Fleurdille’s Q1 Reading List for 2023

Hey, girl! So glad you’re here!

Today I am sharing my reading list from Q1. Rather than waiting until the end of the year to share my reading list, I thought it would be more fun to share throughout the year.

Several years ago I started listening to audio books and it’s allowed me to listen/read a lot more books. I typically listen to book when I’m driving or when I’m walking; sometimes I listen to them when I do chores, too!

So far this year I’ve listened to a good mix of books – some self-help books, some autobiographies, a romance novel, and of course some thrillers.

What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?

Q1 Reading List for 2023:

1. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis – my girls had never read this book, so on our road trip home from Colorado we listened to the audio book. It was nice to have a little refresher – this book is so good!
2. The Neighbor’s Secret by L. Alison Heller – this is a great thriller and an easy read. The book grabs your attention from the beginning and holds it all the way through until the end. From the beginning, you’re made aware that someone has died. As you progress through the book to learn more about the death, you also learn the secrets of the neighborhood. The book is told from the perspective of 3 women/neighbors and it is definitely juicy!
3. The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell – another great thriller. This book has dual timelines and I love it. You hear the story of the woman’s disappearance from two different perspectives in two different timelines. It’s intriguing from the beginning and I wasn’t able to figure this one out! Highly recommend!
4. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell – After reading The Night She Disappeared, I was eager to read another book by Lisa Jewell. I was almost certain I would love it. I like her writing style a lot and her thrillers are typically captivating. However, this is not a book I can recommend. For one, it was really hard to get into to; the 3 story lines were a bit confusing in the beginning, too. It took me until about halfway through the book to feel invested. It didn’t love the plot or the cult/borderline child abuse story and kept thinking the end would redeem itself. But, I ended up being underwhelmed by the ending. Overall, I was not a fan and wouldn’t recommend this one. I’m not giving up on Lisa Jewell though, and plan to read another one of her books.
5. Book Lovers by Emil Henry – oh, man. This is such a good romantic novel. It ends perfectly and has you interested the whole way. Honestly, I loved it so much I immediately googled “will Book Lovers be a movie?;” it’s that good. I’ve heard the physical book is better than the audio book, but I didn’t mind the audio at all!
6. The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell – I truly didn’t intend to read 3 books by the same author in one quarter, but it was in my library que and happened to be available. Also, I’m an idiot because I didn’t realize this book was the sequel to The Family Upstairs.
7. An Echo In The Bone by Diana Gabaldon – if you’re into the Outlander series, then you’ll love book 7. A lot happens in this book and you learn even more about time travel. It’s great!
8. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han – such a sweet, feel-good love story. This would be a fabulous beach/summer read! It has small time vibes as it tells the story of young love and emphasizes the importance of family. Bonus: it’s a television series, too!
9. I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist – I really and truly enjoyed this book. Shauna Niequist is the daughter of my old pastor. In this book she shares some of her hardships throughout her life and how she’s learned to love herself in the process and see the beauty in life despite change – wanted or unwanted.
10. People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry – didn’t like this one as much as Book Lovers, but it was still really good. It has a similar story-telling vibe and switches between the past and the present.
11. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey – this autobiography is definitely one you have to listen to because Matthew McConaughey reads it himself and his voice is just…mmmmm. I really loved listening to the story of his life and his positive outlook on what comes your way in life. Definitely recommend this one!
12. To Tell You The Truth by Gilly MacMillan – a great, suspenseful thriller! This one had me guessing all the way until the end!
13. Spare by Prince Harry – I feel like this book is very polarizing, so I couldn’t not read it. I fell into the camp of really liking this book. To me it was a glimpse into the humanity of a “royal” as Harry shares his story of grief, healing, and struggles. I found it very moving.