2022 End of The Year Book Survey
All the books I read in 2022! Photo by Payton Hayes.
Hi readers and writerly friends!
I am once again completing the End of The Year Book Survey created by Jamie from PerpetualPageTurner.com! Make sure you check out her post here and share it if you do decide to complete it for yourself!
Note: The survey is for books you read throughout the year, no matter when they were published, and is not limited to just books that came out in 2022! Previous years and related topics have been included at the end of this post!
2022 Reading Statistics
Number of books Read:35
Number of Re-Reads:0
Genre read from the most: Nonfiction, Mental Health
Best in Books
1. Best Book You Read In 2022?
I couldn’t leave any of these out. If I had to choose just one, I’d pick Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens. I couldn’t put it down!
Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price
All of these books I had heard great things about, but personally didn’t enjoy as much as I thought I would based on the hype. I hoped they’d all be 5-star books, but was found a little wanting after closing their covers. The second two contained a lot of excellent information, but I just don’t think they lived up to the hype.
3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?
Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
I told everyone I know who reads to check out Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens but I am not sure that they have just yet. I mentioned The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward and Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott to my therapist and she wrote them down, so that’s something? A coworker and I got to talking about our most impactful reads this year and I recommended The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller to her and she recommended The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine. I then had coffee with an old friend from high school and to her I also recommended The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and in turn, she recommended Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D | Key Takeaways, Analysis & Review: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, all three of which, I have added to my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf.
5. Best series you started in 2022? Best Sequel? Best Series Ender of 2022?
The Wingspan Trilogy by Heather Trim was the only series I read in 2022 and I only read two out of three of the books. I really enjoyed this series and I hope to finish it in 2023!
6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2022?
L.M. Montgomery
7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook by Pamela J Compart and Dana GodBout Laake
I typically don’t read cookbooks as reading material, but I picked up and read several of them this year. I found this book the most informative and interesting because of the mental health information it contained as well as effective diets for neurodiverse people.
8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
I just could not put this book down. The characters are just so interesting and the plot twist is fantastic!
9. Book You Read In 2022 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
Though this book disappointed me slightly, I think I’d pick it up again next year. I don’t have the best reading routine and with this book being a daily reader, I probably didn’t give it the best shot. I’d go days at a time forgetting to pick it up and then catch up later. 😅
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2022?
Wingbound by Heather Trim
11. Most memorable character of 2022?
Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2022?
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2022?
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2022 to finally read?
I think all of the books I read this year were picks from this year. I pretty much read whatever I felt like reading when I felt like reading it. I think that’s the main reason why I was able to read so many books this year compared to last year. In the past, I’ve put restrictions on my reading goals and this made it harder to motivate myself to read.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2022?
Page 305 from The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
Virtue And Kindness
October 12th
ALWAYS LOVE
“Hecato says, ‘I can teach you a love potion made without drugs, herbs, or special spell —if you would be loved, love.”
—SENECA MORAL LETTERS, 9.6
In 1992, Barbara Jordan addressed the Democratic National Conventtion and railed against the greed and selfishness and divisiveness of the previous decade. People were ready for a change. “Change it to what?” she asked. “Change the environment of the 80’s to an environment which is characterized by a devotion to the public interest, public service, tolerance, and love. Love. Love. Love.”
Love. Love. Love. Why? Because, as the Beatles put it, “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Not just in politics, not just in tolerance, but in our personal lives. There is almost no situation in which hatred helps. Yet almost every situation is made better by love —or empathy, understanding, and appreciation —-even situations in which you are in opposition to someone.
And who knows, you might just get some of that love back.
—Ryan Holiday, The Daily Stoic, page 305.
16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2022?
Shortest: Oh Hell No!:And Other Ways To Set Some Damn Boundaries by Chronicle Books
Longest: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association
17. Book that shocked you the most
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
This book blew me away. It might have just been the most spot-on book of all the mental health books I read this year, and ever. I felt noticed, called out, and understood while reading this book. At times, it felt almost offensive that some of the concepts were staring me dead in the face, like an unsettling reflection you can’t shake. It resonated with me deeply and I felt as if the author was looking into my soul.
