My FAVORITE things of 2023!
Books, Podcasts, and Shows, Oh My!!
The start of the new year has me super excited to refresh alllll of my lists, but before I meet my new favorites, I want to share with you some of the most amazing, interesting, transformative content I read, watched, and listened to in 2023.
Nonfiction Books
Okay, so I admit it. I read a LOT. A lot-lot, like several books a week. Part of that is what I do for my day job, but of all the books I read for pleasure this year, a few stood out.
**Content warning: death of a parent
Okay, so I’m VERY late to the party on this book, but Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner has been on my TBR since it blew up during the pandemic. And wow. Just wow. I cried in my kitchen, bathtub, and everywhere I was when I had this book in my hand. I adored it. The writing was lyrical but not overdone or hard to follow. The emotions were real and raw. I tore through this in a matter of three days and it easily ranks as my most memorable, moving read of 2023. I lost my mother after a very sudden, short illness (less than two weeks) but I don’t think you need to have experienced this kind of loss to savor every page of this book. I loved it, and I believe Michelle Zauner is at work on her second book. I will be there for it on release day!!
I listen to a lot of wellness and mindfulness podcasts, but listening to Jay Shetty’s Think Like A Monk was really an exercise in peace and thoughtfulness. Little known fact about me: when I was younger, I really wanted to be a nun. Like if they allowed nuns to have questionable commitments to Church rules, lots of tattoos, and to be LGBTQIA, who knows? My life could have gone a very different way. But this book connected me to the spiritual discipline and values that I treasure. Excellent narration by Jay in the audiobook!
FICTION
I read a ridiculous number of books this year. Fantasy romance, contemporary romance, thriller, horror, historical… So picking out my top reads is a TOUGH ASK, but here are a few that delighted me.
I read Amy Barry’s Marrying Off Morgan McBride for a book club, and OMG, friends. It’s a delight. It takes place in the Old West and the authenticity of the voices and the details… I was transported. I can still hear some of the characters’ voices in my head months later. And even more amazing is that this author is Australian!! Talk about talent. And it’s a fun, uplifting romance, too.
Heather Gudenkauf’s The Overnight Guest wasn’t perfect, but it was a worthwhile ride! It’s not scary but suspenseful. The writing was great, the multiple timelines were easy to follow, and the ending was very, very satisfying. If you have a fear of running for your life through a cornfield and then being snowed into a house with a dark past, this will not disappoint.
Podcasts
I am one of those people (ADHD for the win) who cannot do one thing at a time. I have to listen to something while I cook, clean, or even walking my dog, so I spend probably an hour a day listening to podcasts. One of my favorite finds of 2023 is a podcast I think everyone can appreciate.
Life coach and teacher Justin Belt’s The Peptalk Podcast is exactly what I need for a daily pick me up. Coach J is energetic, loving, and shares messages of hope and inspiration that combine life coaching with personal empowerment. He’s relatable, funny, and gives exactly what he promises: pep talks with pep!
I listen to a lot of podcasts, but Coach J’s star is on the rise. Listen in and feel better about yourself, your community, and your life’s possibilities.
Binge-worthy on Netflix
While it stunk getting Covid (again) in 2023, I was able to hunker down and watch all of The Fall of The House of Usher in two days. It’s smart, scary (definitely gory, so if you don’t like horror, skip this one!), and really satisfying. When it was over, I honestly wanted to watch it again from the beginning. A five-star watch for me!
If you like a little vampire lore, a British backdrop, and a romance with a kick-butt main character who saves the day, you might get a kick of out The Invitation. This was a guilty-pleasure watch for sure, but it checked all the boxes: fantasy, paranormal, romance, and vampires!!
And last but not least… My “happy place” for 2023 👑
CAMPAIGN TWO OF CRITICAL ROLE!!!!!
I cancelled all my streaming subscriptions except Netflix and YouTube this year because I started watching Campaign Two of Critical Role and honestly, it is EVERYTHING. I adore the Critical Role cast, the storytelling…everything about it is my happy place. And here’s a fun factoid about me and a Critical Role connection…The brilliant and amazing artist who illustrated two of the Critical Role book covers (The Nine Eyes of Lucien and What Doesn’t Break) is the SAME ARTIST WHO ILLUSTRATES MY BOOK COVERS! Dreamy sigh.
I love, love, love Critical Role and their amazing storytelling and I’m so honored that Matt Hubel makes time in his schedule to work with me. Truly a dream come true.
Did you find something new to love from my list? What did you read and watch and listen to this year that you’d recommend to others? Let me know so I can fill up my 2024 schedule with your recs! (Also, you may have noticed that I left off any fantasy romance novels from this best of list… There’s a reason for that. Heehee… I’ll have a big announcement about that later in Jan!)
Happy New Year and happy stories, friends!