2023 on Goodreads

48 books. By my standards a big year.
A link to the year's reading. https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/38380015

My fiction book of the year is And the Rat Laughed by Neva Semel. So thought provoking I read it three times.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6014334497

The surprise of the year was Ten Thousand Apologies: Fat White Family and the Miracle of Failure by Adelle Stripe and Lias Saoudi. I have outlived music bios but this was exceptional.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5992280955

Fiction honourable mentions to The Book of Emmett by Deborah Forster and one from the past The Sea and Summer by George Turner. Both conceptually fine novels.
The outstanding Richard Flanagan's The Narrow Road to the Deep North was at times breathtaking. “A great book compels you to reread your own soul.”
I read the most depressing novel I have ever read in my life. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.
Not much to say about that one.

On the other end of the scale the fun book of the year was the gently humorous Poor Man Wealth by Rod Usher.

For the Term of His Natural Life by Marcus Clark was outstanding, an Australian classic.

Nonfiction honourable mentions to War by Sebastian Junger and The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple had me glued to the pages. Tribe another by Sebastian Junger was very thought provoking. A Brief History of Thailand by Richard A. Ruth was a fine read on the subject.

Happy New Year, everyone! I just stumbled on this year in review entry, and it is a neat little feature, isn't it? 2023 has been something of a reading renaissance for me, but this all really started in 2022. That was the first year in my adult life without any need to study/cram or work long hours, and I realized that I needed a “productive” alternative to my phone. I rode the momentum of that decision along with a string of some really excellent books ([b:Hyperion 77566 Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, #1) Dan Simmons https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405546838l/77566.SY75.jpg 1383900], [b:Blindsight 48484 Blindsight (Firefall, #1) Peter Watts https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924412l/48484.SX50.jpg 47428], and [b:The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet 22733729 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) Becky Chambers https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405532474l/22733729.SY75.jpg 42270825] to name a few) and decided that in 2023 I would have three main reading goals:1. I would read a minimum of 30 minutes every day. (326 Days in a row according to kindle)2. I would try to read as many books as I could. (92 Books read!)3. I would try to review everything I read. (this got added later)I stuck to my genres (SF/Fantasy) but I made sure to cleanse the palate with whatever sounded interesting/ whatever literary references went over my head. I wanted a baseline for just how much I could read in a year without pushing myself; turns out you can read a ton when you don't have casebooks and social media competing for your time. Once I started the Urth of the New Sun series I realized that I couldn't keep it all straight without taking notes, and once you have notes you're basically obligated to post a review.It's been a great reading year for me, and I intend to keep up with this habit I've formed. My goals for 2024 are a little different, I'd actually like to read with a little more moderation (I may have spent more time with the books than I did with my girlfriend), I'd like to finish the Dandelion Dynasty, and I would like to read more books outside my genres/wheelhouse (maybe a little more non-fiction and literature).With all that said I read a ton this year so let me highlight some stuff!Favorites Series for the year:I was big into series this year, I read Urth of the New Sun, The Culture, Bobiverse, Murderbot, The First Law, The Dandelion Dynasty, Monk and Robot, Alex Stern, and the Sarantine Mosaic.I had a blast reading all of these series and I have nothing but praise for all of them, you seriously can't go wrong picking up any one of these. That makes it super tough to pick my series of the year, since almost all of these books left such a strong impression on me. I mean, seriously, it's kind of like picking which cut of Wagyu was most delicious!When in doubt, I turn to the roots, and what I was most excited about (and most diligent with) had to be the Culture Series by Ian M. Banks. I was absolutely consumed by this series, it was like “oh wow, I can't believe this has existed all this time, and I am literally the last person to hear about it.” I didn't love every book, but it's 10 whole books, there's bound to be a miss or two. What's really impressive is that each book could very easily be the start of their own series, each book is wholly unique and PACKED with ideas and content. I wish I could read more Culture. RIP BIG BANKS.Author of the Year:I only read two of his books this year, but I love them both. I will be reading more Philip K. Dick in 2024. His authorial style agrees with me in a way that no one else I read this year quite managed to match. Obviously, I am a little late to the party and I know that marking him as my favorite for the year is a little bit like saying Citizen Kane or On the Waterfront is my favorite movie. But I can't help it, Ubik was amazing and A Scanner Darkly really agreed with me!If I have to pick someone a little more contemporary, I am giving the nod to Becky Chambers. I first read her in 2022, but with each additional book of hers that I read, my appreciation of her style and ideas only grows. I absolutely loved Monk & Robot, I fully intend on grabbing a box set for this series once it's complete. M&R aside, there is more Wayfarers on the horizon for me. Count me as a fan.Top 5 Books for the Year:1. [b:The Library at Mount Char 26892110 The Library at Mount Char Scott Hawkins https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453225113l/26892110.SY75.jpg 42797715]2. [b:Use of Weapons 12007 Use of Weapons (Culture, #3) Iain M. Banks https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587400756l/12007.SX50.jpg 1494156]3. [b:A Scanner Darkly 14817 A Scanner Darkly Philip K. Dick https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388737865l/14817.SY75.jpg 1527439]4. [b:Bad Brains 341941 Bad Brains Kathe Koja https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1297032583l/341941.SY75.jpg 2038474]5. [b:Cosmos 55030 Cosmos Carl Sagan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388620656l/55030.SX50.jpg 3237312]This list is in order, but maybe it shouldn't be. I read so many excellent books this year, so this isn't a quality metric, but rather I'm ranking these books by how much I liked them and just how much of their ideas/imagery/plot managed to make it into my daily thoughts (Love and Staying Power). What makes me rank Char at the top has a lot to do with just how much of a surprise it was, I expected nothing and got something so incredible and unique. Let's not forget to mention that it is an authorial debut for Scott Hawkins, a grand slam the first time up to bat is something that I can't help but take note of. Wish I could unread this:[b:Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality 10016013 Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality Eliezer Yudkowsky https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1659761696l/10016013.SY75.jpg 14911331]You can read my review of this fanfic, but I don't know why I didn't put this down. Chalk it up to morbid curiosity. My problem with this book had a lot to do with the weakness of the writing, and not necessarily with the premise or plot.

