As the year draws to a close, I've had a bit of a mull over the books I've read in 2023. Goodreads tells me I've managed a total of 58 doses of fiction this year, and despite having one final book on the go as we approach New Year's Eve, I know that realistically I'm not going to complete it, so I'll wrap up at 58 - which, while it's not as many as previous years, I think is a decent tally. My love of reading has returned - it had become a bit of a chore when first setting up this blog page, and I had lost my way under the pressure of blog tours and deadlines.
The reason I wanted to write this page in the first place was to share my passion for books, and share with others which authors and titles I enjoy. There are many others who can dedicate far more time than I can in promoting the newest releases and upcoming publications and, while I do love that side of it, the pressure alongside full-time work in the NHS is not sustainable for me personally. So 2023 has led me to return to mood reading - choosing the books which speak to me from the shelves of my local library and bookstores, the ones which have waited patiently on my own shelves at home for their turn in the spotlight. There have been promotions for new releases which I have been privileged to be offered via Netgalley or direct from publishers/authors, but less so this year and I'm feeling far more comfortable with this.
So, what hit the spot this year and which missed the target?
Funnily enough, these were 2 books from the same author, Gillian McAllister. And maybe it was because I loved the one book so much that the later one just couldn't match it? I don't know. My stand-out book this year was Wrong Place, Wrong Time which impressed me so much due to the talent required to actually write it successfully. There were so many ways it could have gone horribly wrong but the author kept the plotting and detail so tight, it was a huge hit for me. The later publication of Just Another Missing Person didn't work anywhere near so well for me - but as you know, I don't like to slate a book just because I wasn't a fan so I'll spend no further time on that one.
Following closely in the success of this one, are 2 books by an author new to me this year, Jack Jordan. Both Do No Harm and Conviction were big hits for me and I have purchased another couple of books from his backlist, so they could feature in next year's reviews.
I don't often choose books which feature heavily on booktok as I haven't had much luck with them, but I have been pleasantly surprised by Freida McFadden's Housemaid series and have also added her to the 2024 s"potentials" list.
This year has been a good reading year, and I have lots more planned for 2024, but I'll keep that for another day. I'll gather my thoughts on what I think will be ones to watch out for and present to you a few titles I'm either planning to read or will be looking out for when they hit the shelves.
Have a fabulous New Year's celebrations, whether you choose to party or have a quiet one on the sofa with a good book.
Thank you all for supporting me by reading my blog posts and reviews. I hope to see you all again next year!
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