Each year, I look back on all of the books I've read throughout the year and summarise my top reads. It has become an annual tradition, partly because each year I set a 'reading challenge' on Goodreads and at the end of the year it displays your year in books. In 2023, I set myself a challenge of reading 30 books and I managed 35. The following books were rated 5 stars (out of 5), however it is important to note that my ratings vary depending on my mood and what else I've read recently.
Atomic Habits - James Clear
I read this as part of a New Year's resolution to read a book in Portuguese. The short chapters made it easily digestible and from my personal experience, a lot of the advice given has indeed been very useful in forming new habits/stopping old habits (although truthfully I discovered many of these by trial and error as opposed to after reading the book). That said, I feel like this is one of those books that’s very easy to pick up and agree with but takes a lot more energy to actually implement the advice.
Friends to Keep in Art and Life - Nicole Tersigni
The first book that I read in 2023 was gifted by a close friend for secret Santa. I read it in Canada and it made me laugh a lot, whilst providing some entertaining artwork which stood testament to the value and importance of female friendships. It reminded me a lot of a time during uni when I was meant to go to an exhibition with a friend but they couldn’t make it in the end, so I went alone and sent pictures of the exhibits alongside humorous captions, which was a nice personal touch.
Four Thousand Weeks - Time Management for Mortals - Oliver Burkeman
This book inspired an entire think piece on life being short (click here to read it). As someone who constantly thinks about how fleeting life is and how easily things can be taken away from you, I really do try to prioritise the important things in life. This book emphasises this point and it came to my attention after watching a YouTube video by Lenna Norms which I enjoyed greatly (linked here).
How Not to Die Alone: The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love - Logan Ury
Though not what I would typically pick up, I saw a YouTube video of a guy raving about this book and decided to give it a go. It was an enjoyable, entertaining read with lots of good advice backed up by studies, anecdotes, and research on every stage of relationships, from meeting people to first dates and breakups to marriage. I'd strongly recommend and am even planning to re-read this book in 2024!
The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity - Esther Peril
At a house party a few months ago, the topic of cheating came up and it was clear that not only was there no consensus on what cheating constituted but also there was a clear divide on how different people would react if they found out their partner had been cheating. I then saw this book recommended and was surprised by how much it changed my view on infidelity and provided new perspectives on the topic, including why people cheat and how to survive it.
Happy Place - Emily Henry
This book was gifted by the same friend who gifted me the first title (Friends to Keep in Art and Life) as it reminded her of our friendship, alongside the third friend in our little trio. This was such a thoughtful gift and was an entertaining read as the book depicted not only romantic love, but various other types of relationships too.
Although the titles above are the only titles that I rated five stars, I would like to include some books that I rated four stars but deserve an honourable mention as they also kept me gripped.
The Death of Ivan Ilych - Leo Tolstoy
This was one of the first books that my boyfriend and I read as part of our 'book club'. Until this point, I'd enjoyed most of the Russian fiction I'd read and this was no exception (despite my edition having various typos and punctuation errors in it). Although I had to look up many legal terms and French phrases, I enjoyed this book greatly. It reminded me slightly of the picture of Dorian Gray, specifically in valuing the wrong things in life, however in 'The Death of Ivan Ilych', it was respectability and properness, whereas is in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', it’s youth and beauty. This was also a very short read, which is always a nice surprise
The Enigma of Room 622 - Joël Dicker
Those who have read 'My Favourite Books' post may remember that Joël Dicker featured on that list for 'The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair'. Therefore, when I saw this new title in Waterstones, I was excited to give it a go. I read it whilst on my Central America trip and it was the perfect holiday read: gripping and filled with plot twists. Interestingly, the author himself featured as the protagonist and it seemed that there was overlap between the novel and reality.
Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker
This was recommended by a close colleague of mine as she'd studied Psychology at uni and she thought that I may too enjoy it (having studied Neuroscience myself). Although I found some chapters slightly dull and reminiscence of a few lectures at uni, overall it was a very good read and really emphasised the importance of sleep on multiple aspects of life. One fact I've never forgotten is that you can never make up on lost sleep, which is slightly stressful.
Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton
Although it took me a while to get into this book as it occurs in chronological order and a lot of Dolly's teenage phase felt a lifetime away (as I was 25 at the time of reading), but as it became more relatable with the current phase of life I’m in, I enjoyed it much more and found many nuggets of wisdom in this book.
Taxtopia: How I Discovered the Injustices, Scams and Secrets of the Tax Evasion Game - The Rebel Accountant
This was my last read of 2023 and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. My brother picked it up for me in an airport as I had recently finished my exams to become a Chartered Accountant, and I found it to be relatable in many aspects, including the idea of accountancy being for those unsure of what else to do career-wise. I found myself constantly chuckling at the author's anecdotes and learnt a lot of interesting facts about how both the wealthy and accountants avoid tax.
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