This is my first time keeping making a list like this so lets see how it turns out.

ꕤ ꕤ Reading Tracker - 2023 ꕤ ꕤ
Goals
1)DNF more books
Completed. Definitely DNFed more books than last year.
2)Read less manga's/graphic novels
Failed. An overwhelming amount of books I read this year were manga/graphic novels..
3)Take time to review books and be harsher with them
I still need to work on this
4)Read more nonfiction books.
Completed but class assigned books still made me suffer.
5)Keep the spreadsheet updated
I am still updating it so that was a fail https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mJ9G1GFgtpgIvcGDeaQLRb38HhsTNaA-eR7khSObHBc/edit?usp=sharing

Monthly Books

January
SSS-Class Revival Hunter, Season 2 - 3.5✨
Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom, Vol. 1 - 3.5✨
A Wicked Tale of Cinderella's Stepmom, Vol. 1 - 3.5✨
Villainess: Reloaded! Blowing Away Bad Ends with Modern Weapons (Manga) Volumes 1 & 2- 4✨
Lv-999 From A : Normal Human Manga Volumes 2- 5 : 3✨
My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World! Manga, Vol. 2 - 3✨
Brutal: Satsujin Kansatsukan no Kokuhaku, #4 -4.5✨
The Advanced Player of the Tutorial Tower - 3✨
Long Exposure 1-12 : 2.5✨
By The Grace of Gods Vol 1-6 : 2.6✨
The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Vol. 1 & 2- 4.5✨
Ghost Teller #1 - 4.5✨
The Promised neverland Vol. 2-7 - 3✨
How We Show Up - 4 ✨
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill: Volume 1 - 5 ✨
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill: Volumes 2-12 : 4 ✨
The Pawns Revenge - 3✨
Please Have a Meal, Season 1 - 4✨
Reformation of a Deadbeat Noble - 2.5 ✨
Sangtaechang Boneun Agi Hwangnyeo-nim - 3 ✨ but DNFed
Return Of Frozen Player - 3✨
My Dress-Up Darling Vol. 1 - 3✨
A Returner's Magic Should Be Special - 3 ✨
Love is an Illusion - 2 ✨
Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China - 4 ✨

