Here we are, at the end of 2023. To bid farewell to the year that has passed and to celebrate the New Year, I thought it was a great time to add a new segment to At Home With Joanna; introducing yearly book reviews! Perhaps, you’ll find a couple of books that you will like to read in 2024.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to read. If you’re like me, you grew up having to read a certain amount of books for school and needing to keep a log of which books you have read. This was never considered “homework” in my books (pun intended). I truly enjoyed the act of reading. I was the kid who was lucky enough to get Harry Potter as it was released at midnight, with thanks to my Aunt who is also an avid reader.
Now, 20+ years later, I wish that I had kept a record of every book I had read from that moment on.
I’ll never be able to say how many books I have read in total throughout my life. However, I can start keeping track of it yearly from this point on! With the help of a reading journal from Regolden-Book (found on Amazon), I am now able to log details about the book, and my rating in terms of enjoyment and ease of reading. There is also space to write your overall impressions, main take, notes, thoughts, memorable quotes, and actions. I love, love, love this journal. Then, I thought, “Why not share my thoughts and perhaps entice readers to try a new book or two?” So, without further ado, here are the book reviews of 2023.
The Dark by Emma Haughton
“In the most inhospitable environment – cut off from the rest of the world – there’s a killer on the loose. A&E doctor Kate North has been knocked out of her orbit by a personal tragedy. So when she’s offered the chance to be an emergency replacement at the UN research station in Antarctica, she jumps at the chance.”
– Goodreads
Crime ● 375 Pages
Rating: ★★★
Enjoyment:★★★★
Ease of Reading:★★★★★
The Dark is a fun and easy read that kept me guessing throughout the majority of the book. Due to the setting, it reminded me of The Thing and it was an enjoyable read. I finished it very quickly as it was a page-turner; you simply want to know what happens in the end.
My main takeaway from this book is that it can be really hard to know who to trust and your past can change how you experience the rest of your life.
Memorable Quotes:
While I enjoyed it, nothing stood out to me in terms of memorable quotes- it’s just a good, easy, read!
The Face by Dean Koontz
“Ethan Truman, an ex-cop who now works as the head of security for the most famous actor in Hollywood, Channing Manheim, a.k.a. “The Face.” Ethan is trying to track down the sender of several gruesome “messages” that were received in black boxes.” – Wikipedia
Mystery● 649 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
Enjoyment:★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★
Like most Dean Koontz books, I enjoyed it! As a fan of movies, it was neat to have a mystery revolving around Hollywood. The inclusion of some famous names added a bit of extra fun to it. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of those books that make you think, “This would make a great movie (if it’s done properly).” Which, due to the theme, isn’t too ironic.
The book as a whole isn’t something to write home about but towards the end, there is one paragraph that really got me; I found myself tearing up. It goes to show that one paragraph, on one page, from one chapter, can save an entire story.
Memorable Quotes:
“Do words have any purpose other than confusion?”
“[…] friendship required commitment exactly when commitment was hardest to give.”
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
“Frankenstein tells the story of gifted scientist Victor Frankenstein who succeeds in giving life to a being of his own creation. However, this is not the perfect specimen he imagines that it will be, but rather a hideous creature who is rejected by Victor and mankind in general.” – BBC
Gothic Fiction ● 205 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★
After seeing so many film/television adaptations of Frankenstein, I loved reading what inspired so many people and ideas. I’m glad that I finally read it; it had more emotion and pain than I thought it would. It’s about a lot more than just a Monster and creator.
Memorable Quotes:
“And now, dear Margaret, do I not deserve to accomplish some great purpose?”
“I am required not only to raise the spirits of others, but sometimes to sustain my own, when theirs are failing.”
The Storyteller by Dave Grohl
“The Storyteller is an episodic memoir about Dave Grohl’s life, his fascination with music, and his rise to become one of the more recognizable rock stars of all time.” – The New Dork Review of Books
Autobiography ● 384 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★★
This is yet another book that had me tearing up due to how beautifully it is written. Like everyone, Grohl has been through a lot and stardom doesn’t make loss any easier. Even if you’re not a fan of his or his music, read it with an open mind. You’ll learn something from another human being- isn’t that reason enough to read it?
I love how he writes his lyrics, so loving how this book was written is no surprise. It is emotional and real- it will make you appreciate him as an artist (and a human being) even more.
Memorable Quotes:
“But there was a certain joy that you only feel when reunited with someone from your past, like some kind of reassurance that life really happened.”
“I can’t be the only one who’s nervous here […] I decided not to waste this moment.”
