withsomejam

2023 was a bit all over the shop when it came to the books I read. Between reading in hospital waiting rooms and then joining a book club, my reading was very diverse. So lets dive in…

The Book of Life (All Souls #3), Deborah Harkness: I finished the trilogy right at the beginning of the year and enjoyed knowing how Diana and Matthews story concluded, however I weren’t done there as you will see…

Too Much, Tom Allen: I absolutely loved Tom Allen’s second book. It came at a poignant time for me as he delves into the grief of losing his father and my father died in 2022 and then when I read this my paternal Grandfather had just passed away also. He discusses the grief and loss in such a raw and candid way but also with a hint of humour -getting that ever so delicate balance just right.

I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy: A bit of an odd one for me. I’m glad I read this book but I found it tricky at points to push through and continue reading it.

The Way Back Home, Courtney Peppernell: A wonderful collection of poetry from Peppernell, I loved flipping through this book and I’m so happy it’s part of my poetry shelf.

On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times, Michael Ignatieff: The first of my ‘comfort reads‘, this didn’t hit the note I wanted it to but it was interesting to read. Ignatieff explores various figures in history who experienced loss and how they changed their energies to find the solace they needed.

The Story of Beatrix Potter: Her Enchanting Work and Surprising Life, Sarah Gristwood: A lovely addition to my library. This read was so informative and definitely a must-have for any Beatrix Potter fan however, having grown up reading about her myself, it was full of a lot of things I already knew.

Books and Libraries: Poems, Andrew D. Scrimgeour: Another Everyman’s Library Pocket Poet edition to my shelves, this was a quick but enjoyable read. Poetry gave me so much solace during the first half of 2023.

The Witches of North Yorkshire, Michael Francis Wray: A short read, this was a collection of numerous local tales and folklore surrounding the witches of North Yorkshire.

Letters to the Lady Upstairs, Marcel Proust: Another short read and my first read of Proust’s. I definitely enjoyed his descriptions of suffering from chronic illness’ -which was how this came to be recommended to me.

London’s Crypts and Catacombs, Robert Bard & Adrian Miles: I know this may look odd to some but I have had this book since we visited Highgate Cemetery here, so I really want to get to it.

Parenting Hell: The Hilarious Guide For Tired Parents Everywhere, Rob Beckett & Josh Widdecombe: This was partly read from the book itself and partly and audible listen on my part. I must say, the audible was much more natural and free-flowing and as it’s a book adapted from the podcast, I preferred it in this format. It got me through some dark days at the hospital with my maternal grandfather.

Time’s Convert (All Souls #4), Deborah Harkness: This was a bit of a flop for me. I have gone into more detail in another post about this but I will say, this book weren’t what I was expecting. There were definitely pros and cons to it, more of the latter than the former though.

The Lighthouse Witches, C.J. Cooke: This was a long-awaited read for me and a bit of an odd one for me. I found the plot so intriguing but also a bit tricky to follow at times. I should probably write a post unpacking this for the future -as there’s a lot to delve into.

The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story, Susan Hill: This was part-read and part listened to via audible. The audible narration was amazing and spine-tingling. I’d definitely recommend that as it added so much to this classic dark tale.

Four Queens and a Countess: Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, Mary I, Lady Jane Grey and Bess of Hardwick: The Struggle for the Crown, Jill Armitage: Quite a short book in comparison to other historical non-fictions that I’ve read before however, this was amazing. It went into all the nitty-gritty details in such a clear and concise way. I definitely weren’t struggling to get through this one.

Welcome to the Grief Club: Because You Don’t Have to Go Through It Alone, Janine Kwoh: This little book was a welcome little distraction. Full of relevant illustrations and witty words of wisdom, I’d highly recommend it to anyone experiencing loss.

28 Summers, Elin Hilderbrand: I will be doing a post on this book as well as a few others below, as this was the first book I read after joining my book club. I will go into more depth there however, I enjoyed this book far more than I had anticipated.

