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Category: Book Reviews

2023 Recap: Favorite Books, Films & More

February isn’t too late for a review of last year, is it? Because wow, what a year 2023 was! From planning my wedding, to getting married in April, moving in May, falling into the new life rhythms of being a wife, seeing For King & Country in concert, embarking on a brand-new writing project, traveling to Toronto in the fall, and turning 28 (among many other memories made)… I feel like I’ve emerged on the other side of 2023 as a new person.

But instead of getting all sappy on you, I’m here to do a roundup of all things story- and art-related! Favorite books, movies, albums, you name it! Because it’s been WAY too long since I contributed to your Chronic TBR Problem*, right?

*Not to worry, 99.98% of all readers suffer from this. It’s incurable but not, so far as we know, deadly.

Here we go!

Top 5 Books of 2023

Subplots & Storylines – April to June 2021

Helloooo, my dear questers! I tried to keep this post concise, but my goodness, books and shows and things have a way of piling up over three months!* And I’ve found some new favorites that ABSOLUTELY deserve fangirling about. Here’s a few hints: Studio Ghibli. Time travel. We’re all mad here. Legendary war. Cinderella. Do these clues have anything to do with each other? NOPE. But since I can’t very well send gingersnaps through the screen to bribe you to keep reading, I’ve got to lay some kind of trail of crumbs for ya.

*…As I stop and reread the title, I’m realizing this post is almost a month late. Yikes! Forgive me!

Onward! I promise there’s no hungry witch’s oven at the end of this trail—just nerdy discussions!

5 of The Best Fairytale Retellings on My Bookshelf

Listen up book world, I am on SUCH a fairytale retelling kick these days! (This makes it sound like I’ve been reading a lot, which I’m actually… not. *cries* So “these days” is more like “the past six months.” But that’s a post for another day.) You’d think that with alllll the retellings already out there, we’d be scraping the bottom of the barrel by now. But some of the ones I’ve read recently have become my New Favorite Books of All Time. It seems there’s no end to the creative twists and sparkly new worlds (or dark and gritty depths) to dive into!

So I, your resident fairy godmother, am here to play matchmaker with YOU, dear reader, and five of the best fairytale retellings on my bookshelf. Some are new to me, others I read years ago.

But first before we continue, let us take a moment to mourn our TBRs.

Also please sign this waiver saying I’m not responsible for any injury that may occur when said TBR falls over in the middle of the night and crushes you in your sleep okay thank you carry on.

Subplots & Storylines – January to March 2021

Subplots & Storylines at traceydyck.com

HELLO WORLD, I’ve missed you! It’s been a little quiet around here, hasn’t it? Behind the dusty face of this blog, I’ve been hard at work on final edits to my manuscript. In between editing sessions, I’ve made the acquaintance of some truly wonderful books (most of the fairytale retelling variety!), which I would LOVE to introduce to you in a moment.

Oh, but first, come inside! All swords in the umbrella stand at the door, please, and hang your cloaks on the wall pegs. The brownies are fresh out of the oven, and I just put on a fresh pot of coffee.

There, settled? Ready to swap stories? Here’s what I’ve been immersed in during the past three months…