Time is flying and once again, I don’t have a good excuse for not posting my 2023 book review sooner.  At least I beat last year’s post by 3 months!

Due to my increase in reading in 2022, I upped my reading goal for 2023 to 180.  I felt it would be silly to decrease the goal when I knew what was possible.

Alas, my 2023 goal of 180 books was sadly not met.  I only read 150.  Still, not too shabby!

Let’s take a gander at those 150 big ones.  By the way, the links below are straight to the books on Amazon, I’m not messing with affiliate links this time around:

2023 READING LIST AND BOOK REVIEWS

Title	Author	My Rating	Pages	Date Read
No Mercy (Valerie Law #1)	Blake Pierce	3	233	1/1/2023
A Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil and Murder (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery #1)	Fiona Grace	3	191	1/2/2023
Surface Tension (Seychelle Sullivan, #1)	Christine Kling	4	291	1/3/2023
Dear Wife	Kimberly Belle	5	336	1/3/2023
The Lies I Tell	Julie Clark	5	307	1/4/2023
My Darling Husband	Kimberly Belle	5	352	1/5/2023
If She Ran (Kate Wise, #3)	Blake Pierce	4	168	1/8/2023
The Couple Next Door	Shari Lapena	3	308	1/9/2023
The Perfect 15-Minute Day: Managing Your Time, Thoughts, and Emotions	Pierre Khawand	5	178	1/9/2023
Let It Out: A Journey Through Journaling	Katie Dalebout	4	290	1/9/2023
ALKALINE DIET: A Complete Guide to Alkaline Foods, Herbs & Lifestyle to Naturally Rebalance Your pH, Lose Weight & Boost Health (BONUS Alkalizing Smoothie, Juice, Tea & Tonic Recipe Book)	Carmen Reeves	4	104	1/9/2023
Where There’s Smoke	Jodi Picoult	3	53	1/12/2023
Spying in High Heels (High Heels, #1)	Gemma Halliday	4	250	1/15/2023
Killer in High Heels (High Heels, #2)	Gemma Halliday	4	310	1/16/2023
The Perfect Neighbor (Jessie Hunt, #9)	Blake Pierce	3	218	1/20/2023
#BEMORE: 77 Secrets To Your Powerful Life	Sandi Krakowski	4	200	1/22/2023
Before I Go to Sleep	S.J. Watson	3	371	1/22/2023
The Breakdown	B.A. Paris	3	337	1/25/2023
Already Seen (Laura Frost FBI #2)	Blake Pierce	3	202	1/30/2023
Kisscut (Grant County, #2)	Karin Slaughter	3	436	2/10/2023
Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly	Evy Poumpouras	4	333	2/20/2023
The Perfect Scandal (Jessie Hunt, #23)	Blake Pierce	4	266	2/21/2023
The Wrong Hostage (St. Kilda Consulting, #2)	Elizabeth Lowell	4	496	2/22/2023
Dark Matter	Blake Crouch	5	343	2/28/2023
Bring Me Back	B.A. Paris	3	298	3/4/2023
The Mother-in-Law	Sally Hepworth	3	347	3/8/2023
Private #1 Suspect (Private, #2)	James Patterson	4	401	3/12/2023
Guilty Minds (Nick Heller, #3)	Joseph Finder	3	395	3/12/2023
Behind Closed Doors	B.A. Paris	4	336	3/14/2023
Stay Awake	Megan Goldin	3	352	3/19/2023
The Escape Room	Megan Goldin	3	377	3/30/2023
The Perfect Mask (Jessie Hunt, #24)	Blake Pierce	3	226	4/3/2023
The Wives	Lauren Weisberger	4	416	4/4/2023
The Therapist	B.A. Paris	3	315	4/7/2023
Don’t Let Go	Harlan Coben	5	361	4/9/2023
Private (Private, #1)	James Patterson	4	380	4/15/2023
The Last Goodnight (Blood Ties, #1)	Kat Martin	3	346	4/21/2023
Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You	Dolly Parton	3	128	4/23/2023
