The best books I read in 2022

Here is a list of the best books I read in 2022 in the order that I read them in. (For a complete list of books I read in 2022, go here.)

A Line to Kill — Anthony Horowitz. 9/10

I like this author a lot and like his mysteries a lot. I find Hawthorne to be an annoying character but the overall story makes it work for me.

Last Resort — Andrew Lipstein. 9/10

An absolute masterclass in describing a self-centered “Everyman” character completely self-sabotage every aspect of his life, all while thinking he’s making the best possible decisions. It reads like the author has personally experienced everything that the main character goes through, which is either a testament to his writing or means he copied this book idea from an acquaintance.

The Disappearing Act — Catherine Steadman. 9/10 

I really liked this book! I thought it was an original mystery-thriller. If you like that genre, give it a try! 

The Vanished Birds — Simon Jimenez. 9/10

This was excellent. Possibly my favourite book I read this year??? If you like sci-fi, give this a read!

Sea of Tranquility — Emily St John Mandel. 9/10 

Controversial opinion time: I liked this more than Station Eleven. I liked it more than The Glass Hotel (which I also liked more than Station Eleven)! Yes! Believe it! This book reminded me a lot of The Vanishing Birds, which I also really liked! Read them both and get back to me.

Lark Ascending — Silas House. 9/10

Another dystopian novel! This was very good and pretty sad throughout. It’s pretty short so it’s a quick read if you’re looking for some depressingly realistic dystopian lit.

The best books, the worst books, and the books I didn’t finish in 2021

(For a complete list of books that I read in 2021, go here.)

I’m both surprised and disappointed by my book count this year! I actually went on vacation (???) and had long solo train and plane rides (???) and I STILL didn’t read as much as I did last year. I do wonder if part of that is because several of the books I read were very long — 600, 700 pages — and the fact that I had several DNFs this year, but these reasons feel like excuses. All that being said, here is a list of the best books I read in 2021:

Mexican Gothic — Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 9/10

Are you looking for an escape? Would you like to be distracted for a few hours? I would suggest this book. It reminded me (once again) of Lovecraft Country with a tiny smidge of VanderMeer’s Annihilation.

Little Eyes — Samanta Schweblin. 9/10

If you like Black Mirror and/or stories about tech going bad or being creepy, this is for you! Schweblin is probably one of my favourite authors right now.

White Ivy — Susie Yang. 9/10

For some reason I thought this was a thriller and was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be a compelling drama. And the writer’s first novel!

Fever Dream — Samanta Schweblin. 9/10

Again, Schweblin is such a great writer. Her books are so eerie and strange and wonderful. Is she the best novella writer today? Maybe!

Nemesis Games — James SA Corey. 9/10

What can I say other than if you like sci-fi, read this series! This is the fifth book in the Expanse series and it focuses on the personal lives of the crew, which is a nice change. It was a bit too long, but that’s to be expected at this point.

Sand Castle — Frederick Peters & Pierre Oscar Lévy. 9/10

As I get older, time has sped up and each passing year has felt shorter. This out-of-control rush of time is something I wasn’t prepared for and is a source of near-constant existential dread. Death is what gives life meaning, but it is also fucking terrifying. For this reason, stumbling into a place where people age a year every thirty minutes is my personal ultimate horror story. I thought about this graphic novel a lot after I finished it.

American War — Omar El Akkad. 9/10

 I read a review that called this book one of the first great fiction books about climate change and you know what? That’s accurate! I also saw it referred to as “cli-fi,” which 😑.

The worst books I read in 2021, and the books I didn’t finish:

The Kindest Lie — Nancy Johnson. 6/10
Whoooo boy. You guys know I don’t like to give bad ratings to books because writing a book is hard and getting it published is also hard and people deserve credit for getting that far. But yikes, this wasn’t great. With several tweaks, it could’ve maybe worked as a YA novel about race? Maybe? 😬😬😬

The Troop — Nick Cutter. DNF.

This is a horror novel with a fantastic premise and honestly, great writing. However, the gore and body horror was way too much for me — and then the animal torture scenes started. NO THANKS!!! SEE YOU NEVER!!

The Removed — Brandon Hobson. DNF.

I almost finished this book but stopped reading it to start something else. I remember liking it, so I will go back to it.

The White Tiger — Aravind Adiga. DNF.

This book lost my interest about a quarter of the way in. I might go back to it, but it’s lower on my list of books to return to.

I Hate Men — Pauline Harmange. DNF.

This is a novella that I got halfway through. I liked it, and I’ll return to it eventually.

Gross Anatomy — Mara Altman. DNF.

