Top Ten Books of 2023

I don't expect to finish any more books this year, so I'm ready to call it now :-)

Not counting rereads or novel-length fanfics - my top ten of 2023.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna Just utterly charming and I think possibly the best book of the year. I think I first heard about it on TikTok and immediately downloaded it, as it totally sounded like something I would enjoy. An enjoyable stand-alone novel that's well worth the hype. The Witch is Back - Sophie H. Morgan I stumbled upon this at The Strand in NYC and was immediately charmed by both the cover and the back blurb. Fortunately it lived up to my expectations, and is once again a rare stand-alone fantasy novel. Queen's Gambit - Walter Tevis Every bit as good as the Netflix series, and I'm utterly amazed at how the author managed to make chess strategy sound interesting even to somebody who only know the bare bones of the game. Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldree Touted as a "cozy fantasy" which meant I had to see what that was all about. It lived up to the description, in being a fantasy with extremely low stakes, where the main part of the plot was establishing a coffee shop and having it thrive. I've recently gotten my hands on the prequel, which promises to be even more up my aisle, as it takes place in a book shop! The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood SO hyped that I was very reluctant to read it, but I came across a very cheap copy, so decided to give it a try. It turned out that it deserved the hype, and was yet another example of the fake dating trope done right. Really sweet, and even the 3rd act conflict was handled in a believable manner. Christmas Every Day - Beth Moran Despite the titel - not actually a Christmas book! Cozy book filled with small town charm, descriptions of turning a house into a home, and even a book club thrown into the mix! A Deadly Education - Naomi Novik A very pleasant surprise! Harry Potter if Hogwarts had no professors and the castle itself was filled with evil monsters out to get you. The writing style took some getting used to, as it was more tell than show, but it actually worked with the atmosphere of the book, and I sped my way through it. It's the first in a trilogy, with the second book every bit as good as the first - unfortunately I have yet to receive the third from the library. Soon, I hope! Crumbs - Danie Stirling An absolutely ADORABLE graphic novel. It can be read for free on Webtoons, and I highly recommend you go google it. I knew I had to own it for my physical library though, and fortunately my sisters were kind enough to gift it to me for my birthday. Love at First Psych - Cara Bastone I think this is probably my favourite since "Call Me Maybe". Just utterly sweet. Kys din kæreste på rejsen - Pia Konstantin Berg Set in the time of covid and the first lock-down. One of the few Danish books I've read this year. It came highly recommended by Nina and did not disappoint. I laughed my way through it, and loved Caroline's unlikely friendship with John.

2023 Playlist

I have listened to a LOT of different music this year, so getting this down to just 22 songs was difficult! As always a lot of the songs have been inspired by friends, and unlike last year Eurovision Song Contest provided some good numbers too :-D
1. Let Go, Let God - Jack Cassidy
We'll start with one recommended to me by Simon. He remains my biggest supplier of awesome Christian music, and I absolutely adore this one.
"I'm learning to let go and let God
Show me how to be me
Your yoke is easy
Your burden is light
My daily bread and my daily delight
I'm learning to let go and let God
So I can be the real me."

2. Warrior of the Mind - Jorge Rivera-Herrans
This was a random TikTok find. I didn't quite get the full story, but apparently Jorge Rivera-Herrans was writing a musical, and holding open auditions on TikTok? Something like that anyway. Whatever the reason, the music totally grabbed me and refused to let me go again. There are a number of awesome songs on the 'soundtrack', but this is my favourite.

3. 90s CCM Medley - Anthem Lights
Simon sent this to me as a joke (I think), but I unironically love it! I knew all the songs ahead of time, and it brought me right back to youth group in New Zealand. Of course I had to add it!

4. I Don't Care - Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
Random listen on the radio. I'm usually not a fan of neither Ed Sheeran nor Justin Bieber, but apparently two minuses makes a plus :-P This is ridiculously catchy.

5. The Rock I'm On - Ross King
"I’m not saying my faith is in danger
You don’t have to worry that i’m tryin’
To quit, but i got sadness confusion and anger…
But the only way to know if your foundation’s
Gonna hold is when your house falls down…
it’s a hard hard life but nothings harder than the rock I’m on."
Some people try to claim that it's blasphemy to question God or be mad at Him, and to that I call BS. He can handle our anger and our questions, and in some cases it's the only way to move forward. It's not a crisis of faith - it's a natural part of being human. And it is SO RARE to see that concept being represented in song.

