Well-Read Episode 131 - 2023 Superlatives

We’re back with our superlatives episode – one of our favorites of the year!   Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Halle’s Instagram Women’s Prize for Fiction Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry From the Front Porch (podcast) Book of the Month Club Most Timely Ann: Spare by Prince Harry Halle: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Most Disappointing Ann: The Cloisters by Katy Hays and Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian Halle: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim and Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld – Miracle Creek by Angie Kim – Saturday Night Live (TV) Favorite Reread Ann: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Halle: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Guncle by Steven Rowley – Daisy Jones & the Six (TV) Biggest Surprise Ann: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See Halle: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen – The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen Least Favorite Ann: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown Halle: Mean Baby by Selma Blair Book That Lived Up to the Hype: Ann: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Halle: Happy Place by Emily Henry Best Distraction Ann: The Last Word by Taylor Adams Halle: Katherine Center books – Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center – Hello Stranger by Katherine Center The Book That Ended a Mini Reading Slump Ann: Homecoming by Kate Morton Halle: Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler Most Unputdownable Ann: What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall and Look Closer by David Ellis Halle: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell and Drowning by T.J. Newman Better Late Than Never Ann: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Halle: The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline and My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite Book That Has Stayed With Me Ann: The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle Halle: Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did! Ann: The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei and Gods of the Wyrdwood by RJ Barker – Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson Halle: Shark Heart by Emily Habeck Author(s) we discovered in 2023 that we’re most excited to read more from in 2024 Ann: Nilima Rao, T. Kingfisher, Heather Fawcett – A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao – Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett Halle: Sarah Adler and Jessica Joyce – Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler – You, With a View by Jessica Joyce Hidden Gem: Ann: A Death in Denmark by Amulya Malladi and Role Playing by Cathy Yardley and Better the Blood by Michael Bennett Halle: Talking at Night by Claire Daverley and Chance of a Lifetime series by Kate Clayborn – Normal People by Sally Rooney Best Audiobook Experience of the Year: Ann: Kala by Colin Walsh and Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley – Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley Halle: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears, narrated by Michelle Williams Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the Year Ann: “Planet of the Bass” by DJ Crazy Times (song)    Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (film)    Barbie (film)    The Shop Around the Corner (film)    Remember the Night (film)    Bob’s Burgers (TV) Halle: Lessons in Chemistry (TV)    Daisy Jones & The Six (TV)     The Bear (TV)     The Great Canadian Baking Show (TV)     First Draft (podcast)     Sentimental Garbage (podcast)     –The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue     – You’ve Got Mail (film)     – Sleepless in Seattle (film) The Book We Recommended the Most This Year Ann:  Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling and Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree Halle: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett What We’re Reading This Week: Ann: Stateless by Elizabeth Wein – Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein Halle: Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas – A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas Well-Read on Facebook Well-Read on Twitter Well-Read on Bookshop Well-Read on Instagram