I never understood people who said they liked to read books for fun, so I set a goal of 23 books in 2023. And I……got a little carried away. I wound up with 130 books under my belt and found joy in the hobby. I’m going to give my highlights and book awards below, but feel free to find me on Goodreads and check out all the titles from this year.
Some hot tips *if* you want to read more in 24: 1.) Quit books. I gave up on 32 books and never looked back. Not every book is for everybody. If a book feels like a chore, move on. 2.) Don’t feel bad if you hate popular books. This will feel super icky if they were recommended by friends. Own it. I hated some really beloved books this year. 3.) Carry a book with you – like a NERD. 4.) Keep track of your reading – like a NERD. 5.) Ignore responsibilities and say you are busy “setting a good example” #ForTheChildren. 6.) Have at least 2-3 books going at all times: an audiobook, a physical book, and an “easier” book. 7.) Neglect your phone and TV. This isn’t said in a preachy way, but it’s obviously a time suck – and I found my mental health is doing much better with books. 8.) Cute animated covers in Target can be FILTHY (but also fun, don’t judge me). 9.) Find people that want to nerd out with you. But see #2.
10.) Use Libby or Hoopla and put things on hold at the library (or at multiple libraries if you have 4 different library cards – like a NERD). 11.) Gain momentum by switching between the audio and physical version. This will also teach you how to say character names! (Also: Audio books – when you pay attention – totally count as reading. FIGHT ME.) 12.) Switch up the genres – or not. Sometimes stick with what you know. You do you.
If you have a kid under the age of 8, ignore all of this. I think I read under 25 books total between 2012-2023. Scrolling Instagram counts as reading during that stage of life.
Happy Reading in 2024! Or not. No pressure.
Things I learned in my year of reading: 1.) You can improve your reading skills when you read more. (Yes. I am a teacher. I know this. But I *always* considered myself a slow reader until I discovered myself improving this year.) 2.) Authors love the phrase “clicked their tongue” and the word “sinewy”. 3.) Romance tropes are hilarious. I learned that I am very picky in this genre. I enjoy a good “rivals to lovers” and “oops, there’s only one bed”. I do not enjoy “Insecure Female/Big Strong Man” or “It’s a happy ending because she finds out she’s pregnant”. Fake dating is acceptable but not preferred. 4.) I cannot bring myself to like historical fiction or realistic sad fiction. I just can’t do it. You can recommend it – and I will try – but please let me escape to magical lands and sword fights and happy endings. 5.) I learned different perspectives & loved a variety of characters. 6.) There are way too many books that I want to read now.
And now a drum roll please…..
Heidi’s 2023 Book Awards!
A Quick Disclaimer I had the most fun discovering how wide the range of opinions can be about the same exact book. It’s a beautiful thing. I really tried to push my boundaries and try new things this year. That said, I will try my best to add a symbol for some basic trigger warnings for books that had significant events in the following areas:
* Graphic/Explicit/Raunchy. (See #8 above) These books still made the list, but I won’t be reading them in front of my mother anytime soon. ^ Violence or Gore. I am not a fan of blood or torture, but it’s going to sneak into plots I liked – especially fantasy and thrillers. % Other: Abuse, addiction, death, or other trauma
Books that Made Me Fall in Love with Reading Again:
A page turner with old Hollywood vibes and some twists. This was one of the first books this year to make me say “OH. THIS is why people read for fun.” *%Some of my favorite characters live in the pages of this book. Heavy handed themes about acceptance and found family, but it’s a joy and made me laugh out loud. You must be able to have a weird sense of humor to read this. %I could put this in almost every category. An absolute wild ride into escapism fantasy. I loved it and reread it before the sequel released. It was like reading a movie. Fly or Die. **^%Later, you will find that I dislike most curmudgeon books. The exception is when the grump is an octopus. This sweet book has a bit of humor and mystery. % (grief, loss)If you want a “Fourth Wing Light”, this YA Fantasy will do the trick without the sex and swears! The world-building is a crazy mix of World War 1 and Clark Kent/Lois Lane vibes. Romance but not too raunchy, suspense, and characters to love. This is also a duology, so you don’t have to commit to 15 books. *^(mild)
Favorite Series:
YA adventure, mystery, and angst. The second book gets in the weeds, but the third one is my favorite of the series. However, stick with the original trilogy. The Hawthorne Legacy was not great.Pure fun. If you want a murder mystery with humor, Finlay Donovan is the way to go. All three are pretty similar books, but I’m still excited to get the 4th one read next year!I reread the first three with my youngest, and I am thrilled to say they still held up. I even liked The Prisoner of Azkaban better this time around.Absolutely charming. If you have a nature lover that is just getting into chapter books – come meet Roz and a cheer on cast of animals. % (suspense, death)This will not be for everyone, but it fed into one of my first loves: YA Dystopian Novels. Set in a world where natural death has been completely cured but the population is still growing, lives are ended by committee. Yes, that brings up some conflict… ^
Best Fantasy/Science Fiction:
Do you want to be bored but in a curious and hypnotic kind of way? This short novel about a man living in a maze was weirdly delicious – and it was like reading a poem that you could picture. Super interesting.Pirates of the Caribbean meets 24. The main character is super unpleasant – but the heist where you don’t know who to trust is great adventure. However, the second book in the duology is no fun at all. ^%A short and super calm book where a robot helps a monk reevaluate the meaning of life. My first main character with they/them pronouns. This book was a cute little hug. The sequel was not nearly as charming.
