National Book Lovers Day 2024 is celebrated on August 9. This annual commemoration is focused on celebrating people who love books and encouraging people to take up reading as a hobby. The unofficial holiday has been a popular celebration amongst the Bookstagram, Booktube and Booktok community and helps them to talk about their favorite books, fan fictions and movies based on books that have been released in the year. The celebration of National Book Lovers Day 2024 is sure to be filled with a lot of fun activities and events across the world. With the release of the much-anticipated film adaptation of Colleen Hoover It Ends With Us, and multiple new book releases (including Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing) - there is a lot that book lovers can do to commemorate this day. And as we prepare to celebrate Book Lovers Day 2024, we thought of walking down the memory lane and picking our favorite 2024 book releases across all genres. Here are the top 5 books we read on 2024.

1. 'Funny Story' by Emily Henry

Emily Henry is known to be the internet’s favorite author. With Funny Story, she once again delivered a strong , well-rounded, interesting and extremely funny romance that will transport you into better times and leave you with a happy feeling. This is the perfect read for anyone who wants to escape reality, but still feel feelings, and emerge with hope.

2. 'Knife' by Salman Rushdie

When Salman Rushdie suffered from the knife attack, the world stood still with shock and despair. It felt cruel, personal and was unfathomable for many. Knife by Salman Rushdie is his attempt to recount the stabbing attack and its aftermath. With a stunning cover that will haunt you and intrigue you, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder is a book that is a must read for one and all.

3. 'First Lie Wins' by Ashley Elston

Thrillers are some of the most difficult books to get right. But one that has managed to grip more than a million people worldwide and has us on the edge of our seats is First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. The book was popularised by being a Reese’s Book Club pick and impressed readers worldwide. This cat and mouse suspense is a must read for anyone looking for a stunning roller coaster that will leave you feeling feelings.

4. 'Bride' by Ali Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood has stunned the book world with her beautiful romance and YA novels that showcase strong female characters, promote STEM and remind you that love is for everyone. With her latest release - Bride - Hazelwood delved into the fantasy realm and captured an intriguing story of love, alliance and betrayal in the land of vampires and werewolves. This book takes all your favorite tropes and does it justice.

5. 'Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' by Satoshi Yagisawa

They say we should not judge a book by its cover. But Satoshi Yagisawa’s books have been the perfect counter to this claim. With covers that are as intriguing, beautiful and stunning as his writing, the author has delivered compelling stories that are a must-read for all. And his follow-up to the best-selling Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Yagisawa has managed to hold on to the charm and emotional resonance of the first book while adding insights into his view on life, love and the importance of bookstores. This is, therefore, a must-read to celebrate Book Lovers Day!

We hope that these recommendations help you to find a story that you connect to. Books can help us feel connected in an otherwise lonely world, and while we all do this in our own ways, we hope that this National Book Lovers Day you choose to connect with your favorite books by stepping out and supporting your local bookstores as well! Here’s wishing everyone a Happy National Book Lovers Day!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 09, 2024 05:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).