Well it’s the worst year for books read since records began (which was maybe 7 years ago, can’t remember now…) but considering the year we’ve had I think it might be a major achievement that I’ve managed to read anything at all. As I haven’t done my reviews on them this year I’ll write a short blurb under the notable ones.  That’ll have to do for now, here’s hoping 2024 might bring more reading back into my life. 

1. Lessons in Chemistry-Bonnie Grams (loved this novel 🙂

2. Wildwater Women- Ellie Wood (fairly fun read about women who cold water swim)

3. Before my Actual Heart Breaks – Tish Delany

This one sticks with me as it’s set in Northern Ireland during the troubles and is a heart wrenching read, also my sister in law read it and could identify people her Nanny had known of. Very much worth putting into the understanding life in Northern Ireland part of your collection (what, not everyone has that on their shelves?) 

4. Forever Home- Graham Norton (didn’t like it as much as his others…) 

5. Spare- Harry (embarrassed to put this on but I always secretly like a bit of Royal family speculation, main takeaways were that sibling relationships are tricky and that growing up in the Royal family is going to mess with your head) 

6. Landlines- Raynor Winn

I think this might have been my favourite of all her books. She and her husband walk the length of the UK and reflect on it. SO beautiful and also taught me that pain is part of our bodily life. I tend to seize up when pain hits or run from it. Raynor taught me to acknowledge and to trust that bodies heal as well as break. I think it’s one of the reasons I’ve started running again and knowing that my pain will heal and I can try again another day if it flares up. There’s also a huge encompassing life lesson there if I had any time to unpack it. 

7. My Child is Not Broken- Heidi Mavir

Such a good read if you want to understand the Neurodiverse world more. Short and sweet and very helpful. 

8. A Man Called Ove- Fredrick Backman (good novel, I think I liked other stuff of his better but as always stunning reflections on what it means to be human) 

9. The Stranding- Kate Sawyer (I really enjoyed this novel about the end of the world and a whale) 

10. The Beloved Girls- Harriet Evans (Enjoyable holiday read) 

11.The Four Winds- Kristin Hannah (like everything she writes, well written, heartbreaking, attention holding good stuff) 

12. Wanderers: A History of Women Walking- Kerri Andrews (tales of women who have walked, I miss walking) 

13. The Girls Who Disappeared- Claire Douglas (forgettable but easy read) 

14. Lost, Found, Remembered- Lyra McKee 

One of the most powerful moments of the year was sitting in a room at Corrymeela watching the film about Lyra McKee (watch it now on 4od) and then seeing her partner and sister answer questions and talk through their response to Lyra’s death. These writings are brilliant, fresh and heartbreaking. (another one for the understanding Northern Ireland shelf) 

15. Faith Shift – Kathy Escobar (really good if you or anyone you know is going through shifting faith. Super helpful to have compassion for yourself and others, worth a read whatever tribal/faith place you come from) 

16. Hinds Feet in High Places- Hannah Hurnard

I had issues with the language and the flowery narrative but it did get under my skin and give me some good images to try and process some of my feelings about faith and God this year. 

17. The Cure for Sleep- Tanya Shadrick

One of the best memoirs I’ve ever read, and I’ve read a lot… Tanya’s story of coming awake to herself, honest, moving and just so so so beautifully written. One of the best reads of the year. 

18. Outlove- Julie Rodgers

Julie’s journey from being part of the conversion therapy movement to fully embracing gay marriage and faith in the midst of that. A brilliant read and I found loads of echo’s from my own journey over the last 20 years. Heartbreaking and worth reading her story whatever perspective you come from. 

19. Dirty Laundry: Why Adults with ADHD are so ashamed and what we can do to help- Richard Pink &Roxanne Emery 

One of the interesting things about our year is husbandface starting to explore the ADHD part of his brain, and me coming to understand and love him in the midst of that. For years I thought he couldn’t find things or clear up stuff because he was a man (and would get annoyed because of that) , turns out it’s actually because of his ADHD. Rich and Roxy have a brilliant social media presence which has helped me have compassion on my lovely husband. This is a great book to read if you have a partner with ADHD or someone in your life has ADHD. 

20. Weyward- Emila Hart

One of my favourite novels of the year, three different times, three different women, a link between them all and a whole bunch of nature loving in the midst of it all. Genius. 

21. The Herd- Emily Edwards (Average novel about families and vaccines) 

22. The Space Between Us- Doug Johnstone

Beautiful novel about an alien octopus, four people it interacts with and some car chasing through the Scottish Highlands. 

23. How to Kill your Family- Bella Mackie (enjoyable novel about someone killing her family, slightly let down by the ending but good nonetheless) 

24. Enchantment- Katherine May (not as good as Wintering for me, still beautiful though) 

25. Devastating Beauty- Gideon Heugh 

Loved this poetry collection, especially these lines: 

“Learn the small things and be satisfied: the rainbow splash of wildflowers, the swooning moon in crystal night, the laughter of a chalk stream as it falls towards a greater sea as we all do, maybe. One foot in front of the other repeated will often tell you enough, one foot in front of the other repeated will often tell you enough” 

I feel like our year has been this, one foot in front of the other repeated. It’s enough for now. 

26. The Hunger Games Trilogy- Suzanne Collins (I really enjoyed the two weeks the offspring listened to all of these and watched all the films) 

27. The Island of Missing Trees- Elif Shafak

SO beautiful. One of my favourites of the year. 

28. The Educators Experience of PDA- Laura Kerby

Super helpful on working with PDA kids, worth anyone reading to understand more of how to get alongside and collaborate with them. 

29. A Very Modern Family- David and Carrie Grant

SUCH a good read to feel like I’m not alone. Most of their kids are autistic/non binary/ND and it was a delight to read their perspectives. Read if you want to understand our lives…