What better way to start the year with a look back at last year?
If you read my nerdy post about my Book Tracker spreadsheet, you’ll know that I am a gigantic nerd for tracking what I read:
Because I don’t limit myself to books that came out in the calendar year, some of the titles on this list were published a few years ago. Consider this a highly prejudiced autobiographical list as opposed to one of those “Best Books Published in 2023” type lists.
That’s the beauty of books, I guess, a great one stands the test of time.
📚 THE BEST BOOKS I READ LAST YEAR
Most Laughs
Big Beacon by Alan Partridge
After considering it for a long time, I can confirm that this is the funniest book I’ve read in my 36 years of life. I laughed out loud every time I listened to it (I listened to the audiobook so I could get the full experience).
Almost every single sentence has wit. Absolutely loved it and I’m already excited to listen to it again.
Most Epic Story
Ooh, this was hard! I read a lot of historical fiction. It’s my favourite genre. But I settled on:
The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Spectacular. Just what a book should be: gripping, exciting, heartbreaking, absorbing and touching.
It’s a great big adventure set mostly in London’s East End starring a handful of nasties and goodies from both sides of the tracks.
Most Thought-provoking Non-Fiction
What’s Our Problem? by Tim Urban.
A very important book for as many to read as possible.
Working from a simple frame of high-rung vs low-rung thinking, this book is such a tasty ride that challenges so many viewpoints in our current political climate.
There are hundreds of pages of notes that reference the volume of studies Urban cites.
Best Romance
The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters
So much fun! If you like historical fiction, and romance, then this book is a home run. Set in the 1600s during a Royalist-Parlimentarian war in England, the story spans a decade and centres around a female physician (a female physician? How inappropriate!) and a wily man with chameleon-like abilities to fit in anywhere.
The back-and-forth dialogue between characters with differing political viewpoints is a standout, and the cast of characters is charming and easily loveable.
Most Fun Book of the Year
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
A rip-roaring, charming, addictive book.
The main drawcard of this series, as told to me in advance by a good friend, is the characters. It’s like hanging out with your favourite grandparents and their quirky friends.
The heart of this book is very large. Loved it.
Most Sprawling Adventure
The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesy by Sean Lusk.
Just the right amount of quirk and pomp, this book felt like sitting in front of a fireplace and listening to an eccentric uncle tell a winding tale.
It felt like watching a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film, or a Wes Anderson film, with a touch of The Princess Bride about it.
Most Inspiring Book
Someday is Today by Matthew Dicks
I really loved this book. Not only is Matthew Dicks a charming and no-nonsense writer (and narrator), he’s inspiring. There is a lot of knowledge crammed into this book. You could do a lot worse than to try everything.
And … drumroll, please … time for the big one.
EMERSON’S FAVOURITE READ OF 2023
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
I absolutely loved every minute of reading this book. The voice of the narrator was infectious and I couldn’t put the damn thing down because every few pages was a twist or a cliffhanger that made me so excited to keep going.
Heartwarming, exhilarating, and immensely clever.