Oh what a reading year 2023 ended up being for me. While I was able to amass 369 books read and reviewed, I cannot say that I loved them all. But, I tried to review them fairly. Looking back, I kept things varied, interesting, and full of surprises, just the way I like my books. Let's have a brief glimpse at some of the themes that graced my Goodreads page.
I love to find new authors and I did that a few times this year. I was able to tackle different genres when reading new authors as well. As the year needed, I was neck-deep (pun intended) with a vampire-based series that has oddly caught my attention. I was also able to read a new author whose primary goal was to tackle election interference. That trilogy has me quite hooked and I hope that there will be more. There were also some great legal thrillers by NYT bestselling authors that I had never tried, but could not put down when I did. While my list of authors to read is ever-growing, I love adding new ones to the radar.
I revisited a number of books that I had read in years past, trying to find new and exciting angles I had not seen before. My passion for all things by Bryce Courtenay allowed me to return to some of his best novels, none of whom were short, and really get a taste for his passionate writing. I was also able to re-read one of the best multi-volume biographies I have ever found, in Robert A. Caro's LBJ series, which still awaits the final volume. Mastering all things political proved to be highly entertaining as Caro recounted many of the antic's Lyndon B. Johnson found himself turning in his favour. I find re-reading also comes acorns with the holiday season, as I have some books that I will read or listen to each year to help me with the memories that I have made.
Finally I was able to whet my appetite with two genres I love so very much. I devoured many crime thrillers by a variety of authors, binge reading the series to get a good feel for how things progressed. I also found time to read political and historical non-fiction, keeping my brain sharp for what is sure to be a great reading season in 2024. There is nothing like learning about people in history or issues that have plagued the world and how they are being solved.
Some have reached out to ask what 2024 will bring for me. All I will say is that I hope to keep the series reading going, find new authors to enjoy and perhaps tackle another election-year marathon. My 2020 incarnation found many friends and foes come out of the woodwork to comment, which I hope will resume as we tackle the needed topics that will shape those in the United States before they go to the polls.
Whatever I do read, I hope some of you reading this will reach out and offer me a few recommendations, personal in nature. I dislike authors adding me as friends so they can spam me to read their books with the sole intention of being featured on Goodreads. I prefer someone who has seen what I read and who really feels they would like me to try something they enjoyed. I will be frank about it in my review, of that you can rest assured.
I'll leave it there and hope many of you have a wonderful 20204 in reading and life. I will surely be around to update you as things happen.
Yours with a book in hand,
Matt
Now then, what shall I choose for my challenge number?
No comments:
Post a Comment