In past years, I've struggled with how to do a year-end review of my reading. I think that what I did in 2022 worked fairly well, so I'll try that same format again this year. This has turned out to be a pretty good year in reading. I think I set an arbitrary goal of reading 75 books on Goodreads back in January, but the number of books I read isn't terribly meaningful to me. This fall and winter there seemed to be lots of enticing books recommended by various Goodreads friends and also available from my libraries, so I kept borrowing and reading. And then reading some more. Goodreads tells me I've read 120 books so far, but I'm still reading two books right now, so I'm not sure where I'll end up on the 31st. And like I said, numbers don't really matter to me.
It's the enjoyment of the books, what I've learned, and where the books have transported me that matters most to me. I don't want to bore you with numbers, statistics, and ratings, so I'm just going to write about some of my highlights. The links will take you to Goodreads so if you are so inclined, you can read more about the books and decide if they might be for you.
Some of the books I've enjoyed the most include:
Absolution by Alice McDermott
So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan
James Herriot's Cat Stories by James Herriot
Remote Sympathy by Catherine Chidgey
A few of the books I have learned from:
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado
Fatty Fatty Boom Boom by Rabia Chaudry
What An Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman
Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery
Special books that transported me:
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Above Ground by Clint Smith
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
The Revenant by Michael Punke
That last category is a little bit different. I think of it as books that made me want to keep reading along with those that took me to different countries, places, and times, even if I didn't end up awarding the book too many stars. That's how I ended up with "romantasy", literary fiction, and poetry together in one list.
What a great year of reading you had, Bonny! I agree with many of your choices, especially Wellness and Absolution.
ReplyDeleteWhile it always feels good to meet a goal, I've found in recent years that I really want to read GOOD books, so it's really more about quality over quantity. Some of my favorites from this year are Signal Fires, Wellness, I Have Some Questions for You, The Garden of Evening Mists, and North Woods -- and I think that last one is my favorite for the year.
ReplyDeleteYou had a very good year of reading. Me? Less so. I didn't read very much and certainly nothing I would give 5 stars. I knit a lot, but finished very little. Perfectionism was my hob-goblin this year.
ReplyDeleteFor next year, I wish us all good books, good reading, and most importantly --------------good friendships whether IRL or out here in blogland.
I was just admiring the folks on Threads that are making bookmarks with photos of their year's reads. So many books. Thanks to my wonky eyes I'm just a listener now and it takes me months to finish one book-unless I have a migraine. Then I lock myself in my room, pull a hat over my eyes and listen the day away in the dark. I've got 6 credits on Audible right now so your list will really help me find my next listen. My two favorites this year were Good Eggs and Miss Benson's Beetle. I love books that have eccentric ladies of a certain age as the main character. I can really relate.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll stick to reading; no reading-related crafts for me! I also enjoyed Miss Benson's Beetle. You might like How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior or Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt. They are both about slightly eccentric women of a certain age being more clever than people give them credit for.
DeleteIt looks like you had a great year of reading, Bonny! My favorites of the year were Absolution and The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and it was hard to choose just those two. I hope we continue to enjoy good books in 2024!
ReplyDeleteIt was quite an enjoyable year in reading, Debbie, and I hope yours was good, too. I absolutely loved Absolution and am just finishing up Heaven & Earth in the next couple of days. I am looking forward to our discussion!
DeleteWhat an excellent way to review your year of reading. The star ratings have personal meaning for the raters but honestly, I have a hard time interpreting those ratings unless some explanation is given. I enjoyed the Claire Keegan books, The Island of Missing Trees, The Housekeeper and the Professor, Fresh Water for Flowers, and Tom Lake. I learned from The Age of Phillis, The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley, The Quickening, Poet Warrior, and After Sappho. My favorite, if I had to choose, was Night Watchman.
ReplyDeleteYou are one of my favorite reader's Bonny... through your reading, I have improved my reading... significantly. I never used to read non-fiction... and yet... I have some non-fiction on my lists as well! Thank you for your reading... and thank you for your brilliant reviews! You inspire me!
ReplyDeleteWell, you know I love this post! I am taking my time working my way through your book recommendations, Bonny. I have found several that truly speak to me, so thanks. AND, I want to know where you get your ideas about what books to read. I have not been able to find a source that has enabled me to find books I want to read. It hasn't kept me from reading (nothing ever will), but I have not been reading very many books that stick with me. I will have to stalk your read shelf at Goodreads, so try not to be alarmed. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see WELLNESS on so many people's list of favorites, as I received a copy for this year's Jólabókaflóð. I must have read a recommendation from one of you to have put it on my list! I haven't started it yet, but soon!
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