Jambo, I'm Julia.

Here's a quick rundown of all the books I read in 2023. Books I particularly enjoyed and would recommend are in bold. Total books read: 59. Non-fiction: 22. Fiction 37.

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
  Enjoyed this immensely. Really funny and witty, with the additional bonus of chemistry knowledge thrown in for kicks. Loved the main character - am hoping this isn’t the last that we see of her.

• Food for Life: The New Science of Eating Well by Tim Spector
  Liked the format - very detailed and practical.

• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
  I was worried about this being a let down after really enjoying The Martian, and so left this on my "To Read" list for ages. I really didn't have to worry though, because this book was really good. Absolutely loved the two main characters, how they met and the communication between them. The geeky side of me also loved all the science descriptions and made me dream of alternate worlds where this situation might be possible.

• How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking by Sönke Ahrens
  Great read for anyone who consumes a lot of information but does not have a good system for converting it into practical knowledge. This book doesn’t just talk about about the how of organizing information for retrieval and creativity, but also the why. I’m reading this book alongside Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain which talks about the same concept.

• Embassytown by China Miéville
  Not really my sort of sci-fi book I’m afraid. The themes were interesting enough, but I found the writing and terms too obscure, and the story difficult to follow.

• Gallant by V.E. Schwab
  It started pretty well in terms of intrigue... but then nothing much ever really happens. My first book from this author - had high hopes, but maybe this wasn't the best book to start with.

• Letters from an Astrophysicist by Neil deGrasse Tyson
  My first book from Neil deGrasse Tyson - definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed Neil’s clear writing, filled with wit, philosophy and science. What a great mix.

• The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
  This is essentially a book on prioritization and focus, the key ingredients for achieving the most important goals in your life. This book helps with identifying what it is you want, what you need to do in the short term and longer term to get there, then reminding you that you need to say no to everything else so you can focus on your most important to-do.

• Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman
  I was super excited about reading this but ultimately felt that this was not meant for public consumption. I had to skim read the book as there’s just a lot of… nothingness… which is to be expected of anyone’s diary really (so nothing on Rickman himself). This was an edited set of diary entries, but there’s no clarity on what the editing was around. There’s also a bit in the introduction where the editor mentions not knowing whether Rickman would’ve wanted his diaries published. Knowing this as I was flicking through the book made me slightly uncomfortable, but his estate clearly authorized this so hey ho. Disappointed as I’m a huge Rickman fan, and the end of the book made me melancholy, but ultimately just an “ok” book for me.

• The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson
  So good! Really happy to have found a new epic fantasy to get stuck into it.

• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  A really entertaining read which was cleverly structured. The chapters go back and forth between past and current events, which I felt made it gallop forward at a good pace. Great ending too.

• A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1) by Naomi Novik
  I really tried but abandoning at 40%. Found the start really abrupt with things never really made clearer as the story progressed. Found myself lost and uninterested in what might happen next so leaving this one.

• The House in the Cerulean Sea (The House in the Cerulean Sea, #1) by T.J. Klune
  Such a sweet book.

• The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2) by Brandon Sanderson
  This book was pretty slow going. There was enough to keep me chugging along, but only because I had already been so invested in the characters in book 1. I also kept reading in the hopes of something actually happening, and before I knew it, I was 400 pages in and sunk cost fallacy was in play. I'm not sure if I'll carry on with Book 3 at this point.

• Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte
  Slightly disappointed with this. Started off well, but felt it was lacking in depth. I was wrong in my review of How To Take Smart Notes. That book was a lot better.

• Newcomer by Keigo Higashino
  Quite a different take to the usual mystery thrillers I normally read. This was a methodical takedown of a crime scene and potential suspects, whilst providing insight into how detectives might think when presented with a seemingly inconsequential bunch of clues.

• Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman--Including 10 More Years of Business Unusual by Yvon Chouinard
  I only vaguely knew of Patagonia’s philosophy, but wanted to learn more, and so, picked up this book. What a great read - part biography, part entrepreneurship manual and part philosophical, this book was nothing if not inspirational. The book quality and photos were an added bonus. I spent many hours reading this into the night, when I should have been sleeping.

• I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) by Isaac Asimov
  It felt like the premise of the book was good, but I just didn’t enjoy the writing enough to be able to fully focus on the deeper meaning beneath the stories.

• Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas
  Meh, I didn't find it all that good initially, with the main character of the book really grating on me. I decided to press on however, mostly because I was too lazy to start investing in another book. Somewhat glad I did, as I found it improved slightly as the book progressed. I'll probably read the next book in the series just to see what happens, then make my mind up on whether this is a series I want to continue following.

