My year in books - part 1

I am an avid reader. I loved getting lost in books as a kid - building worlds in my mind, meeting new characters, and discovering their story. It took me a couple of years to get back into reading as an adult. I actually had to practice focus. Five years into my beloved reading habit, I read more now than ever. I love tracking the books I read and finding others to discuss books with.

I read mostly on my Kindle and use Libby to check out digital books from my local library. I also use Goodreads to track what I am reading, what I want to read, and what I want to read in the future. This year, I’ve read 12 books so far - with the ultimate challenge to read 20 to stay consistent with my reading goal from last year.

Below are the books I’ve read (in order from earliest to latest) this year. I included my brief commentary for each in case you’re on the hunt for a couple of summer reads.

The Hotel Nantucket 🍑🍑🍑🍑

This was my first Elin Hilderbrand read and I fell right into this novel. Hilderbrand does such a wonderful job setting the location in Nantucket. I appreciated all the nods to New England life having recently returned from my honeymoon in January. It was a bit long but the story held its promise.

Children of the Land 🍑🍑🍑🍑

In addition to reading novels, I also enjoy reading books that center on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). And as such, I am a part of a DEIJ book club. We began the year reading Children of the Land. It’s a beautiful and unforgettable memoir. I moved through so many emotions as I read each page. Marcelo Hernandez Castillo paints a clear picture of immigration impacts and the ghostly reality that the reality - the day-to-day - is not ordinary.

Book Lovers 🍑🍑🍑

If you are on BookTok or simply tuned into the book world, you’ll know Emily Henry is all the talk these days. I read my first Henry novel, Beach Read, last summer and really enjoyed the characters. Book Lovers had a similar storyline (enemies to lovers) - with slightly different characters coming from different backgrounds. While Beach Read will remain my favorite Henry novel (perhaps because I read it first), Book Lovers was still enjoyable.

The Argonauts: A Memoir 🍑🍑🍑

The central theme of love and gender in this book offered me ways to go deeper with my own thoughts regarding both subjects. Nelson tells strong stories of how she experiences both - all stories which I very much enjoyed. Overall, though, I did find this book challenging to follow. It felt like one long chapter with no breaks, no sections, and no places to pause and reflect.

Letters to a Young Poet 🍑🍑🍑🍑

Letters to a Young Poet came as a recommendation from so many inspiring artists. It’s a short read - a total of ten letters written by Rainer Maria Rilke, a Bohemian-Austrian poet. It’s filled with timeless wisdom about creativity and creative practice. I’ve included a couple of my highlighted sections below:

“There is only one way: Go within. Search for the cause, find the impetus that bids you write.”

“…or the creative artist must be a world of his own and must find everything within himself and in nature, to which he has betrothed himself.”

“If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable”

Mad Honey 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑

I haven’t read a Jodi Picoult novel since I was an adolescent and Mad Honey did not disappoint as my first novel back. Mad Honey came as another recommendation. Within the first few pages, I became immersed in the mystery plot. The characters also had beautiful arcs.

People We Meet on Vacation 🍑🍑🍑

While away in Vermont, my sister-in-law recommended People We Meet on Vacation. I actually was surprised I hadn’t heard of this Henry book - since I loved Beach Read so much. Unfortunately, this didn’t hit me like the other two. While the characters were enjoyable, I didn’t quite understand their relationship and, at times, was annoyed by their communication. Beach Read will still remain my favorite Henry read.

Constructing a Nervous System 🍑🍑🍑

This was another DEIJ book read. And honestly, it was quite challenging to read. I really wanted to enjoy the stream-of-conscious writing style Margo Jefferson uses in her memoir. There wasn’t a clear progression or storyline to follow. It was mostly up to the reader to piece together what felt like a play. I did, however, really enjoy the metaphors used throughout.

Winter in Paradise 🍑🍑🍑🍑

I read Winter in Paradise because I found myself quickly needing a new book to read during a long weekend beach trip. Following the logic behind wanting to read another Henry novel, I figured reading another Hilderbrand novel wouldn’t disappoint - and for the most part, it didn’t. I was unaware this book was a part of a series, so as I neared the end, I was eagerly waiting to learn what happens only to find I have two more books to go. I enjoyed the plot and the setting and will return to the series for book #2.

NPR’s Podcast Start Up Guide 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑

This one isn’t anything all that entertaining but I will say it taught me what feels like everything there is to know about Podcasting. As many of you know, I am seriously interested in starting a Podcast. And when I came to the idea of leaning into Substack, that was one of the add-ons I wanted to participate in - however, my takeaway from this book is that I might not be quite ready. There is so much that goes into Podcasting. I know I can start simply - and begin. But I also want to do so with intention. I appreciate the in-depth knowledge gained from this book and the expert insight in storytelling.

Love and Other Words 🍑🍑🍑🍑

In 2022, I read one of my favorite novels - Every Summer After. I really appreciated the character arcs, the plot twists, and the story development. I read many Goodread comments to find, to my surprise, many people were annoyed by how closely it followed Love and Other Words. I admit, I personally was partially excited because it meant I got to relive reading this novel for the first time. Love and Other Words was good - the story was interesting and the characters had depth. However, Every Summer After hit me slightly differently.

Happy Place 🍑🍑🍑🍑

Yes, another Emily Henry novel - and I promise I am not someone who obsesses. I do think Emily Henry writes really solid (and very entertaining) rom-com-style novels. They are fun and easy. So naturally, when Happy Place was released I placed it on hold at my library. I really enjoyed Happy Place and I think I’d rank it my second favorite Henry book. I enjoyed the focus on friendships than simply romantic relationships. The setting was also very enjoyable for the season.

Are you a reader? I’d love to learn what you are currently reading and what you have shelved this year. I’ll drop mine in the comments below 🍑