The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
“The story centres on an aging fisherman who engages in an epic battle to catch a giant marlin.” – Britannica
Nautical Fiction ● 109 Pages
Rating: ★★★
Enjoyment: ★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★
In the beginning, I didn’t know what to expect. (Would this just be a shorter version of Moby Dick?) It was easy to read but there were moments when I had no clue where the storyline was going. I’m glad to have read it, I’m just not sure if I would read it again. It wasn’t a “bad” read, though.
Memorable Quotes:
“The fish is my friend too,” he said aloud. “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars”.
“Imagine if each day a man must try to kill the moon, he thought. The moon runs away. But imagine if a man each day should have to try to kill the sun? We were born lucky, he thought”.
The Stranger by Albert Camus
“The story follows Meursault, an indifferent settler in French Algeria, who, weeks after his mother’s funeral, kills an unnamed Arab man in Algiers. The story is divided into two parts, presenting Meursault’s first-person narrative before and after the killing.” – Wikipedia
Existential Fiction ● 123 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★
I didn’t know how to interpret this one. You wonder why he did what he did, then get a glimpse of, “Is he going through a mental breakdown or is this his version of clarity?”. I had to look up what message he was trying to convey. What I found and agree with, is “Accepting the idea that the universe is devoid of order and reason is the only way to be happy and free.”
While I don’t fully agree with Camus’ views, I can understand them. I don’t believe that all lives are meaningless, but rather, we should all strive to find meaning in our lives. It would be easier to shrug life off, but the alternative is worth the hard work.
Memorable Quotes:
“I was listening, and I could hear that I was being judged intelligent. But I couldn’t quite understand how an ordinary man’s good qualities could become crushing accusations against a guilty man.”
Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
“‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’ by Matthew Perry is a memoir that reveals his struggles with addiction, fame, and relationships. It offers a raw and honest perspective on how he navigated through these challenges in Hollywood.” –Blinkist
Autobiography ● 250 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★
Autobiography ● 250 Pages
Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, 2023, at 54 years old. I had this book in my TBR pile for months beforehand but decided to read it after his passing to have it (hopefully) be therapeutic. It is a painful book, but as a whole, is beautiful. I am thankful that he wrote it and helped so many people before his passing.
You learn about his life and his very “low” lows. He demonstrates that getting help is possible. Slip-ups happened, and death had knocked many times but he kept going. He also tried to help others by opening Perry House and the book ended with him having so much hope. I am thankful for knowing he had such bright hopefulness for his future, but at the same time, it makes his passing that much more difficult.
It’s an overall great read, albeit very difficult to finish. It’s almost like I was closing a massive chapter of not only his but my life.
Memorable Quotes:
“This morning, and every morning out there on the patio, I am as a newcomer. […] As I stand there, coffee in one hand and nothing in the other, and watch the waves in the ocean, I realize that I am feeling a wave of my own, inside me. Gratitude.” – Page 244
Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur
“From the author of the bestselling memoir Wild Game comes a riveting novel about Cape Cod, complicated families, and long-buried secrets.” – Amazon
Literary Fiction/Saga ● 304 Pages
Rating: ★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★★
This book may be the easiest one to read out of this whole review and I enjoyed it. There is a soft spot in my heart for anything Cape Cod-related due to going there nearly every summer of my childhood. I wasn’t expecting politics to be such a major theme, but then I remembered it was set in the US circa 2016 (Trump vs Clinton) so it makes perfect sense.
I started it during a train right to Ontario for one of my best friend’s wedding and then put it on hold for a bit upon returning home. It was my first time reading a book by Brodeur and I’d be open to reading more of her work. I like her descriptions of Cape Cod and the whale watching, and it made my heart yearn for a vacation away.
I appreciate how she shows that family relationships can be complicated and that therapy isn’t something that should be taboo. Normalizing therapy is a wonderful message to share and she does it without forcing it down the reader’s throat.
Memorable Quotes:
“You must tap into your deeper sense of hearing. Pretend you’re an acoustic ecologist and feel the world through your ears.”
The Answer Is… by Alex Trebek
“The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life is a 2020 memoir by Alex Trebek. The long-time Jeopardy! host recounts his life and relationships, as well as his work in television.” – Wikipedia
Autobiography ● 290 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★★
This book is exactly what you would expect from a person like Alex Trebek. It is touching, informative, and surprisingly funny. I already loved him but this makes you appreciate him even more. He had a full, beautiful life. He loved his job, he loved learning, and he loved being able to give back to the world. I laughed and I cried; he is and will be deeply missed. I recommend this to anyone who loves him.
Memorable Quotes:
“You are never too old to learn […] But even if you are learning facts that you are not going to be able to use in your daily life, it enriches you- the fact itself just enriches you as a human being and broadens your outlook on life and makes you a more understanding and better person”.
