2023: My Favorite Reads

 In 2023, I set these book goals:

• Read 60 books.
• Gift the books in my TBR stack after reading them.
• Write! Use this creative outlet to keep calm and share ideas with others. 

Here's what I accomplished:

• Read 68 books. 
• Gave away many of my hardcover/paperback books.
• I wrote six blog posts documenting the books I read each month. This happened each month during the first six months of 2023. I really enjoyed writing a monthly blog post, and I'm tinkering around with ways to restart this habit.

Originally, I rated 14 books with five stars. After reflecting, I've listed my true five star reads:

The Four Agreements

Hello Beautiful

Remarkably Bright Creatures

What Happened to You?

Demon Copperhead

A Court of Mist and Fury

The Gifts of Imperfection

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Mad Honey

Atomic Habits

Here are my favorite books by genre:

Best Nonfiction - The Four Agreements: This book is one that I know I'll read over and over. The author, Don Miguel Ruiz, shares four agreements to make with yourself to bring peace: 

1. Be impeccable with your word.

2. Don't take anything personally.

3. Don't make assumptions.

4. Always do your best. 

While this advice wasn't mind-blowing to me, the way it was presented was eye-opening. Oftentimes, I need a reminder of what is most important in my interactions with others. 

Best Fiction - Mad Honey: This book. Wow. It's not only the best fiction book I read this year, it's the best book I've read in a very long time. This story is told from two perspectives - Lily's and Olivia's. It's a story of love and loss, forgiveness and acceptance. I loved the way the story unfolds and challenged my personal opinions. More than once, I had to put the book down, take a deep breath and really think about the controversial topics in this book. In true Jodi Picoult style, she makes you question everything!

 

 

“We aren’t here on earth in order to bend over backward to resemble everybody else. We’re here to be ourselves, in all our gnarly brilliance.”

Best Historical Fiction - Hello Beautiful: This book was full of ups and downs, following William throughout his life as he joins a family through marriage. The reader learns about his past and how his trauma affects his relationships. The majority of this book is set in the recent past and pulls you in from the start. Loyalty and acceptance are themes threaded throughout Hello Beautiful and remind you that the people we get to do life with are so precious.

 

 

“When your love for a person is so profound that it’s part of who you are then the absence of the person becomes part of your DNA, your bones, and your skin.”

Best Thriller - The Housemaid: You know it's a great thriller when you devour it in less than 48 hours! This story is written from the perspective of two characters, and I absolutely loved how the book was divided into parts. The first part is from Millie, the housemaid. She was just hired to work for the Winchesters. She has a dark past and is concerned that she could be fired at any time because of it. The second part is written from the perspective of Nina, the woman who hired Millie. This book is full of twists and turns and had me flipping the pages so quickly! After this book, I read the sequel, The Housemaid's Secret, which was just as great. In the summer, Frieda McFadden, the author will release a third book in this series, The Housemaid is Watching. I cannot wait to read it!

Best Fantasy - A Court of Mist and Fury: I loved following Feyre in the second book of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. My favorite element was her bond with Rhys and how it develops through this novel. Be warned. This is a looooong book. While I was captivated by the story, I had to take a lot of breaks and orient myself to the table of contents to see where I was in the book. However, it felt really good to immerse myself in the fantasy world. I read the first three books in this series in 2023, and I'm saving the last two for 2024.

Best Audiobook - Hello, Molly!: It felt like such a special treat to listen to Molly Shannon read her memoir. I adored Molly on Saturday Night Live, and I knew I wanted to hear her story. I was pulled in by the first chapter where she shares about the tragic deaths of her mother, sister, and cousin when she was just four years old. Her life was shaped by the aftermath, and her resilience is truly incredible. I especially enjoyed learning about Molly's journey to success with SNL. I immediately followed her on Instagram after listening to this book and love getting a sneak peek into her life!

Overall, I noticed that I read a great variety of books this year. I used my Kindle Unlimited app more and waited, ever so patiently, for books from the Libby app. I rediscovered my local bookstore, Katy Budget Books and traded books for credit to purchase used books. Of the books I read this year, I purchased less than ten of them (Kindle Unlimited doesn't count, right? LOL). As I look forward filling 2024 with reading, here are my goals:

• Read 70 books (this breaks down to approximately six books each month)
• Continue to give away or trade physical copies of books that I read.
• Write more! Writing brings me so much joy; sharing about the books I read truly excites me. I will continue to combine these two loves of mine. 

Now it's time to grab the first books of 2024, Tiny Habits (KU) and Yellowface (Libby), snuggle up, and read! Yeah, whatever!