I don’t know about you, but I for one am tired of all the modern garbage in books published in the last decade or more, and especially in the last few years. It seems that either authors, publishers, or both have a series of obligatory boxes they have to check before a book can enter the mainstream.
There absolutely must be some subtle or not-so-subtle political agendas profiled in a positive light, and always from one side of the aisle.
There’s nearly always sexual content, overt or implied.
Some language classically considered to be objectionable is now the ‘norm.’
Violence depends upon the type of story, but it can be pretty grim and gratuitous, and can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
I just want to read a good story, without all that. I read a lot, in many different genres, and I also am not a completist: if I’m bored, not entertained, or if I find the content objectionable enough, I’ll stop listening and move on to the next book. (I do review those on Goodreads, but I don’t give them star ratings as I don’t think that’s fair; I just explain why I didn’t finish, for those who care.) If I finish the book, it’s nearly always worth at least two and a half stars, and it will appear on my blog and in my newsletter.
But this hall of fame right here is reserved only for my favorite books, in each genre. Click on your favorite category, and you’ll see thumbnails of the cover, with the emoji ratings in each category below it (see the key to the right, once you get into each category). Click the image, and you can read my full review of the book.
You can also contribute your favorites to this list too! My top three favorite reads of 2023 can be found here. I can only read so much; if you have a book you want to recommend to our readers, please use the submit form on the right, on this page!
