2023 is on its way out, and a new year will be ushered in. But before we say goodbye to 2023 for good, we look back on the books we’ve read and the imprint they’ve left. As we all know, words have a way of changing us, impacting the way we think and feel over time. They can leave an indelible mark in our minds and on hearts. And they can help us grow and make us better versions of ourselves. So, the Bookstr team came together to talk about the books we’ve read this year, and the impact they’ve left on us. Here are the novels that have changed us for the better.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Think of Something, Anything!
The mind is a powerful tool, as exemplified in Kurt Vonnegut’s imaginative tale of war, alien abduction, and the human experience. Bursting with originality, this novel encourages its readers to see things differently. Dealing with themes of time and free will, Slaughterhouse-Five left a permanent mark on my perception of productivity. How can I justify doom-scrolling when this novel taught me more than any social media post? I can’t. Now, I spend my time writing stories with the aspiration of reaching the same uniqueness as this masterpiece.
Sam Zimmermann, Editorial
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Using Writing as an Outlet
This year, I finally got around to reading Jennette McCurdy’s bestselling memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, and it was an emotional ride, to say the least. The raw honesty that McCurdy showed throughout the book touched me. It inspired me to be more vulnerable in my own writing. Since then, I’ve been able to use my writing as an outlet for my negative emotions, and this has helped me to process and let go of some of those feelings instead of holding onto them and letting them affect me.
Lauren N., Editorial
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
The Intersectionality of Social Issues
I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, but I’m trying to get better. I finally read Mikki Kendall’s essay collection this year, which I’ve had for a while. It was a good mix of personal anecdotes and social analysis based on events from the past decade that we’ve seen in the news. It was an eye-opening read about how several social issues are influenced by each other and that solving one would have positive impacts on others. I came away from the book with a different view of the world around me and a better understanding of the problems people, especially marginalized communities, face each day.
Abby Caswell, Editorial
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Nothing Really Matters
I read this book as a source of inspiration for a story that I’m currently writing. The protagonist, Mersault, is psychologically detached from society and, for that reason, is sentenced to death. The entire time, he genuinely does not care about the world around him. And in some ways — he is right. It doesn’t matter if you do certain tasks or live a certain way; it doesn’t matter.
As long as it serves you right, you’ve lived the life you deserve. I learned that it doesn’t matter what people think of you or the actions that you take because, in the end, that’s the path that you chose to get to this point in time. It’s up to you to live your life. It’s a book many people should read to get in touch with their reality.
Sierra Jackson, Editorial
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
Food vs. Gender Inequality
I came across this graphic novel around my birthday and just had to get it. The story takes place during the late 18th and early 19th centuries yet features modern aspects such as refrigerators, Nintendo Switches, and light bulbs. However, modern conveniences cannot hide the gender inequality that takes place as women are unable to claim land or love freely.
This is where the beloved grilled cheese makes its entrance! Not only does this yummy sandwich develop bonds, cure depression, and mend relationships, but it also opens up the discussion of sexuality and gender inclusion. I have learned that making grilled cheese sandwiches before serious discussions is beneficial.
Jhade Gales, Graphics
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Leaving the Past Behind
Over the course of the last few months, I have been in an ‘over the seas’ book club with my best friend from university. Though I do not get to see her physically, we organize a book and a time frame, and we read it together. It has been a great way of staying in contact, and our last book, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, really symbolizes a lot for my recent year. The book follows various customers at a coffee shop in Tokyo, all of whom have the chance to go back in time and change their pasts. But everything comes with a price.
To me, this book was an eye-opener on past reflection. I have had a lot of changes in the past year. Some great, some disastrous. I spent so much time wishing I could change my past mistakes, which, unfortunately, had taken a toll on my mental health. After nose-diving into this book, it really showed me the importance of accepting the past and looking toward the future. If I had the chance to go back and fix my mistakes, would I be a different person? I do not know, and I never will. And that is okay.
Erin Ewald, Editorial
Bright Young Woman by Jessica Knoll
Giving Victims a Voice
The most impactful novel I’ve read this year has got to be Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. It’s a fictional retelling of the aftermath of the Ted Bundy FSU sorority murders from the sorority sisters’ perspective. Over the years, there have been plenty of documentaries and fictional movies about the life of Bundy himself. But there’s rarely anything solely about the women he brutally murdered or how the witnesses were affected. Knoll’s novel gives a voice to the women and how they were portrayed in the media at the time. This book made me look at the true crime genre and how female victims are portrayed. It changed my view of how female victims should be portrayed in the media. This book was so well written; it was my most memorable read of 2023.
Corinne Vergari, Social
Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
Perspective, Perceptions, and Anxiety/Overthinking
I have issues with high-functioning anxiety and overthinking. I used to have a problem with my brain coming up with bizarre doomsday disaster scenarios that would make me more anxious until I read this book. This book helped me realize that none of those bizarre scenarios would ever actually happen. The book also helped me look at people, especially politicians, from a new perspective. I learned how to start to put aside my preconceived perceptions of people and be less judgmental. I’ve learned how to go with the flow and be more spontaneous.
Christina H, Graphics
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Be sure to check out these novels and others at Bookshop.org.