February
M is for Monster - 4.5✨
Gagseol-i Gongjag - 2.5✨
Don't Call Me Hurricane - 2✨
Intellectual Empathy: Critical Thinking for Social Justice - 4
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill: Sui's Great Adventure Volume 1 & 2 - 4✨
Bespoke Engage - 3✨
Leveling Up By Only Eating - 4✨
Intellectual Empathy: Critical Thinking for Social Justice - 4✨
Dungeon Meshi 1-8 - 3.5✨
Hitorijime My Hero 01 - 1✨
Bloom - 2.5✨
Kitchen of Witch Hat Vol 1 - 3.5✨
My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World! Manga, Volumes 1: 3✨

March
She Drives Me Crazy - 3.5✨
My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World! Manga, Volumes 5-8 - 3✨
Knockin' on the Dungeon Door - 3.5✨
Horror Hotel - DNF/no rating
SuperMutant Magic Academy - 3✨
Dungeon Reset - 4✨


April
Love 999 Manga Volume 1 & 5 - 3✨
Pixels of You - 2.8✨
The Joy of Home Brewing Kombucha: How to Craft Probiotic and Fermented Drinks (Joy of Series) - 3✨
Dinosaur Sanctuary Volumes 1 & 2: 3✨
Astral Pet Store - 3✨
Six of Crows - 2.8✨
Pumpkin Night Vol. 1 - 3✨
The Hero Returns [Webtoon], Season 1 - 3✨

May
BJ Archmage Season 1 - 3✨
The Max Level Hero Has Returned Vol. 2 - 3✨
Dimensional Mercenary - 2✨
The Hero Returns [Webtoon], Season 1 - 3✨
The Unwanted Undead Adventurer (Manga) Volume 1-6 - 4✨
Meninshuma Vol 1 - 3 ✨
Haunted San Jose - 3✨
Beartown - DNF left 2.5✨
The Girl From the Sea - 4✨
Wild Tea: Grow, Gather, Brew & Blend 40 Ingredients & 30 Recipes for Healthful Herbal Teas - 3✨
Spirit Farmer Season 1 - 3✨
The Novel's Extra - 2.5✨

June
Cemetery Boy - DNF left a 3✨
The Witcher, Volume 1: House of Glass - 3✨
Rise From the Rubble - 2.7✨
Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town, Vol. 1 & 2 - 2.5✨
This One Summer - 4.5✨
The Monstress - 4.5✨
Hither Page - 2.4✨
The Anatomy Lesson - 2✨
Mi Cocina - DNF left 3✨
Over My Dead Body - 4.6✨
Paper Girls - 3✨
Heart Berries - 3✨
Garlic and the Witch - 3✨
Garlic and the Vampire - 3✨
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street - 3✨
The Tea Dragon Society - 5✨
Cosmoknights - 4.3✨
Tokyo Ghoul - 3✨
Transmogrify!: 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic - 3.5✨
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - 3✨
The Marvellers - 3✨
Ranker Returns - 3✨
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - 3✨
Just Like Home - 4✨
Ride On - 3✨
We Are Okay - 4.5✨
Genderqueer: A Memoir - 3.5✨
Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - 4✨

July
Basil & Oregano - 3.5✨
No Matter the Distance - 4.5✨
The Green Mile - 3✨
Level Up With Gods Vol 1 - 3✨
The Book That Wouldn't Burn - 4.5✨

August
(I read stuff, but I didn't log it in and now I don't remember the exact names :/)

September
Heartstopper Vol 1 - 4.5✨
Doughnuts & Doom - 2.5✨
Birthday Girl - 1✨
Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation - 3✨
Brutal: Kansatsukan no Kokuhaku, #1 - 4✨
Loveless - 4.5✨

Rest can be viewed on the spreadsheet.

