2023: A Year in Books

2023 is over! It has been a wonderful year of reading for me, and even though I didn't hit my goal of 60 books for the year, I was really happy with the books I did read and how I've balanced reading with full time work and all my hobbies.

As always at the end of a year, I choose my top three reads in the fiction and non-fiction category, as well as my 'honourable mentions' which did not quite make the top three lists but nonetheless were superb reads.

The Best of the Best

Top 3 Fiction

Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver

My favourite book overall of the year, this novel completely took me by surprise. It won the Women's Prize earlier this year, but it was not really on my radar even upon winning, and I preferred the sound of its rivals on the shortlist. How wrong I was. I loved the story, which is a gorgeous, heartbreaking, tender, emotive and humble Bildungsroman tale of a character who faces immense challenges from the day he is born. Beyond this, the way Demon's story is told is brilliant; Kingsolver's daring, exquisite storytelling keeps you coming back for more. It is an inspired, human novel.

A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara

This book has earned its place in the modern literary canon. This magnificent, heart shattering novel, takes us to New York, where four friends are navigating adulthood, relationships, career highs and lows, and everything in between. Amidst the joy, Jude, however, lives everyday with the traumas of his childhood. The beauty and tragedy of this book is unlike anything I have ever come across. Yanagihara's skill with making us fall in love with her characters, mastery of the written word to create arresting images for the reader, and ability to structure a novel of such temporal and narrative complexity with poise and craft, is incomparable.

Girl A, Abigail Dean

Born of a completely different genre, Girl A is a dramatic thriller by nature but just as moving and deep as my other two favourite fiction reads of the year. When her mother dies in prison, Lex returns to the place where she and her siblings were forced to endure a horror-filled childhood and, by extension, her identity as 'Girl A'; an identity she urgently escaped when she moved abroad. You just want to keep coming back to Dean's world and immersing yourself within this story, as you become desperate to find out what will happen. Character allegiances twist and turn as the mystery behind Lex's childhood is gradually revealed. It takes you to a place you cannot predict, and that makes it all the more memorable. A story about sibling relationships, character complexity and depth, and haunting memories, it is an impressive debut.

Top 3 Non-Fiction

The Light We Carry, Michelle Obama

I loved Obama's first memoir, and this second one remained a highlight of 2023 despite being my very first read of the year. Using anecdotes and experiences from her own life, Obama gives us a toolkit for managing stress, overwhelm, feelings of imposter syndrome and more. It is carefully written and asks us to think deeper into the power we give to our thoughts and feelings. If you are looking for a book to kick-start 2024 with, this will help ground you amidst the inevitable noise around new year's resolutions, goal setting and fresh habits, and set you off for a new year with a calm mindset.

Beyond the Wand, Tom Felton

I love the Harry Potter movies, so of course I could not wait to pick Felton's book up this year. I really enjoyed getting to know the actor behind the infamous Draco Malfoy, as we not only hear about his experiences within the wizarding world, but beyond as well, as he faced mental health challenges. It strikes a good balance between lighthearted humour and moving reflection.

Dare to Tri, Louise Minchin

If you need an inspiring read to kick start your 2024, let it be this one. Minchin's story is one of passion, grit, and determination. As we see how she travels around the world on her triathlon and marathon journey from complete beginner level, Minchin enforces that anyone is capable of anything, that the human body can be pushed beyond what you think is its limits, and a positive mindset is absolutely the key to smashing your dreams.

The Best of the Rest

In no particular order, here are the runners up for 2023:

Educated, Tara Westover

Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Carrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Daisy Jones and the Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maybe In Another Life, Taylor Jenkins-Reid

All The Broken Places, John Boyne All The Light We Cannot See, Antony Doerr

In Memoriam, Alice Winn The Natural Health Service: How Nature Can Mend Your Mind, Isabel Hardman

Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes

How Many More Women, Jennifer Robinson & Keina Yoshida

Yellowface, Rebecca F. Kuang

‘Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas, Adam Kay

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins

The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting, Evanna Lynch

Just One Thing, Dr Michael Mosely

The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy

Pessimism is for Lightweights, Salena Godden