After only getting to read a handful of books in 2021, I made sure that 2022 was going to give me enough for a blog post!
I read a pretty good variety this year, including a professional book cover to cover, which I hadn't done in years. I rediscovered Reese Witherspoon's Book Club. And I also went back to graduate school, so I read three large textbooks on top of all of this 😅. This may be my last Bookworm, as it was difficult for me to remember details about some of these books after reading them so long ago. 2023 may be the year I finally join GoodReads!
Entertainment
The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey (w/Michaela Angela Davis)
Sick in the Head: Conversations about Life and Comedy by Judd Apatow
I used to LOVE Mariah Carey when I was younger. She was a huge musical influence for me. I was excited to read her memoir because she has been notoriously private about her personal life. I now see why. She has had a lot of sadness in her life, and parts of this were difficult to read. What struck me the most about this book was how well-written it is! I knew she was a talented songwriter, but the writing in this book was truly memorable. Hearing the stories behind some of the songs made me appreciate them so much more.
I have been trying to read Apatow's book for several years, and unfortunately, I was disappointed. I think I was expecting more of an oral history of some of his work, and that's not what I got.
Hello Sunshine Book Club
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
These are four very different books and I enjoyed them all! My favorite of the four was Mina Lee. It was surprising, but not in the typical "twisty" way we have become accustomed to in so many thrillers these days. I think it also resonated with me as someone who has lost a parent.
Counterfeit was frothy and fun. Quick read too! I loved The Last Thing He Told Me, which had been recommended to me by several people. Crawdads started off really slowly for me and I couldn't understand the big deal for a while, but it definitely picked up about halfway through. I am conflicted about the ending though and would really love to chat about it-- don't want to spoil it for anyone here!
I also watched the movie about a month after finishing the book and thought they did a good job, but would have liked it better had I not read the book first. I feel like they made Kiya too "normal." Did anyone else feel like that? I pictured her a little more feral HAHA.
Twisty Fiction
Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
If you're looking for some good suspense, these both fit the bill! Both of these came from friends' recommendations and kept me guessing until the end. The Wife Upstairs is also a modern update of Jane Eyre, and I much prefer the update 😄
Other Fiction
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Both of these books sat with me for a while after I finished reading them. They are not light reads, but are beautifully written. Doerr's novel is against the backdrop of World War II, which I gravitate toward frequently. I have never read anything like The Vanishing Half. I recommend giving yourself some extra time with these two-- I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Down
These are a couple of novels I read for one of my classes. They'd be best for 9-12 year olds probably, but I thought they were pretty entertaining, so I included them. Both feature an autistic narrator and even though I thought I had the "mystery" figured out from the jump, I was very wrong 🙈
Other
Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates
This is the professional book I referenced earlier. I'm glad I read it and it helped me make sense of some of the literacy chatter going on. If you didn't like it, please carry on-- not looking for debate please.
Growing Up in Fancy Gap by Delmon Quesinberry
This was written by my great-uncle about some of his childhood experiences. My grandfather is no longer with us, so it was nice to be able to feel some connection to him.
Have you read any of these? What did you think?
