I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
The best books of 2023
Well, well, well. Here we are at the final post of 2023.
I admit, I wasn’t as on top of my shit this year as I have been in the past: I didn’t write as much as I have in years prior, and I certainly did not read as many books as I was able to last year. But can you blame me? 2023 turned out to be one of the busiest years I’ve had in a long time.
Let’s look at some of the numbers, shall we?
At least 10 trips to/from VT = approximately 4,000 miles on the odometer = 70-ish hours not spent reading. (And those were only the trips where I drove - I’m not counting any of the trips where I flew. But if I’m allowed to count audiobooks, then it’s more like 50-ish hours not spent reading.)
125 books completed = 25 fewer books than in 2022.
46,621 pages read = 9,387 less than in 2022.
1 new relationship = lots of hours spent with a man who, shockingly, does not read nearly as much as I do = a lot fewer hours spent reading than in 2022.
So did I fall a bit short of my goal to surpass my 2022 totals? Yeah, I did. But, tbh, I’m okay with that because 2023 has been a lot of fun, and 2024 is shaping up to be even more exciting.
With that in mind, let’s get down to it: here’s everything I read and loved the most this year.
2023 was a wild ride and I’m already so excited for the adventures 2024 has in store: a new niece or nephew, another move, and a TBR pile that’s probably as big as Betty.
As a friendly reminder: don’t forget to subscribe, share, and shop local (all of the titles here are linked to Bookshop.org, which helps to support independent bookstores across the country). To find a brick-and-mortar store near you, IndieBound.org has a very helpful bookstore finder tool, or you can support some of the places I like to shop by popping in or checking out their websites. Main Point Books in Wayne, PA, is a favorite, as is Phoenix Books in Vermont, and my old stomping grounds in La Jolla, CA, Warwicks, is also a great option. And in the meantime,
Wishing you a wonderful new year and a 2024 filled with many hours of happy reading,
Sam