Oh my goodness...we made it y'all. It is New Year's Eve, and we are about to say goodbye to 2022. Now I know I have briefly mentioned this before, but although there is one post per week (every Friday) featuring one book, there are also a few books that I read that do not make it in. Sometimes this is planned, as in I read something with no intention of giving it a space here. Other times, the decision comes in the middle of reading, and it can be for a number of reasons. So whatever it was, below are the books I read during 2022 that did not receive their own special moment on this blog.
Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman: For the first entry, I remember attending a book signing and reading for The Toll, the third installment in Shusterman's Arc of a Scythe series. Near the end, he described the plot for Dry, and it terrified me so much that I thought I would never read it. Initially published in 2018, I finally bought it in 2021, and it still sat on my shelf until earlier this year. Essentially, the state of California runs out of water, and people lose their minds. I believe his direct quote was "Imagine you have a baby at home, and he's going to die unless you get some water soon...and you know that your neighbor has been stockpiling. What do you do?" See? Terrifying...
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite: This one had been recommended to me by a friend, and I was finally able to snag it from the Cloud Library. Also, it is short enough that I was able to get through it pretty quickly...and the crazy premise helps. Korede's sister Ayoola has a nasty habit of killing whoever she is dating at the time. Things somehow manage to go up a level when Ayoola begins dating Korede's boss, whom Korede has also been in love with for quite some time. This book is a wild ride, and it being under 250 pages means even those with short attention spans should be able to power through to the end.
Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson: Another recommendation from a friend - but more in the way of them wanting to know what I thought by the end of it - this one is another short suspense novel, coming in at under 200 pages. The narrator listens as a former classmate tells him a story of saving someone's life at the beach, and the friendship that comes after it. I remember enjoying the book enough, but honestly, I could not give specific details as to what happened or why it was important. The twists and turns were perhaps too subtle for me, or too subtle in general. Honestly not sure...
What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris: When Kenyatta and Nia are sent to live with a grandfather they have never met, the following summer ends up being one complicated by feelings of abandonment, confusion, frustration, and loneliness. Kenyatta has to watch as her older sister makes new, cooler friends, and therefore no longer has time for her. And she cannot help but feel that everyone is keeping secrets from her. I picked up the book because the writing was compared to Jesmyn Ward, but ultimately, it just did not interest me that much.
The Maid by Nita Prose: This book ended up taking the top prize for the Best Mystery & Thriller category in the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards. Twenty-five year-old Molly Gray has trouble navigating social situations and interpreting social cues, but she thrives as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. But when a wealthy regular guest turns up dead, Molly's orderly life is thrown off track when she becomes a suspect. This was one of those books that I wanted to read, and debated giving a space on the blog, but it just did not happen. Lovers of quirky mysteries will adore it though.
You Sound Like a White Girl by Julissa Arce: I had the opportunity to hear author Julissa Arce speak at the 2022 San Antonio Book Festival, and also have her sign my copy of the book. The book's subtitle is The Case for Rejecting Assimilation, and it is exactly that. Arce came to live in the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 11, and throughout the book, she talks about her journey as she learns English and eventually begins a job on Wall Street, all while chasing the hope of being considered 'American.' While part one is all about the lies immigrants are told, part two is about embracing the truth. It is another short one (just under 200 pages) that is worth picking up.
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy: Oh yes...I read this one too...much like everyone else. Initially, I had no plans to even pick it up. I grew up watching Nickelodeon, but anything McCurdy was in was a little after my time. But there was simply too much buzz around this book for it to be ignored, and my goodness, I certainly understand the fuss. It won in the Best Memoir & Autobiography category for the Goodreads Choice Awards in a landslide victory for a reason. The title alone should tell readers exactly the kind of brutal honesty to expect, and McCurdy does not hold back. The former child actress is candid about the abuse she experienced at the hands of her mother, until the woman's death after an intense battle with the cancer when McCurdy was only in her early 20s. This book is everything everyone has been saying it is, but it is not for the faint of heart.
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown: I have been a fan of Brown's work since hearing her speak at a conference several years ago. Known for focusing on vulnerability and the power of courageous leadership, Dare to Lead looks at what it means to lead teams that are braver, and more daring. I always appreciate Brown's ability to weave in stories from her own life, and these stories are often evidence of her own vulnerability, and just how much she believes in the value behind it. I will tell anyone who asks that I am no leader, and I have do not have any intention to be, but books like this are still helpful in my everyday work life.
So yes, these are the books that I read during 2022 that I felt needed at least a paragraph at the end of what has been an interesting year, and not only in the world of publishing. I hope that everyone has a wonderful and safe new year's, as well as a joyful 2023.
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