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Read List of 2022

To all the Cryptids and Humanoids of the World--

I come to you with my tail between my legs. 

With the dawn on January, I told myself that I would use this blog throughout the year to better catalogue my thoughts on what I read. My Goodreads account was only a month old and I’ve never been comfortable or crazy about the layout of that website. But as all New Years Resolutions do, my reading blog fell to the way side. 

So, I come to you in December, mere days before the New Year, with a list of gorgeous, heart-breaking, clever, and truly life-changing novels.

Last time around, I read 19 books. This year, I read 22. As a younger person I was always hell-bent on expanding that number each year but 2022 was an entirely unique beast. For me, this was the first trip around the sun since the pandemic began that felt like a real year, complete with the same amount of work, heartbreak, pain, and joy. I had to reconcile that I wasn’t going to hit my goal of 50 books (because I read 48 in 2020. What else were we doing in quarantine). 

However small this list may seem, I was enchanted. From this collection of Read Books I’ve latched onto some of my all-time favorites. I laughed, fought goosebumps, wept, and was forever changed by many of the heavy hitters on this list. All in all, I’d consider that a success. 

Just like last time, I have included the genre of each novel as well as a 1 out of 5 star rating. They are listed in no particular order.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

1. What Just Happened: Notes on a Long Year, by Charles Finch : Memoir : 4 out of 5 stars

Starting my year with a memoir that is, at is root, journals kept by the author during the pandemic, was not a wise choice. Battling seasonal depression all while living through act three of the very same pandemic that is examined in this book was difficult, to say the least. Nevertheless, I was still incredibly moved by the perspectives immortalized here. Finch made me laugh more times than I can count and cry until I was hollow, but he didn’t leave me that way. Mostly, I walked away from this book with hope. It’s gorgeous and forty years down the line, children will be reading it in schools, remembering those who were lost.

2. Tin Man, by Sarah Winman : Romance, Slice of Life : 5 out of 5 stars

This book absolutely destroyed me. Sad LGBTQIA+ romance is my favorite genre, and Tin Man has to top the list of books I’ve read no only in that category, but overall. My dear friend Lisa sent me a copy in late January, and I devoured the entire thing in a matter of hours. It’s gorgeous. The story between the two main lovers and their journey from childhood friends, through their torrid love affair in the summer of 1960, to their vicious breakup and the subsequent marriage of the main character to a girl they both knew from school and, finally, the deep, unconditional friendship between the three of them that surpasses grief, loss, death, and heartbreak--this novel is everything, EVERYTHING, to me. Read it.

3. What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky, by Lesley Nineka Arimah : Short Story Anthology, Slice of Life : 3.5 out of 5 stars

Gorgeous prose and breathtaking African Mythology wrapped in a cloak of familial expectations that the author ultimately sheds to take flight into her own becoming. So great, so powerful, amazing.

4. Diary of an Oxygen Thief, by Anonymous : Slice of Life : 1.5 out of 5 stars

This was one of my least favorite books this year. Imagine Holden Caufield with a college degree and more money than he knows what to do with. In my opinion, there’s room for one Holden Caufield in literature. It was incredibly repetitive and I lost interest pretty early on.

5. At Swim, Two Boys, by Jamie O’Neill : Romance, Historical Fiction : 3 out of 5 stars

HEARTBREAKING. Two childhood friends in Ireland at the height of the first World War fall in love and decide to swim the English Channel before the draft tears them apart. The vernacular explored in this novel made it hard for me to get into at first but once I did, it ruined me. Go read it!

6. The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek, by Rett and Link : Horror : 2.5 out of 5 stars

This one was a blast, exploring the whimsy of childhood and what happens when corrupt adults expect children to grow up too fast. Children deserve to have their angst and their pain. I wasn’t expecting such a good read for the GMM boys but here we are!

7. Filth, by Irvine Welsh : Slice of Life : 2 out of 5 stars

Horrifying. A disgusting cop abuses his power, his wife, and himself. This was another one that took me a while to orient to, but it was fun. More than a couple of scenes still make me sick to my stomach.

8. Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut : Fiction : 4.5 out of 5 stars

Ah, the adventures of Kilgore Trout. Breakfast of Champions was  first book my friend Jarin had me read for our book club and is often described as a must on the debate of Free Will. I loved this one so much. Vonnegut was one that we read in school, specifically Slaughterhouse Five, and he’s a classic American Existentialist writer who asks his audience to examine the world through the lens of people who are already insane or who are on their way. It was very enjoyable, and incredibly moving.

9. Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card : 4.5 out of 5 stars

Another book Jarin had me read. I’m much more of a Science Fiction person, and this classic dystopian novel combined all the things I love; corrupt institutions, hyper-intelligent children saving the world, and a morally gray antagonist. A true American Classic that paved the way for series like The Hunger Games. 

10. Stay and Fight, by Madeline Finch : Slice of Life, LGBTQ+ : 5 out of 5 stars

At its root, this book is about community, compassion, and survival. Two lesbians and a recently single woman decide to build a house together and live off the land. When the women decide to raise a child together, they must determine if it’s more important to live off the land, or keep their family afloat. SO good, I read this by flashlight during my two-week excursion in Yellowstone and it was the perfect read. I cried, I laughed, I was permanently changed. 

11. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, by Fannie Flagg : Romance, Slice of Life, LGBTQ+ : 3.5 out of 5 stars

A CLASSIC. Anyone who was a child of the 1990s knows the film and I had never read the book so this year, Jarin and I read it together for book club. It says so much about womanhood, right and wrong, and what it means to be young. I love this book so much.

12. Gone to See the River Man, by Kristopher Triana : Horror, Splatter Punk : 4.5 out of 5 stars

This book is perhaps the most disturbing thing I read all year. A woman ventures into the woods with her sister in search of the River Man, who is known to grant wishes. If you’re looking for a fast paced, fucked up, nightmare-inducing adventure, Gone to See the River Man, might be the one for you!

13. Counting by 7′s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan : Slice of Life : 2.5 out of 5 stars

A young, autistic girl loses her parents and must find a new home. know this book is beloved by many people, but it was hard to get through for me. Maybe it’s because the protagonists story is too close to my own. But it was lovely writing.

14. A Certain Hunger, by Chelsea Summers : Horror : 1.5 out of 5 stars

Book club read! A world renowned food critic starts killing and eating men. I hated this book (oops!). Jarin and I read it for book club and something about the writing was so bland and one note. The main character, Dorothy, was evil for the sake of being evil and there was nothing interesting about her that compelled me to continue reading. Disappointing because this novel was incredibly popular this year.

15. The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson : Horror : 4.5 out of 5 stars

A woman is invited to the infamous Hill House to aid in an experiment that aims to prove the existence of ghosts and slowly loses her mind in the process. ANOTHER CLASSIC! I absolutely love Jackson’s writing. The way she was able to craft such a truly chilling tale that provides no real answers or conclusion, that absolutely leaves the reader feeling like they’ve just walked off the edge of a cliff, is so masterful. Her other classic, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is one I read a few years ago and I still think about it. 

16. Any Man, by Amber Tamblyn : Horror : 4.5 out of 5 stars

Six men from six distinct walks of life all encounter the same rapist and have the course of their lives altered forever. GORGEOUS. It’s told in various mediums from texts, to instant messages, poetry, stream of consciousness, and journal entries. I’m not usually one to love that method of storytelling, but it just WORKS here. Any Man is another one that I read in a matter of hours. So, so good.

17. Theme Music, by T. Marie Vandelly : Horror : 3.5 out of 5 stars

A woman returns to the home where, twenty years earlies, her father murdered her entire family on Thanksgiving morning. This was so camp. Hilarious, dark, and witty, fans of Scream will enjoy this. Such a fun time.

18. Bettyville, by George Hodgman : Memoir : 2.5 out of 5 stars

A gay man returns home to take care of his mother, who is in the final stages of her battle with dementia. Heartbreaking, a true testament to the relationships people have with one another and all the promises they can’t keep.

19. Loveless, by Alice Oseman : Romance, LGBTQ+, YA fiction : 4.5 out of 5 stars

The journey of self-acceptance that one asexual girl must take in order to be happy. In addition to serving as a poignant reminder that not every LGBTQ+ person is surrounded by allies or people like them, this novel was so sweet, it felt like licking the frosting from a cupcake. A must read.

20. Honey Girl, by Morgan Rogers : Romance, LGBTQ+ : 2.5 out of 5 stars

Recently graduated with a PHd in Astronomy, Grace and her two friends travel to Las Vegas and Grace marries a woman she just met. The relationships between the protagonist and her friends was beautiful, and the writing had many strengths and high points. These victories only made the plot’s shortcomings more obvious.

22. The Town of Babylon, by Alejandro Verela : Slice of Life, LGBTQ+ : 3 out of 5 stars

Andres is a public health worker married to a surgeon, Marco, when he returns home to his unnamed suburban hamlet to care for his ailing father in the midst of his own relationship challenges with Marco. It explores themes of change, queerness, and what it’s like to be the only brown face in a sea of white people. It was heartfelt and lovely.

