1vikzen
Here I am, once again, to chronicle in some form or fashion, my bookish vibes for the year 2023. Also celebrating my 5th Anniversary in 75ers this year! I have not made the 75 mark yet so let's hope for my sake that I can hit the milestone in my 5th year.
Last year was a bit of a doozy, started a Masters programme, opened a stationery store, had major surgery, etc and so my reading went way down. I don't expect any of these things to impact my reading again in 2023 though so let's see how it goes! As always, the goal is to match or surpass what I read last year.
I've been collecting audiobooks as well so that's another TBR that has been slowly creeping up on me, along with the physical TBR and the ridiciulous Libby tag list of which I ought to be ashamed!
Bits and pieces about me:
- Name's Vic! Vikzen is a play on words :)
- Late twenties, black female, avid reader (when I have time to!)
- Intellectual property attorney/teacher/entrepreneur - please don't ask me how I manage, because I have no idea and if I knew, I would sell it! LOL
- Located in Barbados, open to meetups if you are travelling this way!
- Chronic finder of things to do: hobbies aside from reading include dancing, gardening, planning, puzzling (jigsaws), diamond painting, writing and music :)
- Book choices: Fiction lover with eclectic tastes. I'll read most things but I stay away from horror generally (love a good thriller though!). Leaning towards more mysteries and non-fiction in recent times.
Cheers!
Last year was a bit of a doozy, started a Masters programme, opened a stationery store, had major surgery, etc and so my reading went way down. I don't expect any of these things to impact my reading again in 2023 though so let's see how it goes! As always, the goal is to match or surpass what I read last year.
I've been collecting audiobooks as well so that's another TBR that has been slowly creeping up on me, along with the physical TBR and the ridiciulous Libby tag list of which I ought to be ashamed!
Bits and pieces about me:
- Name's Vic! Vikzen is a play on words :)
- Late twenties, black female, avid reader (when I have time to!)
- Intellectual property attorney/teacher/entrepreneur - please don't ask me how I manage, because I have no idea and if I knew, I would sell it! LOL
- Located in Barbados, open to meetups if you are travelling this way!
- Chronic finder of things to do: hobbies aside from reading include dancing, gardening, planning, puzzling (jigsaws), diamond painting, writing and music :)
- Book choices: Fiction lover with eclectic tastes. I'll read most things but I stay away from horror generally (love a good thriller though!). Leaning towards more mysteries and non-fiction in recent times.
Cheers!
2vikzen
Books I've Read in 2023
Currently Reading:
The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
Completed in 2023:
1. My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni
2. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
3. The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis
4. The New Girl by Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon #19)
5. When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
6. Recursion by Blake Crouch
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
8. The Amityville Horror: A True Story by Jay Anson
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
10. On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
11. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
12. The Invisible Man by H G Wells
13. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
14. Upgrade by Blake Crouch
15. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
16. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
17. The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden
18. When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
19. Pines by Blake Crouch
20. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
21. Wayward by Blake Crouch
22. The Last Town by Blake Crouch
23. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
24. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #1
25. The Order by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #20
26. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #2
27. A Death in Vienna by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #4
28. The Heist by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #14
29. The English Girl by Daniel Silva #13 Gabriel Allon #
30. The Confessor by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #3
31. The Black Widow by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #16
32. The Other Woman by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #18
33. The Cellist by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #21
34. Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #22
35. The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
36. The English Spy by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #15
37. The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #12
38. Dying Breath by Wendi Corsi Staub
39. The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
40. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
41. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
42. Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
43. The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
44. Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
45. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
46. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
47. The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond
48. State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
49. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
50. The Quiet Girl by S. F. Kosa
51. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
52. Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
53. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn
54. Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn
55. Murder on the Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn
56. Damsel in Distress by Carola Dunn
57. Dead in the Water by Carola Dunn
58. Styx and Stones by Carola Dunn
59. Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn
60. To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn
61. The Case of the Murdered Muckraker by Carola Dunn
62. Mistletoe and Murder by Carola Dunn
63. Die Laughing by Carola Dunn
64. A Mourning Wedding by Carola Dunn
65. Conviction by Denise Mina
66. What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
67. The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton & James Patterson
68. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
69. The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz
70. The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
71. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
72. Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
73. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
74. The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
75. Manna from Hades by Carola Dunn
76. Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
77. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
78. Beach Read by Emily Henry
DNF'ed in 2023
A Killer's Wife by Victor Methos
2 Sisters Detective Agency by James Patterson
Currently Reading:
The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
Completed in 2023:
1. My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni
2. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
3. The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis
4. The New Girl by Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon #19)
5. When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
6. Recursion by Blake Crouch
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
8. The Amityville Horror: A True Story by Jay Anson
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
10. On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
11. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
12. The Invisible Man by H G Wells
13. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
14. Upgrade by Blake Crouch
15. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
16. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
17. The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden
18. When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
19. Pines by Blake Crouch
20. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
21. Wayward by Blake Crouch
22. The Last Town by Blake Crouch
23. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
24. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #1
25. The Order by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #20
26. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #2
27. A Death in Vienna by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #4
28. The Heist by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #14
29. The English Girl by Daniel Silva #13 Gabriel Allon #
30. The Confessor by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #3
31. The Black Widow by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #16
32. The Other Woman by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #18
33. The Cellist by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #21
34. Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #22
35. The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
36. The English Spy by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #15
37. The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon #12
38. Dying Breath by Wendi Corsi Staub
39. The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
40. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
41. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
42. Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
43. The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
44. Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
45. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
46. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
47. The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond
48. State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
49. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
50. The Quiet Girl by S. F. Kosa
51. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
52. Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
53. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn
54. Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn
55. Murder on the Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn
56. Damsel in Distress by Carola Dunn
57. Dead in the Water by Carola Dunn
58. Styx and Stones by Carola Dunn
59. Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn
60. To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn
61. The Case of the Murdered Muckraker by Carola Dunn
62. Mistletoe and Murder by Carola Dunn
63. Die Laughing by Carola Dunn
64. A Mourning Wedding by Carola Dunn
65. Conviction by Denise Mina
66. What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
67. The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton & James Patterson
68. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
69. The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz
70. The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
71. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
72. Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
73. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
74. The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
75. Manna from Hades by Carola Dunn
76. Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
77. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
78. Beach Read by Emily Henry
DNF'ed in 2023
A Killer's Wife by Victor Methos
2 Sisters Detective Agency by James Patterson
5Berly
ed again!!Nice to see you and I will be sure to check in and see the latest reads. Happy New Year!!
