It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2022 – but here we are! So far this year, I had a baby, returned to work full-time, and I am getting excited to put my master’s to good use and write for academic journals!

But let’s talk about books first. We love books here. I thought it would be fun to share what I’ve read so far in 2022. I’ll add a quick sentence review underneath each title and link to any longer blog posts if available!

2022 Books: January to June

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

One of Backman’s novellas. 3.5 stars. Not my favorite of his, but now I’ve read all of Backman’s works!

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

Absolutely fantastic. A super dense fantasy series with complicated characters. See my full series review here.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

A refreshing contemporary romance that introduced me to one of my new favorite authors! Full book review here.

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

A jarring, fantastic ending to an intense, action-packed historical fantasy.

The Drowning Faith by R.F. Kuang

A nice collection of stories from another character’s point of view. Glad I read it.

The Wicked King by Holly Black

Eh. Not my favorite series and I already forgot all about it.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Yawn. Walk, don’t run to read these. I will definitely be writing about these. More to come.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Angry it took me this long to read this book but that’s OK. Glad I did. One of my favorite books now.

The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality by Kimberly Ann Johnson

Less helpful than I thought it would be. If anything it affirmed that it’s important to support birth parents postpartum.

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

I thought Crescent City was going to be my favorite SJM series, but after this one, I was mistaken.

How Long ’til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin

N.K. Jemisin is just an amazing writer. This short story collection was insightful, inclusive, and so important.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Not my favorite of her books. Super predictable and kind of boring. I also tried to give The Diamond Eye a go and snoozed.

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

I had such high hopes for this one but it turned out to be flat. Contact me for trigger warnings.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Loved this one more than Weather Girl. One of my favorite books of 2022.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Glad I gave Schwab another chance and picked up this series. So. Good. (P.S. Ask me how much I hated Addie LaRue).

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

God, I loved this one. Laugh out loud funny, romantic, fast-paced, emotional. Everything I needed. Another favorite. Who knew this fantasy girl loved contemporary fiction?!

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Beyond excited to read the third book this year! I love Lila.

The Montessori Baby: A Parent’s Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike

Some parts were helpful. Other parts were a little too woo-woo-ey for me!

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

I liked this one! I thought it was a little top heavy with the backstory and wanted more of her being on television, but it was a timely, important read about women and autonomy. Contact me for trigger warnings.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

Can Casey McQuiston write a bad book? Asking for a friend. The friend is me. Loved this one!

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

A convoluted, confusing book. Loved the premise, diversity, and ending, but it was a chore to get through.

2022 TV Shows

I watched a lot of television while nursing during maternity leave. Here’s what I watched (and re-watched)

• Seinfeld (Netflix)
• Love is Blind S2 (Netflix)
• Emily in Paris (Netflix)
• Inventing Anna (Netflix)
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime)
• The Office (Peacock)
• Parks and Recreation (Peacock)
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• The Ultimatum (Netflix)
• Workin’ Moms (Netflix)
• Selling Sunset (Netflix)