If you have PTSD, grew up with authoritarian parents, put the needs of others before your own needs for most of your life, and felt like you haven’t met your full potential, then this book may be for you. It gives an explanation for how readers are the way they are, helps the reader understand why they wittingly and unwittingly put their trauma back on others, and gives the reader hope for the future with a new perspective on their childhood and past.
18. OTP OF THE YEAR (You will go down with this ship!) (OTP = One true pairing if you aren’t familiar)
Kya Clark and Tate Walker from Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Anne Shirley and Marilla Cuthbert of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
20. Favorite Book You Read in 2022 From An Author You’ve Read From Previously
I did not read any books from authors I’ve read from previously this year.
21. Best Book You Read in 2022 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/ Bookstagram, etc.
Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens - Recommended by Mollie Tubeville from MollieReads
22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2022?
I did not have any fictional crushes from the books I read in 2022. I read mostly nonfiction.
23. Best 2022 debut you read?
I really enjoyed Jeanette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died, and highly recommend you read it if you like reading memoirs.
24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne Shirley’s imaginative, colorful descriptions of Avondale were so magical and reminded me of what it was like to play and imagine as a child. This book was so charming.
25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2022?
Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott
27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
None of the books I read this year really crushed my soul. However, this book was such a disappointment that I felt like I’d wasted time reading it altogether.
29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2022?
Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear by Carl L. Hart
30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
My Blogging/Bookish Life
1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2022?
I started following @authenticallyryan on Instagram and I enjoy her bookish content there.
2. Favorite post you wrote in 2022?
For Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and Distractions
This blog post was very near and dear to my heart. I worked really hard on it and wrote from a lot of personal experience. I hope that it reaches the audience it’s meant for and helps anyone who reads it. 😊
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and a jar of hibiscus tea on a wood tabletop. Follow me on Instagram for more bookish photos! Photo by Payton Hayes.
3. Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2022?
My photo of Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and a jar of hibiscus tea on a wood tabletop. I took this photo after I finished the book. I think I liked the picture and cover better than I liked the book. I had high hopes for it but it left me wishing the character relationships had been a little more realistic and unique.
This photo is on my Instagram! Follow me for more bookish content!
4. Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, etc.)?
I haven’t attended any bookish events in 2022, but I’m planning attend at least two writing conventions, to attend a workshop or two with the Yukon Writer’s Society, and to host monthly workshops for the Oklahoma Writer’s Society next year!
5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2022?
Surpassing my Goodreads Reading Challenge to read 22 books —I read 33!
6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
It was really hard to get back into writing for my blog this year. 2020 and 2021 were rough years for me, like most everyone. My mental health declined and with it, my creativity and motivation to write. But I read a lot of books, went to therapy, did some soul searching, and fell in love with being creative again. It’s been a long, challenging journey, but I’m back and better than ever.
7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
How To Write Best Friends to Lovers Romance - That Feels Realistic
This post was written in 2020 but it’s gotten 1.5k views in the last year. Best friends to lovers is a popular trope in romance.
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
For Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and Distractions
9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
I don’t think I’ve discovered any great bookish, non-book items this year. I did at a lot of new books to my TBR on Goodreads, though!
10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Yes! I completed my 2022 goal of reading 22 books this year! This was my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2022 and I actually ended up reading 33 books!
Looking ahead
1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2022 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2023?
Wingspan by Heather Trim
Next year, I hope to finish this series!
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2023 (non-debut)?
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, debuted in 2022.
3. 2023 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2023?
Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin. He hasn’t said it’s going to be finished in 2023, but in a recent interview from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he mentioned that the book may be as long as 1500 pages and it's about three-quarters of the way complete.
Read more here.
5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2023?
I hope to get more comments and engagement on my blog post. Every month, there’s hundreds and even thousands of views but no one leaves a comment. I’d love to get to know my readers and start some fun, bookish conversations!
6. A 2023 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):
I haven’t read any 2023 releases early, but I hope to read Yellowface by R.F. Kuang next year once it’s out!
