Best of Reviews 2024, Part Two


Bestof 24NB: This week, we’re taking a look back at 2024. We’ve got a week of best-of posts to share, with reviews, cover snark, sales, and more. We hope you enjoy revisiting our archives, and most of all, we wish you and yours a wonderful holiday and a happy new year – with all the very best of reading.

We’re counting down the best of our 2024 reviews, which I’m sure you’re all curious about. Time to reveal our top five reviews of this year. I’d love to know what your predictions are!

Let’s get into it!

5. Funny Story by Emily Henry (April 24)

Review by Lara

Grade: A

I read romance novels for a lot of different reasons. To feel less alone, to feel that surging bubble of joy in my chest, to feel connected to new and exciting lives. This book ticked all those boxes and more for me. I fell asleep reading it. Woke up, and carried on reading.

I write reviews for lots of different reasons, too. In this particular case, I’m writing this review because I want to keep that bubble of joy going for just a bit longer. And sometimes that bubble of joy is paired with a tinge of melancholy, or perhaps an awareness at how fragile and beautiful happiness is. Anyone else get that feeling?

 

4. Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco (January 25)

Review by Amanda

Grade: B+

If I had to pick one word to describe Throne of the Fallen, it would be ✨ decadent ✨. A second choice would be indulgent. It has the seven deadly sins in corporeal form, a journey through a seductive fantasy world, and it’s incredibly horny. It also reminded me delightfully of early 2000s paranormal romances, with its borderline corny details and powerful supernatural hero and plenty of sequel bait. I see all of these things as a positive, as these were the types of books that kickstarted my own romance reading.

 

3. Movie: Anyone But You (February 1)

Review by Lara

Grade: D

The film gets much of its laughs through physical comedy. For example, there is the old favourite of the bathroom sink splashing water on someone’s crotch. Things of that ilk. For the most part the physical comedy was a damp squib.

Between Sydney Sweeney’s atrocious acting, the tired physical comedy and the sickly sweet plot, this movie did not delight me. But for a movie with very little in the way of skill, it has some charm (specifically Glen Powell) and I didn’t get up and leave the movie theatre (which I have been known to do) so it’s not all bad. If you’re able to find joy in something extremely sweet and as predictable as the most cliche-heavy Hallmark Christmas movies, then this rom-com might hit the spot.

 

2. Bride by Ali Hazelwood (February 5)

Review by Carrie

Grade: B+

All in all I loved this book but it’s definitely one that needs the right reader at the right time. It’s full of tropes and just feels very silly and fun to me but at the same time I truly cared about the characters and their fates. I did find the plot to be much too predictable – I don’t recall a moment of surprise despite a lot of chaotic events. However, it was a good story with engaging characters, a lot of excitement, humor combined with tragic backstories and high stakes (no pun intended) and hot sex. If you are in the right mood, you’ll enjoy this book, varicolored blood and all.

 

BonifaceMysteries1. TV: Sister Boniface Mysteries (March 20)

Review by Lara

Grade: Squee

I think there is a fine art to creating cosy mystery television. It’s so easy to make the mystery predictable or even outright boring. But at the same time, you don’t want to make it so thrilling that it’s no longer cosy. In my mind, Sister Boniface Mysteries gets the balance just right.

In Great Slaughter (the name of this English village) in the early 1960s, Sister Boniface, a Catholic nun, works as a scientific advisor to the local police. She’s sincere, loves puns and has an endlessly curious mind which takes root in her laboratory at the convent.

I was utterly shocked to see something beat out Bride for the top spot. What did you think of our most popular reviews? Let us know in the comments!





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