2022 was probably the most eventful year of my life; we welcomed our first child into the word right in the middle of the year – on June 11, 2022. I’ve spent a lot of this year preparing for and becoming a mother to our baby boy. Unlike most years, most of the books I “read” were audiobooks. Becoming a mother has definitely been a life adjustment but I’m glad I’ve been able to continue reading!
As the year comes to an end, I’ve reflected on all the books I’ve read and what my reading journey has looked like. I’m excited to share my favorite books I’ve read throughout the year, including a few that were released in 2022. So, in alphabetical order, here are my top books!
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
This was one of the last books I read before my son was born. I was part of a huge book club over the summer and had so much fun listening to discussions about the different “reviews” in this book. At the end of our book club, we got to meet with John Green himself, and he gave us insights into the making of this book.
The Anthropocene Reviewed is John Green’s first work of adult non-fiction. He’s probably best known for his YA fiction books like The Fault In Our Stars. The Anthropocene Reviewed is a collection of short essays based on his podcast of the same name that he does with his brother Hank Green. These essays are based upon different aspects of human impact on the Earth, and each of these topics are given a rating based on the 5-star rating system (which, if you read the book, isn’t exactly the best rating system made, but it’s extremely useful when rating products on Amazon). John’s artful storytelling and mini-memoirs sprinkled through this book make it a compelling read. I couldn’t put it down! The chapters are short and easy to digest, and not necessarily related to each other, so they’re ideal for reading during short moments of spare time that you may have throughout the day.
This was the book that really launched me into the non-fiction streak I had during the rest of the year. I enjoyed the random facts I learned in this book – facts that can be used as great conversation starters. Some of my favorite essays were entitled “Diet Dr Pepper,” “Velociraptors,” “Staphylococcus Aureus,” “Kentucky Bluegrass,” and “Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance.”
Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
This book got me excited to read more of Frances Hardinge’s works. I absolutely loved the writing style of this middle grade fantasy novel. Even though this book is geared towards middle grades and YA, I thought that the writing, dialogue, and plot of this book can be enjoyed by everyone. This was one of the first audiobooks I listened to this year; Jill Tanner’s narration of the book was riveting and I couldn’t stop listening!
The book centers around a twelve-year-old girl named Mosca Mye; with her unique talent of being able to read and her ornery goose companion, she gets involved in all sorts of mayhem and murder involving smugglers, spies, and highwaymen, all in the name of revolution against tyranny throughout the realm. There are lots of exciting and comical plot twists, puns, and clever chapter headings in this book. I would definitely pick this one up again!
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
I’m a sucker for memoirs, ever since I picked up Tara Westover’s memoir, Educated. This one had a similar feel to it; Jeanette McCurdy was the star of Nickelodeon’s iCarly show, and her acting definitely hid the fact that this was something she despised. In fact, she hated almost everything about acting, but she was so dedicated to making her mom happy that she followed her mother’s advice and started acting at a very young age. This memoir unveils the monster behind Jeanette’s mother. Jeanette’s writing is candid and comical at times, but the memoir definitely hits on some very heavy topics like Jeanette’s struggle with substance abuse, eating disorders, other mental disorders, and her mother’s toxic traits and abusive tactics. It’s a compelling read, but full of mature content and heavy topics.
I read the audiobook version, which was a treat as it was read by Jeanette; I think that adds to the experience of reading her story, as you get to hear it from herself. This book was voted the Goodreads Choice Awards Winner for Best Memoir and Autobiography.
The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice – Crossing Antarctica Alone by Colin O’Brady
Another intriguing memoir! Colin O’Brady’s book is absolutely inspiring – I think you get the message of that starting from the very title of the book. “Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered.” Colin O’Brady was determined to be the first person to do just that. This book covers the story of his preparation for the impossible excursion, with anecdotes from his past journeys and achievements sprinkled in between. We learn of his upbringing and how that influenced his drive to achieve all sorts of impossibles – including climbing Mt Everest, the high points of each continent, and the high points of all 50 states in the U.S.
This was a pleasant surprise of a book for me, recommended by one of the librarians at my public library. I’m by no means an expert mountaineer or hiking guru, but his inspirational message of achieving the impossible and our own “Mt Everest” is applicable to anyone. This is a great adventure story, a great underdog story…. and everyone loves a great adventure!
The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
This book was. so. much. fun! It was introduced to me through a book club (one that I didn’t end up participating in). I had never really watched The Office before except for the Dwight and Jim prank clips. I can attest that you don’t need to know anything about The Office in order to enjoy this book! It’s hilarious, full of behind-the-scenes tidbits and facts, lots of fun memories about the set and co-stars, as well as full color pictures during their time on set. It was so cool to learn about the production dynamic that created The Office – how it was conceived, how they filmed, how they bonded as co-stars, and how they developed their own characters.
This book is based on the podcast The Office Ladies, of which Jenna and Angela co-host together. If you’re an Office fan, this book is for you! It’s so fun to go back and rewatch episodes with all the background information from the people who were there.
I cannot recommend this book enough – to anyone! It’s full of humor and heart, and it’s an easy read with a lot to offer! It was also the Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Humor.
Uncultured: A Memoir by Daniella Mestyanek Young
Like Educated and I’m Glad My Mom Died, Uncultured is a memoir “of life in groups, and of [the author’s] attempt to find that thread…toward freedom.” Daniella was raised in a cult called The Children of God; her childhood was riddled with darkness in the form of all kinds of abuse and brainwashing. This is the story of her way towards freedom, not once, but twice. Years later, after escaping the Children of God in Latin America, her decision to join the U.S. Army made her start to wonder….”Have I joined another cult?”
I enjoyed Daniella’s writing style; her story is as compelling as it is difficult to read. She was deprived of childhood innocence and had to endure abuse of all kinds throughout her life. But it is stories like these that help us understand one another better.
This book was a nominee for the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Memoir and Autobiography.
And with that, 2022 comes to an end.
All of these books are worthy of a least one read-through, although in my opinion they are worth reading twice at least! They all received at least 4 stars from me, and are full of excellent writing and excellent stories!
You can check out a more complete summary of my Year in Books on my Goodreads profile.
Aimee's bookshelf 