Here’s my annual list of books read this year (total=40):
- Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga
- Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker
- Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman
- Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim
- Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman
- Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman
- Heartless Prince by Angelo De Vito
- You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith
- The Wolf’s Curse by Jessica Vitalis
- Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
- Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher
- Starfish by Lisa Fipps
- These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
- Dune: Book 1 (Graphic Novel) by Brian Herbert
- The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams by Mindy Thompson
- Better With Butter by Victoria Piontek
- The Tarnished Garden by Alyssa Coleman
- Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi
- A Duet For Home by Karina Yan Glaser
- Keep it Together, Keiko Carter by Debbi Michiko Florence
- The Once and Future Geek by Mari Mancusi
- Lemon Drop Falls by Heather Clark
- The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
- Confessions of a Class Clown by Arianne Costner
- The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
- Gabe in the After by Shannon Doleski
- Coming Up Short by Laurie Morrison
- A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin
- Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd
- Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus
- The Prince of Steel Pier by Stacy Nockowitz
- Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper
- The Rabbit’s Gift by Jessica Vitalis
- Dune: Muad’Dib Book 2 (Graphic Novel) by Brian Herbert
- The Hope of Elephants by Amanda Rawson Hill
- You, Me, and Our Heartstrings by Melissa See
- The Vanderbeekers on the Road by Karina Yan Glaser
Some Standouts from my list: The Aurora Rising Trilogy by Amie Kaufman was so much fun to read! I love science fiction, so this was right up my alley, but the cast of great characters just make this trilogy special. I also loved Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Like The Martian, it’s good nerdy space drama, but also set in an almost apocalyptic earth (they are trying to prevent an apocalyptic type event from happening). It has an unexpected twist that I loved…but I’m not giving anything away. Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd was a delight, with such great Middle Grade voice and wonderful characters. Finally, The Hope of Elephants by Amanda Rawson Hill was an amazing novel in verse for Middle Grade that brought out strong emotions.
Looking forward to 2023 and all the new books it brings. Happy Reading!
Little Joni 