For What It's Worth


Thursday, January 5, 2023

Happy New Year! New year - same me...probably lol

Happy New Year everyone! As in my last post in December, I made a new header, and am required by Roberta (Offbeat YA) to do a post in the month that it's up. lol So here you go!

I'll start with a bit of a wrap-up for 2022:

I read 38 books according to Goodreads. Way more than I thought I did. 


My reading was SO eclectic this year. I was always a big romance and YA reader but they just don't appeal to me right now. I leaned heavily on audiobooks, and that's new for me as well. 

Almost all my books came from the Libro.fm (audio arc's) program or the library. I bought Dead Silence, Heartstopper and Born a Crime and was sent Gone Dark, August of the Zombies, All the Right Reasons, Nerve, Meet Me in Outer Space and Are You Listening for review at some point years ago - so it was nice to clear out a few older books from my physical shelf.  

My favorite book was Heartstopper - a ray of sunshine in graphic novel form (as is the Netflix show).  I really enjoyed Book Lovers, Duke Actually, the ending to the August of Zombies trilogy and Born a Crime and Carrie Soto is Back. Other than that, I didn't have many books that I LOVED. 

As I mentioned, my reading was very eclectic and I tended to read way outside my comfort zone. I like books that make me happy and let me escape. I tend to avoid feeling sad or confused when reading lol But my 2022 reads tended to *stay with me* rather than wow me. 

My *stay with me books* were 

Gone Dark - a weird, not fully satisfying post apocalypse story that I never-the-less enjoyed

The Kindred - which I described as a cinnamon roll of a book. It was a sweet, LGBQT, fat positive, kind sort of YA sci-fi

All covered in my *WTF Did I Just Read* post - The Walls Around Us, The Woman in the Library, Roxy. All three were really strange, yet compelling stories that stuck with me.

The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle was a kind of sad little story but ultimately satisfying and I keep thinking about Albert and all his quirky neighbors and hope they are still doing well. 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - One of these days I'll write a review for this one. It left me so conflicted and kind of rattled and I still don't know I feel about it months later. It spans decades and probably more accurately covers the human condition and long term friendship than most stories I've read. Of course, that makes things messy and flawed and not necessarily neat and happy - which makes me sad lol

On to 2023!!

 I'll start with the first TMST of the year, since it's a good segue into the topic.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 

It is co-hosted by (Linda from Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, Roberta from Offbeat YA, Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About, Berl's from Because Reading is Better than Real Life  and me) 

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

Question: What are your blogging/reading goals for the new year?

Answer: To read or blog. At all. lol I haven't felt like reading in ages. I didn't finish any books during November or December despite being in the middle of 3. I do feel like blogging but by the time I find something to say, it seems daunting. 

So, maybe I'll pull it together and blog about....something. 

As for life goals - I don't make resolutions. I used to do a WORD but I'm not really feeling that either so I'm going to just keep on, keeping on....🤣 These days that honestly feels like enough. 

Until then I hope you are all having a good start to 2023!

39 comments:

  1. I love the header. It's adorable. You mentioned some interesting things about your reading. I guess Walls will stay with me because it was so strange. I can't say I liked it, but I remember it. TomorrowX3 was good. Sad, but good. It would have rated higher with me had the ending been a bit more hopeful. I felt depressed at the end. Still good story. I hope 2023 brings you lots of wonderful things!

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    1. Exactly! I hate being sad when I read but those books have stuck in my head since reading even if I didn't necessarily love them.

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  2. Love the new header, it's so cute! Born a Crime is a book I've wanted to read for a while and have owned it for a while too actually. I have been where you're at with the blog and I find that eventually it just clicks and I'm back. And then I'm gone again. And then I'm back. LOL I'm consistent in my inconsistency ;) Hope you have a great 2023!

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    1. Thank you :-) I always say I pretty much do the opposite of whatever I plan to do. If I decide to quit blogging, I will all of a sudden write 30 posts lol

      I honestly, don't worry about it anymore.

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  3. Keeping on seems like a good enough goal. Sometimes more than that is just too much. I see a couple of my favorites up there: Carrie Soto, The Charm Offensive, and Heartstopper. Loved all three of those.

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    1. Some things have gotten better but life still seems to be a struggle in so many areas. But it is what it is lol

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  4. "Question: What are your blogging/reading goals for the new year?
    Answer: To read or blog. At all. lol"
    See, that's why you need me. After taking care of the blogging aspect, I require that you read now 😆.

    2022 was a weird, often hard year for both of us, so I guess we can be forgiven (or better, forgive ourselves) for everything we had to leave behind. Tiny Tennant says we are allowed 😉. Here's to a better, less stressful...uhm...rutabaga? (I don't know if you've ever seen the Charmed episode where the Halliwells used "rutabaga" as a code word in order to avoid mentioning Piper and Leo's forbidden wedding...I guess we'll have to start talking in codes now, since every well-wish and good vibe comes back to hit us in the face...😱 😂 😭).

