20 Books for 2022

Although I’m a little late to the party, it’s time for a post I’ve been doing the past years: 20 books I want to read during the year! Usually, I’m not good with reading lists, but they help me to keep track of those books that have been on my shelf for ages and have never been read. You’ll see why in the descriptions. And although I still didn’t finish my lists from the last two years, they have lead to me reading books I’d usually ignore a little longer. So here we go, 20 books I wanna read this year!

 You – Zoran Drvenkar

Let’s start with a novel I already finished in 2022: You by Zoran Drvenkar. I bought this one after I saw it on YouTube I think, as I was really interested in the perspective it’s written in. Because, as you might suspect after seeing the title, it’s all in second person perspective. Although there are several characters and the story is told from their perspective, the reader is always addressed directly and therefore takes the perspective of the characters. Expectations were quite high for this one, and that’s also the reason I didn’t touch it for years. Now I did, I have to admit it was…a little disappointing and not exactly what I expected. However, I am glad I finally read it!

 It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle – Mark Wolynn

Although I love to learn and develop, for some reason, non-fictional books tend to stay unread longer than fictional ones over here. Therefore, each year I put a couple of non-fiction books on this list. It simply increases the likelihood of me reading it. It Didn’t Start with You is one of them for 2022. The title says it all, it’s about inherited family trauma and how to discover if there is any trauma that has been passed on over generations. It’s a subject that I find interesting in general, and this title was suggested in another book I read last year and really liked (not sure which one though, it might have been Think Like a Monk).

 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking – Susan Cain

Over the past years, I have learned one thing about myself: Although I always tried to fit in with the world that never stops talking, I am definitely an introvert. I simply need more me-time and quietness than many other people in my surroundings. This book has been on my list since I discovered it (by hazard) in a little bookstore in Amsterdam, but as it’s a non-fiction book (and therefore requires a little more concentration than a story), it’s still unread. Hopefully, this will change in 2022!

 Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language – Gretchen McCulloch

I love language(s)! Not only because I love writing, but also because I grew up speaking several languages and just love how they develop (Latin is therefore the only language I ever seriously attempted to learn that I did not get at all). This book was a gift for Christmas over a year ago, and definitely sounds very interesting to me. However, it’s quite thick for a non-fiction book (at least it’s the biggest I currently have on my shelf to read). And that’s the reason I mostly pick other books to read.

 A History of the World in 21 Women: A Personal Selection – Jenni Murray

Another book that has been on my list for quite some time is this one. The subject is interesting, and when I saw it at a friend’s Insta, I knew I wanted to read it. However, same story as with other non-fiction books: They require more concentration, and especially in busy times (let’s face it, with all those dancing practices and work, I am always busy), I rather tend to read fictional stories. However, this book is going to be read soon!

☐ Confettiregen – Splinter Chabot

This is a Dutch book I want to read in 2022. I’d like to read more Dutch (I currently prefer German or English), as I want to further develop my Dutch vocabulary. Every time I was in a book store (which is often), I was drawn to this book, and therefore, it’s on the list. Don’t want to leave it on my shelf unread for too long.

☐ White Oleander – Janet Finch

I bought this one when I still lived in New York (which is about 6 years ago this summer). And for some reason, I still didn’t read it! I can’t even say why, as the story sounds pretty interesting and somebody who has about the same reading taste as me recommended it. So I assume, I’ll like it. Guess we’ll find out this year!

☐ Oxen: Der dunkle Mann – Jens Henrik Jensen

Couldn’t find the English title of this one, but it’s a Scandinavian thriller. And as those are (mostly) very good, I am not sure why this book is still unread. It’s the second part of the series, and I finished the first one years ago (and liked it). Which is another reason to finally start on the second part: I don’t want to forget everything about the first one or read it again before I start on this book. Obviously, there are also more parts to the series than those two, and guess what: the third book is also on my shelf, unread obviously. Time to change that!

