Hello, everyone, and happy new year! I hope everyone’s end of year was lovely. Most times, I come into the new year with a bit of malaise/melancholy (foreseeing failed resolutions, the imminence of aging and passing of time, etc., etc., you understand) but I feel a little better about it this year! I’m hoping for good things.

Last year I spent an entire day (truly, hours and hours on end) composing “My 2022 Year in Books Ranked” and really enjoyed the experience! However, as much as I loved writing it, it was excessively bloated, self-indulgent, and probably not particularly readable to the average consumer. This time, I’ll try (we’ll see) to be a bit more concise… (The fact that I’ve read only thirty-nine books as opposed to the fifty last year will hopefully help me out!)

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Rereads

Last year, I combined first time reads and rereads together in my ranking although I felt a little strange doing so, skewing particular reading experiences and such (eg. ranking 5-star rereads as favorites of the year over books actually first read in 2022). As I’d like to focus more on my first-time reads in this post, I’ll just mark my rereads with this quick list (in chronological ranking rather than rating)!

• The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #6) by Lemony Snicket
• The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #7) by Lemony Snicket
• The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
• The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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2 stars – 3 stars

34. Tongue of a Crow by Peter Coyote

I picked this poetry collection up on a whim upon seeing it at Goodwill. None of the poems really spoke to me, and I ended up donating it to a Little Free Library upon finishing it.

33. You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayon

This YA slasher novel seemed to somewhat try to do the meta thing that Scream did but came off redundant because of it. There was an excellent setting and setup for this story but it came off cartoonish. It wasn’t for me.

32. The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1) by Melissa Albert

My relationship with this book is a little complicated because I wanted to enjoy it so badly. I succumbed to the ultimate cliché of judging the book by its cover and was lured into something that was just…eh. I really tried so hard to pin down what it was that wasn’t clicking for me, and I just couldn’t figure it out — so now that frustration is intrinsically tangled in my recollection of this book.

31. The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1) by Jenny Han

YA romance–or romance in general, really–is not territory I often explore, and books like this are why (though I’ve read YA romances I enjoyed such as Kelly Quindlen’s She Drives Me Crazy). Other readers seemed most annoyed with Belly’s character but it was Conrad that bothered me most. Funnily enough, I actually thought the show adaptation was better — not necessarily good, but better. I didn’t hate it but would’ve been more than fine skipping out on it.

30. What Matters Most is How Well You Walk Through the Fire by Charles Bukowski

I’ve remarked before, “the juxtaposition of Bukowski’s crudity and poetry’s introspection is stark and compelling,” and I stand by that still. Although the bulk of the poems weren’t for me, there were some ones I really enjoyed (“hunger”, “the crunch (2)”).

29. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland, #1) by Lewis Carroll

Over the years, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started reading this without finishing it (I think getting a chapter or two away, even). Though it took me years to actually complete it, this children’s classic is a quick, quirky read. While I liked the absurdity and plentiful riddles, puns, and jokes centering language, I’m surprised and a little ashamed to say that this book was just alright for me.

28. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who reads poetry and Shakespeare and is moderately pretentious so I decided to finally take matters into my own hands. I get the sense that Shakespeare is best consumed a) onstage as intended and/or b) with guidance and insights of people who actually know what’s going on. My overall comprehension of this play leaves a little to be desired but from what I got out of it, I liked it well enough (anytime the witches were present was when I was most intrigued — the flow and rhythm of their language is so enthralling and, understandably, bewitching).

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3.5 stars – 4 stars

27. Juno: The Shooting Script by Diablo Cody

There’s not too much to say about this independent of the film itself since it’s all the same. I like the movie, so I enjoyed reading the script. I’d probably rewatch the movie before rereading the script, but this was a nice one-sitting activity when I did pick it up!

26. Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham

I actually really didn’t enjoy this memoir when I started it. The colloquial tone was rather irksome but I think that was more of being in a cranky mood when picking it up. By the time I finished it, I was glad to have read it (I enjoyed the bits reminiscing on Gilmore Girls most, which I figure is a popular line of thinking/feeling).

25. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This may be a bit of an unpopular opinion but of the three Taylor Jenkins Reid books I’ve read, this is the one I’d rank third. I did love the Old Hollywood glamour of it and enjoyed the implementation of tabloids and such, but it didn’t wow me as much as her other works. I loved Evelyn but–without spoiling anything–I didn’t see so much what she saw in the love of her life. This, of course, doesn’t make the book bad but I was invested more in Evelyn’s contentment than the romance itself. Although the book didn’t blow me away, I did enjoy it overall.

24. According to Their Kinds by Abigail Anklam

I stumbled across this short story collection at a thrift store and decided to pick it up, especially upon finding it was written and signed by a somewhat local author. All of the short stories center around different animals and various people’s interactions with them. The collection was pleasant and reflective. A nice, quick read.

23. The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

This fantasy story is very short and filled with illustrations, making it an excellent quick read–which is exactly what I was looking for this year as I sought to reignite my love for reading! It also employs a favorite trope of mine: tight-knit sibling relationships / children left to their own devices (think A Series of Unfortunate Events or Coraline).

22. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot, #2) by Becky Chambers

Though I was highly anticipating this book’s 2022 release, I didn’t get my hands on a copy until this year. I’m not sure if the Monk & Robot series is meant to be a duology or to continue on but whatever the case, I enjoyed this second installment. It brings about all the same heartwarming cozy feelings of the first one.

21. The Boy With the Thorn in His Side by Pete Wentz

A physical copy of this book is extremely difficult to come by but fortunately I found where you can read it through images online. This dark, fantastical short story focuses primarily on mental health and finding a place for oneself in the world. As a big fan of Pete Wentz’s writing in Fall Out Boy, I really enjoyed this book.

20. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

I think the unreliable narration of this suburban gothic turns a lot of people off to the story because they don’t understand what they’re looking at. When people walk away from this book writing off Eugenides as another example of a man butchering girlhood, they miss the fact that that is the intention, the fact of the story told. Because as much as it’s said that this book is about the Lisbon girls and the tragedies that befall them, it’s far more about the state of 1970s American suburbia and the unsavory perspective of the obsessed group of boys narrating it. I wouldn’t say it’s one of my favorite reads of the year but I did quite enjoy it and the cogitation it encourages.

19. Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid by Lemony Snicket

This collection of quotes and philosophies for readers from middle grade to adult is a great piece of Lemony Snicket’s sardonic and at once facetious and earnest tone. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of his work!

18. Mister Impossible (Dreamer Trilogy, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

I absolutely loved Call Down the Hawk. Honestly, I was shocked by how viscerally I loved it, the intensity of it in the fiber of my being. I think there was a variety of reasons for this: its illustrating the awkward stage between teenagehood and adulthood I was in the trenches of, the return of some of my most favorite written characters ever, it being one of the last books I read in a year where I’d read more than I ever had before, etc. In retrospect, I think it should’ve ranked #1 rather than #2 because it was everything I needed at the time.

And then came Mister Impossible. Not: “Oh! Mister Impossible!” More like: “Oh. Mister Impossible.”

Alright, I’m being a little dramatic but I need to incessantly ramble about something more than I already have before this post comes to a close. It’s not that this book is bad. Not in the sense of “junk food” bad where it’s cheesy and frivolous and plain fun. Not in the sense of ridiculous and unconvincing either. This book just felt a little too disjointed. Character- and point-of-view- wise, this book is all over the place. In the first book, there were POVs that I was less interested in but they still seemed valuable to the plot. In Mister Impossible, though, it felt like an incredible disservice to the already fragmented, floundering story. If you asked me the plot of this book, there is no part of me that could really tell you what happened. I don’t remember now, and I don’t know if I could’ve explained it then either. Overall, it was just too incoherent.

But all of that being said, I still enjoyed it…I think. When I finished it, I gave it four stars and that must count for something because in the last year or so, I’ve stopped giving sympathetic ratings. Maybe this belongs lower on the list or maybe, inversely, I’m being too harsh. Whatever the case, I’m going to leave it here and maybe say where it should’ve gone a year from now. There. Tangent complete.

17. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

My Goodreads review upon finishing this book says: “This book was a bit of an enigma in that it felt very long to me but was also very easy to read, making it an immense pillowy comfort to descend into when I had extra time in my day. It was heartfelt and chasmic and at least a little bit nerdy — a most excellent combination.” I think I’ll leave it at that before I talk it down the list as I overthink and overcriticize–something I’ve been actively unlearning this year.

16. The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket

Though I didn’t realize this was a picture book when I first bought it, I actually really enjoyed it! It comes with a CD of classical music and the narrated book to listen to alongside reading it which made for a lovely half-hour activity.

15. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #4) by Rick Riordan

With Percy Jackson showing up, we’re finally moving into my favorites of the year! Although I think this was my least favorite of the series (I did say The Sea of Monsters initially but was reminded of some facets that I really loved about that one), I did still enjoy it. It had the engaging narration that made me love these books so much from the beginning, and builds up to the promise of the original five-book-series’ premise and final battle.

14. Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone, #3) by Leigh Bardugo

I think this book has to be the biggest surprise of the year for me. After watching the Netflix adaptation, I read the first two books (I know, shame on me). I liked Shadow and Bone and really kind of loathed Siege and Storm. When I found out the second season of the show was featuring the storylines of both book two and three, I forced myself to pick up Ruin and Rising–and I’d say I was leaning more towards loving it. We’ve seen Alina come so far over the series, stakes have risen, and the promise of a conclusion is palpable. I think one of my favorite facets of this book was Genya and all that she’s endured. Overall, I enjoyed this book way more than I’d expected to!

13. The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #2) by Rick Riordan

As I mentioned, I was initially going to rank this lowest amongst the Percy Jackson books but there was too much about it that I loved (ie. sirens) (also Grover’s unfortunate predicament). It’s been a while since I read them, so they’re starting to blur too much for me to talk so specifically about each one. Also, I’m realizing now that I’m not keeping these blurbs short so I’ll move on now.

12. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #5) by Rick Riordan

The Last Olympian is a fantastic conclusion to the initial five-book run of the Percy Jackson series. We finally see the battle that’s been brewing since the first book, and as it pans out, it’s incredibly action-packed and epic. This is such a fulfilling completion to the series (so I can see where some might be a little annoyed that Riordan’s revival of the books wasn’t attributed to a separate series). Good stuff!

11. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

I sort of attempted NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year and wanted to pick up some comps for what I thought I wanted to be a “southern gothic” book. My writing fell to the way-side as my intentions for it shifted so while this play wasn’t an apt comp for that draft, it was a good read regardless. I’ve not read very many plays but this was an excellent one to now have under my belt, I’d say!

10. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

I’ve been meaning to read this short story forever and have had a digital copy of it for a while. Since I avoid reading digitally (it just isn’t my favorite experience), it’s been quite some time of procrastination but finally I read it and loved it! It’s such an excellent piece about women’s mental health and the disregard for it in years past. It very strikingly depicts the deterioration of one’s sense of self in just six-thousand words.

9. Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo

The plot/storyline of this graphic novel is a little slim but I loved the gorgeous illustrations in this book which helped build up the story overall. Just a beautiful book overall!

8. Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

For a somewhat significant portion of this young adult thriller, I was a little unconvinced it was going to be for me. I had a little bit of a hard time following what was going on in the first act, and by the second act I felt like there was a little bit of a lull. But oh my, the third act made up for any doubts I had. Incredibly thrilling rising action and climax, the sheer ferocity and viciousness (shocking, I know) of the characters in the finale was an incredible thing to witness. All the while, it has very intriguing insights on class, race, misogyny — so many facets of bigotry displayed and criticized. I’d highly recommend it!

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4.5 stars – 5 stars!

7. The Chalice of the Gods (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #6) by Rick Riordan

To keep it short, I loved this book! As I’ve mentioned several times in various posts, I think Riordan brought back these beloved characters with such ease and care, setting up a new adventure very well. There are references to plot points in the other spin-off series that occur chronologically between the original five Percy Jackson books and this one but as someone who hasn’t read any of the spin-offs yet, it didn’t detract from the reading experience.

6. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

After reading this book, all the generally mediocre reviews I’d seem stopped making any sort of sense to me. While I had some grievances with a bit of the writing itself (I felt it could’ve benefitted from maybe a little better editing), the characters and sibling relationships more than made up for that. It was this book that actually made me realize how much I love stories centered around siblings. As I quipped in my Goodreads review, “eldest daughter syndrome sufferers rise up…”

5. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I put off reading this a few years back under the false impression that this was a nonfiction book. When I realized that it was only written to appear as such, I was already more than hooked. Involving two of my favorite things–novels and band culture–this book was everything I could’ve wanted and more. It’s heartwarming and heart-wrenching, comedic and doleful. I completely loved this one. (And it helped me realize that I can enjoy historical fiction after all!)

4. The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #3) by Rick Riordan

As this is the midpoint of the original series, you can really feel and see the shift as things move from reactive to proactive. The kids are getting older, the setting is different, new characters are being introduced — everything is becoming more real. I really loved this installment. We get titans thrown into the mix, Artemis and her Hunters, and all the confusion that ensues without Annabeth present. I’d say that this book is tied with the next one on the list — I’m not sure which one I really believe belongs in which place.

3. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #1) Rick Riordan

Ultimately, I’m going to say The Lightning Thief is my favorite Percy Jackson book, at least for now. I may change my mind later but there’s something so lovely about realizing you’ve found a series you know you’ll love. That’s why I ranked The Dream Thieves #1 last year because even though it wasn’t the first book of its respective series, it was then that I realized how great my love for those books would be. With these Percy Jackson books, I could tell from the first installment. These books really made my year in reading, I think. Without reading them, I probably wouldn’t have had the love for reading reignited enough to have picked up the final two books on this list.

2. Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

I picked Black Sheep up during a library outing on a complete whim — and I’m so glad I did. On paper, this differs pretty significantly from other books I give 4.5 or 5 stars. Typically, I’ve tended toward coming-of-age or literary pieces that ripped my heart out. This one, however, is a contemporary horror with a sharp, dark humor piercing it. The blurb is just vague enough to be the perfect segway into a wild reading experience so I won’t even try my hand at it. I’ll be honest, this one was warring for top place on this list and part of me still wants to give it that — but I did give it 4.5 stars just because it veers into a realm of horror that I tend not to enjoy. Even in that, though, it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. I highly recommend this one to fans of horror (those who aren’t, though, I’d maybe refrain — you’ll probably be able to tell at about forty-something pages in if it’s for you or not).

1. Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause

Before the Devil Knows You’re Here was such a splendid read — I enjoyed every second of it. The prose is decadent and superb and seems so thoughtfully woven. Every word packs its due punch, setting the scene and illustrating the characters. This gothic horror fantasy was just through-and-through gorgeous. The body horror elements were beautiful which sounds a bit strange but that’s this book — feverish, gnarled, and delectable. It winds American folklore with a Faustian bargain, and I spent the whole time thinking, wow, I wish I could write like that. I’d highly recommend this to fans of fantasy horror fusions, and/or readers interested in folklore/fairy tale retellings.

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And that wraps up my wrap-up. 🙂 I guess my goal for brevity was unsuccessful, and I once again spent a very large portion of the day composing this but, hey, a little indulgence every once in a while never hurt anyone!

Have you read any of the books on this list? Any favorites? Least favorites? What are your top books of the year? Worst ones? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!