I got about a quarter of the way through and lost interest.

A Peculiar Peril — Jeff VanderMeer. DNF.

This was a really tough one to stop reading. I like VanderMeer, but he can get in his own way with his writing style, which can lean towards using a million ten-dollar words when five two-dollars words would’ve worked better. This is a 600-page YA book that I slogged through for weeks before giving up at around page 400.

The best books I read in 2020

Wow, what a year for reading for me personally! I read SO MANY books! More than I’ve ever read before in a single year! This was entirely because of the pandemic and working from home. Absent a commute, going to the gym, and basically any social life, I was able to dedicate the majority of my spare time to reading and worrying about the future.

I read 103 books this year! That is BONKERS!!! Here were my faves, in no particular order:

Non-fiction:

Catch and Kill — Ronan Farrow. 9/10

Can a book about absolutely disgusting and horrifying sexual harassment and rape be classified as “entertaining”? Seems a bit inappropriate, right? And yet… this book is a very well-structured, well-written, compulsively readable work of non-fiction. I had read most of the reporting before, and this book still held my interest. It’s truly stunning to see how many disgusting men there are in entertainment! Wow! Much worse than you might assume!

Hidden Valley Road — Robert Kolker. 9/10

This was SO GOOD. The best non-fiction I read this year? Maybe? It looks at a family of twelve children (which in itself seems like a lot to deal with), SIX of whom are diagnosed with schizophrenia. It’s so interesting and so well-written. A great look at gender roles, mental health treatment, family dynamics, extended family dynamics, and other things I’m probably forgetting.

Fiction:

There There — Tommy Orange. 9/10

This book is a slow build to a chaotic finish. The author manages to tell a story set in present day while giving a history lesson about Native Americans. Ambitious and remarkable!

The Gone World — Tom Sweterlitsch. 9.5/10

This book was STRONGLY recommended by @zapata_36 and I’m grateful I finally gave in to his DEMANDS and read it. It’s such a great book! I think my preferred “quick read” genre is slowly turning from murder-mysteries/thrillers to sci-fi? Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry to read this that I did miss at least one important part! Also, I think reading on an e-reader lends itself to skimming? The font and design of every book is the same!!! Anyway, read this book.

The Glass Hotel — Emily St John Mandel. 9/10

I really liked this book. I liked it more than Station Eleven, although now I’d like to reread that. I loved the setting and I love a Ponzi scheme!!

Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires — Grady Hendrix. 9/10

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It’s got EVERYTHING: vampires, dumb husbands, 90s setting, mystery, unfulfilled housewives, southern suburbia, racist white people. Read it!

Severance — Ling Ma. 9/10 

This book is about a virus that comes from China and wipes out most of humanity. Honestly it was sort of terrifying in how it echoes our current-day situation. Having said that, it is one of my favourite books I’ve read this year, and would’ve scored higher if not for the somewhat disappointing ending.

Leave the World Behind — Rumaan Alam. 9/10

This was very good. This is my third or fourth “pandemic/disaster event” book that I’ve read recently, which is odd because these books were obviously written and published well before Covid was anything. What does that mean???? A really good look at race and class.

True Story — Kate Reed Petty. 9/10

This was an original take on a story about sexual assault. It could be considered gimmicky but I thought it had something to say about truth and trauma.

You Again — Debra Jo Immergut. 9/10

I loved this book. The writing is so good that halfway through, I made sure that this author’s other book was on hold for me. Imagine one day you see yourself out walking around but this other self is you half your lifetime ago!!!! Then imagine being able to write a great novel about that!!!

Moonflower Murders — Anthony Horowitz. 9/10

Anthony Horowitz is truly a great writer of classic mysteries. I have enjoyed all of his books that I’ve read. They’re such a treat!

The Vanishing Half — Brit Bennett. 9/10

Last book of the year, and one of the best. The depiction of race and family relations is gripping, but I was confused as to why the author included a character who is trans but then did not fully delve into the character. Not every character is a main character, I guess. 

Leviathan Wakes — James SA Corey. 9/10

This was a very good sci-fi book! I think I liked it better than what I saw of the TV show (The Expanse). I’m excited to read the next one in the series.

2019: Books I Read and Liked

I read a lot of really good books this year! Honestly, there are TOO MANY good books published every year! This list doesn’t include a few books that I also liked a lot, like Recursion (Blake Crouch); Ghost Wall (Sarah Moss); and I Am, I Am, I Am (Maggie O’Farrell). I had to draw the line somewhere!

Once again, I read a lot of mystery-thrillers, books about toxic female friendships, and of course, books about rich people problems.

