So far, in January and February of 2023, I've read far more than in the same time period the prior few years!
In part, I've been making a conscious choice to sit down with a book instead of mindlessly scrolling or watching TV. I've also just been far less stressed than in the last few years, so it's been more natural to pick up a book without having to make a conscious effort.
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In January, I finished:
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (American fiction)
- Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (non-fiction; memoir; autobiography; poetry)
In February, I finished:
- Cold by Mariko Tamaki (young adult fiction; murder mystery)
- The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson (Contemporary British fiction; chick lit; Rom-Com; lighthearted and sweet)
- Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan (Contemporary American fiction; psychological thriller; family and friend relationships; near future climate crisis)
As of this writing -- the second to last day of February -- I am currently working my way through:
- No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib (Contemporary fiction; dramatic and tense but EXCELLENT)
- The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (Contemporary Swedish fiction; humorous)
- Animal Farm by George Orwell (Fiction; satire)
I have several other books in progress from months past, but these three are at the top of my list.
So far, the best book I've read in 2023 is Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan. Whoa! This book is tense, but I could not put it down! The book takes place in the near future amid a growing climate crisis that is making life nearly unbearable in what is an otherwise very typical suburban United States neighborhood. As the story unfolds, we see relationships shift between a group of neighbors and their children. The kids are growing up and shifting allegiances. The parents are mostly trying to hold their lives and families together with varying degrees of success. Ultimately, everything unravels when one of the kids disappears into a sink hole. Cracks in all of the relationships -- family units, friends, and so on -- begin to form and unthinkable acts of violence occur under the cover of darkness. Although this was a devastating story, it was also exceptionally written and I highly recommend it.
What has been your best read so far in 2023?
