The Best of the Best of the Best of 2023, SIR!

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The Best of the Best of the Best of 2023, SIR!

Well, that was quite a year! There were some great things: fun trips with family, I went to my first writing retreat (Golden Grove Retreats) and I still think about it constantly. I found a doctor who got me a correct diagnosis for . . . everything I’ve got going on. Boy graduated from HS, and now he’s at college. The Barbie movie. The Dungeons and Dragons movie. I read Lessons in Chemistry and Yellowface. But then some bad things: my little old lady dog died. My thyroid still doesn’t feel like working correctly. We went with my whole family (except one brother) on a Disney cruise over Christmas, and my 80yo parents got COVID.

So, I’m not superstitious, and I don’t usually get into astrology and things like that, but . . . I may have just ordered both an evil eye string bracelet and a red string bracelet with a small Chinese dragon charm. I was born in the year of the Dragon (fall of 1976), and I’ve always been excited with it’s “my” year. The whole “you’re a Libra, you’re like this” astrology does not work for me. There has never been a thing connected with that that has ever fit. No Buzzfeed quiz has ever even placed me as an air sign, let alone a Libra specifically. But any time I see characteristics about Dragons, it fits me. So I was excited for this upcoming Year of the Dragon, even though 2012 happened.

What happened?

Well, my youngest, precious Baby Roo, was born on the Lunar New Year, the first day of the Year of the Dragon 2012. And he was born so full of an infection that they didn’t even know what to do at first. He was so tiny (almost three pounds smaller than his sister) and so very not breathing. And then they realized that I, too, was full of infection. Specifically, Strep A. And as my doctor said: A is for Angry! We were in the hospital for several not very fun days. We came out of it, we did our best. There was job upheaval with my husband’s work. I had to scrap an entire manuscript because it was so bad. And then my tiny baby dog, my Pippin of Dragon Slippers fame, died suddenly. To be blunt: 2012 can absolutely kiss my . . . foot.

After recent events I was very excited to tell 2023 goodbye, and thinking 2024 would totally be my year, once the Lunar New Year hit. It’s gonna be all dragon all the time! But then a friend posted on social media about the Lunar New Year and mentioned that Dragons need to watch out! I was confused, so I asked her she told me, At best, in the year of your zodiac, you have up and down luck. But you can also have very, very bad luck.

Friends, I can’t handle very, very bad luck. Baby Roo is turning 12, he needs some luck. I haven’t published a book since 2020. I need some luck. I want a working thyroid. I want a completed manuscript that I’m happy with. And so I’m going to be that one weird white lady wearing a red string bracelet all the time. Because this, dammit, is going to be my year!

And now, let’s talk about what I liked about last year!

I mean, there was an absolute WEALTH of great books! Not all of them published last year, but many of them did, and there were movies! Such fun movies! I was going to do them separately, but what the heck, have a movie list, too! But honestly, I could hold up a book and go, this is my favorite book this year. And this one is my favorite book this year, too! Lessons in Chemistry! I sobbed! Kat Hats and Two Dogs! I laughed so hard! How Does Santa Get Down the Chimney? Marvelous! Warrior Girl Unearthed! Are you kidding me? Two masterpieces in a row? Elf Dog & Owl Head! It’s giving Diana Wynne Jones, as the kids say!

Now, let’s get to it!

Just don’t forget, if you make it through these lists and aren’t just done with me already, that you check out the Events page as well, as I’m just putting up some new and exciting events!

Picture Books

Kat Hats – Daniel Pinkwater & Aaron Renier

How Does Santa Get Down the Chimney? – Jon Klassen & Mac Barnett

Hippos Remain Calm – Sandra Boynton

Woo Hoo You’re Doing Great! – Sandra Boynton

100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli – David LaRochelle & Lian Cho

Two Dogs – Ian Falconer

Harold Loves His Woolly Hat – Vern Kousky

The Shortest Day – Susan Cooper & Carson Ellis

Mel Fell – Corey R. Tabor

Llama Rocks the Cradle of Chaos- Jonathan Stutzman & Heather Fox

The Haunted Lake – P. J. Lynch

Middle Grade

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance – Lisa Yee

The Witch of Woodland – Laurel K. Snyder

Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Hunting Vampires – Roseanne A. Brown

Elatsoe – Darcie Little Badger

Juniper’s Christmas – Eoin Colfer

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street- Karina Yan Glaser

Royal Wedding Disaster – Meg Cabot

Pages & Co: the Book Smugglers – Anna James

Kiki’s Delivery Service- Eiko Kadono

Elf Dog & Owl Head- M. T. Anderson, illus. by Junyi Wu

Stuntboy, in the Meantime- Jason Reynolds, illus. by Raúl the Third

Graphic Novels/Comics – Youth Edition

Sunshine – Jarrett J. Krosoczka

A First Time for Everything – Dan Santat

Squire & Knight- Scott Chantler

Squire- Nadia Shammas & Sara Alfageeh

Frizzy- Claribel A. Ortega & Rose Bousamra

Things in the Basement – Ben Hatke

Artie and the Wolf Moon- Olivia Stephens

Can You Smell Me Now?- Mike Peters

Illustrated Novels- Youth Edition

The Skull – Jon Klassen

Elatsoe – Darcie Little Badger, illus. Rovina Cai

Elf Dog & Owl Head- M. T. Anderson, illus. Junyi Wu

The Saga of Erik the Viking – Terry Jones, illus. Michael Foreman

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer – Jeff Kinney

Graphic Novels & Comics – Adult Edition

Ducks: Two Years in the Oils Sands – Kate Beaton

Dune the Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad’dib- Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Frank Herbert, Raul Allen, Patricia Martín