The World of All Souls: A Complete Guide to A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and the Book of Life, Deborah Harkness: I do have a post coming up soon for my other Deborah Harkness reads -which of course includes this chunk of a gem. This was the book I didn’t know I needed. A true wealth of knowledge on all things in the world of All Souls.

All the Living and the dead, Hayley Campbell: Ugh, this book. Perhaps my favourite read of the whole year -I was obsessed with this book. It was beyond beautiful in both its content and its writing. I know I will go into more detail about this in a future post -quite frankly, this book deserves its own post.

And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie: My first ever Christie read. I really enjoyed this and I have been told I maybe started with the bar too high with this read but we’ll see. If you have any recommendations for what I should read next of her works then do get in touch or comment below.

Medusa, Jessie Burton: A bit of a meh book. I expected more from Jessie Burton especially as I loved The Miniaturist and I love all things Medusa mythology so this was a bit of a miss for me.

The Other Lives of Miss Emily White, A.J. Elwood: A dark gem and a bit confusing, this was a spine-tingling read. There were times when I had to stop reading because it was getting late and the tale was so atmospheric -I just knew I would have nightmares or be very unsettled throughout the night.

Dark Between Stars, Atticus Poetry: Another poetry collection, I believe I have a post coming up soon that goes into Atticus’ works as I have read a fair few now.

Disappearing Act, Catherine Steadman: Another read from book club. This one was so gripping and had me on the edge of my seat.

LVOE: Poems, Epigrams & Aphorisms, Atticus Poetry: …as you can see I was on a mini Atticus binge at this point in the year but again, we’ll touch on that in another post.

The Paris Apartment, Lucy Foley: This was my first Kindle read (I do have a post coming up on all things Kindle). I got through this so fast. It’s still unclear to me if it was Foley’s writing or simply having a new gadget to play with got me reading more. Whatever the case may be, I really enjoyed this book. I am currently reading another of her works and loving that too so stay tuned, I can already sense my wanting to discuss them more in this space.

Frida: Style Icon, A Celebration of the Remarkable Style of Frida Kahlo, Charlie Collins: A colourful illustrated book going into Frida’s life. Nothing ground-breaking but I am glad I read it.

The Whispering Muse, Laura Purcell: Another quick read on my kindle, this was a dark and atmospheric tale. I really enjoy Purcell’s writing and loved her book The Silent Companions which I reviewed here. This book didn’t disappoint and I will no doubt review it here at some point also. It was an amazing gothic story.

The Cloisters, Katy Hays: Falling into that Dark Academia genre, this was another dark and atmospheric book …you’ll see a lot more of them below. I gave this five stars and enjoyed it so much -although there were elements I was unsure of at times.

Cities of the Dead: The World’s Most Beautiful Cemeteries, Yolanda Zappaterra: A beautiful book with some gorgeous photography and such informative writings. There was such a level of respect for all of the places in this book -it’s quite hard to put into words to be honest.

What Lies Beyond the Veil, Harper L. Woods: Another book club read, this was something entirely different. I’ve never been into fantasy or fae storylines but there was an element of suspense that kept me going (and the fact that I had to discuss it at book club). It was also spicy af -or at least, the spiciest book I had read at that point. Some problematic elements but I think that’s in keeping with this genre.

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library, Hester Fox: Another fast kindle read, this was an intriguing plot line but nonetheless, one I really enjoyed. I gave it 4/5 stars and already have my eye on another book by Hester Fox so stay tuned.

What Hunts Inside the Shadows, Harper L. Woods: the second book in the series, this was a bit more interesting to me as Estrella finds out more about Caldris and herself.

The Haunting of Abney Heights: A Gothic Mystery, Cat Thomas: This was an amazing read. I had some niggles with it but for the most part it was sooo good. I loved the multiple POV’s and time-hopping in it.

All That’s Left in the World, Erik J. Brown: This was one I borrowed from a friend at book club and oh my, it was perhaps one of my favourite reads of the year. It was so beautiful in both its plot line and the writing. The characters were created in such a pure and flawed way. I’d highly recommend it. In that same vein as The Last of Us but with a LGBT, teen spin to it.

