Reading is one of the most enriching activities that we can do. not only stimulates imagination and creativitybut also allows us to travel to other worlds, learn moving stories and learn from other people’s experiences. Through books, we broaden our view of the world, understand other perspectives, and cultivate our empathy. Furthermore, reading helps us improve our writing and communication skillssomething fundamental in my profession as a journalist.
The titles that I am going to recommend to you in this list and that I want to read before 2025, They have not come into my hands by chance. They have been recommended to me by trusted publishers, friends who are passionate about reading, and fellow journalists that I deeply admire. The argument of These titles have piqued my curiosity.and I am sure that these stories are going to hook me and leave me with good memories before the end of 2024.
‘Among the Dead’, by Stanislaw Lem (Ed. Impedimenta)
I really want to read this book because it portrays the horrors that Stanislaw Lem experienced firsthand during the Nazi occupation. Although tragic, it is a work that will surely not leave me indifferent and will make me reflect on the human ability to overcome adversity.
Argument
The story follows Stefan Trzyniecki, a doctor trying to survive in a crumbling world, and Karol Wilk, a math genius forced to hide in a Jewish workshop during the German occupation. Through his experiences, Lem crudely narrates pogroms, deportations and the terror of the ghettos. This story, loaded with autobiographical force, seems essential to me to understand the limits of human resistance in times of barbarism.
‘Fire in the throat’, by Beatriz Serrano (Ed. Planeta)
In addition to having received the 2024 Planeta Prize, this book caught my attention for dealing with topics such as abandonment, guilt and the search for identity in a time as crucial as adolescence.
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The story follows Blanca, who, after her mother abandons her, lives full of guilt and connects on the Internet with a group of girls who share her loneliness. United by their love of Joy Division and their fascination with controversial figures, these girls become their refuge. In an environment marked by absent parents and unexpected figures, Blanca seeks to find her place in the world.
‘You Could Make This Something Pretty’, by Maggie Smith (Ed. Asteroid Books)
I am convinced that I will like this book because it reflects on how to rebuild oneself after going through a painful situation. In this case it is a breakup, but it can be applied to any other difficult moment.
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In the form of small vignettes, Maggie Smith tells how she transformed the pain of her husband’s infidelity into a journey toward self-acceptance and rebirth. The author reflects on gender roles and power dynamics within marriage, while finding the strength to turn chaos into beauty. This work, full of empathy and courage, is an invitation to reflect on our own struggles and how we can emerge stronger from them.
‘The Out of Tune Soldier’, by Gilles Marchand (Ed. Seix Barral)
I want to read it first because, as they say, it is a novel that captivates due to its sensitivity and its ability to find beauty in the midst of chaos.
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In Paris in the 1920s, a veteran of the Great War is tasked with finding Émile, a soldier who disappeared during the conflict. In his search, he travels through ancient battlefields, now silent, and speaks with witnesses who prefer to bury their memories. But among the stories of pain and violence, an unexpected love story emerges, a light in the midst of the darkness that drives him to continue. Meanwhile, Europe once again teeters on the brink of a new war, adding urgency and desperation to its mission.
‘Everything dies’, by Juan Gómez-Jurado (Ed. Planeta)
I can say little about this book that I am going to reserve for the december bridge to close one of the most exciting and popular thriller sagas in recent years. I’m looking forward to reading it!
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I can’t tell you anything about this book because that’s how the author has expressed it. But what I am sure of is that it will not disappoint me, as it has not done so far.
‘The Last Murder at the End of the World’ by Stuart Turton (Attic Books Ed.)
I am drawn to this book because it mixes science fiction and mystery, and creates a unique scenario where solving a murder is a matter of life or death. The idea of ​​a countdown that endangers an entire community is simply irresistible.
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In a world devastated by a deadly fog, an island is humanity’s last refuge. There, 122 villagers live in peace thanks to a security system that keeps them safe. However, everything changes when one of the three scientists who govern the island is murdered. The security system, which protects the town, threatens to shut down in 107 hours if the crime is not solved. The most disturbing thing is that no one remembers what happened, and the murderer could be anyone, even someone who doesn’t know they are one. What impressed me most was how Turton manages to keep the reader in constant tension, with unexpected twists and an atmosphere that combines despair and hope. This book is not only a literary puzzle, but also a reflection on the fragility of humanity.
‘Wellness’, by Nathan Hill (Ed. AdN)
This is another of the books that I would love to read before the end of 2024 because, as I have been told, it combines humor, irony, and a deep reflection on marriage and human connections. In addition, its setting in the nineties and the present gives it a nostalgic touch that I love.
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The story follows Jack and Elizabeth, a couple who fell in love in the vibrant Chicago art scene in the 1990s. Twenty years later, their marriage is on the rocks as they deal with the challenges of modern life: from becoming parents to facing mindfulness fads, the dynamics of social media, and the challenges of living together. What I liked most about this book is how Hill portrays the contradictions of marriage and the struggle to stay together in a world that constantly pushes for disconnection. With sharp satire and touching moments, the author made me reflect on the bonds that really matter and the stories that define us.
‘The golden fractures’, by Paloma DÃaz-Mas (Ed. Anagrama)
I’m looking forward to reading this book, although I confess it’s going to be hard, as it deals with grief and loss. It is a reflection on how to treat the cracks that life leaves us.
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In January 2021, in the midst of the pandemic and a historic snowfall in Madrid, Paloma DÃaz-Mas suddenly lost her brother. This fact completely changed the course of her writing, leading her to create a book that begins with a scene that is as real as it is dreamlike. The author combines family memories and reflections on the unexpected and the irremediable, using the Japanese technique of kintsugi as a metaphor for mourning: celebrating the fractures of life by repairing them with “gold”, leaving visible the marks of what we have lost.
‘The notebook thief’, by Gianni Solla (Ed. Tusquets)
I finish my list of recommendations that I want to read before the end of the year with a novel that extols the value of friendship and that talks about how we become more resilient by being able to stand up to adversity.
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In 1942, in the small town of Tora e Piccilli, Davide lives a difficult childhood caring for pigs, enduring the ridicule of his classmates for his lameness and the abuse of a fascist father. His only ally is Teresa, a young woman who encourages him to learn to write while he dreams of leaving the town. Everything changes with the arrival of a group of Jews deported from Naples, among them Nicolas, a boy who at first generates rejection, but who soon becomes the bridge to a transformative friendship between the three. In a hostile context, Davide, Teresa and Nicolas forge a bond that defies the adversities of war and the prejudices of their environment.