My Year in Books | 2023

My reading continues to be eclectic and fun. I find joy in discovering new favorites and discussing books with friends. This was the year I fell for Ann Patchett, encountered my first Stephen King, and completed a sampling of graphic novels. It was also by and large the year of the audiobook as I was completely won over by the format! I'm sharing some fun stats and my 5-star ranked reads for the year -- all 25 of them!!

Highlights: 
- 68% female author 
- 40% nonfiction 
- 31% BIPOC author
- 5% 2023 releases
- Listened to over 35 books on audio
- Read over 12 graphic novels 
- Read one play
- Went to West Seattle's Silent Book Club for the first time
- Went to two Seattle Art & Lectures events (Ann Patchett and Tom Hanks)
- Continued my personalized monthly prompts, and attendance in multiple Book Clubs :) 
- Read 13/16 books on my initial reading list for the year

My subjective 5-star ratings are based on how much I enjoyed the reading/listening experience, which is usually a direct correlation with how enthralled I was by the writing/language. How much the story and themes stick with me, and how enthusiasticly I recommend to others helped determine my top 5 favorites. 

FAVORITE FICTION

#5 A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin🎧
regency romance // fun, for Austen fans

#4 Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

literary pandemic story // sweet, for theater-lovers

#3 Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid🎧
historical fiction // mesmerizing, full-cast audio

#2 Rules of Civility by Amor Towles🎧
historical fiction // glamorous, engaging

#1 True Grit by Charles Portis🎧

classic western // funny, memorable 

FAVORITE NONFICTION
#5 The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green🎧
essays // informative, uplifting

#4 Nobody Will Tell you This But Me by Bess Kalb
memoir // touching, unique

#3 This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett🎧
essays // literary, insightful

#2 The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel

biography true crime // jaw-dropping, fascinating

#1 A Heart that Works by Rob Delaney🎧
memoir // emotional, heartfelt 

ADDITIONAL FAVORITES
101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith🎧
kid lit // lovable, quirky

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken
memoir // sad, heartbreaking

DUCKS Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

graphic memoir // distinctive, bleak

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe🎧

historical fiction // lyrical, coming of age

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl🎧

kid litt // zany, imaginative

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White🎧

kid lit // enjoyable, soothing

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett 🎧
literary fiction // character-driven, sprawling

Maus I & II by Art Spiegelman
graphic memoir // harrowing, important 

Positive Discipline for Preschoolers by Jane Nelsen parenting // helpful, practical

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

graphic memoir // stunning, poignant

The Long Answer by Anna Hogeland🎧

literary fiction // motherhood, reflective

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead🎧
historical fiction // eye-opening, hard

The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
poetry // academic, rhythmic

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

graphic memoir // historical, educational

Untamed by Glennon Doyle🎧
memoir // open, indulgent 

My Year in Books | 2022

morphing into an audiobook glutton,

- SJW