A big thank you to the GR community! I have read more books this year than I have in the past, and I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you who has commented, recommended, or downright pressured me into reading outside my typical genres. It has been a true reading pleasure, and again, I cannot thank you all enough.

Here are some of my top picks! (I'm almost positive I forgot a few.

Well that wraps up 2023 the reading year.
As usual, some made up categories, and my favourite book for each, then some statistics, and my list of 5 star books from 2022.
Thanks all those who read and comment on my reviews, keeps me motivated to keep writing them. Happy 2024 everyone.

So first to the “Best of the Year” books I have read:

Best Travel - High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal and China, by Erika Fatland
Second in this esteemed category: The Places in Between, by Rory Stewart

Best Military - Batavia's Graveyard - The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny, by Mike Dash

Best Military - Mud Beneath My Boots : A Poignant Memoir of the Effects of War on a Young New Zealander, by Allan Marriott

Best Biography - Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood, by Martin Booth

Best Nautical - Fabulous Voyage, by A. Fleming MacLiesh & Martin L. Krieger

Best Mountaineering - Snow on the Equator, by H.W. Tilman

Best Desert - - Libyan sands: travel in a dead world, by Ralph Alger Bagnold

Best Polar - Shackleton's Argonauts: The Epic Tale of Shackleton's Voyage to Antarctica in 1915, by Frank Hurley

Best Published by The Travel Book Club - Land of Tempest, by Eric Shipton

Best New Zealand Authored - South Sea Vagabonds, by J.W. Wray (also a contended in best nautical and best biography!

Best Non-fiction Short Story Collection - A Person from England & Other Travellers to Turkestan, by Fitzroy Maclean

Best Fiction - The Unknown Industrial Prisoner, by David Ireland
Second in this esteemed category: All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy

Best digital read - The Gold Hunters' Adventures Or, Life in Australia, by William Henry Thomes

And downer of the year:

Biggest Disappointment - Chicago Loop, by Paul Theroux

Some Statistics - Read 111 books this year, at a touch over 31,000 pages. This is one more book than last year, but 5000 pages more, so some longer books in there. This is the most books in a year since 2020, and the most pages I have read in a year since 2017, so that was a surprise.

My average rating for books is a healthy 3.8 stars. (I remain pretty consistent in this over the years)

Longest book: Inside Africa, by John Gunther at 960 pages.

Of the 111 Books I rated:
20 books 5 stars
55 books 4 stars
27 books 3 stars
8 books 2 stars
1 book 1 star

Given the 3.8 average rating, and the high proportion of 4 stared books, 4 stars for the year it seems is most appropriate, once again.

Links to my reviews of my five star reads of 2023.
Snow on the Equator, by H.W. Tilman
Qataban and Sheba: Exploring the Ancient Kingdoms on the Biblical Spice Routes of Arabia, by Wendell Phillips
In Crocodile Land, by Ion Idriess
Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood, by Martin Booth
Motoring With Mohammed, by Eric Hansen
The Unknown Industrial Prisoner, by David Ireland
Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk
South Sea Vagabonds, by J.W. Wray
My Life and Travels, by Wilfred Thesiger
Shackleton's Argonauts: The Epic Tale of Shackleton's Voyage to Antarctica in 1915, by Frank Hurley
The Gold Hunters' Adventures Or, Life in Australia, by William Henry Thomes
The Places in Between, by Rory Stewart
New Worlds to Conquer, by Richard Halliburton
All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy
Fabulous Voyage, by A. Fleming MacLiesh & Martin L. Krieger
Libyan sands: travel in a dead world, by Ralph Alger Bagnold
A South Sea Diary, by S.W. Powell
High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal and China, by Erika Fatland
A Person from England & Other Travellers to Turkestan, by Fitzroy Maclean
Ten Thousand Miles on Elephants, by Olive Smythies


