and 30s but there’s a reason they enjoy enduring success almost a century later – her works are true classics.
Colleen Hoover
International and number one New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover is a juggernaut of the romance and young adult fiction genres.
Her most well-known work, It Ends with Us has become a smash hit, earning her worldwide acclaim, with Time magazine even naming her one of the 100 most influential people of 2023. Need we say more?
Not a member of a City of Sydney library? Join now to borrow from any one of our branches and gain free access to our digital catalogue of ebooks, audiobooks and more.
Published 28 November 2024
