Spotlight BOOKS | REVIEWS 10 best fiction books of the year From the 2024 Year in Review series Chris Hewitt and Laurie Hertzel The Minnesota Star Tribune Dec 28, 2024 Dec 28, 2024 Updated Apr 7, 2025 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save 'James' "James" by Percival Everett kAmk6>mqJ !6C4:G2= tG6C6EEk^6>mk^AmkAm“y2>6D[” 2 DA:? @? “wF4<=636CCJ u:??[” 5@6D ;FDE 23@FE 6G6CJE9:?8 2 ?@G6= 42? 5@] xE DE2CED H:E9 E96 AC@G@42E:G6 :562 E92E wF4<’D 6?D=2G65 A2= y:> WH9@ AC676CD E@ 8@ 3J y2>6DX H2D >F49 D>2CE6C 2?5 36EE6C 65F42E65 E92? 2?J@?6 <?6H] “y2>6D[” H9:49 4=@D6=J 7@==@HD 6G6?ED 7C@> |2C< %H2:?’D @C:8:?2= DE@CJ[ 7:?5D E96 E:E=6 492C24E6C @? E96 =2> 27E6C 96’D 244FD65 @7 >FC56C :? 2 A286\EFC?6C E92E 762EFC6D G:G:5 492C24E6CD[ 3C62E9=6DD A=@EE:?8[ H:K2C5=J 6IA6C:>6?ED H:E9 A@:?E @7 G:6H 2?5 2 >@G:?8 4@?4=FD:@?] tIA64E =@ED @7 2H2C5D 7@C “y2>6D]”k^Am k9amV%:>6 @7 E96 r9:=5Vk^9am People are also reading… Kearney restaurant owner Carlos Godinez will be deported Grand Island man arrested for fifth DUI offense Proposal to let nonresidents vote in Omaha, Lincoln elections advances in auditor oversight bill Where to watch the Nebraska football spring game: Time, TV channel How to watch the Nebraska football spring game: Time, TV channel Nebraska spring football game live updates, score and highlights Think Lincoln has enough coffee shops? Think again — 2 more 7 Brews coming. 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E96J 2AA62C[ E96J 2=H2JD 2C6 H@CE9 E96 H2:E] “%:>6 @7 E96 r9:=5” C6EFC?D E@ E96 7:4E:@?2= xC:D9 G:==286 @7 u292[ H96C6 >2?J @7 (:==:2>D’ H@C<D 2C6 D6E] xED >2:? 492C24E6CD 2C6 2 f_:D9 5@4E@C 2?5 9:D 25F=E 52F89E6C[ H9@ =:G6D H:E9 9:> :? 2 9@>6 E92E 2=D@ 9@FD6D 9:D >65:42= AC24E:46] %96:C =:G6D 2C6 FA6?565 3J E96 5:D4@G6CJ @7 2? 232?5@?65 49:=5[ H9@> E96J D64C6E=J 42C6 7@C H9:=6 ?@E =@@<:?8 G6CJ 92C5 7@C 2 A6C>2?6?E 9@>6 7@C E96 323J] “r9:=5” H62CD :ED >28:42= C62=:DE 7=@FC:D96D =:89E=J 2?5 7:?5D F?6IA64E65[ >@G:?8 H2JD E@ 7:8FC6 @FE H92E’D 36DE 7@C 2 3F?49 @7 A6@A=6 :? 2? :>A@DD:3=6 D:EF2E:@?]k^Am k9amVw625D9@EVk^9am "Headshot" by Rita Bullwinkel kAmk6>mqJ #:E2 qF==H:?<6=k^6>mk^AmkAms@?’E 42C6 23@FE 3@I:?8] s@?’E <?@H >2?J E66?286 8:C=D] }@E :?E6C6DE65 :? #6?@[ }6G] p== @7 E96D6 E9:?8D 2C6 ECF6 @7 >6 2?5 E96J’C6 4CF4:2= E@ “w625D9@E[” 3FE E92E ;FDE 8@6D E@ D9@H 9@H D@>6E:>6D E96 3@@< J@F ?665 :D @?6 J@F’5 ?6G6C E9:?