I'm not sure how on earth we've ended up in July already, but since we're officially halfway through 2023, I thought it would be fun to recap on what my goals were for this year, books I've read so far, my thoughts. and what I'm working on for the rest of the year.
"You know how every once in a while, you do something and the little voice inside says, 'There, that's it.' Do more of that."
— Jacob Nordby
My biggest goal for 2023 was a simple one: read more.
I work a full time job and I spend a lot of my free time in nature, and/or with family and friends, so my reading list may never be as extensive as other reader's—and I'm fine with that! What I intended for this goal was less screen time and more page time, and I'm pleased to report that it's been going well. 10/10 would recommend.
As for actual reading goals, I wanted to read more nonfiction.
You guys know I love getting lost in a fictional world, but I want to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the world we actually live in, learning about different ways of life and new perspectives. I've been enjoying it more than I expected, but as motivation, I like to alternate between nonfiction books and "fun" books from my TBR list that I'm excited about. It helps give me a little more incentive to get through them.
If you haven't yet this year, I definitely encourage you to pick up a nonfiction book on a subject or event that you'd like to learn more about. You may be surprised at the insights you're able to obtain from it.
"Without a burning curiosity, a lively interest, we are unlikely to persevere long to make a significant new contribution."
— Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Moving into the second half of 2023, I definitely want to continue filling my free time with reading, instead of TV, my computer, or my phone.
I know I'm literally on my computer right now to type this, and it may seem a little hypocritical, but hear me out: this blog is my place where I can ramble to my heart's content about books, why I love them, ways to make reading more accessible and more fun for others, and why I think reading has such a positive impact on the world. I genuinely believe that reading changes the way we think, the way we perceive the world around us, and the way that we interact with others, and if I can inspire at least one other person to pick up a book, that's really all I can hope for. I consider this one of my positive contributions to the world, and the internet just happens to be the platform where I share it.
This transitions rather nicely into my second goal, which is getting more traction to the blog.
Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not concerned about the numbers. I'm not trying to be famous, and honestly, the internet still terrifies me in a lot of ways. All I'm hoping for is that the message of this blog is able to reach the right people, that it inspires someone, somewhere, and maybe we can build a little community where we can discuss our favorite books, support each other, and help share the impact of reading with those around us, outside of our computer screens.
I have a Discord server for this exact purpose, and if you're reading this, we'd love to have you!
"Who said anything about transforming the world? What about just making it a little better? And then a little better? And then a little more, until, one day, maybe long after we’re gone, it has transformed?"
— Sangu Mandanna, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Now, you may be asking: "What have you read this year, anyways?"
Fear not, my friends! I'm going to share my 2023 reading list as it stands currently, along with my ratings for each of them on a 1-5★ scale. Some of these are books that I've reviewed right here on the blog, and I'll be sure to link to those as well.
The Whisper Man, Alex North 5★
The House at Old Vine, Norah Lofts 5★
Seven Deadly Sins, Corey Taylor 4★
Wolfhunter River, Rachel Caine 4★
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven, Corey Taylor 4★
Bitter Falls, Rachel Caine 5★
You're Making Me Hate You, Corey Taylor 3★
Heartbreak Bay, Rachel Caine 5★
Broken Horses, Brandi Carlile 5★
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna 5★
How to Sell a Haunted House, Grady Hendrix 5★
Spiritual Intelligence, Kris Vallotton 3★
The Lake House, Kate Morton 5★
The Feeler, James W. Goll 3★
The Panopticon, Jenni Fagan 4★
We Seven, John Glenn, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., Wally Schirra, Virgil I. Grissom, Alan Shepard, Scott Carpenter, Donald K. Slayton 5★
Under the Skin, Michael Faber 4★
Culture of Honor, Danny Silk 4★
Emma in the Night, Wendy Walker 5★
The Dreamers, Karen Thompson Walker 5★
Horror Stories: Classic Tales from Hoffmann to Hodgson, Daryll Jones 5★
Murder Your Employer, Rupert Holmes 5★
Find Your Unicorn Space, Eve Rodsky 4★
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, Benjamin Stevenson 5★
The Highly Sensitive Person, Elaine N. Aron 3★
The Angel Maker, Alex North 5★
The Catalyst, Jonah Berger 5★
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens 4★
Bunny, Mona Awad 4★
Homecoming, Kate Morton 5★
Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree 5★
Bloodline, Kate Cary 5★
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Tom Wolfe 3★
Under the Whispering Door, TJ Klune 5★
The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton 5★
The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune 5★
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini 5★
House of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski 3★
The Sanatorium, Sarah Pearse 5★
The Ballad of Perilous Graves, Alex Jennings 4★
Man, Fuck This House, Brian Asman 3★
In the Lives of Puppets, TJ Klune 5★
Other Birds, Sarah Addison Allen 5★
The Shadows, Alex North 5★
Love in the Time of Serial Killers, Alicia Thompson 5★
We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson 5★
Current read: Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier
I'd love to hear your own thoughts, your reading list for this year, what you're proud of, your goals for the remainder of the year, your book recommendations, and so much more.
Please join me on Discord so we can chat about all these things, and how we can make 2023 our best reading year yet!
'•.¸♡ Happy July! ♡¸.•'