Hello! Today, I am finally getting into my Wrap Up for 2022! So I know I have already posted my reading goals and writing goals for 2023, but join me in reflecting on last year… and what what wrong.
I have always loved the new year. It is a fresh start in terms of the statistics within the year. I love setting new goals within my reading and my writing and also reflecting back on the year before. I love finding where I went wrong and what I want to do better this new year. It is fresh and the air is crisp with the cold air and it is refreshing. I have so many plans and goals for the year and I am itching to get started. My goals for my blogging, reading and writing will be coming in the next week or so, but I plan on it being a much better year than last year. I am finally feeling out of my reading slump and I truly cannot wait to read more – new books and old favourites.
This is going to be a very long post. I wanted a place that documented month by month what I read and to allow for the gaps to show in my reading – like when I didn’t read at all for two months, or where I slacked in blogging and did not get a wrap up post up. I have never been a perfect reader or a perfect blogger – although I would very much love to be, and these posts where I can clearly see where I lacked, I find to be helpful so I can improve.
We all know that 2022 was my worst reading year for years, however, I really feel like I started to swing it back around towards the end there. I am feeling hopeful that 2023 will be a better year. But before I discuss my 2023 goals, lets reflect back on 2022:
January
Historically, January has been my best reading month of the year. In 2019, I read 13 books. In 2020, I read 11 books. In 2021, I read 10 books. In 2022… I read 1. It was not the best start to the year to say the least. I have always sort of thought that the way you start the year, is how it will continue. I suppose that was also true in this case when it seemed to be the worst year for me. I started the year on a reading slump, and it was a slump that had been brewing for quite some time before hand, but I kept trying to ignore it and kept trying to push through it and just read read read. But that started faltering late last year. It continued on into January and I only read one book. The book that I did read, however was one that I enjoyed.
Fortuna Sworn by K.J. Sutton
I thought that if I found a new fantasy series that I loved, it would sweep me off my feet and I wouldn’t be able to stop. I follow a bunch of people on TikTok and I was in a couple of Discord groups and everybody seemed to be talking about the new book in the Fortuna Sworn series, so I decided that I would give it a chance. I did enjoy it! But, it didn’t grasp me enough whilst in the slump to want to immediately absorb the series. I would like to go back to this series at one point and reread the first book to continue on. A year on, and this book hasn’t stayed with me at all, and I am honestly struggling to recall the story at all.
February
February was the month for one of my most anticipated books of the year: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas. I actually booked the release week off work just so I could read the book as soon as it came out. February started well, but it trickled off pretty quickly and I spent most of my week off doing nothing.
The Shelf by Helly Acton
The Shelf by Helly Acton was one of my favourite books of the year. It was a story that has continued to stay with me. I started the booking believing I was going to get a romance and it started off that way – or at least it lead me to believe it. Until the main character was dumped live on television and made to participate in this Big Brother style reality TV show to learn to be a better girlfriend with the aim of being a wife. It was a fantastic feminist read which highlighted to ridiculous parts of society and showed some dark corners of social media. I really cannot wait to read more from Helly Acton.
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas
One of my 2022 Reading Goals was to read more physical books. I had really wanted to work on this, and I thought what better way to do it than reread one of my favourite books but in the physical format instead of audio? I probably should not have tried to start this with a book that is over 800 pages. I did actually achieve mostly reading this in a physical format, and I did count it. I did finish it with the audio helping as I read along with it. I loved this story so much, probably even more the second time around. I know it has mixed reviews, but I find it so immersive and incredible.
March
After I read House of Earth and Blood in the middle of February, I did not read again until the very end of the month. I could not bring myself to read. I was really struggling to remain focused on anything, let alone a book. I do remember picking books up and shelving them not long after. Nothing sparked anything in me and I could not continue with any of them.
An Offer From a Gentleman and When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
I watched the second series for the Bridgerton series, and found myself craving more. I had read some of the books in August 2021 and decided that now whilst this inspiration was here, I should grasp it with both hands. So that is what I did. For some reason, I really wanted to reread Benedict’s story (An Offer From a Gentleman) so I reread that one before continuing on with the later books. I have never been one to rave about how great the stories or the writing is in this series. But they are fun. And they are mindless to read and get through which is exactly what I needed.
April
April was my best reading month of the year and there is one main reason for that… I got Covid. I got Covid and I could not work for two weeks. I was also isolating in my bedroom so that my entire family also did not also get ill. This meant that I had a lot of time to myself and it honestly gave me time to reset. As horrible as it was being ill and have Covid, it also gave me the necessary time to recharge from a job I was burning myself out at. I spent two weeks listening to colouring whilst listening to audiobooks, because of that, I read seven books!
It’s in His Kiss and On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn
My continuation of the Bridgerton series continued into April and I feel the same about these two than I did the ones from March! Mindless reads that were exactly what I needed; but they’re nothing to scream and shout about.
