August 2022 reading list – Which books are worth the read and which should you skip?
One of my #22in2022 goals is to read 50 books this year. So far I’ve read:
- 5 books in January
- 4 books in February
- 6 books in March
- 5 books in April
- 3 books in May
- 8 Books in June
- 5 Books in July
If you’re on Goodreads, add me as a friend and join me as I reach my reading goal!
1. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
I really liked the casualness of the authors while listening to this one on audiobook. I say casual because it was full of information about the stress cycle, and how to deal with it. And if you don’t deal with it, then it builds up. It was a little one-sided because it focused on how the patriarchy sets women up to fail. I flew through this on fairly fast. And it’s one of those books that I am able to agree with on many points because I’m fairly well-versed in the topic. I think it’s great for people just entering in on the topic of being burned out, but “ugh” was a word that was used to much…
2. Educated by Tara Westover
This one blew me away. Tara’s story is very captivating. Tara grew up with a father who was constantly in preparation for doomsday. She grew up with her brothers stockpiling items on their property. She never attended school until she was seventeen. And once she started going to school she began learning. And her love of learning lead her away from her family and the morals/values that her family “upheld”.
3. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
This book was available immediately from the library for me. After I finished Educated, I downloaded a copy of this one to fill the time. And after reading Burnout I thought that this one would keep me in a similar mood. But I was wrong. While some of the messaging was very powerful to think about, I don’t think I could ever practice anything like that in my daily life. Tolle tries to teach the importance of being present and living every day in the present. It is very good advice, but he goes on to argue with any questions with “you don’t understand” or “this cannot be accessed with your mind” types of messaging. It has some powerful quotes, but it’s just not for me.
4. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
The main character, Ani, has a great job and has recently gotten engaged. By all standards, her life seems great. And then a layer a peeled back. She’s agreed to be interviewed about a very traumatic time in her life for a documentary. Every chapter is a layer pulled back and the story is more enticing. I finished this book in two days it was so good – and very unexpected.
5. The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
Wylie Lark is a writer who is staying at a secluded farmhouse to write her latest novel. During a snowstorm, she finds a child outside and brings him inside to warm up. The story goes on to reveal two other timelines and stories that intertwine with Wylie’s.
6. The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H. Pink
I’m still leaning on Burnout when I picked this book out. The author isn’t simply telling you to live without regrets, but, instead, to learn from our past regrets. He shares other people’s regrets and teaches you how to reframe those regrets to help serve your future in a healthy, positive way.
7. Gallant by V.E. Schwab
I really enjoyed this quick fiction novel. We meet Olivia, a mute girl at an orphanage, who cannot communicate with the other children or the caretakers. And they don’t try to learn sign language to communicate with her either. One day she receives a letter that she is summoned to Gallant. She learns that she has a family, but none of those people were expecting her. So who sent the letter? And why was she abandoned?
8. Billy Summers by Stephen King
I haven’t read a King novel in some time. I didn’t read the synopsis going in, but I really enjoyed the story. Billy is a hired assassin who is ready to retire. He’s been hired for one last job that going to have an enormous payout. How could he say no? We follow Billy as he immerses himself into his new identity as a writer – a cover that he continues until he’s given the go-ahead to do his job.
I’ve read a total of 44 books so far in 2022 – which is 88% of my goal!
What’s on your reading list? Let me know in the comments below!
XOXO,
Katie
Photo by Ashutosh Sonwani from Pexels
