FAVORITES SO FAR PART II, DELAYED
Alright, I get it. I missed the mark. The train left without me. I'm far behind the curve. Writing about your favorite books from the second part of 2022 in February of 2023 is not exactly staying on top of things.
Better late than never, right?
People far superior to me would have abandoned the notion, citing the fact that the reader count is low enough on her posts that no one would actually notice she left them hanging in July of 2022. However, I am a woman of my word. I promised to show you, my four devoted fans, the works that touched me the most in the latter half of the hardest year of my life. How could I do anything but commit and accept the shame that comes with being tardy?
Plus, I just really like writing about books. Like, a lot.
So, without further ado, here are: MY FAVORITES SO FAR, PART II.....DELAYED
If we're being honest about our belated actions, might as well start off with the most heinous, right?
As a Saint Nicholas Day gift somewhere in the midst of my family's time in Pennsylvania, (Fly Eagles, Fly, btw.) St. Nick brought me one of my mother's favorite books from her childhood: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Complete with a key necklace and wonderful illustrations, the thoughtful present went on my shelf and sat there...for almost twenty years.
I know, I know. That's way too many years to put off reading a timeless classic. However, as we've stated earlier in this piece, better late than never.
As a twenty-seven-year old, and with Christmas carols again twirling through the air, I finally read The Secret Garden, and loved it. Loved it. If Mary Lennox isn't a Negative (N)ellie, then I don't know who is, and soulmates connect with each other. Though, of course Dickon was my favorite character, because how could he not be?
It always amazes me how the most profound lessons and sparks of inspiration can be found in stories penned for children. I think this book, though gifted to me long ago, came to me at the best time. As Mary struggled with the wind and found the ability to carry on, and not just carry on, but become better, it gave me hope as I weathered my own storms. This season would not last forever, the hard times would blow over, and I would be stronger for it.
And, if Mary and Colin can drop their negative attitudes, who can't?
Again, speaking of delays, I have been waiting what feels like eeeeooooonnnnssss for this book. Eons.
We learned in the post, THE BOOKS THAT MADE ME, that the Maze Runner series was very influential in my life, throwing me back into my love of reading after years of studying about trigonometry and chemistry. Plus, it has one of my most hated character deaths of all time.
So, when Dasher announced that he was bringing the world back to life, not with just one, but three books? Excited does not begin to describe my emotions. An early Christmas gift from Dashner, my mother, and my brother, I found myself thrown back into the world of The Flare and The Maze, but with a whole different take.
The new crop of characters was intriguing from the start, and with bits of the old, beloved ones mixed in, this book was the perfect storm of nostalgia and on the edge of your seat. It felt like you were reading a Maze Runner book, that indescribable feeling was there and prominent.
The mystery was there, perhaps even more amplified as the reader practically begged to be told who was behind the various governments in each section. What had happened to the disease that ravaged an entire world? Where were the Cranks? Were they able to find a cure? Is war coming?
Most of these questions were left unanswered due to the massive cliffhanger, which is infuriating and exhilarating all at once. There is nothing quite like feeling a part of your life is on pause until you get the next book in your hands.
As a word of caution, this book does contain quite a bit more language that its predecessors.
The Love Cliche Series by Emma St. Clair. (And basically anything else she writes. Ever. From now until eternity. The end.)
My next few paragraphs are going to come out sounding incredibly dramatic, but I cannot fully express how authentic these feelings are.
This fall was...rough. Like, really rough. I don't know that I've ever had such a difficult season in my life. On the other side of waves of hope crashing into the sand, I am not joking when I say I was looking for anything to bring me just a little bit of joy. Distraction. Happiness. Something that would help me limp along until the sunshine returned to my life once more.
Enter Emma St. Clair.
Emma St. Clair's book were a lifeline when I needed them, and they are one of the reasons there are not many other books on this list. I spent the latter half of the year binging every piece of her work I could get my hands on. I loved them all equally, but The Love Cliche series gave me something different. It gave me friends.
Not that I don't have friends. My friends deserve the highest of shoutouts. However, in a move that helped no one, I self-isolated a lot this fall, diving headfirst into books. These books. Abby, Zoey, Delilah, Taylor, Harper, and Sam were the friends I needed in a moment of heartache. They were the bright spot to my days, and the hope I carried with me when I got up in the morning. (Along with their boyfriends.)
They made me laugh. They made me furious with their inability to see the incredible men in front of them. They made me jealous that their significant others were indeed, fictional. They inspired me. I will spend the rest of my days chasing Abby's confidence and fire, Zoey's poise and open heart, Delilah's spark and humility, Harper's bravery and discipline, and Sam's wit and positivity. These fictional women have left a mark on my heart and changed me for the better. I don't think there could be a higher compliment I could pay to St. Clair.
Embarrassing? Maybe. The truth? Without a doubt.
Just for reference, St. Clair's books fall under the "closed-door romance" category. This means that while there is plenty of tension and scenes that make your toes curl, the characters never make it to the bedroom, a fact this clean reader is incredibly grateful for. However, fair warning, St. Clair sure knows how to make things steamy. I would for advise these books for Young Adult readers, not Teen.
Well, those are my favorite reads for the latter half of 2022. Looks like we've got a little something for everyone. A classic, action and adventure, and finally, all the romance. As always, this leads me to say, who needs a real boyfriend when you can have a book one?
Thanks for all of the support, and letting me nerd out over one of the biggest loves of my life, reading. You guys rock.
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