Reputation by Lex Croucher
I spoke about this one quite a bit during Blogmas last month, both during The Worst Books of 2022 and in New Authors to Me in 2022. Although it seems like I absolutely hated this book, I didn’t! I didn’t read many books last year, so there was a short pool to pull from to make these lists. It is a historical fiction novel, which I do really enjoy, but this one just was not for me unfortunately! A lot of people do really enjoy this book though so I think it is a marmite one.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Beth O’Leary is one of my favourite authors of all time and I was sick in bed with Covid and I was desperately waiting for her newest release The No-Show to arrive. Sometimes I get in this mindset that I can not do anything until I do that one thing I want to, so I felt like I couldn’t really get on with anything. I then decided to reread the book that started my love for the author back in June 2020 and it was such a good choice. I think I loved it more the second time around!
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
I read this book the day of release all in one sitting. I could not put it down! The novel is told from three the perspectives of three different women: Siobhan who is a quick-tempered life coach; Miranda who is a chilled out tree surgeon and Jane who is the sweetest volunteer for a local charity shop. The only thing that these three women have in common is that they have all been stood up on the same day: Valentine’s Day. I was completely and utterly blown away by this novel. It is unlike any other Beth O’Leary novel but still has the essence of her writing and her as an author in general. I sobbed through the last quarter of the novel and I highly recommend everybody read this. When I eventually get up my top three reads of 2022, this one will top it!
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas
After months of reading bits and pieces, I finally sat down and finished this novel. Before the day that I finally finished it, I had gotten about halfway through and to a particular point that I knew I was not ready for. I wanted to be in the right mindset to properly enjoy the novel and I am so glad I waited. I am also so grateful that I managed to not see any spoilers in regards to that ending! I loved this book so much and I cannot wait to reread it and for the next book in the series. I am not sure how to contain myself with it!
With This Kiss by Carrie Hope Fletcher
Unfortunately, I wrapped up this productive reading week with another book that made it on my Worst Books of 2022 list. I think I need to let go of Carrie Hope Fletcher. I adored When the Curtain Falls and that book means a lot to me, however every book since has been more of a let down than the last. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters from With This Kiss, I didn’t care for the plot and I wasn’t blown away by the writing style. I am gutted by this realisation, but I am just continuously disappointed by the novels.
I then did not read anything in May, but to catch up on my writing and blog posts in May, you can read the wrap up: here.
June
June was quite a hard month for me. I was still getting over covid and recovering from all of that, but it was actually the month that made me realise that I had to change jobs if I wanted to better my situation – both mentally and financially. It was exciting because I got my new job and had handed my notice in, but I didn’t start the new job until July, so I felt like I was very much just balancing and never feeling grounded. It was this halfway point in the year that made me panic slightly in terms of the books I had not read and the words that I had not written. I was just overall a bit down on everything happening. I did however, manage to read two books in June though and both of them were great!
The Lucky Escape by Laura Jane Williams
Around this time, I was craving a book set abroad. I wanted a travel story and one of the loudest titles that came up when I searched this was The Lucky Escape. It was my fault really going in and expecting the majority of this book to take place in Australia, but it didn’t. I did really enjoy the parts that were set in Australia, I just wished there was more of it! I still really enjoyed this novel though and did rate it 4 out 5 stars!
My review: here.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Every now and then I just decide to get another Taylor Jenkins Reid novel off of my TBR. I have quite a few on there, but I like to stagger them out because they are standalone novels, although they kind of take place in the same universe. I was nervous about this one because it is so hyped up and it is loved by so many people who fiercely love it. Thank-fully the expectations did not fall short and I adored this novel. I loved the interview format of this one and it meant for a very quick and easy read!
I then did not read anything in July or August.
September
September was the month that my motivation began trickling back – and it was a trickle. I started blogging more and finding my feet again there after a few months of not posting anything. I started reading a bit more and I got two reviews up! It was still taking a lot of energy to read and get posts up, but I was pushing through it. It was my birthday month and I went away to Edinburgh for my birthday and I really think that getting away for a little bit of time, even just the long weekend, really helped spark my inspiration again. I came back with a plan particularly with my reading and had this plan I wanted to action: How I Am Going to Get Out of My Reading Slump.
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
The first thing I wanted to action from my plan to get out of my reading slump was to read a book in a genre I don’t typically reach for. I got sent the ARC for White Smoke in 2021 and never got round to reading and reviewing it. I am so glad though that this was the novel I chose to start reading in a different genre. It is a young-adult psychological thriller and it thoroughly creeped me out in certain points of the novel. I did not want to stop reading, but I made myself stop with only an hour left of the audiobook because I knew if I continued I likely would not sleep! It was great and I cannot wait to read more from Tiffany D. Jackson.
My review: here.
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne
I had some really high hopes for this novel. It follows Angelika Frankenstein and her brother Victor Frankenstein as together they create these inventions, but Victor takes all of the credit. One night the two of them both create a man each and bring them to life. Angelika is enamoured by her creation and is adamant that they will get married; however her creation resists. I did really enjoy the novel, however it went on for far too long. I find myself forcing my way through the last half of the novel. There were quite a few points where I did not feel like they were relevant or we’d go round in circles with the subplots. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I don’t see myself rereading this one.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
I loved this book just as much as the first time I read it! I wanted to reread this one so I could read the sequel and I was just reminded how much I loved this spooky little witchy town. It definitely has Gilmore Girl vibes with just magic and witches. The characters are also so comforting. It is a silly read, but sometimes that is needed and I can see myself returning to it year after year,
My review: here.