Best Romance:
A romance book with non-toxic characters? Yes, please. While you have to stomach the tension of “Oops. My husband didn’t actually die and I moved on” plot, this was a great page turner. * %(grief)Cheesy? Yes. But sometimes you just need cheese. I read all the Emily Henry books available this year, and this one was my favorite. Gotta love some sexual tension and small towns. **A slow start, but a lovely trio of women star in this book. A story of family and love, I just wanted to hug this book at the end. *
Best Thrillers/Mysteries:
This was a fun whodunit and girl-on-the-run vibe. Julie Clark was a nice change up from my other comfort thrillers: Thift Store John Grisham Books.Along the same lines as Finlay Donovan, it’s all the funny mystery without the suspense. This was cute.Stolen identities and revenge. Huzzah! % (sexual assault)
Best Nonfiction/Memoir:
The author’s voice is clear and matter-of-fact in this tragic but fascinating memoir. It is uncomfortable but she is able to tell her story in an amazing way. I couldn’t put it down. & (abuse, eating disorder) Wow. A friend recommended this and I learned so much. A blend of science and human interest stories, this book tells about how one woman’s cancer cells created an entire scientific industry. It is a shocking history of medical research and consent. % (poverty, cancer, racism, abuse)If you like Leslie Jones, this is pretty much as honest and real as it gets. She just puts it all out there. % (language, abuse, racism, abortion, trauma)
Popular or Recommended Books that I Didn’t Like at All:
People seem to love or loathe this book, and I was in the latter. It’s a story of friendship – kind of? But it’s a pretty toxic (and boring) relationship, and the book weaves in modern day issues that seem to be checking off boxes instead of being a natural part of the story. I barely got through this. %I’m glad I did not love the first one so I don’t feel committed to the entire Sarah J. Maas universe. I know as a Millennial woman, I’m supposed to think this is sexy and amazing. However, I felt nothing toward the main characters and the back 30% is torture and gore. Ew. *^% Once again, I was supposed to love this. It’s on all the lists. I was so bored. If you like rowing, science, cooking shows, and characters that don’t show emotion, this book is for you! My favorite character was the dog – and I barely liked the dog. % (grief, attempted sexual assault)Suicidal alcoholic kind of makes a friend. %Suicidal curmudgeon kind of makes a friend. %Successful woman can’t believe anyone finds her attractive. *
Crazy Endings or Intense Cliffhangers (No Spoilers!):
I have never laughed so hard at the ending of a book. Mr. Popper is the ultimate villain or the ultimate hero – I haven’t decided yet.I have still not recovered. The ending to Fourth Wing is gasp-worthy. The ending to Iron Flame is torture. Looks like we get to wait another year to resolve this one! **^%It’s rare that I like a sequel more than the original. This one had less violence and more politics, so it is slower until it’s NOT. You know the ending is ridiculous when you immediately want to pick up a 600+ page third book to see what’s next. ^%
Woah. That was Weird:
The honor of Weirdest Book of the Year. It is sci-fi bordering on horror and……..just…..nope! But somehow, I had to finish it. ^%Another attempt to like Neil Gaiman books. I’m really trying! I liked the beginning and the end. The middle was super random and sprinkled in a little torture. ^%Yay! Magical books! Also….blood and murder? This one might as well have been called “Oops! All twists!” It’s a good one to cuddle up to with Halloween vibes, but it was definitely weird. %
Honorable Mention for Books/Authors that Helped Me Read this Year:
If you want quick, charming reads, I really enjoyed this book and A Shoe Story. I look forward to reading more of her work.I loved Taylor Jenkins Reid’s universe. Cameos of her characters popped up in other books and her writing paints people in such honesty. Daisy Jones and the Six felt like a real documentary. However, I really hated the TV adaptation. & (drugs)I read all the Emily Henry books and this was my second favorite. The cover is very misleading. It’s kind of beach adjacent. **Ali Hazelwood is hit or miss for me, but this one was my favorite. It’s…um…..explicit. Even though the characters are dumb dumbs in love – they are smart in their careers, and I kind of like any character that is called a “STEMinist”. Ha! **TJ Klune is another author that was all over the place for me. Under the Whispering Door was awful and this one was uncomfortable but delightfully weird. However, he makes me laugh and I like his writing, so I will just call him intriguing.After seeing Ruth Ware’s name everywhere (I mean, it’s the largest author font you can get), I decided to try out a thriller. This one was only okay for me, but it made me want to read her other books – which is high praise! ^%
Thanks for coming along on this ride of 2023 with me! I’m excited to continue this hobby in the new year. Let me know if you have any recommendations – but remember #2 from above. My opinions are many and vary wildly. Ha! Happy Reading in 2024!