21. The Cabin at the End of the World, by Paul Tremblay : Horror, LGBTQ+ : 5 out of 5 stars

Wen and her parents Eric and Andrew travel to a remote cabin in New Hampshire for Spring Break, only to be held prisoner by four reluctant captives who claim that the end of the world is coming, and only Wen’s parents and the sacrifice they make can stop it. I cried. The relationships in this novel, the use of violence and horror as a vehicle for INCREDIBLE, GROUNDBREAKING storytelling--go read it. Just do it!

What I’m reading now: The Stranger, by Albert Camus

For next Year: A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket, Sometimes I lie, by Alice Feeny, Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield, and others...

UNTIL NEXT YEAR <3 

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Read List 2021

Hello cryptids and humanoids of the world. 

A couple of people have requested that I compile a list of everything (minus the fanfiction) that I read this year.

It’s a long list. I’m mentally ill.

Reading is how I cope. Writing is how process. It’s my favorite way to escape and I think it’s so beautiful that folks are finding their way back to reading.

The books I read this year were diverse and plentiful. I tried to include genre and a 1 out of 5 star rating (one being the lowest...you get the drift). Please let me know if you’ve read any of these books, of which are listed in no particular order.

Happy new year and happy reading!

1. The Body Keeps the Score, by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk : memoir/medical journal : 3 out of 5 stars 

I started reading this book while away working 16 hour days at a summer stock theatre program, but any moment of free time I could scrape from the bottom of my day, I spent reading about Dr. Van Der Kolk’s fascinating work with trauma patients. This type of medical work is something we don’t hear much about or discuss all that often in our own circles, but trauma is so much a part of our daily lives. It’s a great read if you’re interested in learning how to help others and yourself find how to move through life in a new way.

2. All the Young Men, by Ruth Coker Burks : Memoir : 4.5 out of 5 stars

Another one I devoured while doing theatre this summer, I often got yelled at to “put that fucking book away,” as I turned pages just before curtain call. This book is devastating. A true testament to extraordinary human kindness and human cruelty. As a queer person, this is part of history, yours and mine. America in the 1980s was a country divided and diseased. We were sick with AIDS and hatred alike, and the story of Ms. Burks taking care of over 400 men who were dying, feeding and holding their hands as they died when everyone else was afraid to be near them, moved me to tears. Tears of anger, healing, and adoration. Ruth Coker Burks was a hero to hundreds of men, but, she proved that she was not special. We can all be like her. We can all be brave.

3. Captivated, by A.C. Thomas : Romance/Science Fiction : 4 out of 5 stars

Written by my dear friend @heck-in-a-handbasket , the second book in her Verge series kept me from going insane this year. I absolutely love romance. It took me a long time to say that, but I would scream my adoration for this book from the highest mountain. Fun, thrilling, and heartfelt. So proud of you, Anna. You inspire me everyday.

4. Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell : Romance/ Young Adult : 3 out of 5 stars

I like her stuff, okay? Elanor and Park is what got me to fall in love with the city of Omaha when I first moved here. Fresh out of my sophomore year of college and seven hours away from home, I suddenly felt like I wasn’t alone anymore, and Fangirl did the same for me. This book is so sweet and as someone who indulges in fandom and even writes fanfiction from time to time, I relate to this novel’s themes. Feeling outcast, feeling alone, and believing that maybe it’s better to stick to writing romance than experiencing it. Give this book a read, you’ll be glad you did.

5. Conjure Women, by Afia Atakora : Fantasy/Historical : 2.5 out of 5 stars

While I loved this story’s focus on Hoodoo, healing, and the American Antebellum period, I felt it didn’t lean into itself as much as it should have. Atakora’s writing is stunning--her turn of phrase left me breathless at times, but it fell flat. It left me wanting so much more than what I was given.

6. Going After Caccito, by Tim O’Brien : Fiction/Magical Realism/War Novel : 3 out of 5 Stars

Anyone who knows me knows I love a good war novel. I was first introduced to Tim O’Brien in junior year English, when we were assigned The Things They Carried, another book about the Vietnam war. O’Brien has a way of subverting what his audience might expect from a novel about war but this, along with many of his other books, was gorgeous. The feeling of fear, desperation, and horror in this novel was tangible. Fantastic read.

7. Someone Else’s Wedding Vows, by Bianca Stone : Poetry : 2 out of 5 stars

Some of the poems hit, others didn’t. Nothing more to say about this one.

8. Let the Great World Spin, by Colum McCann : Novel : 2 out of 5 stars

This book was okay. I’ve tried making it through it a couple of times over the last few years, but was always left in the dust of dense language and boring plotlines after the prologue, which leaves me breathless every time. If you’re someone who likes a “keep reading a find out,” book, this might be a good one for you.

