Yes, it’s January, but I’m just now posting my book roundup for 2025. I didn’t write about books all year and I’m determined to share this!

2025 Book Total: 81

My best showing since 2021, when I read 91 books.

Fiction Top 10

I gave limited thought to my top 10s, so let’s not question them too closely!

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins // I had avoided reading Songbirds & Snakes because I wasn’t interested in finding young Snow sympathetic. But I read it before SOTR came out to ensure I wouldn’t miss anything (turned out I shouldn’t have worried, F that guy), and I’m glad I did. Haymitch’s story is probably the most heart-wrenching Hunger Games book and that’s really saying something.

There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev // Loved this wild goose chase through NYC with a people-pleasing protagonist trying to shake off her family’s expectations.

Florida by Lauren Groff // I bought my copy of Florida in 2024 at Judy Blume’s bookstore in Key West, because it seemed appropriate. I finally read it after hearing that Florence Welch’s verse of “Florida!!!” was inspired by one of the stories. Well done, everyone involved.

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez // A. Jim NEVER MISSES and I think this is her best yet. I also think it’s the most cinematic of her stories and should be optioned immediately.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley // 2025 was a huge year for Dramione shippers as THREE beloved fanfic authors published original books. This one was as fun as I expected.

Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza // I don’t read a lot of thrillers, but this tradwife murder mystery was COMPELLING. Also I’m a fan of basically everything Jo Piazza does.

Alchemised by SenLinYu // It’s impossible to know how I’d feel about this book if I wasn’t deeply familiar with Manacled, its source material. Some aspects of the worldbuilding were confusing, and like Manacled, the story is a tragedy. In any case, Sen is a brilliant writer and I hope to see a lot more from her.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto // While I also loved Julie Soto’s Rose in Chains (2025 fanfic adaptation #3), I found The Thrashers so original and twisty. I’m excited that this one has already been optioned for a Netflix series!

We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler* // I got an ARC of Erika Swyler’s latest because she’s become one of my go-tos – I mean, I had a quote from Light from Other Stars lettered for my son’s wall. This sci-fi novel is a mystery about class wars and AI set in a walled city. I haven’t read anything else like it.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe // I feel odd saying that a novel about a young single mom who starts an OnlyFans and lives with her washed-up professional wrestler dad is delightful, but it is.

Other Fiction

• Entitlement by Rumaan Alam
• The Many Lives of Serena Page by Tessa Alexandra
• A Reason to See You Again by Jami Attenberg
• Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
• Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
• Ruins by Lily Brooks-Dalton*
• All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
• James by Percival Everett
• The Favorites by Layne Fargo
• One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin
• The Summertime Girls by Laura Hankin
• I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
• A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes
• The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
• Real Americans by Rachel Khong
• Hooked on a Feline by Sofie Kelly
• I Think We’ve Been Here Before by Suzy Krause
• Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea
• Bliss Montage by Ling Ma
• Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin
• Tilt by Emma Pattee
• The Compound by Aisling Rawle
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
• Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
• Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
• The Float Test by Lynn Steger Strong
• State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg
• Tunneling to the Center of the Earth: Stories by Kevin Wilson

Nonfiction Top 10

There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib // This memoir of loving basketball, and growing up on the rough side of Columbus, is poetry. Sometimes literally.

Joyful, Anyway by Kate Bowler* // The crescendo of all of Kate Bowler’s work to date. I will be purchasing this book for friends when it comes out.

Cher: The Memoir, Part 1 by Cher // I did not expect to be so transfixed by this memoir, but I read it almost a year ago and there are several parts I still think about often. Can’t wait for part 2.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar el Akkad** // A treatise on Palestine by a celebrated Middle Eastern journalist. Maybe the most important book of 2025. He also wrote the speculative novel American War, which I read in 2018 and also still think about often.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten // A hug from the Barefoot Contessa herself.

107 Days by Kamala Harris** // What can I even say??

Awake: A Memoir by Jen Hatmaker* // I swore off Jen Hatmaker for a while after she did some diet-culturey things, but came back for her memoir of divorce in the Christian public eye and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Those of us who have also been married and divorced within evangelical culture KNOW.

Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show by Bethany Joy Lenz // An irresistible combination of two of my longtime interests: cults and One Tree Hill.

A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy by Tia Levings // This memoir was tough on my heart, but should be widely read to illustrate what some people in power want to drag us back to.

Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler // A sort of Girl, Interrupted for the 21st century.

Other Nonfiction

• Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith by April Ajoy
• Not That Wheel, Jesus!: Stories From a Faith That Went Off-Road in the Best (And Worst) Possible Ways by Mary Katherine Backstrom*
• Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom by Tabitha Brown
• How We Learn to Be Brave by Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
• Why Am I Like This?: How to Break Cycles, Heal from Trauma, and Restore Your Faith by Kobe Campbell**
• Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras by Sarah Chapelle
• The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates**
• A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst
• Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets by Rachel Feder
• The Perimenopause Survival Guide: Make Sense of Your Symptoms and Build Your Personalized Treatment Plan by Dr. Heather Hirsch*
• A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting by Casey Johnston*
• The People’s Project: Poems, Essays, and Art for Looking Forward, ed. Saeed Jones**
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer**
• Facing the Music: My Story by Jennifer Knapp
• Jump and Find Joy: Embracing Change in Every Season of Life by Hoda Kotb*
• Missing Me: A Memoir of Postpartum Psychosis and the Long Road Back by Ayana Lage*
• Over the Influence: A Memoir by Joanna “JoJo” Levesque
• The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement by Sharon McMahon
• Growing Up Again: Life, Love and Oh Yeah, Diabetes by Mary Tyler Moore
• Defiant: What the Women of Exodus Teach Us about Freedom by Kelly Nikondeha**
• Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music by Rob Sheffield
• Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas: 100 Ways to Make the Season Sacred by Tracy Smith
• On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder (re-read)**
• Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino (re-read)**
• Another Word for Love: A Memoir by Carvell Wallace**
• Waiting for Britney Spears by Jeff Weiss
• Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women by Alissa Wilkinson
• Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams

* = ARC (via either Netgalley or Goodreads)

** = Book club selection

Add a Comment + Posted in: reading, year end

Without further ado: my annual soundtrack for 2025.

Disparate Youth – Santigold // Don’t look ahead, there’s stormy weather / Another roadblock in our way / But if we go, we go together / Our hands are tied here if we stay

APT. – Rosé and Bruno Mars // My son’s first favorite song of the year.

Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar // The Super Bowl halftime show heard round the world.

Hostile Government Takeover – AGiftFromTodd & Vinny Marchi // Bless both of these TikTokers for releasing this ditty as an actual recording.

The Giver – Chappell Roan // Chappell’s next album is probably years away, so I’m happy she gave us this. Oddly I’m not that into The Subway.

Last Girls at the Party – The Beaches // What would be playing over a montage of pictures from my mid-30s.

Still Bad – Lizzo // Might catch that last flight out to Vegas, whatch’all think? Okay!! I DID.

Handlebars – JENNIE feat. Dua Lipa // This struck me as an early contender for Song of the Summer. I don’t think it ever took off, but it hits for me.

Archbishop Harold Holmes – Jack White // Between the Righteous Gemstones vibes and the Wayne’s World groove, this is probably my favorite song of 2025.

Sally, When the Wine Runs Out – ROLE MODEL // Somehow I am still not sick of this.

The Kill – Maggie Rogers // As someone who rarely gets to converse with her husband because we have a 4-year-old, I related to this tune about missing the old days and struggling to be on the same page with the person you love.

Porcelain (Reimagined) – JoJo // I first heard this song in a One-Day Choir video that JoJo attended!!

twilight zone – Ariana Grande // Some friends and I tried to get tickets to Ariana’s upcoming tour – in multiple cities – and sadly failed.

Holding Back – BANKS // Another (slightly older) banger from the queen of lesser-known beat drops.

Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter // So much fun.

moody – Royel Otis // While I don’t appreciate the “women are crazy, amirite??” vibes, this song feels like listening to the radio in the mid-90s.

running – Maren Morris // Did my wings get too wide? Did I whisper too loud? / Everything that I do’s an inconvenience now / I’ve apologized, still don’t know what about / So I guess I’ll just drive ’til I figure it out, figure it out

Best Guess – Lucy Dacus // So romantic and real.