In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It	Lauren Graham	3	52	4/23/2023
Off: Your Digital Detox for a Better Life	Tanya Goodin	3	112	4/23/2023
The Marriage Lie	Kimberly Belle	4	352	4/23/2023
The Medical Examiner	James Patterson	3	86	4/24/2023
Mud Run Murder (Merry Wrath Mysteries, #5)	Leslie Langtry	3	203	5/5/2023
Everything Is Here to Help You: A Loving Guide to Your Soul’s Evolution	Matt Kahn	3	170	5/7/2023
Creating on Purpose: The Spiritual Technology of Manifesting Through the Chakras	Anodea Judith	4	282	5/7/2023
High Crimes: A Novel	Joseph Finder	4	417	5/7/2023
Judge & Jury	James Patterson	4	430	5/9/2023
The Perfect Couple (Jessie Hunt, #20)	Blake Pierce	3	259	5/11/2023
Stranger in the Lake	Kimberly Belle	3	352	5/19/2023
If She Hid (Kate Wise, #4)	Blake Pierce	4	171	5/22/2023
Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me	Ralph Macchio	5	256	5/23/2023
Fierce Shadows (Shadows Landing, #4)	Kathleen Brooks	4	290	6/2/2023
The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World (Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World)	Ted Zeff	4	200	6/3/2023
Warning Signs (Alan Gregory, #10)	Stephen White	4	489	6/4/2023
Angels for Beginners: Understand & Connect with Divine Guides & Guardians (Llewellyn’s For Beginners Book 47)	Richard Webster	3	242	6/8/2023
The Personal Assistant	Kimberly Belle	4	352	6/8/2023
Lightworker’s Guide to the Astral Realm: Astral Projection for Empaths	Sahvanna Arienta	4	156	6/12/2023
The Hunting Party	Lucy Foley	3	349	6/17/2023
Encyclopedia of the Unseen World: The Ultimate Guide to Apparitions, Death Bed Visions, Mediums, Shadow People, Wandering Spirits, and Much, Much More	Constance Victoria Briggs	4	290	6/18/2023
The Christmas Scorpion (Jack Reacher, #22.5)	Lee Child	3	26	6/24/2023
Don’t Believe It	Charlie Donlea	5	402	7/1/2023
Friends Don’t Lie	Nell Pattison	4	380	7/5/2023
Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum, #18)	Janet Evanovich	4	354	7/9/2023
Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength (Reduce Anxiety and Boost Your Confidence and Self-Esteem with this Self-Help Book for Introverted Women and Men)	Laurie A. Helgoe	5	348	7/10/2023
The Shell Game (Fox and O’Hare, #0.25)	Janet Evanovich	4	29	7/11/2023
Pros and Cons (Fox and O’Hare #0.5)	Janet Evanovich	4	35	7/12/2023
Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World	Jenn Granneman	3	275	7/13/2023
The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You	Elaine N. Aron	5	290	7/16/2023
Broken Shadows (Shadows Landing, #5)	Kathleen Brooks	4	272	7/18/2023
Undone (Cora Shields #1)	Blake Pierce	3	168	7/21/2023
The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People	Judith Orloff	5	267	7/21/2023
The Highly Sensitive Person’s Companion: Daily Exercises for Calming Your Senses in an Overstimulating World	Ted Zeff	4	194	7/22/2023
The Split	Sharon J. Bolton	5	384	7/22/2023
Cold, Cold Heart	Karin Slaughter	3	40	7/23/2023
Hour of the Assassin	Matthew Quirk	5	352	7/23/2023
The Highly Sensitive Person in Love: Understanding and Managing Relationships When the World Overwhelms You	Elaine N. Aron	4	290	7/29/2023
No Plan B (Jack Reacher, #27)	Lee Child	4	336	7/29/2023
