2022 Holiday Roundup

 I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! This is my favorite time of year, not just because of the cheesy Christmas movies, holiday lights, or gingerbread cookies, but because it's the season for the best-of-the-year book lists. I could get lost in the different lists. The one I cherish the most is NPR's Best of Lists. They have the least pretentious books (looking at you, New York Times). Each year, I comb through this list and add books to my ever-growing to-read list. I set a challenge to read 15 books off this list by the year's end. I wanted to share my list with you, and if you so wish, you could also challenge yourself to read a few books off this list. Comment below and share with me some of your 2023 reading goals! 

Foster by Claire Keegan 

Like many people, I discovered Keegan from her novel Small Things Like These, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize last year. She has a way of telling a rich story with well-developed characters in such a short number of pages (Small Things Like These had a page count of only 118). There is so much to unpack in such a small package, which is no small feat. I was excited to see that her new book, Foster, was also set in Ireland AND only 89 pages. 

The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li 

They say to never judge a book by its cover, but I couldn’t help it with this one. The cover of the geese, with their long necks stretched up towards the sun, was so beautiful. I’m a sucker for a cute animal on a book cover. I instantly added The Book of Goose to my list. I’m also a sucker for a story taking place in old France. So check and check! 

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean 

Imagine eating books instead of reading them and remembering everything you read, er, tasted? That is the premise of The Book Eaters. I have seen this fun little book on a few lists, and after reading the synopsis, I knew it was going on my list. This one looks like a fun hang and an excellent palette cleanser! 

The Newlyweds: Rearranging Marriage in Modern India by Mansi Choksi 

I knew someone who was set up in an arranged marriage. She met her soon-to-be husband a handful of times. She met his parents on their second date, and he proposed AFTER they had already planned their wedding. Soooo romantic... She uprooted her life to be with him in Houston because that was what was expected of her. Before this, this 30-year-old girl lived with her parents, waiting to be assigned her arranged husband. The whole concept was so foreign to me, and she was patient in answering all my annoying questions about arranged marriages. When I saw this book, I knew I had to add it to my list.

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach 

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance tells the story of a woman addressing the story of her older sister, who died in her teens. The reviews say it’s splendid and not depressing. We’ll have to see about that. It’s getting excellent reviews on Goodreads AND bookmarks, so I added it to my list. 

You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa 

This book seems like such a fun, fluffy book about murder, an over-the-top wedding, and old lovers. Sometimes you just need a book like this to lose yourself in. 

The Family Club by Lan Samantha Chang 

This is another book with a cute dog on the cover, and the story also takes place in Wisconsin. I consider that a double win. I also keep seeing it displayed front and center at Barnes and Noble. Wanting to be a part of the conversation around this book, this is on the list now. 

The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke 

I’m a sucker for nonfiction science books. I was saddened by how few non-fiction science books made this year’s list. However, I’m extra excited about this one. I added it to my list after reading an NRP article (linked above) about O’Rourke’s struggle with chronic illness. I am so thankful not to have an undiagnosable autoimmune disorder (along with not having small teeth and huge gums, but that’s for another discussion).

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 

This book has been getting so much hype that I wasn’t surprised to see it make this year’s NPR list. A few Goodreads friends have read it and rated it very high. I’m not usually a massive fan of books that take place in the Appalachian Mountains, but my FOMO got the best of me with this one. 

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 

I have been waiting for this book on Libby for over three months. I love a good book about classical music. In another life, I think I must have been a classical pianist. I’m just going to blame my old piano teacher for not making that dream a reality in this life and not my lack of practice. I’m excited for this one if/when my loan finally comes in from Libby. 

Search by Michelle Huneven 

This book seems like it’s going to be a good hang. That’s all I have to really say about this one. 

Last Call at the Hotel Imperial: The Reporters Who Took on a World at War by Deborah Cohen 

I love reading nonfiction about different topics that I know nothing about. I had never thought about journalism in the 1920s until this book appeared on my radar. It is getting rave reviews, so I’m excited about this one. 

Chilean Poet by Alejandro Zambra 

When I think of poetry, my mind goes to famous poets like Robert Frost, Edgar Allan Poe, or Walt Whitman. After googling famous Chilean poets, I didn’t recognize a single one. After reading this book, I will hopefully be able to name two or three. Stay tuned… 

Liberation Day: Stories by George Saunders 

Saunders’ last book, Lincoln in the Bardo, didn’t do it for me. Once again, not wanting to miss out, I added his new book to my list since it was getting so much hype. Maybe his writing will work better in short story form. 

Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson 

Have you ever wondered what would happen after you saved a stranger’s life? Would you like to become friends? If you were the one being saved, would you feel like you had to be in debt to them? This story explores these questions. I can’t wait to find out how it unravels! 

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton 

This book explores the lives of people who stay after a hurricane has made Florida uninhabitable. I hope this story has an eerie feeling, much like her other book, Good Morning, Midnight. If you haven’t read that one, add it to your list. It’s wonderfully haunting. 

The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World by Max Fisher 

After being off social media since April, I haven’t noticed much difference in my habits besides an extra-long phone battery. I’m a sucker for any books on social media and its effects on our society. It’s much like reading books about climate change. I know I can’t actually change these horrific, irreversible effects it has on us, but I will binge-read them and then contemplate life and fall into a deep depression. It’s a sick, self-inflicted pain. 

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh 

If you haven’t read My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, do yourself a favor and read that ASAP. Have you ever felt jealous of hibernating animals who get to take a long nap and not worry about life for a while? This book is for you! But enough hype about My Year of Rest and Relaxation. I thoroughly enjoyed that book and cannot wait to sink my teeth into her new one. 

A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang 

A man gets a phone call from his mom saying his estranged father has gone missing from their village in China. This sounds like a fun plot and one I look forward to exploring. 

How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann 

This book of reimagined fairy tale characters in modern times sounds right up my alley. It’s a concept that has been done before, but I’m okay with getting lost in the story again. 

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias 

Promising a dark, Ozark (I still haven’t watched this show) type book. Sounds both exciting and one that’s hard to put down. Give me, give me! 

The Man Who Could Move Clouds by Ingrid Rojas Contreras 

Usually, I stay away from memoirs. They tend to be boring and are only an interesting story for the author. However, this memoir has been getting great reviews and actually sounds like an engrossing story. In her 20s, the author was involved in a car accident and suffered from amnesia. This is her story about getting those memories back. It kind of sounds like the plot of a cheesy Christmas movie, if I’m being honest.

Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana 

Each story is about the life of a tenant in the building. I love these types of books if the characters are well-developed. After many awaited months, this one is FINALLY available on Libby. Stay tuned for the review. 

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

This is the February book for my book club, and I cannot wait to read it. It’s been on my list for months. I know nothing about the book and am purposely not reading anything. All I know is that it’s getting great reviews and even won the Goodreads Choice Award.

Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World By Gaia Vince

*See above description of bingeing climate change books and falling into a deep, dark depression.* Can’t stop! 

An Immense World by Ed Yong 

Wow, oh wow, am I excited to read this one! Ed Yong is one of my favorite science writers. He has the ability to turn complex science concepts into something the average reader understands. I could not recommend I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life enough. It’ll make you think differently about your gut and your overall well-being. Alright, back to An Immense World. My husband got it for Christmas, and I can’t wait to steal it and read it before him. I’m sure this book will be nothing short of exceptional! 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 

Not the biggest fan of historical fiction, but this one looks interesting. It’s getting a lot of good reviews and is being turned into a movie featuring Brie Larson (YAY!). 

Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, and Rebels and Crooks by Patrick Radden Keefe 

The title says it all. Who doesn’t want to read about the live of grifters, killers, and rebels? Sign me up!

Thank you all for reading! Be sure to return for more book updates, reviews, and news. Happy holidays and happy reading!

"Now that I'm older I know that life is not about what keeps you safe, but what you keep safe, and that's what matters the most." - Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim