Feeling My Shelf is a bi-weekly newsletter about books, life, and well, life with books. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and get comfy.
Dust off the disco balls and prepare to pop the champagne. The last week of the year is upon us. And what a year it’s been!
I laughed. I cried. Watched a lot of movies. Sung (and danced to) a lot of songs. I got a new job, dyed my hair, and ate way too many tacos. I tried to save money and somehow reached Rouge status at Sephora instead. I conquered my (very valid!) fear of driving on the freeway (which I blame Clueless for) and launched this newsletter!
Best of all, I read 52 books, my goal for the year! (Thank you novellas!) Some I really liked, and some I full-on hated. Others became my absolute favorites. In no particular order:
I’ve written about most of these before in previous chapters, so keeping my thoughts below short and sweet.
Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson
One of the first books I read this year and probably the one I related to the most as someone whose “dream job” also left much to be desired. Also related as someone who really loves books.
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli
While I am a sensitive soul and likely to start crying reading most books, this one took my tear shedding to another level. Mostly sad tears, but some happy ones too. And I found myself thinking about it long after the last page.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
It includes all things that I love about contemporary rom-coms—good chemistry, humor, and my favorite trope: enemies to lovers.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
Read it slowly. Like the cake, every bit of this book should be savored.
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
Character-driven and thoughtful, this story expertly weaves together family strife, romance, and politics.
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
A powerful debut novel about survival. Much like Someday, Maybe, it stressed me out many times. Yet, somehow, the ending left me feeling a bit hopeful.
Honorable Mentions:
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: A lovely romance dripping with sarcasm and featuring ghosts.
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala: Very trippy. Lots of bees.
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin: If you enjoyed HBO’s Lovecraft Country, you’ll like this.
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson: A Carrie reimagining with a better ending.
A Hundred Other Girls by Iman Hariri-Kia: The Devil Wears Prada for the digital age!
Sign Here by Claudia Lux - Uniquely explores what happens after people “sell their soul.”
Is the book always better than the movie or show?
Stay tuned for my extended thoughts on this in a future chapter. But for now: The short answer is no. Sometimes the movie/show is just as good as, if not better, than the book.
Some of my favorite book adaptations this year included:
Bridgerton, Season Two (Based on The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn)
Yes, I’m one of those people who thinks season two of Netflix’s Bridgerton was way better the first. The banter. The slow burn. Newton the dog. The absence of Daphne (who very much annoyed me in season one.) LOVED. IT. ALL.
Mr. Malcolm’s List (Based on Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain)
Another Regency era romance (with a revenge plot!) that gets five gold stars from me.
Tell Me Lies (Based on Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering)
It’s possible to like something and absolutely loathe it too right? There has to be. I hated (yet enjoyed) the book. Same with the Hulu series. I hate all the characters and yet I can’t wait for season 2. It’s like a car wreck that you can’t look away from.
Luckiest Girl Alive (Based on Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll)
I went in with low expectations and was thoroughly surprised at how much I liked this movie.
Everything’s Trash (Based on Everything's Trash But It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson)
I’m so sad this got canceled after just one season. I wasn't instantly hooked, but the series, which follows an outspoken podcast host, quickly grew on me.
From Scratch (Based on From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home by Tembi Locke)
More tears.
Before I leave you with links, I just wanted to say thank you! Thank you for subscribing and reading this newsletter (and ignoring the typos I miss) every other week. Who knew so many people liked books and puns?
I’m very excited about 2023, and looking froward to doing more in this space now that I’ve found my groove. More themed issues, bookish guides for life and travel, and maybe even some author Q&As. Stay tuned!
Even on TV, it was hard to get an abortion this year. 10 books you may have missed in 2022. The viral celebrity moments that defined the year. What we’ve learned from a decade of adulting. Barack Obama and me both loved Top Gun: Maverick! The Cheesecake Factory knows what you want. The murky path to becoming a New York Times Best Seller. Books by Black & Latine authors we can’t wait to read in 2023.