☐ A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara

I bought this one when I still lived in Munich, which is almost three years ago. And although the story sounds very interesting, I never got to read it – probably simply because of the size of the book. It just looks so huge! Also, I know that many people loved it, and I am a little ‘afraid’ it might disappoint me as expectations are high for this one.

☐ The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

I’ve been wanting to read this one for ages. However, when I found a very nice edition last year, I put it on my shelf and ignored it for the coming months. The reason? I loved the movies and I know I love the story, but I’m a little afraid my English might just not be that good to understand this one. For some reason, I expect the language to be quite difficult. But there’s only one way to find out: reading it! So that’s what I’m gonna do this year.

☐ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs

This one has been on my shelf for ages (I don’t even remember when I bought it, I just know that it was in a huge bookstore in Cologne with my best friend). No idea why I didn’t read it when I first bought it. But I know why I’m hesitant now: My taste in books has shifted a little and I am just not into fantasy that much anymore. However, I really want to give this one a chance and that’s why I put it on this list.

☐ La Consolante – Anna Gavalda

This one is on the list for an obvious reason: It’s French. And although I like to read French sometimes to keep my language skills sharp, it often requires me to concentrate a lot while reading. However, I loved other books of Anna Gavalda and won’t throw them away without at least trying. So here we go!

☐ Tuesday’s Gone – Nicci French

This one might be the oldest on this list: It’s from a time when I still bought entire series before even starting to read them. Luckily I stopped doing that shortly after (otherwise, my shelf would be way fuller even), but this one is still there. And I really liked the first book of the series, I just never continued reading as more and more books started to pile up. So…time to continue reading this series.

☐ The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles – Katherine Pancol

Again, I bought this book because somebody recommended it, but during the very same period, I just had too many unread books on my plate (it was during the time I still received free books to review them on my blog, which always had to be read first). Again, it sounds like a great story. And again, it’s a book that made the author famous and therefore, I’m a little afraid it might disappoint me. We’ll see in 2022!

☐ Graceling – Kristin Cashore

This one is still on my unread-books-shelf for the same reason as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: I bought it, didn’t read it straight away, then moved abroad for some years and couldn’t take all my books, and then my taste changed. However, I really want to give it a chance, although this story sounds even less interesting to me than the one I mentioned previously. I’m just not into princes and gifts and that kinda books anymore. But we’ll see. If I don’t like it, I might pass it on to somebody who does.

☐ Breaking News – Frank Schätzing

I love Frank Schätzing and his always very well researched books. And I love the idea of this story about a journalist who has it all and looses it all and then gets a really risky opportunity to save it all. However, there is one problem with the books written by this author. They. Have. So. Many. Pages. This one has almost 1,000 in the edition I have on my shelf. So guess why I still didn’t read it? Guess we’ll change that in 2022!

☐ Shuggie Bain – Douglas Stuart

This year, I decided to twist this list up a little by putting two books on there I do not own (yet). The reason? I want to be more conscious about the books I buy and read them closer to the date they move in here. So I put two books from my wishlist on this list. That means: If I buy them this year, I’ll need to read them, too. Shuggie Bain is one of them, and I am so curious about this story!

☐ The End of Loneliness – Benedict Wells

…and this is the second one. Another story that has been recommended often and that I am really interesting in. But also a book that might become a candidate for this list over a couple of years if I’d just buy it and hadn’t put it on the list for 2022. As mentioned previously, I tend to stay away from books that many readers loved, as I am afraid they might disappoint me.

☐ Giph – Ronald Giphart

My boyfriend reads a lot, too. And he thinks I should read more Dutch literature, which is why I asked him to put two books on the list from his shelf. As they are not books I bought myself, chances are, I’d never read them if they were not on this list. The first one he chose this year is Giph, some story about student life in the Netherlands. Could be interesting!

☐ Figuranten – Arnon Grunberg

And this is the second one he picked! Again, the story sounded quite interesting, and I am curious to read more of what he picks for me. And especially on discussing the books with him, as he obviously already read them!

Do you have any reading lists or books you’d like to finish in 2022? Or have you read any of the books mentioned above? Let me know what you thought of it!

Alex

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