Laura Brandt

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2025 Book List

In 2025 I set the lofty goal of completing 75 books and shocked my self by not only reaching it, but surpassing it. As usual here's my breakdown of what was read.

Classic Literature:

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

I have now read all of the great Jane Austen's works and found this one to be quite a fun read!

The Brothers Karamazov By Fydor Dostoevsky

My first Dostoevsky has been completed! I really enjoyed the character development on this one. It was much more character driven rather than plot focused. I do very much think this could have benefited from 21st century editing but alas, it wouldn't be a great russian novel without it's hefty pages.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

I'm not entirely sure if this counts as classic literature as it is set in 1950s Naples but what a masterpiece of writing! Each character is a slightly unlikeable yet rich and nuanced.

Works of Renown

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison has been in my TBR pile for forever so I was very happy to listen to the audiobook narrated by the author herself. It was a lot grittier and graphic thank I anticipated.

A Little Life by Hanya Yangihara

Woof. This one wrote friendship and human complexities and mental health in such a nuanced way. I appreciated the unique story formatting and detailed sensations. While being extremely graphic, I would

The Dispossessed by Ursala K. Guin

A recommendation from Adriel who always keeps me cultured. I found the world and writing hard to grasp however ended up finding my stride and enjoyed the commentary about utopic society.

Non-Fiction

The Wisdom of Your Body by Hilary McBride

Beautiful philosphies and such a warm open approach to mental health.

The Year of Less by Caitlin Flanders

While this wasn't my favourite writing style, the concepts stayed with me long after the writing did. It seeped into all areas of my life!

All About Love by Bell Hooks

Such a beautiful approach to living life with a love and grace filled lens.

Modern Fiction

Beartown by Fedrick Backman

Few authors are able to capture multiple emotional landscapes as richly as he was. This story took my breath away.

Babel by R.F Kuang

R. F Kuang has a knack for exceptional magical world building. She somehow makes the story completely believable and raises you up to the highest of hopes for her characters and then systematically emotionally destroys you with their journeys.

Hello Beautiful by Anne Napolitano

Perhaps its because I have sisters, but this book struck such an emotional cord with me. Such a rich family tale. I sobbed throughout.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This book is up there for top book of my reading year. Another intensely rich character driven book. The author manages to change POVS seamlessly while also not compromising the storyline. Phenomenal.

Biographies

Tears of the Silenced by Misty Griffins

Heartbreakingly honest yet hopeful.

What I Ate In One Year by Stanley Tucci

Delightfully rich in storytelling through food. Truly a treat to hear him narrate this!

A Well Trained Life by Tia Levings

Incredibly well narrated and structured by the author herself, this was an engaging and captivating tale.

All in all one of my best reading years yet! Looking forward to another fufilling year of literature!

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2024 Book Review

As the year comes to a close, one of my favourite traditions is reflecting on the literature I consumed this year. It was an ambitious year with the goal being 50 books - and yet I exceeded it, finishing 68! My most prolific year yet.

Stats:

For those titillated by pie charts, statistics, and graphs, here is the breakdown of my books as provided by the app Fable:

My most-read genre was Romance with a total of 35 books read (Emily Henry being the top author in this category [ with 3books read] closely followed by Abby Jimenez). Fantasy was next with 18, Literary Fiction 16, Historical Fiction 14, and lastly 12 Mystery Books. (Some books fall under multiple genres, of course.) My average rating was 4 stars. I read the most in August and December, finishing 8 books in each. One book was read on my Kobo, 32 were "physical" reads, and 34 were courtesy of audiobooks (mostly through the Libby app).

Last year I broke down my reading highlights into categories and I thought I would follow that same vein this year.

Reese's Book Club:

I read 12 novels from Reese's Book Club. Anyone who knows me is aware of my perhaps unhealthy love of her Book Club. Her team has the ability to consistently pick well told stories. Of the 12, the only book I wouldn't recommend would be "The Cactus" by Sarah Haywood. Otherwise, Reese is your girl for a good story.

