Wow, 41 books in my 2023 Goodreads goal of 40! I read a lot of cookbooks, and whatever happened to be on the library display shelf and I could quickly grab while hurrying to the 3yo’s clarion call from the other side of the room. Here’s my complete 2023 reading list; I’ve summarized the top 7 and lowest 3 below.
BEST
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine ArdenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Spectacular. Haunting evocative description of the merciless landscape. A coming of age in non-trope-y ways. Complex characters. I tore through this.
(Future note: the second and third books are just as good! What an incredible series!
Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community: Eight Essays by Wendell BerryMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Prescient, written in 1993 with as much application today as then. Much to say on conversation, supporting local, Christian hypocrisy and the role of government limited to what the small community can do to hold the individual accountable. Marriage is a bedrock of community. A perhaps unpopular concept, but powerful when applied.
Book Lovers by Emily HenryMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Delightfully zingy dialogue. A couple of unique twists inside a formulaic HEA.
Anyone by Charles SouleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. Could not put this down. Fascinating, with great implications that the author really thought thru. Kept you guessing the whole way.
Perelandra by C.S. LewisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Exceptional. What a unique retelling of the nascent couple— if only our Eve had had such noble interference! Delightful details.
A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel KayMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Marvellous :) a master storyteller. It does take a little getting into… letting the names wash over you before they finally stuck. A history-heavy beginning. But very engaging with great characters and some very clever bits at the end. Might read again (which would make it 5 stars)— but definitely recommend.
I Hope This Finds You Well: Poems by Kate BaerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Startlingly poignant. She has a gift of seeing beyond the surface.
WORST
(IMHO, ok? If you disagree, comment below)
Artemis by Andy WeirMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
So much welding. So much sarcasm, and what felt like an unrealistic female POV. Weird that she didn’t have any female friends, but all the villains / characters she didn’t like were female. Not that that can’t work, but there was zero mention of this weird dynamic. It feels like a regurgitation of The Martian, but the author ought to have applied SOME character development from beginning to end. If it was there, I didn’t see it.
The saving grace was quick pace and nerdy details in a unique setting.
Fairest by Gail Carson LevineMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a prime case study in “make sure your MC is likeable”. Aza is detestably self-pitying. She doesn’t seek agency in the story; it often feels passive, except for her tortured attempts to become more beautiful. The love interest is highly implausible, developing rapidly with little substance. I feel this concept could have been executed much more strongly. While the “singing kingdom” idea is unique, I fear it is difficult to translate well on the page, when one’s kingdom is at stake and everyone is trilling and tweeting away. You can skip this one.
Make Thrift Mend: Stitch, Patch, Darn, Plant-Dye & Love Your Wardrobe by Katrina RodabaughMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I really really had hoped for more. Perhaps 5 years ago, this book could have been the approachable glimpse into how to start all the hobbies I’ve been dabbling in: mending, dyeing, repurposing.
But it’s not extensive, or even original. There are far better resources. So I would recommend perhaps for a beginner.