Here are Boston Public Library’s 10 most borrowed books in 2024

Books

“Nine out of the ten most frequently borrowed titles were written by women and tell stories that center on women’s experiences and inner lives across multiple settings, decades, and literary styles.”

The Boston Public Library on Wednesday released the titles of the 10 books most borrowed by library patrons in 2024, across print and digital copies. 

The most frequently checked-out books of the year span the genres of fiction, memoir, and romance. Many of them centered the experiences of women, the library noted. 

“The most frequently borrowed titles of 2024 highlight personal stories of human resilience,” Melissa Andrews, BPL’s Chief of Collection Management, said in a statement. “This past year, readers gravitated toward narratives exploring real-life challenges – heartbreak, mental health, family dynamics, and personal growth, but particularly women’s stories. Nine out of the ten most frequently borrowed titles were written by women and tell stories that center on women’s experiences and inner lives across multiple settings, decades, and literary styles.”

Topping the list is the 2023 novel “Happy Place” by Emily Henry, which tells the story of the “perfect” couple vacationing with friends in Maine who have not yet told the group that they actually broke up, six months before. According to the library, the book was checked out more than 10,000 times over the course of 2024. That’s a 28 percent increase, according to the library, compared to last year’s top read, “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin (which this year came in at No. 3). 

“Much of the library’s circulation growth in 2024 can be attributed to a surge in fiction readership, reflecting the enduring appeal of compelling stories and diverse literary voices,” the library said. 

Several titles on the 2024 list have appeared on the library’s most borrowed list in the past, including “Lessons in Chemistry”  by Bonnie Garmus, which was the top checkout in 2023.

Below, see the library’s list of the most borrowed books of 2024: 

1. “Happy Place” by Emily Henry (2023), borrowed 10,422 times
2. “Lessons in Chemistry”  by Bonnie Garmus (2022), borrowed 8,675 times
3. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin (2022), borrowed 7,862 times
4. “The Woman in Me” by Britney Spears (2023), borrowed 7,062 times
5. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy (2022), borrowed 5,893 times
6. “The Women” by Kristin Hannah (2024), borrowed 5,799 times
7. “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett (2023), borrowed 5,092 times
8. “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros (2023), borrowed 5,062 times
9. “Spare” by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (2023), borrowed 5,254 times
10. “It Starts with Us” by Colleen Hoover (2022), borrowed 4,861 times

In addition to delving into what Bostonians were reading most in 2024, the city’s librarians also released the top most streamed movies through Kanopy and most streamed albums through Hoopla via the library. 

Top 10 streaming movies/shows in 2024: 

1. “Father Brown”
2. “Detective Montalbano: S1”
3. “Past Lives”
4. “The Prisoner”
5. “Death in Paradise”
6. “A Perfect Spy”
7. “The Whale”
8. “Donna Leon’s Brunetti Mysteries”
9. “Anatomy of a Fall”
10. “How the Earth Was Made”

Top 10 albums streamed in 2024: 

1. “The Tortured Poets Department,” Taylor Swift
2. “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift
3. “Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)”
4. “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” Chappell Roan
5. “Lover,” Taylor Swift
6. “Reputation,” Taylor Swift
7. “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” Billie Eilish
8. “Short N’ Sweet,” Sabrina Carpenter
9. “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever),” Noah Kahan
10. “Reiki Music”

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