This was a weird year for me. It started strong, and even through a very busy spring, I still managed to read through an incredible amount of books. However, in the latter half of the year, for whatever reason, I had one of the biggest book slumps I have had since grad school almost 10 years ago.

The reality is that for the last 6 months of the year, I just wasn’t finding a lot of enjoyment in reading. I think this, more than anything, was a part of why I stopped blogging – reading felt like a slog, and there were so few books I was liking well enough to write about, I didn’t really have much to say. I would read books I knew were good, and probably would have loved in another season of my life and simply feel cold and unmoved. I would start an audio-book and my attention would wander so much I couldn’t finish it.

My reading not only slowed, but shifted to either re-reading books or reading less challenging books, and I leaned hard into one of my new favorite genres, cozy fantasy or science fiction (usually with tea and books!) and it helped in that it was calming and enjoyable.

I also started rereading quite a few older books that I had loved, and slowly, towards the end of the year, I found myself coming out of my funk and finding books I loved again. Lately, while I’m still being cautious about what books I am reading (I’ll steer clear of heavy trauma-laden books for a while still), I’m actually enjoying what I am reading, and finding that reading in print has been fun again, which has been a fun surprise.

With that in mind, my favorite books of the year are split into two different categories – the first 5 the 5 best general books I read this year (including some really great memoirs!), most of which I read back in the winter or spring of 2023, and the second 5 are the cozy books I have enjoyed the most in more recent months.

5 Favorite Books (in no particular order)

Lark Ascending by Silas House

This was an eloquent and difficult read set in a dystopian version of Ireland that manages a sublime balance of hopeful and harsh, and the first “heavy” book I really loved coming out of my reading slump. It took me by surprise in some ways, and the writing is excellent – I actually remember this book as a series of images because the writing drew such a clear picture. The audio is good, although the mix of Irish and American characters mean the narration doesn’t quite capture the accents in the way you might want.

Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley

This was a book club pick and not one I would have read on my own, but it was a sweet and fun surprise. This is a modern day fable of sorts with a host of talking animals, told from the perspective of an escaped racehorse. The way it chooses to depict the temperaments and personalities of each species humorously accurate. It also manages to be gentle without being twee.

Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders by L. David Marquet

This is a business/organizational leadership book and not one I would usually love, but I heard about it years ago, and was really happy to have picked it up. Marquet’s framing and past experience on military submarines elevated this book in a great way, and his ability to make the changes he did and get the results he manages to get within a strict structure like the navy make it all the more convincing. I wish I had read this in my previous job, and when I end up supervising people again, I will be getting a copy for reference, because I was really inspired and convinced by his argument that true leadership involves letting people be accountable and creative.

Brave Enough by Jessie Diggins and Todd Smith

I’m obsessed with Olympic sports. Jessie Diggins is the most successful cross country skier in United States history, and she has been a favorite of mine since the Sochi Games. However, this book is more than just a rehash of a professional athlete’s training regime. She is honest and clear about her setbacks, including her history with an eating disorder, and I think anyone who read this book would end up rooting for her. Also, this is small, but she credits her ghostwriter so publicly (and he is named on the front cover), which is not typical and I find that really wonderful.

Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile

This was an audio-book listen for me, and was an incredible experience on audio! The book would be good anyway, but Carlile sings many of her own songs throughout the book, usually right after describing what inspired them, and the experience is just incredibly magical. Also, she grew up in rural Washington, and I always love reading about places I know, especially when someone has such a unique and different perspective.

5 Cozy Reads I Enjoyed Most (in no particular order)*

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea and A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

This is hands-down my favorite cozy fantasy series. It is delightful, has enough of a plot to stay interesting, but never has too much tension that I can’t just sit back and enjoy it. The main two characters are in a strong relationship that is allowed to be full of love and trust without too much angst. I’ve found that my tolerance for romantic tension is low in this kind of book – if it’s going to be a cozy read, I’d prefer a solid working relationship. Plus, there are books, baked good, and lots of crocheting. These are being re-released this year as they were initially self published, and while I’m sad this has pushed the date of the third book out, I’m so happy she has been so successful.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This one is not a fantasy, and does have some romantic tension, but it was still so much fun. Although you could argue that a world where a divorced woman is the president of the United States is definitely a fantasy? This is the story of what happens when the son of the president falls in love with one of the British prices, and it is full of plenty of spice, and a lot of fun political intrigue. I found it through the (not actually good but also amazing) movie adaptation and it really hit the spot. I don’t read a lot of romance, likely for the reasons I outlined above, but this one was a fun one.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

This is a prequel to Legends & Lattes, which is fairly well known, and it was just as fun as the first one (maybe more, because it has books in it!). Even though it was a prequel, it stood on its own and I found it really lovely. The general beats of friends, fixing up a shop, eating baked goods, and a light love story are a great blend for cozy, sweet read.

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

This was a romance and a cozy fantasy wrapped into one, and set in an odd Western-inspired world that I ended up loving. The world-building was not as strong as the character building, but the characters were all so lovable, so it almost didn’t matter! The characters were strong enough that even the romantic tension didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the book, and I think the author did a reasonable job of incorporating it into the larger plot.

* I must also give a huge shout out to Becky Chambers as I reread all of her books this past year. These are simply the pinnacle of delightful, cozy, yet ABOUT something, and I cannot recommend them enough. I’ve talked about them a lot in the past, so I wanted to speak to something new, but if you have not yet picked anything by her up, I highly recommend it!

Here is to next year, and getting out of book slumps!!