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
  Loved this! Had no real idea what this was about when I picked it up, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the two main characters were games creators. Upon finishing the book, it made me want to pick up my console and start a casual game (but it was 2am and I had already stayed up 3 nights in a row because I couldn't put this book down). Also loved all the mentions of the games from the past, games that I remember playing as a kid and teenager, and all the feelings they invoked.

• The Pathless Path: Imagining a New Story For Work and Life by Paul Millerd
  It was a decent read. Having done something similar myself, it was nice to revisit some of the past thoughts, emotions and reservations I experienced when making my leap of faith more than a decade ago. I did feel rather inspired towards the end of the book to have another assessment of my life.

• The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
  I liked the start of the book, but lost interest about 20% in. Though the premise of the story was interesting, I found the structure of the narrative a little confusing and a little hard to follow. Caveat that I mostly read this whilst experiencing jet-lag.

• Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowler
  Abandoning at about 40%. I liked the first part, but it’s a pretty dry book and repetitive. I want to pick this up again at some later point as there are definitely some good learning gems in here.

• System Design Interview – An insider's guide by Alex Xu
  This is a real gem of a book, and gave me a good intro as to the types of things I should be thinking about when coming up with a system design. I haven’t finished the book, but am instead, learning from the author’s YouTube and newsletter, which offers information on systems design in a more digestible way.

• The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness by Eric Jorgenson
  It took me a while to finish this book, but it was actually a great book. It’s a collection of thoughts and quotes from Naval Ravikant, collated and grouped into a number of overarching themes. Essentially, I saw this as a cheat sheet for how to live and rich and fulfilling life. Lots of highlights from this one to ponder over.

• The Inner Game of Tennis: The Ultimate Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
  A good book to read for its underlying ideas. I ultimately didn’t finish reading it but still think about the ideas whenever I’m trying to learn or practice new skills.

• The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3) by Brandon Sanderson
  Liked it more than Book 2. Amazing conclusion that I wasn’t expecting at all. Taking a step back to assess the entire trilogy, I still think I prefer the Stormlight Archives, but I do really like the magic of metals in this series. Interested to see where the world picks up from in the next trilogy series.

• Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  Loved this book! Another great read from the Jenkins Reid. Coincidentally had just been reading The Inner Game of Tennis.

• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  Quite a different book to what I typically read, but it drew me in when I was about 30% in. You can sort of guess how the plot develops, but I still really enjoyed the buildup to the end and the satisfying ending.

• Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami
  I enjoyed reading more about how what Haruki was like before he became a world-famous novelist. It was also interesting to hear his thoughts on become a writer and the conditions he felt were conducive to him becoming a successful writer.

• Doing Good Better: Effective Altruism and a Radical New Way to Make a Difference by William MacAskill
  An excellent read, and probably one of the best books you can read if you want to increase your impact on the world. Logical and well-written, with lots of practical takeaways. Definitely provides me with food for thought on things I've been doing which I thought was helping, but which might not be the most efficient way. Will be taking some new actions based on things I've learnt from reading this book.

• The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1) by Stephen King
  Had no idea about what was happening for most of the book. Wanted to get into a new sci-fi / fantasy series, but don't think this will be the one for me.

• The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club, #3) by Richard Osman
  Another fun book in the series. I didn't think the mystery aspect was as good as the previous ones, but I enjoyed the character development.

• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
  A bit of a slow build up I thought, but really started enjoying it about 50% in. I especially loved the characters reminiscing about the wonders of the old world. A nice reminder that modern life truly is awesome, in the original sense of the word.

• Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang
  Another winner of a book from R.F. Kuang. I absolutely loved the premise of the book, which I feel makes a strong statement on global politics. The concept of translation is super clever - it forms the basis of geopolitical power in this world, and is the driving reason for the journey arc of the central character. I would've loved for there to have been more focus on this...but perhaps in another side book?

• The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
  Going to be honest - I expected to like this a lot better than I actually did. I loved the author’s previous two books, but wasn’t as taken with this one. It might be because I don’t have a lot of context around the historical events that actually took place around this time period, and didn’t appreciate the nuances as much. Probably one that will grow on me over time, the more I mull over it.

• Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland #1) by Anthony Horowitz
  Not all that intriguing. I didn’t find myself pulled into the story and it felt like a bit of a drag to get through.

• Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto
  Very fun read. A story more about connection and relationships, than the mystery itself.

