Book Recs from Bonni

You've been waiting all year for this!! I have created a list of my favorite reads of 2023. I barely reached my goal of 100 books by throwing in some shorter works toward the end of the year. This year, I decreased my goal to 90 so that I wouldn't avoid longer books in order to reach an arbitrary goal.

Some people wonder how I read so much. The big trick is that the bulk of my book consumption comes through audio. I only spend about 30 minutes a day in actual eyes-on-page reading. My audiobook listening has decreased lately, too, with another child getting their driver's license, and I haven't been great at getting in my daily walks for exercise.

Aside from reading and rating books as I went along, I did a little personal analysis of my preferences and learned some things. About 40% of the total books I read were non-fiction, and 33% of my 5-star reads were non-fiction. What does that mean? Who knows, except, looking closer at what type of non-fiction I read does give a little clue. There are a ton of memoirs settled in my non-fiction list, but of the non-fiction books that ended up on my 5-star list, only three were memoirs and five are self-help. One-fourth of my favorite books were self-help. Disturbing? I choose to think I'm curious and ready to learn how I can be a little better every day. :)

Three authors earned five stars twice. Sean Dietrich is a new favorite of mine. Erin Entrada Kelly is an old favorite. From my self-help reading, I want Nedra Tawaab Glover as my own personal therapist--not that I have serious issues or anything, but I found her books helpful and insightful.

I was curious about whether I read male authors or female others. I counted 91 authors--57 female and 35 male. I guess I'm biased, but my preferences are opposite of what people seem to think about book awards mostly going to males. I'm not sure what the data says about that currently, but I do know there is definitely some sensisivity to that bias in the publishing world.

Maybe your tastes match mine. Maybe they don't. But without further ado, in no particular order, my top 23 of 2023:

Stress Resets: How to Sooth Your Body and Mind in Minutes by Jennifer Taitz

Stress Resets is a super helpful guide for anybody who battles daily stress or anxiety (everybody). Quick tips are listed with scientific backup for why these strategies work. You can benefit from listening from beginning to end, but now that I've done that, I prefer to have the hard copy on hand to refer to for specific tools in certain circumstances. The author reads the audiobook. Her voice is soothing. Production-wise, I did notice variability in volume from piece to piece. Sometimes, it distracts from the content. Another thing that distracts from the content is when the author says something like, "(Expert) told me." She may have had one-on-one conversations with many experts, but when I heard that phrase, my mind wandered away from the content of the message to what their conversation might have been like.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

This is a simple, yet profound story that can be read and reread any time you need reminders of goodness, endurance, love, kindness, or real friendship. I listened to the audiobook. It's excellent. Charlie Mackesy has a soothing voice and the accompanying music and sound effects bring the book to life differently than the illustrated hard copy, yet the tone is the same.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (The Vanderbeekers #1) by Karina Yan Glaser

This is a sweet story about a fictional family that feels real--except that maybe the kids are a little sweeter to each other than most sibling groups I know. The characters are deep and unique. The story flows well. By the end of the story, I'm content, longing to return to the brownstone to continue the series.

The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich

I don't even like baseball, but I like a good story about good people who show up for each other in difficult circumstances. This is the kind of feel-good story a person might want to read again and again, not because it's all lollipops and rainbows, but because it's challenge, disappointment, and endurance. The last pages are perfect.

Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich

This is the second novel I've read by Sean Dietrich, and I am a huge fan. Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for the audiobook, which is performed wonderfully by the author himself. If you want to read (or listen) to a story about people who are not all good and not all bad, who mess up and try again, who forgive and are forgiven, this is it. And it's not all mushy and gospelly. It's fun and exciting. The cliffhanger chapter endings are expertly executed. I now have a goal to read all of Dietrich's novels.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1)

What I thought when I read it the first time in 2010: 

I loved this book!  It was a fun, witty, and clean mystery.  The author has a talent for similes.  After a while, however, I found myself tiring of all of the comparisons because, though creative, they seemed slightly forced.  You can tell the author is a fan of Poe, and after reading some of his short stories, her references to his writing were fun for me to read.

Thirteen Years Later: Listen to the audiobook! It's delightful. My favorite character is Gladys, Flavia's bicycle. I also love the tricks Flavia plays on her older sister, Ophelia. One of these pranks is described on the book's Wikipedia page: "Flavia has braces and pigtails like a typical 11-year old girl, but she is also a brilliant amateur chemist with a specialty in poisons and a fully equipped personal laboratory on the top floor of her home. With her scientific notebook at the ready, she steals her oldest sister's lipstick, adds poison ivy extract, and then waits, eagerly anticipating changes in Ophelia's complexion."

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Not all middle-grade books can be equally immersive and thought-provoking for children and adults. Goodreads is full of adult reviews, but what do children think of this story? Are they overwhelmed by the deep themes, vocabulary, or circuitous plot devices? I'm guessing they either love it or they give up. This is the first I've read from Kelly Barnhill. I can't wait to pick up another novel by her.

The Upward Spiral: Usin Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time by Alex Korb

A difficult challenge in fighting depression is to believe you don't have to be at the mercy of your mood. Finding hope and taking control seems like a cruel joke when the darkness is so heavy. This book provides a thoughtful and practical guide by educating the reader about what may cause the symptoms of depression and then guiding them through simple, actionable steps. It's still a fight, but knowledge is power.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

This book has been recommended several times, but I avoided it. First, its length is intimidating. Second, it almost entirely takes place in a luxury hotel and revolves around the life of a Russian count on house arrest. Would it keep my attention? To overcome those barriers, I used a book club meeting to create a short deadline and procured both audio and print copies. I needn't have worried, though, because this story has so many layers. It's a work of genius that deserves more than one hurried read-through. The commentary on life, love, community, friendship, religion, artistry, and politics is engaging and good fodder for lively discussion.

Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

If I were a therapist, I'd keep this book as a guide in my office. Since I'm not a therapist, I bought this book as a personal guide. I like that it's set up by lists and categories. Practical examples are used, and encouragement is given. There is an accompanying workbook which I also purchased. The workbook is a useful resource independent of the original text.

**Honorable Mention is a second book by Nedra Glover Tawwab called Drama Free: A Guide to Managing Unhealthy Family Relationships. This is a helpful guide to examining and communicating healthy boundaries in family relationships as well as how to heal from past trauma. The psychology of forgiveness is interesting and applicable to everybody. Nedra Glover Tawwab does not minimize the pain people feel, but she also doesn't back down from encouraging individuals to acknowledge their own responsibility for dysfunction.

Foster by Claire Keegan

Simple, yet profound, as the best short stories are. Definitely worth a reread.

Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer has been recommended to me a few times, but I avoided reading it because I thought I wouldn't want to read something Jane Austenish (it's not too Austenish). This is the first of her novels I have read. It's quirky and fun. Her characterization--especially of Sylvester--is masterful. I better see what else she has written.

Dimestore: A Writer's Life by Lee Smith

This is a five-star for me, but I don't see myself recommending it to many friends. Sometimes, a book gets five stars because I want to tell everybody to read it. I don't feel that way about this one. I enjoyed it. I like memoirs. I liked reading about Lee Smith's memories and experiences growing up in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains. I like her thoughts about writing. I like her honesty about mental illness. I can see myself rereading this book, but it didn't pierce me so deeply that I want to tell people about it or recommend it to fellow readers. It's a quiet book I want to keep to myself.

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri

Daniel Nayeri is an entertaining and engaging storyteller. I don't know if I should recommend the audiobook (read by him) or the hard copy with its quality illustrations. How about both? May I also recommend his author interview on Marissa Meyer's Happy Writer Podcast? Very entertaining and informative.

Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman

Matilda's transformation from stuffy, rule-bound, and pious to understanding what it truly means to love, serve, and heal is an enjoyable journey to participate in as a reader. I like how Karen Cushman writes about girls and women in the Middle Ages. The background of medicine and healing in medieval times is very interesting too.

Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly

Are authors Erin Entrada Kelly and Gary D. Schmidt friends? They are in my head, and I want to be a part of their discussions of literary and everyday life. Lesser-known Claire Swinarski should join in because, like Kelly and Schmidt, she is exceptionally talented at teens and pre-teens who are not wholly good or bad and are simply navigating the growing-up years as best they can, given their realistic challenging family and life situations. Do you want to understand kids this age a little better? Are you a kid this age? Read this book. Read these authors. They get you, and they express it with reality and hope.

Only Only Marisol Rainey (Maybe Marisol #3) by Erin Entrada Kelly

Marisol Rainey is sensitive, inquisitive, thoughtful, and introspective. I like that the reader gets to know what she's thinking, but she doesn't readily share with everybody else, so it causes some conflict. I also like how observant she is of other people and wonders how they might be feeling. This book is also evidence that non-stop action isn't necessary to get readers engaged. The emotional connection, tension, and stakes pull the reader from page to page. The illustrations are an added bonus for reluctant readers who need a little motivation to get to the next page.

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

My enjoyment level merits a four-star rating, but my best friend is a foodie, and I sent her this book after only reading a few chapters. Since it made me think of her so much, it's five stars. I love the letter format and how expressive these sweet friends are through their writing.

DBT Skills for Teens with Anxiety: Practical Strategies to Manage Stress and Strengthen Emotional Resilience by Atara Hiller

Do you have teens, work with teens, or know teens? Better yet, do you have emotions, or know anybody who has emotions? Because this book isn't just for teens with anxiety. It's a helpful guidebook for anybody who wants to improve how they show up in emotionally charged situations. None of the guidance is new, but it's packaged and explained in simple situation-specific exercises without being so formulaic that one couldn't apply the skills in a variety of ways. Much like Anxiety Relief for Teens by Regine Galanti, this is a book I would expect to see in school counseling offices, mental health clinics, libraries, hospitals, and homes.

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

A 40-something house cleaner whose true passion is literature. What could be better than that? The story is much more than the premise suggests. The main character, Liv, journeys from boundaryless, purposeless, and essentially invisible to her family and employers to fulfilled, strong, and driven is inspiring. The story, though fantastic, is still believable and heartwarming. I like the literary references and writing tips. Phaedra Patrick has a new fan.

Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

This is a unique first-hand account of a free man kidnapped and sold into slavery. The story is told with a tone of honesty and forthrightness. I appreciate that goodness is attributed where goodness is observed, regardless of race. The same is done for evil intentions. Solomon doesn't shy away from evaluation or subjective surmising. Still, his conclusions don't seem skewed by agenda, rather a way to understand his experience and to help readers understand the plight of the slave.

Mala's Cat: A Memoir of Survival in World War II by Mala Kacenberg

This is an incredible story told with moving detail. I wish we could have everybody's stories written in such a way. I'm glad Mala was blessed with such a talent, and her work got into the right hands in order for it to gain the momentum it needed to be published and shared.

The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman

A bunch of retirees who have lived varied, interesting lives solving murders to keep their brains from rotting away? Sounds like a fun read to me. The author dealt with the characters' quirks, weaknesses, regrets, and misgivings with a combination of compassion and humor that kept the story entertaining and unpredictable. I can't wait to see what happens next with this group of interesting people.

Aaaaaand, there you have it, folks! My top 23 books of 2023. Happy reading.