General Lit:

A broad category with some highlights: "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver, "Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney, "Blue Sisters" by Coco Mellors, and "Obasan" by Joy Kogawa. An honourable mention to "Lolita" by Vladimir Nakobov, which has been on my TBR list for years and didn't disappoint.

Biographies:

One of my tried and true genres. The standouts this year were "Thicker Than Blood" by Kerry Washington, "Down the Drain" by Julia Fox, and "Crying in H-Mart" by Michelle Zauner. Fantasy This year I properly got into fantasy, with top favourites being the second and third books from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" by Shannon Chakraborty, and the Fourth Wing series.

Summary:

This was my best reading year yet, which has now led me to the slightly delusional goal of reading 75 books next year. For Christmas, I got a Kobo, and I'm interested to see how that changes my reading habits. I also surprised myself by completing more audiobooks than physical books this year, and might have found a good hack to read ALL the books ALL the time (plus it really helps me tackle classic lit). Moving forward I am wanting to read more classic literature and focus on books that have been on my TBR list for quite a while.

Thank you for indulging this chronicler,

Laura

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2023 Book List

Another good reading year for the books! This year I embarked on my first experience with a book club which has been a life long desire of mine! I can confidently say that in participating in it, I've been pushed to be more consistent in my literary pursuits as well as broaden the genres of books I normally gravitate towards.

My goal this year was to read 40 books which I'm happy to report I have surpassed! Last year, I reached for an ambitious 50, in which I sadly fell short. Moving forward, 45 seems to be the sweet spot for my reading habits.

This year, I've decided to split my reviews into genres of books to cover more ground and give a more focused scope.

1: Biographies:

This year I read a wide range of people's stories from the hyped up "I'm Glad My Mom Died" by Jenette McCurdy to Spare by Prince Harry, to lesser known titles such as Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones and Invisible Boy by Harrison Mooney.

Notable reads for me were Untamed by Glennon Doyle, I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jenette McCurdy, The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre for there strong writing, concise story, and depth of emotion.

2: Reese's Bookclub Picks

Anyone who knows me, is aware of my deep love of Reese's book club picks. She just never misses on the books she recommends and I've become an avid follower of her for this reason.

The ones I read this year are: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng.

All of them were great.

3: General Modern Romance

Perhaps one of my favourite genres, I read a great many books in this category.

Honorable mentions for great characters and story are The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, Beach Read by Emily Henry, Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez, A Wedding in Provence by Kate Fforde, The Wake Up Call by Beth O'Leary, and The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.

4: General Thriller

This is also a fun category for me and the ones that stood out this year for good twists were All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda, The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, and Greenwich Park by Kathrine Faulkner.

5: General Fiction

One of my proudest accomplishments this year was reading Dune by Frank Hubert. Other standouts were Weyward by Emilia Hart and The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall. Both told captivating stories of nuanced people and circumstances.

As always, thanks for following along my reading journey.

You can follow along on Goodreads under the username: Laura Marazzi which can be found here: Laura Marazzi - Abbotsford, BC, Canada (378 books) | Goodreads

Happy reading!

[lauraelizabethmarazzi]

2022 Book List

The time has come! My favourite time of the year to reflect on a year of reading! Please enjoy the photo above as the cozy refuge that is Daunts Books in London shot on film.

A few thoughts on this year of reading. In summation, I fell quite short in my expectations of the quantity of what I wanted to read this year. Whether that be a challenging start to the year, or a very busy work season, I consumed less this year than I hope to. With all of that being said, I am quite a fan of most of the things I read this year. Please enjoy my highlights!

1: My Body by Emily Ratajkowski: An incredibly personal set of essays that explored her relationship with her body that was honest, flawed, and fascinating.

2: Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside by Nick Offerman: While long and full of words I had to look up, I thoroughly enjoyed the thoughts Nick Offerman shared about society and our relationship to the land we live on.

