Happy New Year, friends! Not to dredge up the past, but I wanted to take a few moments to share my top reads from 2023 with you today. I hope you’ll allow me a few moments to look back upon my year of reading and share what I loved as well as what I want out of my 2024 reading year.
This year’s list is not sorted by genre, but rather combined. While I do like the idea of sorted lists by genre for easy perusal, I think it also lacks in demonstrating that reading a blend of genres can be immensely enjoyable. Yes, these books are all doing different things but when I think about my top books for the year, I am largely considering my overall reading experience. All books I enjoyed as audio are notated.
Without further ado, here are my top reads of 2023.
My Top 12 Books of 2023
Lila & Theron by Bill Schubert - an engrossing story of a couple living in the rural foothills of the Green Mountain State. Paying homage to the rural culture and Vermont sensibilities, this book would also work well for those who find resonance with the works of Wendell Berry.
Beyond That The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash - transportive historical fiction (with hints of beach fic) about a British evacuee who finds a home in America during WWII and the ripple effects that happen because of it. Good for those looking for WWII fiction that finds new ground to trod.
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall - contemporary love story that leans into the opposites attract trope, this is everything I want out of a romance—smart writing, electric chemistry, plenty of humor, and so many swoon-worthy scenes.
Portrait of an Unknown Lady by Maria Ganzia - an intriguing, loosely plotted novel, this time with commentary on the art world and the nature of forgery. I still think about this one a lot and look forward to rereading it.
Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry - pastoral in every sense, Berry paints the landscapes and people of the imagined Port William clearly so they are vividly felt while offering thoughtful commentary on the environment, progress, and society with his prose.
Wildoak by C.C. Harrington (🎧) - a heartwarming coming-of-age story about a misunderstood girl, an abandoned snow leopard, and the importance of being good stewards of the earth.
Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi - masterful writing with every sentence, this slim tome deftly explores a young woman’s grief as she navigates her way through new adulthood and begins to understand her desires.
Maame by Jessica George - stunning debut novel full of honesty and heart that leans into interrogating modern issues including dating relationships and the workplace, spirituality and its effect on familial structures, and the nature of caretaking.
The Vunerables by Sigrid Nunez - a brilliant and meditative novel with almost no plot, set during the early days of the pandemic. Come for the insightful commentary on issues like class, the state of the world, the novel, and hope—stay for the literary references.
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus - a comforting read that wraps you up in a warm hug, this is a story about three orphaned children who are evacuated to the British countryside during WWII with plenty of challenges to face and a lovely librarian who looks out for them. (I’m the inspo for her, right?!)
When All is Said by Anne Griffin (🎧) - this endearing read about a man’s life told through five speeches given from the seat of a hotel bar in one night will have you in tears by the last pages. Full of heartbreaking moments that are buoyed by the narrator’s wit and humor, a novel about love and our limitations as humans.
The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischwili - spanning the Red Century, this epic tome tells the history of the country of George through the eyes of its people during the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. When I shared about this book earlier this year, I wrote, “Strongly felt, richly imagined, grounded in the human spirit, and meticulously plotted, I doubt I will love a book more this year.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
My Hopes for 2024
Looking back at my year of reading in 2023, I wish I was able to find more time to read. Ever so slowly, I am building my capacity to listen to audiobooks and retain the information. I’m also getting better at finding what books work well for me. Memoirs are a sure-fire hit for audio listening, and I’m learning what fiction translates well to audio. I think being able to pepper in audiobooks for car rides to work, completing housework, or working on a knitting project will be helpful and keep me feeling fulfilled in my reading life.
That being said, I’m also becoming more and more aware of how finite my time is and while I’m not concerned about racking up a large number of books read (which often leaves me feeling burnt out), I do want to spend less time on books that are poorly constructed. I am all for reading books you don’t love because I think reading books you don’t love can be great, but I also need them to hold enough weight to give me something to grapple with during my reading experience. Some books are just bad and not always worth the torture of 300+ pages.
There are some books I want to check off my reading list this year including, Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond, Wellness by Nathan Hill, Family Meal by Bryan Washington, and Fellowship Point by Alice Elliot Dark. If I’m lucky enough, I may even get to make my way through the Emily of New Moon series by L.M. Montgomery and a long overdue reread of Little Women. That’s my castle in the air.
Extra Favorites of the Year
Here are just a couple of other favorites of the year.
Favorite Music Albums: Love by Jake Wesley Rogers, Pluto by Jake Wesley Rogers, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan
Favorite TV: Great British Baking Show, Only Murders in the Building, Abbott Elementary
Favorite Knitting Patterns: Felix Pullover by Savory Knitting, Woodland Jumper by Bluebird Pine Shop
Thanks for following along with me this year over here on my Substack! As I shared in my last newsletter post, my newsletter will be quiet for a little bit as I transition to my new job. In the meantime, I hope you all find plenty of good books to read in 2024. I’ll be back soon.