Target reading list from during the year in spoiler
2023Arabia FelixLoseby - A Boy of ChinaHW Tilman x1Dashiell Hammett - Red HarvestCloudstreet - Tim WintonGweilo - Martin BoothBorderlines - Charles NichollNew Worlds to Conquer - HalliburtonWhite Nile - Alan MooreheadTurkestan Solo - Ella MaillartCandy machine - Tom FeilingFlashman #3Flashman #4Laurie Lee #2South with Mawson - LaseronShackleton's Argonauts - Frank HurleyNothing Venture Nothing Win - Hillary#4 Professor ChallengerUnknown Industrial Prisoner - David Ireland1x Hopkirk1x named 'Russia' - SixsmithNaguib Mahfouz - MiramarInside Africa - GuntherThesiger - my life and travelsBorder Trilogy book 1 - All the Pretty HorsesIsland of Dr Moreau - HG Wells1x G Geene - The Human FactorRe-reads: Slumdog MillionaireRedmond O'Hanlon - Into the Heart of Borneoscience x2 <1> Colour, Cod1x Penguin Orange - Mutuwhenua1x Penguin Cerise - A South Sea Diary2x P60s < 0 >3x Idriess < 3 >2x Clune < 3 >3 on Circumnavigator books < 3 >12 TBC < 13 > 12 From Travel shelf < 12 >Read if desperate for a good book!Peter Pinney -Dirt on my ShoesSea People - Christina ThompsonFight ClubCarried over from 20221x Asne SeierstadCarried over from 2021* Simon Winchester - Outposts - can't locate it in my shelves... Found it 2023

Total books read:
Total pages read:

Top 10 Fiction
1. The Thursday Murder Club 1-4
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
3. Project Hail Mary
4. Death Gate 1-7
5. Shades of Magic 1-3
6. The Rithmatist
7. Murder on the Orient Express
8. Miss Marple 1-2
9. Supernatural Investigations 1-2
10. Themis Files 1-3

Top 10 Nonfiction
1. Ejaculate Responsibly
2. What if Jesus was Serious About Heaven
3. No Cure for Being Human
4. The Book of Common Courage
5. God Speaks Through Wombs/Touch the Earth
6. She Deserves Better
7. Good Enough
8. Sometimes Women Lie About Being Okay
9. Something's Not Right
10. Liturgy of the Ordinary

Top 5 Rereads
1. Narnia 1-7
2. The Hunger Games 0-3
3. What to the Slave is the Fourth of July
4. Wingfeather Saga 1-4
5. This Too Shall Last

Top 5 Worst Books I Finished
1. Sketchy Behavior
2. Prayer
3. The Secret of Chimneys
4. The Big Four
5. Ready Player One

My year 2023 in books

What. A. Great. Book. Year!! If 2022 was my introduction to literature as an official student in EngLit, 2023 is my first full year of attempting to plan ahead and manage school and personal reading together. And I am quite happy of the result, and only wish to push it further for 2024.

I can see my book taste changing as I read more. It is such an interesting, and sometimes challenging, experience to try to reconcile old favourites with evolving interests. As an eternal reader of middle grade and YA fantasy, I lately found myself drawn more and more towards adult fantasy, cross-cultural works and queer stories. I see the trends and tropes of my two usual age ranges more and some of them are starting to bother me, so I'm on the lookout for something different. I found some incredible gems this way!
I also see that I tend to reread a lot less. I am in the mood to keep on discovering new books and stories. I'm not setting my faves aside, but I want to keep reaching for new stuff, and that is my goal for 2024.

