I read 650 books total in 2023. Will I aim for that next year? NO. Decidedly, strongly, emphatically NO. It was too much pressure to try to maintain. I didn't start out wanting to read 650 books. It all started when I accidentally reached 50 books per month a couple of times in a row, then the pressure was on to keep reading that many books per month.
Of the 650 books, 161 (24.8%) were books I rated 5 stars. (Of the 650 books) I rated 164 books 4 stars (25.2%). Almost half of what I read I rated positively.
57% of what I read was written and published for children. Only 27% of what I read was written for adults.
91.5% of what I read this year was new to me. Only 8.5% were rereads.
I thought I would break down my favorites into genres/categories.
Board Books
I am choosing to highlight two books which I absolutely loved.
BOARD BOOK: Oakley the Squirrel: Camping 1 2 3! A Nutty Numbers Book. Nancy Rose. 2023. [May] 30 pages. [Source: Library]
Board Book: This Little Piggy (Let's Count to 10) Jarvis. 2019. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Picture Books
I am choosing six books to highlight.
The Umbrella. Beth Ferry. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. 2023. [March] 48 pages. [Source: Library]
Simon and the Better Bone. Corey R. Tabor. 2023. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book; animal fantasy; dogs; humor]
NO is all I know! Chris Grabenstein. Illustrated by Leo Espinosa. 2023. [May] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]
I Want 100 Dogs. Stacy McAnulty. Illustrated by Claire Keane. 2023. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book]
How To Talk Like a Bear. Charlie Grandy. Illustrated by Alex G.
Griffiths. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book; animal
fantasy; bears; humor]
Bear With Me. Kerascoët (Sebastien Cosset and Marie Pommepuy).
2023. [June] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book] [near wordless
picture book]
Early Reader/Early Chapter Books
I am choosing five to highlight.
Kitty-Cam (Ready to Read, Pre-Level 1) Margie Palatini. Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. 2023. [June] 32 pages. [Source: Library]
Fox Has a Problem. Corey R. Tabor. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [early reader]
Frog Can Hop (Ready to Read, Ready to Go) Laura Gehl. Illustrated
by Fred Blunt. 2023. [December] 32 pages. [Source: Library]
Henry, Like Always (Henry #1) Jenn Bailey. Illustrated by Mika Song. 2023. [January] 48 pages. [Source: Library]
Best Buddies: A Pie for Us (An Acorn Book) Vicky Fang. Illustrated
by Luisa Leal. 2023. [October 17] 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Early
reader; early graphic novel]
Graphic Novels
I am choosing to highlight two.
Tig & Lily #1 Tiger Trouble. Dan Thompson. 2023. 96 pages. [Source: Library] [early graphic novel]
Gnome and Rat. Lauren Stohler. 2023. [June] 80 pages. [Source: Library] [Early chapter book, graphic novel]
Historical fiction
I am choosing to highlight eleven. (I read a LOT) The Secret School Avi. 2001. 157 pages. [Source: Library]
The Secret Sisters. Avi. 2023. [August] 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
The House Is On Fire. Rachel Beanland. 2023. 384 pages. [Source: Library]
A Sky Full of Song. Susan Lynn Meyer. 2023. [April] 272 pages. [Source: Library]
The Sisters of Sea View (On Devonshire Shores #1) Julie Klassen. 2022. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Beneath the Wide Silk Sky. Emily Inouye Huey. 2022. [October 18] 336 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Historical Fiction]
Bea and the New Deal Horse. L.M. Elliott. 2023. 384 pages. [Source: Library]
Proud Sorrows. (Billy Boyle #18) James R. Benn. 2023. [September] 365
pages. [Source: Review copy] [historical fiction; mystery; world war II;
series book]
Ladies of the Lake. Cathy Gohlke. 2023. [July] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
The Rose and the Thistle. Laura Frantz. 2023. 416 pages. [Source: Review copy] Fairest of Heart. Karen Witemeyer. 2023. [June] 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Mysteries
I am highlighting five.
