on reading for joy

I read 100 books last year. For joy. I think I just wanted to see if I could do it. Some people go to the gym five times a week, some people go out for drinks, some people are busy with kids. I had the gift of time to push myself and I am very glad that I did.

Whenever I talk about reading, someone will surely say that reading isn’t for them because they did so much academic reading in school that it took the joy out of it. That breaks my heart a little bit, but I get it. Here are five tips on getting back into reading and the top 15 books that brought me joy this year (with links!) — they have nothing to do with self-improvement or higher education; just joy.

1. Don’t overly research what you are about to read. Have you ever watched a movie and thought it was great, only to read a bad review afterwards that sways you a little bit and shapes how you view the film? Form your own ideas. Definitely choose something based on recommendations, authors/topics/tropes you like, but don’t get lost in a sea of subjective goodreads comments.

2. The page 99 test. If you are perusing a bookstore and have a book in your hand, contemplating if it is going to come home with you, flip to page 99. This is past the highly polished introduction and the carefully crafted first bits that are meant to entice you to choose that book. Now you’re in the thick of it and you can often tell if you will enjoy the book based on the writing style and random sampling.

3. DNF. Feel free to slam a book shut if it is not doin’ it for you. Time is precious. Think of all the books to be read and the dogs to be pet. Slap a DNF (did not finish) on there and move on to something better. I used to have guilt around this and since I changed my ways, I’ve actually read more because I don’t have a slow/disturbing/poorly written/insert-undesirable-adjective-here book slowing me down when I could be reading something wonderful. Would you finish a bad cup of tea just to finish it when there is a perfectly good second option sitting right there?

4. Make it digital. I love the feeling of turning the page and having a physical book in my hand, but Ry convinced me to try an e-reader since it wasn’t feasible to bring 12 books to Europe in a carry-on (how rude). I have since discovered all kinds of fun resources like Libby, which allows you to borrow e-books for free and supports your local library at the same time. Plus, if you are a little bit competitive or motivated by metrics, the progress bar/ time left display will probably push you to keep reading.

5. Read with a friend. It doesn’t have to be a formal book club, but there is something to be said about the fun of discussing a book with a buddy and giving each other recommendations.

Finally, my top 15 picks from 2023, not ranked but categorized. I don’t rate a book on a scale of one to five stars, I either recommend a book or I don’t. All but one are fiction and there is one clear stand out as my number one read.

Thriller/Mystery

15. The House in the Pines. This had such an excellent and creative twist. It was a fast paced pager turner and so original compared to all of the other “cabin in the woods” tropes out there.

14. Wrong Place Wrong Time. I think this was one of my most recommended thrillers of 2023. Is there anything more fun than the texts from a friend as they read it in real time, and you reply, “just wait!”?

13. The Enigma of Room 622. A murder mystery set in a gorgeous hotel with so many possible suspects. My one critique is it was quite long, but it was the kind of book that I kept thinking about even after I had finished it, which in my opinion, is a sign of very good storytelling.

12. The Writing Retreat. This was weird and disturbing in the very best way. I would love to see this become a movie, it was so dark and twisty.

11. None of This is True. Wowwww. I stayed up way past my bedtime with this one and absolutely devoured it. It was so good I leaned over and chatted with a lady getting her nails done next to me when I noticed she was reading it, and nail time is sacred. Anything Lisa Jewell touches turns to gold and this may be one of her best.

10. The Guest List. I started reading Lucy Foley with her popular novel, The Paris Apartment, but I loved the edginess and setting of The Guest List more.

Fiction/Romance/Musings on Womanhood

9. Stone Cold Fox. I absolutely judged a book by it’s cover with this one and it paid off. Stone Cold Fox is cheeky, irreverent, and shows a female character who is neither the protagonist nor the antagonist. You want to cheer for her even when her actions lean towards fucked up.

8. Writers & Lovers. This book takes the number two slot for most beautifully written. This book was like meandering through an art gallery. It was beautiful, meaningful, and produced the right kind of heart ache. It is more about the main character and her grief than an adventure. It is the perfect palate cleanser. Plus, it takes place in Boston.

7. Red, White & Royal Blue. Sorry, I had to. I have read my fair share of rom-com novels but THIS this this book was beautiful and funny. I fell in love with the characters and just hugged it tight with glee. The movie was cute, but the book had far more detail.

6. I Feel Bad About My Neck. I love reading Nora Ephron’s work (Heartburn is a fave) just as much as I enjoy watching it (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia etc). This is the only non-fiction novel I placed on the list and I made the exception because it is just that good. It is a collection of her essays and musings on womanhood and aging, and although some things did not age very well (!) it was relatable and witty as hell. Apparently some guy wrote a reply from the male POV, called I Feel Bad About My Dick and I didn’t bother linking it here because I think he missed the point.

5. The Sunshine Girls. I picked this up thinking it would be an easy, beachy read and it ended up being a gorgeously deep piece on female friendship with stories that would melt even the coldest of hearts.

4. The House in the Cerulean Sea. I’ve read a couple of TJ Klune’s novels and they are all so unique and quirky. This story was both heartwarming and weird — an underrated combo.

3. Starling House. I have gotten a few people to read this and they all agree — chef’s kiss. I am not really a fantasy gal, but this book did justice for the entire genre. Gorgeous and mysterious, another one that tanked my sleep score.

2. The Humans. Thanks to an old friend, 2023 was the year I discovered Matt Haig; what a tenderhearted genius. He was my top and most read author of the year. I loved The Midnight Library, How to Stop Time, Notes on a Nervous Planet, and The Radleys, but The Humans stuck with me. It examines human life through a curious and bizarre lens and made me question why we do the things we do. It is the kind of book I can confidently recommend to even the most intelligent and intimidating guests at a dinner party because it is so clever and genre bending.

1. My top book out of 100 books this year is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I was in a witchy phase at the start of the year (read: always) and when I saw that this had magic I was invested, but it is not your typical magical novel in that it doesn’t feel like it relies on magic to tell the story. It will envelop you in a warm cocoon that you will never want to leave, but when you do emerge, you will be changed. This book was so intelligently and thoughtfully created, I didn’t mind jumping through timeframes and suspending my disbelief. Please, please pick it up because V.E Schwab knows what she is doing.

As an added bonus, I will share that Ry’s favourite book of the year was Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. It has multiple accolades including the Booker Prize 2023 and was very much Ry’s style of dark and deeply intelligent.

Wishing you plenty of page turners this year,

ty