stephanie marie

Portfolio
Resume
About
Contact

Our Charlotte Micro Wedding

10.22.20

Our Charlotte Micro Wedding

read the post

Well. After a very social December, all I wanted t

Well. After a very social December, all I wanted to do in January was lie on the couch and read. So that’s what I did. I read 20 books, which may be the most books I’ve ever read in a month. I kicked the year off with inspiring nonfiction. I read books by my favorite romance authors. I flew through thrillers I couldn’t put down. I read books by authors I can’t wait to meet at @loveyallbookfest next month. And I loved every minute of it.

Counting down the days until Funny Story by @emily

Counting down the days until Funny Story by @emilyhenrywrites comes out? Same, girl, same. But don’t worry. I’ve got you covered! Head to my link in bio to learn all about which romance novels you should read based on your favorite Emily Henry book.

Last year, my word of the year was passion. I want

Last year, my word of the year was passion. I wanted to go after the things I was passionate about, and I succeeded in more ways than I could have imagined. I completed not only the first but the fifth draft of a novel. I got a new job in the arts education space. I deepened friendships with people who share my love of reading and made new friends who love books, too.

I am not unhappy with how 2023 went. But when I look back on the last few years, they have been very seasonal. I’ve gone through spurts of being great at working out, great at working on my book, great at working. And this year, I want to be able to have each thing I care about without having to give up the others.

Don’t worry. This isn’t a recipe for burnout. Because the things I care about include rest, reading, and time with the people I love.

So, yes, making balance my word of the year for 2024 might mean that certain things take a little more time. But that’s okay. There’s no reason to rush to the finish line. But there is a reason to cherish the journey.

✨ Best Book of 2023 ✨ If I had to choose only

✨ Best Book of 2023 ✨

If I had to choose only one book I read in 2023 that I know will stay with me forever, it would be The Good Part. A modern day 13 Going on 30, Sophie Cousens’ latest will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and most of all, it will make you want to live.

At twenty-six, Lucy Young does not know how much longer she can handle working a dead-end job, going on disastrous dates, and living in a damp flat share with flatmates who never buy toilet roll. When another bad date lands her in a storm with no money for bus fare, she seeks shelter in a tiny shop where she stumbles upon a curious wishing machine and asks it to let her skip to the good part of her life. The next morning, Lucy wakes up to a handsome man, a high-powered job, the perfect little boy and baby girl—and her own forty-something face. As Lucy embraces this new life, she has to ask herself: Can she go back, and if so, does she want to?

I read an advanced copy of this book in September, and I haven’t shut up about it since. I recommended it to people with the caveat that it didn’t come out until November, and then I recommended it again in November. And here I am recommending it as the best of the 110 books I read in 2023. So what is it that makes this book so special? It’s the kind of book that makes you appreciate every aspect of your life, from the amazing to the mundane to the awful. It’s the kind of book that fills you with a reason to live. So if you haven’t picked this one up yet, it’s the perfect book to kick off your 2024 with!

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

There has been a problem with your Instagram Feed.

stephanie marie

Portfolio
Resume
About
Contact

Privacy Policy
Terms of Use

© Copyright 2024 Stephanie Marie McKinley