2023 Reading wrap up
In 2023, I committed to a yearly reading challenge. I predicted and hoped to read two books a month. To my surprise, I superseded that goal. I found myself reading more books than I imagined. I read 37 books and this is the 2023 Reading Wrap-Up!
Finishing a book is a true accomplishment. I am beyond proud. One of the greatest feelings is closing a book and reflecting on everything it made you feel. Now, I read some stinkers but also found a handful of new favorites! Here's the list!
Each will include a brief summary showcasing what stuck out to me. You may find links that will direct you to the book review. Click them to get the full scoop. Enjoy!
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2023 Reading Wrap-Up
Feb 4, 2024
Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope
by Mark Manson
★★★
Manson is a self-help author. He shares realistic approaches to conquering this complicated life. "Everything is F*cked" is a follow-up to "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life". Sadly, the counterpart didn’t resonate in the same way as the first, but it is still worth reading. The second book tried to resemble the previous novel too much. It emanated the exact tone and structure but didn’t enamor me the same. "Everything is F*cked" was interesting and useful, but I felt his insights weren't as powerful. I recommend it if you have or plan to read the first book. However, I implore you to avoid the audio version. Although Manson narrates it, his voice is too monotone and flat. It will alter your experience with the story.
The Art of Memoir
by Mary Karr
★★
I wanted to like this book more. I've been investigating memoir writing. I picked this one up in hopes Karr would have insight and be a guide to the medium. Frankly, the only thing I remember from this piece is that the author is strict about the “rules” of memoir. She makes memoirs seem more like journalism than creative writing. Because of that clash, I didn't find her tools that helpful. However, it's well-structured and plotted out. I will read her memoir, The Liars’ Club, in the hope to get a better understanding of her teachings.
A Farewell to Arms
by Ernest Hemingway
★★★.5
This book wrecked me. I love Hemingway’s prose. His diction is simple and eloquent while still implementing metaphors and symbolism. When I engage with his work, it feels like breathing. He is always clear and precise. The pacing and diction in A Farewell to Arms was fantastic. There were two major downfalls to this story, the romance and the ending. The finale was devastating and, in my opinion, unnecessary. There is a ton of controversy with this ending. He rewrote it multiple times. All I have to say is that there is a reason why Pat threw the book out of the window in the film, "Silver Linings Playbook." Despite the ending, this book depicts war beautifully and painfully. Some say this story is even autobiographical, that alone makes it worth the read.
Hidden Pictures
by Jason Rekulak
★★.7
I'm not a horror fan but the suspense gripped me. I didn’t see the plot twist coming, which was a surprise. Aside from the plot, I didn’t care for the protagonist because her actions weren't believable based on her backstory. However, if you’re looking for a quick read, are into ghost stories, and want an ending that will shock you: read it.
Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus
0 ★
This book was my first DNF of the year. This book is a piece of propaganda. Bonnie Garmus casts every male character as either misogynistic or a rapist. It wasn't enjoyable or realistic to read. Expect modern feminist ideas planted in the 60’s. I do not recommend this book.
The Stranger in the Lifeboat
by Mitch Albom
★★★
I wanted to love it more. It's a book about being adrift next to God on a lifeboat. I anticipated philosophical and spiritual layers, but instead it pivoted into a mystery thriller. The concept pulled me in but soon became just that - plot. Character development fell secondary; a story is ruined anytime that happens. I still think this book is worth reading but expect a thriller.
The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek
by Kim Michele Richardson
★★.5
I never knew about blue people's existence until I read this story. If you’re looking for a historical piece about them, this is not the book. Instead, the novel is a fictional melodrama; it’s about gossip, self-doubt, and despair. There are tons of heart-wrenching deaths - be prepared. Initially, I was intrigued by the people, but the pacing was awful, and the characters' actions didn't align with their beliefs.
