What’s more fun than sharing book recs? Here are my favs from 2023. Make sure you let me know yours so that I can add them to my goodreads for 2024!

Non-fiction

Stolen Focus

This is the book that put me over the edge and convinced me to take a real, intentional break from Instagram in 2024. In Stolen Focus, Johann Hari explores the question of our seemingly short attention spans and his findings are simultaneously not surprising and totally fascinating. While a huge part of the equation is, of course, our phones and social media (I’m guessing this is a spoiler to nobody…), there’s a lot of other things that are contributing as well. I really think this is a book that all of us should be reading. Put it on your list!

The Awakened Brain

In this book, Dr. Lisa Miller walks us through her research on spirituality’s preventative role against depression, while also weaving in her own personal story and journey with spirituality. It was fascinating! As someone who’s incredibly jaded by my Catholic high school experience yet spiritually curious, this book really helped nudge me along in my own journey.

Radically Content

I first discovered Jamie Varon on a podcast and, as I do when I hear podcasts with interesting guests, marked her book as “Want to read” in my goodreads app, put it on hold in my library app, and kinda forgot about it. When the book became available, I read it in just a couple of days. Some of the themes Jamie talks about throughout the book are the concept of enough, not “shoulding” ourselves, and being radically content on the journey to our goals, hopes, & dreams… instead of always thinking “I’ll be happy when…” Her words so deeply resonated with me.

Memoirs

It was a big memoir year for me. Here are some that brought me to my knees.

The Many Lives of Mama Love

Lara Love Hardin did jail time for a crime she committed when she was addicted to heroin, and this is her story of how she turned her life around. But more importantly, it’s a cold, hard, depressing, frustrating look at our criminal justice system and prison industrial complex, and how hard this country makes it to put your past behind you.

Solito

At only 9 years old, Javier Zamora embarked on a grueling journey from El Salvador to the USA to be reunited with his parents. His grandparents sent him off with a coyote and a group of strangers, and the next several weeks of his life were unpredictable and terrifying. I loved that Javier wrote the story using the voice of his 9 year old self—it was totally unique, raw, and even humorous at times.

The Sun Does Shine

This is the story of Anthony Ray Hinton, who was wrongfully convicted of murder and sat on Alabama’s death row for 30 years. I discovered this story because Lara Love Hardin ghost wrote it (beautifully, might I add). Again — a cold, hard, depressing, frustrating look at our criminal justice system and prison industrial complex.

Fiction

Last but certainly not least — the funnnn stuff.

The Kite Runner

I know I’m like 20 years late to the game here but I loved loved love it! And was also, of course, devastated by it.

Thank You For Listening

Light & fun romance novel – the perfect beach read.

Salt to the Sea

Love me some historical fiction. This is about the sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff during WWII, which is the largest maritime disaster ever but isn’t widely known about. For context, an estimated 9,000 passengers died in this disaster, and about 1,500 died on the Titanic. Insane! Anyways, Ruta Sepetys makes a novel of it and I couldn’t put it down.

And in the spirit of books, here’s a peek at a custom illustration set I’m working on for a client who’s a romance author. Can’t wait to share the full branding & Squarespace website soon!

And finally – what were your favorite books of 2023? Leave a note below to let me know!