Round up of 2023

If there’s one thing people know is that I am passionate about everything and will not shut up once I find something I love. Whether that be a nice sunset on a Wednesday night or my packed lunch for work the next day, there is always something I’m blabbering on about. It’s a good job I don’t mind talking to myself - especially at work.

I’m fully aware that we are closing in on the second week of January, but here is my yearly round up of my favourite things of 2023.

I am prolific for never being on time.

Books. Books. Books.

Just like last year, I was miles behind my target only reading 8/20. And I know everyone is going to tell me that I should lower my target, but I am overachiever. I can't help it.

Looking at all eight of the books I read last year, the one which qualified for more than five stars was Every Summer After by Carley Fortune.

Wow just wow. This book just hits all the right spots.

Nostalgia. Summer. Grief. Love. Family. The lot.

I absolutely devoured this book, which definitely surprised me as I swayed away from my usual nitty gritty type.

Every Summer After navigates the crossover from childhood friendships to relationships and the rawness of first heartbreaks. I was engulfed by the nostalgia of going on holiday when I was younger and my first heartbreak as a teenager, the familiarity of going to the same place each year with new experiences and emotions following.

It helped me reflect on how I've grown as a person, which I have done quite a bit since it dawned on me that I am getting closer to hitting those serious years of age.

If you are in your mid 20s and haven't settled down or figured out what you want

to do with your life, just like me, then I highly recommend sitting down with a cuppa and one of these books in hand. These characters can be almost too relatable.

My Top Books of 2023

1. Every Summer After - Carley Fortune

2. Twelve Secrets - Robert Gold

3. The Girls Who Disappeared - Claire Douglas

My Kindle

(I was asked to review my kindle months ago and I totally forgot. Shock.)

Before going away last year, I caved and bought a kindle to use at the beach. Best decision ever.

Who knew that 2023 me would prefer reading on a kindle rather than physical books. I had been so against it for years!

If you are someone like me who opens their books ever so slightly to avoid cracking the spines, then converting to a kindle will save those endless nights struggling with a dead arm trying to get the slightest bit of light in.

For some reason I read a lot faster on a kindle than I do with physical books, which hopefully means I will smash my target this year.

January wishful thinking and all.

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Criminal Minds.

Those two words are enough to be the topic of every conversation.

If I can't persuade you to pick up a book, then I can persuade you to watch criminal minds.

There are no words or paragraphs to justify how good this TV show is, so you will have to trust me on this one.

I have a very short attention span, so having a different storyline for each episode kept me hooked. Not just because of Derek Morgan or Spencer Reid blessing our TV screens.

If you get bored on the treadmill at the gym, just shove on an episode of Criminal Minds. Easy 40 minutes done.

Criminal Minds can be an easy watch, but for people on a deeper level, it explores the nature vs nurture debate in understanding why and how people end up committing certain crimes. Ranging from theft to murder, there are always more layers to untangle before putting the pieces together. Their childhood, their friends, their work environment, their social class, their locality. The list is endless.

But can reasoning always be justified? Psychology and sociology in one.

10/10 recommend.