My 2022 Year in Books Ranked (An Excessively Long, Detailed Wrap-Up)

At the end of 2021, I made it my mission to read more and review every book I consumed in the new year of 2022. In some regard, I filled this resolution as I actually completed most of the many books I tend to pick up in a year, and though I reviewed quite a few of them, I did fall a little short in the reviewing game and ended up setting this blog on the back burner in the process. However, I’m glad for the most-of-the-way success, and it will make it easier to fulfill in the newest new year of 2023.

Before I embark on my newest reading journey though, I’d like to spend some time reflecting on the wide variety of books I enjoyed (and less than enjoyed) in the past year. This is going to be a doozy so there will be constant “TL;DR” notes riddled throughout. And there are only a few novels I really didn’t like very much, so even if a title is in the bottom ten, it doesn’t necessarily mean I behold it poorly which is good in that I can be friendly but bad in that I wish I could be a bit more hoity-toity about it all.

50. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

I had higher hopes for this novel when I first picked it up and found a couple good chuckles in its first few pages, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. I’m not sure whether it’s partly related to the disenchantment I had with books at the time, or if it also has to do with the book itself, but my reading experience wasn’t up to the usual par I’d found throughout the rest of the year.

TL;DR – Maybe sci-fi just isn’t for me.

49. Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

While I wasn’t fully enamored by the first installment of this trilogy, I was definitely a bit more let down upon picking up this second installment. It was needlessly long, spending too much time on things that were a bit too boring to be taking up so much real estate among the pages. While there were some enjoyable facets–particularly related to the introduction of a new character–the good was much outweighed by the bad, or perhaps just the painfully mediocre.

TL;DR – Second installments of trilogies are usually mediocre but jeez.

48. The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #4) by Lemony Snicket

It feels a bit wrong to have one of these series’ books ranked so low on the list, especially since this slew of stories was so influential in my younger years, but in the grand scheme of each book, this installment has the unfortunate (excuse the pun) position of being one of the series’ lower points. Falling victim to the encroaching monotony of the first few formulaic books, it’s the darkness before the dawn of the overarching story really beginning to take off.

TL;DR – Every series has to have its lows.

47. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Believe me, it pains me to put this book so far down on the list, especially since it’s a favorite of so many, but it, unfortunately, was not the one for me. The story’s concept is fascinating but it languishes with its protagonist’s stagnance in character growth and, frankly, childishness that contradicts the eternal life she bought in an exchange for her soul. Perhaps–and most likely–it’s due to the nature of her deal in which she is not held responsible for her actions but whether inherent or not, it failed to capture my attention or heart. That being said, Schwab’s prose is lovely, as she is endlessly praised for, and I won’t slight her of that admiration. As pleasant as it was, though, it couldn’t save the story for me.

TL;DR – Typically, character-driven novels need to have likable or at least relatable main characters…

46. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

As the months have gone on, this novel has shrunk in my mind a bit. Upon finishing it, I could appreciate it for what it was and allowed myself to enjoy the twist beheld highly by many other readers. However, I can’t deny my disappointment as the novel started off compelling and page-turning but floundered in the end as it seemed to have lost its way and purpose in the final act. Fascinating nuance and intelligent insights were traded in for shock value, which I find to be a real shame.

TL;DR – Shock value will never outweigh nuance.

45. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

After having seen Henry Sellick’s film based off of this mildly macabre children’s tale, I was excited to pick this up, especially since I had built up certain expectations on what it would be. For some reason or other, I’d worked out a certain style of fanciful prose that I expected from the story, but when I discovered that the flow of the story and the words crafting its structure were more matter-of-fact, the thrill and wonder petered off. I’m saddened to admit this, especially since it’s the fault of my own assumptions far more than the actual text, but alas. I will, though, appreciate the groundwork laid here for a film I find quite endearing.

TL;DR – The book should taint the film before the film ever taints the book.

44. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This was the first book I completed in 2022, and the first book I’d read in one day since probably the slight middle-grade stories of my tween years. Because of that, it differed from the long, perusing walks I take with most books, poring over their language and story structure, and was much more of a whirlwind, leaving me speechless with its shift and resolution. I’ve seen some particularly stunned and enamored by this story and I’ve seen others notably let down or even perturbed by its subjectively lackluster contents. I can say that I’m comfortably in between these two extremes where I can appreciate it for what it was, whilst also believing it’s not necessarily the world’s eighth wonder.

TL;DR – TikTok books can be a good time but are typically not religious works.

43. Wicked Magic (Vampires of Oxford, #1) by Margot de Klerk

This was the first ARC I received through BookSirens which was quite exciting, and a memorable experience because of that. It was also the first book I read on my Kindle which meant I got to highlight text and add notes without marring a physical copy, which helped me have a more filled-out reading experience — again, very exciting. As a bit of a departure from the high fantasy and magical realism I was reading earlier in the year, I got to explore a bit of urban fantasy which was nice. Though I had a little bit of a hard time connecting with the characters on occasion, it was a good time and a pleasant read.

TL;DR – First times do tend to be memorable.

42. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Noted for being charming and unique, I can’t deny that both of these things are true. Met with raving reviews from everyone I follow, I was excited to give this slight novel a try, especially with a cover insinuating much whimsy therein. While its distinctive tone is obviously worth mentioning, and totally one unto itself, I found it difficult to love it as wholly as I had hoped. Brimming with sweet naivete and probable insights that went over my head, I can see where other people would love it but for me, it’s not that it fell flat so much as it didn’t enrapture me in the same manner. I can walk away saying it was nice, but not too much more than that. Maybe lending it another read would be worth it, but I’m not sure when or if I will prioritize that personally.

TL;DR – Maybe I’m just a tad too cynical.

41. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

In retrospect, this novel has shrunk a lot for me (for context, based on my initial four-star rating, this would be #23). While I quite enjoyed it upon finishing it in my standard fake-deep-loving fashion, I find that in the context of all the books I’ve read this year, it pales a bit. It’s a decent premise, and a decent execution even still, but looking back, it’s a fair bit more mediocre in my mind than I first thought it was.

TL;DR – Everyone’s kind of right. This does “have you ever tried not being sad” energy.

40. Heir of Blood and Secrets by Linda Xia

Following Scylla, the daughter of a magistrate tangled up in a political debacle and murder mystery with him as the prime suspect, Heir of Blood and Secrets explores a few topics that I quite appreciated. As is often found in dystopian novels such as this, there’s an exploration of classism and politics, but what I appreciated even more about this story is that despite presenting a “strong female lead”, it makes a point not to succumb to the misogynistic pitfalls of its predecessors within a similar genre. It’s very refreshing whenever I see that appear, especially in an already enjoyable story, this one a mystery in a world yet to be explored even further in future installments.

TL;DR – There’s not much I love more than the deconstruction of misogyny.

39. Nick and Charlie (Solitaire, #1.5) by Alice Oseman

This novella follows characters first introduced in Oseman’s debut novel, Solitaire, and later depicted in the fan-favorite webcomic series, Heartstopper, and it’s a sweet yet angsty companion to each of these series. As a standalone, it doesn’t serve as particularly much, but in conjunction with the broader storyline of the Osemanverse, it is a nice insert for fans of these characters and I enjoyed it, even if I wouldn’t say it’s too much to necessarily write home about.

TL;DR – Fodder for the fans and a good time.

38. This Winter (Solitaire, #.5) by Alice Oseman

The first Solitaire novella tops Nick and Charlie for me, perhaps mostly because of my love for the character of Tori Spring but also because–though similarly poignant to #1.5–it expounds on situations mentioned in both Solitaire and some of the Heartstopper comics, filling in the picture of the story as a whole. Like Nick and Charlie, though, while a nice novella, it works mostly when the reader is familiar with the stories it’s accompanying.

TL;DR – There is nothing I love more than holidays that are not happy, be it scary, sad, or otherwise.

37. Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone, #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Following the release of the Netflix adaptation of Shadow and Bone, I shucked the book of the same name and went instead for the stories exploring my favorite characters. Upon finishing the Six of Crows duology, though, I figured it was about time I give the first Grishaverse story a try, especially since I wanted to read the next installment before the second season came out. While it was a decent story, it was not without its issues, though I do think it gets ragged on a little too much. If we’re going to be ragging on anything, I think it should be Siege and Storm instead…

TL;DR – Let’s maybe give her a break.

36. The Prism Affect (Skylight, #1) by J. Wint

A great departure from my typical reading choices, I acquired a copy of this novel through BookSirens and decided to give sci-fi a try. Following a cast of fairly unique characters and a fun storyline despite the dismaying themes of imminent young death, this was an enjoyable read with high stakes and developing friendships, some of which were begrudging which makes it even better in my book. The ending did lose me a little bit as it confused me in its attempt to prepare the story for the rest of the series, which was a slight disappointment, but the prose was solid and the novel decent.

TL;DR – I find sci-fi alright in moderation.

35. The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #3) by Lemony Snicket

This installment will always leave me feeling a little attacked as it follows the Baudelaire orphans staying with a paranoid woman who is a total stickler for grammar and is a completely pitiful and harmful character in her passivity. With that being said, this follows the first two books nicely by remaining on theme without yet being too mundane (unlike *cough cough* The Miserable Mill *cough*).

TL;DR – I am Aunt Josephine manifest, for better or for worse.

34. The Complete Poems (1927-1979) by Elizabeth Bishop

As is the nature of poetry and short story collections, it seems unfair to rank one as a whole since it’s a myriad of distinct pieces, but despite that, I think I’ll rank it as a whole somewhere around here. I’m not someone who’s particularly familiar with a lot of poetry, but this made me feel a little better to have a place to ground myself, and I have a few favorites within these pages, namely The Man-Moth, Songs for a Colored Singer, and Sestina.

TL;DR – I want so badly to be a pretentious poetry reader.

33. Gallant by Victoria Schwab

This is the first ARC I’ve ever received, and I happened to have acquired it physically through a giveaway which was quite honestly a highlight of my year, getting to hold and read and experience a book a bit like it was a secret even if it wasn’t really. The icing on that cake is the fact that it was a decent read, too. As is to be expected from this author’s work, the prose is decadent and eerie. I do find it necessary, though, to mention that this is not at all a very plot-driven novel and relies on its atmosphere above all else, even above characters, I’d say.

TL;DR – This book is very truly “no plot, just vibes”.

32. The Wizard’s Ward (Vale, #1) by Jules McAleese

Marking one of the few high fantasies I’ve read this year not penned by Leigh Bardugo, I found the prose in this novel delectably descriptive, and the setting and magic system charming and well done. The characters were compelling and the flow of the story kept the pages turning, making up for a very nice novel. Despite growing away from high fantasy as I’ve gotten older, I can definitely still enjoy a time in another world for a bit, and this was no exception.

TL;DR – Rich descriptions in fantasy stories are always lovely.

31. On Writing by Stephen King

Personally, it feels a bit wrong to mix nonfiction with fiction as I view them as so entirely different, but since this is still a book, it needs a place somewhere. I read this first many years ago and was surprised by how much I actually remembered upon a reread since I feel most information I absorb has a very short time to stay in my head. I guess that may be testament enough to the contents of this book.

TL;DR – Nonfiction is almost as hard to rank as short story and poetry collections, if not even harder.

30. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

I’ve not read very many memoirs in my time, but I’m very glad to have picked this one up. Not only does it explore both themes and the physical struggles of sickness, grief, and the strained dynamic between parent and child in such a raw and candid manner, but it also is richly packed with the relationship between one and their culture, especially when linked by and through food. As someone who’s not had the experience of building relationships and passing on traditions through food, it’s very fascinating to see how much this tangible and mandatory part of human existence is so entrenched in the culture of countries and families. It shows how much work and love and investment are intrinsically tied up in all of it. This memoir is not only well-written but also visceral in the topics it explores.

TL;DR – The way people cook and the food they eat teach you so much about a person, and it’s one of my favorite ways to get to know someone.

29. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Frequently cited as being quirky and humorous, I find this novel is less so funny than it is indicative of the faults in the way society shuns and envelops certain people. While the protagonist is peculiar and perhaps has a history of troubling behaviors, she’s earnest and attentive before all the less-than-kind assertions her peers peg her as. Her voice in the story is stark and highlights that difference doesn’t equate to wrongness, and that love can come up in places some people may deem inappropriate and not be as such.

TL;DR – Weird isn’t always bad and is really most often good.

28. Misery by Stephen King

After being exposed to King via his memoir On Writing and his earliest works published under a pseudonym (specifically Rage and The Long Walk by “Richard Bachman”), I decided it was about time to pick up one of his more popular novels, especially since I have several on my physical TBR waiting to be cracked open. Misery is a thrilling story that lays out the struggles of a man captured by an unstable nurse and does all that one would expect from it. It thrills and horrifies and disgusts in all the ways it means to as well as in some ways it doesn’t. Often times I see people either totally disregard the depictions of sexism and racism in this text or let it mar the story completely, and both are the individual reader’s prerogative; it isn’t my place to indicate what is the right or wrong way to behold it. Personally, I believe that both can be true — there are parts I cringe at that cause my stomach to turn for both good and bad reasons. Ultimately, the story does its job and for folks who like this sort, then it’s here waiting.

TL;DR – Stephen King can certainly cause his readers to cringe for all sorts of reasons.

27. The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #5) by Lemony Snicket

After setting the groundwork for the rest of the series with the first few books, The Austere Academy sees the introduction of characters that add further intrigue to the story and kickstart webbed mysteries laced out throughout the rest of the stories. In some regard, this is where the story really begins.

TL;DR – Let’s get this miserable party started.

26. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, #2) by C.S. Lewis

This is a classic and a reread for me. It feels at least a little bit sacrilegious to put this so low on the list given its influence and actual place in literature, but we’re all familiar enough with it that it almost seems a little bit trite to put it too high. It’s great, and we love it, and we’ll put it in a place to save some space for some other things.

TL;DR – It’s a classic. We love it. There you go.

25. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

This story of grief and working out the unsureness of young love is a bit paradoxical in that it is at once tender and modest while also being evocative and arresting. It presents itself plainly, laying out the facts of the scenes, and, in turn, accentuates all the subtleties and underlying aches, pains, and longings of the characters within these pages. I hope to pick this story up again in a few years because I expect it to hit even harder at a time when I really need it. Even at a time when I felt it was a bit misfitting, it still pierced through then.

TL;DR – Nothing will ever top the redolence of mundane imagery.

24. The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

Being part of a new favorite series of mine, I have to rank this decently high, even if in some regard I found it disappointing. To be fair to this novel, it holds a lot on its shoulders with the character arcs and morphing dynamics of its characters, let alone the conclusion to a grand storyline that’s been stretched out over four books. Though I found that the ending was a bit underwhelming, especially with all of the buildup of the previous books, I can’t bring myself to be too unkind to it, because it demonstrates a lot for the characters and brings a close to a chapter of some of my favorite characters (young adult found family friend groups will always hold a special place in my heart).

TL;DR – (to the characters in this series) Even if the ending is underwhelming, I will love you all endlessly.

23. Bunny by Mona Awad

There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, and there were also parts that I had a harder time with. Following the protagonist, we find ourselves eased into an increasingly uncanny environment. Everything becomes more and more off-kilter, and the eerily saccharine clique that the main character gets involved with takes hold of her and enraptures her in their peculiar world. Up through the midway point, it had me enthralled and ready for more. In the latter half, I lost my grip on the story and fault myself entirely rather than the novel itself. This is one I surely plan on rereading in the future.

TL;DR – I think I live for sweetness so saccharine that it becomes grotesque.

22. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

When I first picked this novel up in 2020, it was an instant five-star read. Rereading, I’m not exactly sure why I was so strongly affected by it at the time, but I think it mostly had to do with it being a piece of media I consumed at a volatile time in life, causing me to apply further meaning and intention to it, whether it is there or not. After a reread, I can say that it’s still a lovely, poignant story of familial struggles, race, privilege, and lack thereof, and secrets and lies we tell to preserve our loved ones beyond all else. While it’s knocked a bit off its pedestal, I still behold this novel well.

TL;DR – Sad books for sad people make for a sad, good time.

21. As Good as Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, #3) by Holly Jackson

Being one of my first reads of the year when I was a bit high on my book consumption, I rated this novel very well right off the bat. After quite enjoying the first installment and being a bit disappointed by the sequel, I was interested to see how this trilogy ended if only to be able to close the door and leave it behind me. Though a lot of unbelievable (as in, you must utilize your suspension of disbelief) things transpire in this thrilling conclusion, I quite liked the darker turn this series took. It’s not the sort of book that I’ll probably ever reread, but I had a very good time reading it when I did.

TL;DR – Mysteries will always impress me because I am not smart enough to work them out ahead of time (though I did actually work this one out).

20-17. Heartstopper: Volume One-Four by Alice Oseman

Honestly, there’s not too much to say about these graphic novels beyond the fact that they are an endlessly wholesome collection of vignettes of young love, as well as taking care to handle more difficult topics in the subplots of the two boys that it’s based around.

TL;DR – Wholesome and endearing comics with a very sweet art style.

16. A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1) by Becky Chambers

This novella is a nice slice of escapism into a purer world of solarpunk persuasion. It’s contemplative and kind and such a lovely getaway from all the less-than-ideal things we encounter in the real life day-to-day world. This story takes its time perusing through ideas and light philosophizing via the main characters first nearly at odds before securing themselves into a purer, more symbiotic dynamic. Above all, it’s a treat.

TL;DR – Sometimes you need a break from the world, and this is a good one to take.

15. The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

Marking the third and final memoir on this list, Dave Grohl’s recollection of his life and the people he’s met was something I was very excited to read, and was glad to find that it delivered on all that I was hoping to find glued to its spine. With anecdotes of many of the greats in the music industry, as well as simultaneously pitiful and humorous stories from his early days of making music and life on the road, it was a solid read.

TL;DR – Any chance to read anything about Joan Jett even if it’s just a chapter is a chance taken by me.

14. The Maid by Nita Prose

As I mentioned in the TL;DR for As Good as Dead, it does not take much to impress me with mysteries, and, in turn, I’m probably not the one to ask for such recommendations. That being said, the way this story is presented is in such a manner that the reader will likely catch onto things that the protagonist does not so some predictability seems built-in. There were some twists, though, that I hadn’t seen coming and, like most mysteries I consume, I was just along for the ride.

TL;DR – [see TL;DR for As Good as Dead]

13. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh

The most distinctive part of this novel is the fairly insufferable unnamed protagonist. Everything we see from the recollections of her life to the people she encounters is painted with the brush of her privilege and unkindness. She’s pretentious and lazy and judgemental and she needs a break. This novel explores her hazy year under the excessive influence of an experimental drug in her attempt to sleep a year away to come out refreshed and revitalized. While I didn’t have a problem reading the bulk of it, I felt fairly indifferent about the whole thing until the ending where I suddenly became unsure of what my feelings were surrounding it. Even now, I wonder if a reread would serve me to work things out in my head a little more. With that being said, the last few pages stood out in my mind for quite a while thereafter.

TL;DR – Just because someone’s insufferable doesn’t mean that they don’t have a point (and maybe that’s why we find them as such).

12. She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

This quick read is heartwarming and a twinge campy with its fake-dating enemies-to-lovers sports romance — and I loved every second of it. We follow basketball-playing high schooler, Scotty, as she tries to get back at her ex-girlfriend by engaging in a fake relationship with Scotty’s nemesis–the stuck-up cheerleading queen bee, Irene. Set in a quirky town with an array of similarly quirky characters, this novel is silly and fun and makes it make sense to me why people like reading romances so much.

TL;DR – This is one of the few romances I’ve ever read, and I’m glad that it’s one of them.