✧ 2023 reading goals ✧

• complete my reading goal (44/35)
• read more nonfiction (2/10)
• read more from my physical tbr (21/20)
• listen to more audiobooks (6/10)

books i really want to read
• babel
• the night circus ✓
• nevernight
• utopia avenue ✓
• scythe ✓
• a winter's promise ✓
• strange the dreamer ✓
• aurora rising ✓

series i want to start
• the raven boys (4/4) ✓
• acotar (2/5)
• the mortal instruments (1/6)
• the poppy war (1/3)
• the nevernight chronicle (0/3)

series i want to finish
• caravel (2/3)
• folk of the air (3/3) ✓
• harry potter (4/7)
• a darker shade of magic (2/3)

key
physical tbr (

prior to this year i hadn't read consistently for pleasure since middle school, & i ended up reading 102 books :-) a little more than half of them were graphic novels/manga but i'm still very proud of tht! i got more into nonfiction & still wanna push myself to read more nonfic that's out of my comfort zone like longer research-based stuff. i also read some poetry & listened to a few audiobooks & am proud of the variety of genres i picked up this year! here's my list of titles read each month if anyone is interested ⭐️

january
1. slapstick - kurt vonnegut
2. hell followed with us - andrew joseph white
3. boyfriend materiel - alexis hall
4. raybearer - jordan ifueko
5. legend & lattes - travis baldree

february
6. heartstopper, volume 1 - alice oseman
7. heartstopper, volume 2 - alice oseman
8. heartstopper, volume 3 - alice oseman
9. heartstopper, volume 4 - alice oseman
10. nick & charlie - alice oseman
11. i was born for this - alice oseman

march
12. i'm glad my mom died - jennette mccurdy
13. redemptor - jordan ifueko
14. solitaire - alice oseman
15. this winter - alice oseman
16. seven days in june - tia williams
17. the complete chi's sweet home, part 1 - konami kanata

april
18. red, white & royal blue - casey mcquiston
19. venomous lumpsucker - ned beauman
20. paris: the memoir - paris hilton
21. the magic fish - trung le nguyen
22. the ocean at the end of the lane - neil gaiman
23. bloom - kevin panetta & savanna ganucheau

may
24. gender queer: a memoir - maia kobabe
25. we both laughed in pleasure: the selected diaries of lou sullivan - lou sullivan, ellis martin, zach ozma
26. taproot - keezy young
27. saga, volume 1 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
28. saga, volume 2 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
29. saga, volume 3 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
30. saga, volume 4 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
31. saga, volume 5 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
32. saga, volume 6 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
33. saga, volume 7 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
34. saga, volume 8 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
35. daisy jones & the six - taylor jenkins reid
36. shubeik lubeik - deena mohamed

june
37. saga, volume 9 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
38. saga, volume 10 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
39. akira, volume 1 - katsuhiro otomo
40. akira, volume 2 - katsuhiro otomo
41. nausicaä of the valley of the wind, volume 1 - hayao miyazaki
42. pageboy - elliott page
43. akira, volume 3 - katsuhiro otomo

july
44. akira, volume 4 - katsuhiro otomo
45. akira, volume 5 - katsuhiro otomo
46. yellowface - r.f. kuang
47. homie - danez smith
48. nausicaä of the valley of the wind, volume 2 - hayao miyazaki
50. akira, volume 6 - katsuhiro otomo
51. the song of achilles - madeline miller
52. nausicaä of the valley of the wind, volume 3 - hayao miyazaki
53. a history of my brief body - billy-ray belcourt

august
53. how y'all doing? - leslie jordan
54. long shot - kennedy ryan
55. all boys aren't blue - george m. johnson
56. kindred - octavia e. butler
57. finding me - viola davis
58. true biz - sara nović
59. a court of thorns & roses - sarah j. maas
60. a trans man walks into a gay bar - harry nicholas
61. uzumaki volume 1 - junji ito

september
62. maestros - steve skroce
63. lakelore - anna-marie mclemore
64. gender explorers - juno roche
65. queer: a graphic history - meg-john barker
66. crying in h mart - michelle zauner
67. crush - richard siken
68. stay true - hua hsu
69. sensory: life on the spectrum - bex ollerton
70. moomin volume 8 - lars jansson
71. the new queer conscience - adam eli
72. moomins and the great flood - tove jansson