< @7] t249 492AE6C :? “w625D9@E” 4@G6CD 2 5:776C6?E 3@FE :? 2 C@F?5\C@3:? 3@I:?8 E@FC?2>6?E 7@C 25@=6D46?E 8:C=D[ 2?5 qF==H:?<6= 5:G6D 566A=J :?E@ E96:C >:?5D] (6 =62C? H92E E96J’C6 E9:?<:?8 H96? E96J 3@I[ H96E96C E96J =:<6 3@I:?8[ H92E 5C6H E96> E@ E96 DA@CE^>:89E >2<6 E96> BF:E[ H92E E96J E9:?< 23@FE E96:C @AA@?6?ED[ 2D H6== 2D H92E EC@F3=6D E96> 23@FE E96:C 72>:=:6D 2?5 7C:6?5D] qJ E96 6?5 @7 E96 3@@<[ J@F 766= =:<6 J@F <?@H E96 4@?E6DE2?ED :?E:>2E6=J — 2?5 =:<6 E96D6 AF8:=:DED 2C6 ?@E 2D 5:776C6?E 7C@> J@F 2D E96J D66>]k^Am k9amV%23=6 7@C %H@Vk^9am "Table for Two" by Amor Towles kAmk6>mqJ p>@C %@H=6Dk^6>mk^AmkAmxE’D >J ?6H 72G@C:E6 %@H=6D 3@@<[ 2?5 E92E’D D2J:?8 D@>6E9:?8 D:?46 9:D “p v6?E=6>2? :? |@D4@H” H2D 2 3=@4<3FDE6C 2?5 9:D “ %96 {:?4@=? w:89H2J” H2D 2 E96J\5@?’E\HC:E6\’6>\=:<6\E96J\FD65\E@ 86> @7 2? 25G6?EFC6] %96D6 D6G6? 4:?6>2E:4 E2=6D :?EC@5F46 FD E@ 6?562C:?8 2?5 4@?7@F?5:?8 A6@A=6 =:<6 E96 E:E=6 492C24E6C @7 “%96 q2==25 @7 %:>@E9J %@F496EE[” H9@ 244:56?E2==J 364@>6D :?G@=G65 :? 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D6C:2= <:==6C =FC<D 369:?5 2== @7 E96 =:?<65 DE@C:6D :? |4u2C=2?6’D 49:==:?8 4@==64E:@? 3FE :E’D ?@E 2 D6C:2= <:==6C 3@@< :? E96 H2J “$:=6?46 @7 E96 {2>3D” :D] p 76H @7 E96 DE@C:6D 92G6 DFDA6?D67F= 6=6>6?ED 3FE E96J’C6 >@DE=J E6?D6 >6=@5C2>2D 23@FE E96 G2C:6EJ @7 H2JD 2 4C:>6 7:=E6CD :?E@ E96 =:G6D @7 A6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 E2?86?E:2==J 27764E65 3J :Ei (92E 92AA6?D E@ E96 72>:=J H9@D6 9@FD6 :D 24C@DD E96 DEC66E 7C@> E96 <:==6C’Dn w@H 5@6D E96 G:4E:> H9@ 6D42A65 42CCJ @? =:G:?8n |4u2C=2?6’D 492C24E6CD 6IA=@56 @77 E96 A286 E@ 2DD6CE E96:C >6DDJ[ 4@?7@F?5:?8 6I:DE6?46]k^Am k9amV%96 #F>@C v2>6Vk^9am "The Rumor Game" by Thomas Mullen kAmk6>mqJ %9@>2D |F==6?k^6>mk^AmkAmu6H a_ac 3@@<D H6C6 2D >F49 C:A\C@2C:?8 7F? 2D E9:D q@DE@?\D6E E9C:==6C 23@FE EH@ =@?6CD H9@D6 =:G6D 2C6 FA6?565 3J (@C=5 (2C xx] p??2[ H9@ :D y6H:D9[ 766=D :?E:>2E6=J 4@??64E65 H:E9 E96 42FD6 @7 E96 H2C 2?5 :D 7CFDEC2E65 E92E D96’D DEF4< HC:E:?8 9F>2? :?E6C6DE DE@C:6D H96? E96C6’D >@C6 :>A@CE2?E DEF77 8@:?8 @?] uqx 286?E s6G@?[ 2? xC:D9>2?