Consider the Wildflowers

There is so much I could say about the books I read this year and just reading in general. Let’s get into it!

This was the year I fell in love with reading again. I have always been an avid reader, but for last five years I had been a college student and a teacher; so, I felt like I didn’t have time to read for enjoyment. In fact, I forgot what reading for enjoyment even felt like. But this year, I channeled my inner thirteen-year-old self and read some really incredible books!

My goal this year was thirty-six books, and I am happy to say that I read forty-three! I’m hoping to read one more before the year ends. I also discovered my love for audiobooks this year. I have always bashed audiobooks, but I desperately needed something to listen to while at work everyday, and I found that audiobooks are not as bad as I always thought them to be.

I wanted to highlight a few of my very favorites from this year, so here it goes:

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young

This book absolutely blew me away. The immersive setting, the lyrical writing, the mystery at every bend, the memorable characters–I was just immediately drawn to this book and I could not get stop reading until I finished it. If you’re a fan of mysteries, magical realism, and lyrical writing, this book is a must-read. Definitely a 5 stars!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

I may be biased on this one, as I was obsessed with “The Hunger Games” as a teen, but Suzanne Collins did not disappoint with this prequel. I truly believe Collins is a master storyteller. The psychological aspects of this book were so well done. Throughout the novel, you are rooting for young Coriolanus Snow. You are on his side–you actually like him as a character. All the while, you are asking yourself how this young man turned into the monster that he was in the original trilogy. But as the book progresses, you see firsthand how he becomes who he is–how he has been that man the entire time. This book made me think, and it’s one I still think about even now, months later. 5 stars!

The Botanist’s Daughter by Kayte Nunn

I read this book with my book club in October, and wow, it absolutely surprised me. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, much less that it would be a 5 star read and one of my favorite books of the year! My book club devoured this novel–some of the women even finished it weeks in advance because they simply could not put it down. This one is historical fiction (one of my favorite genres) and it follows two women’s lives in two completely different timelines (1886 and 2017). As you read, you are trying to solve the mystery of how these two women are connected to each other. There are truly twists and turns at every bend, including jaw dropping moments where I found myself audibly in shock. I highly recommend this book!

Someone Somewhere Maybe by Sophie Deiner

I am a huge fan of poetry, and I have been following Sophie Deiner on social media for years. She has been sharing her poetry on her platforms, and when I discovered she had published a book, I immediately bought it! This was one of my favorite poetry collections of the year. It was a simple, yet powerful read. Some of the poems were short, sweet, and heartwarming, while others were deeply moving. I found myself teary-eyed as I finished this book, as her words are so powerful and so full of hope in the midst of heartache. If you are a fan of poetry, I absolutely recommend this book.

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Warning: this book contains A LOT of spice! I am not a fan of overly spicy books, but I was able to look past that because of the incredible aspects of this novel outside of that one factor. This book is the last book in the ACOTAR series, and it follows the perspective of a different character from the series (I don’t want to spoil it!). I will say, this perspective was absolutely needed and it was a story I had no idea I would love so much. While reading the other books in this series, I actually did not care for this character very much. However, this book made me absolutely adore her. It is full of strength, redeeming friendships, hope, healing, and overcoming trauma. Sarah J. Maas is an incredible writer, but what I especially love about her books is the way she creates her characters. They feel so real, and their relationships with each other feel so authentic. If you are a fan of romantasy, I highly highly recommend this series.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This book (and series) has the potential to top the ACOTAR series for me personally. I loved this first book, and I love our main character Caelena. She is strong, sarcastic, witty, and clever. Sarah J. Maas has done it again with her incredible characterization. There are eight books in this series, and this one is the first. I am so excited to continue and finish this series in 2024. It seems very promising so far, and I have heard so many great things about it! Definitely a 5 star read.

That’s all for 2023! I am so excited for the books I will read in 2024, and I hope you will stick around and read with me! Having a community of books lovers is so fun.

You can find a copy of any of these books here:

• The Unmaking of June Farrow: https://amzn.to/3RtLUa2
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: https://amzn.to/3NBK8Cp
• The Botanist’s Daughter: https://amzn.to/3NBWx9E
• Someone Somewhere Maybe: https://amzn.to/3TxAAMx
• A Court of Silver Flames: https://amzn.to/41wXk13
• Throne of Glass: https://amzn.to/3v7mCXB