Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Here it does. Let’s discuss your favorite reads — or listens.
All in Non-Review
Ultimately, for the amount of books I read in 2022, there were only a few that I actively disliked. While there were many that felt incredibly average, I was able to find redeeming qualities in most reads - even the 22 titles reflected here that account for the lower 20 percent of my total reading.
I read a lot of great books this year, so I forced myself to narrow down the list to 10 favorites and 10 honorable mentions. These two lists comprise less than 20 percent of my overall reads, so they really were the cream of the crop.
After listening to more than 70 audiobooks in 2022, I can definitively state these are the 10 best and seven worst audiobook narrations I heard.
This year, I attempted more than 100 books - 102 to be exact - and only abandoned one read (although I should’ve given up on several others). Explore all the books I read in 2022.
My scope of what is deemed a “classic” has shifted over the years, and it has made diving into the back catalog of literature a lot more fun. Today, I view a classic as any novel published three decades ago that has developed a legacy. The classics I read this year - about 10 percent of my total reading - spanned the genres of science fiction, young adult and literary fiction by some authors well-known and lesser so.
While I won’t get to every book on this list in June, I will read them at some point this year, because each represents a facet of queer life – humor, resiliency and love – that continues to propel us forward.
This year I did something I haven’t done before. In re-assessing my book ratings, I made some adjustments. Like many others, for me 2021 was a roller coaster. So, it was only fair that I gave all my reads a second look before looking in the best of list.
Not all the books are terrible per se. Each had a few redeemable qualities that made them entertaining and informative, but they lacked the brilliance that immerses you in a story and doesn’t let go.
As you’ve guessed by the title of this website, audiobooks are my go-to format for reading. In 2021, 77 percent of my 82 books attempted were audiobooks, so I experienced the good, the bad and the mediocre of audiobook narration and production.
Last year, I made the goal to increase my female-identifying and Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) author reading by 10 percent – two demographics that together made up roughly 26 percent of my reading last year. So, how’d I do?
After reading and listening to more books in a single year than I used to finish in a decade, I can say, wholeheartedly, that 2021 was the year of nonfiction.
While I read fewer classics than usual, there was only one that fell flat — a truly remarkable achievement in my eyes!
From the Bible to “World War Z,” humanity has turned to art and literature to help understand pandemics, which, in reality, are a not infrequent occurrences when you look at world history. And part of that healing and processing comes from being entertained.
Watching the “Fear Street” trilogy on Netflix got me thinking about the book adaptations I actually want to see.
Of the 43 books completed, most have been relatively mediocre with only five solidly five-star reads a few more strong recommendations.
For Pride month, I’ve committed to reading only stories written by LGBTQIA+ writers and/or featuring predominately queer characters.
If you’re interested in a similar challenge, let me help you narrow down your choices with a little “Read This, Not That: Pride Edition.”
Today marks one year since I launched Please Read It To Me, a quarantine hobby that provided both a creative outlet and distraction in a challenging year.
This infographic breaks down my reading by page count, hours listened, author diversity and genre.
Whether you stopped by once or were a return visitor, thanks for being a part of my book reading and reviewing hobby this year.
