My favorite book of the year so far is Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. The writing is just astonishing and the story is compelling and sad and moving and all the feelings.
Well, aside from your book, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, and as a children’s librarian, Mac Barnett’s The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza and Jason Reynold’s Stuntboy in the Meantime (I listened to the audio-so well done!)
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue blew me away and I keep wanting to reread it, it was that good. Monsters by Claire Dederer was the best book to read with other people and I still have so much to say about it. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor is one I missed out on as a kid but it’s just as good as an adult- like if To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Toni Morrison.
As you predicted, I *loved* GREAT CIRCLE by Maggie Shipstead! Two more of my very faves from this year were WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS by Catherine Newman and TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett.
I’m a school librarian so I read a lot of YA...I read a lot. But top three in (my) recent history? The Blonde Identity - Ally Carter - adult - perfectly pitched, paced, fizzy fun
What the River Knows - Isabel Ibanez - because I finished it a couple weeks ago and can’t stop thinking about it - where was this book when I was a teen???
I Loved You in Another Life - David Arnold - his books are all brilliant, but this one? By far his best.
And can we talk about the brilliance of middle grade graphic novels? Sooo many good ones, but MexiKid I read nine months ago and continues to rise to the top of ALL books from this year
Thank you for this! Will be adding most of these to my never-ending list of To Reads. I made a pact with myself this year to not purchase any new books until I had read the copious amount of books I have purchased and have yet to read... I wouldn't call myself a hoarder, but also, I would. Most looking forward to Tom Lake, Brooklyn Crime Novel, and Margo. I just finished Britney on Audible and I can't stop thinking about it. We all did her dirty.
Top 3 of this year: Tom Lake, Tom Lake, Tom Lake--I cannot move on from Tom Lake! But before that I loved Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. But...Tom Lake *sigh*
My three favourite books I have read this year are The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers (utterly in love with this series of books!) and What She Saw by Lucinda Rosenfeld. Next on my list are two recommendations from trusted sources: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
My 3 faves: Demon Copperhead, Tom Lake, and Happiness Falls.
My favorite book of the year so far is Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. The writing is just astonishing and the story is compelling and sad and moving and all the feelings.
Well, aside from your book, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, and as a children’s librarian, Mac Barnett’s The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza and Jason Reynold’s Stuntboy in the Meantime (I listened to the audio-so well done!)
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue blew me away and I keep wanting to reread it, it was that good. Monsters by Claire Dederer was the best book to read with other people and I still have so much to say about it. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor is one I missed out on as a kid but it’s just as good as an adult- like if To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Toni Morrison.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
The Book of Form and Emptiness, Ruth Ozeki
anxiously awaiting audiobook of Tom Lake from the library
Top 3:
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow #1 (or can I go higher??)
Sea of Tranquility or Station Eleven - can't pick
Demon Copperhead
Bonus listen: Birnam Wood (for the story and the accent)
As you predicted, I *loved* GREAT CIRCLE by Maggie Shipstead! Two more of my very faves from this year were WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS by Catherine Newman and TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett.
Shark Heart, Vanity Fair, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Runners-up: You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Hello Beautiful, Bleak House
Top 3 of 2023:
Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut
Top 3 non-mystery novels:
The Postcard by Anne Berest
In Memoriam by Alice Winn
Foster by Claire Kennan
Runner up: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
I am a big fan of mystery series. Here are my top three new-to-me series for 2023 (1st book in series):
Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker
Slow Horses by Mick Heron
The Cold Cold Ground (Sean Duffy) by Adrian McKinley
Runner up: Death in Brittany by Jean-Luc Bannalec
I’m a school librarian so I read a lot of YA...I read a lot. But top three in (my) recent history? The Blonde Identity - Ally Carter - adult - perfectly pitched, paced, fizzy fun
What the River Knows - Isabel Ibanez - because I finished it a couple weeks ago and can’t stop thinking about it - where was this book when I was a teen???
I Loved You in Another Life - David Arnold - his books are all brilliant, but this one? By far his best.
And can we talk about the brilliance of middle grade graphic novels? Sooo many good ones, but MexiKid I read nine months ago and continues to rise to the top of ALL books from this year
Thank you for this! Will be adding most of these to my never-ending list of To Reads. I made a pact with myself this year to not purchase any new books until I had read the copious amount of books I have purchased and have yet to read... I wouldn't call myself a hoarder, but also, I would. Most looking forward to Tom Lake, Brooklyn Crime Novel, and Margo. I just finished Britney on Audible and I can't stop thinking about it. We all did her dirty.
Top 3 of this year: Tom Lake, Tom Lake, Tom Lake--I cannot move on from Tom Lake! But before that I loved Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. But...Tom Lake *sigh*
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
My three favourite books I have read this year are The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers (utterly in love with this series of books!) and What She Saw by Lucinda Rosenfeld. Next on my list are two recommendations from trusted sources: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (incredible unlike anything I’ve ever read)
Florida by Lauren Groff
American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell