Hello, all! Another year has gone by, and my reading broke my records from last year! I read 170 books, which blows my mind. But going into 2023, I will be ending my term on a reading committee, so I am ready to slow down a bit and have more fun with my reading. I'm going to focus less on the number of books I'm reading and more on just enjoying myself.
But all that aside, I read some really great books in 2022! Here are my Top 15 from 2022 (in no particular order): A Furry Faux Paw by Jessica Kara 5 out of 5 stars I never expected one of my favorite books of the year to be a YA about a character who goes to a furry convention. But y’all. This book was SO GOOD. Maeve feels like she’s drowning in her own home, with her hoarder mother. But she is the only person her mom has left. Maeve’s only outlet is her online Furry community. There, she can express herself as MauveCat, share her art, and be “the happy one” to all her friends. When Maeve gets a chance to attend Furlympia and finally meet her closest friends and art idols, she’s thrilled! But it also means leaving her mother- just like everyone else has. I know that so many people aren’t even going to give this book a chance, but they are missing out. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming book about identity, friendships, family, and learning to take care of yourself. Loveless by Alice Oseman 5 out of 5 stars Georgia is ready to start college and fall in love, just like in the fanfic she reads. But she’s beginning to realize something- she’s never actually even had a crush on someone. But that can’t be right. Everyone has crushes and falls in love. And Georgia will too, right? Or is there something wrong with her? I originally read this back in 2020. It was the first ace book I’d ever read, and as someone who was thinking they might be ace, I really appreciated this book. Rereading it now, it had even more of an impact on me. I feel seen. While ace/aro identities are a spectrum and everyone’s experiences are different (and valid), I feel like this book does a good job of illustrating that. Five Survive by Holly Jackson 5 out of 5 stars Any time a synopsis involves people trapped together and one of them has a dark secret/is a killer/anything, I’m in. This book was no exception. Six friends go on a cross-country trip in an RV, only to have their tires shot out by a sniper. One of them is keeping a secret, and they can’t escape until that person confesses. From the synopsis to the title (Five Survive, but there are six characters), I was IN. It was fast-paced, thrilling, and while some twists weren’t surprising, there were still plenty to keep me guessing. Magical Boy Vol. 1 & 2 by The Kao 5 out of 5 stars I always describe this book as a queer Buffy/Sailor Moon hybrid. It’s a beautiful graphic novel about Max, who comes from a long line of Magical Girls. But there’s one problem– Max is a boy. It’s a wonderful story about a trans character, trying to honor family traditions while also honoring yourself. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe 5 out of 5 stars This was another reread. I first read it in 2021, but wanted a refresher. And, like Loveless, I loved it even more the second time. Gender Queer follows Maia Kobabe’s journey through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, while also discovering and embracing eir asexuality and nonbinary identities. This year, I’ve started to fully embrace being nonbinary, and this story is so raw and impactful. While my experience has been very different from Maia’s (everyone has different experiences), I kept writing quotes down because they just hit me so hard. Remember Me Gone by Stacy Stokes 5 out of 5 stars I finished this book just in time for it to make my top 10! People come from all over the country to see Lucy’s father, who can erase anyone’s worst memories. Lucy is so excited to start training, so she too can help ease others’ pain. But when she inadvertently sees one of her father’s memories from the night her mother died, she begins to question everything she thought she knew. Why was her father’s memory colored with guilt? Why is she drawn to Marco, who she’s barely even spoken to? Will they be able to figure out what’s really going on in their small town? The premise of this book is so unique and I really enjoyed it. There were so many twists (some I had figured out, some I didn’t) that my jaw literally dropped a couple times. Flip the Script by Lyla Lee 5 out of 5 stars I loved Lee’s I’ll Be the One, so I was very excited to read this book– and it was so much fun! Hana is an actress in a K-Drama, who also happens to be fake-dating her co-star. But then another actress (from Hana’s past) is hired to play her rival for the leading man’s love. But also, Hana just might be falling in love with her. This book is so drama-filled and fun and cute, but also tackles the homophobia in other countries and I just loved it so much! Forward March by Skye Quinlan 5 out of 5 stars Harper is trying to juggle marching band, friendships, discovering her asexuality, and keeping up the right image for her father’s political campaign. ACE LESBIAN