2023: Year In Review

My favorite Books, Music, TV & More of 2023

I love “Year in Review” posts. I love reading them and I love creating them. I’m capping each category at 5, because otherwise I would never stop listing things! Tell me what your Best Of’s for 2023 are in the comments!

Books

1. Survival Takes a Wild Imagination: Poems -

   Fariha Róisín

2. I Have Some Questions For You - Rebecca Makkai

3. Smilla’s Sense of Snow (not written in 2023, but I read it this year and loved it)

4. The Postcard - Anne Berest

5. Working Girl: On Selling Art and Selling Sex - Sophia Giovannitti

Music

Albums

1. New Blue Sun - André 3000 (the album we all didn’t know we needed came at the most perfect time)

2. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We - Mitski (faves include: “The Deal,” “When Memories Snow,” and of course, “My Love Mine All Mine.”)

3. Time Ain’t Accidental - Jess Williamson (faves: the title track, obviously, “Hunter,” and “Something’s In The Way.”)

4. With a Hammer - Yaeji (I’ve loved Yaeji for a while, and this album is *chef’s kiss*. Fave songs are: “For Granted” and “Done (Let’s Get It).”

5. Raven - Kelela (faves: “On The Run,” “Contact,” and “Bruises.”)

Songs

1. “The World Couldn’t See Us” - Nabihah Iqbal

2. “Goodbye Evergreen” - Sufjan Stevens

3. “A&W” - Lana Del Rey

4. “Vampire Empire” - Big Thief

5. “Deli” - Ice Spice

TV

(I don’t really watch movies)

1. The Gilded Age (HBO)

2. The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)

3. Shrinking (Apple TV)

4. Yellowjackets (Showtime)

5. Happy Valley (BBC One)

Things

(These things have made my life easier in the last year; not sponsored; not an affiliate)

1. “Tree Napper” weighted blanket from Bearaby. Years ago, when weighted blankets came out, I got one randomly and loved it, but it made me really warm (and I’m already a very warm sleeper). I started to looking for a new one and came across the Tree Napper, which is made for warm sleepers! They also have others ones for you cold sleepers.

2. Hatch Restore 2: this has 100% helped me sleep better. I guess falling asleep to the harp version of “Clair de Lune” (amongst other songs) will do that to you.

3. Brown Bear Warmies: Ok, so, we have a theme here of cozy things. I love this because it’s weighted and there’s lavender inside and I can put it in the

   microwave.

4. My fave apps for coloring and jigsaw puzzles!

5. Levoit Humidifer (you can put essential oils in it!)

Substacks

(had to list more than 5 because I can’t choose!)

1. Creative Fuel with Anna Brones

2. radical love letters
   -
   Raechel Anne Jolie

3. How To Cure A Ghost
   -
   Fariha Róisín

4. CARESCAPES
   -
   Margeaux Feldman

5. For The People Libraries

6. Things That Don't Suck
   -
   Andrea Gibson

7. Monday Monday
   -
   Marlee Grace

8. Prisonculture’s Newsletter
   -
   Prisonculture

Most Popular Posts of Mine for ‘23:

1. Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, Madonna: The Holy Trinity of Famous Italian American Culture Vultures (Jan)

2. No One Is Coming To Save You (May)

3. The (Jonah) Hill I Will Die On (Jul)

4. The Princess & The Pea: A Tale of Sensory Processing Disorder (Nov)

5. I want to be with people, but I don’t want to be with people (Oct)

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH ME THIS PAST YEAR!