M Butterfly by David Henry Hwang
“The story, while entwined with that of the opera Madama Butterfly, is based most directly on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a Peking opera singer.” – Wikipedia
Play/Drama/Fiction ● 112 Pages
Rating: ★★
Enjoyment: ★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★
I read this in a bit over an hour while cycling on my pedals… Do I have much to say about this one? Unfortunately, no. I’m sure viewing the play would be a different experience, but reading this left me… underwhelmed. I would categorize it as a “it made me chuckle here and there but I was glad once it was over” type of read.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
“[…] a thinly veiled autobiography, chronicles a young woman’s mental breakdown and eventual recovery, while also exploring societal expectations of women in the 1950s.” – Britannica
Coming-of-Age Fiction/Semi-Autobiographical ● 224 Pages
Rating: ★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★
Released in the 1960s, this book still touches base on issues relevant today. It makes you wonder about Plath’s emotions before its publication. Was she worried about its reception? You also wonder how much of it was based on her personal experiences and what was pure imagination.
After hearing about this book and Sylvia Plath for so long, I am happy to finally cross this off of my reading list. I believe I built it up in my head a bit too much but it was still good. I can understand what she was trying to express and it is important and relevant.
Memorable Quotes:
“It was a football romance and it was in technicolor. Everybody in a technicolor movie seems to feel obliged to wear lurid new costume in each new scene and to stand around like a clothes-horse with a lot of very green trees or very yellow wheat or very blue ocean rolling away for miles and miles in every direction.”
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
“The Road is a post-apocalyptic novel by Cormac McCarthy that follows a father and son as they journey through a desolate and dangerous landscape, facing both physical and emotional obstacles along the way.” – Blinkist
Post-Apocalyptic Fiction ● 287 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★★
This book delves into the possible scenarios and struggles of a post-apocalyptic world. And, having a child involved in the story adds a more gentle side to what is usually shown as pure chaos.
I enjoyed this but it is another “one-time read” for me. Even though I cried (I hadn’t expected that reaction) and there are a few great lines, it didn’t feel like much actually happened. I’d be interested in reading more of McCarthy’s work to see if I enjoy his writing style under different storylines.
Memorable Quotes:
“You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget”.
“[…] he would begin to sob uncontrollably but it wasn’t about death. He wasn’t sure what it was about but he thought it was about beauty or about goodness.”
“Because we’re the good guys. Yes. And we’re carrying the fire. Yes.”
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
“Janie digs into her own past to figure out who she really is and where she came from. She starts questioning the life she is living now.” – Barnes & Noble
Young Adult Fiction ● 184 Pages
Rating: ★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Ease of Reading: ★★★★★
This was a quick, enjoyable read (it only took a couple of hours to slowly read it). The main character sees a face on a milk carton while having lunch at school. The face is her own. Was she kidnapped by her parents? Who are her “real” parents?
It made me feel like I was in high school again, reading a book for a report. It makes you wonder what you would do in the same situation. It’s not a bad book and it provokes a lot of emotions by making you put yourself in her shoes. You also feel the emotions of her parents and it’s easily overwhelming.
While I haven’t read the other three books in the series yet, I almost wish they had all been put into one book. Yes, they do a good job of making you want to buy the next books in the series. But, being able to read everything in ONE book would have been more exciting. However, splitting the story up into several books makes it more enticing for their target audience (kids twenty years younger than me).
Note: The next books are “Whatever Happened to Janie?”, “The Voice on the Radio” and “What Janie Found”.
Memorable Quotes:
“I have more listening in me than talking”.
Other Shorter Books/Plays/Stories:
The Soul of Man Under Socialism– Oscar Wilde, 62 pages
The Man Who Would Be King– Rudyard Kipling, 29 pages
M Butterfly– David Henry Hwang, 100 pages
There Will Be More Book Reviews To Come in 2024!
My pile of “To Be Read” books is growing quickly and there are many more reviews to come. A Little Life, The Goldfinch, The Creative Act, The Midnight Library, Holly, Dracula, five Charles Dickens books, 1984… I believe my pile has grown more than it has dwindled. While I rather not do individual posts for each book I read, I will be updating my Instagram Stories to show what I’m reading in real-time. Therefore, if you don’t wish to wait for the yearly round-up next December, please follow me on Instagram!
I’d love to see what you’re up to and which books I should add to my list, so please don’t be shy. As always, you can also comment below and I will gladly follow you or discuss the books that you’re reading there. I hope you all had a great year of reading. (Even if it was ONE book- please, be proud of that!)
I wish you a wonderful, happy, and healthy 2024. Thanks for reading (haha) and for following At Home with Joanna for yet another year! It means a lot to me!
Related:
Things I Want My Daughters To Know Book Review
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