And that’s it for my 2022 Bookish End Of The Year Survey! Make sure you check out Jamie at Perpetualpageturner.com and fill out the survey for yourself here! Leave me a comment answering one of these questions and if you do decide to fill out the survey, make sure to link it in the comments and share it with Jamie and myself so we can see your results!
Bibliography:
Related topics:
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—Payton
I Visited The Full Circle Bookstore In OKC
I took my bestie on a bookish, friend date to the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC…
And we loved it.
Yeah, we’re hitting the ground running in Reader Life this week, because I just cannot wait to tell you all about it.
Neither me nor my best friend Allie have ever been to Full Circle before and needless to say, we a first-time FC converts, if there is such a thing. When we rolled up to the shop at the bottom of the 50 Penn Place building, we were greeted with a quaint little storefront, painted mint green and black with chalkboard signs and jazzy music playing softly from an outdoor speaker. We were already so excited, and we hadn’t even entered the building.
Full Circle Bookstore’s Storefront inside of the 50 Penn Place Mall. Courtesy of the Full Circle Bookstore Website. Click here to visit the site.
Hi readers and writerly friends!
I took my bestie on a bookish, friend date to the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC…
And we loved it.
Yeah, we’re hitting the ground running in Reader Life this week, because I just cannot wait to tell you all about it.
Disclaimer: Yes, we went while the pandemic is still going on, but we went early in the week during a time when hardly any people where there, we wore masks and we kept our distance from people while we were browsing the store. We tried our best to keep ourselves and others safe but it was a nice little treat for us to go and spend time together and enjoy a wonderful, bookish place we’ve never been before.
Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
An inside peak into the Full Circle Bookstore where guests can get lost in the seemingly endless shelves of books. Courtesy of the Full Circle Bookstore Website. Click here to visit the site. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Neither me nor my best friend Allie have ever been to Full Circle before and needless to say, we a first-time FC converts, if there is such a thing. When we rolled up to the shop at the bottom of the 50 Penn Place building, we were greeted with a quaint little storefront, painted mint green and black with chalkboard signs and jazzy music playing softly from an outdoor speaker. We were already so excited, and we hadn’t even entered the building.
Then, when we did go inside, we were greeted for the second time, only this time it was by a very friendly employee named Brent who told us all about the bookstore—some of the events they have on weekends, the different types of books they had available and where to find them, and where to find the café in the back of the shop. Did I mention they had a café? Hello—book nerd/coffee addict heaven!
The inside of the store was much like a Tardis from the hit series, Doctor Who, in that it seemed much larger on the inside than it did on the outside. And on the other hand, it was also like a hobbit hole, in that it had all these wonderful little winding hallways and hidden alcoves tucked within one another. It was like and endless maze of books and I wanted to get lost in there forever. I was constantly enchanted by all of the books there were, all of the fun little bookish knick-knacks, and even the signed first edition copies and box sets of some books. It was everything I’d ever dreamed it would be.
And can we just take a moment to talk about the incredibly vaulted ceilings, the enormous floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled to the brim with books of every size, shape, and color, and the ladders scattered all throughout the bookstore so a book can never be out of a guests reach? It was incredible. It reminded me so much of the Hogwarts library, only it was a little less dusty and a lot more modern. Also, there weren’t screaming faces coming from the pages of the books…
Bookshelf with a ladder at the Full Circle Bookstore. Photo by Payton Hayes.
So, we stopped for coffee first, and I must recommend the toasted marshmallow latte—get it hot or cold, either way will be scrumptious. Allie and I shared a chocolate mouse and a cheese danish, both of which were delicious. We would have stayed for lunch, but the kitchen officially closes at 2pm every day, so we’d just barely missed it when we arrived around 3pm.
Then we made off for the books.
