If you’re a reader (or have a goal to become a reader in 2024!), you may have heard of ARCs, or Advance Reader Copies. These are books that are given to readers by publishers or authors in advance of the book being released to the public. They can be physical, digital, or even audiobooks! But what’s the best way to get started?
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I read over 100 books in 2023 (111 to be exact), and the quality ranged from DNF to 11/10! Here were my top ten favorite books that I read last year, in no particular order. I didn’t include ratings because it’s safe to say they were all 5 star reads! (Note: some of these were released before 2023 and a few are being released in 2024, but I’m counting them!)
Dark Matter – Blake Crouch
This was one of the books that pushed me outside of my comfort zone genre-wise, and I’m so glad it did! This was a great sci-fi thriller. I loved the twists and the dystopian feeling without it ever feeling totally hopeless. This was a fun read!
In the Lives of Puppets – TJ Klune
Another absolutely incredible book from TJ Klune!! I was immediately laughing at all the unintentionally funny things the characters would say, and was hooked right away. The characters are so well written and loveable! The story was gripping and I loved all the creative locations they went to!! I cried and laughed out loud multiple times, and want to do it all over again!!
Yellowface – R.F. Kuang
This book made me so mad and angry and at points I literally screamed at the main character!! And I think any book that gives you that big of a reaction is a great book! The main character was so frustrating, and the story was so meaningful without shoving morality and righteousness into your face. A great read!!
Mad Honey – Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan
I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want to put it down! The twists were unexpected in a fantastic way, the characters were extremely well-written and easy to fall in love with. The very end was a little disappointing, but doesn’t take away from the overall story.
One True Loves – Taylor Jenkins Reid
OMG what an absolutely wonderful and incredible book!!!! I literally could not put this down. I DEVOURED it in one afternoon. This is the first book that has actually made me understand why people highlight and underline sentences and phrases in books. I cried through most of it and still can’t stop thinking about it. What a book!!! 💗
All the Sinners Bleed – S.A. Cosby
What an incredible book!! I don’t even need time to consider my review, this had me hooked from beginning to end! I loved the combination of horror, thriller, and political commentary. It was easy to follow and the characters were so well written!
The Last One – Will Dean
I’ve been thinking about this book since I finished it a few days ago!! This had so many twists and turns and I didn’t expect any of them!! It was such an intense read that hooked me immediately. So intense, definitely not for the faint of heart!
Bye, Baby – Carola Lovering
I loved Too Good To Be True, and knew I had to read Bye, Baby after reading the description! I would say this is more psychological fiction than a thriller, but I was hooked through the entire thing! I love books with multiple POVs, it helps lend credibility to both stories. Anyone who has ever felt cut off from a friendship or has seen a friend change will relate to this book! I always enjoy books that center around influencers or celebrities.
Releasing March 5, 2024
The Quiet Tenant – Clemence Michallon
Everything about this was so intense!! I was hooked from the very beginning, and absolutely could not put it down! The characters were so well written, and I loved how it alternated between multiple perspectives. There were so many nerve-wracking moments, and I was so intrigued to find out what happened next!!
The Book of Doors – Gareth Brown
An absolutely incredible book! I loved the fantasy elements and being able to escape the real world with the characters. I felt so connected to Cassie and her story, and was rooting for her the entire time! The plot moves quickly and there was never a moment where I was bored or confused. This was such a fantastic read and I can’t wait to recommend it to everyone!!
Releasing February 13, 2024
When you’re starting your plant parenthood journey, it’s easy to be enamored by fiddle leaf figs and other beautiful plants that end up being difficult to care for. Here are low maintenance options that are perfect for plant beginners!
Light: Any! Snake plants can tolerate low light well, which makes them great for rooms that don’t get much sun, like bathrooms or offices.
Water: Snake plants would prefer to be under-watered than overwatered. You don’t need to water them until the soil has fully dried out (which, depending on the pot, is about a month).
Fertilizer: Snake plants grow slowly, which means they only need to be fertilized once or twice a year.
Pots: Terracotta pots will absorb excess moisture so the plants aren’t overwatered. They don’t like to sit in water, so make sure the bottom of the pot has drainage holes.
Other info: This is my favorite plant because the one with yellow edges is named after me (sansevieria laurentii)!
Light: While spider plants can survive in very low light, they’re more likely to flower in moderate to bright indirect light.
Water: In the summer, keep the soil moist, but be careful not to overwater (no soggy feet)! In the winter, allow the soil to dry out a bit before the next watering.
Fertilizer: Every other watering in the summer.
Pots: Any pot with adequate drainage holes at the bottom. Spider plants actually prefer and will grow best when they’re root bound.
Other info: Spider plants will grow lots of little babies that can be easily propagated in water or soil (all of mine came from my sister’s plant)!
Light: ZZ plants are very tolerant of low light, and direct sun will burn their leaves.
Water: Let the soil completely dry out before watering. Typically these only need water about once a month.
Fertilizer: Once a month during the growing season.