All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doeer
★★★
This book is a historical fiction piece about WWII that interweaves two character storylines. It took me two attempts to listen to this novel until I began following the characters and plot. Sadly, the author still couldn’t keep me there; I found myself halfway listening to the novel. I often wondered if the reason was because I listened to it. This book has complex places and characters that deserve your full attention. All the Light We Cannot See is a book about war, choice, loss, and living. I felt the author did a great job grounding these themes. Some elements of this story truly gripped me. I suggest reading the physical copy to give it your undivided attention.
Girl One
by Sara Flannery Murphy
★
Girl One was another piece of propaganda. This book is about an all-woman commune who discovered a scientific breakthrough called “virgin births”. They procreate without men. The only thing enjoyable about this story was the pacing. Otherwise, the author wrote contradictory characters, a predictable plot, and vilified every male.
Trust
by Hernan Diaz
★★
Diaz tells a story of wealth, broken romances, and loss. Truthfully, I didn’t enjoy much of this book, especially the ending. It was cynical about life and love. Some scenes were melodramas, while others were interesting. I listened to this story and had a hard time focusing. Diaz's structured time jumps and varying perspectives jarred my reading experience. This is another book you need to read with a physical copy. I never cared about the characters because I didn't understand them.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
★★★★★
This novel became one of my new favorite books. Honeyman wrote a true hero’s journey. I fell in love with the protagonist because of her awkward social etiquette. This book made me laugh and cry. Honeyman understands how to ground characters who've experienced trauma from childhood. In this story, we follow Eleanor. She lives a mundane life and never strays from her habitual routines, until she meets the new IT guy. Their story collides when they aid an elderly man who has fallen in the street. The three lives weave together in a realistic and meaningful way. Their impact on each other’s growth is why I love this story. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is pure storytelling. I will read anything by this author!
Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
★★
I wanted to love it more but it took me FOREVER to finish it, and left me wildly unfulfilled. I read Don Quixote in six months. Initially, the story intrigued me because of its comedic flair. What I didn't know is that this book is a tragedy, which would have been fine if I knew that going in. The episodic scenes were also difficult to endure. This book became one cautionary tale after the next- almost like a series of random events happening to and around the protagonist. Don Quixote didn’t grow and I'm still upset over the ending. Overall, the story felt repetitive and needed to be condensed.
The Man Who Could Move Clouds
by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
★
This book is a memoir of spiritual discoveries, family, amnesia, and curanderos. I read about 120 pages before I had to DNF this book, and it’s not for sake of the storytelling. I enjoyed most of this book until it got dark, almost demonic. Then, I experienced an “out of body” incident while dreaming, similar to those demonstrated in the story. Humans are influenced by what ingest. There are some things you don't want to let in. This family practiced forms of magic, as expressed in the book, and there were times when it felt dark. Contreras' family folklore consisted of snakes, dragons, transformations, murder, and more. I trusted my gut and put the book down. There are realms and spiritual entities we know nothing about. Those who seek shall receive, but when you get the message... close the book. If you choose to read this, be aware.
Neverwhere
by Neil Gaiman
★★★★
This fantasy takes place in London. After our protagonist helps a young girl, his whole life gets turned upside down. Now he's forced into a place called London Below. This book was fascinating. I loved the character arcs, the worldbuilding, and the resolution. I adore stories about characters who get what they need, not necessarily what they want.
The Miniaturist
by Jessie Burton
★
I read about 120 pages until I had to DNF this book. At first, it was intriguing and fun until the characters lost momentum. The plot took the forefront. As mentioned before, this loses me as a reader. I care about characters. In the end, the world and characters never fully gripped me.
The Carrying
by Ada Limon
★★★★
These poems were fantastic! Limon discusses youth, grief, and infertility with strength and vigor. Most of the prose was beautiful and mesmerizing.
A Village Life
by Louise Gluck
★★★★
Gluck has rapidly become one of my new favorite poets. The prose is poetic and tender. She uses simple phrasing to translate the depths of her soul.
