This week feels like the perfect time to step away from art and talk about something else. Since it’s a holiday week, many of us have a day off (if not more). Today, I thought it’d be fun to focus on one of my other favorite pastimes - reading.

I use the goodreads app to rate and track all the books I read. I love how I’ll never forget a book or how I felt about it. My favorite thing about the app is that you can add friends and see how they felt about certain books. BTW, this post is not sponsored by goodreads. I just love it!

On goodreads, you can also set reading challenges for yourself. For 2023, I set a goal to read 23 books. I thought I could aim for 24 next year. I’m proud to report I’m 4 books ahead of schedule, having read 15 books this year. And they’ve all been fiction books. In the past, I’ve been super into non-fiction. However, I’ve found fiction to be a better supplement to my freelance lifestyle. I have more trouble slowing down than pushing myself forward. Fiction allows me to unwind in a way non-fiction doesn’t.

I loved the majority of books I read this year, but below are my five favorites. Hopefully these books lighten up your summer!

1. The Maid by Nita Prose

This was, hands down, my favorite book I’ve read this year. It may actually be one of my favorite books of all time. I’ve recommended it to other people and they’ve felt the same way. It was funny, suspenseful, and incredibly sweet - everything I would want from a book. The story is told from the perspective of an eccentric maid working in a fancy hotel, who witnesses a murder. What makes this book great is how lovable the main character is.

2. Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

I have completely fallen in love with Elin’s books this year. They are all beachy reads that take place on Nantucket. Every of her books feels like going on vacation. This was my favorite. It follows the story of an author who was killed in a hit and run accident. She is now looking down on her three children from heaven, intervening in their lives. It sounds depressing, right? Quite the opposite. It was hilarious, heartwarming, suspenseful, and downright juicy. Lots of twists and turns in the story. I also loved Hotel Nantucket, which was just as good.

3. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

This is the most recent book I read and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. My sister bought it for me for my birthday, and boy does she know me well. I finished it in 3 days, which was probably a record for all the books I’ve listed. It was everything I would want from a juicy suspense novel. And so well-written. I loved the unexpected twists and turns. And the ending was perfection. Can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for a quick read.

4. Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

This book was downright disturbing. And I could not stop reading it. It follows the story of a psychopathic killer on the run, and the detective who is trying to catch him. The chapters are really short, and every single one ends on a cliffhanger. It was so well written. Many of my family members read this book and loved it too. While it doesn’t feel like part of a series, this is the first Alex Cross book. The series is up to 30 books at this point. This book can stand on its own though, since the ending wraps up nicely. I also read the second book in the series, Kiss the Girls which was even better than this book - something I didn’t think possible. I recommend starting with Along Came a Spider, since the second book has a few spoilers.

5. Meant to Be by Emily Giffin

I’ve read every single book by this author. While some were better than others, I enjoyed each one. This one was one of my favorites. It’s a love story based loosely on the Kennedy’s. I loved the nod to history. It was so sweet and charming, a great break from my typical suspense novel. I still couldn’t put it down because, I became so invested in the couple in the book. The ending was perfect too. Would highly recommend.

I hope you have an awesome holiday week! Let me know your favorite reads this year in the comments below. I’m going to need more recommendations in order to meet my reading goal this year!