11. Normal People by Sally Rooney

After doing most of my reading early this year and swiftly sliding into a reading plateau, I spent the last few colder months returning to favorites or ones I felt needed a little revisiting. This one lines up with the latter example. While I quite liked it the first time around, I had mixed feelings about the ending and hoped that a reread would lend me a different perspective. Unfortunately, my mission was unsuccessful in that I didn’t find any more clarity though it did confirm in my mind that I liked the rest of the story just as much as before, if not a little more.

TL;DR – Oh, what to do with mixed feelings about books.

10. Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket

If it has not already been made abundantly clear, I’m a diehard fan of Lemony Snicket. If you peeled back my skin, that fact would be emblazoned all over my bones and tangled up in my blood vessels, probably. When I found out that there was a new Lemony Snicket release, I lost my mind a little bit, then marched over to my local library to get my hands on a copy and I loved every word on every page. This slender book is about both nothing as well as a lot of things at once, and I think those are some of the best sorts of stories.

TL;DR – Without Lemony Snicket I’d be but a mewling worm rather than a mewling middle-grade loving bookworm.

9. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

As someone who is so completely drawn to fictional worlds deep enough that they have lore unto themselves, The Language of Thorns was right up my alley being the folklore native to the Grishaverse, home of many of my favorite characters. It’s the same excitement some get in cracking open a fantasy book and finding a map in the front few pages but on an even grander scale. One of the fairytales in this collection is based on a reference in Siege and Storm, and having read this collection first, I got to experience being a Ravkan native for a moment in Siege and Storm, knowing the full tale at the briefest image drudged up in reference. It’s thrilling to peek into a world so vivid. For a moment it feels like magic is maybe real after all.

TL;DR – My red flag is being unbearably nerdy.

8. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Objectively, this book is not that good. Objectively, it’s alright at best. Objectively, no one’s probably picked up a copy since roughly 2014. Objectively, I do not care. Much like Everything I Never Told You, this was a novel I clung to at a volatile time in my life, basically weaving it into my very makeup. It was fourteen-year-old me’s bible, and for that, I will always love it unconditionally, in sickness and in health, etc. etc. etc.

TL;DR – There is a dreadful Tumblr girl living inside of me and sometimes she needs to be fed.

7. The Cottage Fairy Companion by Paola Merrill

As a big fan of the concept of slow, intentional living, I’ve been incredibly drawn to TheCottageFairy on YouTube since I discovered her videos back in 2020. When I found out she was releasing a book, it was an absolute no-brainer that I needed to get my hands on a copy. It’s a lovely collection of recipes, craft instructions, poetry, pictures, and prose discussing the hows and whys of mindful living. It serves as a lovely reminder that the magical feeling of escapism can occur outside of book pages, too.

TL;DR – One day I’ll be living in a little house in the woods, drying my flowers and brewing my potions. Just you wait.

6. Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

Well, I’m a little bit horrified to discover that all the annotations on my eBook copies of The Raven Cycle have been somehow deleted, so all my maddened frenzies have dispersed into the netherverse. Putting that away to mourn over later, I can only say that I remember loving this book a lot, much like every other novel in this series. The details are a bit fuzzy which means a reread of the series is definitely due fairly soon…

TL;DR – Apparently I am a human second, and a Maggie Stiefvater fan first.

5. Solitaire (Solitaire, #1) by Alice Oseman

This actually took me quite by surprise. When I first read this book, I was unsure what to make of it, especially after being familiarized with the less-than-stellar reviews surrounding this book. However, once I got into it, I really got into it, and I savored every moment with Tori Spring, someone I’d only met briefly in the panels of Heartstopper and the brief pages of the novella This Winter. And not only with Tori, but Michael Holden, too, and the dynamic between the two of them. It was a great deal more enjoyable than I expected, and I can’t exactly encapsulate why, just that it was.

TL;DR – I couldn’t explain it any better than you could.

4. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This delightfully grotesque and stomach-turning novel was just the right read for October as the days got cooler, and the season a little bit spookier. Again, I was a little skeptical about this novel since I’ve seen primarily if not entirely mediocre ratings on this one, but I’m glad to say that I’m shedding the burden of public opinion to say that I liked this quite a lot! Though some topics made me a little queasy and I’d check the trigger warnings before picking it up, it feels pretty good and accurate to have this in my top 5.

TL;DR – I think I need more gothic tales in my life.

3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Working out my admiration for this story alongside the very valid critiques arguing against it was a difficult thing to make sense of. After reading many reviews and doing research on the topics relating to the critiques, I’ve personally settled on a similar sentiment to the ones I have towards Misery: the facts that it’s a well-written book and that there are intrinsic issues in the bones of the story can both be true, neither of which necessarily canceling out the other. For those interested in picking this up, I’d advise reading up on the real history this story takes its notes from, and listening to those providing critical perspectives to gain context to the reading experience.

TL;DR – It’s complicated.

2. Call Down the Hawk (The Dreamer Trilogy, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

As the penultimate completed book of the year, it kind of makes sense to have this be the penultimate title on this list too. I ended up liking this book a lot more than I expected, which is a little bit silly to think that I wouldn’t when it’s about a character that I grew to love as The Raven Cycle went on (Ronan Lynch) as well as a bit about my favorite character from the series (Adam Parrish). I was skeptical, I think, of leaving Blue and Gansey out of the picture but it turned out to make sense, and the hole was filled with characters I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. Along with the lovable characters, the plot was engaging, and the prose was exactly the same sort that I loved in The Raven Cycle. I’m glad to have spent many hours on New Year’s Eve dedicated to finishing it.

TL;DR – This book caused me very much angst and very much joy.

1. The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know this was going to be at the top of the list until I sorted out all of the books I’ve read by the ratings I’ve given them, and this was up in the 4.5/5 section with the last six or seven titles. Again, I’ll be honest and say that I can’t remember what the exact things I loved about this book were because it’s been very nearly a year since I’ve read it, and those memories have since expired, and with the death of all of my annotations, I’m having a hard time remembering the details.

As I think about it more, I think it has mostly to do with the fact that I could feel it was the beginning of something I was going to love a lot. With The Raven Boys, I enjoyed it, but I was somewhat mentally absent while consuming it, and while I was liking what I was hearing, I was still a little skeptical. Not all the characters had grown on me, and I wasn’t fully following the storyline (with my mental absence and all), but by the time I’d completed The Dream Thieves, I’d known I was partaking in something I was growing to love.

This year has been a very difficult one for me in that I’ve been on the edge of youth and adulthood with no idea how much of the former I can take with me into the latter. Nothing has felt quite right for a while, and to be able to vicariously indulge in the youth slipping through my fingers in these books has given me a place to foster that part of me before moving into the next stage. Reading Call Down the Hawk (which takes place after the events of The Raven Cycle)–the penultimate title on this list–actually helped me a bit in this strange transition in a sort of silly, illogical way, but also not entirely in that it takes these characters of youth and eases them, too, into the mind-boggling and somewhat unsettling unknown world. Of course, there’s a lot less magic in my paralleling story but it’s the principles more than anything.

TL;DR – I’m a sentimental sap who deserves very few to no rights.

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This list has taken me an embarrassing number of hours to compose, but as I bring it to a close, I’m finding that the process has been a bit more therapeutic than I’d expected, and I’ve ended up reflecting a bit more deeply than I’d initially intended. Which is good. I am glad.

I’m hoping to broaden my horizons even further this new year. This past year has helped me stretch my reading muscles and gotten me to read a great number more books than usual (for context, I read a total of 22 books in 2021 and 18 in 2020), which I’m taking as the primer coating in preparation for me to lather on the various shades of paint to come. I’ve spent a fair amount of time this year writing first drafts of stories I hope to one day do more with, and I want to keep learning and absorbing to match and strengthen my output. I have decently high hopes, though I’m still keeping them tethered to the ground so they don’t completely float away.

Happy New Year.

Have you read any of the books on this list? Did you like them? Why, or why not? What are your favorites reads of this year? Least favorite? Tell me about them. I’d love to know.