HAPPY NEW YEAR! I decided to do Jamie @ Perpetual Page Turner's End of Year Book Survey this year, although I found it through That Artsy Reader Girl's blog.
2023 Reading Stats
Number of books you read: 60
Number of re-reads: 0
Number of books you DNFed: 1
Most read genre: Mystery/Thriller
Number of new-to-you authors you discovered: 30, though I'm not sure I'd read more from all of them again.
Firsts and Lasts
First book you read: The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell
Last book you read: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie
First 2023 release you read: On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel
Best In Books
Firestarter by Stephen King (wait for it - this is going to be the answer to a lot of these questions!)
Stephen King is definitely my favorite fiction writer and he is at his best when he is writing about children and writers. Probably this is because he was a teacher - an excellent teacher they say, and because he is obviously an excellent writer. So I had contemplated re-reading Later - which is an amazing book - and instead I read this classic I had never gotten around to reading. Why did I wait so long??
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly. To be fair, this was not a bad book. There were things about it that I loved. I just wanted more of the magic than the day-to-day I ended up with.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel was not what I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be more of a thriller and it was really more literary and much, much more sad and slightly depressing.
4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
5. Best first book in a series you started in 2023. Best sequel of 2023. Best series ender of 2023.
The Outsider by Stephen King was one of the only books in a series that I read this year. It was the sequel to Mr. Mercedes and it was decent. I know a lot of people are really enthralled by this series, but compared to the other books I read by Mr. King this year (Firestarter, The Institute, and Billy Summers), this book was a little lackluster.
6. Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2023:
Update: 1st Place: Jessica Knoll (already added everything she's ever written to my TBR)
2nd Place:Victor Lavalle (Lone Women) or Dann McDorman (West Heart Kill) or Sophie Cousens (The Good Part)
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
All That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor or No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister - Both short story collections. I generally avoid short stories, but I did read a few story anthologies this year. Island Rule was another short story collection that was very good and I read a short story by Agatha Christie and Charlotte Perkins Gillman. Not as good as The Yellow Wallpaper, but I do love that even in such a short story she really gave me a feel for the time period and had good dialogue.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
Firestarter by Stephen King or The Institute by Stephen King. Although I'm currently reading Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll and it is pretty awesome so far. Honestly, could push some of these other books right out of the way for favorite book, favorite cover, favorite new-to-me author, etc. But I'm trying to temper my excitement - I've been let down before. I'll keep you posted... (Update: It was AMAZING!)
9. Book you read in 2023 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
The only books I re-read are Harry Potter and Stephen King. I don't think I'd re-read anything so soon after having read it though, it's usually several years later that I re-read books. There are just so many good books out there!
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
11. Most memorable character of 2023:
Charlie McGee in Firestarter by Stephen King or Grace in The Comeback by Ella Berman.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2023:
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister or Inferno by Dante - I know technically it should be Inferno, I mean it is a classic, but I started out with a translation I didn't like and had to switch part way through.
13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2023:
Why We're Catholic by Trent Horn. I knew most of the stuff in this book because I am a convert and I researched the religion extensively before joining the Church. However, as my husband is converting, I thought this book provided a lot of straight forward answers to questions he has asked me. I don't know that it works for someone who is not already Protestant or leaning toward the faith because a lot of the answers had to do with evidence found in the Bible and I've heard that as a criticism. I'm also reading Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and I'd say that book is more thought-provoking for sure. He has some beautiful meditations at the beginning. I haven't finished it though as it is such a heavy read, so I'm not sure if it counts for 2023?
Update: Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll was definitely thought provoking about women's rights and in general, the way women are treated. It was very well done. Infuriatingly... heartbreakingly... thought provoking.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2023 to finally read:
Firestarter by Stephen King. It was published in 1980.
15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2023:
"There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy" - Dante
16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2023:
The Talisman by Stephen King is 656 pages (and it felt like it). The Giant Wistaria by Charlotte Perkins Gillman is a short story and is 12 pages.
17. Book that shocked you the most:
Um? I am not easily shocked. I love it when I am shocked, but most of the time I see the end coming. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins had a pretty good twist that I didn't 100% see coming anyway.
18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman - Modern-day woman falling in love with Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlett Letter.
19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
The two sisters in On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel. A heartbreaking relationship.
20. Favorite book you read in 2023 from an author you’ve read previously:
Firestarter or The Institute by Stephen King. Billy Summers was also very good.
21. Best book you read in 2023 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
Why We're Catholic by Trent Horn. It was given to all the staff at my school and I think it's probably the only book I read SOLELY because of a recommendation. I usually do the recommending.
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2023:
Jesus 😂 in All About Advent by Kate Bogner. Really though I don't do romance much so most of the men in the books I read pretty well suck and make me grateful for my own husband.
23. Best 2023 debut you read:
It was a debut, but came out in 2020: The Comeback by Ella Berman
24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman. The time period was my favorite part of this book!
25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens
26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2022:
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens and The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
27. Hidden gem of the year:
The Bones of the Story by Carol Goodman. I don't know if it is necessarily a "hidden gem," but it was a book I definitely had a fun time reading - reminding me how much I love the dark academia genre. And it had relatively few ratings and reviews.
28. Most unique book you read in 2023:
Firestarter maybe? or The Institute by Stephen King. The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman was also unique.
39. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
Originally I thought of: The Lodge by Sue Watson. All the characters in that book were completely infuriating. Nothing redeeming - I hated the husband and his new wife. I hated that they were in the same profession that I am and were so self-centered and cavalier about having sex at work?? It's a school.
However, One of the Good Guys and Bright Young Women have both made me mad in a much more long-term, unresolvable way.
Looking Ahead in 2024
1. Book you are most anticipating in 2024 (non-debut):
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
I love Rachel Hawkins. The Villa is one of my absolute favorites and I definitely enjoyed The Heiress this year. Also, I haven't read it yet, but I am pretty excited about Stephen King's You Like it Darker.
2. 2024 debut you are most anticipating:
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown
3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2024:
Um? I don't know of any sequels coming out in 2024 that I have read the first book for. I have been meaning to read The Maid and I know there's a sequel to that, but again, there's so many books to read! I have a hard time doing series.
4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2024?
I would like to read 100 books in 2024. I made it to 60 this year, but I usually get in hyper-prep mode right before the school year begins and then when I direct the Christmas play at school, so I slack in my reading during those times and never seem to make it up. Hopefully this is the year!
Your turn!
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