Episode 10: Well Read KB 2023 Reading List
Looking back on the 30 books I read this year!
Happy New Year’s Eve!
I was committed to 10 Substack posts in 2023, so despite my urge to put this one off until I feel like writing later in the week, I am giving it to you on the last day of the year!
Creating this Substack was a way to practice getting out of my way. My intention for this book post was to dig deep into what I read this year. I even asked Chat-GPT/BARD for creative post ideas. Then I realized none of that matters lol. What matters is that I share the books I read!
The Highlights
My friend Shaniqua shared this website where I was able to use my Goodreads URL to generate this cool infographic to sum up my 2023 books. I’m surprised that I read 10 nonfiction books; however, I think it was because I read six memoirs, which I love.
If you’re on Goodreads, head to myyearinbooks.com to create your reading infographic.
My Top Author
At the beginning of last year, I discovered the author Cheris Hodges, who writes romance novels that I love! I am a sucker for a series, and I loved her Richardson Sister series about three sisters from Charleston, SC who grew up in a Bed & Breakfast owned by their parents. Three of the four sisters had careers outside of Charleston, and found their way back home for various reasons (a social media scandal, a cheating husband, and death threats), while the oldest sister stayed home to help run the B&B. I liked some of the books more than others for various reasons, but ultimately, I love the way Cheris writes love stories. Plus, they’re all very steamy lol.
A bonus treat is when I learned that the author lives in Charlotte and is an alum of Johnson C. Smith University! I randomly tweeted about reading her books and my friend Christine tagged her in my thread.
The 30 Books I Read
Below are all of the books I’ve read this year! I’ve put reviews in my previous newsletters under “What I’m Reading” for the following books:
“A Renaissance of Our Own” by Rachel E. Cargle
"Sisterhood Heals" by Dr. Joy Bradford
“Will” by Will Smith
“Before I Let Go” by Kennedy Ryan
“Finding Me” by Viola Davis
“Thicker than Water” by Kerry Washington
“One Summer in Savannah” by Terah Shelton Harris
“Walk Through Fire” by Shelia Johnson
If you are interested in all the books I’ve stored in my Goodreads, I created a database on Airtable! It is best when viewed on your laptop/iPad because you can use filters to sort by genre, by my rating, or by year I read a book, but even if you’re on your phone, it’s still a good experience.
Tips on How to Read More
I shared how I began reading more in this post; however, I’ve seen a few more recommendations on Twitter!
My NCSU classmate shared this thread about how she met her goals.
I came across this other thread with great tips as well. For those of you who don’t have Twitter and can’t see them all, I’ll highlight a few below!
https://x.com/c0kahina/status/1739767032097223039?s=20
My goal for 2024 will remain at 20, as that is a good pace for me. What is your book goal for 2024? What books are you anticipating for 2024? For me, I look forward to starting the year with Dr. Anita Phillips's book “The Garden Within”, Tia Williams's new book and the sequel to Before I Let You Go by Kennedy Ryan!
Until next year!
Dr. KB!
I love the good reads wrapped!