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. Jesse Q. Sutanto. 2023. 352 pages. [Source: Library]
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Benjamin Stevenson. 2022. 384 pages. [Source: Library]
Going Dark. Melissa de la Cruz. 2023. [January] 336 pages. [Source: Library]
Lying in the Deep. Diana Urban. 2023. 384 pages. [Source: Library]
The Mysterious Mr. Badman. W.F. Harvey. 1934. 204 pages. [Source: Library]
Realistic Fiction
I am highlighting three.
Ways to Build Dreams. Renee Watson. Illustrated by Nina Mata. 2023. [October] 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Hope In the Valley. Mitali Perkins. 2023. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
[J Fiction; MG Fiction; everybody-fiction, "historical" fiction,
realistic fiction]
Audrey L. and Audrey W. Best Friends-ish (Book 1) Carter Higgins.
Illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann. 2021. 184 pages. [Source: Library]
Speculative Fiction
I am highlighting five books
Dogtown (A Dogtown Book #1) Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko.
2023. [September] 352 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Animal fantasy; J
Fiction; MG Fiction]
Lost in Time. A.G. Riddle. 2022. 455 pages. [Source: Library]
The Road to Roswell. Connie Willis. 2023 [June] 416 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Mercy Watson Is Missing (Tales from Deckawoo Drive #7) Kate DiCamillo.
Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. 2023. [December] 176 pages. [Source:
Library]
The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow. Elaine Dimopoulous.
Illustrated by Doug Salati. 2023. 181 pages. [Source: Library] [Animal
Fantasy, Children's, Middle Grade]
Nonfiction
I am highlighting six.
Dressing Barbie: A Celebration Of the Clothes That Made America's
Favorite Doll and the Incredible Woman Behind Them. Carol Spencer. 2019.
160 pages. [Source: Library] [adult nonfiction; history; fashion
design; toys; adult collectors]
Rescuing Titanic: A True Story of Quiet Bravery in the North Atlantic. Flora Delargy. 2021. 80 pages. [Source: Library]
Gertie, The Darling Duck of WWII. Shari Swanson. Illustrated by Renee Graef. 2023. [March] 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport. Caren Stelson. Illustrated by Selina Alko. 2023.
[February] 40 pages. [Source: Library]
I Am Mister Rogers. Brad Meltzer. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. 2023. [October 31] 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Counting the Cost: A Memoir. Jill Duggar, Derick Dillard, Craig Borlase. 2023. [September] 287 pages. [Source: Library] [biography, memoir, nonfiction]
Bibles
I am choosing to highlight two which were absolutely fantastic in all the ways. The translation. The layout and format. The font. Legacy Standard Bible, Giant Print Reference. 2023. [July] 1984 pages. [Source: Bought] [Bible]
King James Version, Personal Size Sovereign Collection. God. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1696 pages. [Source: Bought]
Christian Nonfiction
I am choosing eight books to highlight. The Practice of the Presence of Jesus: Daily Meditations on the Nearness of Our Savior. Joni Eareckson Tada. 2023. [October] 255 pages. [Source: Review copy]
More Than a Healer: Not the Jesus You Want But the Jesus You Need. Costi W. Hinn. 2021. [September] 192 pages. [Source: Library]
Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age. Rosaria Butterfield. 2023. [September] 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Christian nonfiction, theology, Christian living]
Old Made New: A Guide to the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Greg Lanier. 2022. 197 pages. [Source: Review copy]
God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church. Daniel Hames. (Series introduction by Michael Reeves, general editor of the Union series). 2022. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
365 Talks with Jesus: Prayers to Share with Little Ones. Amy Parker. Illustrated by Sally Garland. 2024. [February 2024] 416 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Memorizing Scripture: The Basics, Blessings, and Benefits of Meditating on God's Word. Glenna Marshall. 2023. 160 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Story of Abortion in America. Marvin Olasky and Leah Savas. 2023. [January] 512 pages. [Source: Review copy]
© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
