Perusing through my Goodreads and a few gorgeous book blogs, I have had a sudden desire to seize this year by going on a more intentional adventure in my reading journey. Hence, I have written a list of books that I wouldn’t read on a normal day, but that I know could impact me greatly, feed my curiosity, inspire me, make me nostalgic or all the above! Hence, I have made a 2023 Booket-List List featuring the top 20 must-read books for the year.
1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman (2015)
Recommended by a dear friend and driven home by Therapy with Tolstoy. I’m quite intrigued with this one.
2. Woman Who Run with The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés (1980)
Recommended by my sister. I read a few chapters but life got in the way of me finishing it. What I do remember is that I adored what I read. I can’t wait!
(Click for an in-depth analysis)
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Marcía Márquez (1967)
It’s time I blow the dust off this book that’s sitting in my TBR pile for over a year. Yikes!
4. 1984 by George Orwell (1949)
Gone are the days when I say “big brother is watching you” without actually reading its reference…
5. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011)
It’s time I see what the big fuss is about.
6. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (2003)
A domestic setting. A mentally challenged intellectual. Maybe…looooove. This sounds like my jam.
7. On Chesil Beach by Ian Mcewan (2007)
A novella I’ve set my eyes on for years now. McEwan, I loved Nutshell…please don’t fail me. (read review)
8. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roahl Doahl (1970)
If I can watch the movie a thousand times… surely, I can read the book?
9. The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas (1846)
Revenge stories never get old…never.
10. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)
Bah…humbug! Need I say more?
11. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis (1950)
I said I won’t watch the last two movies until I read the book. So, best I get started.
12. Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier (1938)
Gothic literature? Haunted by the past? Newly-weds? The question is why I have not read this yet. (read review)
13. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab (2020)
How have I recommended this to the world but haven’t read it myself? Shameful.
14. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020)
An infinite library…choosing lives within books? Yes. I’ve got to read this.
15. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (2009)
Murakami’s work has always seemed a bit too depressing for me. I may be wrong. Let’s give this one a shot.
16. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (2003)
As a mystery and thriller enthusiast, it’s best I see if the novel is worth its hype.
17. Perfume: The Story of A Murderer by Patrick Suskind (1985)
Have you ever heard a book title and your heart just aches with longing? This is how I feel about this book. It has been calling my name for years and it’s about time I answered.
18. Far From the Madding Crowd by Tomas Hardy
Tess of the D’Urbervilles traumatized me…in a good way….? Makes no sense but read it and see what I mean. Let’s see what Hardy does with this one.
19. The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fanon (1961)
This is simply long overdue.
20. On China by Henry Kissinger (2011)
If this is my final year as an International Relations student, I better leave with a bang.
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