True Believer – Hayley Williams // Hard to choose a track from Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, but this is a masterful skewering of the new Nashville and Southern evangelical culture. I recommend finding a line by line analysis of the lyrics for a history lesson.

Straight Line Was a Lie – The Beths // The most fun I’ve had singing a harmony in a while.

Golden – HUNTR/X // I love every song from KPop Demon Hunters, so I just gave the spot to the big hit. Note: Golden is the Let It Go, but This Is What It Sounds like is the Show Yourself.

Everybody, Elizabeth Taylor – Taylor Swift & Backstreet Boys, DJ Lydia Getachew // I really liked ET (original) from the first listen, but when I heard the BSB mashup, I created a SoundCloud account at the age of 46 so I could dance to it any time.

WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! – RAYE // Another song that had me from minute one. I hope all you single ladies are wearing it out.

Sympathy Magic – Florence + The Machine // So I don’t have to be worthy, I no longer try to be good / It didn’t keep me safe like you told me that it would / So come on, come on, I can take it, give me everything you got / What else, what else, what else, what else

The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift feat. Sabrina Carpenter // Thank you for an unforgettable night year. Give it up for the band and the dancers. That’s our show, we love you so much. Goodnight!

Add a Comment + Posted in: music, year end

I was stunned and dismayed to log in this morning and realize I haven’t posted on this blog all year. ALL YEAR!!! I attempted a Q1 catch-up post in the spring, which never made it out of drafts. But I refuse to break a 20-year streak of year-end wrap-up posts, so here’s the survey, with some new questions I felt were needed.

What did you do in 2025 that you’d never done before? Became a church elder; swam with manatees in the wild; successfully grew vegetables from seed; swam in a Great Lake; went to a drag brunch; went to a Hanukkah latke party; saw a seal in the wild; got a passport for my child; went to an MLB spring training game; did serious physical therapy.

What was your word for the year? Joy. As in “joy is an act of resistance.” This was my vision board:

What new places did you visit? Long Island, NY (Montauk) and Napa, CA. We also went to the St. Pete area, Atlanta, and Evanston north of Chicago. I went to Miami three times (once with Taylor and C), back to the Tampa area with my mom and sister for my sister’s 40th birthday trip, and to Vegas with my longtime friend/co-adventurer Bethany to see the Backstreet Boys at the Vegas Sphere!

What dates from 2025 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Here’s a high-level recap. I lost my last grandparent and my dad lost both of his brothers. Three of my immediate family members had major surgery and my mom had cancer (stage 1a; she hasn’t needed any additional treatment after having her thyroid removed, thank God). I became an elder of my church as we joined a denomination for the first time and took ownership of our 100-year-old Midtown building. I have retained my job as my company continues to close and sell off business units. We all lived through the longest 11 months in American history (so far). We traveled a lot. I continued to mother, and advocate for, a smart, loving, high-maintenance preschooler with type 1 diabetes and other special needs. I am crawling across the finish line.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 46. This year was the 30th anniversary of Clueless, one of my all-time favorite movies, so I had a Clueless party. Everyone dressed up. It was great.

How will you spend Christmas? At home with my parents and in-laws… followed by a big family trip!

Did anyone close to you have a child in 2025? One of Taylor’s good friends and his wife had a daughter!

Did anyone close to you die? My grandfather, Papa Gene, in February. My Uncle Mark and Uncle Mike (technically Uncle Mike passed around New Year’s Eve 2024 – both deaths were sudden). An old friend, Matt.

What 2025 achievements are you most proud of? SURVIVING. Also, I hit 300 rides on Peloton, and am already closing in on 400 since I started doing proper warm-up rides.

What gave you joy? Pilates. Watching my kid have friends. Seeing my friends love my kid. Being with my church community. Crossword puzzle time before bed. Wandering through the beauty section of TJ Maxx. Making little bouquets from our backyard flowers. Chatting with the ladies at PT. My kid’s growing personality. Getting to know our neighbors better. The Culture Study blog and podcast. Making shaken espressos at home.

