The End of the Year Book Tag: 2023

Taking a moment to reflect upon my 2023 in books.

Happy new year, book friends! Don't worry about the fact that it's almost February.

I read quite a bit in 2023, specifically in the last half of the year. I ended the year having read 83 books overall. My goal was set to be 50 books, so I definitely got well past that. Another goal for the year was to read at least seven non-fiction books, which I also achieved but just barely. I ended up finishing my final non-fiction on New Year's Eve, so I did get that one on a technicality. But I still completed it, so that counts. 

I also got really into audiobooks this past year. My summer job involved a lot of driving and during that time, audiobooks became my reading format of choice. I think during July and August I was finishing an audiobook pretty much every day or two. 

Speaking of the summer, August was my best reading month. I read nearly 20 books that month with 50 per cent of those being audiobooks. 

 1. What was your favourite read of the year?

2023 was a very interesting reading year for me. Looking back, I feel satisfied with how much I read, but I also feel that I had way fewer amazing, five star reads this year than in years past. I also read almost none of the GoodReads choice awards nominees — but seeing as how yet another Stephen King book won the horror category, I think I'm pretty okay with not reading all of them. 

Despite not having as many, I did have some stand outs. In terms of mystery, "The Golden Spoon" by Jessa Maxwell makes the perfect cozy mystery for lovers of "The Great British Bake Off." 

"The Golden Spoon" is about the high-stakes Bake Week competition at Grafton Manor, where six amateur bakers vie for the prized Golden Spoon. As small acts of sabotage escalate, culminating in a murder, it becomes clear that winning the coveted prize is a motive worth killing for. This is a twisty read with lots of compelling and intricate characters. 

There's a handful of characters and each with their own POV's so you can learn more about each of them. Their unique personalities and motivations add a layer of complexity to the unfolding mystery. The sabotage of the cooking show create an atmosphere of tension and intrigue, keeping readers guessing. The author masterfully blends the warmth of a cozy setting with the intensity of a gripping mystery, making "The Golden Spoon" a page-turner.

Another well-loved read of the year was "Alone With You in the Ether" by Olivie Blake. The book follows Aldo, a doctoral student obsessed with time travel, and Regan, a bipolar artist. The pairs predictable lives take an unexpected turn as six conversations with a stranger introduce the possibility of changing their lives. I loved this book. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I screamed. I felt every emotion you can whilst reading this book. 

Another romance I really loved was "My Roommate is a Vampire" by Jenna Levine. This book was released in August and I bought it pretty much the same day. I would describe it as 2008's "Twilight" meets Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." Honestly, if that doesn't sell it, I don't know what will. 

"My Roommate is a Vampire" follows struggling artist Cassie Greenberg when, facing eviction, she discovers a too-good-to-be-true apartment. Her new roommate, Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, is anything but ordinary – he sleeps during the day, has mysterious nighttime activities, and talks like a character from a regency romance novel. Despite his unusual habits, Frederick leaves sweet notes, shows interest in Cassie's art, and has a proposition to share: he's a vampire. It was so cute; I loved the characters both individually and together, which is rare for me. I feel like a lot of romances recently have had very bland male love interests, which is part of the reason for me being less into that genre this year. 

Some of my other notable reads include "Unmasking Autism" by Devon Price and "Cultish" by Amanda Montell in non-fiction; "Comfort Me with Apples" was a fantastic novella; "Motherthing" was an  exceptionally creepy dive into the horrors of mothers and motherhood; "Starter Villain" filled my animal-loving heart with joy; and "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" simultaneously broke my heart and made me believe in love again. 

2.  What was your least favourite read of the year?

This is a lot easier of a question: "Ghost Eaters" by Clay Mcleod Chapman. I had such high hopes for this book when I read the blurb and they came crashing down so quickly. Read this if you want a way worse version of "Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Other than that I would suggest this book to no one. 

3. What releases are you most excited for in 2024?

 I have so many anticipated releases of 2024. So many are just absolutely gorgeous. "Lady Macbeth" by Ava Reid is absolutely up there, alongside "The House that Horror Built" by Christina Henry; "The Gathering" by C.J Tudor; "The Redemption of Morgan Bright" by Chris Pantier; and "Bless your Heart" by Lindy Ryan. As for the ones that came out in January, "The Heiress" by Rachel Hawkins was amazing, and I'm very excited to start "The Clinic" by Cate Quinn. 

4. What are three books you're carrying over onto your TBR in the new year?

Some of the books I wanted to get to in 2023, but didn't quite are Carissa Orlando's "The September House," where Margaret fights to keep her haunted dream home, even as the sinister secrets lurking within intensify with the arrival of her missing husband's daughter; "Good Girls Don't Die" by Henry, as it follows three women—Celia, Allie, and Maggie—when they find themselves entangled in a mysterious and unsettling situation, each questioning the reality of their lives and fighting to survive; and lastly, Riley Sager's "The Last Time I Lied" where Emma Davis, a rising star in the NYC art scene haunted by memories of three missing campmates from 15 years ago, returns to Camp Nightingale as a painting counselor, only to be confronted by unsettling clues, mounting mistrust, and a dark history repeating itself. Even though Sager has continually left me mildly disappointed with each of his previous books I've read, I've heard a lot of really good things about this one, so I will try one more time. 

5. Are there any books you started in 2023 that you need to finish?

I started Blake's "Masters of Death" a good couple of months back — right after finishing "Alone With You in the Ether" — and I got about halfway through it, but after that I put it down and just never picked it back up. I was having a pretty decent time with it too, I just never finished it for literally no reason. So I'm hoping to get back into that one at some point this year and finish it then. 

6. What are your reading plans and goals for 2024?

For 2024, I want to read 100 books, which is a lofty goal, but considering I read 83 books almost exclusively in the last half of 2023, I think it's a pretty decent goal for me. I read pretty fast and most of my books are between 200-300 pages so I think it's pretty do-able. The thing that may make it a bit trickier is I also want to read at least five books that are over 500 pages long. I think the only book in 2023 that I read over that length is "Iron Flame" by Rebecca Yarros. Lastly, I want to read at least five non-fiction books. Ideally, I'll be able to read at least 10, but anything over five I'll be pretty happy with.