In today’s episode, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I circle back to the 16 books we featured in the Winter 2024 Book Preview. We’ll be sharing our reading stats and thoughts on the books we’ve read (or attempted), to help you decide which ones to add to your reading list and which ones to skip.

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Highlights

• Catherine and Sarah share their Winter 2024 reading stats and success rates.
• Despite some trouble in her reading early on, Catherine ended up with a successful winter.
• Sarah’s reading had a mix of fiction and nonfiction with several debuts.
• We’ve got a total of 3 five-star books!
• Does a mythology retelling always work for Catherine?
• Was Sarah’s wildcard pick a little too out there for her?
• Plus, don’t miss their #1 picks for winter.

Books We Read Before the Preview [3:44]

Sarah’s Picks

• Mercury by Amy Jo Burns (January 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:49]
• The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (February 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:30]

Other Books Mentioned

• Shiner by Amy Jo Burns [3:54]
• Cinderland by Amy Jo Burns [5:30]
• The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale [8:34]
• The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale [8:35]

Winter 2024 Circle Back [9:14]

January

Sarah’s Picks

• River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure (January 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:00]
• Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (January 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:52]

Catherine’s Picks

• The Fury by Alex Michaelides (January 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:23]
• Family Family by Laurie Frankel (January 23) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:35]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides [11:32]
• This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel [22:42]
• One Two Three by Laurie Frankel [22:43]
• Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson [22:57]
• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie [23:14]

February

Sarah’s Picks

• Dixon, Descending by Karen Outen (February 6) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[30:04] 
• Leaving by Roxana Robinson  (February 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [36:06]

Catherine’s Picks

• The Things We Didn’t Know by Elba Iris Pérez (February 6) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:06] 
• Medea by Eilish Quin (February 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:17]
• Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa (February 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:29] 
• Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange (February 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:49]
• After Annie by Anna Quindlen (February 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:20]

Other Books Mentioned

• Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer [33:13]
• There There by Tommy Orange [41:02]

March

Sarah’s Picks

• Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Capó Crucet  (March 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [43:23]
• Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (March 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:55]

Catherine’s Pick

• James by Percival Everett (March 19) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [50:13]

Other Books Mentioned

• My Time Among the Whites by Jennine Capó Crucet [45:10]
• The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe [48:26]
• Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman [49:52]
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain [50:29]

Other Links

• Sara Hildreth (FictionMatters) on Substack | Reading in Public No. 32: Six things to know about Huck Finn before you read James

About Catherine Gilmore

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Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.