2022 was a slow and quiet reading year for me — which is probably why I forgot to post about it! But slow and quiet doesn’t mean bad. In fact, I only read a handful of books, but most were excellent.
My faves of 2022:
GOOD TALK: A graphic memoir with bounce that belies its depth.
MINOR FEELINGS: A cutting book of essays on the Asian-American experience.
Both resonated deeply with me.
THREE KEYS: A great continuation of Kelly Yang’s FRONT DESK series, which we now own in its entirety, for both my kids and myself to enjoy.
HIGH HOW WE GO IN THE DARK: Wow. Interlinked, literary, speculative stories revolving around a pandemic. Andy read the book before I did, and he was quite sure that I would enjoy it, but for a long time I wasn’t ready. Our own real-world covid pandemic had drained so much out of me. Finally, though, finally I was able to give the book a try, and it was… beautiful. Somber but not a downer. Full of aching, longing, grief, hope. Echoes and ripples.
—
My faves of 2023:
MAKING A SCENE: Didn’t feel like a typical celebrity memoir, but rather a collection of personal essays from someone who happened to become an actress. I especially liked hearing about her time at a monastery in Taiwan; working at a Montana Gold bakery; and sneaking into unfinished houses with her mom and sister.
YELLOWFACE: A wild ride. Buzzy and bold.
FAMILY OF LIARS: Confident and atmospheric. I loved the complicated family relationships, and the use of ghosts and “twisted fairytales.” After reading this prequel, I immediately went back and reread WE WERE LIARS too.
ALL MY RAGE: Tender and explosive. A quiet masterpiece, I think.
THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED: John Green has a beautiful, brilliant, and compassionate mind, and I really enjoy spending time with it. His writing inspires me on many levels.
EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW: Didn’t think I would care about an influencer family, but Kelly Loy Gilbert proved me wrong. There’s also a layer of humor in this book that I don’t remember in her previous novels. And I think the book’s central theme — authenticity — is becoming more and more important to our society every day.
TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW: A love letter to gaming, creativity, and friendship.
THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES: A solid addition to the Hunger Games canon. I do think Collins whiffed a little bit at the end, but damn if she doesn’t know how to tell an engaging story.
—
My reading in 2024 so far is not as prolific as 2023, but that’s okay. I’ve had a lot going on.
(Short version: We moved to China for the next 3 years. More on that later. Probably.)
Leave a Reply