Another year has flown by and I haven’t touched this blog since posting about what I read in 2022. I read fewer books this year than I have in any year since 2016. I usually try not to focus on the number of books read, but I can’t help but feel like I failed at something.

But, outside of reading, 2023 was a big year for me. I moved house and got married: two big life-changing events. And as much as I love reading, I think it’s okay to have it take a backseat when other things (and people) come to the forefront. So reading less this year wasn’t a failure. It was just a side effect of having other things going on. (But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to read more in 2024.)

Here are some highlights from what I read in 2023.

Stand-out books

The longest book I read

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (896 pages)

The shortest book I read

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson (104 pages)

The book I’m looking forward to being released in 2024

Followed by the Lark by Helen Humphreys. Humphreys is one of my favourite writers, and she can pretty much do no wrong in my eyes. Her upcoming book (out in February) is a fictionalized account of writer Henry David Thoreau’s connections with nature as he experiences grief after two significant losses: his brother and his close friend.

The book that got me interested in reading about history

Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain by Blessin Adams. I don’t read a lot of non-fiction in general and very rarely do I read about history. This isn’t a rule or decision I made, but most history books feel like textbooks to me, which never seems like fun. So how do you get a person like me interested in reading history? Make it true crime! Great and Horrible News is divided into nine true stories of crime in early modern England. For me, history is only interesting when it follows a personal story rather than listing facts. Adams did a great job of illustrating the lives of real people in these stories, which engaged me, and taught me about life in early modern England along the way.

The book I read because of a Netflix series

Behind the Door: The Dark Truths and Untold Stories of the Cecil Hotel by Amy Price. As I mentioned above, I am a fan of true crime. This extends beyond books to documentaries. So when the Netflix docuseries Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel was released, I watched it. Then I heard the former manager of the Cecil Hotel (who was featured in the Netflix series) had released a book about her experiences working in the hotel. The book is a mix of memoir, history of the notorious hotel, and stories of some of its various guests and residents.

The book that made me howl

Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear by Erica Berry. Okay, this book didn’t make me howl literally or figuratively, but I wanted to tell you about it because it’s great. I have some sort of fascination with wolves, probably something do with my love for dogs, and that’s what first drew me to this book. But the book is more than looking at wolves themselves. It’s a mix of memoir and a history of wolves in the both the real and symbolic senses, and looking at how we link wolves with ideas of danger and fear.

The book I thought I’d tear through but haven’t finished (yet)

Sonic Life: A Memoir by Thurston Moore. Sonic Youth is one of the most meaningful bands in my life. They were one of the very first bands I truly got into, that inspired me to pick up the bass, and were the first band I ever saw live (and who I saw several times live before they broke up). So when I heard that Moore, a founding member of Sonic Youth, had released a memoir, I was into it. I’d previously read Girl in a Band, the memoir of Kim Gordon (another founding member and Moore’s ex-wife), and loved it. However, with Moore’s book, I got about halfway through–to the point of the formation of Sonic Youth–and then put it aside. The intention was to pick it up after I’d read a novel, but it’s been a couple of months at least, and I’m just not itching to get back to it. Maybe it’s because I feel like I know the story from there (although I’m sure I don’t). Or maybe I just don’t want the story of Sonic Youth to be truly over.

My 5 favourite books read in 2023

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue. I adored this novel. It is fun and funny but also sensitive and serious. It’s a story about friendships and relationships and love and complexity and I think any fan of Sally Rooney will love it.

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel. I read this in one sitting, on a flight back to Toronto from Heathrow. This short true crime account of an art thief whose motive wasn’t money will surprise you with all of its twists and turns.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I’m sure reading this novel on its own would be more than satisfying. But I chose to read this one directly after reading David Copperfield for the first time in order to compare and contrast the two. Each novel follows a young boy into early adulthood, explores the hardships he faces, introduces the reader to a host of interesting characters, and is a critique about of how society treats the less fortunate. I loved both novels. My reasons for preferring Demon over David are really only a preference for contemporary writing. I liked that Kingsolver’s book was more concise (not sure they did enough editing in Dickens’ era) and of course the writing was more modern and the setting more relatable.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. This was my first John Irving book, but I don’t think it will be my last. The novel is about two best friends, narrated by John as he tells the story of his friendship with Owen, a boy who believes he is an instrument of God. I’ve thought about this one a lot since finishing it. My only real criticism is that maybe it wraps up a bit too nicely at the end, but I suppose I can let that slide.

Old Flame by Molly Prentiss. I read this one while I was sick and didn’t really feel up to doing anything. It kept me good company. The novel follows Emily as she navigates young adulthood, figuring out her place within her career, friendships, and romantic relationships. It’s an exploration of what it means to be a woman. Funny, emotional, and authentic.

By the numbers

My husband is a bookseller, so I must admit that moving in with him and getting married has altered how I do this “by the numbers” section. It’s a bit more difficult to determine which books are “borrowed” since a lot of our books are now shared, and I’m getting a bit more access to advance reading copies than I previously did. But I tried my best to stay to the categories I’ve used in past years.

Books bought: 39%

Books borrowed from the library: 11%

Books borrowed from friends and family: 10%

Books received as gifts: 23%

Books received as advance reading copies: 17%

Books written by Canadians: 18%

Books that were first published in 2023: 59%

Fiction: 74%

Non-fiction: 26%