What I Read and Watched in 2022

A very happy new year to you and yours! For the past three years, I've kept a running list of books I've read over the course of the year; 132 books in 2021 and 170+ books in 2020. Reading is my favourite hobby and bookstores and libraries are some of the places on earth I feel most at home. I hope everyone has the joy and wonder of discovering at least one book that makes them feel at home in this world in 2023.

In 2022 I read 145 books...

Before the full list, here is a best-of digest!

My Recommendations

1. For the historical fiction fan...Dorothy Dunnett, Dorothy Dunnett, Dorothy Dunnett! Finishing the House of Niccolo series this year was one of my reading highlights. I turned the last page of Gemini feeling sad that I will never again read a completely new word of Dunnett's historical fiction. Her writing challenges and rewards the reader in equal measure.
2. For the romance fan...Sarina Bowen is an industry and some of the books in her extended universe are, shall we say, uneven, but I enjoyed the characters and Vermont setting of the True North books an awful lot.
3. For the reader of poetry...Sean O'Brien's The Beautiful Librarians, which I've quoted on this blog multiple times this year
4. For cooks...I had Ching-He Huang's Stir Crazy checked out of the library for several months because there were so many things I wanted to cook from it. Her smoked mackerel, shiitake mushroom, bamboo, and goji berry rice is one of my favourite things I made this year--such a lovely combination of flavours.
5. For fans of fantasy...Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series has been a favourite of mine since I was a child. UK readers will now get the pleasure of enjoying her books too--in 2022, they began being published there for the first time. In June, MWT was in London for an author event in celebration of this UK publication, and I attended. Sometimes, you really should meet your heroes, because they are everyone you imagine they'd be and more. 
   
6. Because I love letters and you should too...Chickens, Gin, and a Maine Friendship: the Correspondence of E.B. White and Edmund Ware Smith. These letters exchanged by two famous twentieth century New England writers, are such fun: breezy and humorous, they provide a lovely portrait of a wonderful friendship.
7. On the silver screen: Fire Island (2022) is very clever and funny. After several attempts over many years, I finally managed to make it through all of Die Hard (1988)--Alan Rickman having the time of his life as the movie's villain is one hundred percent worth the price of admission. As for TV shows, I was captivated by Rings of Power season 1, and loved the performances of Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, and Sophia Nomvete. I also adored Sandman. The way Tom Sturridge's Morpheus switches between moodiness and menace is incredible to watch; and I was astounded by the sixth episode, The Sound of Her Wings.

What would you recommend from your reading, watching, or listening in 2022?

Reading

Fiction 

Anthologies

1. The Penguin Book of Dragons, edited by Scott Bruce
2. Greek Myths: A New Retelling by Charlotte Higgins
3. Sinbad: and Other Stories from the Arabian Nights by Husain Haddawy
4. The Dreaming Sex: Early Tales of Scientific Imagination by Women, ed. by Mike Ashley 

Childrens and Young Adult

1. Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman 

Comics

1. The Outbursts of Everett True by A.D. Condo and J.W. Raper
2. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman (on Tumblr)
   

Historical Fiction

1. A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville
   
2. Scales of Gold by Dorothy Dunnett 
3. King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett
4. The Unicorn Hunt by Dorothy Dunnett
5. Theodora by Stella Duffy
6. To Lie With Lions by Dorothy Dunnett
7. Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
8. Caprice and Rondo by Dorothy Dunnett
9. Gemini by Dorothy Dunnett
10. The Seahawk by Rafael Sabatini (audiobook)
    

Literary Fiction

1. Persuasion by Jane Austen (audiobook)
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (read on Youtube by Jennifer Ehle) 
3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
   

Poetry

1. The Beautiful Librarians by Sean O'Brien
2. Essential Poems for the Way We Live Now, edited by Daisy Goodwin
3. Off Colour by Jackie Kay
4. Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
5. Poetry by Heart: A Treasury of Poems to Read Aloud, with an introduction by Andrew Motion
6. 40 Sonnets by Don Paterson
7. Letters from a Far Country by Gillian Clark
8. All the poems you need to say goodbye, edited by Don Paterson
   

Romance

1. Always Only You by Chloe Liese (reread)
2. Ever After Always by Chloe Liese (reread)
3. A Gentleman's Position by KJ Charles
4. The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh by KJ Charles
5. A Fashionable Indulgence by KJ Charles
6. Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James
7. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang (reread)
8. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (reread)
9. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
10. Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne
11. A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (reread) 
12. Untouchable by Talia Hibbert (reread) 
13. Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (reread) 
14. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
15. Under One Roof by Ali Hazewood
16.  Everything for you by Chloe Liese
17. Waylaid by Sarina Bown
18. Keepsake by Sarina Bowen
19. Steadfast by Sarina Bowen
20. True North by Sarina Bowen
21. Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen
22. Fireworks by Sarina Bowen
23. Speakeasy by Sarina Bowern
24. Bountiful by Sarina Bowen 
25. Ivan by Kit Rocha (reread)
26. Shenanigans by Sarina Bowen
27. The Devil You Know by Kit Rocha (reread)
28. The Rogue Not Take by Sarah McLean (reread)
    
29. Stuck with you by Ali Hazelwood
30. Set On You by Amy Lea
31. Boyfriend by Sarina Bowen
32. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle (reread)
33. Dance with the Devil by Kit Rocha
34. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood 
35. Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne (reread)
    
