Best Books and Movies and TV of 2023

Music

Kelsea Ballerini - I’m obsessed with the above song and her Rolling Up the Welcome Mat EP.

Old Dominion - the new album is great, but their whole discography makes me happy.

Taylor Swift’s Midnights isn’t my favorite album from her but some of the songs on it are my favorites, if that makes sense. Love Anti-Hero, High Infidelity and Mastermind because I feel like a lot of my heroines could relate to the lyrics.

Books

These are the books that I kept thinking about all year long, as a human, a reader and an author. Click a title to get the Amazon link.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Jesse Q. Sutanto [cozy mystery with an unforgettable sleuth with great descriptions of food and friends]

The Blonde Identity - Ally Carter [fast paced rom-com-spy-adventure]

Finlay Donovan is Killing It - Elle Cosimano [first in a series about a harried single mom and people thinking she’s a killer for hire]

The Second Ending - Michelle Hoffman [quirky story about ambition and mistakes and second chances]

A Little Ray of Sunshine - Kristan Higgins [a tear jerker about motherhood, family and community]

The Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros [international fantasy bestseller. I call it Top Gun with Dragons]

A Traitor in Whitehall - Julia Kelly [debut historical mystery set in Churchill’s war rooms]

A Girl Called Samson - Amy Harmon [historical fiction loosely based on a woman who dressed as a man to fight in the American Revolutionary War]

The Last Daughter of York - Nicola Cornick [English cozy paranormal time slip murder mystery]

PodcastS

Say More with Dr? Sheila - an improvised podcast featuring a faux therapist played by Amy Poehler

Strike Force Five - a limited series hosted by five late night show hosts during the writers’ strike (Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Seth Meyer, Jimmy Kimmel and the other Jimmy.)

I listen to Conan Needs a Friend off and on, but this episode featuring Steve Martin and Martin Short is comedy GOLD. I think I wiped away tears of joy.

Wilder - I’ve recommended this to everyone this year. It’s about the true story behind Little House on the Prairie and the Ingalls family and a reexamination of their stories in the 21st century.

Television/ MovieS

Daisy Jones & the Six - I’m such a huge fan of the book (here) and I loved that the movie captured the spirit and was also its own thing.

Shrinking - on Apple TV. I’ve watched this series twice now and laughed and cried and felt more human. The cast is perfection. Each actor holds their space and feels vital. I may even rewatch again.

Barbie - she changed the world this year. And Ken was fine.

#Kenough

Taylor Swift Eras (tour and movie) - I have so many deep thoughts about her and Beyonce’s tours but for now, let’s just include Taylor in all of my lists.

Succession - The last season was awe inspiring. Still amazing writing and acting that makes you simultaneously hate and feel sorry for each one of these awful characters. That last scene of Shiv and Tom in the car is my Roman Empire.

Oh Cousin Greg.

Flaming Hot - I have recommended this to everyone. Great, fun movie about the invention of Flaming Hot Cheetos - watch it during the holidays with your extended family.

And… one more suggestion… you could pre-order your favorite book of 2024 now… The Mystery in Moonshine is coming out in February… read more about it here!

My Favorite Things of 2020

My 2020 Favorite Things

All year long I’ve been trying to look at the bright sides of things. I’ve done a lot of “counting blessings.” My kids have heard it at least a hundred times now. Some days I’m giving thanks for the internet, even. Or for clean water, fresh air, sunlight.

2020 has definitely made me appreciate the essentials in life; health, food, safety, loved ones. I hope I never forget the lessons I’ve learned.

But let’s be real. I also acknowledge the privilege of all this. Of having the safety and security that leads me to be able to count my blessings.

As of the date of this post, only one member of my family has been stricken with SARS-COV-2.  In no way do I ever want to minimize this year to something trivial or petty when there have been such hardships for so many.

But I also can’t deny that some things have made my life better this year. So, know that I make this list from the very best place of my heart. These are some of the things that brought me joy, peace or sanity this year  and maybe you’ll find something that brightens your day too…

Music

Folklore – Taylor Swift. This probably won’t even end up being my “favorite” Taylor Swift album but it has rocked my world. The fact that she created such a beautiful, haunting album in the middle of a pandemic. The audacity of her creativity was like an arrow to my heart and deeply inspiring to this author.

Gaslighter - The Chicks – I’ve always been a fan of The Chicks, and their unapologetic return to music in a new divided political era was also inspiring on so many levels. I think MARCH MARCH will be a time capsule of 2020 and TEXAS MAN… well. It immediately went onto a writing playlist for me.

Chris Tomlin & Friends - On a different note (and going back to the counting my blessings thing), this album was what I put on when I needed to reset and remember how to do that. In some of the most stressful times this year, the song Tin Roof brought me back to a place of peace. (And Thank You Lord is another great track for Thanksgiving.)

 Books

I’m going to do a longer post on my reading in 2020, which wasn’t normal in any way. But just as a quick note, these are the books that I kept thinking about all year long, as a human, a reader and an author.

