Reading, Watching, and Listening to...
2022 Favorites Edition
My 2022 Favorites. Let’s dive right in.
I posted my full list of favorite books of 2022 but this is a short list of books I would recommend to everyone!
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas - This book got me really excited about reading literary fiction again. Such a good debut with nods to Lolita and an exploration of the female gaze. It made me immediately buy A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders which of course I have not read yet.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel — My first intro to ESJM. Immediately bought all her other books from Pango. Great science fiction novel with pandemic vibes and time travel elements.
Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese — Again, an amazing debut novel. Hester is a retelling of the Scarlet Letter. It’s dark, moody, evocative, and excellently researched. Must-read if you love historical fiction and the classics.
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean — Book eater mom with a mind eater son? What could go wrong? This book was such a unique concept and my first introduction to gothic horror. It really defied genres, though. Not too gorry if you’re squeamish like me!
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn — Sometimes it’s such a breath of fresh air to read a book that is just plain fun. I didn’t want to put this book down. Loved the older cast of female characters who got to set out on one last great adventure together. Names/Nicknames/Code Names/Last Names are a little hard to keep straight but otherwise a winner!
I started using Notion this year and I’m not sure if it’ll stick but it was great for tracking everything I watched this year. I used a template with one column for what I wanted to watch and one column for watched items and added a link to the IMDB site for each show/movie that I could easily drag and drop. Worked like a charm!
The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime — Ultimate teenage romance vibes. I’ll be moving back to the coast ASAP.
Stranger Things Season 4 on Netflix — This season was SO intense and hard to watch. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait for more.
Conversations with Friends on Hulu — Big Sally Rooney fan over here and this was perfectly done. Watch when you’re feeling extra moody this winter.
Outlander Seasons 4 and 5 on Netflix — Struggling a little to get through these seasons. Take me back to Scotland! I’ll still love Jamie and Claire 4EVA though.
The Crown Season 5 on Netflix — Digging the flashbacks/background episodes. I think our introduction to the Fayed family was one of my faves. Did they really need to provide a full transcript of the Camilla tapes though? They really put the new King on blast.
Below Deck Seasons 1-3 on Peacock — Pure trash. This is a guilty pleasure for sure. One of the only reality TV shows that actually keeps me entertained.
Only Murders in the Building Season 2 on Hulu — I didn’t see any of it coming! I’m very into murder mysteries that are heavy on comedy in both my books and television at the moment.
The Santa Clauses Season 1 on Disney+ — Why did I like this so much? It’s seriously so cute. The jokes are spot on. Every episode ends with a huge cliffhanger. Definitely worth watching if you were a fan of the original Santa Clause movie. I’m thrilled this show was renewed for another season.
Death on the Nile — I love Agatha Christie and all of the film adaptations of her books have been so good!
Don’t Worry Darling — I honestly thought this movie was such a cool premise. It’s been a while since I’ve watched a psychological thriller and the 1950s setting made it so much fun to watch. Unpopular opinion: I loved the loose ends!
The Batman — Gah, this movie was DARK but so, so good. It was unsettling and hard to watch at times but the greed and political power at play were gripping. The Batman was action-packed and felt like a thriller. At times I found myself wondering who the good guys and bad guys really were.
Lightyear — Unpopular opinion but I loved this Buzz Lightyear origin story! It’s probably not the most fun animated movie for younger kids. It felt much more adult than the Toy Story series. It felt a little long in the middle but I loved all the new characters that were introduced. Petition to get my own emotional support cat! Plus, it did a great job introducing the theme of resilience and the inevitability of change.
Red Notice — I just knew I’d like this one when I heard it was about an art heist. I’d watch anything with Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, and Dwayne Johnson in the cast. You know it’s going to be pure entertainment.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore — This one almost didn’t make my list because I feel like it was a little lackluster compared to the two first films but it was still noteworthy as a Harry Potter fan. I thought the magic in this movie was some of the best I’ve seen even if the plot unfolds slowly.
My Policeman — Any movie that makes me cry will make this list forever and ever. And no, I haven’t read the book.
It’s 2022 and I’m still listening to the same artists I was 10 years ago. So I’m nostalgic for my college years. Sue me!
Things are Great by Band of Horses — I feel like this album came out years ago! It feels so lived in when I listen to it. Coalinga and In Need of Repair are two of my favorites.
We by Arcade Fire — This album is over the top in the best way. I think Arcade Fire really pulled out all the stops to release something fans will enjoy for years to come.
Blue Skies by Dehd — Every song on this album is catchy and fun. It’s an indie rock album made for long car drives.
The Car by Arctic Monkeys — Whereas I feel like other albums on this list give the fans what they want and what they’re used to, The Car is more of an experimental album coming from Arctic Monkeys. I like it.
Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs — Karen O has me fangirling. For a while, I didn’t know if we’d ever get another YYYs album and I’m so glad we did!
Asphalt Meadows by Death Cab for Cutie - This had so many nods to You Can Play These Songs with Chords and Transatlanticism that I felt almost transported back to my emo early high school days. At the same time, it feels really fresh and like the band is back to making the music they need to make for themselves. Such an improvement on their last few studio albums in my opinion! This quote from the Pitchfork review sums it up for me.
But if Asphalt Meadows doesn’t amplify the stakes of forty-something romantic misunderstandings the way “A Movie Script Ending” or “Title and Registration” did in college, it at least unlocks the repressed memory of what it was like to be deeply moved by Death Cab for Cutie songs. —Ian Cohen