2023 Reading List

The time has come again to share some thoughts on all of the books I read this year. I made a goal to read 23 books and unfortunately fell short at only 19, but I still read some great books this year and am looking forward to sharing them with you. I missed my halfway check in back in June because I was in the middle of my Young Indiana Jones rewatch, so I will recap briefly all 19 books here. In addition, I will star the books that I recommend the most from the year! Here it goes in the order that I read them:

Take Back Your Family: From the Tyrants of Burnout, Busyness, Individualism, and the Nuclear Ideal by Jefferson Bethke
There were a lot of great ideas to digest in this book and it helped me see family in a little different light. A year later I'm still processing how to put into practice some of the concepts from this book.

Convergence by Zoraida Cordova
The flashback era of The High Republic novels started just ok and kind of set a mediocre tone for the whole time period.

Dune the Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad'Dib by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Another excellent adaption of the middle third of the original Dune novel, following in the footsteps of Book 1.

The Thing Beneath the Thing: What's Hidden Inside by Steve Carter
I am a huge fan of Steve Carter and this book contained a lot of great thoughts about how we inwardly and outwardly deal with our own problems. 

***Nehemiah for You by Eric Mason***
I read this book as part of a group study and would definitely recommend it. I love to hear thoughts on the Bible from someone other than a white male, and Mason made Nehemiah interesting and accessible.

The Battle of Jedha by George Mann (Audio Drama)
I love the Star Wars audio dramas in whatever era they are set in, and this one had some great action.

Cataclysm by Lydia Kang
Another just ok entry in the phase 2 stories of the High Republic.

***Morning Star by Pierce Brown***
The Red Rising series has been one of my all time favorites, and while the first half of this novel dragged a little, the second half was fantastic.

***The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem by Jack Mitchell***
This book was a combination of two of my most favorite things in the world: Star Wars and ancient epic poetry. There is really nothing else I need to say about it. Maybe my book of the year.

***Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert***
Most people end their Dune journey with the first novel, but they are missing out in a huge way by not reading Dune Messiah. This book managed to make little amounts of action compelling through deep and interesting dialogue. Also one of my top books of the year.

Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott
Fortunately, this book ended Phase 2 of the High Republic books quite well. Lots of great Star Wars action and interesting conflicts.

The Lost Hero: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti, Rick Riordan, Nate Powell
I enjoyed rereading this book through the graphic novel treatment.

***Fortune: How Race Broke my Family and the World--and How to Repair It All by Lisa Sharon Harper***
Lisa Sharon Harper is a treasure of an author, and I will continue to read anything she publishes. She managed to narrate the trauma and horror of her family history in a powerful and beautiful way.

The Son of Neptune: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti and Rick Riordan
Same thoughts as above for The Lost Hero.

From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi by Various Authors
I have enjoyed all of the Star Wars anniversary anthologies. As a huge fan of the Jabba's palace scene, I particularly enjoyed several stories diving deep into background characters.

The Mark of Athena: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti and Rick Riordan
Another fun graphic novel adaptation. I particularly have enjoyed reading these while my son reads the full series for the first time.

The Silmarillion: Illustrated Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien
I read The Silmarillion over the course of the year with a slow and methodical reading plan. I think that might be the best way to read this dense and crunchy work of Biblical proportions.

American Idolatry by Andrew L. Whitehead
A great addition to the growing pantheon of books using a critical eye at some of the traditions of American Christianity. I found some of the content of the book redundant from other books I have read recently, but this is a great intro to the deconstructing American Evangelicalism genre.

The Eye of Darkness by George Mann
The first book in the final phase of High Republic novels and by far the best in my opinion. I breezed through this book because it was so fun to read and felt like watching a Star Wars movie.