## The Modern Fairies - The top 5 fiction books of 2024 include "The Modern Fairies" by Clare Pard, a [[Historical fiction | historical fiction novel]] set in [[Paris]] during the reign of the Sun King, where a group of intellectual storytellers share fairy tales that covertly express their frustrations with society [(00:00:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=35s). - "The Modern Fairies" features a character who is one of the founding fathers of fairy tales, as well as other historical figures whose plot lines are based on real-life events, making the novel feel both familiar and satisfying [(00:01:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=77s). - The writing in "The Modern Fairies" is decadent, and the book is a short but engaging read that feels like stepping out of a fever dream [(00:01:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=104s). ## Here in the Dark - The fourth book on the list is "Here in the Dark" by Alexa Sosi, a thriller with a female main character who is a theater critic known for being harsh in her reviews [(00:02:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=123s). - In "Here in the Dark", the main character investigates the disappearance of a man who interviewed her, leading her to become increasingly detached from reality and self-destructive [(00:02:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=152s). - "Here in the Dark" is a dark, tense, and cutting novel with a distinctly feminine tone, featuring an unlikable female main character, and is particularly good on audiobook [(00:03:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=184s). - The book's narrator, Laura Banti, is a [[Broadway theatre | Broadway]] performer who adds to the experience of listening to the audiobook [(00:03:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=223s). ## The Field Guide to Love - The Field Guide to Love by India Holton is a light-hearted book that combines adventure, romance, and fantastical birds, as two rival scientists compete to capture a rare bird in England, with a prize at stake, and in the process, they start to work together and develop feelings for each other, while also uncovering the oddities of the competition [(00:03:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=234s). - The book is a thrilling and romantic read, with a sense of dramatic irony, and the author's passion for birds is evident throughout, making it a hit and the start of a new series [(00:04:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=292s). ## The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc - [[Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc | The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc]] by [[Mark Twain]] is a [[Historical fiction | historical fiction novel]] that is a departure from the author's usual works, written after 12 years of research and 2 years of writing, and is considered historically accurate, with Twain's adoration for Joan of Arc evident throughout [(00:05:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=330s). - The book is spirited, inspiring, and heartwarming, despite being devastating and heartbreaking at times, and is now one of the reader's favorite classics, thanks to its introduction through the Wishbone series [(00:06:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=394s). ## Elanor of Aenon - Elanor of Aenon by Elizabeth Delier is a work of historical fiction that follows a fictional main character living during a real time period in medieval [[Europe]], and is the reader's favorite fiction read of 2024, surpassing The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc [(00:07:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=451s). - The novel features Eleanor, a skilled herbalist who was accused of witchcraft and had learned the crafts of herbalism and midwifery from her mother before her death in childbirth [(00:08:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=487s). - Eleanor's twin sister Margot is getting ready to be married, and Margot wants Eleanor to get married as well for protection, but Eleanor wants more for her life [(00:08:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=495s). - Eleanor has a chance encounter with the private physician to the pope, impresses him, and becomes his apprentice to investigate the illness known as the plague as it erupts in their city [(00:08:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=511s). - Eleanor later becomes the midwife to the disgraced queen of Naples when she comes into town [(00:08:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=530s). - The novel is set in a vividly created world with well-rounded characters, and it explores historical lessons from a time period that was previously unknown to the reader [(00:09:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=591s). - The novel's ending is emotionally intense, with a devastating yet relieving plot twist that evokes a strong emotional response from the reader [(00:09:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=570s). - The novel is highly praised, with a perfect score of 10 out of 10, and is considered a favorite of the year [(00:10:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ&t=604s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSyN28SelQ?si=RnjS5kMVPadTiLJ_)