Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 106 of Life On the Brink!
Happy New Year! I hope you have enjoyed a restful holiday season and a lovely start to the new year. As I mentioned in this month’s newsletter (you can sign up for free at the bottom-left of this page), for the first time I feel like the change in the calendar year has had very little effect on me. 2024 simply feels like the continuation of 2023, and I find myself able to be gentler with the idea of a “fresh start” or “goal setting” this year.
With that said, I do enjoy looking back on the last year, especially when it comes to special memories or to BOOKS!
Last year, my reading goals were as follows:
1. Read 40 books
2. Incorporate audiobooks
3. Read a more classics
I’m happy to say that I did! The 40 book goal was only just barely made on New Year’s Eve itself, but I did read lots of gorgeous books, and have enjoyed both classic lit and audiobooks this year.
What’s in my teacup? Harney and Son’s “Jane's Garden Tea,” which Josh gave to me this Christmas. It’s a beautiful green tea blend with rose and pomegranate.
Today I’m sharing the best of the best, those books which received 5 stars from me, or (because sometimes I don’t rate non-fiction) which I thought were just excellent. I’ve got 10 books, plus a cookbook, to share, and I’m also sharing your favorite podcast episodes from last year as well!
a helpful hint: you can sort all the blog posts on this website by category, so if you just click the “books” tab you can find all the bookish content on the site, including seasonal reading lists and new favorites.
I go into more detail as to how each of these made this list in the podcast audio, I’m just linking all the books I mentioned here. It’s generally in an ascending order, from least to most favorite, but as I mentioned, all of these were wonderfully written and I would highly recommend them!
MY TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2023!
-Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
-The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
-I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
-Your Table is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maitre D’ by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina
-Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls by Lauren Graham
-Circe by Madeline Miller
-Chocolat by Joanne Harris
-The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
-Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
My favorite book of the year:
-Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
Honorable Mention: favorite cookbook!
-Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes by Aleksandra Crapanzano
TOP EPISODES OF 2023: the three most popular episodes!
There you have it! For 2024, I’ve decided not to set a number goal for my reading. With Baby Girl coming in June, my only real goal this year is to settle into my family, to figure out this next chapter, and to invest more time into my home. Fortunately, books have become such a personal love and a habit that I know I’ll still read a substantial amount this year.
(If anything, I’m feeling like this might be the year I become a film girlie. Movies feel more accessible and I’d like to see many more this year.)
Whatever your reading goals, I hope that today’s episode can bring you to a new favorite book!
This Week’s Little Joy: Last week I was in New Orleans with my group The Truetone Honeys, and it was lovely. I got to travel with two of my best friends, finally record our first album, and was even there for the first day of Mardi Gras! There were so many lovely moments on that trip, but I’ll just highlight one special memory. I had coffee and beignets at Morning Call Coffee on Canal Street and it was beyond delicious. We were there with a friend who is local, and I’m so glad she suggested that location. The beignets were both doughy and crisp, and the coffee was (no joke) perhaps the best cafe au lait I’ve ever had. This will be the standard in my mind from now on!
What I’m Listening To: “The Boswell Sisters Swing!” a compilation album of some of the Boswell Sisters’ music. We perform several tunes from this album, and it’s just delightful.
Thank you so much for listening! Feel free to leave a comment, or head to Apple Podcasts to leave a star rating or review. If you have any suggestions for future episodes, send an email in the contact form on this site. I’d love to hear from you, and I'll be back in two weeks!