Hello readers! Hope the New Year is getting off to a strong start. I’m back from my holiday break feeling refreshed and ready to work toward my writing goals. Hope you are too!
Before I get too deeply into this week’s post, I want to tell you about one small change to my website. As you may know, I post a writing prompt on my site. I tried to post the prompt every week, but frankly, it got more difficult to come up with a situational writing prompt. This year, I decided to post the writing prompt twice a month, on the 15th and 30th of the month.
Secondly, in the past, the prompts had focused on a situation, such as a surprise guest or an event that takes place during a storm. But this year, the prompt will feature a word or phrase that might conjure up a memory or inspire you to write a scene related to that word.
For example, this week’s word is “bittersweet.” What images come to mind for that word? Perhaps it’s a bittersweet moment in your life? Or perhaps you tasted something that was bittersweet. Whatever that word might mean for you will lead you to your essay or short story. Hope those words/phrases will inspire you to write your best stories.
Now back to this week’s post.
Before we get too far into the New Year, I like to reflect on the books I’ve read over the past year. As usual, I created my own reading challenge to read a variety of genres. I find that reading different genres and writing styles keeps me honest as both a reader and a writer.
That said, 2023 was not the best year for my reading. Sure, I read a variety of stories, from mystery and romance to memoir and nonfiction, but few of impressed me.
What I look for in a novel is good storytelling, an interesting premise, strong, compelling characters, surprising plot twists and a satisfying ending. Below are my favorite books that excelled in those areas.
Before We Were Yours – Lisa Wingate
Told in a dual timeline in the past and present, Before We Were Yours is one of Wingate’s best. I was immediately drawn into the story, and the events of the past and the break-up of the five children was heartbreaking. This book was hard to put down, and the story and its characters stayed with me long after it ended.
The Little French Bistro – Nina George
It’s rare to read a book featuring a main character over the age of 60. This year I read two of them. (See Arthur Pepper below.) Wanting to escape her loveless marriage and boring life in London, Marianne wants to end her life. Rescued by a good Samaritan, she decides to venture out of London, joining up with a tourist group and ending up in a small French town where she meets a cast of characters who open her up to new possibilities for the future and who convince her that her life is only just beginning.
The Guest List – Lucy Foley
This is the first novel I’ve read by Foley, and it won’t be the last. As guests gather on a remote Irish island for a wedding, several of them are nervous about events from the past. The dual timeline didn’t slow down the pace of the story, but it could be confusing at times. Readers see events unfold from the points of view of five different characters, each with a reason to kill the victim. The speedy pacing made this a difficult book to put down.
The Last Thing He Told Me – Laura Dave
Of all the books I read the past year, this one was the most suspenseful. In an interview with Dave I heard last year, she admitted that it took her 12 years to write this book. She kept going back to it ever so often, sure that there was a nugget of a story. It was worth waiting for. A strong female lead character, snappy dialogue and brisk pacing made this a fast, easy read. I’m looking forward to reading more of Dave’s books.
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper – Phaedra Patrick
I adored Patrick’s last release, The Messy Lives of Book People, so I figured this novel would be just as good. Arthur Pepper is a 60-something widower who feels lost without his wife. While searching through his wife’s belongings, he comes across a piece of jewelry that belonged to her, which he knows he never gave her. He begins to wonder who is wife really is and what other secrets she may be hiding. In a series of events and journeys, Arthur begins to learn more about his wife, and about himself.
In Five Years – Rebecca Serle
Imagine waking up five years in the future in an apartment that is not yours and next to a man who is not your husband? That is the premise for this engaging novel by Serle, who takes readers on a time travel journey that makes you realize that things aren’t always as they seem. At the start, the story gives the impression of being a lightweight rom-com, only to turn somber at the midpoint. After a few interesting plot twists, the story hints at a happy ending. It’s a rare story that I still think about a whole year after I’ve finished reading it.
Honorable Mentions:
While not my personal favorites in 2023, the following books were worth reading for one reason or another.
Look Again by Lisa Scottoline – suspenseful, strong female lead
While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell – a reimagined story of Sleeping Beauty
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware – psychological thriller set on a private luxury cruise ship
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks – fun, suspenseful read, perfect for summer
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – Didn’t love the book as much as everyone else seemed to, but I felt I had to read to see what the excitement was about.
What about you? What were the best books you read in 2023?
The Regal Writer 