Dear fellow readers,
Thank you for sticking with me another year! I love sharing what I’m reading and as always, I hope you found some new books and authors through my reviews.
Speaking of reviews, it’s the middle of December and I’m so behind. Books I read over the summer and fall. Coffee-table design books I pored over and loved. One of the best books I read all year…I have drafts started on all but other things (and other reviews) took precedence.
But I still want to tell you about all of them! I have almost two weeks off at the end of December so get ready for a flurry of posts.
January 2023 will mark two and a half years of book blogging. I’m still happy I started. And I still want to grow bookthrasher into more. I have so many plans.
I’m glad I finally recorded a few audio versions of my reviews. I like reading them out loud, so there’s no doubt about any emotion or emphasis I was going for. The “podcasts” are nothing fancy, though, and a goal for 2023 is to spruce them up a bit. Maybe add some interviews or commentary, or both. Here’s the link to the first one I recorded: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/VxPK4DXWOvb
Speaking of podcasts, my local library interviewed me for their podcast! It was a casual conversation about my blog, books, reading and libraries. I’m still kind of buzzing about it and so grateful they asked! Here’s the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1531841/11817295
At the beginning of the year I said I wanted to read two books at a time, one fiction, one nonfiction. I did pretty well overall but definitely leaned toward fiction, especially the last half of the year. I also leaned into two authors: C.J. Box and Jasmine Guillory: 10 of the 45 books I read were written by these two. I really wanted to get caught up on the Joe Pickett series (I did) and I discovered a couple new Cassie Dewell novels I missed. Yep, I’m still in the C.J. Box fan club. And Guillory? She’s just fun, smart, surprising and addictive.
Last year I started a new tracking list: not now, later books. Books you know you’ll likely love, but you just aren’t in the mood for or don’t have the time for. Of the eight I listed at the end of 2021, I read four in 2022 (bolded below). I’ll try again with the others in 2023.
- Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
- The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
- The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
- The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
- False Witness by Karin Slaughter
- Matrix by Lauren Groff
- Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
- Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
I opened an etsy shop this year, selling vintage books and some of my bookthrasher merch as well. I find cool old books in our local thrift stores, and I also inherited a TON of books from my dad. I like donating, sharing, and selling them, hoping to find the perfect home for each. This year I am going to add listings more often – at least weekly. I hope you check the shop out every now and then, it’s an eclectic selection of books (including the one in the image above!) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1289768679/bookthrasher-t-shirts
I also plan on starting a monthly newsletter, primarily as a way to share all my latest reviews in one place. I had a newsletter, pre-blog, in 2015-16. Three issues called Regarding Reading. Look for an invitation to subscribe in January!
Finally, I’ve chosen the first book I’ll read in 2023: Joy Enough: a memoir by Sarah McColl. How did I hear of it? Stay with me here: waaaaay back in the early days of the internet I read McColl’s blog, called Pink of Perfection. It was charmingly and thoughtfully written, and featured crafts and recipes, including one I’ve made a few dozen times: Sweet, Salty and Spicy Rosemary Nuts. So good. I got the recipe card out a few days ago and decided to google her, as I’ve done every now and then. Well, she’s written a memoir and it looks wonderful and sounds like a perfect start to the year. Here’s a link to the recipe https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/spicy-sweet-salty-rosemary-nuts-50052898
Thanks again for reading bookthrasher. Have a great rest of 2022 and happy new year!
bookthrasher 