There is nothing like curling up in front of the fire with a good book. The Ottawa Public Library (OPL) has released its highly anticipated list of most-requested books of 2024 just in time for the holidays. These annual lists for adults, teens, and children highlight the titles that captured readers’ attention this year, curated from the number of hold requests placed at OPL branches in English and French between January 1 and December 1, 2024.
From exciting new releases to beloved classics, the lists offer something for everyone. Explore the selections and discover insights provided by OPL’s knowledgeable Content Services team about these must-read titles.
Adult (English)
- The Women by Kristen Hannah
- The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
- The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
- The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
2024’s Adult English Fiction and Non-Fiction list features a collection of new releases from established favourites along with some rising stars. While many titles in the top ten have built up demand over months or years, Canadian favourite Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf was officially released in print on October 27, and quickly sprinted to second place. There’s no surprise—OPL readers love the Inspector Gamache mystery series.
Historical fiction continues to be popular with readers, but the trend of books set in and around the second World War seems to be dying down. Humour and romance wooed readers with Emily Henry’s Funny Story and Carley Fortune’s This Summer Will Be Different. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese joins the Most Requested’s two-year club, having made the list last year, and is the only fiction title to do so on this year’s list.
Shelby van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures comes in at number nine, breaking our hearts and making us smile. Rounding out the OPL Most Requested 2024 is Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid, a psychological thriller with twists and turns that had many readers locked in for a chilling ride.
Teen (English)
- A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
- A good girl’s guide to murder by Holly Jackson
- Powerless by Lauren Roberts
- Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
- The cruel prince by Holly Black
Romantasy, a genre that combines fantasy settings and romance tropes, continues to be popular in teen fiction this year. In fact, four of the five most requested titles for 2024 fall into this genre. The most requested teen title, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with deadly fairies, enemies-to-lovers romance and steamy scenes.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder slipped to second most requested teen title this year. The streaming adaptation of this popular mystery/thriller debuted this summer on BBC and Netflix, and a second season is currently in production.
Powerless by Lauren Roberts is the first title of a newer romantasy trilogy, originally self-published in 2023. It became a favourite on BookTok and was quickly picked up by Simon and Schuster. The final book in the Powerless trilogy will be published in May 2025, and fans are eagerly awaiting its TV series adaption, which is currently in development.
Finally, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black has seen a resurgence in popularity this year. Published in 2018, this dark fantasy features a strong female protagonist, Fairieland setting, forbidden love and jaw-dropping plot twists. Loved by fans who prefer their fantasy with a lighter side of romance.
Children’s Fiction and Non-fiction (English)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (series)
- Wild Robot by Peter Brown (series)
- Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
- Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
- The Bad Guys in the Serpent and the Beast by Aaron Blabey
Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid continues to be a favourite series with kids. Lucky for our younger readers, this long-running humorous series has shown no signs of slowing down! Peter Brown’s touching Wild Robot series is new to OPL’s Most Requested list. The release of the motion picture earlier this year catapulted this science fiction series, which started in 2016, to second place. Fantasy is still a popular genre with younger readers, with long-time favourite Rick Riordan’s newest Percy Jackson novel, Wrath of the Triple Goddess and 2024’s newest fantasy phenom, Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures rounding out the top five.
This is a glimpse of the books chosen, but a full list of the books can be found on the OPL website with many available in multiple formats, including e-books, audiobooks, and accessible editions.