Lists
Category
Best of 2023: Fiction & Poetry
Posting my previous year’s favourite books in March must be some kind of a record. But as I shared my absolute faves already, doing the follow-ups by genre seemed less urgent. And then suddenly I was about three months late. Anyway, I have found these summaries very helpful for myself, when people ask for book recommendations or when I need to recall my favourites for any other reason. So I am doing this despite the ridiculousness of the timing.
9 Ukrainian Fashion Brands to Know
Instead of writing this, I should be finalising my 2023 best-of lists for fiction and non-fiction, but have run out of energy – since December, I have been obsessively reading all the 2023 lists in the world, then putting together my own versions, then plotting my 2024 TBR and going over all the ‘most anticipated’ lists, so I just cannot face another book-themed list at the moment. I will get over it, but until then, let’s take a quick detour and talk about Ukrainian fashion.
Best of 2023: Science Fiction and Fantasy
2023 was a very enjoyable SFF reading year to me, with almost exactly half of the 166 books I read being either science fiction or fantasy or both. And most of them were good. That said, compared to previous years, I didn’t find any new favourites of the same caliber as The Broken Earth Trilogy or Arkady Martine’s Teixcalaan books. There are also some strange absences: I started two of the Sanderson secret projects, but didn’t finish them, despite liking both Tress of the Emerald Sea and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. I also didn’t read the latest Murderbot, as I was advised to do a Network Effect reread before I tackle System Collapse*. All three are very much on the top of my list for this year.**
Best Books of 2023
2023 was a somewhat strange reading year for me – definitely not bad, with 166 books* finished, about 40 000 pages read and some branching out in terms of genre accomplished. But while I read many good books last year, there were perhaps fewer absolute highs than I have had in the past. I was also rather inconsistent: August and December were great with 26 and 23 books respectively (these tend to be my best months every year, simply because I have more free time due to holidays). And then there were weeks when I read only alien romance, as my brain was too exhausted from the translation work I was doing on top of my actual work to focus on anything more demanding.
Things I Want: 2024 Edition
It is this time of the year again when I think about objects I would like to own. It’s part daydreaming, part focusing the mind – while I like pretty things, I’ve become very impatient with random stuff. Especially if it’s me who has forgotten about my good intentions and bought some random stuff. Some of the things here are way out of my league, but making a list is satisfying nevertheless.
My Favourite History Books: Part 1
This is inspired by a (real!) request on Instagram, where the fabulously named @triestobeclassy asked me about my favourite history books. And as I have been thinking about this very topic recently, it presented the perfect excuse to put together a list. Please be mindful that this is not trying to be a ’best of’ list, there are many universally acclaimed history books I have not read and my interests can be niche. So you’ll find little among my picks on American history, the Roman Empire or WWII, while ancient and meta-history are rather well represented.
The Colours of This Autumn
I rarely write about trends these days, not because I have a problem with trends per se, but because I find them harder and harder to reconcile with my attempt to buy fewer items and be less influenced by big business. I am still interested in trends, though, and in particular the bigger shifts in mood, silhouette and palette that go beyond one season.
End of Summer Memo
I was planning to do an Early Autumn Memo for my re-entry into blogosphere, but it’s so warm in Brussels (up to 31 degrees expected in the coming week) that I cannot bring myself to talk about autumny stuff at the moment. Which is, in a way, good news, as I have quite a few things to share from this summer, and as they aren’t necessarily summer-specific, they may still be of use to you. So I am going to get them off my chest in this post, leaving all the talk of chocolate-coloured suede and plush perfumes for the next memo.
February Resolutions
I’m a weird person in the sense that I do not hate New Year’s resolutions. Of course, I don’t think they will miraculously fix all my problems, but there is something very appealing in having a reset, a fresh start. That said, I do not always feel the right energy at the beginning of the new calendar year. Often, I have this vibe in September, when I am rested after the holidays and determined to be more efficient at work and generally better at living.
Things I Want: 2023 Edition
It’s this time of the year again where I think about things I want, without worrying too much about whether I can realistically buy them. As I kept adding things, the list is now rather long. I will therefore stop the introduction here and promptly proceed to present the things I want.