3: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan: A really engaging fantasy read by one of my favourite audiobook narrators. Loved the character development and the unique magical elements.

4: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: This one of the first books I read from Reese's bookclub and I have to say, she has never disappointed me yet! A great complicated mystery with a fascinating set of female friendships.

5: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jensen Reid: I read three books but this talented author this year! She has a knack for writing glamourous books about beautiful and haunted young women that I just find so easy to get lost in.

6: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Another TJR read that was worth the hype. I loved the unexpected story line in this.

7: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig: I very much enjoyed this unique concept for a book. This book successfully subverts expectations and you can't help but viewing life a little differently after experiencing this novel.

8: Dreams of Joy by Lisa See: An absolutely heartbreaking novel full of nuance and interesting history. I adored the layered relationships sprinkled throughout.

9: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: By far one of the best books I read this year. I'm not normally one for WW2 stories, but this story was gripping in every way. Strong women will always be my favourite to read about.

10: The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A reread that I will never tire of. There's something so fascinating about the dynamic between Watson and Holmes that I will never not want to contemplate.

11: Night Shift by Kiare Ladner: This was one of those books that was uncomfortable to read due to unlikable characters. The people in this story were unlikeable, complicated, and illogical which pushed me out of my normal story comfort zone.

12: The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly: Just a delightful easy read about 3 generations of women navigating the world in unconventional ways.

13: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: Having seen all the hype on Tik Tok over these novels, I took the plunge and have read the first three novels in this series. They have fast been devoured in my love for this world Sarah created. Perhaps why this series resonates well with me, is that it is fantasy actually written for women by women. There's so much to love in the depiction of romantic relationships actually being equal, women being just as fierce fighters as men, and the subversion of stereotypes. This was one of my reading highlights of the year!

Thanks for following along my reading journey.

You can follow along on Goodreads under the username: Laura Marazzi

Happy reading!

[lauraelizabethmarazzi]

Oxford: Part One!

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Glasgow Botanic Gardens

The gardens of my dream!

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Notting Hill on film

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2021 Book List

Some highlights from this year of reading!

1: The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson: My first foray into the delightful story teller that is Jonas Jonasson! An incredibly witty and winding adventure!

2: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson: Having heard so much about this series, I was quickly enamored with the details of plot and the dark turn it took.

3: Middlemarch by George Elliot: One of my favourites I read this year! Classic literature will always have my heart.

4: The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah: This was also a highlight read for me! A incredibly nuanced look Muslim religion in a western country.

5: Women Talking by Miriam Toews: Heartbreakingly emotional.

6: Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese: Beautifully written with emotive prose.

7: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: A stunning story full of nuance which unfortunately was finished with a hurried ending.

8: Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler: This book was a surprising highlight with rich imagery and unique story telling!

9: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi: A fascinating look into growing up as a woman in Iran.

10: Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free by Linda Kay Klein: A book that takes a hard look at purity culture through the stories of those most affected.

11: Educated by Tara Westover: I always enjoy reading extremist religious biographies! This one was extraordinary!

12: Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold: I first encountered Alex while at the Banff Mountain Film Festival and have since found him a fascinating human. A gripping read!

13: Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci: An incredibly warm and comforting book that made me want to approach food in a more intentional way. It was my goal to read 52 books this year and I just barely scraped by. Overall I loved having a goal to keep me motivated on my reading journey. Very much looking forward to this next year of reading!

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City Views

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Blodel Conservatory

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Cozy fisherman knits and beautiful mountains on film

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Taco at the Lake

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Birthday Portraits of my love @simplyfeelit

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Forest Portrait of @simplyfeelit

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Polar Bear Swim; A series 

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2020 Book List

Listed in order read: 1: Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA by Amaryllis Fox:   Brilliant. One of the most compelling books I've read. Such a good look at humanity and peace.

2:  Me by Sir Elton John:  An honest look into Elton John's life.