My Sister, the Serial Killer — Oyinkan Braithwaite. 9/10

I think this is supposed to be satire, but it balances along such a razor-thin margin that it’s hard to tell. Could a woman who exclusively deals with shallow, empty assholes kill without remorse? Probably, yeah.

The Great Believers — Rebecca Makkai. 9.5/10

WHAT A BOOK! Some books are so effective at teaching you about something that you would have otherwise never understood. It’s cliche to say, but that is the power of reading, and this is one of those books. Was I in Chicago during the 80s AIDS crisis? No, but now I have a better understanding of what it was like for those who were there: it was like war. So many people died; everyone knew someone (or multiple people) who had died. This book is really sad and really good at walking the reader through how devastating this was. It’s one thing to read the statistics, but it’s really another to read a narrative like this.

The Nickel Boys — Colson Whitehead. 9.5/10

It can be tough to start reading a book that you know is going to launch you into a story about abuse. However, Whitehead is such a sensitive writer — and always so thoroughly interesting, and interested in what he’s writing about — that, in his hands, the topic doesn’t feel exploitative. This is a pretty short book, and I really recommend it.

The Lost Man — Jane Harper. 9/10

This was great; the best Jane Harper book yet. A thoughtful, well-written mystery that takes place at a cattle station in a vividly described in the Australian outback.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation — Ottessa Moshfegh. 9/10
This book is weird but I liked it a lot. Who amongst us hasn’t, in the face of grief or heartbreak, just wanted to go to sleep and not wake up for a while? A long while? It doesn’t sound like the most compelling narrative, but Moshfegh makes it work.

The Need — Helen Phillips. 9/10

Speculative fiction + motherhood = SO GOOD. This book has one of the best opening sections I’ve ever read. It’s scary, and the pacing is perfect. It’s hard (if not impossible) to keep a high level of mystery and suspense for an entire book, but this book does as well as possible. There are at least a couple of ways the book’s events can be interpreted, so let me know if you read it!

Little Darlings — Melanie Golding. 9/10

This was SO GOOD!! Another story about a mom who has postpartum psychosis … OR DOES SHE?!? She may just have a shitty husband and is also being targeted by a witch!!!!! I’m not selling this, but it was very good. A psychological thriller that weaves in folklore and postpartum motherhood!!!

The Paper Wasp — Lauren Acampora. 9.5/10

This book was great. I love books about toxic female friendships I guess???? Something for me to think about 🤔 This is in the same vein as the movie Ingrid Goes West and the book Looker by Laura Sims. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU READ IT!!

Looker — Laura Sims. 9/10

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year (yes, I know it’s only March). Not exactly a thriller, it’s a first-person account of a woman having a mental breakdown, with elements of a thriller (especially those that have been published recently, and are women-written and women-driven). A short, captivating read; the sort of book that makes me think, “I wish I’d written this!”

No Visible Bruises — Rachel Louise Snyder. 9.5/10

Extremely well-written, compelling, and very sad. This book breaks down a lot of the misconceptions around domestic violence. A must-read.

The Expectations — Alexander Tilney. 9/10

The reviews of this are surprisingly middling — I thought it was very good. The author did a great job of capturing the insecurity and angst of teenagers. There is a piece of writing where the protagonist describes a hat he owns that, when worn, will signal to everyone how nonchalantly cool he is and it’s so earnest and relatable, and I remember having the exact same thoughts as a teen. This is a debut novel, and I’m excited to read whatever comes next.

You Think It, I’ll Say It — Curtis Sittenfeld. 9/10

I don’t usually read short story collections, but I’m so glad I read this one, finally! I actually liked it better than her novels. I have many things I like to read about, and relationship problems between upper-middle class people is definitely one of them.

Top Hunks: 2019

No matter who you are or where you’re from, there’s no denying that 2019 was a great year for hunks. Here are my top hunks of 2019.

1. Mando, from The Mandalorian
2. The Witcher, from The Witcher
3. Dr. Manhattan, from The Watchmen

Also, I should probably include: Darth Adam Driver, from Star Wars, but I haven’t seen those movies at all.

Truly a great year for hunks, and I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings, in terms of hunks.

Significant Events: 2019

In no particular order, these were the most significant events in my life in 2019:

1. Went to Disney World. It was super intense and extremely hot and I had a headache for most of the trip, but I still loved it and want to go back when Mila’s older. Being there is a weird nostalgia fever-dream where you are remember being there as a child and/or watching the movies as a child, while simultaneously existing there as an adult with your own child, which you maybe never thought would happen. Time truly is a flat circle!

