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Interested in adding some new books to your TBR? Check out this quarterly reading recap to see everything I read in January, February, and March 2022?
It’s no secret that I sort of fell off the blogging wagon about midway through 2021. When I decided to start things back up again and try to be more consistent at the beginning of 2022, one of the things I decided I wanted to do was let go of monthly reading recaps, and instead do a quarterly summary of everything I’ve read over the past few months. So, here is the first reading wrap-up following this new formula!
(Note: I am still planning to use these quarterly reading recaps as a way for me to jot down some brief opinions about the books I’ve read; if you’re interested in a more detailed summary, feel free to check out Goodreads!)
(Second note: If you’d rather watch me ramble about these books, instead of reading my thoughts, check out my video wrap-up from my YouTube channel below.)
January
The first month of 2022 got off to a bit of a slow start-after reading SO many books in 2021, I was feeling a bit burnt out and wasn’t in the mood to keep up such a hectic pace. So I ended up reading 15 books in January. Here’s what I read:
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
McQuiston’s YA debut was an excellent way to kick off a new reading year. Major Paper Towns vibes, with a bit of John Tucker Must Die thrown in. I loved the mystery and the relationships equally. Definitely recommend!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher
I LOVED Ashley Schumacher’s first novel, Amelia Unabridged, so when I saw this one, I barely glanced at the synopsis before deciding to read it. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. Listen, it’s not a bad book, but do NOT go into it looking for a happy ending. That’s all I’ll say about that.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
I waited far too long to pick up this beloved romance novel-it totally lived up to the hype, and let me be the first to tell you that even if you don’t care at all about astrology, you’ll be charmed by the main character nonetheless!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur
After loving Written in the Stars, I couldn’t very well wait ages to pick up the companion, and I think I loved this even more than the first. Brendan is the geeky, enthusiastic book boyfriend of my dreams. I can’t wait to pick up the third book in the series!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
This book was perfectly fine. I enjoyed the setting and the adorable small town vibes, but I was not a huge fan of the main character’s relationship with her ex OR the overly grouchy eventual love interest. Not a bad book, but not a new favorite either.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Given my general indifference toward historical fiction, I probably wouldn’t have picked this up, except it was what my book club chose to read for January, and I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story most of all, but overall a good book.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean
I was so looking forward to this book about a girl who travels to England to take part in a literary-themed scavenger hunt, and the setting was lovely, but the emphasis on “classic” literature as the greatest books of all was a bit off-putting for this YA book lover. Nonetheless, if European settings, British romantic interests, and scavenger hunts are your catnip, then you may want to check it out!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler
This was actually a reread in preparation for reading the other books in the series, which…hasn’t happened yet. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the Alaskan setting and the curmudgeonly diner owner as much this time around as upon my initial reading.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Once More with Chutzpah by Haley Neil
I have complicated feelings about this book; on the one hand, I am all for more Jewish rep in YA books. On the other hand, the main character is on a trip that is similar to a Birthright trip, and, well…I have some feelings about Israel. So. I read it, and that is what I am saying.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Suite Spot by Trish Doller
This is a companion novel to Float Plan; the main characters of the two books are sisters. I loved this one just as much as Float Plan, and may have even preferred the setting (and the cat!) in this one.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
There’s nothing I love more than gross men getting what they deserve, and since this book starts off with that right away, it’s already a winner. But the love story and the friendships that develop throughout make it worthy of reading all the way to the end!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon
This companion to The Boyfriend Project was very enjoyable-I didn’t love the main character quite as much, but I still found it to be a very readable romance.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson
I’m generally predisposed to love anything set in the world of books/libraries/publishing, but this wasn’t my favorite. I just couldn’t get behind some of the choices the main character made, even if she was in a pretty tough position.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Himawari House by Harmony Becker
My first graphic novel of the year was a good one! About a group of students living together in Tokyo, I think the way the story focused on all of their viewpoints was really great.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian
I feel like part of the reason I don’t read as much fantasy these days is because a great first book will have a cliffhanger ending and a super long wait until the next book, and that makes me so angry! And yet, I loved Castles in Their Bones enough that I will persevere through this anger and read the second book-because I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
February
February is Black History Month in the United States, so for the past few years I’ve made it a goal to read books by Black authors during this month (don’t worry, I read Black authors during other months too, I just focus on them especially in February!). This year, I finished 13 books in February, and here they are:
Fast Pitch by Nic Stone
I LOVED this middle grade about an all-Black girls’ softball team. I hadn’t realized that it was a companion to Clean Getaway, so I kind of wish I’d read that one first, but you really don’t need to in order to understand and enjoy Fast Pitch.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta
I loved The Black Flamingo, so when I saw that Dean Atta had a new novel in verse, mostly set in Scotland, I knew I had to read it ASAP! And it did not disappoint-the main character figuring out his relationships with a first love and a new love interest set against the backdrop of Scotland was lovely.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen
I adored this book about 3 Black Muslim girls who start a blog for girls like them that becomes VERY popular…and unpopular amongst a certain crowd as well. It was so well done, and I loved getting 3 different personalities and perspectives.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert
If I haven’t mentioned it lately, I am a giant Brandy Colbert fangirl and will read anything she writes-even if it’s nonfiction. This book about the Tulsa Race Massacre makes a part of US history often left off of school curriculum accessible to teen readers (or, you know, the adults who didn’t learn about it in school either).
