Best of 2024
Your votes are in
It would be impossible to measure the objective best of the year. We can, however, ask the wide gamut of The Frum Books Newsletters’ readership which books were their favorites this year. The results are a testament to the popularity, reading trends, marketing, and quality of some of this year’s titles.
Fiction
Followed by: Within My Walls (11%), I Lift My Eyes (11%), Take 2 (11%), , and The Trepid Trilogy #3 (10%).
#1: Captives Reunited, by Rochel Istrin (32%)
The dramatic and satisfying conclusion of The Captives trilogy throws the dynamic characters we’ve come to know against quickly changing times. An engrossing and thought-provoking adventure sweeps across the country as it hurtles toward the tumultuous Civil War. On a Louisiana plantation and a Missouri farm, the scattered siblings are shaped by their new surroundings, but determined to build futures true to their pasts. As the country’s bitter divisions erupt into conflict, they are caught between loyalty, values, and the carnage of war. After years of change and separation, can they move beyond their newfound divisions to reunite? [Series best read in order.]
#2: The Final Battle, by M. Kenan (31%)
The long-awaited conclusion brings relief to the war-weary Jews of Khazar. Enemies plot to end years of division, but as their cunning plans near a showdown, they become dangerously intertwined. Weaving dozens of characters and storylines, The Final Battle features familiar heroes like Istrak, Mehallalel, and Yuzbad, but only the intriguing new characters can protect New Khazar on the edge. Pedahel sets out for exile seeking justice, until he learns of the gray area behind the story he’s been told. In the Sultan’s palace, Dizar wrestles with the horrific price of his family’s life. And Tarnal flounders, oblivious to his magical abilities that can untangle a web of distrust. Through slowly building suspense, complex characters confront their pasts, unearthing their true loyalties in a world where everyone is suspect and nothing is unexpected.
[Go behind the scenes into the translation in our conversation with Libby Lazewnik here.]
#3: Hold the Line, by Brocha Miller (14%)
With an exciting career at the center of the automotive boom, Nate Bernstein’s future is promising. But when his boss’s advocacy tests his ambition and identity and a shocking betrayal costs him his savings and trust, Nate leaves his close-knit family to chart his own path. Rellie’s elegant new home contrasts sharply with her misery, and she keeps her distance from her eager relatives and the cheerful Hello Girls. Two people determined to hold on to old wounds, until the burning fields of France and a Spanish Flu sick ward reach past the walls they’ve erected. A fresh and compelling historical novel about family, forgiveness, and the grudges that hold us back.
[More about the book as part of this collection of fiction discussions.]
Non-Fiction
#1: Angels in Orange, Nachman Seltzer (60%)
On Simchas Torah morning, Eli Beer and his United Hatzalah army sprang into action, putting their resources, network, and expertise to aid their nation during its darkest hour. The book features the experiences of a wide array of United Hatzalah volunteers and showcases the horror of October 7th, as well as the kindness and heroism that emerged in the aftermath. Each chapter tells one volunteer’s story, and together they provide a chronological account of the agony, chaos, and confusion as the country learned about the attack and began the slow rescue of the injured. Some of the stories are a bit repetitive, but the quick pace and important message keep the pages turning. Note that descriptions have been made family-friendly, but are still graphic.
#2: One Good Turn, C.B. Weinfeld (21%)
Snippets of intriguing and uplifting moments from a master storyteller
#3: Feathers in the Wind, Raizy Shapiro (10%)
Familiar scenes meet sharp insight, creating short and approachable ideas about positive speech and intentional relationships
Biography and Memoir
#1: Because He Cared, Rabbi Yechiel Spero (20%)
The life of Rabbi Moshe Nueman, from German childhood to beloved Queens mechanech
#2: The Klausenburger Rebbe, Avrohom Birnbaum
#3: The Rogatchover, Yair Boruchav (10%)
You’ve all got your say, so now I’ll take a turn. This was a fantastic year for fiction, with at least ten titles that I’ll be recommending for a long time. Here were my personal (and underrated) favorites of the year, and why I’m so excited about these.
#1: Within My Walls, Leah Gebber (11%)
I haven’t been shy about this one. My interview with Leah Gebber was a 2024 highlight, and we debuted the roundtable discussion in honor of this book. Reading and discussing a book deeply is always a gamble; it’s easy to run into the “I’m reading more into this than the author intended” conundrum. Leah is one author we can trust to have placed every word, metaphor, and theme intentionally for us to discover. Within My Walls is heavy and less accessible than some of her other books (Rocking Horse is the most approachable for those looking for a taste.) For the serious reader, it’s book-candy and poetry for the mind. You can read me gushing about Within My Walls and the roundtable book discussion here, and my fascinating conversation with Leah Gebber here.
#2: Fault Lines, Rachel Newton (7%)
Sara Miriam Gross first announced this book’s release in my interview with her in June, and I looked forward for the next few months. I’ve been following Rachel’s writing in the Family First for a while, impressed by her range, depth, and literary sophistication. Her first published book, a short story collection, showcased those skills loud and clear. While the stories increase in quality as we follow her writing chronologically until the present day, each presents a deep understanding of messy real-life and creative storytelling. Read my wide-ranging conversation with Rachel here.
#3: The Stars are Fire, Rachel Berger (7%)
Light fiction is one of the hardest things to get right. Literary fiction leans toward the heavy side, as the easier stories too often revert to shallow themes, undeveloped characters, and simplistic plots. Rachel Berger has mastered the art of light and humorous writing while retaining the emotional resonance and character development that keeps the story standing. Her latest features some heavy topics and raw emotion, but the perfect balance with the laugh-out-loud humor weaving through it is what separates the boys from the men.