3:  How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery:  So  good. I feel like this appeals to the empath side of me that sometimes gets weighed down emotionally. Brilliant, compassionate, and heart-breaking at times.

4:  Unstoppable: My Life So Far by Maria Sharapova:  I could read the strength of her and all her had overcome. Her story was incredibly intriguing and inspiring. Clearly written and very heartfelt!

5:  My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry:  Dark and intense. Depressing but well written. Very captivating. This book made me lose a bit of faith in humanity and really made me question how well people really know each other.

6: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas:  Best book I've ever read. Incredibly well written and intricate!

7:  The Song of the Jade Lilly by Kirsty Manning:  A very captivating and intricate story. I love how the story is woven from two time periods and merged. Thought provoking and poignant.

8:  The Three Musketeers (The D'Artagnan) by Alexandre Dumas:  Brilliant. A rollicking good time of friendship, adventure, and love! I was a little disappointed in the ending but overall so enjoyable! 

9:    The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter - And How to Make the Most of Them Now By Dr. Meg Jay:  I feel so lucky that I got to read this while in my twenties. Dr. Meg Jay has so many powerful things to say from such an understanding point of view. Very thoughtful and clearly written. 

10: Escape by Carolyn Jessop:  Absolutely harrowing and incredibly written. Carolyn writes succinctly with braving outlining her existence. I'm left pondering society, why people do the things they do, and for more on her life. Brutal actions to read at times but well worth the read. 

11:  A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott:  A really fun adventure read with a poor finish. The ending felt abrupt but overall the story was delightful. 

12: Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson:  This guy is my new hero! A bit heavy in legal terms, but makes up for it with heart, positivity, and important facts that aren't always told. Very much changed the way I view the judicial system.

13:  The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins:  Engaging and a fun step back into the Hunger Games world but overall disappointing. Coriolanus was not an engaging character from the get go. Everything was extremely convenient (i.e Coriolanus creating sponsors for the games, Lucy being from District 12, name dropping all the Capitol names, and the origin of the Hanging Tree song. I am disappointed we didn't get to know other Districts and explore the world of Panem a bit more. Coriolanus was a fairly static character until his betrayal of Sejanus and Lucy. For me, the rapid switch of him being static to suddenly becoming a sociopath was not believable at all. Overall a poor attempt at diving back into the Hunger Games. 

14:  My Sister, the Serial Killer by  Oyinkan Braithwaite:  An incredibly poignant look at humanity and the psychological side of family 

15: Normal People by Sally Rooney: A profoundly sad yet engaging look at relationships and the flawed people that forge them. A tragic yet thought provoking piece. 

16:  Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens:  Incredibly detailed, thoughtful, and beautiful. Kya is a captivating character as is the plot; twisting and surprising you at all the right moments. North Carolina is so beautifully written about it becomes the secondary character all in itself. 

17:  Broke Millennial Takes on Investing: A Beginner's Guide to Leveling Up Your Money by Erin Lowry: Very much enjoyed this beginners look into investing as a young person. This was a bit academic at times but a very approachable read. Very much written for the American money system.

18: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy:  A brilliant work of art. Tolstoy perfectly captures the complex nature of humans and relationship while painting a beautiful picture of Russia at that time. Heartbreaking, heartwarming, and delightful all the same. 

19:  Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein:  A great book overall with some really creative ideas and evidence supporting said ideas. Overall it felt like each had a similar format and each story said the same thing over and over but packaged up in a slightly different way. 

20:  Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs by Elissa Walls: Incredibly captivating and tragic. . Elissa writes clearly and concisely about her upbringing with a compelling insiders perspective. Psychologically fascinating.

Overall I reached my goal of 30 books in a year surpassing it by 10.This year I dipped my toes into non-fiction, listened almost exclusively to classical literature on audiobook, and found myself exploring new genres.  Happy 2020!

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Dying over these film photos from Alexandria Bridge