Precious humans,

It’s my favourite time of year. Not because of that whole Christmas thing, though that’s fine too. This is something better than that. I GET TO TALK ABOUT MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR. *AND* IT IS WORKBOOK SEASON!

If you’ve been around these parts for any length of time, you’ll know this is an annual tradition I’ve been doing since 2012. You can find all the yearly book lists here.

As always, this is not a list of the best books published for the year – just the books I read in that year. As they say in High Fidelity, the records are organised autobiographically.

How many books I read in 2022

First up: the big question! How many books did I read this year?

This year I read just 150 books… nowhere near my personal 2019 record of 400 books. Totally fine especially considering I developed an eye condition that seriously curtailed a lot of my binge-reading habits.

WHAT FORMAT I CONSUMED BOOKS IN

Before developing my eye condition, I was reading majority Kindle with some paperback.

Post-eye condition, I haven’t been able to read books on Kindle or trade paperbacks (the smaller size). Instead I’m subsisting on larger sized paperbacks and large print books. The large print books are way more difficult to source & are heaps more $$$. I know my love has bought me a Kindle Oasis for Christmas. It has a larger screen and amber coloured light. I’m hoping it will give me a digital reading option again.

RIGHTO! THAT’S ENOUGH PRE-AMBLE! ON WITH THE GREAT BOOKS!

Non Fiction

The School by Brandon James Murray

The heartbreaking and tender stories of a classroom by an Australian teacher.

White Tears, Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad 

Anti-racist education by an Australian journalist.

The Life-Changing Magic of a Little Bit of Mess by Kerri Sackville

I love a good “fuck cleaning!” book. Bahahahahah!

Strap on a Pair: A Middle-Aged, Middle-Management, Middle-Class Moms Quest for Something More by Abby Lou Walker

Love this business memoir by my mate Abby from Vivian Lou.

Break the Internet: In Pursuit of Influence by Olivia Yallop 

One of my favourite books of the YEAR. If you’re in online business it’s a fascinating read!

You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too by Tammy Strobel

A wee tome on life & financial simplicity!

All of This: A Memoir of Death and Desire by Rebecca Woolf

I’ve followed Bec’s blog for… 12 years? More?

Her latest memoir on losing her husband and grieving a complicated relationship is brutally honest and tender.

Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs by Beth Ann Fennelly

This book made me vacillate between sniggering hard and gasping in shock. A work of art.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

This was another of my very favourite books of the year. I’m a new Katherine May convert, and I’ve bought and pre-ordered her other books. I love the quiet and thoughtful way she writes.

Ken Done Art Design Life by Ken Done
I love Ken Done’s positivity, colour and long-lived creative career. I so enjoyed this collection of art and essays! He has continued to innovate and is so committed to his family. It’s a beautiful thing.

Graphic Novels & Memoirs

Come Home, Indio by Jim Terry

Haunting graphic novel memoir by a Native American cartoonist.

Everything is an Emergency by Jason Adam Katzenstein

Graphic novel memoir by a person with OCD.

How To Have Feminist Sex: A Fairly Graphic Guide by Flo Perry

Got some huge insights out of this. Totally worth it. And am keeping for when my kids become teens.

A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping or Peeing but Using the Bathroom as an Escape

Short and ridiculously funny… made me snort out my nose.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

Graphic novel on George Takei’s childhood. I had no idea about that part in history where in the US, they arrested Japanese-American residents and put them in concentration camps for years! An important read.

Kimiko Does Cancer: A Graphic Memoir by Kimiko Tobimatsu

Thoughtful, beautiful graphic memoir on a young queer person dealing with cancer.

Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley

I adore all of Lucy’s books, and I just INHALED this one. Would make a beautiful gift for new mamas too.

Dear Sophie, Love Sophie: A Graphic Memoir in Diaries, Letters, & Lists by Sophie Lucido Johnson

A poetic series of letters from a woman written to her younger self.

