The Worst Books of 2024

Here are the least satisfactory reading experiences we had in 2024: the worst, the biggest disappointments, the DNFs, and the nothingburgers. Expand for more information. 👇

Further viewing 🎥

Please note that each book is only listed once below, but it may appear in the video twice.

Titles Mentioned (in alphabetical order by author) 📚
Earth, John Boyne

Books Mentioned in a More Positive Light 📕

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[schoolbeginsaftercoffee]

Greg getting worked up about historical fiction slander is the best thing I've seen all week.

Thanks for sharing your original story. I smiled the entire time. ☺️

[l.georgealexander]

I remember hearing a harsh review of a book that interested me so much that I ordered and then read it. I loved it.

[bobbykeniston]

How nice to hear the story of how you two met. Very sweet. Walking all around New York City after meeting one another--- sounds like one of the "Before Sunrise" movies. Happy Anniversary to your first meet cute!

[ehlemke]

Your posts brighten my day - even your “worsts of the year” one!❤

[LouiseReader]

Oh my god, your origin story! Such a delightful surprise at the end there. And Ted Lasso shortbreads - you two are still unbearably cute 15 years later.

[virginiaanderson]

I enjoy all sorts of pro’s and cons on your reading, don’t we all react differently to so many books, what makes the world go around, and the ending story of how you two met really made me smile- 😊 so enjoy you two!!🎉

[luvsumbooks]

Love this! Even your worst lists have so many positive moments. And your personal story is heartwarming 💕. Looking forward to your next videos together

[TiggerTellsTales]

I’m reading/listening to Milkman in small chunks. Part of me finds it brilliant and another part of me finds it exhaustingly repetitive so I see why someone might dnf it. I do love its message so far. The Wager got a 5 star from me but I also see why you would need to be in the mood to read it. Like Lord of The Flies, it’s interesting to see what people will do to survive. It was also really well researched. Side note I’m listening to Challenger now on audio and although a bit dry, I’m floored by the amount of research in the book. It’s not just about the challenger disaster but an entire history of NASA. I’d have to read it 100 times to take it all in. So much research in that one too. Loved hearing your story!

[Roscoethecat]

You'd mentioned Restless Dolly Maunder in early 2024, I think in May. My mother had a pen pal in Australia when she was growing up, starting in the 1940s. She kept in touch with her until the early 2010s when the pen pal died. I would always give my mother a book when I visited her. I live in Chicago, my mother in Cleveland. My mother had been in a nursing home for the last two years. She was so sick and her eyesight was failing, but I knew she could make out the beautiful book cover. I last saw my mother for her 88th birthday in July and she died on September 22. I now have that book. Thank you for helping create that memory.

I love the story of how you and Joel met. It was meant to be. Congratulations on 15 years together.

[katrianamacmillan]

I love the story of how you met! What a nice way to end the video.

Milkman was the first book I read this year. I appreciate it, but I felt like I was having a seizure while I was reading it which took away from my enjoyment. I wish I would have DNFed until I was in the mood for something more challenging, but I didn’t want to start my year off with a DNF so I persevered

[altanava]

Happy happy Anniversary I love you both. Great video.

[iCarousel]

The story of how you met is SO sweet. ;_; Thank you for sharing, and for another great video!

[dmurfval]

I feel the same about The Wager. I'm going to try and grab The Ship Beneath the Ice. I loved Endurance, what a great true story. Didn't care for Restless Dolly Maunder either. Sometimes I wish I could throw a book but I do all of my reading on an E reader. Thank you for sharing your how you met story. That's so lovely. Crazy how things that are meant to be, happen.

[SusiFord-wf]

Thanks so much for sharing your “how we met” story - Happy First Date Anniversary🍾

[jordana]

Love those stories! And you both loved dogs!

[hanilulu]

Your description of Night Watch sounds like my experience of The World According to Garp. Your meet cute story is so sweet!

[marciajohansson]

I can see by the comments that I'm not the only one that feels that you gave a great worst of books of the year in the kindest way. Such a pleasant way to spend my snowy New England morning getting ready for the day. I kind of like the family affair videos with Joel and Teddy along for the ride. I really would love to see a baking video. Joel on how to make the shortbread cookies and maybe before next year some Spritz cookies which have always intimidated me.❤ Enjoy your weekend! 37:41

[LaurieInTexas]

Loved your first meet story! I think Jayne Anne Phillips must have genre bias against historical fiction since she doesn't want her books categorized that way. I haven't read any of her books and don't plan to because that attitude is kind of off-putting.

[Joan-COYI]

Aww Teddy. He’s gorgeous. What breed is he? I’m in the Uk, an old lesbian who loves your channel but I rarely comment. You guys help me through difficult times, thank you. 2024 was a particularly poor year for new books. I can’t read print so rely on spoken word and therefore the narrator is incredibly important. I worked out roughly how many books I may get to read and I more readily give up on something I’m not fully enjoying.

[MJ-in-Canada]

Your love story is on my “best of” list.😊