As the year 2023 comes to an end tonight, I wanted to share the books I read this year.
I have always loved reading - I used to buzzsaw through novels as a kid and teenager, and this year, I tried to get back to it. I can't dedicate as much time to reading as I'd like, but I am proud of myself for getting back to reading as a hobby and hope to continue in the new year!
I really wanted this list to be comprised of what I read for fun in 2023. As such, this doesn't count re-reads (revisiting favorites), and it doesn't count the devotional books I've read (or taught from) or the 8 books of required reading for my Christian Education Certification program. It also obviously doesn't count the numerous children's books I've read to my boys (even those read for the first time this year) or cookbooks I've poured over and read.
Here it is, my 10 books from 2023, ranked by me with stars, out of five:
1. My Evil Mother: A Short Story by Margaret Atwood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. Galatea by Madeline Miller ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. The Ickabog by JK Rowling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. The Pioneer Woman - Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story by Ree Drummond ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything In Between) by Lauren Graham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. The Inn on Harmony Island by Anne-Marie Meyer ⭐️⭐️
7. The Shop Around the Corner by Anne-Marie Meyer ⭐️⭐️
8. The Bad News: From Moral Disorder (A Vintage Short) by Margaret Atwood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9. Resting Scrooge Face: A Short Story by Meghan Quinn ⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. Where There's Smoke: A Short Story by Jodi Picoult ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now, for my recommendations. Let me start with this caveat: I'm not a literary genius of any sort. I enjoy poetry, prose, biographies and autobiographies, and essays, and I enjoy writing. I have an odd affinity for the English language - and for grammar and punctuation - which makes me supremely interested in the arts of writing and storytelling.
All of that being said (or written), I do want to offer my thoughts on the titles I enjoyed most, in case you're looking for new titles to read in 2024!
Romance
By far, the best romance I read this year was Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story by Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. I am a big Ree Drummond fan - I enjoy her writing, her line at Walmart, and her show - so that's might not be a huge surprise to anyone who knows me well. However, I went into reading this book fairly objectively. In fact, I worried that I might not enjoy it as much as I like Ree's other creative outlets, like her recipes or design.
Yet, I found I enjoyed her prose immensely because reading it felt like reading a letter from a friend. Her voice as the main character of her own love story was approachable, relatable, and entertaining. It matched the impression her viewers, followers, and fans get from all of her other endeavors. She has a willingness to share things outside of the "rose colored glasses" view that some celebrities want to write from; her authenticity was refreshing and fun to read.
Short Stories
My favorite short story, by far, was Jodi Picoult's Where There's Smoke. When I finished reading this on my Kindle app, I just said, aloud, "whoa." And when my husband asked, "what's up?" I told him I'd just read the best thing I'd uncovered in a while. Picoult's storytelling is fantastic - and her ability to tell a tale that doesn't have much resolution, but somehow still carries a deep message, absolutely shines in this short story. I was hooked from beginning to end. If you're interested in the afterlife, or in the mystery surrounding television spirituality, or are just interested in psychics - this is a great read. It's prose at its finest, and it's a captivating read.
I also really loved Madeline Miller's Galatea. It's a retelling of the Greek myth of Galatea, wherein a statue is brought to life and married to her sculpture. This one has some intense language and imagery, so if you're sensitive to such, you might avoid it. If you're not sensitive about that, though, it's an excellent read. Miller guides the readers, through expert prose, into feeling the captivity of Galatea and the desperation for freedom - and even more, the desperation to see metaphorical generational curses broken.
Autobiographical Nonfiction
As far as autobiographical nonfiction, I absolutely adored Lauren Graham's Talking As Fast As I Can. I wanted to read it because I'm an avid Gilmore Girls fan, but I ended the book feeling like a Lauren Graham fan club member, even more than a Stars Hollow junkie.
The actress writes the way she speaks, and you constantly feel like you're talking with an old friend over - you guessed it - a cup of Luke's coffee. While I found even deeper appreciation for her characterization of Loreali Gilmore and her experience on the Stars Hollow set, I also grew so much in my respect for her journey as an actress and person. I highly recommend this - and the way it's written is almost like each chapter is its own essay, so it's easy to read a chapter here and there if you don't have a large chunk of reading time. I read this in the school pickup line as I waited, parked, for my eldest and while my baby napped in the backseat.
Family-Friendly Fiction
The Ickabog was another great read. As a huge Harry Potter fan, I just really wanted to read more JK Rowling. This book did not disappoint. Yes, it's for children or families - but the point it makes about blind faith I the government, believing the media, and trusting your gut are all poignant and definitely eye opening for adults, too.
I received the print version with artwork from children in it for each chapter, which was precious, too!
I will definitely be reading this one aloud to my boys as they get older, too.
Those are the titles I'd recommend the most for those searching for their 2024 reading list. Let me know in the comments if you read any of the titles I listed, too!
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