chapter 10: my 10 favorite books of 2022
is it too early for end-of-year favorites?
I’ve included book recs in almost every newsletter I’ve sent out (special shoutout to the last newsletter. It included 3, and that’s AFTER I cut it down). Unless you’re voraciously reading each book after I mention it, I’m assuming you forgot about most of them. So I thought I would consolidate them here. They deserve to be seen! And read!!
In 2022 (minus 2 weeks), I finished 39 books, which is sort of insane to me. And after a lot of page-turning, I’ve concluded that people who don’t like reading are probably not reading the right books. Everyone is different, of course. I don’t know how to classify my literary taste, but I’ve explored enough in the past few years that I can open a book and almost immediately tell if it’s ~my vibe~.
Here are my top picks. I’m indecisive, so this isn’t a ranking so much as a chronological view of my Goodreads account:
1. Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To set the tone for the rest of the list, this is not my typical reading material. I found it randomly while skulking around The New York Times website, promptly ordered it, then finished it in 36 hours.
At first glance, I thought it would be about a man who wanted to climb tall mountains in Southeast Asia. Really, it’s about a kind of spiritual wilderness live-out-of-a-knapsack guy whose Instagram bio still says he’s “living in a cave in India.” Basically, the kind of person who has a ton of fun facts and an interesting, free life.
Justin, the man in question, died in the Himalayas under mysterious circumstances. The book explores the end of his life: from his adventures to the downfall of his pursuit of excitement.
It also puts his story in a broader light, looking at how westerners tend to romanticize Southeast Asia as a spiritual mecca. I loved how the author looked at something he calls “India disease” (or maybe India syndrome?), where foreigners come to India to intentionally disappear.
This was such a fascinating story with a compelling man at its center. While I’m not a wilderness girl, I feel like everyone can relate to the breed of escapism that inspires a drastic life change (like selling all your stuff and moving to India). I feel like there’s something in here for everyone. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. Happy Hour ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It appears I rated this 5 stars after I read it - but in retrospect it may deserve 4. I bought Happy Hour because it was floating around on the @starterpacksofnyc Instagram. This was pre-move, when I was furiously devouring any NYC content to subconsciously begin the assimilation process.
Happy Hour is written kind of like a journal, detailing two girls’ lives during the NYC summer. I was pleasantly surprised with the characters - I assumed it would be the story of two brunch-savvy Instagram girls who were scared of the Subway. This was wrong of me. The main girls are glamorous hustlers: always elegant, always industrious.
They have fun and explore, but life isn’t effortless. The city offers them everything and nothing. Their relationships and experiences are ephemeral. The whole time, it seems like they’re chasing something. It felt really relatable as a 20-something: looking for what to chase next, trying as many things as you can.
It made me excited to move to New York, even after the failure of the first apartment search. I would say you don’t even have to like or know NYC to like Happy Hour. It’s great. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Shatter Me (series) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
And so began my journey into YA novels. I ordered the box set of the Shatter Me series because it kept popping up on TikTok.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will keep the review short. The series is about a girl, Juliette, who kills anyone she touches, and the writing is such that you almost feel like you’re her (locked away, slowly going insane from isolation and guilt).
Shatter Me is a dystopian novel, set in a future where the world is dying and the government hoards resources. There’s a growing resistance, and Juliette’s power may be what they need to fight back…
It’s the kind of writing I love - where you get to know a character more by their thoughts than their actions. The writing style is also really effortless to read, so this was the kind of book where I read 6 books but it may as well have been 1.
4. Convenience Store Woman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Haven’t stopped thinking about this one since I read it this spring! I have ruthlessly recommended it to everyone (and gotten Alana & Abby to read it) and will not cease! Sayaka Murata is simply the best.
This is a quirky book about a 30-something woman who defines herself by her job at the convenience store. She lives and breathes for her job, even though her friends and family find it strange that she doesn’t want to get a “real job”.
It’s a bit of a commentary on work culture and societal norms. The main character is strict with herself about rules. But outside of work, she doesn’t quite know how to be human the way others expect her to.
This book is funny, sometimes sad, and so compelling. Recommend to anyone - and it’s a quick read!
5. How to Murder Your Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love a good sadgirl book, love a good memoir. In April I fell down a semi-intentional internet rabbit hole about Caroline Calloway after seeing this video of her apartment. I have long known and loved Caroline Calloway, the problematic Instagram influencer. But earlier this year, I ventured into the extended universe, which includes Cat Marnell. Caroline loves Cat Marnell because Cat is in the downtown NYC writing scene, and over the years has tried and begged to get Cat Marnell to hang out with her (very publicly, which I respect). Anyways, Caroline talks about Cat like she’s a god, so that inspired the purchase.