October
October was a bit of an up and down month for me. I had so much planned in terms of blog posts and what I was going to read, and not much of it happened. I did however, start thinking about NaNoWriMo and what I wanted to do. My biggest regret was waiting for November to come around before starting anything on this idea. By then, I had lost inspiration a little and the momentum in the idea had kind of dwindled! In terms of reading, I read two books that I really enjoyed at the beginning of the month and then nothing for the rest of the month.
The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling
Following on from the end of September, I read the sequel to The Ex Hex! I love this word so much and it is such a cosy town with cosy characters. We got to see further into the relationship of Rhys and Vivi, even though they were now side characters. The Kiss Curse follows Vivi’s cousin Gwyn and Rhys’ brother Wells. The dynamic between the two of them was amazing and the whole thing was so sweet. I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as the first novel, but it was still great and I will also be rereading this every year!
Mortal Monarchs: 1000 Years of Royal Deaths by Suzie Edge
A little turn in genre again, and this time it is a non-fiction. I often find non-fiction novels really hard to read, however Suzie Edge made it a joy. I adore Suzie Edge and I watch her TikToks religiously so of course I had to get her novel. I also love history and have always had an odd fascination with the Royal Family because I simply cannot understand them. Mortal Monarchs explores the deaths of every English Monarch (not including Queen Elizabeth II) and the connection of how their death was documented compared to how they were perceived by the public. I listened to the audiobook, which Suzie Edge narrated herself and I highly recommend that method of reading for this one!
November
November is the month of NaNoWriMo that I tried to participate in and failed. It is incredibly hard to balance writing and a full-time job and I think I took it a bit extreme trying to bounce back into writing and write 50,000 words in the month whilst only taking the first three days off of work. I think this year when it comes to it, I need to prep better and then ease myself into it. I will figure it out! In terms of reading though, it was not a failure!
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Lunar Chronicles has been on my TBR for year and years and it felt so good to finally get the first book in the series off of my TBR! I enjoyed it, but it is glaringly obvious that this book is a little young for me. I wish I had just listened to myself all of those years ago and picked up the series when I was the targeted age. That being said though, I still really enjoyed it and it was such a unique take on the classic Cinderella story. I love retellings and I cannot wait to continue with the series.
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
I spoke at great lengths during blogmas about how I picked up this book expecting a cute story and quickly realised within a few pages that this was a little more adult than I initially thought… It was a really funny read though and I loved the body positivity and just overall positivity throughout the novel! It was light-hearted but addressed some social issues too. Fantastic read!
My review: here.
Heartstopper Volumes One and Two by Alice Oseman
I read these two novels with the hopes of finally getting up to date on the series! I am still not caught up, but hopefully I will be very soon! These books are always a quick, enjoyable read. It is such an adorable, wholesome read that is always an enjoyable read. I still need to watch the TV adaptation! I don’t want to read it though until I finish the series!
My review of Volume One: here.
December
Almost to the end of this post now! December was an odd month for me. It was the month that I felt confident enough to say I am out of my reading slump, but it was still up and down. I read loads at the beginning and didn’t finish many books, but that final week of the year I read and read and read. I also started doing Blogmas and unfortunately fell a bit flat. My last post was New to Me Authors in 2022 and that was after a week of not posting for the challenge. I was a bit disappointed, but there is always next year!
Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
I had been saving this Christmas Winter-Wonderland-esque read for a year, and I am so glad I finally got to it. Although the beginning was slow, it was really worth it once I was fully immersed in the novel. I was a magical read that I am sure is going to be a staple for many, many years to come.
Review: here.
All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox
I did not finish this one in time for me to get my review up before Christmas, so I have it prepped ready to go next year! I adore Maggie Knox as a seasonal writer. I was so impressed and loved her debut novel: The Holiday Swap. Although I did not enjoy All I Want for Christmas as much, I still really enjoyed the story and it was fun to see the behind the scenes of a singing reality show and the PR relationship turn real.
A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
It is no secret that I love this book series, and I read them every year. There is something about the cold and the Christmas lights that make me crave fantasy. I feel like this series is always one that helps me ease back into fantasy and the genre. I love the characters, and I hope to get some discussion posts up about each book – like the way I did for Throne of Glass two years ago now! I love the characters and the setting and it felt really good to be back in this story.
That is it for my wrap up! This post seemed to go on forever, even though I didn’t read too much in 2022!
2023 will hopefully be better! Let me know what you read in 2022 and what your favourite read was.
I slacked a lot with blogging in 2022, and it amazes me that people still read my blog. 2022 was the year that I hit 1,000 followers and I am so grateful for you all. Thank-you to all of the familiar faces that keep returning, even after I disappear for months on end, and thank-you to all of the new faces who have joined in reading my incoherent thoughts about things I love. I hope you stick around for another year.
Happy New Year
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Kira Jeanette 
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