9. Sorry I Didn’t Text Back, by Alicia Cooke : Poetry : 1 out of 5 stars

Maybe I’m just getting disenchanted with young people whining about lost love and sexual experiences where the man comes and they don’t, but I feel like I should’ve been expecting this one to miss for me based on the title alone. It dropped me even lower than my lowest expectations. Every poem in this book felt like the first draft of a text you never have the guts to send. It was dry and barren. It felt heartless, at times, sort of like a mess of words from someone’s middle school diary. 

10. Call Me By Your Name, by Andre Aciman : Fiction/Romance : 5 out of 5 stars

When I say ‘you’ve got to read the book to understand,’ this is what I mean. I loved everything about this. Morally gray love affairs, messy feelings, doomed summer romances, heartbreak so real you can almost sense the words breathing with you. Every page was like taking a knife to the stomach. Incredible. That’s all I have to say about that.

11. Brave, by Rose McGowan : Memoir : 4 out of 5 stars

Death to Hollywood. Rose blew the whistle on Harvey Weinstein and it’s because of women like her that I feel safe and comfortable in my own skin. Every man, woman, child, and non-binary person should be required to read this book in schools. It was written for all of us. It calls everyone to be brave, to be smart, and to go breathe fire. I loved it.

12. Love on the Rise, by A.C. Thomas : Romance : 4.5 out of 5 stars

This little holiday Novella, if it had a scent, would smell like fresh baked sugar cookies, financial ruin and subsequent salvation, and gingerbread kisses. Again, I say, so proud of my friend. Go read it if you’re feeling down.

13. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriet Jacobs : Memoir : 3.7 out of 5 stars

I’ve been required to read this book 4 times throughout my college career, and each time I want to share it with someone. It’s history, yours and mine. Give it a read.

14. The Coming, by Daniel Black : Novel/ Historical Fiction : 2 out of 5 stars

Another assigned read, this book was powerful, heartbreaking, and informative, though it got to be a little repetitive at times. What Black managed to accomplish in 400 pages could’ve been nailed down in half, at least. Still an important book.

15. Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, by Grady Hendrix : Horror/Fiction : 4 out of 5 stars

I’ve fallen into a hole, recently. and it’s filled with several snappy, terrifying, heartfelt page-turners. This was the one that fell from the sky. I love, love, love this book. The title is correct. The title doesn’t even begin to do it justice. 

16. When Rabbit Howls, by The Troops for Trudy Chase : Memoir : 3 out of 5 stars

Written by a woman diagnosed with 92 personalities, this book was heavy. At times it felt like a crowd was speaking at once. At others, it felt like my heart was splitting open.

17. Rebel Robin, by A.R. Capetta : Young Adult/Science Fiction : 2 out of 5 stars

I love Stranger Things. I love Robin Buckley and her introduction in season three. I especially love that she’s queer, just like me. This book? I didn’t love her. I liked her (sorry, Dylan!)

18. Notes on a Black Woman’s Diary, by Kathleen Collins : Essays/Short Stories : 2 out of 5 stars

Collins’ writing is wonderful, but this book was hard to get through, especially when we reached the letters. Some of them were profound and others were muddled and confusing. Wouldn’t recommend.

19. My Best Friend’s Exorcism, by Grady Hendrix : Horror/Fiction : 5 out of 5 stars

If I hadn't been smack in the middle of final exams when I started reading this book, I would've devoured the entire thing in one sitting. Like some perfectly packaged pill. I loved it so, so, so much. Grady Hendrix does for the girls what Stephen King wishes he was doing. The characters in "My Best Friend's Exorcism," are both rife with our favorite 80s slasher tropes--the best friend, the nerd, the mean 'it,' girl, the jock, and, of course, the snappy demon living inside your otherwise spotless childhood friend--and the characters are raw. Real. There were moments when I felt so connected to the things Abby and Gretchen were experiencing that I had to take breaks; hoping to God that if my parents shelled out that extra $20 at Christmas, I might be able to fool the popular girls into thinking I belonged. Swearing I'd only live life on the edge as long as my best friend went with me. Believing my parents couldn't possibly understand what it felt like to be a teenage girl, and knowing that, at the end of the day, only true love will save me. And the best love is, often, the one you get from yourself. And your friends. "My Best Friend's Exorcism," is about more than possession. It's about high school and men who take advantage of young girls. Women who are smart and naïve, and capable, and brave, against all odds. Between the snappy humor, the truly disturbing moments, and the tears you'll find sliding down your cheeks at the climax, this novel is about pain. The growing kind. Read it and you'll be glad you did, trust me.

What I’m reading now: The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray, 1984, What Happens when a Man Falls From the Sky.

Until next year!