As has become an annual tradition, I’m sharing here my favorite books from the past year. As you’ll see, these constitute an eclectic mix of topics and styles. Some are heavy non-fiction, others are light-hearted comedy or romance, and there’s nearly everything in between.
For me, books often provide an escape, allowing me to immerse myself in an entertaining story that fully captures my attention. At other times, books teach me, make me think, or inspire me. Great authors are true magicians – whose words often stay with us long after we finish reading them.
Reading remains one of my very favorite past times. Sometimes, when I’m in the middle of a book, I can hardly wait to get back to it. I’ll often read a few pages on my phone while waiting in the supermarket checkout line. I’ll sneak in my headphones to listen to an audiobook when watching my son’s baseball game. If I’m immersed in an unputdownable book, I’ll stay up far too late getting to the end. It’s not unusual for me to get a book hangover – when I can’t stop thinking about the stories and the characters. And – yes – I’ve had to expand my bookshelves to store them all.
My TBR (“to be read”) list continues to grow. Often, I’ll see a book review that intrigues me or jump on recommendations from a friend. I love discovering a new-for-me author and reading every other book she has written (this year I did this with Kristin Harmel and Katherine Center, among others). Sometimes I’ll find a genre or theme that captures my attention and read other books like it.
While I haven’t had any trouble finding books to read or the motivation to read them (quite the opposite!), I know many find value in reading challenges. Challenges are a fun way to expose readers to authors or books they might not otherwise try. The 52 Week Club challenges participants to read 52 books from 52 different categories in 52 weeks. In the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge, readers choose one book starting with each letter of the alphabet. There are reading challenges that suit all tastes: one for people who like cats and mysteries (The Purrfect Reading Challenge), one for those who enjoy learning about different destinations (The Book Voyage Reading Challenge), and even a Scavenger Hunt Reading Challenge (e.g., “read a book with an orange cover” or “read a book with weather in the title”).
Book clubs are another source of reading inspiration and camaraderie. There are many different types – online or in person, hosted in libraries or coffee shops or living rooms. Styles vary, from formal college-seminar-like discussions to casual gatherings with wine and snacks. Various reading group guides provide thought-provoking questions to stimulate discussions. I see the appeal and am thinking about starting a book club in 2024, and I’m eager to learn from those who have done it successfully.
I’ve found it difficult to narrow down this year’s book list. So, here are a few dozen of my favorite reads from 2023:
Laugh-Out-Loud Funny
- Romantic Comedy (by Curtis Sittenfeld) – What an unadulterated joy listening to this audiobook featuring the quick wit of the writers on a fictitious sketch comedy show.
- The Celebrants (by Steven Rowley) – This funny book about college friends who make a pact to leave nothing unsaid is surprisingly touching.
- Going Rogue (by Janet Evanovich) – Book #29 in the hilarious Stephanie Plum series didn’t disappoint. Audiobook narrator Lorelai King makes this a super fun listen.
Powerful Insights
- Next! The Power of Reinvention for Life and Work (by Joanne Lipman) – Inspiring stories of people who have made successful career pivots – like James Patterson who transitioned from successful ad executive (he created the “I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid” jingle) to best-selling novelist.
- Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (by Annie Duke) – An intriguing premise that quitting is integral to success, presented with examples where people quit “too late” and guidance to make us all less terrible quitters.
- Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know (by Adam Grant) – A thoughtful and data-based treatise on the importance of “rethinking” and embracing the joy of being wrong.
Historical Fiction
- The First Ladies (by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray) – An unlikely and touching friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune.
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (by Kim Michele Richardson) – I hadn’t known about the blue-skinned people of Kentucky and appreciated this story of a fierce protagonist committed to bringing the joy of books to the Appalachian community.
- The Book of Lost Names (by Kristin Harmel) – Ingenious forgers helped thousands of children escape persecution during the Holocaust. This is one of several touching Holocaust books by Harmel.
Beach Reads
- The Breakaway (by Jennifer Weiner) – Weiner’s annual summer read was as engrossing as ever. This one was ostensibly about a bike trip through New York State, but is really about empowerment, body image, friendship, and family.
- Happy Place (by Emily Henry) – With a somewhat trite premise, the book is full of witty banter and interesting characters that make it a fun, quick read.
- The Hotel Nantucket (by Elin Hilderbrand) – Breezy storylines, intriguing characters, set on beautiful Nantucket Island. Classic Hilderbrand.
Unforgettable
- Mad Honey (by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan) – Riveting and powerful with a twist I didn’t see coming.
- This Is How It Always Is (by Laurie Frankel) – So thoughtfully written, it opened my eyes and made me think about parenting, secrets, and community.
- Cloud Cuckoo Land (by Anthony Doerr) – With multiple stories on different timelines, I struggled to follow for a bit but was wowed when it all came together.
Women in STEM and Business
- The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science (by Kate Zernike) – A fascinating and disturbing look at the discrimination that brilliant women scientists at MIT continued to face as recently as 1999 and their courage and perseverance.
- Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley (by Emily Chang) – A biting look into the toxic, aggressive, misogynistic culture in tech’s Silicon Valley.
- When Women Lead: What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, How We Can Learn from Them (by Julia Boorstin) – Inspiring stories of female business leaders that highlight their unique strengths and superpowers.
Romance
- Hello Stranger (by Katherine Center) – When the protagonist, a portrait artist, suffers from prosopagnosia (face blindness), things go awry. With quirky characters, great chemistry, and sweet humor, this was a fun read and got me started on a Katherine Center binge.
- Love On the Brain (by Ali Hazelwood)– Hazelwood’s “STEMinist rom-coms” fit the bill for this science nerd. Full of smart, female scientists, credible science jargon, and a glimpse at the world of academic science, all her books are entertaining, quick reads.
- The True Love Experiment (by Christina Lauren) – A fun follow-up to last year’s entertaining The Soulmate Equation, the characters are intriguing, the plot fun, and the pace fast.
Thoughtful Guidance
- Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (by Anne Lamott) – A truly beautiful, inspirational, and entertaining read full of sage advice.
- Daily Rituals: How Artists Work (by Mason Currey) – A small book packed with stories of the quirky fetishes and innovative practices of various famous novelists, painters, and scientists.
- It. Goes. So. Fast. The Year of No Do-Overs (by Mary Louise Kelly) – Super relatable for me, the author describes her struggle to balance a demanding job with her role as parent and the different choices she made in the pivotal “final year” with her oldest child at home.
I look forward to hearing your book recommendations!