Pots: Terracotta pots will absorb excess moisture so the plants aren’t overwatered. They don’t like to sit in water, so make sure the bottom of the pot has drainage holes.
Other info: ZZ plants love being root bound, which means they rarely need to be repotted.
Light: While pothos will thrive in bright, indirect light (direct sun will burn the leaves), they can tolerate low light as well.
Water: Wait until the top inch or two of soil is dry.
Fertilizer: Once every other month in the summer.
Pots: Plastic or porcelain pots work best for varieties with high variegation to keep the soil moist. Terracotta is another good option.
Other info: Pothos propagation is very easy-simply cut off around 6 inches of the stem and put it in a cup of water for a few weeks until roots grow!
Here are ratings of all the books I read in March:
Luckiest Girl Alive – Jessica Knoll
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I watched the movie first, which is always the wrong way to do it! It was a good book overall, but there were some scenes that felt rushed and not fully thought out.
I’ll Stop the World – Lauren Thoman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An absolutely INCREDIBLE read!!! I was hooked from the very beginning, and loved the plot and characters. The ending was so heartwarming!
People We Meet on Vacation – Emily Henry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a great romance read! I got really attached to the main characters, although at times the male lead felt a little flat. I totally related with the main character feeling detached from her job-not everything you enjoy needs to be monetized!
The It Girl – Ruth Ware
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved that the chapters were broken into “before” and “after”, it made it a fun story to follow! The characters were fun, and I really related to the main character and her struggle with imposter syndrome.
You – Caroline Kepnes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was so wildly unhinged in the most entertaining way! I didn’t want to put it down, it was such a rollercoaster seeing what Joe was going to do and justify next.
The Villa – Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A super quick and easy read, which meant that it didn’t have a ton of depth. The characters felt flat and while there were a lot of twists, none were surprising. Overall just a “meh” book.
The Writing Retreat – Julia Bartz
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely incredible thriller! I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down! The characters were so well written, and I was so suspicious of each one of them. I didn’t love the “book within a book” that Alex was writing, it seemed to take away from what was happening.
Spare – Prince Harry
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can’t figure out exactly what about this book made me feel it was just “meh”. This book is divided into three sections: his past, his military experience, and time with Meghan/current. The first section about his past and his mom were interesting, but seemed like he was making a lot of excuses for poor behavior. The military section wasn’t interesting at all to me, and wasn’t written well either. The current section certainly made me feel badly for Meghan’s experience, but I didn’t feel he fully communicated what was happening.
Mad Honey – Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want to put it down! The twists were unexpected in a fantastic way, the characters were extremely well-written and easy to fall in love with. The very end was a little disappointing, but doesn’t take away from the overall story.
Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Pelt
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
I think my expectations for this book were too high, because while I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it. I wanted so much more of the octopus, I felt like that storyline was second in this book. I really disliked Cameron’s character, he seemed pointless and incredibly annoying. Overall it was a cute story, but just fell a little flat for me.
Tony and I have been engaged for almost a year and a half, and finally made it to the year we’re getting married!
When I first started the planning process, the first step was to figure out where to start! Here’s what I’ve done, in case it’s helpful for others:
Before you do anything else, sign up for The Knot and/or Zola. These sites have information on things you haven’t even considered, like checklists, budget planners, and so much more! Take advantage of these sites and learn from others what works (and more importantly…what doesn’t). We knew we didn’t want a “traditional” wedding, so I thought these sites wouldn’t be of much use to me, but I’ve been following their checklists religiously! There’s so many to do items I never thought of, and this is a great way to keep track of everything in one spot. Plus they have a massive list of vendors for everything.
Figure out if anyone else (parents, grandparents, etc) will be contributing to your wedding budget and if so, how much. Then determine how much each partner will contribute or if you’ll need to borrow money for the big day. These can be awkward conversations to have, but figuring out exactly how much money you’ll have to spend will be crucial for every other wedding planning step. (If you aren’t sure where to start, keep in mind the average wedding is around $25,000-$30,000.)
The first step is to decide what season you want to have your wedding in. If you’re on a tight budget, consider a winter wedding or hold the ceremony on a weekday. Otherwise, take a look at weekends during your chosen season-are there any special dates that stand out to you? If you have a specific venue in mind, you can also decide the date based on what they have available.
Talk to your partner and figure out what items are most important to you both. Do you want to have killer pictures? Is an eight piece band a must have? Do you want over-the-top flowers? This will help you allocate your budget. Here’s the order we booked our vendors in:
Happy National Houseplant Appreciation Day! If you received a plant from a friend or from a plant swap but aren’t sure what it is, check out these handy ways to identify it:
Did you know both iPhones and Androids have a built-in plant identifier??
On Android:
On iPhone:
Try Googling specific features of your plant. Does it have special colors, unique leaf shapes, or colorful flowers? You can also look at how new leaves grow or if the plant is a vine or stands upright.
If all else fails (or honestly if you’re just too lazy to try other methods) ask Reddit! You’ll usually get an answer in a few minutes. Here’s the thread I’ve previously used to identify plants.
Lauren Harrington 