This year I think I can summarize that my reading style has been more laid-back but also educational. I’ve been working on learning more. Whether it’s about gender identity, Indigenous lives; people. As a whole I’m learning about people.
As I write this, I’ve succeeded by finishing 26 books for my 23 book challenge for 2023. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without graphic novels and picture books. All I’ve read for me — so no homework or school projects. Some were super cute and I couldn’t help but flip through the pages and others were chosen because they were easy to digest and were recommended by one of the various reading lists I follow. Granted, not all of my books were “educational”. I did read for fun.
This year I took a more serious look at manga and found a fun series called “Plus-Sized Elf” – an 8 book series about otherworldly beings coming to Earth and sampling the goods (food) the world has to offer, but they over-indulge and realize they can’t get back through the portal to their home-world. So, with the help of a very helpful dietician (and a bit of a chubby chaser) book by book the reader is introduced to a number of characters from other worlds and he helps them lose weight or at least learn to moderate and improve their lifestyles. Based on the way it was written and sometimes the author chose to include workout routines. It gave the impression that the author had a demographic in mind when this series was written. Some of the characters were often mean to each other, but it was nice to see how supportive the dietician was throughout the beings’ journeys even when he was completely exasperated at watching his efforts not be achieved to the desired goal.
Other books I’ve looked more at were graphic novels. I’ve read this style of book in the past. But the ones I often felt drawn to were memoirs and auto/biographies; see:
– Girl in Dio
– Calling Dr. Laura
– Tomboy
– War Brothers
– Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
I recently finished Erin Nation’s Gumballs. I won’t review it. But I thought it the most interesting aspects was learning about the author’s experience transistioning, their experience as a woman and how some of their treatment was internalized as they, outwardly, became a visible male.
My choice of books this year has been incredibly eclectic — even for me. Children’s picture book teaching good life stewardship (Be a Good Ancestor), a YA novel about friendships and depression (Radio Silence), an audiobook of a twisted fairytale with a hint of BDSM (Hooked). Stories of coming to terms with the past (Arcadia). A book challenging the ideas of rape and prostitution in a male dominated world (King Kong Theory). Fantasy. Reality. Dystopian. Children’s books. I have so much to choose from and yet I’m drawn to the moody and the unknown (to me).
Although I’m no longer living in the NW of British Columbia, I have also taken to reading more books of Indigenous theme. Braiding Sweetgrass has been on my bedside table for a bit, but I haven’t been more appreciative for the author’s teachings. It’s inspired me to the mindfulness of nature and be more aware of my environment. Forcing me to rethink my life’s current trajectory and whether it’s what I want for the rest of my life. I’m sure there’s more to it, but these are what I’ve currently taken away.
I have other books I’d like to read before the end of the year. A large chunk are graphic novels. Indigenous and LGBTQ+, not necessarily related. People’s stories. Some fictional some based on reality but I’m looking forward to appreciating every one of them.
How has your 2023 reading journey been going? I’m a strong believer of needing to learn something new every day — what have you learned this year?
Krys Reads 
One thought on “my 2023 reading journey”