Jenni’s Year in Books

What did you read this year?

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2023

4,063

pages read

books read

Jenni Sauer

Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

Shortest Book

pages

Longest Book

448

pages

Average book length in 2023

270

pages

Most Shelved

3,954,386

people also shelved

Least Shelved

119

people also shelved

Jenni’s average rating for 2023

4.0

really liked it

4.0

Highest Rated on Goodreads

4.42 average

Jenni’s first review of the year

it was amazing

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eCopy of this journal. All thoughts are my own and no review is required

This journal is beautiful, it made me cry just reading the prompts. Because I had an eCopy, I wasn't able to actually write in the book, but I'm excited to buy myself a paper copy so I can use it, this is a valuable resource I can see myself using again and again

I think some people might call it childish, and some of the prompt ...more

JENNI’S 2023 BOOKS

it was amazing

Guardian of the Sunshine Bride by Austin Rehl

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

it was amazing

Jenni’s last review of the year

really liked it

Okay, before I say anything, I need to start by saying I flew through this book, was so addicted to these characters and their story. And when Nolan and Levi get their own books (they better be getting their own books!) I will be devouring those two. So this is coming from a place of "I loved this book, but..."

Because I loved this book. Loved Shay, and her beautiful, messy self. Loved her strength, her struggles, and how hard she fights to keep h Okay, before I say anything, I need to start by saying I flew through this book, was so addicted to these characters and their story. And when Nolan and Levi get their own books (they better be getting their own books!) I will be devouring those two. So this is coming from a place of "I loved this book, but..."

Because I loved this book. Loved Shay, and her beautiful, messy self. Loved her strength, her struggles, and how hard she fights to keep her head above water despite being so hurt. I felt that so much. Optimism is often portrayed as naivity, but in actuality it's often an act of resistance, a choice to be positive because otherwise the darkness will swallow you alive. I love that her strength came from that stubborn determination even when everything else in her life was falling apart

I loved the Graham brothers. I did. I adore these boys. Just. I don't even have words. All the love. They were all so fun and dynamic and each added their own thing to the book and just. I love them

I especially loved getting to see them grieve through Shay's eyes. As someone who has never lost anyone to death, but has lost people a lot of other ways, it was so special ans unique to see grief portrayed through the eyes of someone like me. To get to see her process grief she didn't fully understand because the people she loved were going through it was just. So. Good.

And parts of Shay and Brooks relationship had me annotating "me and who??? When???" Because I want what they have. The way he spoke to very specific things in her life just hit so close to home and I adored them so much

This book also had me equal parts sobbing and cackling out loud, which we love to see

But...

Brooks needed a POV. For the first half of the book he's a *jerk* and we're just supposed to write it off even though he's actively antagonizing and hurting Shay. And I think while it wouldn't excuse it, being in his head would have given the reader more time to process it, to go along with him on his own messy journey

Honestly, while I loved what they became, at the beginning, Shay deserved better. After everything she's been through she didn't deserve a grumpy one who made snap judgements about her based solely on what state she was from and who then went out of his way to antagonize her until she proved him wrong. After everything she'd been through, she deserved a sunshine one of her own, someone she didn't have to prove herself to or beg for acceptance. She deserved so much more. Again, love where they ended up, but I feel like it's very easily excused how much of an ass Brooks was to her for a good half of the book because "he had his own stuff going on." Cool motive, still an asshole

But Shay is also not without fault. Brooks deserved someone who didn't know his exact worst fear and use it againt him in a moment of panic. There was a third act breakup and in my opinion the resolution was...a little too easy and clean

Personally, I think their relationship needed to be messier. Or. Rather. There should have been an acknowledgement of how messy it was. A repeated theme was "there's nothing to forgive" but the thing is...there was. They both hurt each other deeply. And the issue I had with their relationship wasn't the hurt, because we're human, we hurt people we love, it was the refusal to really acknowledge it as such. I would have liked less "they're utterly perfect for each other" and more "maybe 'perfect for each other' is two imperfect people just so deeply committed to being held accountable and doing better next time." Which the book *almost* did. I think the book thinks it did that. But because we erased so much with "there's nothing to forgive" or "we've moved on even though we never really talked about it or acknowledged it" it rang a little hollow for me

Again. I love Brooks and Shay. I love them together. I just wish their relationship had been handled a little differently

But overall, I adore this book. I devoured it. I will devour books from this author in the future. There were just a few things that didn't quite hit the way I wanted them to. But I would still absolutely recommend 👏 ...more

2023 READING
CHALLENGE

Jenni Sauer read 15 out of 23 books.

65%

What did you read this year?