Atomic Habits – James Clear

Her Last Flight – Beatriz Williams

The Splendid and the Vile – Erik Larson

A Most Extraordinary Pursuit – Juliana Gray

Manhunting – Jen Crusie

Who Rescued Who - Victoria Schade

Where the Lost Wander – Amy Harmon

Your Body is Not an Apology – Sonya Renee Taylor

Podcast

Because it’s 2020, my podcast listening changed A LOT but this one I gobbled down and still haven’t stopped thinking about it: Winds of Change. It’s about the CIA, the Cold War, and rock and roll.

Television/ Movie

I was pretty strict with myself about shows I would watch this year. But again, these are the ones that inspired me, got my creative juices running or just made me HAPPY.

Schitts Creek - a story about love and loving others, despite their flaws. At least, that’s my take.

Ted Lasso - a positive story about living a joyful life that’s not naive or shallow. So much to love here I blogged about it separately here.

Sweet Magnolias - a cozy series about family, friends and a perfect small town was a tonic for my soul in 2020.

#Relatable

Songland - a show about creativity and the creative process. LOVE.

My imaginary best friend Shane.

Enola Holmes - I love a good intrepid heroine and historical mystery. Add Henry Cavill in period clothes? Damn right I’ll be thinking about it.

Succession - amazing writing that makes you simultaneously hate and feel sorry for each one of these awful characters.

Oh Cousin Greg.

The Great - great performances and writing and a historical political satire. Something unique and smart that didn’t get enough love.

Knives Out - honestly a perfect film.

Miss Americana - a Taylor Swift documentary. Y’all know I’m inspired by her process.

Personal Items

The things I couldn’t have lived without.

Peppermint oil – became part of my soothing nighttime ritual. Just worked for me.

Silicone straws + Yeti cup + True Lemon – to help me drink ALLLL the water

This Boots Mascara – it’s a tubing mascara so it really holds up to crying jags/ late night doomscrolling and all the makeup I need while wearing a mask

Airpods / good headphones. For walks, zoom calls and drowning out all the people in my home.

Breville coffee maker – this was a Christmas present last year and it seemed over the top but little did we know that my husband and I wouldn’t go to a coffee shop for 8 months and would enjoy this hardy machine multiple times a day. Plus, there was something so soothing about the ritual of making an Americano ourselves everyday.

And that is my list of things that helped me get through this trying year.

I hope we’ve all survived 2020 the best way we can and that 2021 will bring us joy, peace and security.

 Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I could receive a few coins for posting them. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!

My favorite (fun) (feminine) (fabulous) mystery series...

As I continue with my Deep Thoughts on Books (c), I’ve noticed that I have a definite preference for the types of mystery series I read… and by read, I mean, devour and swallow up all the books in one go.

If you’ve looked at my list of why I love the books I do, you’ll see instantly that all these books I’m about to recommend pretty much tick all of my boxes: female-focused, mystery, humor/ great voice, and with a fair share of romantic interest.

So here are my most beloved mystery series… (in no particular order.) I’ve helpfully included the link to book 1 in each series. You’re very welcome.

The Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen
Amazon || Apple Books

This is one of the few that I have NOT read all the books in the series, but I still feel confident recommending it. I’m savoring each of the adventures of Lady Georgianna, 34th in line to the throne.

Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
Amazon || Apple Books

This is pretty much the book that inspired a thousand authors to try to be half as funny and half as engaging as the mishaps of a bounty hunter in Trenton, NJ.

Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris

Amazon || Apple Books

This is the series that got me back to reading after I had my youngest child. I read the first eight of these books in a week, I think. They were so addictive and original and, this may be an unpopular opinion, but I enjoyed the books far more than the show. Which was good, too! For reasons.

Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley
Amazon || Apple Books

Now this series is still ongoing, but I’ve recommended it to so many people (and on this blog!). I just love the heroine and all the Downton Abbey-esque details of her Below Stairs life.

Lady Julia Grey Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn
Amazon || Apple Books

Now Ms. Raybourn has two wonderful historical mystery series out, this one and her Veronica Speedwell series and I did hesitate about which one to recommend. After all, the Lady Julia Grey series has concluded and Veronica Speedwell is still continuing, to the best of my knowledge. In the end, I picked Lady Julia Grey because I’ve actually re-read them (is that weird? Even though I’ve already read the resolution?) and because if you start with Julia, you can keep going all the way through Veronica.

And of course, I have to recommend my own fun, fabulous, feminine mystery series. If you like Sookie Stackhouse and Stephanie Plum all rolled up in a Elle Woods package, check out Margot Blythe.

Amazon || Apple Books

What are your favorite mystery series? I know there are so many more that I need to dive into… like JD Robb. I KNOW I KNOW. But the sheer number of books in the series just intimidates me. I fear I won’t be able to read anything else and then a year will go by and I’ll come out of my cave not knowing what has happened in the world.

So. Any recommendations for me? ;-)