Hello fellow readers and welcome to the first day in my countdown to the best books of 2024. Kicking off our list are three honorable mentions that didn’t quite meet the cut but are still worth the read nonetheless. They are The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren, 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn, and I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys.

What are they about? Starting off light, The Paradise Problem follows Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston, who entered into a marriage of convenience while in college to gain access to cheap housing. But once they graduated, they divorced and went their own ways. Or so Anna thought. She is more than a little surprised when West suddenly appears at her apartment, asking her to accompany him to his sister’s lavish and expensive wedding. Oh, and did I forget to mention they never legally divorced? The nonfiction 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn is fairly self explanatory, but takes the reader minute by minute of the 9/11 terror attacks, following first responders, victims’ families, survivors, and those who watched it all unfold. Finally, I Must Betray You takes the reader to 1989 Communist Romania and follows teenager Cristian, who decides to take the ultimate step of rebellion, by revealing the horrors of the government’s tyrannical regime to the outside world. But he is willing to risk everything?

Why did I love them? These three books could not be more different; a romance, a nonfiction, and a historical thriller. Yet, these uniquely different works all excel at what they are trying to accomplish. For The Paradise Problem that is romance and situational humor, 102 Minutes‘ meticulous research does justice to both the victims and survivors of that tragic day, and I Must Betray You takes a dark page of history and shows that, even in times of great challenge and fear, one can always find the light. If you are looking to dip your toes into different genres, anyone of these are a fabulous place to start.

If you are interested in reading more about my thoughts, head to https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/07/the-paradise-problem-by-christina-lauren-review/ for my review of The Paradise Problem and https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/02/i-must-betray-you-by-ruta-sepetys-review/ for my review of I Must Betray You.