My Favorite Books of 2023

Here are My Favorite Books of 2023

(Out of the 27 that I Read)

These are the top four books that I read this year:

Life After Life by Katie Atkinson. I read two books this year that addressed the British experience during World War II (thought this book details British life from 1910- the 1960’s) but this one was excellent. Usula Todd lives the events of her life again and again. She keeps dying in various ways and has to start over again. While she doesn’t consciously remember the lessons that she has learned from her past lives, she does seem to get wiser with time and tackle some big obstacles in her life. The books was interesting, thought provoking, a even a little scary at times.

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. This book is a series of short stories with interconnected characters. Some of the stories take place in the recent past and some in the long past. Constructing what is going on is like trying to put shards of glass back together from a broken panel of glass. I came to love these character and I found myself thinking about them when at night while I was falling asleep. It is the winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan. This book is a sequel of sorts to A Visit from the Goon Squad.

I loved it. I didn’t give it five stars because I didn’t completely understand the very last pages. But that’s on me. Still. ..
I am glad that I read A Visit From the Goon Squad and The Candy House back to back or I would have forgotten who the characters were and what their back stories were.
This book is like bone with meat still on it. I chew on it in my mind in bed and during slow moments of the day.
I cried so many tears of emotion. I think Jennifer Egan plays with . . . heart . . .but she is also the master of redemption.
Pretty great. Highly recommend

Excerpt from my review of The Candy House on Goodreads.

I read a few non-fiction books this year, my favorite is

Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never Ending Battle With Stuff by Dana K. White

This is the decluttering book that I never knew that I needed. A few years ago I tried The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and while I liked it, I never really figured out how to implement it’s techniques into my own life. This book taught me practical methods for decluttering but more importantly it helped me change my mindset. I loved the Dana K. White, the author, and in the audio version of the book, she reads the book and which lends an air of authenticity to what she has to say. She is the type of person that you would want to know in real life, funny and real. I am so thankful that this book came into my life this year.

Honorable Mentions

I love the interconnecting characters of Emily St. John Mandel’s science fiction novels. I still find myself thinking about The Sea of Tranquility and Station Eleven when I walk around my town. I look forward to reading Last Night in Montreal and The Glass Hotel in 2024.

In Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin gave me insights into creativity that I might not have had otherwise. One kernel of wisdom that I have taken away from this book is that when you undertake a creative pursuit there exists a gap between what you would like to do and what you have the ability to do. This gap can cause you fall into despair and quit but the better thing to do is to keep going to make the art that you have the ability to make. Eventually, your skills will catch up to your dreams.

Book Character Who I Read The Most Books About In 2023: Lord John Grey

Lord John Grey is a secondary character in the Outlander novels by Diana Gabaldon. He was so popular with fans that Ms. Gabaldon spun him off into the main characters in his own novels. The Lord John Grey novels are usually a mix historical fiction, mystery and 18th century political intrigue. They deal with class and sexual politics of pre-Victorian England. When reading a Lord John Grey book, I sometimes lose track of exactly who Lord John’s adversaries are, but I never stop enjoying his witty internal monologues. I find the books about Lord John to be a fun escape. I haven’t read all of them yet, but I know that I will be disappointed when I eventually read all the titles about Lord John.

What is Katie Looking Forward to Reading In 2024:

In 2024, I look forward to reading the sections for the monthly book club that I attend at my local library. Our January selection is Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.

I would like to read the Lord John Grey books that I have not finished yet.

For a fun escape, I would like to read more books by Emily Henry. I read a few of her books in 2023 and they are light enough that they feel like the perfect retreat for times when life gets too heavy.

I would like to read the sequel to Life After Life by Kate Atkinson called A God in Ruins.

I keep hearing good things about a satirical book called Starter Villain by John Scalzi and the cover looks intriguing too!

What was the best thing that you read in 2023? What are you looking forward to reading in 2024? Reply in the comments section.

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