One, Eve Smith: UGH, I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. This was perhaps one of-if not my absolute favourite of 2023. It was beyond amazing. This was a book club read and we actually got to chat to Eve herself via video chat which again, was so amazing. I will definitely be making a post about this book as there is so much to discuss and unpack around it.

Coraline, Neil Gaiman: Coraline is one of my favourite films (much like Stardust too) so this was just a case of wanting to read the book to compare and contrast.

What Lurks Between the Fates, Harper L. Woods: The third book to this series and perhaps my least favourite. I wanted to continue with the series as Woods has a habit of leaving her readers on cliff-hangers which I’m a sucker for but I simply must know what comes next.

A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas: I was recommended to give this series a go. I didn’t mind it but I’m not a fan of Tamlin at all so I’m a bit on the fence whether I continue or not. I do however, like the beauty & the beast trope that seems to be going on with this book though. I don’t know, let me know whether I should continue or not.

The Shadow Cabinet (The HMRC Trilogy), Juno Dawson: The second book in The HMRC Trilogy, this sh!t was incredible. I will be doing on a post on this soon as we have so much to discuss but man, I flipping loved this addition to the trilogy. The audiobook is narrated by none other than Nicola Coughlan who is simply a queen in my opinion.

The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbour #1), Laurie Gilmore: This was another great read to the year. As a friend mentioned, it was a book where nothing really happened but it was so atmospheric and had all the vibes going on. I do have a review scheduled soon for this so stay tuned for that.

The Hacienda, Isabel Cañas: I searched high and low for this book and eventually found a US copy to sink my teeth into as I knew this would be a good autumnal read. It was a slow-burner and a bit tricky to get into however, it was very atmospheric and so chilling at times. It was another one which I had to be careful when I read it as I knew my imagination would run wild when it was lights out.

First Time for Everything, Henry Fry: Another book club read, I must admit this took me some time to get into -especially after how much I loved One by Eve Smith. This was a gentle read but still interesting.

The Turnglass, Gareth Rubin: This tête-bêche novel was an intriguing read. I will talk about this one in another post as again, there’s so much to be said about this book. It’s such a wonderful concept but I think there’s some elements that fell a bit flat.

The Christmas Bookshop, Jenny Colgan: What a cozy read! This was such a festive read and brought such warmth to me whenever I read it. I fell into a bit of a cozy-Christmas-reads hole, you know the type of books that don’t have much to them other than wholesome characters and settings, all the good vibes and just fill you with warmth. Bonus: this book was set in Edinburgh which was so magical for me.

The Waiting Rooms, Eve Smith: Another book club read, this was another great instalment from Eve Smith and we got to chat to her about this one too. I will for sure be doing a post about her books soon because there’s so many amazing things to mention about her work.

Countdown to Christmas, Jo Thomas: This was another cozy Christmas read. A great addition to my Christmas shelf and one I would recommend to anyone. I loved the setting of this book so much. It had such a sense of community and found family which really warmed my cockles.

This Christmas, Emma Heatherington: This was perhaps my favourite Christmas read. I read this so fast and loved every minute of it. I will for sure do a round up post going into more detail about these Christmas reads as there’s a lot to touch base on in terms of their plot, etc.

Murder at Holly House, Denzil Meyrick: This was a more mysterious, crime storyline rather than a Christmas read. A village on the Yorkshire moors, filled with characters who know everything and everyone play host to a string of burglaries, murders and mysterious events that fall to the disgruntled Inspector Frank Grasby: famed for a slew of unfortunate events in his field.

Chameleon Aura, Billy Chapata: a poetry collection which took a looong time to get through but I’m happy I read it and I will be keeping it on my shelves.

So there we have it: my year in books. I feel like it was all over the shop for sure and I can definitely see a pattern. I know my hope was to get through my unread books on my shelves but after losing my grandfathers I found myself using books as a form of much needed escapism and so my TBR shelf fell to the wayside. I still hope to get through some of those books but I think for now I just want to enjoy reading.

What books did you read in 2023? Any you absolutely loved? Let me know and stay tuned for my upcoming book reviews.

Cheerio for now!