What I read: The 2023 End of the Year Book Roundup

I read about 141 books last year. My previous year roundups are:

• Year 2022 (144 books)
• Year 2021 (249 books)
• Year 2020 (217 books)
• Year 2019

I have them all under this category: What I read (Yearly Roundups – The Best of).

I like to read food, history, mystery, style/fashion, and lifestyle. I no longer really read many money books as they all say the same thing these days.

BOOK COUNT FOR THE YEAR: 141

• January: 4
• February: 29
• March: 21
• April: ??
• May: ??
• June:??
• July:??
• August: ??
• September: ??
• October: ?? 
• November: 69 books – Life got away from me, so I listed all the April to November books here.
• December: 18

WHAT I RECOMMEND from 2023

CHICK-LIT

The Bridgerton series : I watched the TV series first but then read all the books

The Bridgerton series spinoffs: ALL of them. From all the little family offshoots… everything

League of Extraordinary Women series : Excellent heroines based in late 19th century England

Book Lovers

Twice in a Blue Moon

MONEY & BUSINESS BOOKS

Let my people go surfing : Story of Patagonia, and the values of Yves Chouinard.

Psychology of Money : Excellent book on money and personal finances

Shopping, Seduction and Selfridge’s : The Story of Selfridge’s

MEMOIRS

Blonde : Memoir of Marilyn Monroe

Spare : Who didn’t read the memoir of Prince Harry?

One of them : Shaneel Lal’s story of growing up LGBTQ. It is painful and heart-wrenching.

Harem Behind the Veil : How harems worked in the past, the poltics, the intrigue

American Dreamer : Tommy Hilfiger

Matilda : Empress, Queen, Warrior

NON-FICTION

Work Matters : On working parents and the effects on children

She has her mother’s laugh : On DNA and genes

Outlive – Medicine 3.0 : An excellent look at life and healthcare

Ikigai – Japanese secret to long life : Basically, don’t eat too much meat, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, exercise, keep in touch with people, have a purpose..

The Spy who couldn’t spell : Really making you question everything they’ve been telling you at the end…

Feng-Shui Modern : I love Cliff Tan’s videos and tips on how to make your home feel comfortable. His book helps a lot!

Really Good, Actually : On divorce at a young age

FICTION

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister : When fairytales get turned on their heads

Jacqueline in Paris : Fictional memoir of Jacqueline Bouvier (Kennedy)

American Gods : Even more relevant today than before it is more about society and what people worship.

Babel – The necessity of violence : Again, so relevant in today’s times and eerily prescient.

An American Marriage

Before I do : A wonderful introspective into what it means to choose someone & destiny

Fly away Home : All the different angles of infidelity and cheating

The Heart’s Invisible Furies : What the LGBTQ had to endure in such a poignant story

Little Fires Everywhere : Surprisingly engrossing. I had low expectations and this turned out great.

FANTASY

Blood & Ash series

Shadow and Bone series

Six of Crows duology

King of Scars series

The Queen’s Price

Flesh & Fire series

THRILLERS

The Last Mrs. Parrish

Every Last Lie

The Guest

The Last Thing He Told Me

Silent Patient

One by One

When the lights go out

MURDER MYSTERIES

Electra McDonnell series

Amory Ames series

Death On/At The Series by Robin Paige : Easy, fun, cosy murder mysteries.

CSI Reilly Steel series : More modern, still as good.

FAQ

How do I read so quickly?

I don’t know either. I’ve been reading books for as long as I can remember. I feel like my sibling is the one who patiently taught me how to read one book, and from there, it exploded.

So, lots of practice? I have been reading for so long that words come easily to my brain, it’s like I see a picture of the word rather than reading the word individually. So “disastrous” would be a word that you read “dis-sas-trous”, but in my head it’s disastrous“, just one word, meaning imprinted. Makes sentences go a lot quicker.

Save for my parents, my entire immediate family is a family of voracious readers.

We read while eating, we read while walking, we read in bed… I guess I just followed what my older siblings did as they always had their nose in their books, and a few going at the same time (you know, the disrespectful way we read through half a book than leave it half open facing the table, spines cracked, no bookmark?).

I used to read 30+ books from the library a week – all young adult, easy stuff. I can read 2-3 books of young adult fiction in a current work day to give you an example, and as a child I had way more time than I do now, so I burned through books like a firestorm.

Our partners remark that they’ve never seen a family read so much, and I guess it’s true.

Where do I get my books?

A lot of you have asked and I generally don’t buy books unless they’re secondhand and in ebook format, for many reasons – price, environmental, space, and even then, I don’t buy books. I borrow them.

I read them on my Kobo ereader (also secondhand), and check out books from the library from Overdrive. If the book isn’t there, I generally don’t read it, UNLESS.. it is a book I REALLY REALLY want to read, then I MAY consider buying it if I cannot wait for it or find it. So far, I have only done this for Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Libraries are a gift, and we pay for them in our taxes yearly even if you don’t personally use them, so thanks.

How do I know what to read?

I don’t. I see recommendations and make notes, or put it on my Wishlist / On hold. I sometimes go into bookstores and browse, then decide if it is worth getting from the library. Or in secondhand stores, I pick up or buy books only if they’re photography / style-related where pictures and colour are a MUST (the one drawback to an e-reader).

I purchased only two physical books in 2020 that I couldn’t / didn’t want to buy in e-book format: Distinction (it was cheaper secondhand than the e-book), & Scoff (not available in ebook format at all).

Don’t you prefer physical books?

Who doesn’t!?

Aside from the cost, the space they take up, how heavy they are (we have a small bookshelf, most of it is Little Bun), I find them heavy to hold and hard to read in rooms unless there is bright daylight or very strong lamp light (I suffer from aura migraines and I’ve noticed dim light or lack of light triggers it when I am reading). I really like that the ebook illuminates the book.

I’d rather carry my entire library around with me in an ebook reader, plus be able to read with a backlight on.

I am currently considering a library option however only because we plan on buying a larger home in the future and I could allow a small library in my closet, perhaps.

Likely, it will only be filled with photography and style books however. Those are the only books I really want in physical copy and ebooks won’t suffice.

Where do I find the time to read?

I just make time for it. I have no other answer…

I’ve noticed if I am not watching TV shows, or aimlessly browsing on Instagram, I seem to have plenty of time to read if I am able to foist Little Bun off on my partner and/or keep him occupied otherwise.

I can go through a lot of books in a short amount of time if I am both interested, reasonably well-rested (or in a good mental state, not in limbo or stressed out) and the book itself is engrossing.

I read while brushing my teeth as you need to brush a full minute to two minutes (I have the reader on a stand), and I read while eating or drinking tea, I read while Little Bun plays or reads…. I read every time there is a spare moment.