Best Books of 2023

 My list is not extensive by any means, but I need to share out my favorites from 2023 like I have the past seven years. Maybe these aren't my favorites, actually... maybe they're books I believe other people could benefit from if they read them. I read a bit for myself, along with many books I thought my 7th graders would enjoy or books they recommended for me.

     2022 Favorites

     2021 Favorites

     2020 Favorites

     2019 Favorites
     2018 Favorites
     2017 Favorites
     2016 Favorites
     2015 Favorites
     2014 Favorites

Here are the books I would most recommend from my list of 100 books I've read this year... I tried to whittle it down to one or two per genre, but I read some genres more than others! I'm not going to describe them for you - you can check out the complete list with my thoughts for this year here. Another note: One of my goals this year was to read more adult books. Young adult and books geared toward seventh graders just aren't holding my attention like they used to.

Biography / Autobiography / Memoir
     Adult - Eddie Jaku's The Happiest Man on Earth: The beautiful life of an Auschwitz survivor

Fantasy

Young Adult - Neal Shusterman's Game Changer

Graphic Novel

Middle School - Two true stories.

Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile's Victory. Stand! Raising my fist for justice along with Christina Soontornvat's The Tryout: Making the Squad Means Risking It All

 

Historical Fiction

Adult - Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five was one I chose simply because it was banned.

YA - Krystal Marquis's The Davenports (#1)

Middle School - Amina Luquam-Dawson's Freewater

and Jennifer Nielsen's Lines of Courage

 

 

How To / Self Help

Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements has four tips anyone should follow.

Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic had me reading a bit each day. I'm now going to read a follow-up book on the Stoicism philosophy, because it, along with the Calm app and my pausing to stay in the present, has helped me grow.

 

Mystery

I'm not a huge mystery reader, but Robert Traver's Anatomy of a Murder was a fun one to read with my husband. It was MUCH better than the movie.

Nonfiction

Adult - Robin Wall Kimmererer's Braiding Sweetgrass reminded me of how I need to take care of our earth.

Poetry / Prose / Novel in Verse

Middle School - Andrea Beatriz Arango's Something Like Home

Rajani LaRocca's Mirror to Mirror

                                Jarrett Lerner's A Work in Progress

Professional

Angela Watson's - Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching reminded me of what she already has shared with her readers.

Realistic

Adult - Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye ... so grateful for the afterward.

Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures

Middle School - Sarah Everett's The Probability of Everything - The payoff was worth the confusion.

Alyssa Hollingsworth's The Eleventh Trade was a stretch I think my students will enjoy.

Antony John's Mascot grabbed me from the first chapter

  

Romance

Middle School - Julie Buxbaum's What to Say Next was recommended by a parent, and it had alternating narrators that I LOVED.

Science Fiction

Adult - Nikki Erlick's The Measure is still in my mind many days.

Sports

Middle School - Tommy Greenwald's Game Changer was a fast read! (Wait a minute... Do two of my favorite books this year have the same title?!?!)

A Book that Inspired Me to Write

Adult - Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

This was the last book I read in 2023. Just this week I purchased a journal - to write to myself... I'm asking myself for advice, and I'm answering myself. I imagine it's kind of like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy... using my own negative thoughts and showing myself what's okay (or even beautiful) about the struggle. I'm excited to keep writing; I've never written like this.

I'm still on the lookout for books that stretch my thinking, are written by those with different experiences than me, and are written well. Please comment your favorites (from this year or all time) down below, so I can add more to my list! Cheers to more reading in 2024!