This is going to be a round up of my favorite books, shows, and just general things of the year. I'm also going to include some of my hopes and goals for 2018.
Favorite Books of the Year
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
This book was inspired by Hindu stories and tells the story of Maya who has been cursed by a bad horoscope her whole life. When she's 17, her father finally finds someone who is willing to marry her and she is whisked away to a kingdom like no other she has ever seen before.
The immediate description I think for this book is that it is absolutely beautifully written. The prose is gorgeously lyrical and richly written. Reading this book is a sensory experience like no other. I'm not someone who generally visualizes things as I was reading because that's not the way I think, but the details in this book were so beautiful and rich that I couldn't help but appreciate them.
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
This book is adorable. It's written by the author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the movie adaptation of which, Love, Simon, is set to come out in March. If you liked Simon and haven't read this one, you'll love it just as much. This book is about Molly Peskin-Suso, who has had 26 crushes to date. She and her sister are inseparable until her sister gets her first girlfriend and throws off the balance of their world. Molly has never taken the step to pursue any of her crushes. Until now.
This book warmed my heart for so many reasons. I related a lot to Molly and she reminded me of what I was like in high school. It has some brilliant bittersweet moments which made me cry a little, which I don't usually do in response to books. You'll want to hug Molly and her family and might find yourself hugging the book after you finish it. I know I did.
Favorite Shows and Movies
Grace and Frankie
Grace and Frankie have known and tolerated each other for 40 years because their husbands are partners in their legal firm. Then one evening while the four of them are having dinner, Saul and Robert announce that they're leaving their wives for each other. The show then focuses on Grace and Frankie adjusting to life as single women. The two begin living with each other and hilarious conflicts ensue, but it's the bond that forms between them that gets them through this period of transition in their lives. It's hilarious and wonderful and everyone should watch it.
One Day at a Time
This is a revival of the show of the same name and tells the story of a Cuban American family. There's one season on Netflix but the show has been renewed for a second season. This show has a very intimate focus on this one family and a handful of other people in their lives and I think that's the main strength of the show. It's funny and heartwarming and wonderful and I can't wait for the next season to come out.
John Mulaney
I'd watched both of John Mulaney's specials on Netflix and absolutely loved them. When I first watched them, I'd been having an absolutely horrible day and they made me laugh out loud and feel a lot better. Then this summer I got to see him live in Asheville, NC on his Kid Gorgeous tour which was also fantastic and I'm sure a special of that tour will be coming soon and I think everyone should watch it when it does come out.
Things I'm Looking Forward To/Goals
- Finishing the first draft of my novel. I've started multiple novels in the past and never finished any of them. There's one I got a good bit of work done on, and I know the file is somewhere, but I'm not sure where.
- Blog more often. This is always my goal, but as I'm sure you know it doesn't usually happen.
- On a related note, I want to read at least 50 books next year. I used to be able to read 100 books in a year, but I just don't have time for that anymore.
- Get into the Psychology Honors Program at my university.
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