📚 It’s the last week of 2022, so I thought I’d share a few superlatives and thoughts about some of my favorite reads this year.

The Critically Acclaimed Fave: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

I feel like everyone has talked about this book, and by everyone, I specifically mean John Green on his TikTok account. But anyways, I absolutely loved this book and think it’s worthy of all the attention it’s getting. It’s set in the 90’s and the characters are video game developers with a complicated friendship that spans a lifetime. I’d recommend it to people who love contemporary literature, video game references, non-linear narratives, and some messy relationships/romance.

The Personal Fave: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

This was an absolutely charming read, and it had everything I could ever ask for in a book—a charmingly messy orphanage with children who have dangerous powers, an endearing main character who undergoes an important transformation, a sweet, budding romance. The characters are just the tiniest little beans, and I want to put them all in my pocket.

An Unexpected Discovery: “The Elements of Cadence Duology” by Rebecca Ross

I read both A River Enchanted and A Fire Endless for review on Southern Review of Books, and this is probably some of my favorite fantasy reading in a long while. It’s set in a world of Scottish-inspired mythology, with two ancient, warring families living on either side of an isolated island filled with fae and spirits. It felt super unique in terms of lore and world-building and I absolutely loved the characters in this one too.

By An Author I’ve Read Before: Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim

I love, love, love Roselle Lim. If I could be an author, I’d be her. She is able to combine Asian American culture and urban fantasy into her books so well, and I adore how each of her stories seems so centered on both place, family, and food. Because of this, her books always feel like an indulgence, and this book set in Paris seemed like the absolute peak of it.

The Manga Pick: Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami

2022 is the year I started subscribing to Shonen Jump specifically to read Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK) after watching JJK 0 in theaters in the spring. Set in modern-day Japan, JJK is about a community of curse users who dispel demons across the country. Characters are very much disposable (be warned) and the action can be a bit complex, but I find myself consistently thrilled and terrified with each new chapter every week.

A Book I Haven’t Finished Yet But Know It’s Gonna Be Tops for Me: The Kudzu Queen by Mimi Herman

I’m currently reading this for review too, and while the holidays have slowed up my progress, I’m very much enjoying this period novel about a mysterious crop revival in the South and it’s firecracker leading lady, Mattie.

TBR That I’m Looking Forward To in 2023: Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

I’ve seen this one recommended enough of TikTok, but I really wasn’t interested in reading it until picking it up on a whim in Barnes and Noble during a 50% hardback book sale and reading the first few pages. The prose was gorgeous and promising and the plot seems soapy and dramatic, all of which I very much look forward to.

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Thanks so much for reading! If you’re interested, you can check out the full list of these books on Bookshop.