2. Started to read about anti-diet culture. At the end of 2018, I was on WW but it was already not really working for me. Most people are not meant to put that much thought into their food, to track everything they eat, to unnaturally manipulate their food and their eating habits. I am making my way toward intuitive eating, and I hope by the end of 2020, I’ll be there.

3. Got a promotion at work. I’ve been at my job for 10 years and gone from being an Editor to Vice President, Editor-in-Chief. For some reason, it doesn’t feel like a big deal to me (probably because my workplace didn’t make any fuss about it…), but it clearly is a big deal and I’m excited about it.

4. My bro got married and moved with his wife to Berlin. Him moving was actually very sad for me — a lot sadder than I thought it would be — but I’m really happy for him and his wife. Also, we will be visiting them in October 2020!

2019: GOALS GOALS GOALS (UPDATE!)

Did I achieve my 2019 goals? Let’s see!

Here we go. 2019. Big year. Probably. Definitely not like those other years!

PHYSICAL HEALTH:

• Get to the gym at least four times a week. Yes, I absolutely did this. I would go more if I had the time!!
• Do a single goddamn pull-up. Still no!!!! What a disappointment!!
• Lose 10 pounds. No! But something much better has happened: I’ve made huge steps towards not caring!
• So, basically the same as last year.

MENTAL HEALTH:

• Take an actual vacation. YES! We went to Disney World, which was an intense whirlwind!!! Also went away for a long weekend to a wedding and it was great!!
• Figure out what to write about. Or, better yet, carve out one hour a week to dedicate to writing. NOPE. This is a top goal for 2020.

WORK:

• Get the goddamn imprint off the ground. YES!!!! HOLY CRAP!!!

OTHER STUFF:

• Visit my dad more! I did OK with this. Not as good as I could have.
• Still looking for that HG mascara! I would say . . . yes. Snapscara, try it. Also, Glossier’s lashslick is very good.
• Model a good lifestyle for Mila. Remember, she is ALWAYS WATCHING!!!!!!!!! Yikes. I have to work on this.
• Be nicer to Jeff, probably. He needs to be nicer to me, probably.

More detailed update for 2020 to come!!!

2018: A year in review: Resolutions: How did I do?

First, I resolve to NEVER stop overusing colons!!

Second, here’s a look at my 2018 resolutions and how well I fared:

PHYSICAL HEALTH:

• Get to the gym at least four times a week. YES! I still do this. Consistency is KEY.
• Do a single goddamn pull-up. Uhhh no? But I feel like I’m closer??
• Lose 15 pounds hahahahahahahahahahahahahah Uhhhhhhh no but I’ve lost about 7, so I’m on my way?

MENTAL HEALTH:

• Take an actual vacation. ABSOLUTELY DIDN’T HAPPEN!
• Start meditating every day. NOPE!
• Figure out what to write about. UHN UH!
• Focus on gratitude. NOT REALLY!

OTHER STUFF:

• Give Mila a million kisses a day. YES I feel like I got pretty close to this! I love kissing that baby!
• Visit my Dad more often. YES! But I need to make it a more regular thing.

2018: A year in review: Books

As I’ve already mentioned a couple of times in a super annoying way, I read a lot of books this year! These were my favourites:

Fiction

Lincoln in the Bardo — George Saunders 

I had a loose idea of what this book would be like before I started reading it and I was extremely wrong! The narrative structure is unique and the story is pretty sad. It’s horrible enough when a child dies, but to die from a disease that is now very uncommon and very treatable?! I mean!

The Perfect Nanny — Leila Slimani 

This was very good! I don’t know if the writer started this book before that case that has now been wrapped up in New York or was inspired by it, but this is very similar (that’s not a spoiler)!

Tin Man — Sarah Winman 

This is a short book — less than 200 pages — but wow, what a book. Set in Oxford in the 1960s (initially), it creates a very vivid world by focusing on the relationship between two men. If any high school students are reading this review (they’re not), you could do some sort of compare/contrast essay with this book and Call Me By Your Name (you’re welcome for this great idea!).

The Power — Naomi Alderman

This book was depressing, as its premise is that the only way women could ever have power in society is by having a physiological ability to injure people, and that’s probably accurate? And also the absolute overwhelming desire I felt to have that power was something I still think about.

Snap — Belinda Bauer 

SO GOOD! Everything I want in a mystery-thriller, with an added dose of actual humour! The humour sneaks up on you because the book is pretty sad at the beginning (and throughout, really). But man! I’ve read a few of Bauer’s other books, and I liked this one the best so far.