36. Beach Read by Emily Henry
37. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
38. A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
39. You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
40. The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang (reread)
    
41. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (reread)
42. The Bridge Test by Helen Hoang (reread)
43. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
    
44. The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
45. Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade
46. Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese
    
47. It happened one summer by Tessa Bailey
48. The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian (reread)
49. The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian (reread)
50. The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian (reread)
    

Science Fiction and Fantasy

1. Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith (reread)
2. Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb (reread)
3. Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb (reread)
4. City of Dragons by Robin Hobb (reread)
5. Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb (reread)
6. Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell (reread)
7. Jovah's Angel by Sharon Shinn (reread)
8. The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn (reread)
9. Angel-Seeker by Sharon Shinn 
10. Angelica  by Sharon Shinn (reread)
11. Archangel  by Sharon Shinn (reread)
12. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski 
13. The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood
    
14. The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski 
15. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (reread)
    
16. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (reread)
17. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (reread)
18. A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (reread)
19. Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (reread)
20. The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood
21. Babylon's Ashes by James A. Corey
22. Nemesis Games by James A. Corey
23. Cibola Burn by James A. Corey
24. Abbadon's Gate by James A. Corey
25. Caliban's War by James A. Corey
26. Leviathan Wakes by James A. Corey
27. Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski 
28. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (second reread)
29. The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield
30. Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
31. Rendevous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
32. Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs 
33. Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
34. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
35. Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell
    
36. Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson 
37. Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley (reread)
38. Spindle's End by Robin McKinley (reread)
39. Magic and Malice by Patricia C. Wrede (reread)
    

Nonfiction 

Advice

1. Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance by Kate Walker  
2. Samaritans: How to Listen by Katie Colombus

Autobiography, Biography, and Memoir

1. Finding Freedom by Erin French 
2. Old Maine Woman by Glenna Johnson Smith
   

Cookbooks 

1. The Easy Vegan Bible by Katy Beskow
2. Hunan: a Lifetime of Secrets from Mr Peng's Chinese Kitchen by Y.S. Peng
3. Asian Green: everyday plant-based recipies from the East by Ching-He Huang
4. Stir Crazy by Ching-He Huang
5. Bazaar: fresh, flavourful and deeply satisfying recipies for everyday by Sabrina Ghayour
6. Supra: a feast of Georgian cooking by Tiko Tuskadze
7. Ripe Figs by Yasmin Khan
8. Mind Food by Lauren Lovatt 
9. The Nordic Baker by Sofia Nordgren
10. The Apple Lover's Cookbook by Amy Traverso
    
11. Deserts by Pierre Hermé by Dorie Greenspan 
    

Current Affairs

1. The Pink Line: The World's Queer Frontiers by Mark Gevisser
   

Essays

1. The Book of Queer Prophets, ed. by Ruth Hunt
2. The Moth: This is a True Story, edited by Catherine Burns

Gardening and Nature Writing

1. Step by Step Veg Patch by Lucy Halsall
2. London is a Forest by Paul Wood 
3. The Book of the Barn Owl by Sally Coulthard
   

History 

1. The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak
2.  Black on Both Sides by C. Riley Snorton
   
3. The Wordhord by Hana Videen
4. The Bright Ages: a New History of Medieval Europe by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry
   

Letters and Diaries 

1. Chickens, Gin, and a Maine Friendship: the Correspondence of E.B. White and Edmund Ware Smith

Running

1. Out of Thin Air by Michael Crawley

Travel

1. The Peak District (Slow Travel) by Helen Moat
   

Viewing and Listening

Movies

1. Pride and Prejudice (2005) 
2. Thor: Ragnarock (2017)
   
3. God's Own Country (2017)
   
4. Persuasion (2022)
5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
6. Iron Man 2 (2010)
7. Fire Island (2022)
8. Fellowship of the Ring - extended edition (2002)
   
9. The Two Towers - extended edition (2003)
   
10. Return of the King - extended edition (2004)
11. A New Hope (1977)
12. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
13. Return of the Jedi (1983)
14. The Phantom Menance (1999)
15. Attack of the Clones (2002) 
16. Die Hard (1988)
17. Jurassic Park (1993)
    

Podcasts

1. Ali on the Run
2. Citius Mag Podcast
3. Maine Historical Society Podcast
   

TV Shows

1. Bridgerton (Season 2)
2. Heartstopper (Season 1)
3. Young Royals (Season 1 and 2)
   
4. Shadow and Bone (Season 1) 
5. Stranger Things (Season 4)
   
6. Farscape (Seasons 1)
7. Supernatural (Season 1 Unfinished)
   
8. Poldark (Season 1 Unfinished)
9. Merlin (Season 1 Unfinished)
10. Robin Hood (2006), (Season 1, Season 2 unfinished)
11. Warehouse 13 (Seasons 1-4)
    
12. The Sandman (Season 1 unfinished)
13. Rings of Power (Season 1)
14. Obi Wan Kenobi (2022)
    

Youtube

1. Yoga with Lena 
2. Paola La
3. Brad Evans
4. Vlogbrothers
5. Todd in the Shadows
6. Yoga with Adrienne 
7. Jill Bearup