Reading is my absolute favorite activity! I was able to read over 90 books this year. And while this number may shock some of you {or not impress you!} reading is the activity that I spend most of my free time doing. I always have multiple books going – one on my Kindle, one hardback, and one audiobook.
I don’t have the patience to find something to watch on TV, I am not outdoorsy {except to pick up my packages!}, so reading is basically my hobby!
So even if you only have time to read one or two of these books in the coming year, I hope you find something you’ll love!
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As I sifted through all the books I read in 2023 over on Goodreads, I noticed a trend in my reading: I love fiction and I love a good HEA {which I learned in 2023 is an acronym for “happy ever after” 🤣
So charge up those Kindles and add these books to your wishlist! Btw, I treated myself to a Kindle Oasis during Prime Day and I absolutely LOVE it! It has the backlight {which is necessary when snuggling into bed and reading!} and has buttons to turn the page! The page orientation also “flips” so you can prop it up against a pillow as you rest your head – no matter which side you sleep on. It’s the little things, friends!
Zero Prep Math Centers
My Favorite Thrillers & Mysteries
Frieda McFadden
2023 was the year I discovered the psychological world of Frida McFadden. I loved Never Lie, The Inmate, and The Coworker. My goodness – what a twisted world she writes – ha! Most of her titles are available on Kindle Unlimited. KU is a great deal if you like to find new authors to discover and pay a flat fee.
The Takedown
I’m cheating by calling The Takedown a thriller because it light thriller mixed with a rom-com. Sydney Swift is in the CIA and she’s been avoiding her family for years. She comes home because her sister is engaged to a known mob boss and Sydney is determined to make sure her baby sister doesn’t marry into that family!
The Island of Lost Girls
I belong to a few monthly book clubs. One of my favorites is from The Book Drop. Each month the booksellers at Bethany Beach Books curate a title {that’s a surprise} and mail it to you. I’ll be honest – I would rarely pick the books they send me but I have never been disappointed by one of the titles sent to me!
The Island of Lost Girls was a book sent to me in the summer from The Book Drop. It took me a few months to pick it up, but once I did, I could not put it down. It’s set on a fictional island that is colonized. It tells the story of what happens when modern wonders appear on this island. It is beautifully written and heartbreaking.
The Personal Assistant
People love to follow Alex on social for her amazing life. But when one nasty post goes viral, Alex is scrambling to do damage control! In this day in age, people are so quick to judge. This book had me thinking of how fast things can spread on social media…and what the lasting effects can be.
Bright Young Women
This was the first book I read in 2023 and I thought about it long after. It’s told between two points of view, in two time frames. The characters intersect throughout the story and it’s very well written!
you get into the story, you will be hooked. And as with any good thriller…just wait till the end!
My Favorite Fiction Books – Heavier Reads
Hang on…I’ve got a long list for this!
Lessons in Chemistry
So, I am definitely late to the party on this book! This book was absolutely phenomenal and probably one of my favorite reads of the year! It is crazy to think of how women were {and in many professions are!} treated! It’s quirky, funny, and you find yourself cheering for Elizabeth {and all the characters!} till the very end.
I did see that they came out with a TV series on this book too – I may have to check that out soon!
Demon Copperhead
WOW!!! Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead won the Pulitzer Prize for good reason. This is one of the most beautifully written novels I’ve ever experienced.
I listened to this book on Libro.fm and I would highly recommend taking the time to listen instead of read. It’s 560 pages {so it doubles as a doorstop!} and 21+ hours to read! However, when I listen to any books I always speed up the reader so it cuts it down!
I love libro.fm – they sell audiobooks and give the profits to your local bookstore. You can buy a monthly membership or buy a book as you want to “read” it.
The narrator was absolutely perfect for this heartbreaking novel. Another book worth all the hype!
One Month of You
One Month of You was another Book Drop surprise. I was worried this book {about a woman who knows she has a fatal disease so avoids falling in love!} was going to depress me. Nope – it entertained and made me think deeply of the time we all have on this earth.
Notes on an Execution
This was another book I picked up long after its hype! It was SO good! Ansel is scheduled to die in 12 hours and he’s crafted a plan to make sure it doesn’t happen. The story is told by the women who were wronged by Ansel. Such a unique writing style and I found that I could not put this one down! I thought a lot about this book long after I finished it.
My Favorite Fiction Books – “Light” Reads
Lots of books fall into my “light” reads. Light reads can be read while sitting at a stoplight {yep, I’ll pull out my kindle!} during Silent Reading in the classroom {yep, I read right alongside my class!} or as your eyes are about to fall out of your head because you’re just exhausted!
Basically, any plot where people take off their clothes or fall in love {and perhaps both in the same story – ha!} falls into my “light reads” category. They are books where you don’t really have to think too much! It’s a bonus when a book is part of a series because I feel like I’m visiting with some old friends from book to book. Anyone else?
The Five Star Weekend
If you’ve read any of my other reading lists, you’ll know that I am obsessed with Elin HIldebrand books! She writes about Nantucket and it truly is as magical as she describes on the pages of her novels!
The Five Star Weekend is a very special Elin book for me because I am featured in its pages! Yep, I first show up on page 85 🙂 I won an auction a few years ago and the prize was to have your name featured as a character in the book! Cool, right?!
This book was fun {but will never live up to 28 Summers – even if this book features yours truly!}
She is writing her final Nantucket novel in the year 2024 and I am beside myself!
Don’t Forget to Write
I love that this book is written by a high-school teacher who writes at night and on weekends away from her classroom! It’s laugh-out-loud funny and is set in a simpler time. I found myself so sad to turn the final page!
The Seven Year Slip
Do not let the time-travel premise of The Seven Year Slip turn you off from reading this book. It is a magical novel! And if you read The Dead Romantics, there’s a cameo of a couple of familiar characters. I love it when authors do that!
A few other notable books I read:
• Fourth Wing {OBSESSIVELY read this book in the summer!}
• Meant to Be Series {a PG book series spin on Disney princesses}
• Part of Your World {with a fabulous sequel, Yours Truly}
Need some suggestions? Go check out #luckyreads on Instagram or find me on Goodreads.
Have any suggestions for me? Leave a comment and let me know what your favorite book of 2023 was!
One Response
I LOVED Fourth Wing!! It launched me into Fantasy again and I can’t wait to start Iron Flame! I also loved Never Lie (I actually just finished it and couldn’t put it down!) My friends got me into Freida McFadden this year and I love her!!