Reflections on the Past
When I was younger, still in my 20s and before I had any children, reading was my passion. I purchased many books, read frequently, and started my first blog, Page Turners. Page Turners was like my first baby. I poured all my energy into designing it, publishing reviews, building a following, and participating in the book blogger community. My highlight was being interviewed on the ABC Book Show about my review of The Timeless Land by Eleanor Dark.
But then, in 2012, I had my first child, and everything changed. At first, sheer exhaustion prevented me from reading and blogging. But inevitably, my priorities shifted as I entered a new phase of life. Suddenly, my passion was parenting one, and later two, young children. I had to manage family life while working full-time. We moved homes, helped our children through day care, preschool, and primary school, and now my eldest is on the cusp of starting high school.
Over that time, we lost several loved ones, travelled, and lived through a pandemic along with the rest of the world.
During that phase of my life, my reading suffered. I still read books, but far fewer than before. Often, I re-read books, which I found easier to dip in and out of whenever I found the time and inclination to read.
Reflections on the Present
That brings us to 2024. Finally, the stars seemed to align. I started a new professional role that was far less stressful than any of my previous roles. This left me with more mental space and, literally, more time to pick up my reading habit again. I was also inspired by a colleague who is a voracious reader. I had already read a little more than usual in 2023, but everything seemed to click in 2024 when I finally found the time and inspiration to start reading again.
Another piece that clicked into place was finding Page Turners again. I had thought I lost it due to some issues with the web address I had purchased in 2010. But through sheer luck, I found all my posts from 2009 to 2015 sitting in the back end of Blogger, waiting to be explored. While I wasn’t sure I was ready to start blogging again, I knew I didn’t want to risk losing all my work, so in 2024, I made it a labour of love to transfer all of Page Turners posts into this new blog, Aidanvale, named after my home and representing a new phase for me.
The Books of 2024
Now that we have covered the context of 2024, it’s time to reflect on the books themselves. I read 41 books in total. Perhaps not the biggest number compared to how many books I used to read, but quite an achievement for me in my current phase of life.
I still re-read seven books—old favourites that I have read many times in the past and will continue to re-read in the future.
If you were to try any of those, I would recommend reading the Barforth Trilogy by Brenda Jagger, historical fiction that explores the experiences of women through three generations.
Seventeen books were written by Australian authors, something I deliberately tried to prioritize. Most of these were from the Rowland Sinclair series by Sulari Gentill. I highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of Agatha Christie, Kerry Greenwood, or Richard Osman. There’s nothing like some cozy detective fiction. I hope they adapt this series into a television show.
My Favourites of the Year
To be honest, none of the books I read in 2024 would go straight to my “favourites of all time” list. However, as evidenced by the fact that I finished the entire series in 2024, the Rowland Sinclair series was definitely a favourite.
Other favourites include:
Devotion by Hannah Kent: Kent’s writing transports you. It offers a sensory experience of the natural world and the emotional lives of the characters. In this case, it explores the love story between two young women who are transported across the world to start new lives.
March by Geraldine Brooks: This novel is written from the perspective of the father in Louisa May Alcott’s March family while he is away from his family, fighting in the Civil War. It is a dark yet emotional tale of a love that cannot be.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins: This is the origin story of President Snow as he begins his ascent from poverty to the presidency. I’ve always loved The Hunger Games and how Collins explores human responses to social, political, and personal circumstances.
Most Overrated
Lastly, the most overrated book I read in 2024 was Butter by Asako Yuzuki. This was based on the true story of a Japanese female serial killer. I believe the author had grand plans to convey a message about how women are treated in Japanese culture, particularly regarding body image, but it fell flat for me. The pacing was inconsistent, and the story took too many odd tangents. I had read a lot of positive reviews before picking it up, but ultimately, it didn’t live up to my expectations.