My Life as A Whore: The Biography of Madam Laura Evans 1871-1953
by Tracy Beach
★★★
Tracy Beach encapsulates an entire lifetime into this book. Laura Evans was one of Colorado’s Madams from the late 19th century into the 20th. This book was mildly repulsive, emotional, and interesting. The writer bounced between creative writing and factual information. It’s a piece of non-fiction. The writing was simple and had a few errors. The author also seemed to glorify Laura, which made the piece feel biased. The writer portrayed her in a bright light and shadowed her darkness. Laura's whole life was dark, she was a prostitute.
The God of Small Things
by Arundhati Roy
★
Roy lead us through a complex and twisted timeline between a large family, and politics. I believe this book was challenging to follow because I listened to it. However, sometimes it simply didn’t make sense. I often felt confused and questioned where I was in the timeline. Other times, I didn’t know who was speaking or the setting. Part of this novels notoriety is the beautiful prose, and it had some wonderful lines, but I didn’t enjoy the storytelling.
The Otherworld
by Abbie Emmons
★★★★★
Abbie Emmons is one of my favorite authors; she focuses on a character's internal conflict. She writes great plots and understands the importance of character development. I always leave her books feeling fully satisfied, and The Otherworld is no exception. I enjoyed reading about these characters and their dysfunctional family dynamics. She wrote the romance and mild love triangle with stakes. She flawlessly put us in the heads of three characters by creating unique voices. The Otherworld is a book worth reading– especially in the spring and summer!
Discourses and Selected Writings
by Epictetus
★★★★★
Epictetus' writing is inspiring and motivating. It’s a psychological outlook on the human condition and individuation. This book encourages me to live a more present and meaningful life. I loved every moment of this book.
Rock, Paper, Scissors
by Alice Feeney
★
As I mentioned, I don't read horror. I read this with my book club. Aside from the genre, the storytelling was disorganized. The author left many plot holes and created unlikable characters.
The Tender Bar: A Memoir
by J.R. Moehringer
★★★★★
This memoir holds a special place in my heart for various reasons: it’s beautifully written, relatable, and heartwarming. In this book, we follow J.R.'s life and the lessons within it. He learns how to endure life's tragedies through the people around him. Within that process, he overcomes his fears and becomes a writer. In my review, I compared this book to the movie, both are exquisitely told. They are quite different but each is worth your time.
Dear Edward
by Ann Napolitano
★
I wanted to like this book. The plot was intriguing but Napolitano’s characters were static. I felt like their emotions were unrealistic and flat. The pacing was mostly good, aside from the scenes on the plane. It pulled away from our protagonists momentum of dealing with the crash. I wanted to see the boy overcome his trauma, and I never got that. I DNF’d this book after 240 pages.
Other Birds
by Sarah Addison Allen
★★★★
Other Birds surprised me; it felt like a hidden gem. Allen understands how to write real people. The characters had beautiful and relatable truths about life woven into their backstory. It felt like she left a piece of her heart inside this story. Although the author wrote multiple characters, each voice she created was individual and unique. I never got lost in this book. The plot was suspenseful and interesting. I was satisfied after reading this book.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
by J.K. Rowling
★★★★★
I’m a HUGE fan of Rowling and her Harry Potter books because the writing and pacing are incredible. I plowed through this book, even though it's 700 pages. She never misses a beat. Reading her books is akin to listening to a song– it just flows. She knows every detail about this magical world and the characters within it. The writing is immersive, and although it's simpler prose, it's deeply philosophical.
Boundaries of the Soul: The Practice of Jung’s Psychology
by June Singer
★★★
This story was truly fascinating. I’ve researched a lot of Jung’s psychology revolutions. I craved an objective introduction before I dove into his work. Although Singer had an understanding of it, this book described a lot of her views, not the objective outlook I sought to learn. So I took it for what it was: a perspective. I discovered more about Jung's early life; he had a natural tendency to study his life and psychological responses. He was his first patient. I loved that. Singer bushes the surface of his theories and inserts her thoughts about them. It was interesting. It's a monster to ingest, well-written, paced, and organized.
