the best of 2023


As I am starting this adventure towards the beginning of the year, it is appropriate to share my bookish life in the previous year. I read some outstanding books in 2023, cleaned up some TBR, found some that I was happy to see donated, and bought WAY MORE than I should have. I missed my 60 book goal, only reading 49 books. but those 49 included so many wonderful adventures. Here are my 5 star reads and a little snippet on each of them.

Widowish by Melissa Gould     Brought out many emotions for my own widowish journey and clarified just how different each person's story is.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt     Most unusual narrator ever (a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus) with a compelling story of friendship, family and growth.

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel     One of the most beautifully written post-apocalyptic stories I've ever read. The series (Amazon Prime, Max) is worth watching.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune     Found family of the highest order.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna     Another found family - seems to be my thing.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen     Botanical magic overflowing. My favorite romance of the year.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls     Overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds - family dysfunction, poverty, mental illness, addiction - to create a life for oneself. Painful and inspiring.

A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet     Best book I never heard of until my favorite bookseller (Amy) at my favorite bookstore (Dog-Eared Books in Ames) recommended it to me. Dystopian future as the world fades away.

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro      Family, memory, connection. One moment that changes lives.

Where You Once Belonged by Kent Haruf     Way into the backlist (2004) of one of my absolute favorite authors. So sad that Haruf is no longer with us to craft these beautiful, spare glimpses into life in Holt, Colorado.

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan     Heartbreaking and frighteningly possible.

The best of the rest:

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Iron Lake (#1 in Cork O'Conner series) by William Kent Krueger

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

Dark Matter: A Ghost Story by Michelle Paver

The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman

It is impossible to choose one favorite book from a year of reading. I experienced incredible literature in 2023. I narrowed it down to 5 - the 5 in bold in the list. If you've read one or more, been inspired to pick one up, I would love to talk with you about your experience. 2023 was an incredible year in my bookish life.



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