october
73. moomin volume 1 - tove jansson
74. comet in moominland - tove jansson
75. finn family moomintroll - tove jansson
76. yours cruelly, elvira: memoirs of the mistress of the dark - cassandra peterson
77. sheets - brenna thummler

november
78. war of the foxes - richard siken
79. delicates - brenna thummler
80. lights - brenna thummler
81. the spirit bares it's teeth - andrew joseph white
82. time to shine - rachel reid
83. convenience store woman - sayaka murata
84. trans power: own your gender - juno roche
85. queer nature: a poetry anthology - michael walsh
86. paper girls, volume 1 - brian vaughan
87. paper girls, volume 2 - brian vaughan
88. paper girls, volume 3 - brian vaughan
89. paper girls, volume 4 - brian vaughan
90. paper girls, volume 5 - brian vaughan
91. paper girls, volume 6 - brian vaughan
92. self-made boys - anna-marie mclemore

december
93. i kissed shara wheeler - casey mcquiston
94. maus 1: a survivors tale - art spiegelman
95. an absolutely remarkable thing - hank green
96. as the crow flies - melanie gillman
97. maus 2: and here my troubles began - art speigelman
98. golden rage - chrissy williams
99. saga, volume 11 - brian vaughan, fiona staples
100. spectators, volume 1 - brian vaughan, niko henrichon
101. heartstopper, volume 5 - alice oseman
102. its lonely at the centre of the earth - zoe thorogood

¤ Reading Goal: 110 books

2023 has passed and I've read more during that year than usual. Sadly, though, reading-wise 2023 was a very mixed bag - 3.1 was my average rating, Goodreads helpfully informs me in my year in books and it makes sense.There were some very good books, though, and on those I'm going to focus here:The most lasting reading impression of 2023 was made by something totally unexpected: Saga, a comic. It has magnificent, diverse, colourful characters that struggle in a universe that is so fantastically different from ours and yet so eerily familiar in some aspects. Saga's wonderful art and, ultimately, its strong and unwavering support for being oneself and acting responsibly - it actually gives me hope.[a:Gale Zoe Garnett's 588519 Gale Zoe Garnett https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] “[b:Visible Amazement 19554491 Visible Amazement Gale Zoe Garnett https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387657834l/19554491.SY75.jpg 761549]” put me in a difficult spot: May I like a novel that has a 42 year old man have a sexual relationship with a 14 year old girl? Considering it's up here with Saga, the answer I came up with after many discussions is obvious. The longer answer is in my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4882049374The chronologically first book that really captured my interest was [a:Marjane Satrapi's 6238 Marjane Satrapi https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1303646506p2/6238.jpg] graphic novel “[b:Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood 9516 Persepolis The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) Marjane Satrapi https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1425871473l/9516.SX50.jpg 3303888]” about her childhood and youth in Iran. Here followed many attempts to reign-in my intense hatred and disgust for the country's “government”, “laws” and “doctrine” today. I failed so I just deleted it all and I'd just like to invite you to make up your mind based upon reading this brilliant novel and its successors.“[b:The Island of Missing Trees 56587382 The Island of Missing Trees Elif Shafak https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620048257l/56587382.SY75.jpg 88381372]” by [a:Elif Shafak 6542440 Elif Shafak https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1395322919p2/6542440.jpg] was a “surprise success” for me - I have no idea how this book smuggled itself onto my TBR pile. It allowed me a glimpse at the divided island of Cyprus and how this division affects its people.In yet another attempt to improve my understanding of the darkest part of history of my native Germany, I read the first part of a new Hitler biography by German historian [a:Volker Ullrich 482732 Volker Ullrich https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1479928951p2/482732.jpg].It was brilliant, informative, engagingly written - and still left me wondering how people could fall under this man's spell. Maybe the second part that I'm going to read this year will help - even though I doubt it.Of course, I've read a lot more but looking over my year in books, nothing else really needs mentioning.I wish you and yours all the best for 2024 and may there always be great books in your path! Happy new year!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I've never done a year end review but I want to start doing it now.

