📚 My 2022 in Books 📚
The good, the bad, and the rereads.
In the future, recaps of what I read will be available to paid subscribers only.
2022 was not the best reading year for me. I was pregnant, post-partum, and then battling a lot of sleep issues with my baby, all of which affected my ability to like, comprehend words. But! It was the first year in many where I did a bang-up job of tracking my reading (a habit I hope to continue in 2023). I read several books as part of “book club” for online communities I’m in, and I read a lot of romance novels (which ask very little of me as a reader). As always, there were books I started and abandoned that I hope to come back to at some point. I read a total of 32 books in 2022, which is not bad, considering. I feel like I really came back to my reading life in the last quarter of the year and it was a joy. Here’s to more pages read in 2023!
What I read, roughly in the order in which I finished them:
A Swim in the Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading and Life by George Saunders
A writing craft book that made me feel like Russian literature (which I’ve never read) was approachable.
Running Wild by K.A. Tucker
The latest addition in The Simple Wild (one of my favorite romance novels). I always enjoy spending time in Trapper’s Crossing and hope there’s more to come.
Seven Drafts: Self-Edit like a Pro from Blank Page to Book by Allison K. Williams
Conscise, practical advice for writing and editing
I Came All this Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home by Jami Attenberg
This was the first of Attenberg’s books that I’ve read (she has a newsletter and hosts a writing challenge a few times a year that I recommend checking out); I enjoy her style and story-telling, but I’ll admit that this book (which is either a memoir or a collection of essays, I’m not totally clear) didn’t fully come together for me.
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas
A darkly humorous novel about infidelity and relevance in academia. An oddball, but if you’re a fan of Otessa Moshfegh I think you’ll like this one.
Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients, and the Legacy of Trauma by Galit Atlas
I think a lot about generational trauma (as the person who has inherited a lot of BS AND is maybe also not doing a perfect job of not passing it on to my kids). Sometimes I wonder if I’m making a bigger deal out of it than I should, and then I read this and think NOPE.
One in Five: How We’re Fighting for Our Dyslexic Kids in a System that’s Failing Them by Micki Boaz
Not the book to read if you’re looking to feel encouraged about your neurodivergent kid in the school system. This book was long on cautionary tales and short on practical advice. (Or maybe my perspective is off because I have no complaints regarding the dyslexia intervention one of my kids receives via our public school).
Little Panic: Dispatches from an Anxious Life by Amanda Stern
I read this for a parenting book club but loved it for so many other reasons. This is Stern’s memoir about growing up in 1980s New York City with an undiagnosed panic disorder. She does a brilliant job of capturing her childhood voice and perspective. Love, love, loved it, one of my favorites from this year and possibly of all time.
Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma
One of my Book of the Month Club selections; doesn’t make my favorites list but it’s nice to read romance novels centered on cultures different from my own.
In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer
Interesting setup (I wouldn’t be surprised if Spencer’s inspiration was plane bae)
Braving the Fire: A Guide to Writing about Grief and Loss by Jessica Handler
A must-read for writers who explore grief and loss.
Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids by Mona Delahooke
Practical application of gentle parenting and co-regulation, one I need to reread.
Until it Fades by K.A. Tucker
A reread, one of my favorite romance novels. A Cinderella story (related: Kath’s storyline with her teacher is not unlike Alisson Wood’s memoir Being Lolita).
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
The first book I’ve read by Center, a good beach read.
Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
Hazelwood might be my favorite romance novelist (even though I have no interest in STEM). Her books are smart and sexy. Part of the Loathe to Love You trilogy.
Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood
See above.
Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood
One of my favorites of all time, I’ve already reread this novella a few times when I need a comfort read.
Seduce Me, Cowboy by Maisy Yates
I’ve read books by this author before and remember liking them, but this one was truly terrible. The plot didn’t even make sense, and the bar is low when it comes to romance novels.
No One Crosses the Wolf by Lisa Nikoladakis
The Astronaut and the Star by Jen Comfort
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Apparently, it was the year of Ali Hazelwood for me. I wish she had a long backlist, I’d have read them all in 2022
Bold Fortune by M.M. Crane
Hysterical: a Memoir by Elissa Bassist
I appreciate Bassist’s humor and not-so-subtle takedown of the patriarchy.
Reckless Fortune by M.M. Crane
Wildcat by Amelia Morris
Compulsively readable and relatable. This is the book that had me wondering why I don’t read more novels. One of my favorites of the year.
Year of the Horses: a Memoir by Courtney Maum
A beautiful, tender memoir about childhood trauma, motherhood, and anxiety. Another favorite.
Unmasking Autism by Dr. Devon Price
I’ve seen this recommended a lot on TikTok and while it’s a perfectly fine book on the Autistic experience, I don’t get the hype.
House of Hearts by Francesca Lia Block
Perhaps my most disappointing read of the year. I’ve been reading FLB since high school and have always adored her lush prose and magic realism. I was captivated by this story until about 3/4 of the way in and then was completely lost. I put the book down for months and only picked it up to finish
Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho
Masterfully woven stories from the point of view of two friends; loved it. Another Book of the Month Club selection.
Roomies by Christina Lauren
Another favorite romance novel that I reread at least once a year. (NB: I didn’t enjoy the rest of their books that I’ve read.)
Cost of Living: Essays by Emily Maloney
Essays centered around Maloney’s experience working as an emergency room technician, which followed her suicide attempt at 19.
Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
A coming-of-age memoir centered around Ford’s experience growing up with an incarcerated father.
I’d love to hear about your favorite books from 2022; drop a comment below!