Marley’s Top 10 Books for 2024

Isn't reading wonderful?! So far this year, I have finished reading 54 books, which means that I have traveled to 54 different worlds, heard at least 54 different stories, and met hundreds and hundreds of characters along the way. Here are my Top 10 Book Lists for 2024.

I have broken my Top 10 lists up into 3 different categories:

Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry.

So let's start with...

Top 10 Fiction:

1. The Stranger in the Life Boat - Mitch Albom

   A ship sinks and a bunch of people end up on a lifeboat together. Days later, they pull a man from the water, who claims to be God. This is the story of what happened.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

   Set in the 1930s, written from the POV of a child, and all about adult topics: ignorance, racism, literacy, the law, rights, morals, and courage.

3. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

   This book is written so darn WELL. It is deep and brilliantly poetic, but unfortunately is about a rather nasty topic: pedophilia.

4. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

   Set in the 1950s. About one woman's demise. Her literal breakdown. She starts off as a well-dressed student with a bright future, and slowly loses her mind, ending up institutionalised and having electroconvulsive therapy sessions. It is not a happy book. It is not uplifting. It is a hard read and could be very triggering for some people. Gives genuine insight into a person with serious mental health issues (the author committed suicide days after the books release).

5. At the Foot of the Cherry Tree - Alli Parker

   A real-life forbidden love story about an Australian soldier stationed in post-war Japan who falls in love with a Japanese woman. They have to fight racism, prejudice, discrimination, and the White Australia policy in order to be together.

6. The Riders - Tim Winton

   Well written. I expected a book about a husband searching for a missing wife, and it is, but it also isn't, which I didn't get until I finished the book and went "huh?", and then I got it. It isn't about the outside journey, it is all about the inside one. So good. So clever.

7. The Good Sister - Sally Hepworth

   The main female character is neurodiverse with a lot of sensory issues and a different way of seeing and interpreting things. The story kept me hooked, and it was an easy (Aussie) read.

8. Darling Girls - Sally Hepworth

   About three adopted women, the secrets of their traumatic childhood, and the impact that it has on their adult lives.

9. The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

   A biblical retelling. About the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob. Not a Christian book. I actually only gave it 3-stars, but the book has stuck with me.

10. For One More Day - Mitch Albom

    A fictional story about a character getting an extra day with his mother after she dies. Ultimately, it is a reminder of our mortality and to make the most of every moment we have with our loved ones.

Top 10 Non-Fiction:

1. The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron

   This book was a reminder that I am absolutely NOT wasting my time on any sort of creative act. We are creative beings who are gifted with our creativity, and we honour God by using it. This book also reminded me to focus on the act of creating and not the outcome.

2. I’m Glad my Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy

   I could not put this book down. An autobiography written by a child star about her experience with fame and life. It is about trauma and abuse, but it is also more than this. It is about resilience, mental health, therapy, relationships, and so much more.

3. Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder, and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark - Julia Baird

   This book is about staying happy in dark times and has a strong focus on finding happiness in the art of the world: poetry, conversations, and especially in nature. Some bits were a bit boring, but the bits that resonated for me, really resonated for me.

4. The Happiest Man on Earth - Eddie Jaku

   I INHALED this book and finished it in a few hours. It is heartbreaking. My privileged and sheltered little self cannot even begin to imagine the absolute ATROCITIES that this man has been through. The author is the happiest man on earth because he CHOOSES to be. He chooses to be GRATEFUL, and he chooses LOVE.

5. Greenlights - Matthew McConaughey

   An easy-to-read autobiography written by a movie star, all about his life journey and the lessons he has learned along the way. Entertaining. Painted an attractive picture of a free life, being true to oneself, and turning positives into negatives. The author is a bit naughty (and not in a sexual way).

6. I am Autistic: An Interactive and Informative Guide to Autism (by someone diagnosed with it) - Chanelle Moriah

   This is the absolute BEST book that I have read about autism so far. It is visually appealing, the sections are short, and written in an easy-to-understand way. I wish I could hand out copies of this book to help people understand.

7. Out of the Box: A One-Stop Guide to Navigating Neurodivergence - Rebecca Sparrow

   The subtitle says it all. Practical, useful information and advice about how to navigate challenges and 'the system' to arrive at best outcomes for neurodivergent people.

8. Diary of a Crap Housewife - Jessica Rowe

   The author is a totally down to earth woman who absolutely owns her status of 'crap housewife' - someone who is a pretty crappy cook, whose house is messy, who forgets school functions, and generally doesn't have it all together, but most importantly, she doesn't pretend to! She owns who she is and absolutely GLOWS.

9. Be Useful: Seven Tools For Life - Arnold Schwarzenegger

   Any person with Arnold's mindset and work ethic could achieve anything. A good book containing the basic elements of success.

10. The Writing Life - Annie Dillard

    The most poetic book I have read about writing. The book is a work of art in itself, a beautiful journey and honest reflection about what it means to be a writer.

