2023 in Review

 With the year winding down I decided to look back on my reading for 2023. To start with I want to look at how changes in my life influenced my reading. This year marked my "momtirement". Both my kids are grown and doing their thing. My S.O. travels for work and after we talked about it I decided to make writing my full time thing. What does this have to do with my S.O.'s job? Well, now I am getting to travel too. I'm looking forward to seeing where 2024 takes us. Wherever it is I know there will be used bookstores for me to explore. 

Now, onto my top books of 2023. 

5. Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

Romances aren't usually my thing but this one got me. It was a sweet book that had some surprising depth. When I finished reading I had a smile on my face.

4. Weyward by Emilia Hart

Set in 2019, 1942, and 1619 I followed the stories of three different women all from the same family. My favorite of the three was Altha in 1619 but the other two were engaging as well. 

3. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Yet another romance book. I guess 2023 was my romance year. Divine Rivals had so much going for it. Iris, one of the two MCs, is a writer and there is a weird alternate history world with magical creatures. The end was a little less than satisfactory for me but seeing as this was made to have a sequel I am giving it a pass for now.

2. The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

This is a beautiful gothic novel with an interesting mystery. Yet another romance, although the romance is  not the main focus of the story imo and was not what kept me reading. Winnie, already gets a point for using my name, is a fun character who is trying her best in a Victorian manor house. Did I mention she is up against faeries? This was a quick fun read for me.

1. Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

This one surprised me on multiple levels. The cover screams that Knoll also wrote Luckiest Girl Alive. I'm not a huge fan of that novel. I won't spoil anything but I'll just say the ending ruined the rest of the book for me. That doesn't really matter though because I didn't recognize the title when I started reading Bright Young Women. I'm so happy I didn't look it up because I know I wouldn't have read this. 

The story follows two women in different times. Pamela, a college girl who ends up seeing the serial killer that kills her sorority sisters. The other is Tina through the lens of Ruth. You know pretty early on that Ruth is also a victim of the same serial killer which makes each of her chapters tragic to read. There is a mystery that Pamela and Tina try to work out but that isn't what made this my number one book. 

The story really is a look at misogyny in American during the forty years the book spans. I had to take a break from reading after different parts but the breaks were never that long because I couldn't wait to get back into the story. Bright Young Women put Knoll on my list of authors I will be checking on to see when their next book comes out. It will also be a book that sticks with me for a while.

Well, that's it for me for 2023. Next year I am taking part in The 52 Book Club reading challenge. I'll be posting the prompts and my reading picks soon. Till then happy reading.

~Winnie