Favorite Classics of 2023

 I read fifteen classics last year, most of which were rereads. My favorite reread was Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen. For the purposes of this list I am not counting books by Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, poetry collections, or other mysteries.

Favorite New Reads:

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. This was a sensation novel, and it is still very suspenseful. I could not put it down. A man's search for his friend ends up leading him to Lady Audley, the new wife of a close friend, Sir Roger Audley. But what does she have to do with his friend George? And what is Lady Audley's secret? I loved it and am looking forward to more by Mary Elizabeth Braddon during next Victober, if not earlier.

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. A brash American family moves into a haunted castle in Victorian England. The ghost puts on his best performances for them, but the Otis family is unmoved. What's a poor ghost to do? This is short and very funny. 

The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope. I love reading Anthony Trollope and this novel was no exception. The mysterious Augustus Melmotte arrives in London, rich but with no obvious background explaining his wealth. He brings his wife and daughter Marie with him. He is soon involved with many financial schemes. In the meantime, Marie falls in love with Sir Felix Carbury, a lazy and dissolute man in search of a rich bride. Other love stories arise as well. It is a lovely look at London society in the 1870's and its weaknesses, filled with memorable characters. 

Books/Authors I want to read in 2024

 These first two books were on last years list also.

Hellbent by Leigh Bardugo. This is the sequel to Ninth House, about Alex going to Yale to deal with the secret societies there.

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse. This is the sequel to Black Sun, which was one of my favorite books of 2021. The third book, Mirrored Heavens, comes out June 24, so I really want to get to this one soon.

I don't want to know much more about either of those books, as they are sequels, but I am eager to finally get to them.

Next are some individual books I would like to read this year.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi made so many people's favorite of the year lists. It is about a pirate who comes out of retirement due to a big bribe to save a granddaughter. 

Love and Saffron is another book I saw on favorite lists. Its subtitle is a novel of friendship, food and love, which sounds great. It is also suggested as a book for those who love 84 Charing Cross Road, one of my favorite books.

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone just sounds like a fun mystery, and it has also gotten good reviews. 

The Marlow Murder Club is another mystery with good reviews. It has been compared with The Thursday Murder Club, which I enjoyed. 

The last of my fiction titles is The Bandit Queens. A woman's husband disappears, and everyone in her Indian village assumes she killed him. Soon other wives approach her to get rid of their own husbands. This also got great reviews.

Agatha Christie is a biography by Lucy Worsley. I read her biography of Jane Austen and really enjoyed it so I am looking forward to this one. Agatha Christie is one of my all time favorite authors.

Speaking of authors, this next section is authors I want to catch up on, or just read more of their books.

Donna Andrews writes the Meg Langslow series, which I love and I am behind two books. I want to catch up in 2024. The series is currently 36 books long. The first book, Murder With Peacocks is one of my favorite mysteries.

T. Kingfisher has so many novels I want to read. I want to read the sequels to A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking first, and then Thornhedge and Swordheart.

Martin Gilbert has written several books on the two world wars. My son and I are watching the Time Ghost youtube series on WW2 and I have become very interested in it. I want to start with The Second World War and go on from there. 

I have only read Brandon Sanderson's Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians middle grade series, which concluded last year, and I want to read more. I may start with Tress of the Emerald Sea or jump right into Mistborn or The Way of Kings.

I want to catch up with Olivia Atwater as well. I want to read the two sequels to Half A Soul, a favorite book of mine for 2023. She also has a new book set in the Victorian era, The Witchwood Knot.

I love any new release by Amanda Lee/Lily Harper Hart. She is concluding her Charlie Rhodes series on June 11, and I can't wait. She also has books coming out in her many other series that I look forward to.

Last but not least, is Mary Elizabeth Braddon. I read Lady Audley's Secret in Victober and loved it. I am eager to read more from her this Victober or possibly earlier.