2023 has been a busy year! I think I tried to get in a lot of the traveling I missed over the last couple of years. I traveled to Greece and Turkey in the spring, then France and England in June. Both trips were wonderful and we had absolutely perfect weather, mid 70’s the whole time. Back in the U.S. there was a weeklong family reunion in Lake Tahoe and a trip to Washington D.C. this fall. Lots of other smaller trips, and of course I spent several weeks in beautiful Sunriver, Oregon. Phew! In 2024, I hope to get more traveling done, but maybe not quite as much. I was also lucky enough to spend a lot of time with my 5 grandkids who are growing up too fast!

As for books, I’ve heard people complain that this wasn’t a great year for books, but I disagree. I read so many books I loved, and some I didn’t, but truly appreciated what the authors were trying to achieve. I also read some clunkers and had a few I couldn’t finish. Right now I’m at 153 books and will likely get in a couple more before the 31st rolls around. Still, I’m confident no other books will be squeezing in on this list. I shared My Favorite Debuts of 2023 on Tuesday and if you want to see my Underrated Gems or Hyped Books, you can find those on Instagram. (Where you can follow me to get ALL my reviews.)

For my Best Books of 2023, I’m only including fiction for two reasons. First, I just don’t read that much nonfiction and what I do read is usually on audio. I’ll be covering my nonfiction audio favorites on a post next week on Instagram. (I’ll also cover my favorite fiction audiobooks.) Second, choosing the best was plenty hard without throwing nonfiction in there, too! Now on with 2023 books….

Read More

The post BEST BOOKS of 2023 appeared first on Novel Visits.

Finally! Not a completely normal year, but getting closer. 2022 was my first full year of retirement and I have to say, it feels good! I absolutely love the joy and freedom it brings. I got to travel quite a bit which felt wonderful (And, I only came home with COVID one of those times!) The elections were…the elections, but the world doesn’t feel quite so upside-down right now.

On the book side of things, 2022 was a very good year. I read the most books I ever have with 148 finished as I write this, and I’m confident I can make it to 150 before the end of the year. Even better is the fact that this was such a GREAT year for high quality writing, book after book. I never really slumped. Last week , I shared My Favorite Debuts of 2022 and getting that list down to 10 was no easy task! For my Best Books of 2022, I couldn’t do it! I was swimming in wonderful stories. In the end, I had to go with 12 books. I included no nonfiction because I really didn’t read much this year and the only one that might have had a chance, I’ll be sharing here next week. These 12 books are the ones that spoke to me loudest, that stayed with me longest, that I want to press in everyone’s hands, my Best Books of 2022!…

Read More

The post Best Books of 2022 appeared first on Novel Visits.

Another crazy year is nearing its end, and I think I’m glad. 2021 was a year of great sadness, but also happy changes. We quite suddenly lost out mom in May and that’s left a hole in our family that will never quite be filled. Her passing did give me the push I needed to retire from teaching and that has been a joy. It’s impossible to tell you how much I’m reveling in the my new found freedom, and how much I’m loving the additional time to do exactly what I want.

I thought I’d have a lot more reading time, but have come to realize I’m never going to be a 200 book a year reader. There are plenty of other things I like to do, so 120 is about my sweet spot. As of this writing, I’m at exactly 120 books finished, so I had a lot to choose from for my Best Books of 2021. To make it slightly easier, I chose to only include fiction this year. I’ve struggled with nonfiction the last two years and feel a little broken in that area. It’s definitely the main thing I want to work on in 2022. You’re also going to find A LOT of overlap with My Favorite Debuts of 2021 because I have not struggled with debuts. But enough of all that, lets get onto the ten books from 2021 that I fell hardest for. These have had the staying power to earn them a spot on my Best Books of 2021! 

…

Read More

The post BEST BOOKS of 2021 appeared first on Novel Visits.

There’s no doubt about it, 2020 will probably be the most memorable year in most of our lives. It’s also a year no one will be sad to see coming to an end. I think almost everyone experienced stress and emotions that we’d never expected. I know I was a hot mess in the early spring and again in September, but no matter what I always had books. Throughout my life, books have always offered me an escape when I most needed it, and though sometimes this year it was hard to concentrate, books still delivered the freedom to venture into other realities. For that I am always grateful.

Narrowing down my Best Books of 2020 was no easy task. I initially had 30 books in the running, all ones I’d given a grade of A or A- to this year. Gradually, I eliminated books until I reached 12 and could cull no further. Interestingly, I eliminated some books that I originally rated higher than some of the books I kept, but my Best Books of 2020 are the ones that had staying power for me, the books I still think about. I think you’ll find some of my choices a bit surprising, but then this has been a year overflowing with surprises!

…

Read More

The post BEST BOOKS of 2020 | More appeared first on Novel Visits.

I alway love this time of year, seeing what books others considered to be best, and what the bigwigs at places like the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and Book Riot chose as their best. My own list rarely lines up with those, but I don’t expect it too. Their list pulls from almost everything, whereas mine pulls from the 110 books I’ve read so far this year. That made it difficult enough!

Putting together my Best Books of 2019 proved to be almost painful. 2019 was truly one of my very best reading years ever, with 20 different books that I gave a grade of A. It’s so difficult kicking any books out of that “better than the rest” club, but it had to be done! Even as I type, I’m still feeling badly for those books that almost made it. Never-the-less, I’ve done it and am thrilled to share my twelve personal Best Books of 2019….

Read More

The post BEST BOOKS of 2019 | More appeared first on Novel Visits.

It’s BEST BOOKS of the YEAR time! Do you enjoy perusing these lists as much as I do? It’s always fun to see how my reading tastes line up with those of others and sometimes it’s shocking to find out just how much they DON’T line up. Settling on my “Best Books of 2018” hasn’t been an easy task. For me, 2018 was a stellar year in books, so I’ve struggled over my list for the last month, starting out with 20 books and carefully considering which ones truly shone. To meet that criteria, I needed to love the book to start with and to still love it today. These needed to be books I felt great about reading AND recommending. So, without further ado onto my absolute favorite books of 2018!

…

Read More

The post BEST BOOKS of 2018 | More appeared first on Novel Visits.

It’s that time of the year! “Best Books” lists are popping up everywhere, and I seem to be totally out of sync with most. Many of the critical darlings just didn’t work for me this year. When putting together my own list, I looked to the books that still stand out to me today and that I’ve recommended over and over. Most were books I originally gave an “A” grade to, but certainly every “A” review is not on this list. Sometimes a book I loved initially, fades over time, and others that I may have found a flaw or two in, rise in the test of time. So, without further ado onto my absolute favorite books of 2017!…

Read More

The post The BEST BOOKS of 2017 | More appeared first on Novel Visits.