At the beginning of 2022, I had promised myself that I would get back into reading. I used to love reading as a child but as I got older, between life and my reduced attention span I had lost the habit of reading. Once I became an adult, I saw that a lot of people around me read "smart" books- non-fiction books- so I thought I would get into that as well. Although these books are great and I learn a lot, I don't really get the 'I need to read another page before I fall asleep and ends up reading the whole book' feeling from non-fiction books. So, last year, I just gave myself the freedom to read whatever I wanted and I wrote a book review of each of the books I read in my book review scrapbook. It's funny how school assignments I used to hate is now one of my favourite hobbies. So, the following are my 2022 reads with my ratings and thoughts:
(You may not agree with some of these ratings and if you would like to discuss any of these books, please feel free to send me an e-mail!)
What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 - Tina Seelig (3.5/5)
The title itself was very intriguing and it was recommended by many people, including His Majesty. So, even though I wasn't 20 anymore, I knew I had to read it. It taught me about creativity, failure, and going beyond the path prescribed for you. The not so glamourous success stories of successful people were especially motivating. I also loved the author's perspective on determination and being driven and how it can be much more beneficial than being competitive.
My favourite quotes from the book are:
"There is a big difference between trying to do something and actually doing it,... we are either doing it or not doing it."
"The harder you work, the luckier you get."
2. Kafka on the Shore- Murakami (3.5/5)
I love Murakami books because of the aesthetics- its like watching a Studio Ghibli movie- but I also hate Murakami because I find it difficult to make sense of most of his books. Like his other books, this one is also bizarre, and like always, he writes in such a simple and beautiful way that these bizarre things seem not too bizarre. Surprisingly, unlike his other books, I got some sort of closure from this book. I don't want to give anything away because this book is just so bizarre from the start to the end and it is definitely a must read.
3. Animal Farm- George Orwell (3/5)
This book is a "classic" and even before reading it, I had heard so many references and I understood that it was meant to be a satire. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised at how simple the writing was. It really could be a children's book. Overall, it made me reflect on humans, politics and on authority. However, it did not intrigue me enough to keep turning the page and read it in one sitting.
4. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck- Mark Manson (4.5/5)
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was relatable and the language was simple and casual. It was almost as if talking to a friend or watching a video. This was like a self help book but without all the unnecessary pizzaz and just plain advice about life as is. As pessimistic as the book seems, it is actually about finding the bright side of the dark side. One of my favourite parts of the book was about how we may blame other people or life for the situations we are in but we have the responsibility to choose how to react to it.
5. Atomic Habits- James Clear (5/5)
This was one of my favourite reads of the year and I am really glad that I read this around the beginning of the year. This book gave me a lot of motivation to get started on some simple habits that I continue to this day. I really enjoyed the different analogies and the studies that he had mentioned. The book puts a lot of focus on the process, rather than the goal. I liked how the book went into detail about the difficulty of making things a habit, the monotony of doing the same damn thing every single day. However, it is these small steps that cumulate into making you a better person. I read this book on my kindle and highlighted and annotated many parts which I see myself coming back to often.
My favourite quotes from the book were:
"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become."
"Professionals stick to the schedule, amateurs let life get in the way."
6. The Book Thief- Markus Zusak (4/5)
This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. We read about Hitler's Germany in history books and we hear about the Holocaust but this book made me understand what it was like to really live and grow up there. The coming to age story of the protagonist and the connections she made with the other characters were beautiful. Many parts of the book made me emotional and I felt myself really connect to Leisel, the protagonist. The most interesting part of the book is that it is narrated by Death and the last line of the book still sticks with me:
"I am haunted by humans."- Death
7. Monk Chasing Monkey- Kunzang Choden (3/5)
I am a sucker for pretty covers and I must say this book has one beautiful cover! I love reading Bhutanese books because I can relate to them on a deeper level. Being someone who has lived in just two dzongkhags my whole life and not really traveled to other dzongkhags, I learned a lot from this book. I liked that the story was simple and the way it was written was simple but had hidden deeper meanings. However, I wasn't fully satisfied after reading this book. I wish the protagonist had the opportunity to learn and discover more about himself.
8. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo- Taylor Jenkins Reid (4/5)
This was the kind of book that was difficult to put down once you started reading it. It explored interesting themes like feminism, love, marriage, and abuse through the life of the protagonist, Evelyn Hugo. The book also depicted how women are usually seen- as objects of desire, "something they desired when they didn't have and something they owned when they did."
9. Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury (3/5)
The language of the book was a bit too complex for me and was not able to reel me in. However, the book did make me introspect a lot. It made me think about books and how different life would be without them, how different I would be. At the same time, it made me compare the dystopian society depicted in the book to our times today where many of us prefer to stare at a screen for hours than to pick up a book. Who would have thought someone in 1953 could have predicted today's world?
10. The Silent Patient- Alex Michaelides (4/5)
Thriller or mystery isn't really the genre that I go for but I am glad that I gave it a chance. The story was very intriguing and it kept me on my toes at all times. With books like these, the ending is usually predictable. However, the plot twist at the end of this book really got me. I was super impressed with this book and I am looking forward to exploring more books in this genre.
11. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine-Gail Honeyman (5/5)
This book has made its way into my favourite books of all times. It made me think about and understand mental health on a much deeper level and empathise with people who are going through stuff. I read this book while I was going through a difficult time and I really felt what the protagonist was going through. I didn't see the plot twist coming but I really liked the ending as well. I don't want to give too much away because I feel this is a book that everyone should read.
12. Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell (5/5)
This was one of the books I chose reading over sleep. It was so wholesome and cute. It wasn't the cringy teen romance that I expected. It depicted love in the most innocent and pure way possible. The book flowed seamlessly between the two narratives. This book made me want to fall in love- and that is a big statement coming from me!
13. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe-Benjamin Alire Saenz (4/5)
The book is set in El Paso and having lived there for four years, it was nice to read about it. It's a coming of age story and I would totally recommend it especially for teenagers. It is about young love- and what teenagers and their insecurities go through especially when it is unconventional love. I loved how both the main characters- Ari and Dante were so complex yet simple in their own ways. They were so different but meshed together perfectly.
14. Fangirl-Rainbow Rowell (3/5)
After reading Eleanor & Park, I wanted to read more of Rainbow Rowell's book but this one did not match up to Eleanor & Park. I did enjoy it and it was another quick read but it did not have a lasting impression on me. It did bring me back to those young adult Meg Cabot books I loved as a teenager. I could relate to the protagonist in terms of her social anxiety and personality. It was a fun read but I must admit that some parts were quite cringey.
15. The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy- Jenny Han (3.5/5)
I had binge watched the series and wanted to read the books. I read all three books in this series in just a few days. It felt like I was watching a movie and there were a lot of times I was annoyed with the characters and many cringey parts as well. These books felt like a guilty pleasure of mine and although I feel like I didn't learn much from them, it was honestly a lot of fun and I am glad I decided to read the books.
16. Tshering Choyang- Shengap Khandu (3/5)
I could not find a photo of this book but this was the first Dzongkha novel that I've ever read. The writing was simple but the descriptions and dialogues were amazing. It was especially fun to read out loud. The story was like a typical-rich girl, poor boy-Bhutanese movie. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read and I would love to read more books written in Dzongkha.
17. Everything is F*cked- Mark Manson (3.5/5)
Since I really enjoyed his first book, I wanted to read the sequel as well. I did not enjoy this book as much but I do like his perspective of making things look optimistic by looking at them pessimistically. I really liked his description and examples of the Thinking Brain and the Feeling Brain and how we need a good balance of both. My favourite quotes from the book are:
"The Uncomfortable Truth: little of what you do will ever matter...We are inconsequential cosmic dust, bumping and milling about on a tiny blue speck. We imagine our own importance. We invent our purpose—we are nothing."
"There is no such thing as change without pain, no growth without discomfort."
"While pain is inevitable, suffering is always a choice. That there is a separation between what we experience and how we interpret that experience."
18. Bridge to Terabithia- Katherine Paterson (4/5)
This was one of my favourite movies growing up but reading it (as an adult) was a different experience. This is a great children's book but at the same time, I don't think I would have related to as much as I did if I had read it as a child. I knew what was coming at the end but it was still heartbreaking. The love and friendship depicted in the book felt so deep and real. I really enjoyed this book and even though it was sad, it was still wholesome.
19. I Want to Die but I Want to Eat TTeokbokki- Baek Sehee (5/5)
This was the first book of its kind that I've read- where the majority of the book is in the form of conversations. The conversations are between the author and her therapist. I learned a lot about self image and mental health through this book. I loved how this book wasn't really a self help book of do this or do that to get through your trauma but more of sharing what she went through and is still going through. I would highly recommend this book for anyone going through a rough patch- or actually, even if you are not!
20. Kyetse -Chador Wangmo (5/5)
I really enjoyed reading this book. I love how the author was able to portray the simple and innocent mind of a village girl. The writing was simple yet deep. I was pleasantly surprised by how the book delved into sensitive topics like unreligious religious people, nuns falling in love and menstruation. Throughout the book, I was constantly rooting for the protagonist, a young village girl from a far flung village.