ending 2023 on a “book” note!

at the beginning of this year i made a simple goal to read 12 books (one book a month). back in the day i was a HUGE bookworm. i read SO. MUCH. my parents used to yell at me for…. reading. too much. crazy right?! if there is one thing i kept up with this year, it was reading. proud of myself for sticking to it and it was a great reminder of why i fell in love with reading in the first place. i missed getting lost in a book. these days it’s more about a escape. often times i found myself reading late into the night since i wanted to know the rest of the storyline and what happens to the characters. i read a lot of fiction romance/beach/light hearted reads. since, well, let’s be honest, romance in books is so much better than real life, hence the escape. 😆 however, every couple of books i switch it up with some non-fiction or a non-romance novel. my 2023 book list and my favorites of the bunch after the jump. 📚

i’m joining the game late here, but towards the end of the year i started to look into free resources to read books. because they can get pricey depending on how much you read. enter the LIBRARY! i went and opened a library card and i was AMAZED by the amount of resources available. i mean the last time i went to the Austin public library i was probably in elementary school. after opening my library card (all you need to do is fill out a form and show your ID) i was able to download the Libby app and hoopla app and realized the crazy amount of resources available these days — downloadable audio books, e-books, movies on demand, e-comics, e-MAGAZINES #nostalgic. for those who have kindle, you can even download free e-books to your kindle!!!! and for introverts, it’s the best. you only have to go to the library ONCE (to get the card). if i talked to you recently, you’d probably think i work for the library considering how excited i am about it. #simplethings

check out my friend Anita, @wanderlustanita’s best books in 2023 blog post if you’re looking to curate a 2024 book list. thank you to Anita, Brigitte, and Grace who helped me meticulously curate my books for 2023.

side ramblings: it’s hard to believe we’re at the end of 2023. reflecting back, my favorite memory will always be japan. it’s the main content of my keepsake box. i miss it everyday and cannot wait to go back again! i’m ready to release this year and looking forward to what’s around the corner. wishing you a happy & healthy 2024 💗

currently on my playlist: i hope you dance by Lee Ann Womack (taking it back old school to a song about love, hope, chance, and faith)

this lists books in the order that i read them in 2023, *notes my favorites books of 2023.

01. every summer after by Carley Fortune

a friends to lovers book spanning over six years, about choices we make, forever impacting the people we love.

02. book lovers by Emily Henry

this was a cute book about authors who are rivals who end up falling in love in a quant town called Sunshine Falls, NC!

03. black cake by Charmaine Wilkerson*

now a series on hulu! this book was about estranged sibling that came together after they come together to and delve into their mother’s hidden past. it was a great reminder of hardships our elders faced in the past. how they are so different from today.

04. the unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

this was a funny read about people attending a wedding and ended up getting massive food poisoning. forcing the only well people, the MOH and best man to go on the couple’s honeymoon together. Christina Lauren’s books always have me smiling and laughing out loud because they write banter to the sort of #relationshipgoals kind of level, in my books #punintended

05. it ends with us by Colleen Hoover

lots of hype around this book since it’s going to be made into a movie. i thought it was.. okay. i appreciated the perspective Colleen gave on abuse. there are triggers in this book.

06. beach read by Emily Henry*

this book was about a romance between two authors are are complete opposites and help each other overcome their writing obstacles. taking place on a beach. literally a beach read. #punintended

07. the 8 rules of love by Jay Shetty

a great book for everyone that teaches you how to love; how to fine it, keep it and let it go.

08. the soulmate equation by Christina Lauren*

do you think there’s ever science related to soulmates? this was a cute read about a single mom finding love again with someone unexpected and totally not-her-type! i always a love a good opposites attract storyline.

09. the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid*

my first Taylor Jenkins read (won’t be my last) about a glimpse into old hollywood; getting married seven times with unexpected twists and turns!

10. the people we meet on vacation by Emily Henry

friends to lovers book and i thought it was a little long of a read that didn’t quite build. i love Emily Henry but i think this was my least favorite book of by her that i read this year.

11. something wilder by Christina Lauren*

this was such a CUTE and ADVENTEROUS read! i loved it. i think because it was so different than the rest, in an adventurous (treasure hunting) kind of way.

12. a single revolution by Shani Silver

this was the perfect book to end the year with my own thoughts of being single. or shall i say singlehood?! this book resonated with me since i was looking for someone i could relate to who’s been single for over a decade. Shani talks about reframing singleness in a healthy way, many of which i’ll be taking into 2024. and no, this doesn’t mean i want to be single forever. it means i want to fully love my singlehood and want a relationship at the same time.

cheers to more reading adventures in 2024!,
JD