My Favourite Book of 2023 plus Things To Read & Watch

February 11, 2024 by Karen 78 Comments

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Just a few of the things I enjoyed immensely recently. A book I love, but am only 5 pages into so that could bottom out quite easily, & a tv show I HATED the first 4 times I tried to watch it.

It's been a while since we exchanged recommendations on things to read, watch and listen to because we've all been very busy reading, watching and listening to things.

I have one month before seed starting season begins & I descend into my troll-friendly, rubble basement of Fred Flintstone's dreams. I won't come up until I hear the robins singing. Or Philip needs out.

I have 30 more days to indulge in entertainment so we're doing this and we're doing it right now.

It is February so I recommend you pair these selections with a snowstorm and pajamas made out of sleeping kittens.

Not sure if our tastes align or at least overlap?

SEE A QUICK REVIEW OF MY LIKES & DISLIKES HERE

Now that you know a tiny bit about my tastes you'll have a better idea of whether we like some of the same things or not.

Just kidding. There is NO predicting what people do or don't like.

Table of Contents

Books

Click the photo to buy or read a preview of the book

I've read a lot of books I was solidly unenthusiastic about over the past few months including a few I was looking forward to reading. I couldn't even finish the book Lessons in Chemistry but after some persuading I watched and reasonably enjoyed the series.

I read the first 5 pages and loved it?

Amazon rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars - 3851 ratings
Goodreads rating: 4.18 out of 5 stars — 45,869 ratings
Google Users: 95% liked the book

The Collected Regrets of Clover

I read & really enjoyed the first chapter of this book about Clover, a death doula in NYC before the preview ran out. I tried to borrow it immediately from my public library but, as is often the case, it wasn't available.

Or maybe it is. At the moment my Kobo and my library are in some sort of fight and won't talk to each other therefore I can't borrow any books.

If they don't make up by tonight, I'll pay the $16.99 to buy it.

None of This is True

The Winners

My Rating: ⅘

Amazon: 4.3 from 27,000 reviews
Goodreads: 4.2‎ from 310,000 reviews
Google: 87% liked this book

My Rating: 3.5/5

Amazon: 4.6 from 12,000 reviews
Goodreads: 4.5 from 103,000 reviews
Google: 80% liked this book

"None of this is True" follows the life of Alix Summer, a popular podcaster, who befriends Josie Fair, a woman with the same birthday. Josie convinces Alix to feature her on her podcast, but as their relationship deepens, Alix discovers Josie's dark secrets. When Josie disappears, Alix realizes she's become the subject of her own true crime podcast, uncovering a terrifying legacy left behind by Josie.

The third in the Beartown hockey trilogy set in a wintery, remote area of northern Sweden.

You can read it as a standalone, but it's better to have read the 2 previous books, Beartown and Us Against You.

BUY None of this is True

BUY The Winners

WANT TO READ

*This has been on my list for almost a year*

*Winner: National Book Award*
*Black author*

Amazon: 4.4 from 12,000 reviews
Goodreads: 4.2‎ from 80,600 reviews

Amazon: 4.5 from 5,000 reviews
Goodreads: 4.2‎ from 24,000 reviews

Amazon: 4.4 from 27,000 reviews
Goodreads: 4.2‎ from 77,000 reviews

Mary Jane tells the story of a teenage girl named Mary Jane Dillard, who takes a summer job as a nanny for a wealthy family in Baltimore during the 1970s. Mary Jane's conservative upbringing clashes with the unconventional lifestyle of her employers, leading her to question her beliefs and discover her own identity.

BUY Mary Jane

The Berry Pickers July 1962, a Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.

BUY The Berry Pickers

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

is Set in the 1920s and 30s, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store follows the fortunes of a group of Jewish immigrants and African Americans who live together on Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

BUY The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

My Favourite Book of 2023

I liked a lot of books last year but picking my favourite was easy. There was no other choice for me, it was the story of an octopus and his human friend.

Remarkably Bright Creatures

At its most basic this book is about a captive, mischievous octopus and a widowed cleaning lady at a small town aquarium. The story addresses grief, loneliness and how small acts can create big change.

Television

This year 2 series that I had abandoned a few seasons ago got my attention again.

True Detective lost me after the fantastic first season with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. It got me back this season with Jodie Foster and Kali Reis.

Fargo lost me after the second season but I'm back for the 5th, with Juno Temple and Jon Hamm.

True Detective

True Detective Night Country, set at the edge of civilization in a small town in Alaska, is turn the lights off, cuddle in, winter storm fantastic.

Fargo

Fargo stars Juno Temple (who you might know from Ted Lasso) and Jon Hamm (who you might know from everything). This series really is a stand alone season that doesn't have much of anything to do with the original movie or series. But it doesn't matter. It's good.

This next show on the other hand I didn't like at all. No matter how many times I tried to watch it I never got past the first episode. No matter how many times I was sent a meme from the show, heard how fantastic it was or saw the cast and creators fly up and down awards show stairs - I didn't like it.

Until, last week when encouraged by my neighbour I tried it once again.

This time I gave it all of my attention. I closed my laptop, pushed my phone away and sat on the seed catalogue.

About 10 minutes in I realized my mistake.

This was funny.

How did I not realize the first 5 times around that this show was hilarious? I watched the first season within a few days and I'm now telling everyone I see about how good this show is. I don't get a lot of surprise reaction.

Telling people this show is good is like telling them having elbows is good.

Buckle up f*cklehead. It's time for the reveal.

I initially couldn't get through the masterpiece that is Succession because I was stupid.

Maybe I was in a bad mood for the past 5 years. It's possible.

But if you haven't watched Succession or tried but didn't like it - give it one last try. Without devices. And with a sense of humour.

I went in without really paying attention to what I was watching and definitely didn't pay attention to the fact that it was satirical. I was just paying attention to the fact that I hated every single thing about all of the characters.

Each and every one of them is a completely broken, car wreck of a human spewing the most outrageous, ridiculous, hilarious lines ever written for tv.

And I'm so glad I hated it. Because now, while everyone else in the world is lamenting the end of one of the best shows ever produced, *I* still have 3 seasons of it to watch.

I still hate Game of Thrones and no neighbour or amount of undivided attention I give it is ever going to change my mind on that.

Unless ... is GOT also actually hilarious?!

Now it's time for you to give your recommendations along with a couple of things you also like so we have an idea of your tastes. Feel free to mention genres I don't normally mention, like romance novels or sci fi fantasy. I don't like those things so I don't rate them, but I'm sure there are tons of other readers who are interested.

~ karen