I can’t believe today is the last day of the year! I gotta say, 2022 is a year of “firsts” for me. Obviously, not everything was perfect but if I have to summarize the year, 2022 has been good to me. But more of that in a different journal entry. Right now, I want to focus on my favorite reads of 2022!
According to GoodReads, I read 53 books. That’s 20,241 pages of awesome! I wish I can say I liked every book I’ve read but let’s face it, life isn’t perfect. HAHA!
Still, I am so happy to say that I have read quite a lot of great books and I would love to read them again for the first time if I can. Anyway, without further ado, imma list them down in order of “date read”.
1. King of Scars and Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
I didn’t even know Leigh Bardugo until I saw the trailer for Shadow and Bone. It looked great so I talked about it with my book friends so before I know it, I read the whole Grishaverse novels released. And my ghad, I gotta say that this duology is so good, too! I can’t forget the feeling I had when I read the ending of King of Scars and the ending for Rule of Wolves was equally enthralling! What I love about this author is her imagination and the way she just writes her story and builds up her characters! Everything was so well done and executed. Chef’s kiss.
2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Another masterpiece! I actually listened to the audiobook and was blown away how Lin-Manuel Miranda portrayed the characters. His performance added to the charm of the characters and made the story even more impactful. Again, picked up this book because of a friend’s recommendation. That said, please read this!
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book. I didn’t even have any inkling about the end game couple in this story. I picked it up because I often see this being recommended on Instagram so of course I checked it out. It should have been a good indication how good the book was if I had to wait like 16 weeks or something to borrow this on Libby but dang, the wait was soooo worth it! I love a story with a great female lead and an unexpected love story. I appreciate a strong female lead, too. The hype for this book is justified and I will hype this book as well! Read it, you guys!
4. Shine! by J.J. Grabenstein
It’s not typical of me to read a Middle Grade book. It’s definitely not a genre I actively search for. I forgot why I picked up this book but boy, was I very happy to read this. It’s such a light hearted and fun read. I like the way that they explored Piper’s character and how compassionate she is. It just flowed naturally so I appreciate the sincerity of the book’s message.
5. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
I admit. I like Rom-coms. Blame it on Sophie Kinsella! Lol! But kidding aside, besides YA, contemporary rom-coms are definitely my go to. I love a fluffy story that will make me giggle late at night before I go to bed. I found this book randomly while browsing the genre. Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for this book. I thought it would be just a cliché book that will fall flat and then life goes on for me. I can’t believe how wrong I was! This is why you don’t judge a book by its cover (or in this case, the title)! Because I truly and irrevocably loved this book from start to finish! It’s funny, cute, heart warming and full of heart! It will leave you in a mush coz of all the fluff that was executed so perfectly. What a perfect slay of a story while maintaining a PG rating! I appreciate a romcom without the spice because it turns me off sometimes… Ugh. I can’t wait to re-read this book again because I know I will!
6. Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
Never heard of this book either but I was reading some tweets and in one of the tweets, they mentioned this book. I don’t know why I singled out this one amongst the rest but here I was, totally in love with this book! It’s actually not fluff but man, did this book hit me in the heart! And gosh, I remember when I was reading the part where the two of them, for the first time, tried to be intimate and omfg, I can’t forget how I tried to suppress my squeal coz ugh, I could just envision the two of them and I was respectfully watching (reading) them do it and IDK okay. It was just a really good story telling. The whole of the story actually. Not just that bit. But prepare for your heart to be wrecked…
7. People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
I actually like reading the book of this author. It’s not just some fluff or mindless fcking. Her characters and story actually has meat. But what set this book apart from the other stories I’ve read of hers was the friendship portrayed between the two characters. It was so wholesome and true. And the dialogue in this story was top notch! I keep on imagining myself having a friend just like Alex. I appreciate that the author explored their relationship from when they were teens up to when they’re adults. You can see how their life changed and how they grew. It’s not a straightforward happy ending but I guess that what’s makes it feel so real. Ugh. I wanna read it again and cackle so hard. HAHA!
8. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Ever since I read The House in the Cerulean Sea, I want to read another story about “found family”. That’s why I was so happy to read this and realize that the theme are almost the same. It’s such a feel good story because we have such a kind hearted protagonist and and a slew of equally entertaining and funny cast! The kids are so funny! Wish there’s no spice in this book so I can recommend this to my niece but oh well. It is what it is. I’m an adult so I can thoroughly enjoy the story! I am not sure if this is a standalone book but it has potentials to be expanded! At least as a duology? Pretty please?
9. The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama
What can I say? I am a fan of Michelle Obama. I think she’s such a great and inspiring person and this book proved how wonderful she is. I like how she doesn’t feel so different from us despite her status as a former First Lady. She talked about her life as a little kid, the relationship she has with her family (especially with her kids), the way she dealt life during the pandemic, and even expressing how she felt during the 2016 election. She was very real in this book. I think I like this more than the first book. Ugh. I’ll devour it if it’s by Michelle Obama!
10. The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman
This is actually the last book I read this year! Again, I don’t know how I came about this book but apparently, it was one of the books I borrowed from the library so when it became available, I read it right away. Wow. I was so invested in the story that I spent an hour or two straight, just reading this book every chance I get! If I don’t have a kid, I would probably finish this in a day or two but that’s okay, I appreciate each moment I get to spend reading this book because it just so good! Both Sara Glikman and Abby portrayed such a strong character. Nothing beats a well written character, especially a well written story! Everything about it was so good! I love the snippets of adage thrown here and there especially when it ties in with each chapter. Especially in the end! I’m so happy to be ending 2022 finishing this book!
So yeah, that’s it! What a year! Hope to discover more great books in 2023. I’ll keep finding them! Happy New Year, everybody!
Open Book with Missing Pages 