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson
I had high hopes for this romance featuring a knitting store owned by brothers in Harlem. It was just okay for me-nothing bad, just not super memorable either.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristin R. Lee
I both loved and hated this book. It was really well done, and I love that it will be there for teens who need to read this perspective-but I HATE that our society exists in such a way that a book like this is necessary. Anyway, much like Ace of Spades, I think this is a book that MANY people would benefit from reading.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
This was SUCH a cute, fun, quick middle grade read about a STEM-loving girl, her quest to create the perfect science fair project, and how everything goes wrong. I thought it was adorable, and was a great look at the many different relationships in a tween’s life as well.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin
I really enjoyed this book about two best friends who, after having been burned by relationships in their lives, decide to move in together and support one another (and raise the young daughter one of them brings with her).
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
How We Can Win by Kimberly Jones
This book was a way for the author to sort of expand upon some of the things she touched upon in this video that went viral after George Floyd’s death, and it was a really great and thought-provoking read.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
A Killer Sundae by Abby Collette
The latest installment in a cozy mystery series about an ice cream shop owner, this was perfectly fine. This isn’t my favorite cozy series, and one of the side characters really rubs me the wrong way, but I think it was my favorite of the 3 books published so far.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink
In trying to keep up with my goal of reading more historical fiction this year, I read this book set during the Tulsa Race Massacre. It was really great to read this so soon after reading Black Birds in the Sky because I had so much more historical context. I also enjoyed the relationship that developed at the center of this story.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
When I read the summary of this book, I did NOT expect to like it at all, but once I got my mind around the concept, it turns out I LOVED it. I thought the characters who represented each borough of NYC were so spot on in terms of personality, and it made me homesick for New York.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
A pro football player who owns a cupcake shop? A woman who cares not one bit about football who gets a job there? What’s not to love in THAT romance concept? Seriously, though, this was a cute and fun read.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
March
This is the month when my reading really started to pick up again. I participated in the Middle Grade March readathon and read almost exclusively middle grade books throughout the month (keeping with another one of my reading goals for the year), and I think I had such a good reading month because I found so many new middle grade gems! I ended up reading 28 books this month! Here they are:
All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle
I know I said I was focusing on middle grade, and the first book I read was a YA book?! But I actually read this one for review, and I won’t say too much, but this story, which is described as Gilmore Girls meets The Bachelor, was everything I hoped it would be (though I’d love if the YA parents didn’t suck quite so much).
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir and Amber Padilla
Ok, so I haven’t actually read The Secret Garden, but I LOVED this modern retelling in graphic novel format. I loved the main character’s new relationships and the art depicting the garden’s progress was truly magical.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby
This was the first book I’d read by Nicole Melleby, and now I want to go back and read all of her others! I thought it was such a great look at what it can be like to deal with depression as a middle school student, and how you can’t just will yourself to be better, no matter how much you want to. I also thought that the gentle introduction to the possibility of being nonbinary in one of the secondary characters was also done really well.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen
This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series, also centered around an ice cream shop. I did enjoy the plot, but I don’t really understand the emphasis on the main character’s former profession as a CIA librarian when it really didn’t add to the story whatsoever.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by Christina Matula
I LOVED this book about a girl whose family relocates from Canada to Hong Kong and the major adjustments she needs to make. I once again was not a huge fan of the parents, but I haven’t yet read a middle grade set in Hong Kong, so that was awesome!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Chester Keene Cracks the Code by Kekla Magoon
I wanted to love this book as much as The Season of Styx Malone, but, unfortunately, Chester’s voice just didn’t resonate as much with me. Nonetheless, it is a good book that is equal parts mystery/adventure and dealing with the complexities of imperfect relationships.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
City Spies by James Ponti
This is my new favorite middle grade series and I would like approximately one million City Spies books, please. I am NOT KIDDING. It was so fun and I thought the plot and the characters were excellent.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
One of the challenges for Middle Grade March was to read a book older than you are, so I chose this one, because so many people love it. I…did not have similar feelings. I found it to be pretty lackluster.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Forward March by Skye Quinlan
I took a little middle grade break to read this in order to be ready for my stop on the book tour, and it was so amazing. Great diverse queer representation, asexual lesbians falling in love, the consequences of catfishing, marching band romance…what more could you want?!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence
I feel a bit like a broken record, because I feel like I say this a lot, but I think Debbi Michiko Florence has mastered the art of incorporating romance into middle grade. It’s done in a way that feels true to the tween experience, and this is absolutely the case in this book as well. Not all middle grade readers want romance in their books, but if you have some who are looking for that, Sweet and Sour would be a good choice for them.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Golden Gate by James Ponti
The second book in the City Spies series. I loved it as much as the first. Keep ’em coming, James Ponti!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca
While I did not love this book as much as its companion, Midsummer’s Mayhem, that is purely due to my own preferences to read about baking whenever possible. It is still a fun book full of mischievous meddling fairies, as well as math and baseball.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright
This graphic novel about twins starting middle school who end up running against one another for class president was awesome. I didn’t love the election results but I did love the art and some of the very subtle subplots.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac
This novel in verse set in the first few weeks of the pandemic is mainly about a dog who “adopts” a girl who is staying with her grandparents on their reservation, but is more interesting as a little snapshot of that very specific moment in history.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue
This graphic novel is set in New York City, features superheroes, and has cats with extraordinary talents. What more could you ever want?!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman
This is historical fiction set during the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and it was HARD to read given what was, and is, going on in Ukraine. But I think not only was it a compelling story, but also a chance for people to learn more about Soviet history.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson
This story about a couple of foster kids who go into their attic and find an entrance to a secret world in which giant animals walk on two feet and talk and are trapped in eternal winter is PERFECT for anyone who wants something more modern and less Christian than the Chronicles of Narnia.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
I TOTALLY get why this won the Newbery. Man oh man was this amazing and also so hard to read. Hand this to anyone who loves The Giver.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Forbidden City by James Ponti
The most recent book in the City Spies series. SO GOOD. All I have to say is it BETTER NOT be the last book in the City Spies series. DO YOU HEAR ME, JAMES PONTI?!?!
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Long Distance by Whitney Gardner
So I thought this was going to be your standard middle grade summer camp graphic novel, of which there are several, but this one has a twist, and it is SO WEIRD. But also good.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff
Listen. This book is amazing for a lot of reasons. The main character figuring out her identity, learning more about her family, developing new relationships, getting into activism…all great. Truly fantastic. But the most important thing I got from this book is that THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF VEGETABLES IS A LIE. Thank you, Bailey and Kyle Lukoff, for enlightening me.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
I honestly went into this book thinking it was going to be more on the fantasy side of things, when I would actually say it leans more toward a mystery. I enjoyed it, despite it being different from my expectations, though I wouldn’t say it’s a new favorite.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
I really liked this book about a ballet dancer who was injured and is coming to terms with the fact that her life is going to be different from how she’d imagined. I think Indigenous culture is deftly woven throughout a great realistic fiction book.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Don’t read this book while hungry, because you will want all the food! I thought this was a great story about new friendships and learning about different cultures but mostly, it just made me want to eat South Asian food.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao
This book gave me very strong Epic Crush of Genie Lo vibes, in both plot and personality of the main character. So if you’re looking for something that has lots of action, strong personalities, and Chinese mythology, but in middle grade rather than YA, this would be a good choice.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Always Jane by Jenn Bennett
I tend to love anything Jenn Bennett writes, but this one wasn’t my favorite. I can’t really put my figure on why, it just didn’t give me the same swoony vibes. Still a perfectly good book, just not my most favorite.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper
Another new favorite middle grade book, about a boy who has recently come out who bands together with some friends to put on the first ever pride festival in his small town. SO GOOD.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit
A slight letdown after how much I loved Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!, but still a good read with tons of autism and Jewish representation.
Want to read this book? Get it on Bookshop.
Whew. There you have it, everything I read in January, February, and March of 2022-a grand total of 56 books! What was your favorite book of the first quarter? Let me know!
Looking for more reading recaps? Check these out:
- Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: February 2021
- Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: March 2021
- Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: April 2021
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