    
    

Favourite Poetry Books:

1. Life: Poems to Help Navigate Life’s Many Twists and Turns - Donna Ashworth

   This book touches on many of the subjects that we battle with in our minds: fitting in, body image, ageing. Donna's poems are a great place to start if you aren't all that sure about poetry. She is a light for us all. Do read.

2. I Wish I Knew: Poems to Soothe Your Soul and Strengthen Your Spirit - Donna Ashworth

   Wise words. Positive and beautiful. I want to buy my own copy so I can read the poems again and again.

3. Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer - Maya Angelou

   A book of poetry written for various celebrations. I absolutely LOVED it! Especially 'Sons and Daughters' which was written for the Children's Defense Fund.

4. Growing Brave: Words to Soothe Fear and Let in More Life - Donna Ashworth

   More of the same gold from my favourite poet.

Now... I've been thinking about what I would name as my top read for 2024, and it's actually a really hard one.

I devoured:

The Stranger in the Lifeboat

The Happiest Man on Earth, and

I'm glad my Mom Died, the FASTEST

While,

The Artist's Way, and

Phosphorescence, probably had the most IMPACT on me.

HOWEVER

I am not going to name my top overall BOOK for the year, instead,

I am going to name my top AUTHOR

and this absolutely has to go to...

Such a pretty book

DONNA ASHWORTH

Earlier in the year, I stumbled across a video on Facebook of Donna reading aloud her poem, Sadness Comes (you can find a link to the video HERE).

This poem caught me. Her voice! Her dress! Her words! Oh yes!

I watched it a bunch of times and was totally moved each time.

I had to find out more...

It was then that I fell into a Donna Ashworth rabbit hole, spending many hours reading her poetry and the very personal and insightful words that she shares on social media. I read her poetry online, and in books that I bought and borrowed from the library. I visited her shop repeatedly, and just all out fangirled!

Donna reignited my love for poetry. She reminded me of the profound beauty in simply sharing words from the heart. The words don't have to be fancy, they just have to be REAL.

So, thank you, Donna!

2024 has been a gem of a reading year. It's been swell, and I can't wait to find even more books, stories, characters, and authors that move me, make me think, help me to see things from different perspectives, learn, laugh, fall in love, and grow.

So, do tell:

What was your top read for 2024?

Much love,

Marley

P.S.

If you're interested in finding out what I read in 2025, make sure that you're signed up to receive my newsletter, where I list and review every book that I read each month. Sign up over there ---------------------------->

How do you celebrate the little wins?

I’ve read it time and time again in the many self-development books I've devoured: 'Celebrate the little wins'. The question is... HOW?

It really is too easy to let the little wins slip away unacknowledged. You get some good news, yay, now time to cook dinner.

Last weekend, I was tired and couldn’t be bothered doing anything, but instead of doing nothing, I took my kids to the local Christmas carols. For me, this was a little win. I needed, as Gretchen Rubin would say, ‘a gold star’. A pat on the back for a well-done job to celebrate my little parenting win.

So, how do I acknowledge that and truly celebrate my little wins?

Here are some ideas:

Me and my twinnies at our local Christmas carols

• Create a VISUAL reminder -

  • A photograph

  • A sticky note on the wall

  • A few words on a homemade poster

  • A folded up piece of paper or icypole stick in a memory jar

  • A tick on a goal sheet

    
    

Then, leave it/them up so that you can see all of your wins together.

This could be an especially helpful reminder, when things aren't quite going in a winning way, that you are still a winner.

This is what I chose to do at the carols. I got one of my older children to take a photo of me and my two youngest children (then I sent the photo to my husband). I can now look back at that time I took my kids, solo, to the local carols (parenting win!).

• Acknowledge it out loud - An AUDIBLE reminder

  • Call and tell someone

  • Run around the house, preferably whooping and squealing

  • Send up prayer of thanks to The Big Guy

  • Verbalise your win, even if you just say to yourself, "Good job, Mumma!"

    
    

• Write it down - It could be in a journal that you keep, or a running diary of entries that list your wins, losses, learning and observations.

  Use this to refer back to so that you can continue to learn and grow.

  
  

• Reward yourself - This is one of the most popular options. It doesn't have to cost money, but it could. Perhaps you could:

  • Buy yourself a coffee at the little cafe down the road

  • Buy yourself little gift, like a bunch of flowers, or a new pen, or

  • Eat a cookie

  • Have a bath

  • Listen to your favourite song

  • Paint your nails

    
    

Do something that will make you feel good and remind you of your win.

• Rest in the moment - THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!

  Stop.

  Breathe.

  Think on it.

  Make time to rest in the winning moment.

  Savour it. You did it. Well done.

  No need to immediately keep doing. Tonight's dinner can wait for a minute. Step outside, gaze up at the sky, and give yourself a moment to celebrate, just you and your temporarily unencombered mind. Mentally give yourself your own gold star.

You may remember a blog post that I wrote a little while ago, titled 'Seeking Validation' (If not, you can find it HERE). In this blog post, I wrote about needing trumpets, fanfare and praise for my achievements. Now, here's a thought that I've had since then...