What do you wish you had done differently? I’m frustrated that I can’t seem to communicate and express my needs better in my home. But overall, I think I’m doing the best I can in most areas of my life, even if it doesn’t look like much.

What was the biggest challenge you faced? Retaining any brain cells while living in a constant state of personal and societal overstimulation.

Did you suffer illness or injury? My lumbar back pain (three herniated discs) got worse this year and spread to my hips, so I started regular PT for that in September. It has helped both with pain and making me stronger overall.

What was your best purchase? The Bounce Curl brush (and root volume clips). Game changer.

Where did most of your money go? Medical costs and travel.

What were your best new discoveries? Hannah Corbin’s stretching and foam rolling classes on Peloton. Morphe setting powder.

What did you get really, really, really excited about? A new Aldi opening in my neighborhood. My first trip alone with Taylor in a year and a half. Taking over our church building. Getting a builder gel system so my fragile nails can grow longer. My 10th anniversary of living in Midtown. The release of The Life of a Showgirl.

What were your favorite foods? I cooked regularly out of the HealthyGirl Kitchen, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, and Half-Baked Harvest cookbooks. My friend Jenny invented an amazing salad made of mango chili salad mix, edamame, mango, honey roasted peanuts, and roasted chickpeas. Also: Dot’s pretzels.

What song will always remind you of 2025? Aside from my 2025 soundtrack (which I’ll post soon), Anxiety by Doechii.

What concerts did you attend this year? Backstreet Boys at the Sphere!!! Also, the Summer of ’99 tour with Creed and Daughtry (which I was at when Bethany texted to ask if I wanted to go see BSB).

What was your greatest musical discovery? I discovered Ber last week via an Instagram reel and am going through her whole discography.

What were your favorite TV programs? I guess SNL, because it was the only show I watched even semi-regularly.

What were your favorite films? I don’t really get to watch things (see above), but one night when Taylor was on a business trip and C fell asleep relatively early, I finally watched KPop Demon Hunters. It is now part of of my personality.

What was your favorite sports moment? I can’t think of one, which is sad. While I still love my Grizzlies and Tigers, I have had to become slightly less obsessive devoted to make room for other things. Also, I am all for college players getting paid, but the NIL sports landscape is less fun as a fan.

What was the best gift you received? To celebrate my elder installation at church, my sister gave me a licensed Elder Wand. She ordered it the day I first told her I was going to be an elder.

What did you want and get? An additional week of vacation time! C hitting some specific developmental milestones. Taylor being happy in his job.

What did you want and not get? To talk to my husband for more than 30 seconds without being interrupted. Free time in the evenings. To magically lose 10 pounds.

How would you describe your personal style in 2025? Comfort and fun over “flattering.” I learned to feel okay in non-skinny pants – I now happily wear wide-leg pants and even barrel jeans! I placed an embarrassing amount of Old Navy and ThredUp orders and am very into Athleta. I got some leopard print Nikes that I love. I finally got rid of almost all of my pre-2021 clothes – my sister has lost a lot of weight, so I gave it all to her and my nieces. I also bought A LOT of earrings (Oh Clem is my go-to). I had to stock up on basics now that I have three holes in each ear. Hoops are my fave.

What was your Color of the Year? I guess color in general? I do have a lot of phthalo green items and am excited that the internet hive mind has chosen it for 2026.

Who was your favorite celebrity/public figure? Taylor Swift always.

Who was the best new person you met? Lane, the mom of my son’s school bestie. She is a wonderful human being.

What were the best conversations you had? Probably with my siblings. I don’t talk to my brother super often, but if he calls me I know it’s going to be good.

What political issue stirred you the most? I cannot even. I am absolutely exhausted by the daily political onslaught. I do what I can as far as protest and activism (don’t think it’s not happening just because I’m not posting about it). However, my personal most upsetting issue was the RFK Jr. autism registry. Thank God that’s been dropped for now and the best they can come up with is Tylenol.

How have your beliefs changed this year? I don’t think my beliefs have markedly changed. But I have frequently handed out my best advice, which is: people can have strong opinions and the best intentions about things happening in your life, but they do not have to live with the consequences of your decisions. YOU DO. The only person you can count on to have your own back 100% of the time is you.

