Goodreads Choice Awards 2022 Final Round

With the first round of voting closed, each of the 17 categories of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards has cut the list of nominees down from 20 to 10. It is always interesting to see which books will continue on, and which ones did not quite gather the votes to be considered for the top prize.

When it comes to Best Fiction, there were originally three DSNs that were nominated, but it looks like Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez will not be advancing. And the same is true for Brendan Slocumb's The Violin Conspiracy in the Best Mystery & Thriller category, which was the only DSN in that group.

While my favorite for the Best Historical Fiction category, Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson, has advanced, the same could not be said for either Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow, or Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang. And I could not be more pleased (or surprised) the three out of the four DSNs that were nominated for the Best Science Fiction category are still in this thing. Only Station Eternity by Mur Laffterty will not be moving on. 

There are no changes to report in the Best Humor category, with both The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, and Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon holding strong. However, the same could not be said for Best Nonfiction, as South to America by Imani Perry did not gain enough votes, and neither did The Man Who Could Move Clouds by Ingrid Rojas Contreras, which was originally nominated for Best Memoir & Autobiography. But both Oddball by Sarah Andersen and Ducks by Kate Beaton remain in the running for Best Graphic Novels & Comics. 

Quite a bit has happened in the Best Debut Novel category. There were six DSNs that were originally nominated, but only two remain. It seems The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow, and How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu will not be moving on, but the last book in that list is still in it for Best Science Fiction. 

Oh my young adult fiction...the Best Young Adult Fiction category is always an interesting one, and that still remains true for 2022. Only three DSNs remain in that group, and I am surprised that not one of them is either You'll Be the Death of Me, or Nothing More to Tell, both by Karen M. McManus. Tiffany D. Jackson's The Weight of Blood will also not be advancing. And as for the Best Young Adult Fantast & Science Fiction category, neither nominated DSN made the cut, so the journey ends for Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor, and A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin.

There are 16 total DSNs that remain as contenders in the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards, and really, anything can happen. The final round of voting ends this Sunday, December 4th, and the winners will be announced the following Thursday, December 8th. It will be interesting for sure. 

Graphic Novel: Incredible Doom: Volume 2 by Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden

Oh my graphic novels...so easy to read, hard to put down (even after reaching the end of the story), and often crazy expensive to buy. I mean, I get it, all that work on the illustrations, story, and the actual paper and binding are a project in themselves, but still. I was pleased to see the sequel to last year's Incredible Doom: Volume 1 so soon, as I had a ton of questions, and readers can now catch up with the misfits at Evol House.

The Situation: Time gets weird when you do not go to school...at least that is according to Allison. She has not attended classes since she began living in the attic at Evol House with her boyfriend Samir. After escaping her abusive and overbearing father, Allison is desperate to make this new life work, no matter how chaotic it often is. For Tina, Evol House is really the only option, so she continues to work tirelessly, even if no one else seems to care. And Richard still has not quite cracked the mystery of the bully at school who hates him, seemingly for no reason. 

The Problem: While Tina wonders if life at Evol House is the answer she always believed it was, a new friend provides a potential escape, though it would mean giving up on everything she has worked so hard for. Samir grows less sure that life at Evol House is any better than what everyone had before with each passing day. Granted, he is mostly there because of Allison, but now he worries if it was a mistake helping her get here. Sure, she seems happy, but she is also picking up terrible habits. Her latest adventure gains the attention of Richard's bully, who is more determined than ever to get payback...but for what exactly? Richard must follow clues and speak to various people in order to get answers. Hopefully a solution is found before someone gets seriously hurt.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a graphic novel that continues the story from the first installment, following four teenagers who are now living together in Evol House...an unassuming house where lost kids can find a different kind of family. Most of the kids there found it through the latest tech craze, the internet. It is 1994, and teenagers everywhere are discovering a new favorite pastime, allowing for a different kind of connection that was not possible before. Samir may have a solid home life, but Allison has no plans to return the house she lived in with her mother and manipulative father. For her, Evol House means safety. For Richard, it means protection. And for Tina, it is simply home.

My Verdict: I finished volume 1 desperate for answers, and volume 2 has certainly delivered. With the same simple, but beautiful artwork (honestly, it is perfect for the story it represents and for what the characters are going through), Bogart and Holden present these kids who are navigating problems that they are probably too young to be dealing with, but such is the world they live in. Allison's need for belonging and safety can be felt every time she shows up on the page, as can Samir's concern, and Tina's frustration. I believe that anyone who has ever suffered through high school will be able to find something to identify with here, especially if those years were during the 1990s.

Favorite Moment: There is no one moment in particular, but flashbacks and memories are light blue...something I find to be incredibly effective.