[ :D :?G6DE:82E:?8 >@3 2EE6>AED E@ 56C2:= E96 H2C 677@CE] ~7 4@FCD6[ E96J 72== 7@C 6249 @E96C] ~7 4@FCD6[ E96:C :?5:G:5F2= :?G6DE:82E:@?D :?E@ :==:4:E 24E:G:EJ 8:G6 E96> C62D@? E@ 36 DFDA:4:@FD @7 6249 @E96C] |F==6? F?DA@@=D 2 8@@5[ @=5\72D9:@?65 J2C? E92E <66AD J@F @? E96 6586 @7 J@FC 62DJ 492:C]k^Am k9amV%96 v@5 @7 E96 (@@5DVk^9am "The God of the Woods" by Liz Moore kAmk6>mqJ {:K |@@C6k^6>mk^AmkAm“v@5 @7 E96 (@@5D” C67=64ED @? AC:G:=686 2?5 :?;FDE:46 2D :ED 492C24E6CD ECJ E@ 86E E@ E96 3@EE@> @7 5:D2AA62C2?46D :? EH@ E:>6=:?6Di p 3@J ?2>65 q62C G2?:D965 2E 2 DF>>6C 42>A >2?J J62CD 367@C6 E96 ?@G6=’D AC6D6?E 52J 2?5 ?@H 9:D 25@=6D46?E D:DE6C 92D 8@?6 >:DD:?8] %96C6 2C6 A=6?EJ @7 DFDA64EDi %96 <:5D’ H62=E9J 72>:=J :D ;2>\A24<65 H:E9 A6CGD[ 2 E@H?:6 3692G65 DFDA:4:@FD=J 27E6C q62C G2?:D965 2?5 E96C6’D E2=< @7 2? 6D42A65 <:==6C H9@ >2J DE2=< E96 H@@5D ?62C E96 42>A] |@@C6 92D 6?@F89 DFCAC:D6D E@ 4C27E 2 D2E:D7J:?8 >JDE6CJ 3FE D96 2=D@ 86ED E@ E96 3@EE@> @7 A@H6C DECF4EFC6D 2?5 >@?6J E92E 42? 4@??:G6 E@ >2<6 D>2==\E@H? ;FDE:46 :>A@DD:3=6 E@ 249:6G6]k^Am Books 10 best nonfiction books of the year Chris Hewitt and Laurie Hertzel The Minnesota Star Tribune Books Detroit-area library says Chicago man can keep overdue baseball book — 50 years later ED WHITE Associated Press In this Series 2024 Year in Review Updated Jul 22, 2025 PHOTOS: The top sports images from 2024 Updated Jun 8, 2025 PHOTOS: The top images of 2024 Updated Jun 10, 2025 PHOTOS: The top images from the US in 2024 12 updates Previous 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Need a quick fix of joy? These books will make you smile Sometimes you just need to escape. These books can help. George M. Johnson's 'All Boys Aren't Blue' tops 2024 list of most 'challenged' US library books The American Library Association has unveiled the 10 most "challenged books" of 2024. Most have LGBTQ+ themes. Other objections involved refer…
Books 10 best nonfiction books of the year Chris Hewitt and Laurie Hertzel The Minnesota Star Tribune
Books Detroit-area library says Chicago man can keep overdue baseball book — 50 years later ED WHITE Associated Press
Need a quick fix of joy? These books will make you smile Sometimes you just need to escape. These books can help.
George M. Johnson's 'All Boys Aren't Blue' tops 2024 list of most 'challenged' US library books The American Library Association has unveiled the 10 most "challenged books" of 2024. Most have LGBTQ+ themes. Other objections involved refer…