2022 got off to a crazy busy start, especially in February. But man… I read 24 books between January and February, which HOLY COW that’s nuts. Granted, I relied on audiobooks, which is kind of a bummer because I really wanted to make a dent in my owned but unread books.
I have read a lot of books towards my other goals though. You’ll find a lot of books by Black authors on this list, some read in Black History Month, but others read in January. I’ve read some really good nonfiction, and a few LGBTQIA+ books as well.
So, without further ado, here are my top 9 books of January and February.
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
What happens after we die? Wallace is about to find out, and it’s not at all what he expected…
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I’m not going to compare this to Klune’s other books, because that would be unfair, and I knew going into this novel that this was a different sort of book. But I will say that Klune has a particular warmth to his writing (much like Fredrik Backman) and that warmth and light and emotion spilled out in this novel just as much as in all of his others.
I took a half star off because I do feel there was a bit of a drag in the middle that could have been tightened up… the book was about 50 pages too long. However, the ending! The epilogue! I am still drying my tears while I’m writing this review. I loved this cast of characters, begrudgingly. I didn’t want to. Mei was annoying, Wallace was awful, it took me a few chapters to fall into the story. But I fell, especially in the last third of the book, and whew. It gave me a lot to ponder.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who liked The Midnight Library. Anyone who enjoys watching grumpy characters turn soft. Anyone looking for a crew of unique supporting characters.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Two friends living in Dublin deal with the ups and downs of life and relationships.
Rating: 5 Stars
*Disclaimer: Seriously considered knocking off a half star for the last two chapters of this novel, but decided it wasn’t fair to the novel as a whole.
This book was pretentious as shit, and yet. It was a unique read for me… I thought the third person storytelling was so unique in its zooming in and out of the narrative. One minute, we are sitting down at the table with the characters, and the next, we are birds’ eye view, watching them whisper things to each other that we can’t quite hear. It’s wild, truly, and gave me a bit of whiplash at first, but I came to really, really like it.
I say this book is pretentious because the characters lead pretty mundane lives, yet, via email, have these deep conversations about life and death and the impending apocalypse (realistic fiction, not fantasy). I found myself taking pictures of the words and sending them to friends like, “Can you believe this line?!” but also “Who even talks like this?!”
I couldn’t put it down though. It was very character-driven, minimal plot, but it felt like such a realistic peek into the mundane conversations of every day lives.
Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for a literary fiction. Anyone who enjoys real and flawed characters. Anyone who enjoys both philosophy and sex.
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Inti is in charge of reintegrating wolves into the countryside of Scotland, but the locals are not so excited about it.
Rating: 5 Stars
How does one describe a book so brutal? I hated this book. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. I lived with these wolves and Inti for the last four days. This book tortured me and strung me up. There was so much trauma and heartbreak and trauma. There was beauty, too, and love. But you had to dig deep and find the silver linings in the sorrow.
It was our January book club pick, and I almost regret picking it because it will for sure not be great for everyone. I loved this book, but it was BRUTAL. 5 stars for making me feel things that books don’t normally touch.
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, animal abuse
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes books with emotion. Anyone looking for books about conservation and climate change.
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
A group of students must perform at their school, but when one of the players turn up dead, it’s a whodunnit.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Oh man this book. It was recommended to me on audio, and I’m so glad I approached it that way, because I think reading all of the Shakespearean language that peppers this book would have been intimidating otherwise. This novel is about Shakespeare, and it’s not about Shakespeare. The main characters are so immersed in this world, so oblivious to the way the real world works, and I loved them for it.
This is a murder mystery, but it’s also a story of friendship and loss, of addiction and darkness, of stories and their impact. Admittedly, I was an English major, so Shakespeare isn’t super intimidating to me, but the way the characters wove his language and emotion through their own stories made me feel even more affection for the Bard.
Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for a gothic literature tale. Anyone who enjoys dark academia. Anyone looking for a unique mystery. Anyone who likes extreme characters.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
After losing his brother to murder, Will is determined to find revenge, but it’s a long way down the elevator.