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K. Rowling
  Rereading just because I wanted some light enjoyment.

• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
  You really end up rooting for the main character, flaws and all. The story just sucks you in, making you hope for the best but expecting the worse. The book dragged on a little in places, but all in all, the narration style was interesting enough to keep things flowing.

• The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #1) by Cixin Liu
  No idea what this was about when I started reading. Got super excited when I found out about the alien aspect.

• The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike, #7) by Robert Galbraith
  Another super fun read in the series. Got this on the release date, and read it every spare moment I had. I enjoyed this more than the previous book. Sad we’ve now got to wait another year for the next one.

• The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #2) by Cixin Liu
  Incredibly slow build up. I nearly gave up, but glad I didn’t as the last 30% was pretty great. Felt there was a bit too much of unnecessary narrative at the start, but there you go.

• The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1) by S.A. Chakraborty
  It was good, but dragged on a little. I did like the world, and feel like it has a lot of potential. I’m just a little hesitant on whether to carry on with the series, as I ultimately felt it was a bit slow to get through.

• Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia
  A very approachable read for anyone interested in health and longevity. It reads very much like how you expect if you already listen to Peter’s podcast (ie fun and info packed).

• The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
  Loved hearing this side of the story, and one I’m glad the author managed to get out. It struck the difficult balance of being vulnerable but entertaining at the same time. A really good read, though heart wrenching at times.

• The Alloy of Law (Mistborn, #4) by Brandon Sanderson
  Was gearing up for a heavy read, but this was actually surprisingly light. I loved revisiting the Mistborn series world and really enjoyed this first book of the second trilogy set. The characters reminded me a little of Sherlock Holmes.

• Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis
  Mixed feelings about this book. I'm a massive fan of the RHCP and was chomping to get at this, after reading Flea's Acid for the Children. I ultimately enjoyed reading about Kiedis's journey, and especially loved the parts when he spoke about the experiences that inspired certain songs, or albums. What I didn't love as much was the lack of introspection. Having said that, it's his biography and this is his story and his truth. I got a bit tired of the repeated stories around meeting women and drug binges, but as that's what happened, I can't fault the book for that. I also felt weirdly disappointed at his seemingly mostly apathetic relationship to his bandmates once they were more established as a band (but that's probably just me reading too much into things.) I'd love a follow up to this, to get more insight into what's happened since the early noughties.

• The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success by Jim Dethmer
  Quite different from your typical leadership book. A bunch of the initial commitments reminded me a lot about Vipasanna / Stoicism and the core concepts of acceptance and being one with the world.

• Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
  This wasn’t that great. The characters felt way too cliched and I felt myself getting irritated with their behavior. Not for me.

• Educated by Tara Westover
  How someone could go through that childhood and family dynamic, and emerge on the other side, not just sane, but thriving, is beyond my understanding. I loved the honesty and the way she wrote. Truly inspiring.

• Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis
  Interesting to learn a little more about what shaped SBF to be the man he became. It’s still unclear on what the ultimate motive for his actions was, but perhaps there is no clear answer. Whilst it was a frustrating book to read, I can’t really fault the writing.

• Ice Planet Barbarians (Ice Planet Barbarians, #1) by Ruby Dixon
  Not my usual sort of book, but I did quite like the blue alien character.

• Shadows of Self (Mistborn, #5) by Brandon Sanderson
  I don’t know how it happened but I just didn’t click with this book. I found the start a little monotonous and then ended up skimming through a bunch of the chapters to try to get to the juicier parts. The ending was cool enough to make me regret doing that though. Probably says more about my state of mind when I was reading the book, rather than anything in particular about the book (based on the high average review rating!)

• The Heart Principle (The Kiss Quotient, #3) by Helen Hoang
  A lovely book and one that reminds me that not everyone sees things the same way. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
  A fun and light romp. Somewhat ridiculous but cute. Saying that, it felt quite graphic to be classified as a YA.

• Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
  Interesting premise, with a less interesting story through which is was communicated. The story was a bit unstructured and a little difficult to follow at times, but I thought the ending was good. The theme of regret features prominently throughout.

• Digital Zettelkasten: Principles, Methods, & Examples by David Kadavy
  A more succinct version of How to Take Smart Notes.

• The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday
  In an attempt to apply Stoic principles to my daily life, I read an entry a day over the course of 2023. It definitely made Stoicism more approachable and allowed me to meditate more on the core tenets. Side note: I bought this autographed copy from Ryan Holiday's bookshop in Texas!