It’s been a few years since I’ve done a reading year in review so I figured now was a perfect time to start that tradition again.

According to Goodreads, I read twenty different books. Hardly a number to cheer about compared to some, but a number that I’m pretty proud of considering the year I had. Are there reads that didn’t get tallied in the list? Absolutely. I’ve never claimed to be perfect.

Without further ado, here are the highlights –

Top three fantasy reads of 2023

1. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
2. Piranesi by Suzanna Clarke
3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Top three non-fiction reads of 2023

1. Managing Expectations by Minnie Driver
2. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton
3. Smart but Scattered by Dawson and Guare

Good reads that deserve a mention

1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
2. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

Drumroll please for my favorite read of the year

Of all the books I read this year, it comes as no surprise that my favorite book on the list was one of my fantasy picks. Uprooted by Naomi Novik felt at first like it might be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I was prepared to enjoy it but not necessarily love it. However, as the storytelling layered in on itself and the magic was revealed, I was truly impressed at how everything came together to a beautiful well-rounded ending.

Have you read Uprooted? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments 🙂

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