Cat is messy and casual and tragic and funny. Her story focuses on her troubled high school years, her drug addiction, and her 20s living in NYC as an editor for Condé Nast. Her writing is friendly and effervescent - it’s like being at a slumber party with a very nice oversharer.
Her memoir isn’t trying to be anything that it’s not. It’s not inspirational or eloquent or particularly organized. It’s raw and real and very her. It’s great!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. The Great Alone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book ROCKS. I think I found it via Abby’s Goodreads (giving credit where credit is due).
The Great Alone is the story of a young family who moves to Alaska on a whim. It’s hard work, but the parents are in love and their 13-year-old daughter is hoping she’ll find new friends. The community is wonderful and the terrain is beautiful - they’re all finding their way. But while the Alaska winter is harsh, it turns out the most dangerous threats might be inside the house.
I cried, I laughed, I stayed up all night reading just to realize there were even more chapters and surprises. I’m a city girl through and through, but the story of finding love and belonging in this harsh environment really got me. It feels relatable to anyone.
This is such a beautiful story and beautiful book. It made me feel like a teenager again, or maybe made me feel like I do now: just looking for my place in the world. I recommend to anyone!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Life Ceremony ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I found Life Ceremony because I loved Sayaka Murata’s other book, Convenience Store Woman, so much. Well, to be specific, I was drawn to the simple cover art and the perfect shade of seafoam when I saw it in McNally Jackson. And when I noticed it was another Sayaka Murata book, it was an instant buy (even with the hardcover upcharge… that hurt).
Life Ceremony is a beautiful book of short stories. They’re funny, strange, uncanny, and deeply meaningful. The world building is phenomenal, with the characters living in parallel universes where the norms are just slightly different. Some stories take place in a more recognizable world, but no matter the setting, the focus is on the societal outcasts and loners. The stories challenge the way you look at the world, and feel strangely familiar despite the outrageous settings.
I recommend this book to everyone, but I don’t think anyone has taken my advice yet. Honestly, I feel like anyone would love these strange, poignant stories. I loved them so much, I’m planning to reread them soon! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(By the way, subtle plug for Murata’s other translated book, Earthlings. I’m not including it in The List since it didn’t stand out to me as much as her other books, but I still LOVED it.)
(Also honorable mention to Bliss Montage, another great short story collection by one of my favorite authors, Ling Ma (also a UChicago professor!). I didn’t love all of the stories, but the ones that I loved hit HARD.)
8. The Kind Worth Killing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I believe I found this book from a TikTok…lol.
I’m not usually a murder mystery girl, but The Kind Worth Killing is IT. A woman convinces a stranger to kill his wife, and it’s kind of Gone Girl-esque (which I recently rewatched and would also recommend. It’s the best). The plot drags you along mercilessly, and I was so shocked that I genuinely gasped a few times.
When I went to rate this on Goodreads, I was pretty shocked to see a male author. He really nailed the female perspective - no weird clichés!! The characters are all wondrously written, and I found invested in their lives with the same fiendish energy I usually reserve for internet micro-celebrities.
Even if murder mystery is not your usual vibe, I highly recommend. I was shocked by the whole book, and I flew through it. It’s definitely the kind of book you can’t put down!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9. Diary of a Void ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another excellent book from Japan! I saw this in McNally Jackson while my mom was visiting, but had put myself on a book-buying ban (and it was hardcover… ouch). BUT it sounded so good that I literally came back the next morning to buy it. Spoiler: it was a good decision.
In Diary of a Void, the main character pretends to be pregnant to get out of doing menial tasks at work. And it’s fair - she shouldn’t have to prepare coffee for every meeting just because she’s the only female associate on the team. The lie carries on through all three trimesters, and it becomes so convincing that she starts to believe it herself.
This book is cerebral, strange, funny, and relatable. I love how it’s fun while poking at gender norms and work culture, too. It’s silly (like when she downloads a pregnancy tracker and attends mommy aerobics classes) but also takes a serious look at motherhood.
Diary of a Void is a must. I’m planning to reread it soon! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. Pizza Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pizza Girl seems to have very mixed reviews… but it will not stop me from including it on my favorites list! I’m pretty sure I found this through TikTok, too.
Pizza Girl is a kind of anti-coming-of-age novel about a pregnant pizza delivery girl who becomes obsessed with one of her customers.
The narrator is immature and apathetic - aka very unlikeable, but very relatable. She’s just a teenager, after all, and life sucks. It reminded me a lot of when I was a teenager: ignoring my responsibilities and clinging on to anything to find some semblance of direction.
This is a short read and very worth it, in my opinion. I recommended it to Alana and I see on Goodreads that she did not like it, but I will power through and keep it on the list!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you have any book recommendations, please send them along! Obviously, I read many other great books this year, but these really stood out to me. To another year of reading!!
Until next time,
Madeleine