The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor
by Eddie Jaku
★★★★★
This book tore open my heart and had me reflecting on mortality, it’s truly inspiring. This book taught me how resilient the human body and spirit are. Jaku's tone is conversational, I flew through this book in four hours.
Elements of Fiction
by Walter Mosley
★★
I wanted to like this book but it fell flat. I didn’t quite agree with some of Mosely’s storytelling tips. Other parts were spot on, like the overall feeling of being a writer and the general ideas. This book took me a long time to get through despite its short length. I do not recommend this book for writers because the story examples are plot-driven, not character-driven. (As you know, that ruins stories for me.) Also, his story examples were too melodramatic for my taste.
The Measure
by Nikki Erlick
★
This book is overhyped. Despite the intriguing plot about mortality, The Measure is extremely political. If you’re looking for a story with truths deeper than the contemporary political narratives, then look elsewhere. Also, the main plot is never resolved.
Divine Rivals
by Rebecca Ross
★★★★★
Ross’s writing pulled me into this story. I loved the character development, the romance, and the plot. I didn’t know until after reading this book that the plot is essentially like the film, “You’ve Got Mail”. However, Ross imbued that idea with a mild fantasy world around it, and the execution was flawless. If you love that movie and enjoy fantasy, this book is for you. It’s a duology that just released December of 2023, I will be reading it.
Five Tuesdays in Winter
by Lily King
★
This book is the reason short story collections get a bad name. The writing didn’t enchant me and the plot was over the top. If you don't do well with triggers, avoid this book. There is a major one in the first story that felt unnecessary. It seemed like shock value to me and it was honestly disturbing. I believe that if an author is going to dive into trauma, it needs to be for a reason, and it never felt like there was one. Also, the other stories weren’t much better; the plots and characters were sub-par.
Happy Place
by Emily Henry
★★★★
I read this one with my book club. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. The writing and the pacing of this story hooked me. Considering it’s a longer story, it never felt like it. I loved the romance and the plot. The ending was fulfilling. Henry did a great job putting us into the heart and head of our main characters while never losing sight of the side characters.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt
★★★★
I loved the characters and elements of magical realism in this story. It had touching insights about life and people. I listened to this book and it took me a while to get through it. I think this had to do with the large cast of characters. It can be quite the feat to introduce multiple characters while keeping your audience engaged. This book requires your full attention to keep up with, but it's worth it. The character arcs and overall story was absolutely beautiful.
Tessa and Weston: The Best Christmas Ever
by Abbie Emmons
★★★★★
Yet again, Abbie pulled us into another cozy story. This time, it came wrapped in Christmas and hot chocolate. But it wasn't fluff-- her characters faced real challenges. Tessa and Weston undergo deep emotional turmoil and internal conflict. What I love about Abbie’s writing is that she shows us how her characters get through their struggle. They always have an arc. She isn’t afraid to show us the characters' dark night, which makes the arcs so strong. I love the Tessa and Weston world Abbie created and was happy to revisit it following her debut.
Love and Other Words
by Christina Lauren
★★
This book felt like “Happy Place” but not executed as well. I had a hard time with the main character, Macy. She never dealt with anything emotional that was uncomfortable. She was the same at 12 as she was at 28. Truthfully, Elliot was too passive. He let her run over him every time-- never helped her grow out of her immaturity. It seemed like the only thing keeping them together was their history. I disliked the characters, and the plot was way over the top. This is the kind of book that exploits trauma for shock value. I wasn't a fan of this book. However, I do enjoy these authors. I had fun the previous year reading "In a Holidaze.”
X-Men: Days of Future Past
by Alex Irvine
★★★★★
I listened to this book on a road trip, and it was the PERFECT way to end the year. I loved this audio version because it was an entire production. It was like a movie in your mind. But more than that, the writing was superb! We explored the emotions and internal conflict of multiple characters without losing pacing. Everything flowed and felt whole. The world-building was flawless, everything was clear and structured. I loved everything about this. I highly recommend it!
Thank you so much for reading!
Have you read any of these books? Drop a comment below and tell me which ones you’ve enjoyed or didn’t, and why!