Stack of the books I bought from the Full Circle Bookstore. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Like I mentioned, the shop was seemingly endless—I found myself drooling over the fantasy books one second and suddenly, I was in the classic literature drooling over the books there too. They had just about every book you could imagine, and we certainly snagged a few for ourselves. I think Allie ended up with a few classics— A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and The Call of The Wild by Jack London. I sort of went overboard and ended up with six books—Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Ghosted by Rosie Walsh, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Languages of Tolkien’s Middle-earth by Ruth S. Noel. There were so many more books I wanted to buy but I was reminded by that little voice in my head—my TBR Conscience, if you will, who kept reminding me that I had over a hundred books at home, most of which I still have not read yet. So, I figured I’d take what I could carry and come back later, because I am absolutely coming back again later.
When we got to the checkout, the cashier gave us a bunch of bookmarks, a pamphlet that described upcoming events for October 2020, and stamped a couple of rewards cards for us to use when we inevitably returned (every $10 spent contributes to a total of $200 spent which rewards customers with a $30 off coupon to use in-store when they’ve met that goal).
Suffice it to say, we had a truly wonderful time, and hopefully we can go back again once things are back to normal. It would be really fun to attend a live reading from one of our local authors or stop in for a concert from one of the regular bands that play every couple of weekends or so. If you’ve never been to this book store before, be sure to check it out next time you’re in Oklahoma City and say hi to Pearl the Buffalo for me!
The Full Circle Bookstore is Located in 50 Penn Place, 1900 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Phone: 405.842.2900 or 800.683.
Visit the Full Circle Bookstore’s website here. Hours are located on their home page and events can be found here.
Neither this website, nor Payton Hayes are affiliated with The Full Circle Bookstore. I just really enjoyed my first trip there and wanted to share my experience with all of you. There are Amazon affiliate links present in this blog post.
Check out more posts in Reader Life!
Have you ever been to the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC? Where is your favorite bookstore? What bookstore should I visit next? Let me know below! Thanks for reading!
— Payton
Alternative Book Buying - How to build your home library at a fraction of the cost!
Libraries are always great. Well, except for when they don't have that one book you've been looking all over for! Someone has had it checked out for weeks, or maybe your library just doesn't have the book anyways. Sometimes you have to pick up the book, yourself, but books can rack up quite a bill if you're a prolific reader. If you're looking to get great reading material at low cost or maybe you're building your personal library, here's a few places to go book shopping for less.
Woman standing on a ladder in a vintage bookstore. Photo by Noémi Macavei-Katócz
Libraries are always great. Well, except for when they don't have that one book you've been looking all over for! Someone has had it checked out for weeks, or maybe your library just doesn't have the book anyways. Sometimes you have to pick up the book, yourself, but books can rack up quite a bill if you're a prolific reader.
If you're looking to get great reading material at low cost or maybe you're building your personal library, here's a few places to go book shopping for less:
Dollar Tree. This one might not seem like much, but depending on the Dollar Tree near you, it could have a wide selection of books. I've found books from best selling authors, and decorative books as well. And for a dollar, these books for certainly worth checking out!
Half-Priced Books. There's tons of these kind of stores around. The best part is at most of them, you can trade your old books in for a value towards new books!
Amazon & eBay. Sites like these carry a huge selection of books. They come in both new and used conditions. On Amazon, you can even find books for less than a dollar!
E-books. These aren't tangible copies of books, no, but they're still readable, nonetheless. Usually e-books are considerably cheaper than their physical counterparts.
Thrift Stores. This isn't always reliable if you're looking for something specific, but you can bet they'll be cheap. You can find filler books for decoration in your growing library, or find used books you've never heard of before. I once found the entire Warrior Cat series, most of the Harry Potter series, and several Alyson Noel books in one trip to my local thrift store!
The Library. Sometimes libraries do book giveaways when they’ve have books that sit on the shelf for too long without being check out on occasion. Check with your local library to find out if they do free book giveaways and when their next one is expected!
Some of these ideas may seem obvious but are often highly underrated. Not only are these great ways to purchase books for a fraction of the cost, but stores such as half-priced books, libraries and thrift stores are a more sustainable way to collect books. If you know of any other alternative means for collecting books, comment below!
Let me know what your thoughts are on this list! I’d love to know any new tips or tricks that I didn’t mention! Comment below and let’s chat!
Thumbnail photo by Denniz Futalan