How to Do Hard Things: Actual Real Life Advice, on Friends, Love, Career, Wellbeing, Mindset, and More by Veronica Dearly

This was 10/10 adorable.

Succulent Wild Woman (25th Anniversary Edition): Dancing with Your Wonder-full Self by SARK

I first read this book 20 years ago and it was one of the most life-changing turning points of my life. I still adore SARK’s work, she has been an enormous inspiration to me.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Amongst the Liberal Elite: The Road Trip Exploring Societal Inequities Solidified by Trump by Elly Lonon

This made me both snort with laugher and grimace in self-recognition. A VERY tongue in cheek graphic novel about a white liberal couple.

Audiobooks

Rich As Fuck by Amanda Frances.

I listened to this as an audiobook and holy shitter, it was PHENOMENAL. Absolutely adored it.

Full disclosure though: I have tried her courses & can’t recommend them for a few reasons. I really wanted to love them, and didn’t. But holy dinger this book is still fantastic though!

We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers

Useful resource on wealth building.

Midlife and the Great Unknown by David Whyte - Audiobook - Audible.com.au

Midlife and the Great Unknown: Finding Courage and Clarity Through Poetry by David Whyte

Could listen to this bloke read the phone book, but pair it with his magic stories and poems and you reach a certain kind of nirvana.

Bodhisattva Mind: Teachings to Cultivate Courage and Awareness in the Midst of Suffering by Pema Chödrön

Listened to the whole thing in 10 minute sections while doing enforced meditation (i.e. hot compresses for my beleaguered eyes.) Pema is good medicine for the soul.

Autism & ADHD

Different, Not Less: A neurodivergent’s guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after by Chloé Hayden

I love Chloé’s bright sparkling ASD spirit and am so grateful she’s in the world!

Button Pusher by Tyler Page

A graphic memoir about Tyler’s childhood diagnosis of ADHD.

Sensory: Life on the Spectrum by Schnumn

An anthology of comics created by Autistic peeps.

LGBTQIA+ Studies

Fine: A Comic About Gender by Rhea Ewing

Part memoir, part comic interview series about gender.

A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality by Molly Muldoon & Will Hernandez

Don’t understand asexuality? This is the place to begin!

Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure by Lewis Hancox

Graphic memoir of a trans teen.

The New Queer Conscience by Adam Eli & Ashley Lukashevsky

I’ve followed Adam’s work for years. I so appreciate his message!

Romance

The No-Show by Beth O’Leary

I’m still chasing the high from Beth’s first book The Flat Share, but this one was pretty wonderful too.

Romancing the Duke & How to Catch a Wild Viscount by Tessa Dare

These ones are re-reads. Tessa is my comfort read.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

I went on an Ali Hazelwood BENDER this year… starting with this one and continuing with even more hot nerdy romance:

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

All her romances are top notch!

I went on a Cat Sebastian BENDER, and I regret nothing. She is the Queen of queer Regency romance!

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Surreal, dreamy LGBTQIA+ romance.

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

Scrumptious gay romance.

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams.

Hot. Would have been hotter if there it was more body diverse, but sure.

The Kiss Quotient – by Helen Hoang

Re-read this bish TWICE this year. One of my favourite neurodiverse romances.

More re-reading of some favourites – and two of the Bridgerton series – Romancing Mister Bridgerton and The Viscount Who Loved Me.

Kid’s Books

Billy and the Minpins by Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake

Re-read it to the kids. Still adore it wildly, still cry on the last page.

I started reading David Walliams books to the kids and we got very into it. We tore through The World’s Worst Parents and Gangsta Granny, and quickly ordered more!

And of course…

Where would I be without the gifts I made myself 13 years ago that change my life year after year?

The life & business goals workbooks are my dream come true… that helps birth even more dreams come true. I’m grateful that 500,000 other gorgeous humans have found the same in them!

Sending you SO much book love!

Here’s to another miraculous year of books.

Love,
Your resident book whore…

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