I always enjoy the new year: the excitement, the hope, and of course, the resolutions. In the last few years, it’s become especially important to me to plan my year well and to create goals for myself that would serve me in becoming the writer, freelancer, and book designer I want to be.
But as I mentioned in my latest post, I’m also learning to prioritize my health. This year, not only do I have goals regarding my writing, my reading goals, and launching two literary magazines, but I also have goals that are specific to my health and working my way through multiple diagnoses. Not the usual “I want to lose weight this year,” but items that are more specific to me like finessing my dietary changes, mastering specific yoga flows, and decluttering certain areas of my home.
Last year, I created a list of books I wanted to read, some of which were specifically chosen to help me with my goals: books about mindset, books about copywriting, and more. But this year, I wanted to create a reading list that was sub-categorized into my goals.
And I liked the reading list so much (the titles and the organization), I wanted to share it with you.
Here’s my reading list for 2023:
Craft Books (in my infinite pursuit to learn everything there is to know about writing):
The Zen of Writing by Ray Bradbury
On Writing by Stephen King
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
The Art of Recklessness by Dean Young
Read Harder collected by Book Riot
Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King and Renni Browne
Some of these are rereads from previous years (or in Annie Dillard’s case, an annual reread), and I plan to read two titles per annual quarter.
Entrepreneurial Titles (for successful freelancing and mindset work)
Chillpreneur by Denise Duffield-Thomas
You Are a Bad@ss by Jen Sincero
Get Rich, Lucky B!tch! by Denise Duffield-Thomas
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
You Are a Bad@ss at Making Money by Jen Sincero
Wishcraft by Barbara Sher
Countdown to Preparedness by Jim Cobb
A few of these are rereads that I really love and have found immensely helpful in past years, but some of these are here for the mindset work: growing confidence, maintaining focus, and all that great jazz.
Fiction Titles (for fun, inspiration, and nostalgia)
Death of a Fairy Tale (The Mari Fable Mysteries series) by Emily Fluke
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Hail Mary by Andy Weir
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
All of Us Villains (duology) by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman
Stinetinglers collection by R.L. Stine
Chronicles of the Avatar by F.C. Yee and Michael Dante Dimartino
The Art of Floating by Kristin Bair O’Keefe (I’m gifting myself a new copy at the end of the year—long story)
My fiction reading list is generally for fun and reviewing purposes, but there are a few titles on here specifically for nostalgic purposes and one very important reread. Also stay tuned, because some of these will surely be reviewed!
Nonfiction Books (for inspiration, curiosity, and comfort reads)
All of the Women in My Brain by Betty Gilpin
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman and Rima Horton
Joey: How a Blind Rescue Horse Helped Others Learn to See by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley
Bring Jade Home by Michelle Coffrey
Pawverbs for a Cat Lover’s Heart by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
God’s Hotel by Victoria Sweet
Some of these are specifically here for comfort’s sake, as I enjoy reading stories about beloved pets and animals, but from all of these, like all nonfiction I’ve read, I hope to learn something. I’m also planning on reviewing a few of them, so stay tuned!
Health and Mental Health Books (for continuing my health journey)
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan
Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf
When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté
I haven’t included all of the books I’ve selected for this category for privacy’s sake. But I’ve selected books specific to my health journey that I hope will help me heal (whatever that will mean) by the end of 2023.
Lifestyle and Motherhood (for inspiration—specifically for my decluttering goals!)
How to Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis
Kurashi at Home by Marie Kondo
The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (no, I will not only have 30 physical books; thank you)
More than a Mom by Ashley Carbonatto
Let That Sh!t Go Journal by Monica Sweeney
Coffee Self-Talk Journal by Kristen Helmstetter
I’ve read Marie Kondo’s first book before and found it helpful in my decluttering and packing journey before moving to Croatia, but now I’m looking to declutter again and will be revisiting her books. The rest of the titles here are for mindset work and intentially setting aside time to journal.
Poetry and Banned Books
I haven’t chosen specific titles in these two categories yet, but these are my final two reading categories for the year.
I plan to read at least three or four collections of poetry per month, with some of those also being reviewed.
I will also read at least two banned books per month, with those in-depth reviews and discussions appearing on Banned Book Review.
If there are specific poetry or banned titles you’d love to see me read and review, please feel free to reach out! I’m always looking for recommendations—in ANY category, but especially these two.
Thank you for reading!
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