My 2022 in Books
“My Year in Books” review graphic provided by Goodreads.
Holy smokes… 2022 was definitely one for the books.
I read A LOT more than I thought I would this year. For some reason, especially as pandemic restrictions eased up, I thought I would spend less time reading and more time out and about. But I ended up reading more, going outside more, and reading outside more. Truly a beautiful combination. And reading 12 books more than my reading goal, (I aimed for 40 and reached 52 [~ 1 book/week]), was possible because the ever iconic medium of AUDIOBOOKS! It’s hard to read an ebook or physical book and walk on the NYC streets at the same time. Believe me, I’ve tried. But putting in my AirPods and exchanging cosmopolitan cacophony for dynamic stories? 1,000,000 out of 10 would recommend. It made all the traveling I did this year more fun. I also found myself listening to books at the gym instead of my curated workout playlist. I love music too, but the swap is definitely a binge-reading hack. Anyway, before I just keep gushing, 2022 was definitely the year of the audiobook for me.
SHAMELESS PLUG: The audiobook for The We and the They came out this year too! Check it out here.
The We and the They displayed as an audiobook on a phone with wired earbuds. How retro. There’s also a book and a coffee-filled mug.
Now that I’ve already shared the “how” of my reading this year, let’s shift over to the “what”…
Here are the books I rated 5 stars (and reviewed) :
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
A good friend of mine recommended this book to me and I'm so glad that I read it. Not only is the Letter of Recommendation format such a clever rendition of the epistolary novel, I also think that I would want for Jason Fitger to be an old family friend that I'd occasionally grab coffee with. I don't think I could handle having him as a professor though. I will say the sharp wit and careful unfurling of intimate interiority had me hooked throughout this entire novel. And yet again, my heart pangs for the halls of academia all the more.
Fractured Past (Crimson Time, #2) by Emily VanderBent
Just like in the series' debut, VanderBent continues to weave a jewel-toned tapestry of rich narrative, with threads of history and fantasy depicting a much-needed story for our present time. This book really does feel like a museum exhibit that comes to life. I really appreciate the multi-faceted characters and dynamic plot. I look forward to the next installment of the Crimson Time series!
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
I'm at a loss for words. As a warning, DO NOT read this book if you want your heart to stay in one piece. My heart broke at least 5 times. I am in awe of Sequoia Nagamatsu mastery of the polyphonic novel, with so much life and complexity rendered amidst a dangerously familiar adversity. The depth and nuance of the world-building are already breathtaking. To add the intricate depictions of relationships in micro and macro contexts just makes this book all the more legendary. How High We Go in the Dark is definitely one of my new favorites.
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig
This book was a breath of fresh air that fostered contemplation and, occasionally, existential dread. We love to see it. This collection of “made-up” words calls readers to consider what it means for words to be real. Is the realness of a word more about the universal pertinence of its definition or its ability to be intelligible/understood? In essence, this dictionary has deepened my appreciation for the nuance of language all the more.
This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley
This book is definitely one of my all-time favorites. It is very rare for me to feel so embraced and seen within the context of an essay collection. There's a profound sense of embodiment of all of Arthur's words and I love how this book defies the gnostic impulse to render the flesh as evil. After reading this book, I feel all the more willing to explore the sorrow that can and needs to dwell in joy.
The orange, blue, and gold cover of The Last Cuentista
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
If I could give this book 6 stars, I would without hesitation. I loved the contours of the narrative and the richness of Petra's voice. I'm so grateful that this book exists. Though 24-year-old me loves The Last Cuentista, 10-year-old me would have easily placed this book along the formative stories of my childhood, right next to A Wrinkle in Time , The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Color Me Dark. Higuera captures and stretches the readers' imagination, pressing us into realms of discovery. I also love how this book addressed some of the themes I explore in my own work ( The We and the They) in a way that is accessible to younger audiences. The Last Cuentista also reminds me of How High We Go in the Dark through the nuances of its speculative world-building. I simply cannot stop singing this book's praises and I can't wait to read it again, perhaps as a buddy ready with some of my younger cousins.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
I love how skillfully interwoven this book is. It was succinct, enthralling, and at times unnerving in the best way possible. I've come to accept the fact that I love short and sharp books that still manage to reach across time, drawing together themes with unexpected continuity. I will be reading more books by Emily St. John Mandel for sure.
The Reason Why by Nicole Spindler
Once again, Spindler invites us to consider the nuances of life’s moments to unearth our desires to grow as individuals and as a community. The Reason Why is a much-needed reminder of the many forms of love and their manifestations in relationships. I could feel myself growing alongside Emma, which is what I value most as a reader.
Madeleine l'Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life by Madeleine l’Engle
This will be a treasured book on my shelf alongside the rest of my L’Engle collection. As a writer and Christian, this book full of pearls of wisdom inspires me to embrace the risk and beauty of creation.
The mostly black, white, gold, and red cover of The Book Eaters
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
I LOVED this book. It was occasionally gruesome, but absolutely glorious. I think I'm most in awe of the nuance and depth is Sunyi Dean's world-building. Macabre and compelling in all the best ways. I also appreciate how the story oscillated in time, which feels more like how human memory and storytelling works. This trend seems to fairly consistent in all of the books I've enjoyed recently. While the unique lore of the book eaters will continue to dwell with me, I'll also remember the entangled threads of love, loyalty, and sacrifice. This book may not be for everyone, with violence sewn throughout to perpetuate or break free from oppressive power structures, but I know others will love it as much as I do.
The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human by Siddhartha Mukherjee
I am usually not one to read nonfiction, but EVERYTHING I've ever read by Siddhartha Mukherjee has been wonderful, including this book. I've always been fascinated by how stories shape our bodies, but to read about the story of our bodies, starting the the fundamental unit of the cell was a whole new experience of narrative resonance for me. Sometimes I forget the things that we know, especially in science, had to be found out by someone and that those stories of discovery can be WILD. Also, I find Mukherjee's writing style so immensely readable. I wish he was the one that taught my biology classes in university. He does teach at my alma mater after all...
Anyway, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore the history and ever-evolving understanding of the cell as a building block for life.
Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark by Cecelia Watson
I loved this book! It was everything that the language lover in me wanted and the grammar nerd in me needed to acknowledge. Rules and style may change; the stakes of communication matter most. I especially loved the idea of punctuation functioning more like rests or tempo markers in music than prescriptive markers of clarity. Embracing the rhythm in prose is what I love most about writing.
ALSO, Watson’s writing is so engaging and relatable. This could have been a very dry book, but it was NOT AT ALL. At some points, the tea was scalding for sure… Anyway, I would recommend this book to any fellow language lovers or to anyone curious about the semicolon. It’s a nice quick read after all; so what have you got to lose?
My Reading Goals for 2023
I think I’m going to continue to set my goal for 40 books, like I have for the past 3 years, and aim to completely blow that out of the water. It might be harder to do that once, Lord willing, I start grad school in the Fall! I’m going to try to dabble in a few more genres in 2023 too. Speculative fiction will always be my home base, but I might explore some more literary fiction and creative nonfiction as well. Last but not least, I spend more time on Kindle Vella in reading more serialized content.
ANOTHER SHAMELESS PLUG: First-Person Archer, a companion serial to The We and the They, also came out this year! Check it out here.
The cover for First-Person Archer with a bow and arrow moving through green, purple, and orange leaves.
