Well folks it has officially been a year of me reading books and reviewing them. What a journey this has been. It’s been nice reconnecting with reading for fun and not as just a chore for class work and it’s also weird to think it’s been a whole year. My goal of 50 books for the year is in sight and today I bring you a review of the 46 books I’ve read so far.
Anyway, here’s my deal: I have a slight addiction to Instagram reels which is TikTok three weeks late. I then see book recommendations, and I then try to get said book. Once I get the book I look at it—maybe read it—and then come here to write about my thoughts.
Now my opinions are severely biased and they may not be for all, but I really did enjoy these books—for the most part. Ranking these books was actually more difficult than I thought it would be but I would say the top 10 and bottom 10 are for sure in the right spots. This is also a terrible comparison because I’m literally comparing across genres that bring very different types of stories to the table.
Without any further delay, here is my 2022 wrap-up.
- “The Immortalists” by Chloe Benjamin
I will defend this book until I die. - “Anxious People” by Fredrick Backman
It was hard for me to put this at number two but my allegiance has to stay with “The Immortalists”. No, this is not a spin-off of “Normal People”. “Anxious People” has my heart. - “Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo
Just such a thrill to read, Bardugo outdid herself. Very excited for the sequel. - “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
“Daisy, he loves you. You know he loves you. I know that he loves you. But he’s not going to leave me.” I died. - “Circe” by Madeline Miller
Girl boss story. Everyone needs to talk about “Circe” more. Okay, wait the ending is a little weird but it’s Greek mythology… - “Lovely War” by Julie Berry
A really bold narrative choice that was executed so well. - “How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories” by Holly Black
I love The Folk of Air Trilogy and this was the short story I needed. - “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne
Ugh. Don’t judge me. This started me on my romance book kick and I’m not mad about it. - “A Thousand Nights” by E.K. Johnston
THIS IS AN UNDERRATED RETELLING OF A THOUSAND AND ONE ARABIAN NIGHTS AND MORE PEOPLE NEED TO APPRECIATE IT! - “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover
I wanted to hate it. But I didn’t. I actually hate how much I love it, especially considering the main character’s name is Lily MF Bloom and she’s a florist. - “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern
Magical and fun to read but justice for my girl Isobel who got led on the whole story. - “The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston
Another really bold choice in the plot line and is executed really well. This one is for the people who watched that ghost love story Christmas movie before they took it off Netflix. That is a very niche comparison and I realize this may not be my target audience. - “Normal People” by Sally Rooney
I read this in a day and avoided a party to finish it. Couldn’t get into the TV show though which was disappointing. - “The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas
She’s a cute and flirty book. - “A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem” by Manda Collins
A Hallmark movie as a book. This is a compliment. - “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry
Another girl boss book. I love that the main character is a shark, female protagonists do not have to be lovable and sweet, they can be strong and sharp-witted and still be likable to the reader. - “Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller
It’s only this far back on the list because BookTok set my expectations too high. - “The Last Letter from your Lover” by Jojo Moyes
Heartbreaking. - “The Cheat Sheet” by Sarah Adams
It’s cute okay sue me. - “A Touch of Darkness” by Scarlett St. Clair
No, I wasn’t a Percy Jackson kid, I was a Latin kid in high school. - “The Witches Heart” by Genevieve Gornichec
Norse mythology retelling which was new for me but I liked it. - “Dance of Thieves” by Mary E. Pearson
I wanted you to be better but your cover is pretty. - “In Five Years” by Rebecca Serle
No, YOU’RE crying goddamn it. - “The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner
Magical and engulfing, an underappreciated book. Don’t trust men I think is the moral of the story. - “You Deserve Each Other” by Sarah Hogle
A really funny romance book. I want to be this spiteful. - “Conversations with Friends” by Sally Rooney
Not as good as “Normal People.” - “Three Dark Crowns” by Kendare Blake
Good book, but not good enough to make me buy the rest of the series. Love a good story about sisters with some magic though. - “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry
My queen Emily Henry would never drop her crown. - “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr
It wasn’t the book’s fault, it was mine. - “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng
Oh, there was a fire FOR SURE. It was not little. This book is flammable. - “Beach Read” by Emily Henry
My least favorite Emily Henry book. - “99 Percent Mine” by Sally Thorne
I told you I went into a romance book thing. It was a rough time okay. I love Sally Thorne—end of story. - “Fix Her Up” by Tessa Bailey
HGTV as a romance novel. I’m realizing this article is not convincing people I’m NOT a 40-year-old woman. - “Vow of Thieves” by Mary E. Pearson
There should have never been two books. We HATE the miscommunication trope. - “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran
Will make you question life. - “Second First Impressions” by Sally Thorne
THE TURTLES>>>>> Honestly as a self-identified old person trapped in a young person’s body I felt this one. Maybe a little too close to home. - “Maybe Not” by Colleen Hoover
Don’t judge me. - “A Touch of Ruin” by Scarlett St. Clair
At this point just invested in the series. - “A Touch of Malice” by Scarlett St. Clair
Honestly did not know there was this many books when I read the first book (there is another one coming out soon too). - “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley
Literally what was happening in this whole book, we could’ve removed like 50 pages and it would’ve affected NOTHING. - “The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton
No, no not THAT Evelyn book, that’s the next one. A really bold plot with an ending that almost redeemed the confusion you had to put up with throughout the entire novel. Took a lot to hang on to the narrative. Very confused, the execution could have been better. - “The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is THE Evelyn book. If the love of my life even THOUGHT about treating me like that I’d be livid. The love of your life does not affirm the idea that people only like you because of your body even if they’re upset. Separate note, oh you were besties with the guy who killed my dad… it’s okay.
*sidebar: if I had a nickel for every time I read a book with a title including the number seven and the name Evelyn in it I would have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it has happened twice.* - “If We Were Villains” M.L Rio
I just—sigh—theater kids. - “The Fire Keepers Daughter” by Angeline Bouley
This book convinces you everyone is bad at at least one point, only to make someone who you didn’t want to be bad bad. Was that sentence confusing? Yeah? So was the book. - “A Visit from the Goon Squad” by Jennifer Egan
It’s a no for me dog. That’s all. - “Leave the World Behind” by Rumaan Alam
This entire goddamn book I’m thinking, “WTF is going on”. Then I finish and I’m STILL thinking, “WTF is going on”. Months after finishing the book I look at it and think, “WTF was going on”. Someone please tell me.