6. Dance the Night - Dua Lipa
I'd heard this long before I got around to seeing the Barbie movie, and love its energy. But then, I do tend to like songs by Dua Lipa, so it doesn't surprise me that this is no exception.

7. Eurovusion (Open Up) - Two Hearts
New Zealand's (spoof) entry for ESC 2023 - complaining why they can't join when Australia can. I had to add it for the amazing Kiwi accent alone!

8. Love Moved First - Casting Crowns
I can't have one of these lists without a song by Casting Crowns! And in fact, this is the perfect answer to "The Rock I'm On" mentioned above:
"You didn't wait for me to find my way to You
I couldn't cross that distance even if I wanted to
You came running after me
When anybody else would've turned and left me at my worst
Love moved first."

9. My Universe - Coldplay
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Coldplay. Some of their songs I absolutely LOVE -- others leave me depressed, and I have to turn it off after just a few bars. They came to Denmark this summer for a couple of concerts, and SO MANY of my friends went to hear them, so they've been more at the forefront of my mind recently. There aren't all that many songs from their new album that I'm into, but this is the odd one out, and I've found myself listening to it quite a bit. It's SUCH an earworm though!

10. 10x Better - Marielle Kraft
A random TikTok find that immediately appealled to me.

11. Shoot Tequila - Tigirlily Gold
I'm kinda surprised by how much I like this one, but it totally works for me! Also a random TikTok find.

12. All That Matters - Gateway Youth
Definite has a pop-queen/diva sound, but though the lyrics are simple, they really boil down to the heart of the matter. "Jesus, you're all that matters. Who you are is all that matters. Loving you is all that matters."

13. Still - Steve Curtis Chapman
I first discovered Steve Curtis Chapman back in 1996 and loved his music. Somehow I'd forgotten to keep up with him in recent years, so I was really pleased when Simon sent me this one earlier this year.

14. Guard Your Heart - 1GN
Sometimes Simon knows exactly what song I need to hear, and makes sure to send it to me. I once told him that I think he thinks more highly of me than I do. "That sounds like a 'you' problem."

15. This Is Halloween - The Nightmare Before Christmas
Would you believe that I'd never seen the movie until this year? I wasn't too impressed by the movie as a whole, but this song is terribly catchy! I first heard it in November as a friend's choir sang it for their Christmas concert, and was immediately sold!

16. Worry - Building 429
"Don't worry your life away" :-P Building 429 is a fairly new discovery, but so far I've liked most everything I've come across by them.

17. I Want Out - Renee
Awesome beat that I loved from the first time I heard it. Not my usual sound, but there are always one or two of those, where I wouldn't normally think they were my cup of tea at all, but they just work. Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's got awesome lyrics as well.
"I want out of this prison
Jesus, knock these stone walls down."

18. First Things First - Consumed by Fire
Awesome song of worship that Simon introduced me to. It's juuust borderline too melancholic in sound, but stays on the right side, so I can enjoy the sound rather than get depressed by it. It's a song I can sink into, and is almost meditative in nature.

19. I Choose You - Planetshakers
At the other end of the spectrum, this is an awesomely energetic song of worship :-D. A random spotify suggestion. It's definitely got a Hillsong vibe, so I immediately took to it :-)

20. Someone in the Crowd - La La Land
Somehow I never got around to watching La La Land until this year. A friend of mine spoke very highly of it, so we watched it together one evening. I really loved this song (although not so much the instrumental part - it makes sense in the movie but is a bit long when just listening to the song), and it brings back good memories of making a new friend, so on this list it goes! So just pretend the song is only 1:30 minutes long (the first minute and the last 30 seconds) instead of 4:19 :P

21. Solo - BLANKA
Poland's entry at ESC. I love the sound. It never fails to make me sit and tap my feet in time to the music, which makes it an automatic contender for this list.

22. Our Song - Taylor Swift
Ending with an upbeat song - this is probably one of my favourite Taylor Swift songs. The lyrics are really sweet, and the music fits :-) I've listened to it a lot this year, so it seems a fitting song to wrap up the list.