logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
1h 3m

Episode 486 || Best Books of the Year (S...

The Bookshelf Thomasville
About this episode

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter (@shelfbyshelf) discuss their top ten favorite books of 2024!

To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search “Episode 486” to find the books mentioned in this episode), or shop on The Bookshelf’s official app:

Annie:

First five-star read: Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley
Most surprising: Mostly What God Does by Savannah Guthrie
Least favorite: Worry by Alexandra Tanner
Next on your TBR: Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
Most anticipated fall release: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Annie’s Top Ten:
1. James by Percival Everett
2. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
3. Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
4. Even After Everything by Stephanie Duncan Smith
5. Real Americans by Rachel Khong
6. Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
7. Sandwich by Catherine Newman
8. Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
9. Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
10. Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley

Hunter:

First five-star read: Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar
Most surprising: Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
Least favorite: Brat by Gabriel Smith
Next on your TBR: The Future Was Color by Patrick Nathan
Most anticipated release for fall: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Hunter’s Top Ten:

1.  James by Percival Everett
2. All Fours by Miranda July
3. We Were The Universe by Kimberly King Parsons
4. In Tongues by Thomas Grattan
5. Colored Television by Danzy Senna
6. State of Paradise by Laura Van Den Berg
7. Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
8. Ways and Means by Daniel Lefferts
9. Henry Henry by Allen Bratton
10. Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg

From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com

A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here.

This week, Annie is reading Enlightenment by Sarah Perry.  Hunter is reading Anyone's Ghost by August Thompson.

If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter and follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.

We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

Our Executive Producers are...Jennifer Bannerton, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Susan Hulings, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, and Amanda Whigham.

Up next
Jul 3
Episode 536 || Best Books of the Year (So Far) with Hunter Mclendon
This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter discuss the best books of 2025 (so far)! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 536) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Annie's ... Show More
1h 4m
Jun 26
Episode 535 || What Would Susie Read
This week on From the Front Porch, Annie is chatting with her mom, Susie, about books for readers with PG-13 tastes. You get 10% off the Susie-approved reads mentioned in this episode when you use code SHOPMOMSELECTS at checkout online and in-store! To purchase the books mentione ... Show More
47m 28s
Jun 19
Episode 534 || Off the Shelf with Annie and Ashley: Summer 2025
This week on From the Front Porch, it's an episode of Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley, formerly known as Kids' Table! It's the same banter and book talk you love with a fresh new name. Annie is joined by friend, cousin, and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock, to chat about what ... Show More
54m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
Season 7, Episode 3: Utilizing AI + Huggable Books
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: utilizing AI and getting back into the library swing of things Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: our most huggable books ... Show More
53m 11s
Apr 28
Season 7, Episode 38: Crying Over Books + A Book That Surprised Us
On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: silencing notifications and crying over books Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: a book that surprised us and how we can r ... Show More
59m 18s
May 5
Season 7, Episode 39: Brain Farts + Reading Canadian
On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Roxanna are discussing: Bookish Moments: shifts in our reading and brain farts Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: reading Canadian elbows up style The Fountain: we ... Show More
1h 12m
Jun 2023
Season 5, Episode 46: Reading in Perfect Time + Bookish Travel Agents
On this week’s episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading on certain dates and galley homework Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: we are bookish travel agents, choosing ... Show More
48m 12s
Sep 2023
Season 6, Episode 5: Fall Reading + Books That Follow Formulas
On this week’s episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading with family and choosing family's reads Current Reads: lots of books great for fall! Deep Dive: books that follow a formula, and when it feels phoned in or not The Fountain: we ... Show More
52m 37s
Jan 2025
Season 7, Episode 24: Mary and Roxanna's Top Reads of 2024!
On this episode of Currently Reading, Mary and Roxanna are sharing their favorite reads of 2024. We are excited to give them the reins for a full episode, and they bring some awesome reads for you to add to your TBR! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read th ... Show More
1h 15m
Nov 2023
Season 6, Episode 15: Creating Bookish Community + Having Hobbies Outside of Reading
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: creating bookish community in a new place and being bossed to read books NOW Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: how to hav ... Show More
53m 42s
Jul 2024
Season 6, Episode 50: Season Six In Review
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are joined by show regulars Roxanna and Mary and they are discussing: Season Six In Review: interesting stats, regrets, and exciting upcoming content! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transc ... Show More
38m 47s
Aug 2024
#130: Do Books Need Romance? and The Ladies’ Paradise vs Babbacombe’s
Emile Zola, Noel Streatfeild, and romantic books – welcome to Tea or Books? episode 130! In the first half of this episode, we do a topic suggested by Lindsey – do books need a romantic storyline? In the second half, we 
1s
Feb 2025
A Journey to Three Pines - Episode 8: The Beautiful Mystery
We are so excited to journey with you to Three Pines, the fictional French-Canadian village created by Louise Penny for her Three Pines series, featuring Armand Gamache. This spin-off podcast series will tackle each of the books in the series in turn, in a spoiler-FILLED format. ... Show More
1h 21m