Marley's Best Books of 2023

15/36 books that Marley read in 2023

A roundup of all the books I read and loved in 2023.

I set myself the goal to read 50 books this year. Did I reach that number?

I did not. But, I did manage to read 36 books (so far).

This is what I read, in order from January to December, with limited commentary:

• The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho: A favourite. Good way to start the year.

• The Storyteller - Dave Grohl: Made me fall in love with Dave just a little bit. What a legend.

• A Court Of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J Maas: Move over, Dave. Hello, Rhysand.

• The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz: Don't take anything personally. Don't take anything personally. People are just reacting based on previous experiences.

• Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill: An 80-something-year-old book about positive thinking.

• You Must Market Your Book - Honoree Corder: Yes, I must.

• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo: Does not suit my maximalist self.

• A Family of Strangers - Fiona Lowe: Made me want to join a choir.

• Atomic Habits - James Clear: Lots of little positive things add up to big positive things.

• The Morning Miracle for Writers - Hal Elrod: Get up earlier.

• Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers: A biblical retelling of the book of Hosea.

• Sell Like Crazy - Sabri Suby: Inspired a blog post. Good marketing ideas.

• The English Grammar Workbook for Adults - Michael DiGiacomo: I still suck at grammar.

• Uninvited - Lysa TerKeurst: The author writes about how flawed she is and how we can only find fulfillment in God.

• The Overstory - Richard Powers: Environmental fiction that made me scared about how we are killing our planet.

• Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper - SARK: Unapologetic creative inspiration. Inspired me to share my art and be okay with the results.

• A Creative Companion - SARK: More a workbook of creative ideas.

I read 3 books by SARK in 2023

• Succulent Wild Woman - SARK: I love SARK. Her books inspired another blog post.

• Animal Farm - George Orwell: About animals taking over a farm. Political undertones.

• Cashvertising - Drew Eric Whitman: Practical marketing ideas. Gets into nitty gritties like font size.

• Eden - Brennan McPherson: Biblical retelling of the story of Adam and Eve.

• Sisters of the Sands - J B Villinger: Portals, gore, and gender wars.

• Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone - J K Rowling: Drama at Magic School.

• Creating Your Permaculture Heaven - Nydia Needham: Gardening in a way that benefits everything.

• Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden: Aussie teens go camping and get home to find a war.

• The Sustainable Homestead - Angela Ferrero-Fanning: Made me want ducks.

• Secrets of the Vine - Bruce Wilkinson: A short book about John 15 and growing grapes.

• Why Buddhism is True - Robert Wright: How meditation and mindfulness work in our brain.

• Love & Pain - Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou: A book about Silverchair, written by 2 out of 3 band members.

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J K Rowling: More drama at magic school.

• Little House on the Prarie - Laura Ingalls Wilder: When families roamed in horse-drawn carts and settled wherever they wanted.

• Chocolat - Joanne Harris: Chocolate, church, and gypsies in France.

• Good Vibes, Good Life - Vex King: Shape up your life.

• The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home - Joanna Nell: Aussie retirees up to mischief in aged care. As much as their bodies will allow.

• Braving the Wilderness - Brene Brown: Be brave enough to stand alone.

• This Beautiful Truth - Sarah Clarkson: Find God in all of the simple, artistic, and beautiful things.

• Counting the Cost - Jill Duggar: Parents can do a lot of harm. I still want to be more like Michelle.

You can see that I love to read a mix of genres. Here are my picks from this year:

Autobiography: The Storyteller: Takes of Life and Music - Dave Grohl

Personal Development: Atomic Habits - James Clear

Young Adult: Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden

Literary Fiction: The Overstory - Richard Powers

Women's Fiction: Chocolat - Joanne Harris

Marketing: Sell Like Crazy - Sabri Suby

Christian Life: This Beautiful Life - Sarah Clarkson

Love & Pain

Special mentions have to go to the musical biography, Love and Pain by Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou and the arty, hippie, personal development book, Juicy Pens Thirst Paper by SARK. These books had personal significance for me, so I really enjoyed reading them as well.

So, I may not have reached my goal of reading 50 books this year, but I still read a heap of great books! Next year, I will not be doing any further study. This should give me enough time to reach the same reading goal.

In 2024 I aim to read 50 books. I'll keep track of my progress on Goodreads like I have this year.

What is your reading goal?

Much love - Marley x

Lowering Expectations to Welcome a Wonderful New Year

Fireworks

2023 was tough, but it's been necessary to clear a path for an incredible 2024.

2023 was shit. There. I said it. I said the same thing to someone the other night and they looked at me with a mixture of genuine confusion and pity. "Why?" she asked. Fair question. Mainly just my brain lol.

Why, indeed. Partly a crippling bout of Imposter Syndrome, mix it up with a major dose of overcommitment and burnout, plus a lack of breathing space/time to myself, add a toe-dip into a mid-life crisis due to an impending 40th birthday, a sprinkle of disappointment and anger, self-imposed social isolation, and twin 3-year-olds. Need I say more?

Truth is, as cliche as it sounds, I needed to break this year. I needed to slow down and reprioritise. I needed to lower my expectations of myself, and of other people.

Does that sound crazy? Lowering expectations. We are taught to always be the best that we can be, but we all know that we are always less than we know we can be.

We doom ourselves.

Do you want to know what the reality is?

We are enough.

Just as we are.

We are enough.

You are enough.

No matter what anyone else thinks or says, no matter what you think or feel or hear.

You are enough.

I am enough.

And this year has made me believe it.

It's only taken me nearly 40 years.

So, now that I've finally got that out of the way, I feel clear to invoke and welcome a wonderful new year, without the pressure that I usually put on myself. It's the first year that I have ever felt truly happy with how things are right now. Heck, this is probably the first moment that I have ever felt truly happy with exactly how things are.

This doesn't mean that I'm not going to strive to do and be better, to learn and grow. But, I don't need to do it to prove anything to me or anyone else.

How freeing.

I know that it's going to be hard to keep holding onto this truth, but I'll do my best.

Ending the year on a high.

2024 is gunna rock!

Marley x

The Man With No Hair: A Conversation Between Twin 3-Year-Olds at Bedtime

A snippet of conversation between 3-year-old twin boys at bedtime. I sit in a rocking chair in the corner of their room every night until they fall asleep. This is quality writing time for me. On this night, I wrote down what they said.

The Man With No Hair

Mum, which colour do you like? I know you like Spiderman Santa can give you that And a heavy blue crystal What else? Paw Patrol things He has Avengers Assemble games I want to see that I think it's in the shops Vehicle stuff, and tool stuff and mowers I saw a big bulldozer in the shops

Mum, were you small when you had that guy with no hair? Were you small like us? It’s Dad’s now because it's from the shed but Dad said yes, you can have it

I saw a police car Did you? Yeah, in the garage With blue and yellow on it? And white? I love those colours All Blippi’s colours with orange and blue It did have blue on it And yellow? Yes. It’s in that garage. In the shops. With that garbage truck. It was picking some bins.

Mum, I want a hug and a kiss, Mum Mum, I want another hug Mum, I’m laying down

...

Mum, was Daddy bigger when that man that has no hair when you were small? Was Dad bigger when you were small?

Mum. Mum. Mummy. Mum. Was Dad small? Was our Mum and Dad small when the man with no hair…

Okay

Mum. Sorry.

Mum, I want another hug Mum, I want one too Mum, I love you so much I love you so much too, Mum

...

Mum, I’m starving. I want another hug.

x