Y’all.. my bad, it’s been an ABSURDly long time since the last blog post. I suppose these are coming along once a quarter now, it seems? 2023 has to have been my least bloggy of all years since starting my blog. I apologize! 2023 has been wonderful and yet, it feels silly to be writing on this little blog of mine what with everything going on in the world right now. But I’m back home for the holidays and time is what I have here – relaxing and itching for a creative outlet once again… I hope y’all have been healthy and somewhat well <3

Reading seems to be, and I hope, a very consistent thing through the rest of my life, so I tend to gravitate toward writing about books I’m reading and loving. And would you look at that! Last I told y’all what I was reading was back in March (again, oops). As of this writing, I’ve read 84 books this year, which is less than what I’m used to. And here are seven books I read this year that are complete standouts to me and that I wholeheartedly recommend <3 Might I add that a few of them have *changed* my outlook on life?? Yeah. That good. (p.s. and no, The Fourth Wing did not make it to my top favorites LOL) (p.p.s. look at the variety in genres!! am i becoming ~enlightened~?)

BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Let’s start off with a bang! Braiding Sweetgrass is my favorite book I read all year and definitely one of my favorite books of all TIME. I’m not religious, but let’s call this my new bible… I read this back in January and I think about Kimmerer’s words at least once a week; her work has not left my brain, and I’m happy to let it live in my head rent-free. I so so recommend listening to the audiobook (she narrates! and has the most sooooothing voice), and reading the text too, because it’s all so poetic and informative at the same time. There’s a lot of non-fiction but gorgeous storytelling too. Will 200% be reading this again, maybe every year.

DEVOTIONS by Mary Oliver

Another gorgeous book I’ll be reaching for time and again. This is the selected poems of Mary Oliver’s works, and I savored each poem – I didn’t want this collection to end! Her poems are so not intimidating and they instantly put you at ease… perfect to read each morning with your coffee (like… devotions LOL. Again, not religious, but this is me finding my spiritual side, mayhaps).

THE ARTIST’S WAY by Julia Cameron

Okay waittttt this is also part of my spiritual journey right here. THE ARTIST’S WAY!! My dear friend Kath started a book club for this read and it was something I didn’t know I desperately needed. I wrote more about my journey with this book in a blog post here if you’d like to read more. 2023 was a big year in self-discovery and finding myself again, as cheesy as that sounds <3

EXHALATION by Ted Chiang

This book has been making its ROUNDS in one of my friend groups so I of course had to pick it up!! And mind = blown. I’m not the *biggest* sci-fi girlie (I did read and somewhat enjoy Dune a few years ago though!), but these stories are MORE than sci-fi. They’re existential, big life questions, which I kind of love. So many of the stories read like fables, which was refreshing and all-around enjoyable. Get ready and buckle in with this one!!

HEARTSTOPPER by Alice Oseman

The chokehold Heartstopper has on me… y’all, I am SUCH a sucker for this series, the comics and the TV show. The premise is so simple but so important and it will make you SMITTEN. I flew through the books but am so ready to re-watch the show… Oseman has such a talent for making teens feel seen <3

ROMANTIC COMEDY by Curtis Sittenfeld

One of my unexpected favorites of the year! Not a full 5 stars, but it’s definitely a standout in all the fiction I read this year. I’ve never watched a single episode of SNL in my life, but apparently that’s what the plot of this book was inspired by. It’s SO witty and fun – I fell in love with the protagonist and how real she felt. Where was my sexy witty funny pandemic pen pal in 2020?? Funny thing happened when I was reading this book I borrowed from the library – around page 150 or so, the page jumped from 150 to like 220 – a huge chunk of the book was missing in this print! I was DISTRAUGHT. I had to return it to the library and let them know.. and wait a few weeks for them to get new copies before I could resume reading. So worth it though.

LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR by Mizuki Tsujimara

Another really standout fiction I read this year. I’ve been meaning to get into more translated fiction (inspired by Jack Edwards on Booktube & Booktok!), and particularly Japanese translated fiction seems to be having its moment (I’m looking at you next, Before the Coffee Gets Cold). This story was so unique, whimsical, and had that child-like adventurous quality, almost like I was watching a Miyazaki film. More importantly, I loved the emphasis on mental health needs for children. Really loved this one!!

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And that’s a wrap!! What books did you read & love in 2023?

Jen xx