Favorite Character: Last time I picked Allison, but this time I will go with Richard. Instead of simply retaliating, he makes serious attempts to understand what is going on with the boy who insists on hating him.  

Recommended Reading: I recommend the graphic novel for A Wrinkle in Time. It is a great way to revisit a classic.

Young Adult Fiction: Gleanings by Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman's The Arc of a Scythe trilogy was easily one of the most entertaining, imaginative, uncomfortable, and fascinating book series I had ever read. I enjoy reading books that seek to answer seemingly impossible questions, and with The Arc of a Scythe, Shusterman attempted to answer a question that many have asked: What if humans could live forever? What exactly would that mean for life on Earth? Gleanings: Stories from The Arc of a Scythe is somewhat of a continuation of the series, but this time includes short stories from the time before, during, and after the events in the initial The Arc of a Scythe series.

Genre, Themes, History: Set during a distant (but not that distant) future, this collection of stories brings readers back into a world where the human population is controlled by Scythes, people who have been given the authority to kill (or glean) pretty much whomever they please, with the Thunderhead controlling every other aspect of life. There are rules and regulations, but as the stories prove, many Scythes find ways around them, or they simply glean those they find annoying, or those that manage to get in their way. In "Never Work with Animals," Scythe Fields makes sure his small community is just as he likes, and anyone who irks him risks having their life taken. And then there is Scythe Dali in "The Persistence of Memory," who prefers to turn his gleanings into elaborate public works of art in an attempt to win both love and respect from the people around him. Readers of the previous book will notice familiar names and faces in stories like "Formidable" and "A Martian Minute," which may provide key insights into events that were merely mentioned before. The stories may not be presented in chronological order, but the clues are there to allow readers to know exactly where in the timeline each tale belongs.

My Verdict: This collection of stories is just as unnerving and intriguing as the first three books, and I foolishly thought they would not be. I figured they would be incredible and a great read, but I did not expect to feel unsettled while reading them. I found myself once again imagining what life under the Scythedom would be like, with the Thunderhead controlling everything else, and I have once again decided that it is not for me. Having my fate be in the hands of what is essentially little more than sanctioned serial killers does not sound like a life worth living. Each story, even the ones that do not reveal some previously missing piece of information from the time of the previous books, is not only entertaining, but also eye-opening to how some people choose to behave in the face of some unusual circumstances. Sure, it is fiction, but I have learned that we often both over and underestimate what humans are capable of.

Favorite Story: For me, it is a tie between "A Death of Many Colors," and "Meet Cute and Die." In the former, a group of teenagers debate the existence of Scythes during an annual Halloween party that is about to take a turn. In the latter, a young woman must figure out what she wants out of life, which is not easy, considering the aunt she lives with is a Scythe and insists on keeping her close. But there is also "The Mortal Canvas," which may not have been my favorite, but was oddly moving, and also heartbreaking.

Recommended Reading: The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez is not YA, but it does explore a future for humanity that includes many different options for how we will live. I also recommend Shusterman's Dry, which asks the question of what people would do if they suddenly lost access to water. 

Goodreads Choice Awards 2022

Almost as if it were another holiday to celebrate, the Goodreads Choice Awards have once again come around, giving readers a chance to vote for their favorite books of the year. It is always a thrill, at least for me, to see which books are being considered, and just how close the race can get. So let's see what options voters have for this year.

Three DSNs have made it into the always highly competitive Best Fiction category, and they are Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Honestly, I would be good with any of these winning, but my personal vote goes to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. As was promised on the book jacket, Zevin wrote a love story like no other, one that spanned decades and moved across the country. Oh yeah, and there was video game development involved. It was intriguing as it was interesting, and also incredibly moving.

I am always surprised when I manage to get a book on this blog that ends up being nominated for the Best Mystery & Thriller category. This year it was The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. When his precious, not to mention priceless, Stradivarius violin goes missing, musician Ray McMillian begins an intense and manic search to get it back. Granted, it has caused him immense trouble since he found it in his grandmother's attic, but he cannot play anything else, and desperately needs to find it before a big competition. The book is a great ride, but it is up against the likes of The Maid by Nita Prose, and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley.

The Best Historical Fiction category is predictable stacked, and I am spoiled for choice with DSNs like Tara M. Stringfellow's Memphis, Jenny Tinghui Zhang's Four Treasures of the Sky, Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake, Kate Quinn's The Diamond Eye, and Taylor Jenkins Reid's Carrie Soto Is Back being presented for our consideration. All incredibly strong choices, I personally have the strongest attachment to Wilkerson's Black Cake. Had it been placed in the Best Fiction category (I had placed it under the 'contemporary fiction' heading), I would be free to vote for The Diamond Eye. Last year, Reid took the win in this category for Malibu Rising, and I will not be at all surprised if she does so again.

I have lamented many times that science fiction is one of my weaker categories, and yet, four DSNs have managed to make it in for the Best Science Fiction category. Out of How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, and The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, I pick the last one in the list for my vote. Mandel went back to her science fiction roots for her latest novel, making links to previous one, and giving readers a unique scifi experience that explores the possible future for human beings living somewhere other than Earth.

Both The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, and Hello, Molly by Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon have been nominated for the Best Humor category. Both approach their respective subjects with honesty and humor. While Fischer and Kinsey talk all about their time on the enduring hit TV show The Office, as well as the friendship that came from it, Shannon's book is about her life and career, which of course, SNL was a major part of. My vote goes to The Office BFFs, though Shannon's book also very much deserves the honor. 

Only South to America by Imani Perry made it into the Best Nonfiction category, and I am certainly glad to see it there. Perry explored many of the South's major cities and areas, as she related not only her own personal experiences in each place as a black woman, but also its history, and how the history of the south as a whole is really the history of the U.S. It is certainly worth a read for American history buffs, and even travel lovers. 

This year, I imagine the Best Memoir & Autobiography category will be an interesting race, and I love seeing both Solito by Javier Zamora (which will be reviewed in a future blog post), and The Man Who Could Move Clouds by Ingris Rojas Contreras as contenders. Both are incredibly vivid, and honest, and fascinating, and my decision to vote for Solito was not an easy one to make. 

Normally, I am lucky to have one book from the blog show up in the Best Graphic Novels & Comics category, and this year there are two! Neither of which comes as a surprise, as both Ducks by Kate Beaton (future blog post) and Oddball by Sarah Andersen are wonderful. Andersen's humor is always infectious and engaging, but the brutal honesty with which Beaton served up the nonfiction Ducks cannot be ignored, which is why it gets my vote. I implore those who know little about the oil sands of Canada and the people who work there to pick it up. 

All six (six!) books that appear in the Best Debut category have also been nominated in their respective genre categories. The Violin Conspiracy, Olga Dies Dreaming, Black Cake, Memphis, Remarkably Bright Creatures, and How High We Go in the Dark are all up for consideration, and again, I must go with Wilkerson's Black Cake. 

As usual, there are plenty of young adult DSNs to consider for the Best Young Adult Fiction category. Both of the books published by prolific thriller writer Karen M. McManus have been nominated, which means her readers will have to choose from either Nothing More to Tell, or You'll Be the Death of Me. But there is also Family of Liars by E. Lockhart, Anatomy by Dana Schwartz, The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson (future blog post), and I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys that have been nominated. All have their own strengths, but my vote goes to I Must Betray You. Set in 1980s communist Romania, readers go on an adventure with young Cristian Florescu after he is recruited to spy on his own friends and family, while also knowing that he himself is being constantly watched. 

Honestly, the choice between Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor, and A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin is a difficult one for me. Both embody the young adult fantasy genre beautifully, offering readers an incredible experience in places and times very different from our own. The world building is phenomenal, if not exceptional in some areas. But I have to choose one, so I went with Taylor's Hotel Magnifique. 

And there we have it..a total of 28 DSNs that are in this thing, with the the potential to be named the best in their respective categories. This initial round of voting will last until Sunday, November 27, with the final round opening Tuesday, November 29. I am excited, as I always am, and will be anxious to see the results.

Contemporary Fiction: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

So much attention has been given to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, and after reading the description, I was also excited to get my hands on this one. Maybe it is because of my childhood of watching my brother play video games while I followed along with Nintendo Power magazine (remember those?), but the synopsis appealed to me and I was ready for a different kind of gaming adventure.

The Situation: When Sadie Green is 11, she meets 12 year-old Sam Masur while visiting her older sister in the hospital. The two of them end up playing video games together and becoming friends, unknowingly setting up the course of their lives as coworkers, video game developers, and sometimes friends. While this initial friendship will see a temporary end, it will be on a cold December morning during his time at Harvard that Sam will see Sadie, who is attending MIT, and the two will once again bond over video games. But now, Sadie has moved beyond simply playing them and is taking a class in making them. And when she shares her first few attempts with Sam, it is enough to put them on the path to collaboration.