What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked this year? A stronger marriage. Time to be a human and even have hobbies.

What behaviors do you want to change in 2026? I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot. I want to be more stable and unruffled, to not be “tossed back and forth by the waves.” 2026 is going to bring a lot of changes, and undoubtedly more chaos, and I don’t want to be thrown by every little thing. I want a steadier baseline. Still figuring out how to go about that.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I’m still surviving and I’m still bad, baby. – Lizzo

3 Comments + Posted in: life lately, year end

Fiction

The Top 10

Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway I didn’t expect any middle-grade fiction to make my top 10, but this enjoyable, moving, and relevant story about a tween who goes to live with her aunts deserves it.

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger A weird but unforgettable climate-dystopia novel about a musician who sets sail on Lake Superior after a series of unfortunate events.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach My favorite book of 2024. Phoebe, an unhappily divorced academic, goes to her dream Rhode Island resort intending to end her life. It turns out she’s the only person at the hotel not there for a wedding, and when the bride shoves her way into Phoebe’s life, things do not go as planned.

Hestia Strikes a Match by Christine Grillo Another near-future, somehow lighthearted dystopia about a woman’s everyday life in the middle of a new American civil war. I found Hestia really likeable and her circumstances scarily believable.

Funny Story by Emily Henry The newest EmHen is in my top three of her books. Daphne and Miles find themselves unexpected roommates after their respective fiances run off together. This is already being adapted for a movie – yay!

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez The conclusion to another Jimenez-verse trilogy that made me want to go back and reread the first two. Emma and Justin share the “curse” of being the last person people date before finding The One. While she’s in town as a traveling nurse, they decide to date solely to break the curse for each other. You can guess how it ends up!!

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett During the pandemic, a former actress turned Michigan cherry farmer tells her three adult daughters the story of the summer she dated a famous actor. My second-favorite book of 2024. This novel is everything.

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell I was lucky to get an ARC of Rainbow’s latest. It bounces around in time with Shiloh and Cary, old friends who have been circling each other romantically for 14 years. I was pretty annoyed with Shiloh at a few points, but I understood her and still loved this.

Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson Another weird novel, but if you’ve read any other Kevin Wilson, you know if you get him or not. In a small Tennessee town, in summer, in the 90s, two artistically inclined loners meet and create something together that changes everything. Bonus points for the accurate Memphis references and some events happening in my actual neighborhood.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros You know… the dragon college romantasy thing. Is it worth the hype? Well, as soon as I finished it I went to Target and bought the sequel.

Everything Else

• The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
  The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady
  The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn
  The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton
  Birds of California by Katie Cotugno
  The Real Deal by Caitlin Devlin
  The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland
  You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
  This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann
  While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi
  You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg
  House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
  Friends in Napa by Sheila Yasmin Marikar
• Inheritance by Katharine McGee
  Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter
  Sandwich by Catherine Newman
  You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins
  The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
  Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
  Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
  One Last Summer by Kate Spencer
  I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
  Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Nonfiction

The Top 10

The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi Kendra has said repeatedly that this is the book she was born to write, and as a longtime Lazy Genius follower, I agree. One to revisit.

Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley This memoir of loss took me by surprise. In the summer of 2019, Sloane experienced a traumatic burglary and lost her best friend to suicide in the span of a month. The way she processes it all is really deep and thought-provoking.

If You Can’t Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury by Geraldine DeRuiter A memoir of food and family. So so good. Better than her first book, which was already fantastic.

The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife by Shannon Harris As a woman who came of age in the late 90s evangelical church, I had popcorn ready for this memoir by the ex-wife of Mr. I Kissed Dating Goodbye. I did not expect her to be such an eloquent writer. I’m thankful she shared her story and glad she’s finding peace. She deserved better.

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones Leslie is so cool. Here she tells her own story and pulls no punches.

One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy This memoir/cultural commentary by the host of the podcast Be There in Five is an enjoyable ramble through nostalgia.

On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good by Elise Loehnen Our first church book club pick for 2024 and it was a DOOZY. I may have set a new personal record for Kindle highlights.

Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum Another advance read for me, this is a thorough history going back to radio and the beginning of TV. And yes, she goes there about how reality TV unfortunately led to our current actual reality.

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears After reading this, I firmly believe Britney’s whole family should be in jail, and I judge her for nothing. Let her do whatever she wants.

Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas A new essay collection from an American treasure. I read most of this on a plane, laughed out loud many times, and didn’t care who looked at me weirdly. Love love love.

Everything Else

Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey
This is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch by Tabitha Carvan
Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself: 5 Steps to Banish Guilt and Beat Burnout When You Already Have Too Much to Do by Dr. Morgan Cutlip
Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton
Oh Crap! I Have a Toddler: Tackling These Crazy Awesome Years by Jamie Glowacki
Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
Splinters by Leslie Jamison
How Y’all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived by Leslie Jordan
How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott Key
The Cure by John S. Lynch
The Wisdom of Your Body by Dr. Hillary L. McBride
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski (re-read)
It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway: And Other Thoughts on Moving Forward by Elizabeth Passarella
XOXO, Cody: An Opinionated Homosexual’s Guide to Self-Love, Relationships, and Tactful Pettiness by Cody Rigsby
Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives by Sami Sage and Emily Amick
Let’s Talk About Hard Things by Anna Sale
The Secret Lives of Colour by Cassia St. Clair
Consider This: Reflections for Finding Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories by Gabrielle Union
Birdie & Harlow: Life, Loss, and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn’t Want Kids by Taylor Wolfe

2024 Book Total: 65

PS: this list of published works obviously does not include fanfic. If we counted fanfic, my total would be well over a hundred. I thought about linking some of my favorites of the year, but 1. I don’t have time for all that and 2. as I saw on a sticker on Etsy, my AO3 history is between me and God.

1 Comment + Posted in: book reviews, year end

I’ve completed this survey every December since 2001. You can find past years’ posts in the Year End tag!

What did you do in 2024 that you’d never done before? Wore my hair straight semi-regularly; threw a goodbye party for my uterus; took care of a diabetic child; took a trip with my bestie, our husbands, and all our kids; hit my health insurance deductible; took a leave from work unrelated to having a baby.

What was your word for the year? Revive. I continued my tradition of going to a January craft night with Sarah to make vision boards for the year. The flamingo symbolizes a mom-empowerment movement my friend Kelsey told me about called Get Your Pink Back.

This was not planned, but a mantra for the year emerged: Mom, I Am a Rich Man. It’s a Cher quote – she said her mother told her to marry a rich man, and that was her response. I am in fact married to a successful man, but I like knowing I also have my own success. Also it reminds me of my late grandma, who in her later years could not grasp that I had A Career and would say how nice it was that I have a little job for some pocket money. Lol.

What new places did you visit? The only new place I went this year was Portland, Maine. I loved it! We also went to Key West, Miami/Hollywood Beach, Hot Springs, and Boston, and I had a weekend in Chicago by myself.

What dates from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? February 5 – C’s admission to the hospital and diabetes diagnosis. February 9 – hysterectomy. April 8 – total solar eclipse. May 20 – C got his insulin pump (no more shots!). November 5 – the election.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 45. It was a Friday, so I worked from home, did a Peloton live ride, and had dinner at South of Beale with Taylor and C and my MIL. The next night I had dinner and drinks with friends.

How will you spend Christmas? Here in Memphis with my parents and in-laws. My siblings and their kids will arrive after Christmas.

Did anyone close to you have a child in 2024? No one close.

Did anyone close to you die? No. A few days ago it looked like my oldest uncle wasn’t going to make it through the holidays, but he has somehow rallied.

What 2024 achievements are you most proud of? Surviving C’s diabetes diagnosis and the first few months of being a diabetes parent… while recovering from surgery myself. Helping to get his A1C into his target range in less than a year. Managing his developmental therapies and progress (Taylor does most of the diabetes management, I coordinate most of the early intervention stuff). Taking fairly drastic but effective steps to regain my health and strength. Going back on Lexapro after going through a lot to get off of it, because I knew it was best for me and my family.