Rating: 5 Stars
I finished this book in one listen. To be fair, it’s 300+ pages but only 1.5 hours on audio because poetry. And it was not at all what I was expecting.
I feel like I’ve read a lot of YA books featuring gun violence recently. I believe it’s an important topic, but it does begin to feel a bit repetitive. This book though… this book was such a unique concept, such a gut punch, such a strong story. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again. The concept of the elevator and what each character presented to Will… breathtaking. I appreciated the way gun violence and the cycle these neighborhoods get caught in was presented, and I loved the slow unveiling to Will. I wanted to wrap him up and hug him.
To be honest, the narration of the audiobook didn’t feel like a novel-in-verse, it just felt like a novel with really poetic and beautiful language. I didn’t mind. This whole story was fantastic.
Who Should Read It: Everyone?
You Got Anything Stronger? by Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union returns in her second memoir to further dive into her life.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
This memoir came out hitting, with Gabrielle Union starting Chapter 1 with her discussion on infertility and the path to get to Kaavia James. It had me crying on my morning walk… the language she used and the way she articulated her emotions surrounding her infertility and surrogacy just hit the nail on the head.
I also really loved all of the stories she wove together about race, sexism, and her life from childhood to adulthood. I did knock a half star because I thought the arrangement of stories and inclusion of some felt a bit out of place in the larger narrative, but overall, I really, really enjoyed this audiobook.
Who Should Read It: Anyone experiencing infertility. Anyone wanting a collection of essays that span the topics.
The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans
This group of short stories looks at race, gender, and sexuality through a multitude of view points.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Books like this remind me how much I love short story anthologies. They have to done well for me to enjoy them, and this one was done so well. I loved loved loved all the points of view we got, and, while the stories don’t have an obvious connection, the themes woven throughout definitely complement one another.
I feel like “Boys Go to Jupiter” will stick with me for a while, as will “Anything Could Disappear”. I loved the opening story, “Happily Ever After” with its unique setting in the Titanic museum. “Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want” was intense and an interesting commentary on the Me Too movement. And the closing novella! Man! I wanted more from all of these characters, but also I loved the snapshots we did get into their lives.
Independently, each of these stories were vibrant and full of dynamic characters. As a whole, the book made an impact and left a message. So here for it.
Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for unique and dynamic characters. Anyone wanting short stories. Anyone interested in race.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya
A survivor of the Rwandan genocide shares her story.
Rating: 5 Stars
What can you say about this book? It was tough, especially with all that’s going on in the world. There is nothing glamorous or exciting about genocide and being a refugee.
That being said, some of the most profound and interesting parts of this book were not the expected moments, but the moments you would think would be the easy ones for Clemantine. Like going on Oprah and being reuinted with her family. Or getting into Yale. Or getting the chance to travel the world. It was in those moments where the true impact of trauma and heartbreak resurface over and over again.
I definitely recommend this on audio. The narrator is great, and Clemantine reads her Author’s Note/Acknowledgements/a statement at the end, and it moved me to tears. This book will live in my heart for a while.
Who Should Read It: Anyone wanting to learn more about history in Africa. Anyone who enjoys memoirs.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Tarisai was raised for a purpose, but when she’s faced with the moment, she must realize how far reaching the consequences are.
Rating: 4 Stars
I feel like I’m still in the middle of this world and this book, and it’s hard to put my words into coherent thoughts about it. It took me a hot minute to get into… something about the way the book jumped through time made it a bit hard to connect to the character and world building quickly. But when it clicked, it clicked.
I love the world that Tarisai lives in. The concept of a ruler having to pick a council might not be a big deal, but the parameters surrounding that choosing and the outcome of immortality ups the stakes a bit. I did think there were quite a few plot lines going on, and maybe that also contributed to making it hard to fall into right away… there were a lot of different conflicts facing Tarisai. However, once they all started to converge, man… I couldn’t look away.
This book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but you will want to read the second book, so I recommend having it on hand.
Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for a new fantasy series to fall into. Anyone wanting a short series. Anyone looking for a protagonist who grows.