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Ooooh, and I only saw your "set fire to 2022 as the dumpster fire it was and carelessly walk away" vignette when I posted my comment haha.

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    3. Look at me, I already blogged once so SUCESS! lol I did watch Charmed but I don't remember rutabaga lol
      I think, at this point, we can only learn how to live with whatever comes at us since it doesn't seem preventable in any way.

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  5. I used to make grand resolutions (in fact A Book A Week began as one), but I would always feel like such a failure if I didn't meet them. I've learned that it is okay to be happy with where I'm at in life. Some goal doesn't define that happiness. Don't get me wrong, I still strive for bigger and better things, but I don't let those things impact my outlook on life. I guess I'm happy but not satisfied, if that makes sense. Hope you have a wonderful 2023!

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    1. It does! I never make goals. I am so rebellious about them. I always do the exact opposite lol
      I have done a word or phrase each year but it has to be something that resonates with me or it's just another pressure/resolution like thing. And nothing has come to me yet this year.

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  6. Heartstopper is such a wonderful book. The show was a ray of sunshine and so are the graphic novels. I also was surprised by how much I enjoyed Book Lovers. I often go into books expecting not to enjoy them at the moment and I guess that works in their favour as I'm always pleasantly surprised. It's the book slumps ruining so many books for me I have struggled so much with not knowing my reading mood. I disappeared from blogging since May last year and so my goal is to try and return this year and have some consistency anyway. We'll see.

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    1. I really don't worry about it anymore. I guess the issue for me is, that I DO feel like blogging but have nothing to blog about lol

      Book Lovers was a surprise for me as well. I had it for free or else I wouldn't have even bothered.

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  7. I am so sorry to hear that reading has been such a struggle for you and that romance hasn't been for you! But sometimes we just have moods to read different things. Love seeing all the books that you read. I hope you find some wonderful books this year! Cheers to a wonderful 2023.

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    1. I barely read at all now and when I do, it's usually in the car on audio so different genres work better for me that way.

      Happy New Year.

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  8. Well I hope you find a couple of good books this year.

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    1. Oops - you were in sp*m jail. I hope so too!

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  9. I'm not even sure how many I read, but not many. Oh yeah, Dead Silence. And Nerve. Read that one a few years ago, trying to remember if I liked the show or book better. I'm the same way- I do want to blog more this year. I noticed I posted the least last year since I started. Yikesss!

    Happy New Year, BTW! :)

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    1. It was, honestly, so many more than I thought I read. But it was mostly from the first half of the year. The second half was a struggle. Or, non existent really.

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  10. Is the Noodle Shop Mystery series good? I've been wanting to start that one. Happy 2023!

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    1. I really enjoyed the first few books then it kind of petered out for me - but cute and if you have KU, the first few books are free on there.

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  11. Hello... it's me... Happy New Year! How about SURVIVE for your word? Just teasing. I hope things have settled down a bit for you. I am thinking of you and sending positive energy to you and K. Is The Kindred the same book that is now a movie/show on Hulu (I think?)? I wondered what it was about.

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    1. Ha! I would say that one too. I feel like that's what we're all doing at this point. Just make it to another year right??

      Things have settled some. Not great or 100%fixed but not at crisis levels (literally life and death) so it gives everyone some breathing space. It's nice.

      That Kindred is based on an Octavia Butler novel I believe. This was a YA. I also thought it was the same and was excited lol

      I wish the happiest of new years as well Jen!

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  12. My goal should have been now waiting 10 days to visit blogs. Dunno how it keeps happening!?

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    1. You seem to have a lot going on lately. Life happens!

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  13. Yeah, keep on keeping on is my only real goal too. I've never really thought about the different between books that stay with me and books that wow me, but now you've got me thinking about it!

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    1. I never thought about it either until I was reading books I wouldn't normally read - not loving them - yet not being able to forget them. That has to count for something right? lol

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  14. Happy New Year - love the new header. I really want to write and schedule posts ahead of time. I saw it over and over, but it really needs to happen because I'm totally slacking otherwise. LOL

    Lauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I do that maybe once a year lol Write any post is my goal lol

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    1. Thank you, any time you see a post, you can thank her lol

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  16. Just bopping in here to wave hi!

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  17. Hey you blogged just now so you are already ahead of the game! Also I agree, the header is fabulous! I hope you are able to read some more fabulous books, and find some time or inspiration to blog, and if not, to just be okay with that, too! It is a struggle, one I am feeling a LOT right now, so be kind to yourself ♥♥

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    1. Oh yeah, I'm fine with it all either way. I think the problem (not really problem...can't think of a better word lol) is that I DO feel like blogging but about what - I do not know lol

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  18. I want to read all your WTF did I just read books. Ha ha. 📚📚✨

    I'm still going to be trying to read less this year. 😊

    Happy New Year! 🎉🎉🎉

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    1. I don't have to try, it seems lol I honestly don't care anymore though. I'll read when I feel like it and won't if I don't.

      I have to say the WTF books were way out of my comfort zone but I did like them - in a way.

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