Thriving as an Empath: 365 Days of Self-Care for Sensitive People	Judith Orloff	4	392	7/30/2023
The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World	Jenn Granneman	4	322	7/30/2023
I Don’t Want to Be an Empath Anymore: How to Reclaim Your Power Over Emotional Overload, Maintain Boundaries, and Live Your Best Life	Ora North	4	178	8/1/2023
Managing Psychic Abilities: A Real World Guide for the Highly Sensitive Person	Mary Mueller Shutan	5	162	8/1/2023
The Perfect Murder (Jessie Hunt, #21)	Blake Pierce	3	257	8/9/2023
Help Me Remember (Rose Canyon, #1)	Corinne Michaels	4	336	8/10/2023
Hidden (Nicole Jones, #1)	Karen E. Olson	5	273	8/12/2023
Sacred Cows (Annie Seymour Mystery, #1)	Karen E. Olson	4	281	8/16/2023
You Can Run	Karen Cleveland	5	336	8/19/2023
Relationship Breakthrough: How to Create Outstanding Relationships in Every Area of Your Life	Cloe Madanes	5	258	8/26/2023
The Heist (Fox and O’Hare, #1)	Janet Evanovich	4	320	8/27/2023
The Perfect Veneer (Jessie Hunt, #26)	Blake Pierce	3	221	8/30/2023
The Answer Is: Reflections on My Life	Alex Trebek	5	304	9/3/2023
Quantum Leap Your Life: The Ultimate Guide To Acting As If	Jennifer Blanchard	5	118	9/3/2023
Pen Name: How To Create Yours	Jennifer Blanchard	4	65	9/5/2023
The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World	Marti Olsen Laney	5	337	9/8/2023
Naturally Bug-Free: 75 Nontoxic Recipes for Repelling Mosquitoes, Ticks, Fleas, Ants, Moths & Other Pesky Insects	Stephanie L. Tourles	5	177	9/9/2023
365 Ways to Energize Mind, Body & Soul	Stephanie Tourles	3	386	9/9/2023
The Chase (Fox and O’Hare, #2)	Janet Evanovich	4	320	9/10/2023
Need to Know	Karen Cleveland	5	306	9/14/2023
The Energy Codes: The 7-Step System to Awaken Your Spirit, Heal Your Body, and Live Your Best Life	Sue Morter	5	353	9/16/2023
Better off Dead (Jack Reacher, #26)	Lee Child	4	376	9/18/2023
The Match (Wilde, #2)	Harlan Coben	4	400	9/23/2023
Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find and Keep Love	Amir Levine	5	303	9/26/2023
Run	Andrew Grant	4	288	9/28/2023
The New Neighbor	Karen Cleveland	4	320	9/30/2023
Releasing Religion: A Minister’s Wife Goes Rogue	Gaye Kick	5	250	10/4/2023
Three Days Missing	Kimberly Belle	3	348	10/4/2023
The Hormone Reset Diet: Heal Your Metabolism to Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 21 Days	Sara Gottfried	5	341	10/5/2023
Tying the Knot (From the Tales of Dan Coast Book 17)	Rodney Riesel	3	324	10/8/2023
The Coworker	Freida McFadden	4	370	10/10/2023
Sacred Geometry: Unlocking the Spiritual Meaning of Various Shapes and Symbols (Spiritual Symbols)	Mari Silva	3	138	10/11/2023
Signs and Symbols: Unlocking the Spiritual Meaning of Angelic Sigils, Totems, and Other Magic, Sacred and Religious Symbols (Spiritual Symbols)	Mari Silva	4	150	10/11/2023
Practical Sigil Magic for Beginners: A Guide to Setting Intentions, Crafting Powerful Symbols, and Applying Spells	Shannon C Clark	4	183	10/11/2023
Florida Keys (From the Tales of Dan Coast Book 18)	Rodney Riesel	4	195	10/13/2023
Magic Words and How to Use Them	Genevieve Davis	4	151	10/14/2023
