Our 2024 favourites

Welcome to our favourite episode: the yearly wrap! We're sharing our reading stats, 2024 goals and the books, TV, film and audio we loved in 2024.

Make sure you're also following us on Substack. On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to – and we try to keep these separate from regular episode recommendations. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Thank you for joining us in 2024 and supporting our wonderful authors. We love hearing your thoughts on the episodes and what books you've been inspired to pick up – even if it's an older episode. You can also connect with us on Instagram @betterwordspod

We're keeping recommendations brief. If we've featured or discussed the book before, we'll link to the episode.

Any PR/review copies marked with *

We kick off with a wrap-up of our reading stats for the year: how many books and pages, the moods and re-reads.

Our awards category of favourite books kicks off at

2023 debut book

Caitlin: I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue*

Michelle: The Silence in Between by Josie Ferguson* (listen to our interview)

Non-fiction

Caitlin: If You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos

Michelle: Everything is Everything by Clive Myrie

By someone who has never been a podcast guest

Caitlin: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

Michelle: Prima Facie by Suzie Miller* (listen to our book club chat)

Australian/UK fiction

Caitlin: Appreciation by Liam Pieper* (our interview)

Michelle: The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey* (our interview)

Romance

Caitlin: Sit Stay Love/Love From Scratch by Amy Hutton* (our interview)

Michelle: You Belong with Me by Mhairi McFarlane (our 2021 interview)

General fiction

Caitlin: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Michelle: Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada

Honourable mention: Family Politics by John O'Farrell

Young adult

Caitlin: I’m Not Really Here by Gary Lonesborough* (our interview)

Michelle: Dead Happy by Josh Silver (our 2023 interview)

Most surprising

Caitlin: How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie* (our book club chat)

Michelle: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray*

Fave Cover

Caitlin:  Experienced by Kate Young* (our interview)

Michelle: The Beholders by Hester Musson

Recommendations for each other

Caitlin: We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis

Michelle: Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen

Worth the Hype

Caitlin: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Michelle: I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue*

2025 books on our radar (by authors not previously read)

Michelle:

• 10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte
• A Trial in Three Acts by Guy Morpuss
• 33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen
• The Grapevine by Kate Kemp
• All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman
• The Eights by Joanna Miller

Caitlin:

• Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
• The Pool by Hannah Tunnicliffe

2025 books on our radar (by authors we love)

Michelle:

• Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane
• Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Caitlin:

• Swept Away by Beth O'Leary
• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
• Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth
• Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Television

Caitlin:

• Shrinking
• The New Look
• Nobody Wants This

Michelle:

• SAS: Rogue Heroes
• The Americans
• Everyone Else Burns

Film

Caitlin:

• Better Man
• Challengers
• My Old Ass

Michelle:

• Midas Man
• Wicked
• Prima Facie – NT Live re-release (listen to us chat about it here)

Books and other things mentioned

• Caitlin's trip to Prince Edward Island
• Literary Legends StoryGraph challenge for 2025
• Boy From the Valleys by Luke Evans
• Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
• Elphie by Gregory Maguire
• So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne*
• So Good by Emily English

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod