books i read in 2022

Well, this is a month late, but better that than not at all, IMHO. YMMV.

2022’s reads were more of a mixed bag than what I usually end up with in my reading year. Some of these were cramazing (***) and some were just so-so. I revisited a lot of books from decades ago and was in turns disappointed in the ones that haven’t aged well, and delighted to find many still as UPDA as they were when I was a teen. If you want details, ask. In the meantime, here’s the list:

1. DEAR FRIEND, FROM MY LIFE I WRITE TO YOU IN YOUR LIFE by Yiyun Li
2. HOW (NOT) TO SPEAK OF GOD by Peter Rollins
3. TORN (The Unraveled Kingdom, #1) by Rowenna Miller ***
4. DRAGONFLIGHT (Dragonriders of Pern, #1) by Anne McCaffrey
5. DRAGONQUEST (Dragonriders of Pern, #2) by Anne McCaffrey
6. FRAY (The Unraveled Kingdom, #2) by Rowenna Miller
7. DRAGONSONG (Dragonriders of Pern, #3) by Anne McCaffrey
8. BURN THE DARK (Malus Domestica, #1) by S.A. Hunt ***
9. RECURSION by Blake Crouch ***
10. DRAGONSINGER: HARPER OF PERN (Dragonriders of Pern, #4) by Anne McCaffrey
11. THE WHITE DRAGON (Dragonriders of Pern, #5) by Anne McCaffrey
12. DRAGONSDAWN  (Dragonriders of Pern, #6) by Anne McCaffrey
13. DUST & GRIM by Chuck Wendig
14. THESE HAPPY GOLDEN YEARS (Little House, #8) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
15. THE ETYMOLOGICON by Mark Forsyth
16. MORETA: DRAGONLADY OF PERN (Dragonriders of Pern, #7) by Anne McCaffrey
17. HOLLOW by Brian Catling
18. RULE (The Unraveled Kingdom, #3) by Rowenna Miller
19. WOLFPACK by Abby Wambach
20. WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE (White Trash Zombie, #3) by Diana Rowland
21. ZIA by Scott O’Dell
22. HOLES by Louis Sachar ***
23. MIDDLESEX by Jeffrey Eugenides
24. THE RUINS by Scott Smith
25. THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier ***
26. THE FINAL EMPIRE (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson
27. A HAT FULL OF SKY by Terry Pratchett
28. WILD SEED (Patternist, #1) by Octavia Butler ***
29. THE WEE FREE MEN by Terry Pratchett
30. DEALING WITH DRAGONS (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1) by Patricia C. Wrede
31. PRISONER OF THE IRON TOWER (Tears of Artamon, #2) by Sarah Ash
32. THE FIRST FOUR YEARS (Little House, #9) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
33. THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien
34. THE WELL OF ASCENSION (Mistborn, #2) by Brandon Sanderson
35. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (War of the Ring, #1) by J.R.R. Tolkien
36. SEARCHING FOR DRAGONS (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2) by Patricia C. Wrede
37. WHITE PALACE by Glenn Savan
38. WHY DO WOMEN WRITE MORE LETTERS THAN THEY SEND? by Darian Leader
39. BUMP by Matt Wallace
40. CONVERSATIONS WITH A CORPSE by Robert C. Dennis
41. THE RUNAWAY JURY by John Grisham
42. THE RAINMAKER by John Grisham
43. DARKFALL by Dean Koontz
44. HIDEAWAY by Dean Koontz
45. WOW NO THANK YOU by Samantha Irby
46. WE ARE NEVER MEETING IN REAL LIFE by Samantha Irby
47. FEAR NOTHING (Moonlight Bay, #1) by Dean Koontz
48. SEIZE THE NIGHT (Moonlight Bay, #2) by Dean Koontz
49. WATCHERS by Dean Koontz
50. THE SILMARILLION by J.R.R. Tolkien
51. UNFINISHED TALES by J.R.R. Tolkien
52. EJACULATE RESPONSIBLY by Gabrielle Blair ***
53. PROFESSIONAL TROUBLEMAKER by Luvvie Ajayi Jones ***

So, 53 completed. I really thought it was gonna be more, but I ran out of reading steam in the autumn and early winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder gets me every year. *sigh*

Beyond that, my main takeaway is that I didn’t read enough women authors this year. What is “enough”? Well, “enough” would be at least half, which I didn’t even approach in 2022. “Enough” would be more than half, really. “Enough” would be “most.” Why? Because if I don’t intentionally seek out women authors, I’m far less likely to read them. Because men authors enter my sphere of awareness far more easily and frequently. Because, I suspect, that’s just the way our world is set up.
Anyway, that’s a whole ‘nother blog post that I probably won’t write because who has the energy? It’s only Feb. 2, and 2023 has already been at least 14 months long.

Started, still to finish
DELUSIONS OF GENDER by Cordelia Fine
WHY CAN’T WE SLEEP? by Darian Leader
CALLING ON DRAGONS (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2) by Patricia C. Wrede
THE TWO TOWERS (War of the Ring, #2) by J.R.R. Tolkien
THE SHORT STORY OF THE NOVEL by Henry Russell
COMPLETE TALES AND POEMS by Edgar Allan Poe

Started, will not finish
INTEGRAL SPIRITUALITY by Ken Wilber (confusing, not what I was looking for)
JAKE’S THING by Kingsley Amis (I don’t care that it’s satire, it’s still gross.)

I have more book news (my own books!), but that’s the next post. Also, today is Groundhog Day, so remember: DON’T DRIVE ANGRY.

XOXO