ChatGPT for Nonfiction Authors: How to Use ChatGPT to Write Better, Faster, and More Effectively (Tips that help you generate ideas, research topics, and maximize your productivity; GPT-4 Update)	Hassan Osman	4	55	10/14/2023
Test Drive Your Dreams: How To Find the Path That’s Right For You	Jennifer Blanchard	5	50	10/14/2023
Journal Your Writing Dreams to Life: The 10-Minute Practice That Changes Everything	Jennifer Blanchard	4	45	10/14/2023
Winter Camp (From the Tales of Dan Coast Book 19)	Rodney Riesel	5	235	10/14/2023
Miraclefesting: Inspiring Stories To Help You Recognize and Create Everyday Miracles In Your Life	Jennifer Blanchard	4	178	10/15/2023
One Hot July	Rodney Riesel	3	206	10/15/2023
Never Lie	Freida McFadden	5	286	10/16/2023
Psychic Development: An Essential Guide to Telepathy, Divination, Astral Projection, Mediumship, Clairvoyance, Healing, and Psychic Witchcraft (Psychic Abilities)	Mari Silva	4	105	10/17/2023
Peregrination: Poems about Acceptance (Unchained)	Leah Cass	5	117	10/17/2023
Truth Bombs for F*ckboys: Poems about Anger	Leah Cass	5	107	10/19/2023
Penelope in Retrograde	Brooke Abrams	5	247	10/19/2023
Squealers and Dealers (Sunrise City Book 6)	Rodney Riesel	4	203	10/20/2023
Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 Homeade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self	Stephanie Tourles	5	385	10/21/2023
A Turn of Events (Allen Crane #2)	Rodney Riesel	3	254	10/23/2023
F*ck the How: Get Anything You Want Without Worrying About How You’ll Do It	Jennifer Blanchard	5	174	10/26/2023
How to Make Money Online Using ChatGPT: Quit Your Day Job and Earn Full-Time Income Using ChatGPT Even if You Have Zero Experience (A Complete Easy-to-Understand and Up-to-Date Guide for Beginners)	Andrew Harrisson	4	212	10/29/2023
Dirty Deals (Mackenzie August Mystery #11)	Alan Lee	4	268	11/3/2023
Framed Shadows (Shadows Landing, #6)	Kathleen Brooks	3	310	11/9/2023
Motto for Murder (Merry Wrath Mysteries, #6)	Leslie Langtry	3	203	11/14/2023
Double Whammy (Davis Way Crime Caper, #1)	Gretchen Archer	4	306	11/15/2023
The Golden Couple	Greer Hendricks	4	320	11/16/2023
Cold Deceit (Cold Justice: Most Wanted #2; Cold Justice #17)	Toni Anderson	3	10	11/22/2023
The Perfect Marriage	Jeneva Rose	5	344	11/24/2023
Have You Seen Her	Catherine McKenzie	3	334	11/26/2023
Clear Home, Clear Heart: Learn to Clear the Energy of People & Places	Jean Haner	5	250	11/28/2023
If She Fled (Kate Wise, #5)	Blake Pierce	3	208	11/30/2023
Code Name: Genesis (Jameson Force Security, #1)	Sawyer Bennett	4	306	12/1/2023
Keep You Close	Karen Cleveland	4	352	12/3/2023
Just the Nicest Couple	Mary Kubica	3	369	12/7/2023
Endless Shadows (Shadows Landing, #7)	Kathleen Brooks	4	289	12/11/2023
Witch for Hire (Paranormal Temp Agency, #1)	Molly Fitz	4	143	12/15/2023
Shadowed (The Black Hat Thrillers Book 2)	Karen E. Olson	5	276	12/16/2023
To Catch a Storm	Mindy Mejia	5	352	12/20/2023
Six Weeks to Live	Catherine McKenzie	4	382	12/26/2023
Betrayed (Black Hat Thriller, #3)	Karen E. Olson	4	287	12/26/2023
Searching for Lilly (Eagle Point Search & Rescue #1)	Susan Stoker	4	348	12/27/2023
Want to Know a Secret?	Freida McFadden	4	398	12/28/2023
The Ex	Freida McFadden	3	350	12/30/2023

 

I realize there is a discrepancy in the list itself.  If you spent time counting, you’ll find 151 books.  The Goodreads total is 150.  The list information is directly from Goodreads so your guess is as good as mine on this issue!

SUBJECTS I AM DEVOURING

Last year (2023), I became aware that I resonate with a lot of traits of a Highly Sensitive Person.  This, along with being Introverted and highly Intuitive/Psychic makes for an interesting combination when it comes to managing energy, being around people, and creating and keeping boundaries.

I dove head first into a bunch of books on the subject.  Elain Aron’s books are a MUST READ.  In fact, I need to read her book on being Highly Sensitive again to see what I missed the first time.

The Introvert Advantage was another good one.  I was particularly interested in how to navigate these traits while dating and learned quite a bit that I can implement in the future.

Managing Psychic Abilities by Mary Mueller Shutan is probably the best book I’ve read about managing energy as a psychic and empath.

SIDE NOTE ANNOYANCE

I’m getting really tired of the Blake Pierce books.  I could barely make it through the last book I read in the Jessie Hunt series. They all sound the same, have very little character development, and I don’t know if they are using AI or what but it’s not working for me.

I DO still like Blake Pierce’s Kate Wise series and might try it again at some point to see how it feels in new energy.  I’m open to all this changing but for now, I’m not going to continue reading that author because the books annoy me.  ROAR!

On that note, maybe a decade ago I read a James Patterson – probably about a serial killer – and had to stop reading him for a while.  I’ve tried him again and am enjoying his PRIVATE series.

FAVORITE NEW TO ME AUTHORS

Karen E. Olson’s series about a hacker on the run intrigued me – how would one lose their identity, pick a new name, stay one step ahead of the people looking for you?  Thought provoking for sure.

Jennifer Blanchard is hands down my favorite of the year.  If you are or want to be better at Creating Your Life, Manifesting, and all the things along those lines then grab her books immediately!  She writes clearly, as if she is talking to a friend and it’s the best book on how to manifest that I’ve read since Lynn Grabhorn’s Excuse Me Your Life is Waiting.

BOOKS EVERYONE SHOULD READ

Relationship Breakthrough: How to Create Outstanding Relationships in Every Area of Your Life by Cloe Mandanes is insightful and thought-provoking.  We learn why we do what we do, how to make changes, and how to cultivate our relationships.

Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find and Keep Love by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller is a game-changer.  You’ll learn what your attachment style is, how to work with others who have a different style, AND what you can do to overcome your attachment issues.

SHOUT OUT TO MY AUTHOR FRIENDS

I’m SUPER PROUD of my friends who wrote and published books, major ROARS to them!

Gaye Kick wrote Releasing Religion: A Minister’s Wife Goes Rogue also available in bookstores.  If you relate to the struggles of being who you are while being part of a church, tackling spirituality on your terms, and becoming who you are meant to be — this book is for you.  It will have you laughing, crying, tearing up, laughing again, and tenderized.  She’s been touring and promoting her book this year so see if you can find her at a place near you!  You can bust a gut reading all of Gaye’s stuff on her blog.

I’m super proud of Leah Cass for publishing her poetry – something we had both talked about doing since we met in 2020.  She beat me and that in itself inspires me to publish mine.  Leah’s poetry will move you and you’ll find you relate to more of it than you’d probably like to admit.  You can check out Leah’s poetry collection here.

 

That does it for 2023 folks!  My goal for 2024 is 150 and so far I’ve read 64.  Stay tuned in January to see how things end up.  Remember to READ and ROAR!!!