What do you wish you had done differently? I wish I’d had time and motivation to complete more CLEs for my paralegal license. I have a LOT of catching up to do in 2025.

What was the biggest challenge you faced? Aside from the obvious: PASSPORTS. Taylor and I already had passports, but they got lost somewhere in the house. I found his but not mine. We attempted to complete a passport appointment for myself and C on three separate occasions… then had to go three separate places to find a passport photo place with a working camera. After the applications were finally filed, they called about what name I wanted on mine (I have two legal middle names). THEN I got a notice that the form about losing my previous passport wasn’t signed. I have mailed a new form and am praying this is the end of it. It is crucial to me that our family be able to leave the country if needed. I started trying to get this done in August. AUGUST!!!

Did you suffer illness or injury? Surgery recovery, various sinus crud, sketchy mental health; recently, strained wrist ligaments serious enough to need a brace. I have since learned this is a common mom injury, which makes sense since it was totally child-related.

What was your best purchase? New Kindle and new phone, this summer. Also my Pilates classes. They are not cheap but may be the best thing I do for myself health-wise.

Where did most of your money go? Medical bills!! Also probably milk.

What were your best new discoveries? I discovered that my mostly-fine curly hair didn’t need the intense conditioners I’ve always piled onto it. I switched to lighter-formula products (Odele shampoo and conditioner, lighter leave-ins) and my hairdresser could tell a difference immediately. Also, I’m happy that most of my old Twitter gang has finally reconvened on Bluesky.

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Judy Blume’s bookstore in Key West. Voting. Sleeping. Never having a period again. The Breakthrough T1D Walk. Seeing another total solar eclipse.

What song will always remind you of 2024? Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter

What concerts did you attend this year? None… but I went to the ballet once?!

What was your greatest musical discovery? Chappell Roan

What were your favorite TV programs? I guess SNL since it’s the only show I watched even semi-regularly.

What were your favorite films? The only movies I saw in the theater were Twisters and Wicked. Oh and I watched the Martha documentary on Netflix. It was very good!

What was your favorite sports moment? The Grizzlies’ 50-point beatdown of the Warriors last week was an A+ game experience. Cool retro jerseys, great energy, multiple Three 6 Mafia songs AND someone singing Hot to Go, and of course a great win.

What was the best gift you received? My birthday present from Taylor was a weekend in Chicago by myself.

What did you want and get? To lose a little weight (about 10 pounds) and get my strength back. More time with friends. Brief moments of feeling like my whole, pre-kid self again.

What did you want and not get? A different election result. An opportunity I was really excited about. Also, aurora was visible in Memphis TWICE this year and I didn’t see anything either time.

How would you describe your personal style in 2024? I invested in a few pairs of non-skinny jeans and worked on better styling. I have an old thrifted sweater dress from Old Navy that I currently would like in 10 colors to wear over leggings until the end of time. I also got my second ear piercing re-done AND got a third!

What was your Color of the Year? Forest green. I’ve committed to my self-diagnosed Deep Autumn color palette.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Taylor Swift, of course.

Who was the best new person you met? C’s whole diabetes team and a few new “diabuddies.” They made our crash landing into a new reality much easier. I also grew closer to multiple church friends and am excited for that to continue. My community really showed up for me this year. <3

What political issue stirred you the most? …All of them?

How have your beliefs changed this year? I wouldn’t say my beliefs changed, but I did recently decide that I am done entertaining disingenuous comments and questions, or defending facts and/or basic human decency, or even my personal beliefs and life choices. My energy and peace are more valuable than ever and I’m not going to waste them. Unless I believe someone is operating in good faith (which is rare), I am not going to engage. Let them think what they want.

What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked this year? Quality time with my husband. More time to be a human. A better sense of if writing is a thing I do anymore and if it’s even worth keeping this blog open.

What behaviors do you want to change in 2025? I want to journal more or do some sort of documentation. I wrote so much down for years and years, and now a bunch of time is slipping by that I’ll barely remember. I also want to establish a better prayer practice.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. ‘Cause I’m a real tough kid, I can handle my shit. They said, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it” and I did. – Taylor Swift

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