Once & Future, Vol. 1-6- Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain

Lore Olympus Vol. 3 & 4- Rachel Smythe

The Heartless Troll- Øyvind Torseter, Kari Dickson (translator)

Cryptid Club- Sarah Anderson

Saga Vol. 10- Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

Young Adult- Science Fiction & Fantasy

The Stolen Heir- Holly Black

Bloodsong/Bloodtide- Melvin Burgess

Bloodmarked- Tracey Deonn

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories- Holly Black

Star Splitter- Matthew J. Kirby

The Darkest Part of the Forest- Holly Black

Aurora’s End- Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Lirael/Abhorsen/Clariel- Garth Nix

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath- Garth Nix

Game Changer- Neal Shusterman

Six Crimson Cranes- Elizabeth Lim

Young Adult

Warrior Girl Unearthed – Angeline Boulley

All My Rage – Sabaa Tahir

Royal Blood – Aimée Carter

Reign – Katharine McGee

The Only Girl in Town – Ally Condie

Nine Liars – Maureen Johnson

Promise Boys- Nick Brooks

One of Us is Lying- Karen M. McManus

Nonfiction

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) – Eliot Shrefer

Knitting Bag of Tricks – Patty Lyons

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War- Nathanial Philbrick

The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London– Christopher Skaife

The World Record Book of Racist Stories- Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar

Adult Literature

Lessons in Chemistry- Bonnie Garmus

The Winners – Fredrik Bachman

Yellowface – R. F. Kuang

The Dictionary of Lost Words – Pip Williams

Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby van Pelt

Nothing to See Here – Kevin Wilson

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand- Helen Simonson

The Night Watchman – Louise Erdrich

The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece- Tom Hanks

The Quarantine Princess Diaries- Meg Cabot

Whalefall- Daniel Kraus

Mysteries

The Last Devil to Die – Richard Osman

The Running Grave – Robert Galbraith

The Villa – Rachel Hawkins

The Redeemer/The Leopard/Phantom/Police/The Thirst/Knife – Jo Nesbø

The Spy Who Came In From the Cold – John leCarré

Flight Risk – Cherie Priest

Adult Science Fiction & Fantasy

Lightbringer – Pierce Brown

The Road to Roswell- Connie Willis

Starter Villain – John Scalzi

Fairy Tale – Stephen King

Nettle & Bone – T. Kingfisher

Babel – R. F. Kuang

A House With Good Bones – T. Kingfisher

Starling House – Alix E. Harrow

Don’t Fear the Reaper- Stephen Graham Jones

The Silo Trilogy – Hugh Howey

Adult Romance

Kiss the Girl – Zoraida Cordoba

The Seven Year Slip – Ashley Poston

Mr. & Mrs. Witch – Gwenda Bond

Enchanted to Meet You – Meg Cabot

People We Meet on Vacation- Emily Henry

No Words – Meg Cabot

Outshine – Nichole Van

Happy Place - Emily Henry

Short Story Collections

The Best of Connie Willis – Connie Willis

The People in the Castle – Joan Aiken

The Last Slice of Rainbow – Joan Aiken

Nordic Tales – Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Parker Fillmore, Jón Árnason, Ulla Thynell (illus.)

Novellas

The Crane Husband – Kelly Barnhill

Tread of Angels- Rebecca Roanhorse

A Spindle Splintered – Alix E. Harrow

Classics Read for the First Time

The House of the Spirits – Isabel Allende

As I Lay Dying – William Faulkner

Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie

The Mystery of the Blue Train – Agatha Christie

Carmilla- J. Sheridan Le Fanu

The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway

The Gabriel Hounds – Mary Stewart

Remember: these are only roughly in order. To say that I liked Lightbringer more than The Road to Roswell is like saying that I prefer Yukon gold potatoes to Russets . . . They are both delicious! And good to read . . . or eat!

As for the movies, well! I’m already getting upset about America Ferrara not even being nominated for a Golden Globe, because her performance in Barbie (and not just her rant/monologue about being a woman) MADE that film! I won’t upset myself, I’ll just present you with my lists!

Adult Movies

Barbie

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Polite Society

The Marvels

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Bullet Train*

John Wick Chapter 4*

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning: Part One

Love at First Sight

*I would totally let (and totally HAVE let) my kids watch all of these except those marked.