The Problem: When Sadie and Sam's first game, Ichigo, becomes a massive success, the two of them are instantly famous, and rich, and work must be immediately started on a sequel. But the creative differences have already begun to chip away at what seemed to be a solid friendship. While Sadie feels pushed to the side and ignored, Sam thinks Sadie is being selfish and cannot possibly know what real hardship is like. Unlike him, Sadie did not grow up poor, without her parents, or with a visible disability. Even with the help of peacemaking Marx, Sam's college roommate and future producer at their company, Unfair Games, Sam and Sadie will spend the next few decades making brilliant games, while not quite understanding the relationships in the real world.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel that spans 30+ years of Sam and Sadie's life, beginning from when they first meet as kids at the hospital. While Sadie grows up relatively affluent and in good health, and Sam is raised by his grandparents and will have issues with his reconstructed foot for the remainder of his life, they both will end up attending college on the east coast. They also remain obsessed with video games, which leads to a partnership that is both lucrative and volatile. Whether the games are hailed by critics and fans as successes or failures, Sadie and Sam's relationship will be marked by ambition, resentment, perceived betrayal, and things unspoken. And yet, the relationship endures.

My Verdict: If 2022 has given me anything it is certainly a fair amount of books, particularly contemporary fiction books, that I would be happy reading forever. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the kind of book that easily and effortlessly follows its protagonists as they live both ordinary and extraordinary lives, and it is not difficult to imagine that the story continues beyond the last page. Of course, the issue with creating such fully realized characters is that, inevitably, they will get on the reader's nerves much like real people would. The longer the story went on, the less I liked either Sam or Sadie, but the more I liked Marx. It is a different kind of love story in which readers will enjoy getting lost.

Favorite Moment: There are small moments that focus specifically on Marx, and I enjoyed all of them. Perhaps it is because I have recently seen an on-stage production of Macbeth, but I loved Marx's references to the Scottish play and his general love of theater.

Favorite Character: Marx may be more of an NPC (nonplayer character) as far as the general story goes, but I adored him.

Recommended Reading: With this one, I recommend either Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, or Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Historical Fiction: Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra

The third novel by Anthony Marra, Mercury Pictures Presents, explores life during World War II, but not necessarily from the battlefied. Instead, readers are offered a view from Hollywood, as a female Italian immigrant fights for her place as a producer, while simultaneously managing her grief over what happened to her family in many years before.

The Situation: Maria Lagana, an Italian-born immigrant now managing a career in Hollywood, is playing her part in helping to keep Mercury Pictures afloat. While her boss makes questionable decisions, some of which cause the company to be investigated by Congress, Maria must work to keep her professional life from falling apart, though her personal life is not doing much better. Unable to move past something she did many years ago as a child in Italy, she has a hard time communicating with her mother, and can only write letters to her father, while her brilliant Chinese-American actor boyfriend cannot avoid being typecast. Things look grim, but the situation takes a troubling turn when Pearl Harbor is bombed, and the U.S. decides to enter the war.

The Problem: Maria has enough to deal with before Vincent, a man who knew her father, shows up at Mercury Pictures. President Roosevelt has already authorized the detaining of those that can be deemed potentially dangerous, particularly any foreign-born persons from Italy, Germany, and Japan. It was her father's political views and activities that were the root of the issues back in Italy, and now Vincent's presence is not only unwelcome, but problematic. As the war continues, and Mercury Pictures turns to churning out propaganda to get Americans to support the war, Maria watches as the company hires those that the country has declared to be the enemy, often to portray on screen the very people the country is fighting. And with each small professional success comes larger defeats, until Maria must face her past as the future seemingly collapses.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction book set mostly just before and during the early beginnings of the U.S. participation in World War II. While the primary part of the story takes place in Los Angeles, readers are also offered a close look at some events in Italy, specifically those surrounding Maria's father. Marra based many of the characters that show up in the book after real people from history, such as the often-warring Feldman brothers, who were modeled after Jack and Harry Warner. And then of course, there was the real Alien Enemy Registration Program that required Maria, her friends, and many of her coworkers to register with the government. This would be only the first of many problems those of Italian, German, or Japanese heritage would face following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

My Verdict: There is a lot going on in this book, which I actually appreciate. I like the movement between different character perspectives and time, as well as locations. Many characters that appear to be minor are steadily given more time on the page through brief but important mentions, giving the overall story an almost more fun and light-hearted feel, given the severity of the subject matter. My main issue with the novel would be the first few chapters and sections, the first of which was difficult to follow given the quick (but interesting) introduction to the world of Mercury Pictures. And the fast-pace of that first section made it difficult to remain interested in the important back story offered by the slower-paced second and third sections. If readers are able to push past the beginning, they are in for an interesting look at Hollywood operations during WWII. I only wish we got to see even more behind the scenes, and maybe from a few more minor characters.

Favorite Moment: I enjoyed any moment when Maria was able to undermine her boss Artie, which was not at all difficult to do.

Favorite Character: Anna is a German-born miniaturist with a fascinating backstory who is soon charged with creating, for a film, a life-sized replica of a German city.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, as well as The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon.