The chaotic year that was 2022 came with the rise and fall of Wordle, the BeReal revolution, and the release of “Harry and Meghan.” It also came with 31 new additions to the “read” section of my Goodreads. Here are some of the most influential books I read this past year and why I think they should make their way onto your to be read (TBR) list.
Carrie Soto Is Back (Taylor Jenkins Reid)
“Carrie Soto Is Back” was nothing I expected it to be and everything I needed it to be. While the book was written about tennis, it wasn’t written for tennis players specifically. It was written for those who never felt like their best was enough. Those who always felt the pressure to give a little bit more, even when there was nothing left to give. The relationship between Carrie and her father/coach Javier also resonates with a lot of readers. Carrie’s obstinate personality is what makes her one of the most controversial but respected women on the court. With the controversy that constantly surrounds tennis players, a book like “Carrie Soto” is exactly what society needs.
A Court of Thorns and Roses series (Sarah J. Maas)
2022 was the year that I finally took the leap into the complex world that is the fantasy genre, and I’m not talking about the dystopian novels of my youth (ie: “Harry Potter,” “The Hunger Games,” and the “Divergent” series). I’m talking about the intricately woven fabric that is the faerie universe in “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” As stated in an article published by the New York Public Library, “The novel began as a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ retelling that became its own original tale along the way.” These books are not for the faint of heart with the length of the series totaling almost 3,000 pages and some… less than tasteful descriptions. Enter this world at your own risk, but I can guarantee it will change the way you see finger painting.
Sally Rooney has been the talk of the town at least in the circles I run in. Her writing beautifully articulates the feeling of being a 20-something with no idea where you’re going. Her other books “Conversations with Friends” and “Beautiful World, Where Are You” are equally as compelling, but the honesty in which she captures the transition from small-town living into a quarter-life existential crisis in “Normal People” is invigorating. She beautifully and grievously details what it’s like to feel the days dragging on with the hard times seeming insurmountable only to look back one day and realize that years have passed. But it’s okay; you’re just another normal person. And that’s a beautiful thing.
Lessons in Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus)
Bonnie Garmus is not historically a well-known author. In fact, “Lessons in Chemistry” was her debut novel, but boy did she enter the ring with a bang. “Lessons in Chemistry” tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist turned cooking show host (not by choice). Rarely do I say this, but this book truly has something for everyone. The plot of the book centers around the very real struggles that women in the workforce have to put up with on a daily basis. The only female chemist at her lab in the 60’s, Zott has to fight tooth and nail for respect from others, but she never loses respect for herself. It’s a romance, mystery and tragedy all rolled into one, and it’s written with a strong voice and extreme eloquence. If Elizabeth Zott existed today, she would be labeled the feminist of her time, but that’s not what she is. She is, simply put, revolutionary.
Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng)
Based on the cover and title of the book, I expected this to be three hundred and fifty pages of setting the scene and pondering life’s great questions. I have never been more pleased to be completely and utterly wrong. This story captivated me and left me with endless questions. Following three intertwined storylines scaling decades, Celeste Ng does a terrific job of encapsulating the facade of the intense mediocrity of quiet suburbia and what really lies underneath. In its entirety, the book focuses on motherhood and morality in its many forms and how keeping up appearances can be the demise of the seemingly perfect household.
Here’s to another unhinged year and many more pages turned!
My 2022 Recap Ranking
Total books: 31
Total pages: 11,087
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
- I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng
- Funny You Should Ask, Elissa Sussman
- A Court of Mist and Fury, Sarah J. Maas
- Normal People, Sally Rooney
- A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas
- All Your Perfects, Colleen Hoover
- The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank
- Book Lovers, Emily Henry
- Call Me By Your Name, André Aciman
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanna Collins
- The Queen’s Gambit, Walter Tevis
- Reminders of Him, Colleen Hoover
- A Court of Wings and Ruin, Sarah J. Maas
- Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships, Sarah Grunder Ruiz
- What If It’s Us, Becky Albertalli
- Red, White, & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston
- Verity, Colleen Hoover
- It Starts with Us, Colleen Hoover
- The Summer I Turned Pretty, Jenny Han
- It’s Not Summer Without You, Jenny Han
- We’ll Always Have Summer, Jenny Han
- It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover
- Here’s To Us, Becky Albertalli
- Ugly Love, Colleen Hoover
- The Hookup Dilemma, Constance Gillam