REP, Y’ALL!!!! I really enjoyed this book. There were some parts of the plot that didn’t fully make sense to me, but the representation made me feel SEEN. Ham Helsing (#1 & 2) by Rich Moyer 5 out of 5 stars A vampire-hunting pic named Ham Helsing– need I say more? These books are so cute and hilarious– like, laugh out loud hilarious. Dig Two Graves by Gretchen McNeil 5 out of 5 stars I LOVE Gretchen McNeil and this book might be my favorite of hers. Neve is still hurting from her former best friend’s betrayal, when she meets Diane at camp. They grow close and even joke about "getting rid" of the bad people in their lives.Then after returning home from camp, Neve's former best friend is murdered and Neve receives a text saying, "your turn." This book was twisty and twisted and I loved every page. The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson 5 out of 5 stars After being dumped by her boyfriend, Steve, over the summer, Alice disappeared for 5 days. No one knows where she went or what happened. Iris just wants to keep her head down and save up enough money so she and her mom can finally leave town. So when Alice's parents offer to pay handsomely for Iris’s tutoring service, she agrees. But tutoring sessions turn into stakeouts and sleuthing when Steve’s new girlfriend (and Alice’s former best friend) goes missing. Inspired by the works of Agatha Christie, this unlikely duo is determined to crack the case. I love Agatha Christie and I loved this book. There are so many layers and mysteries to the book. The side characters are amazing. I just loved it. No One Is Alone by Rachel Vincent 4 out of 5 stars This book starts off with a gut punch. When Michaela’s mother is suddenly killed in an accident, she has to go live with her dad. She doesn’t know him that well- her parents were never married, but he always visited for her birthday and near holidays. But she never knew that was because he had another family and she was the product of an affair. Suddenly, she has lost the only family she’s ever known, and gains a whole new family who never knew about her- and who see her as a reminder of her father’s indiscretions. Rachel Vincent is another author I really love, and this book is a powerful story of grief and family. The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 5 out of 5 stars Oh, Jennifer Lynn Barnes. She never disappoints. This book ends The Inheritance Games trilogy, which follows Avery as she inherits more of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne’s wealth. It’s hard to surprise me with twists, but somehow this author always does. This was a great ending to a fun and interesting series. Cat Massage Therapy, Vol 1-3 by Haru Hisakawa 5 out of 5 stars Honestly, there is not really much plot to these books. They’re just cute. And that’s exactly what I needed. From regular massages with their toe beans and curing an aching heart with their purring to aromatherapy and acupuncture, these Manga are just so freaking adorable. Sir Ladybug, #1-3 by Corey R. Tabor 5 out of 5 stars Another delightful children’s comic book series. Sir Ladybug goes on numerous adventures to protect his kingdom. These are adorable books with great lessons for kids (and adults!). I had a lot of 4-5 star books this year, so here are some honorable mentions: Never Coming Home by Kate Williams Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, but with teen influencers. Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales Two girls go on a dating show starring their mutual ex-boyfriend and end up falling for each other. Yes, please. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston This book is messy, twisty, and just so much fun. Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier I’m not usually a high fantasy person, but this book was so unique and a standalone, which is rare in fantasy. Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei Gay hockey players (there’s so much more to this book, but this is what sold me). Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa Magic, but not fantasy. Like, Wicca magic, which I’d never read in a book before, so I loved that. The Witch Boy (#1-3) by Molly Knox Ostertag I love Molly Knox Ostertag, and this series was great. What's the T? The no-nonsense guide to all things trans and/or non-binary for teens by Juno Dawson This book breaks down trans and non-binary identities and issues in a way that is very easy to read and understand and everyone should read it. The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes This book was funny, heartbreaking, and just so so good. Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer This book was just so fun. I will forever talk about homosexual dolphin empires. I could go on even more, but I will stop myself here. Thank you to everyone who has ever read one of my posts. I appreciate you so much. I look forward to another year and (hopefully) building up this blog even more!
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AuthorI'm HaileyAnne! I'm a queer librarian who loves books and kpop. Archives
August 2023
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