The Witch Elm — Tana French

I mean, it’s Tana French. It’s going to be a good book. But this is maybe her best! I do think it could’ve been a bit shorter, but still — great story, great unforced, natural commentary on white male privilege. In a mystery-thriller! What more could you want!

Non-Fiction

Killers of the Flower Moon — David Grann

David Grann! What a writer! Okay, I actually prefer his longform journalism to his books BUT this was still very good. At one point in time, the Osage tribe, who lived near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, comprised the richest people in the world. Then they started getting murdered. You can guess by whom! My real question now is how complicit the Pioneer Woman’s husband’s family was in these murders. You don’t get to be the biggest land-owner in Oklahoma without doing something to the people who were living on that land before you, right!??? Why isn’t David Grann covering THAT story!!!??

Bad Blood — John Carreyrou

What a great book! It was so well-written and super interesting! What is the deal with Elizabeth Holmes!? Sociopath?? OR WHAT!? I listened to so many podcast interviews with Carreyrou in the hopes that he would drop some additional gem of info that would suddenly unlock the mystery of Elizabeth Holmes, but he never really did. Yet, I MUST KNOW! (Ideas welcome!)

Educated — Tara Westover

This book is so wild that it borders on being unbelievable. I was left wanting more details about every aspect of Westover’s life (this article is pretty interesting, although I have no idea how factual it is), and fortunately/strangely, it’s one of the first memoirs I’ve read that takes place recently enough that every main character in the book, while anonymized, can be easily doxxed and researched on the internet. Most of her immediate family seems to be touched by mental illness and/or genius, and I really wonder what would’ve happened if Westover and her siblings had been formally educated throughout their lives and had received help for any mental illness. It’s a very quick read and very engaging, but also hard to read in parts for its portrayal of abuse — which, now everyone in her small town knows took place. That must be weird for them!

Non-Fiction Novella: The White Darkness — David Grann 

Yeah, another Grann. This novella is his longform article for the New Yorker with some extra pictures that didn’t appear in the magazine. It is a RIVETING true story about a man — Henry Worsley — who attempted to cross Antarctica alone in 2015. Two men recently made this same attempt, so if you’re interested in this subject, read up on their journey (now successfully completed!) as well.

Honourable mentions:

• Fierce Kingdom — Gin Philips
• Do Not Become Alarmed — Maile Maloy
• Dumplin’ — Julie Murphy
• Sing, Unburied, Sing — Jesmyn Ward
• The Woman in the Window — AJ Finn
• The Female Persuasion — Meg Wolitzer
• The Perfect Mother — Aimee Molloy
• The Outsider — Stephen King
• A Double Life — Flynn Berry
• Call Me By Your Name — Andre Aciman
• Dopesick — Beth Macy
• Our House — Louise Candlish
• Vox — Christina Dalcher

I READ 83 BOOKS THIS YEAR AND YOU CAN TOO!

This year I read more books than I have in the previous seven years — eighty-three goddamn books. You may be asking yourself, “how did Lesley achieve this dubious accomplishment?” Well, I’m here today to tell YOU how YOU can impress/bore your friends and family, have something to discuss at dinner parties*, and FINALLY read THE! MOST! BOOKS! EVER! IN! ONE! YEAR!

First, only read books that you are interested in reading, and be prepared to abandon a book if it doesn’t hook you within the first twenty to fifty pages. This sounds obvious, but I think a big reason why people don’t read more books is because they force themselves to slowly slog through a book they find uninteresting. I mostly like reading thriller-mysteries, books by women with a woman’s POV, books about relationships falling apart, or some combination of the above. I will read these books much faster than I will read a lauded book by some famous old man. Sorry, old men! I don’t care about your perspective, generally! Don’t worry if other people have said they liked a certain (boring) book and you just can’t get into it. Every year I have two or three books that someone has recommended that I don’t finish  and immediately forget about.

Second, make a concerted effort to read as fast as you can and don’t worry about retaining any information beyond a day or two after finishing the book. No one is going to accuse you of not having read a book because you can’t remember the details because probably no one else has read that book anyway. Seriously. People don’t read much.

Third, prioritize reading over other forms of media consumption. I would rather read a good book than watch a great TV show or movie. I don’t know why! Everyone is different!

Fourth, stay up way later than you should almost every night. Be exhausted every morning, and tell yourself you’ll go to bed early that night. But don’t! Stay up reading! Repeat every night for the entire year. Buy under-eye patches to help with the dark circles and puffiness that now lives under your eyes. There, isn’t it worth it???? You’re welcome!

*This is a joke because no one really has dinner parties, and if they do, the chances of two people having read the same book recently enough to discuss it are infinitesimal.