Books I read in 2023

I read a lot; I read literally every day. Sometimes for decadent hours. Sometimes for only a few minutes snatched at bedtime. Since November of 2020, every book I've finished I've chronicled in my book journal with what I call my "fifth grade book report" (nomenclature thanks to my friend Bekah!) In my terrible mathematician's handwriting I scrawl out a brief summary, my thoughts on the book, and a rating. I also capture how I found the book and what else was going on in my life, making it an odd sort of diary via the novels I devour. Here's a sample:

This is The Collected Regrets of Clover (a lovely book) that I read at the end of October, beginning of November. Apparently while reading it I visited my parents, participated in OrangeTheory's "Hell Week," and had a nice dinner out at The Brickhouse. I gave it 4/5 stars, though in retrospect I think it's more deserving of 4.5 (a hard feat).

For anyone who is looking for books to read (or avoid) I thought I'd provide a list of all the books I read in 2023 with their ratings! I have been woefully negligent in updating my review blog, souloflit.com, but I'll add a few choice reviews there too over the next {insert time period that feels realistic}.

Also, please remember that my ratings are not absolute judgements of quality. For example, a well-done work of chick-lit may score high for excelling at its craft or delighting me in the moment, while objectively being of lesser quality than a well-renowned novel I thought was boring. Put another way, sometimes the right trashy book finds us at the right trashy time.

• The Whalebone Theater, Joanna Quinn, 3/5
• Life's Too Short, Abby Jimenez, 4/5
• Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry, 2/5
• Last Circle of Love, Lorna Landvik, 3/5
• Bewilderment, Richard Powers, 4/5
• Spare, Prince Harry, 4/5
• The Paris Apartment, Lucy Foley, 3/5
• Once in a Blue Moon Lodge, Lorna Landvik, 3.5/5
• Sea of Tranquility, Emily St. John, 4/5
• London Séance Society, Sarah Penner, 2/5
• Emily of New Moon, LM Montgomery, 4.5/5
• Becoming, Michelle Obama, 4/5
• Dark Matter, Blake Crouch, 3.5/5
• Emily Climbs, LM Montgomery, 4/5
• Wow, No Thank You, Samantha Kirby, 4/5
• Pineapple Street, Jenny Jackson, 3.5/5
• Your's Truly, Abby Jimenez, 3.5/5
• Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, J Ryan Stradal, 3/5
• Beach Read, Emily Henry, 2.5/5
• The Overstory, Richard Powers, 4.5/5
• Emily's Quest, LM Montgomery, 3.5/5
• Love on the Brain, Ali Hazelwood, 2/5
• The Librarianist, Patrick DeWitt, 3.5/5
• Upgrade, Blake Crouch, 3.5/5
• Summer Reading, Jenn McKinlay, 3.5/5
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, 5/5
• The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, Tom Hanks, 3.5/5
• The Rose Code, Kate Quinn, 4.5/5
• The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, James McBride, 4/5
• Pets of Park Avenue, Stefanie London, 2/5
• The Collected Regrets of Clover, Mike Brammer, 4/5
• 100 Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez, 0.5/5
• Confessions of a 40-Something Fuck-Up, 4.5/5
• The Quiet Tenant, Clémence Michallon, 4/5
• The Wishing Game, Meg Shaffer, 3.5/5
• Happy Place, Emily Henry, 3.5/5
• Black River Orchard, Chuck Wendig, 3.5/5
• Hamilton, Ron Chernow, 4.5/5
• The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young, 3.5/5