Roof Beam Reader
Adam Burgess
My Year in Review: 2022
Near the end of 2020, I told myself I would slow down my reading in 2021. That didn’t happen. So, at the end of 2021, I said I’d try again this year. Gues what? It didn’t happen. In recent days, I’ve found myself saying to myself, “You’re going to do it in 2023. You’re going to read just 20 or 30 books, deeply and slowly.” Anyone want to take bets? Ha!
Some good news in reading, though, is that I read 13 out of 12 books on my TBR Pile Challenge and I’m bringing that challenge back again for YEAR 10 in 2023. I also “beat” my Goodreads reading challenge multiple times, finally ending at two over my last adjusted challenge goal.
Here’s how things went:
- Number Of Books Read: 104
- Number of Re-Reads: 2
- Genre Read Most: Poetry
- Best Book You Read in 2022?
- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Lit Fic)
- Attack of the Black Rectangles by A.S. King (Kid’s Fic)
- Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong (Poetry)
- Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison (Non-Fiction)
- A Book You Enjoyed from an Indie Press:
- Vindicated: A Novel of Mary Shelley by Kathleen Williams Renk
- Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More?
- The Philosopher’s Handbook by Stanley Rosen
- Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
- The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage (didn’t expect it to be that good!)
- Book You “Pushed” The Most People to Read (And They Did)?
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- Best series you started? Best Sequel of 2022? Best Series Ender of 2022?
- New Series: Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
- Sequel: The Titan’s Bride, vol. 2 by ITKZ
- Series Ender: N/A
- Favorite new author you discovered?
- Jesmyn Ward (Sing, Unburied, Sing is stunning!)
- Best book from a genre you don’t typically read?
- The Titan’s Bride (manga/erotica)
- Most action-packed/thrilling/un-put-down-able book of the year?
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
- Book You Are Most Likely to Re-Read?
- The Dhammapada
- Favorite cover of a book you read in 2022?
- Most memorable character of 2022?
- Janet from O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker
- Most beautifully written book read in 2022?
- The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley
- Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2022?
- How to Read Now by Elaine Castillo
- Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2022 to finally read?
- Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace
- Favorite Passage/Quote from a Book You Read in 2022?
- “The thought manifests as the word; / The word manifests as the deed; / The deed develops into habit; / And habit hardens into character. / So, watch the thought and its ways with care, / And let it spring from love / Born out of concern for all beings.” –The Buddha (Dhammapada)
- Shortest & Longest Book You Read in 2022?
- Shortest: Mirror Factory by Carolyn Oliver (27 pages)
- Longest: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (830 pages)
- Book that Shocked You the Most?
- Inside the Storm I Want to Touch the Tremble by Carolyn Oliver (so good!)
- Favorite Book You Read in 2022 from an Author You’ve Read Previously?
- The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
- Best book you read in 2022 based solely on someone else’s recommendation?
- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer (5 stars!!)
- Best 2022 debut you read?
- Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
- Best World-building/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- Book that put a Smile on Your Face/Was the most FUN to Read?
- And They Lived by Steven Salvatore
- Book That Made You Cry or Nearly Cry in 2022?
- The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley
- Hidden Gem of the Year?
- Ready When You Are by Gary Lonesborough
- Book That Crushed Your Soul?
- Call Me By My True Names by Thich Nhat Hanh
- Most Unique Book You Read in 2022?
- Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco
- Book That Made You the Maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
- Reclaiming Two-Spirits by Gregory D. Smithers (read it!)
- Favorite review that you wrote in 2022?
- Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
- Most Popular Post This Year on Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
- Post You Wished Got a Little More Love?
- Did you complete any reading challenges or goals set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
- YES! I “won” my TBR Pile Challenge this year.
- One book on your list in 2022 that you didn’t read but definitely will get to in 2023?
- The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
- Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2023 (non-debut)?
- Different for Boys by Patrick Ness
- 2023 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
- Jenna Miller’s Out of Character!
- Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2023?
- Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods!!!! (by Rick Riordan)
- Something you hope to accomplish in your reading/blogging life in 2023?
- A more regular presence here at the blog seems like a good goal. I might have to slow down the reading part of things and spend more time writing. ßI wrote that last year. Let’s keep it and try again!
There it is, my year in reading and blogging! If you’re interested, come back on January 1 for my monthly retrospective. (I’ll be sharing my favorite book read in each month of the year during 2022).
How was your reading year? Please share your favorites in the comments or let me know if any books in my review have sparked your interest.
Happy New Year!
Roof Beam Reader 
You definitely had a great year of reading. I beat my number from last year, but still didn’t hit 50. 😦 I also failed miserably at your TBR challenge. Will still try again though. 10 years of the TBR challenge…time flies! Wishing you great reading, contentment, and peace in 2023. ❤
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That does seem like an impressive year, and I think you have a good balance of reading and blogging. Sing, Unburied, Sing was read by my book group a year or so ago; I was in the midst of a term paper that month so never got to it (and when we were meeting on Zoom, it wasn’t very motivating, although I suppose one could drink win alone!). Having visited Mississippi this month, maybe I should try again.
I have to admit I don’t want my soul crushed when I am reading. I get more than enough of that at work! That being said, my reading doesn’t all have to be escapist. I guess it is time to look at my TBR and consider 2023.
Happy New Year, Adam!
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Unsurprisingly – because there are just soooo many books – your cited titles don’t overlap with anything I’ve read, but I do have a copy of The Priory of the Orange Tree that has languished on a top shelf for a while. Maybe 2023 will be the year I take it down and open it…
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Priory is great! I’m looking forward to reading the sequel this year. 🙂
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If I have to choose one favourite book among those I read in 2022, it would have to be The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker.
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I loved that book! I still need to read the next one.
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A sequel now? *sigh* I’d better get reading then!
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Hi! Wow, amazing post. As usual, but more so.
My first question is why you would think you must read less? You do read mighty lot of books…but why worry about trying to read less? If it’s because you aren’t getting outside and/or being physical enough, try my route: audio books for walk time (or chore time.)
I also loved Sing, Unburied, Sing–in my top tier of favorites. Controversially, I’ve said that Where the Crawdads Sing was atmospheric and immersive. Glad to see you found it atmospheric (you don’t say you liked it.) Most people I’ve talked to (including book club and NPRs Pop Culture Podcast) were negative about that book. I found myself almost trying to defend my enjoyment of it until I caught myself and ignored the haters. 🙂
I snagged a few from your list, for that I thank you. I’m not sure I’m up to digging up a commitment list out of my massive TBR. I think I rather like being a bit random and spontaneous with what I choose to read.
Thanks for sharing your reading.
SJ
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I need to read less so I can read more deeply and spend time thinking about what I’m reading. The last few years, I’ve done a lot of “barreling through.” It’s not quality reading. I still plan to read about 60 books next year, so 12 or 14 fixed from my list and then 40 or so that I just find myself in the mood for throughout the year.
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You’re right about that, Adam. The Goodreads yearly reading challenge has sometimes caused me to “barrel through” in order to finish the required number of books. And I sometimes do things that could be considered sneaky to make it easier, i.e. reading slender volumes of poetry, graphic novels, short children’s books and singly published short stories. Those strategies are not necessarily bad in themselves, as long as the writing is good quality. But if it isn’t good, is it worth reading just to ensure that you hit a certain number?
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