---
title: Books I Read in 2024
slug: books
date: 2024-12-31
tags:
  - Books
  - Reading
---

I enjoy reading quite a bit. Nevertheless, it's something I need to be
intentional about incorporating into my life. I usually to finish a modest
number of books in a year. This year I made it to a nice round ten.

A big theme of the year is the [Murderbot Diaries][murderbot]. My friend Jess
recommended them to me a while back, and I finally got around to [All Systems
Red][murderbot1] last year. I was hooked enough that {{< tess >}} bought me the
subsequent three for Christmas last year. So you're gonna see almost all the
Murderbot books on this list.

[Bindle Punk Bruja](https://marthawells.com/networkeffect.htm) by Desideria Mesa
: Mesa's debut novel is set in 1920s Kansas City and centers around Rose, the
daughter of Mexican immigrants who takes on the city's mob bosses with the help
of friends and some witchy magical powers. This was a gift from my sister
[Anna][anna] for Christmas last year.

[The Deep Sky](https://www.yumekitasei.com/projects-6) by Yume Kitasei
: A murder mystery that takes place in space on a one-way mission to colonize a
far-off planet. A gift from my sister.

[Wolfsong](https://www.tjklunebooks.com/wolfsong) by TJ Klune
: Warewolves, magic, queerness, and family. A gift from my sister.

[Fingersmith](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/348400/fingersmith-by-sarah-waters/) by Sarah Waters
: Mystery, intrigue, gay ladies, and some incredible plot twists. Tess gave me
this one.

[Artificial Condition](https://marthawells.com/murderbot2.htm) by Martha Wells
: Murderbot investigates its past.

[Rogue Protocol](https://marthawells.com/murderbot3.htm) by Martha Wells
: Murderbot goes digging for evidence against its former corporate master,
GrayCris.

[Exit Strategy](https://marthawells.com/murderbot4.htm) by Martha Wells
: Murderbot attempts to save its former owner from GrayCris.

[Network Effect](https://marthawells.com/networkeffect.htm) by Martha Wells
: Continuing the Murderbot obsession, I picked up this one from a [Books
Inc][booksinc] in San Francisco's Marina district.

[I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250285959/imstartingtoworryaboutthisblackboxofdoom/) by Jason Pargin
: Anna and I decided to read this together, book club style. It's a ridiculous
romp across the US with some deep commentary on the perils of social media: how
it promotes dogpiling in ways that can destroy lives, and the groupthink that
arises from being terminally online.

[The Full Moon Coffee Shop](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746333/the-full-moon-coffee-shop-by-mai-mochizuki/) by Mai Mochizuki
: A cute, short read about a mysterious popup coffee shop that appears in Kyōto
during the full moon.

[murderbot]: https://marthawells.com/murderbot.htm
[murderbot1]: https://marthawells.com/murderbot1.htm
[anna]: https://www.instagram.com/anna.e.az/
[booksinc]: https://booksinc.net