6PawsforThought
Hi Vic! I’m hoping this year will provide you with more time to read than last year did.
7WhiteRaven.17
Happy new thread for the new year Vic!
9PaulCranswick
Wishing you a happy reading year, Vic, after last year's life challenges.
10figsfromthistle
>2 vikzen: Excellent best of list. I look forward to following you thread this year!
12jessibud2
Hi, Vic. Happy new year and new thread! Dropping a star. Hope you have a less eventful 2023
14Crazymamie
Happy New Year, Vic! Dropping a star.
16alcottacre
>1 vikzen: Hello, Vic! I do not think I have ever been to your thread before. I am looking forward to checking out your 2023 reads!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Vic!18laytonwoman3rd
Like Stasia, I have not visited your threads before. I'm looking forward to seeing what you read in 2023. I'm also interested in that stationery store...I miss the ones that used to be in my vicinity.
19RebaRelishesReading
Hi Vic! Thanks for visiting my thread and causing to come and look you up. I'm many years older than you but I'm sure we'll find some things in common. Here are a few I spotted. I was in Barbados several years ago and it's my favorite Caribbean Island. Our "pseudo" son-in-law (they're a committed partnership but not married so I always struggle a bit with how to refer to him) is an intellectual properties attorney. We both like two read. I'm looking forward to finding more :)
20curioussquared
Happy new year, Vic! You had a busy 2022. Looking forward to keeping up with your reading in 2023.
21FAMeulstee
Happy reading in 2023, Vic!
22The_Hibernator
Hi Vic! Hope you have a great year in reading.
23vikzen
Reviews
1. My Sister’s Grave – 3.75 stars
Started the year off strong with an audiobook version. I enjoyed this thriller enough. Just the right mix of romance and thrilling endeavours for my spirit. It was about a cold case murder that was revisited. The ending wasn’t really doing it for me but it was plausible within in the plot set-up. I will read more from this author in future. I refrained from giving it 4 stars because of the extended rambling from time to time.
2. The Black Echo – 4 stars
I quite enjoyed the special edition audiobook of this title! It was also my first introduction to the author, though I intended to read his books for a long time previously – my TBR is insurmountable! Worked out well that this was the first book in his Bosch series, starring the title character Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch who was named after the artist. I enjoyed both the main plot and the light romance. Some of it was a bit fanciful but I was wrapped up in it from start to finish pretty much. Thriller, police procedural, etc.
DNF –
1. A Killer’s Wife: I thought about struggling through this listen but I really couldn’t waste anymore precious time on it. The plot had promise but it went awry with some farfetched theories that I couldn’t suspend disbelief for at the time. I don’t think I will revisit it. Wouldn’t write off the author altogether but this title just didn’t cut it for me.
1. My Sister’s Grave – 3.75 stars
Started the year off strong with an audiobook version. I enjoyed this thriller enough. Just the right mix of romance and thrilling endeavours for my spirit. It was about a cold case murder that was revisited. The ending wasn’t really doing it for me but it was plausible within in the plot set-up. I will read more from this author in future. I refrained from giving it 4 stars because of the extended rambling from time to time.
2. The Black Echo – 4 stars
I quite enjoyed the special edition audiobook of this title! It was also my first introduction to the author, though I intended to read his books for a long time previously – my TBR is insurmountable! Worked out well that this was the first book in his Bosch series, starring the title character Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch who was named after the artist. I enjoyed both the main plot and the light romance. Some of it was a bit fanciful but I was wrapped up in it from start to finish pretty much. Thriller, police procedural, etc.
DNF –
1. A Killer’s Wife: I thought about struggling through this listen but I really couldn’t waste anymore precious time on it. The plot had promise but it went awry with some farfetched theories that I couldn’t suspend disbelief for at the time. I don’t think I will revisit it. Wouldn’t write off the author altogether but this title just didn’t cut it for me.
24Berly
Hi there! Nice to see you posting and I think I've heard about My Sister's Grave before. Sounds good. I have only read The Eighth Sister by him, but I liked it. Similar rating of 3.5.
25laytonwoman3rd
I've had the Harry Bosch series waiting in the wings for a long time (too many other series on the go to start a new one). It sounds like it may be worth a try. I know several people who enjoy the TV version, but don't think I've seen a review of any of the books before.
