2023 Books

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. I love starting the day with good nonfiction book and unwinding at the end of the day with a good book in the hot tub. Or reading a whole book on a lazy Saturday.

I recently heard that reading is a form of meditation because we have to quiet the noise in our head to focus on a book. That really resonated with me because my mind is always thinking a million thoughts a minute and reading quiets that noise.

Nothing makes me happier than getting lost in a good book. During a stressful day I remind myself I can read my book that evening and it keeps me motivated and helps me get through those hard days.

I read 61 books in 2023 and I'm proud of that. It was more than I planned to read, but 2023 did not go as planned and books were a comfort on those difficult days. 

The longest book I read was the Bible and that makes sense since it took the longest to read (the whole year).

I get the hype on Lessons in Chemistry. I loved it so much it's one of my top books of the year and now I can't wait to watch the Amazon series.

I'm saddened to see a mental health book was the least shelved book I read.

My average rating was 3.6 making it a good reading year, but not a great reading year.

Highly, highly recommend The Bible Recap. It helped me understand the Bible better than ever before and there are snippets of information I'll never forget, like the difference between grace and mercy.

I started the year with one of my favorite books of the year, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Zevin's writing captured me from the very first chapter and the unique storyline kept me engaged.

I didn't get the hype of Lucy by the Sea, but I adored Notes on a Nervous Planet and have a whole notes section on my phone with impactful quotes. 

The Last Days in Barcelona was the perfect beach read while in Miami and Fitness Junkie made me laugh out loud.

City of Girls wasn't a book I would normally pick up, but I read it for book club. The Washington Post said "the dialogue sparkles like diamonds in champagne" and that feels right.

One Minute Mindfulness was an interesting read that I'm thankful to have in my library and one I will refer back to as I work to become more mindful. 

Love, Pamela was beautifully written and complimented her documentary perfectly.

The Golden Couple was twisty and fun.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six was a little scary, but overall a good read.

Remarkably Bright Creatures was another top book of the year for me. It felt like a warm hug.

The Highly Sensitive Person was recommended by my therapist and was an enlightening book that helped me understand myself better.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing was probably not a book I should have read (see HSP book above). I didn't realize how bad the big terrible thing was and after finishing the book I've been worried about him ever since and was devastated when he passed away.

I think Gina described Nora Goes Off Script best: "This book is a cupcake of a summer beach read: sweet, witty, and so enjoyable."

The Social Climber wasn't memorable and I only liked the first half of The Swimmers.

Just the Nicest Couple was heart pounding fun and Things You Save in a Fire was excellent, as all Katherine Center books are.

I passionately hated All Good People Here (that ending!), but absolutely enjoyed every moment of Someone Else's Shoes.

Something Wilder was the perfect read while in Arizona (anyone else like to read books set in similar landscapes they are visiting?), and Every Summer After was light and cute.

The Huntress was dark and depressing and I only finished it for book club. I appreciated it a bit more after discussing it with my book club though.

The Roughest Draft was darling while The House Across the Lake took a dark turn I didn't see coming and hated (and should have quit, but I had to know how it ended).

The Summer Getaway was a little boring while The Power of Intention was a little woo woo, but had some good insights. 

The Dead Romantics ended up being quirky, but a really enjoyable read.

The Five Star Weekend perfectly paired with my girls weekend.

Such A Quiet Place was forgettable, but Yours Truly had me smiling big at all the witty banter.

The Sixth Wedding ended too abruptly and Same Time Next Summer was not as good as Nora Goes Off Script.

I didn't want One Night on the Island to end and Meet Me at the Lake was another top book of the year for me. 

I could not put The Soulmate or The It Girl down with all that suspense. 

A Little Ray of Sunshine and The Summer of Broken Rules were a bit long and boring and I hated all the characters in Bad Summer People.

The Island wasn't my favorite Hilderbrand book, but you can't go wrong with her books. They are quintessential summer.

A Summer Affair was entertaining and Never Lie kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

The Light We Carry was inspirational while What She Left Behind was another one I wouldn't normally read, but read for book club and found it sad/frustrating, but also informational to see how terrible mental health issues were treated in the past.

Bad Mormon and All Diamonds and Rose were pure guilty pleasure reads due to my love of all things Real Housewives.

The Celebrants was well written and thought provoking while The Golden Spoon was a cozy mystery.

Without Merit was just strange and Gone Tonight was captivating.

The Only One Left is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. I didn't see the twists coming and l loved the ending so much I read it twice.

The Senator's Wife was a wild ride I couldn't finish fast enough and Lessons in Chemistry was a pure delight.

Wreck the Halls was amusing while The Phone Booth and The Matzah Ball were pure merrymaking. 

The Intuitive Eating Workbook (which only shows up in Chinese on GoodReads for some reason) was a life changing book for me. I worked through this book with my therapist and learned so much it probably deserves a separate post. 

The Bible is inspirational, motivational and a large part of my faith and The Bible Recap complimented The Bible so beautifully by giving cultural context and imagery to make God's Word really come alive. Reading these two books together each morning truly was a blessing to me.

My top 3 books of the year were:

1. The Bible Recap (and of course the Bible)

2. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

3. Lessons in Chemistry 

Honorable Mentions:

Meet Me At The Lake, The Only One Left, One Night On The Island, Intuitive Eating

Final thoughts: I didn't read many historical fiction or memoirs this year so I plan to add more of those into 2024. I want to get better at not finishing a book if I'm not enjoying it. I didn't finish 3 books this year, but there were some on here I should not have finished. Life is too short to read a bad book. 

Do you have a favorite book of 2023?