Why should I need to rely on other people to celebrate my wins for me? Why can't I just do it myself?!

Hallelujah! She has seen the light!

I don't need external validation and celebration if I'm giving it to myself.

So, now I'm going to put in extra effort to celebrate my own wins and keep a permanent record to remind myself of just how darn awesome I can be!

I encourage you to do the same. Let's be awesome together.

Much love,

Marley

Seeking Validation

I recently received some happy work-related news that made me feel excited and proud. You'd think that would have been enough for me, right? Those feelings of achievement. Isn't the payoff in the good news and the pride and excitement?

Not entirely. For me, anyway.

I told my husband. He doesn't get outwardly excited about much (unless it's Collingwood winning a premiership, but that's another story). He gave me a "That's great, honey. I'm proud of you. Well done!"

Tell me I look pretty

... AND??!!!

Why was that not enough for me? Why did I want trumpets and fanfare, perhaps a bunch of flowers, or dinner out, and more praise, more, more, MORE!!!

I told one of my daughters and she barely looked up from her phone. Afterward, I stood staring out of my bedroom window wanting to call people and tell them my news, but I didn't, because I was pretty sure that they would say something similar to what my husband said (except not call me 'honey' and possibly with slightly more enthusiasm in their tone)... and that wouldn't have been what I was searching for. WHAT WAS I SEARCHING FOR??

Do you know? I do.

I was looking for VALIDATION.

Dictionary.com defines validation as:

the act of affirming a person, or their ideas, feelings, actions, etc., as acceptable and worthy:

ACCEPTABLE (Pleasing/Approval) and WORTHY (Deserving).

What does that mean? Well, it's one thing to win, but it's another thing to have other people see you win, approve of the win, and deem you a worthy winner.

You can draw a good picture and feel proud. You can win a drawing competition and be happy and proud. But, would you feel WORTHY if nobody else affirmed that it was a good picture and that you were a worthy winner? You can get top marks in the class, but do they mean as much if you don't have people saying that you worked hard and earned it?

No, I don't think they do. The top mark and good picture are not enough on their own. The results are not enough on their own. We need validation. We need to know that we are worthy winners and deserving of our success. Otherwise it could just be an error or plain old good luck.

It sounds almost narcissistic, right? Like, why isn't the good result enough on its own? Why do I need other people to pat me on the back and pump up my tires? Why isn't my husband telling me that he's proud of me ENOUGH?

Well, this goes deeper, doesn't it?

The truth is, if I KNEW that I was worthy and enough, and truly BELIEVED it, then the result (the picture/the top marks/the good news) WOULD be enough on its own. I wouldn't need the trumpets and flowers. I wouldn't need other people to tell me I deserved the win.

If I truly believed that I was WORTHY of the success, then I wouldn't need other people to tell me that I was worthy.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Well, maybe some of you. We are tribal creatures. We need other people. We need to share in one another's successes. We are designed for communication and relationships with one another. And, I am going to tell you that you are 100% CORRECT. We do and we are. But, if you're like me, you can tell the difference. You know when you want to tell people something to share the joy... or to gain further validation. You know, don't you.

Now, with some distance, I can see that if I had told people, whatever their reactions, they would not have been enough. If I had posted it on social media and received even more positive reactions, that wouldn't have been enough for me either. Sure, it probably would have felt good for a while, but I would end up exactly where normal is for me: Questioning my worthiness and feeling very far from a success.

I could keep getting good news, top marks, and win competitions every day. I could tell everyone all about it, share everything on socials, and get mounds of praise and back-patting... BUT IT WOULD STILL NOT FEEL ENOUGH.

Asking or thanking? We decide.

This is work that needs to be done in the heart.

I need to continually remind myself that I AM ENOUGH and I AM WORTHY. Good things happen because I deserve them. And, I need to learn how to deem myself 'acceptable'.

The older I get, the more I learn that my feelings are not me. If I can feel the fear and do things anyway knowing that the fear is there for a purpose - to keep me safe - then I can feel the doubts about my abilities and my worthiness and keep doing things and believing in myself anyway. I can remind myself that my feelings are not reality.

I don't need people to tell me that I am acceptable and worthy, and I don't need to FEEL acceptable or worthy. It doesn't matter what people think or say, and it doesn't matter how I FEEL. I am acceptable and worthy anyway, just because I am. Because I am a child of God, because I am human, and just because I exist... And you are the same.

Is this a reminder that you need? Do you need to remember that your feelings are not reality? Do I need to remind you that you are ENOUGH, that you are WORTHY, that you are DESERVING and ACCEPTED as you are?

Because you are.

My prayer for you is that you wish to share your good news because you wish to share your joy with your people, and not because you need validation.

Allow me to be your validator.

You are freakin' awesome! You are an amazing human and I am proud of you. You are deserving of every wonderful thing that happens to and for you. Go you!

YOU ARE WORTHY

YOU ARE DESERVING

YOU ARE ACCEPTED

And

YOU ARE ENOUGH

I love you, sweet reader friend. Let's keep being brilliant!

Love, Marley