2023 was a great reading year, but my favorite bit was the interactions with everyone I've met in this platform, which completely changed my reading experience.
I love books, and reading is my favorite hobby, however, I often feel lonely while doing it because I want to share my feelings and non readers don't care (which is fair

Update December 2023:I literally gave up after February/march. Depression hit me hard and reading felt like another thing that I must do. Putting all the books I read into this like I have done for a few years was and is still too much for me to do. Now, 2023 wasn't 100% a bad year but it wasn't good either. So, I'm finishing the 2023 reading year early. And... I know I am not going to read anymore books, let alone finish them before the end of the year. Good luck to everyone with your reading goals. I hope you all have a great end of the year and a wonderful new year. January[b:Pieces of Me 60784525 Pieces of Me Kate McLaughlin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1651132104l/60784525.SY75.jpg 86064345] by [a:Kate McLaughlin 19515933 Kate McLaughlin https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1575654907p2/19515933.jpg]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - January 6th, 2023[b:I'm Glad My Mom Died 59364173 I'm Glad My Mom Died Jennette McCurdy https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1649286799l/59364173.SY75.jpg 93537110] by [a:Jennette McCurdy 15457334 Jennette McCurdy https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1667294883p2/15457334.jpg]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - January 17th, 2023February[b:The Real World 62185485 The Real World (Eighth Edition) Kerry Ferris https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1661829433l/62185485.SX50.jpg 97972918] by [a:Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein 23458438 Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ - February 19th, 2023[b:Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice 24962218 Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice Sherwood Thompson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1424245792l/24962218.SX50.jpg 44625250] by [a:Sherwood Thompson 6228925 Sherwood Thompson https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ - February 19th, 2023[b:The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intercultural Competence 23371016 The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intercultural Competence Janet M. Bennett https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422811999l/23371016.SX50.jpg 42929350] by [a:Janet M. Bennett 6746678 Janet M. Bennett https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ - February 19th, 2023[b:Toward a Psychology of Being 332792 Toward a Psychology of Being Abraham H. Maslow https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347864021l/332792.SY75.jpg 2216557] by [a:Abraham H. Maslow 4570807 Abraham H. Maslow https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1396363623p2/4570807.jpg]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ - February 19th, 2023[b:On Emotional Intelligence 23258980 On Emotional Intelligence (HBR's 10 Must Reads) Harvard Business Review https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1413517560l/23258980.SY75.jpg 42799988] by [a:Harvard Business Review 711739 Harvard Business Review https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1430484897p2/711739.jpg]Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ - February 19th, 2023

Reading goals 2023:❀ Read 104 books. [5/104]❀ Read [a:Agatha Christie 123715 Agatha Christie https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589991473p2/123715.jpg]'s Hercule Poirot series including the short stories. ❀ Read [a:Agatha Christie 123715 Agatha Christie https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589991473p2/123715.jpg]'s standalone books. ❀ Try to shrink my physical TBR by reading books from my shelves. Books I will be prioritising throughout the year:❀ [b:Daughter of the Moon Goddess 57789637 Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1) Sue Lynn Tan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627686439l/57789637.SX50.jpg 77538895] ❀ [b:Luck of the Titanic 54711210 Luck of the Titanic Stacey Lee https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1604558427l/54711210.SY75.jpg 85359536]❀ [b:Daughter of Sparta 50123234 Daughter of Sparta (Daughter of Sparta, #1) Claire M. Andrews https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1604065091l/50123234.SX50.jpg 72606604]❀ Any Agatha Christie book ❀ Illumicrate books I have gotten in past boxes (2022)__________________❀January❀❀February❀❀March❀❀April❀❀May❀❀June❀❀July❀❀August❀❀September❀❀October❀❀November❀❀December❀To be continued ...