With the end of 2022 a few days aways, I’m happy to announce my five star reads. Now this isn’t an exceptionally long list. Out of the 64 books I’ve read this year only 11 were given five stars. Before I get into the books I gave five stars, I want to go over what makes a five star read. For me to rate a book so high means its run me through a rainbow of emotions or makes me want to learn more.
Mostly, achieving five stars is harder for fiction books. I’m more likely to give nonfiction higher ratings if it helped my understanding of a subject; especially if it made me want to dig deeper. Now, I’m excited to list my five star reads of the year and explain why I rated them that way! I will also include a link for each of my reviews (if any posted) for the books I list.
Nonfiction
So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo was one of my first reads of 2022. Let me start by saying it set the bar pretty high. This book covers the complexities of today’s racial landscape. Ijeoma covers everything from white privilege to police brutality and the BLM movement to systematic discrimination. She did all this while being beautifully candid about her position as a biracial woman with privileges that others don’t have.
What I loved most about this book is that it makes you think about how if you want to become a better and more rounded person you have to be okay with being uncomfortable. It’s about setting aside your ego and opening your ears. If you want to read more about my thoughts I did link the review post from my Instagram. Just know that this book had me purchasing more anti-racist literature.
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum. This book was first published in 1997 for context! I read the 20th anniversary edition, so there are a few amendments that the first edition doesn’t have. Moving on, this is a comprehensive book about racial identity, self-identity and the recognition that both play in the pervasion of American racism.
This book isn’t for non-POC that are just getting into ally work and anti-racist literature. You might feel defensive with the topic of discussion and not get the overall take away. What made me give this book a five star rating was its focus on how these tough conversations is the key to helping dismantle the system of racism that’s been prevalent within American society. Its both very inclusive and diverse, there is an index in the back of the book to direct you to other racial struggles written by different minorities.
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen rounds out the nonfiction portion of my five star reads. This book is an exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that’s obsessed with sexual attraction. It also covers what we can all learn, as a society, about desire and identity. Asexuality, like everything else in life, is a spectrum with people falling at extremes and vaguely in the middle.
Being apart of the LGBTQIA community myself, it was refreshing to read about and dissect my own inherent prejudices about asexuality. What really had me rating this book so high is its discussion of how societal expectations have dictated the way sex should be. It’s overall message of it being okay to fall out of that box and explore what sex and intimacy really mean to you.
Historical Fiction
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller made the list and I’m sure none of you are surprised. This work of historical fiction is a retelling of “The best of all Greeks,” Achilles and his companion Patroclus. It’s a tale of fame, fortune, loss, pride and most of all love. Madeline Miller did a great job turning this well known story into something powerfully innovative.
What I loved about this book was the LGBTQ+ elements: It’s a tale of the romantic love between two boys who brought out the best in each other. This story had me flying through all emotions: joy, anxiety, dejection, elation, anger and everything in between. This book was beautifully written and was paced nicely.
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward is next on the list. This book is about a family that struggles with more than just money during Hurricane Katrina. It’s a storm the kids have never seen. During the prepping period all the siblings band together to help see each other through.
This book was so magical in the way it read. It has the makings of a classic: it was easy, smooth and the southern setting leaked from the pages. All of the characters within this story were flawed but in the best ways possible – it made them all relatable. It was emotional, serious and heartwarming all in one. I want to scream about this one from my roof until I go hoarse.
When Stars Rain Down by Angela Jackson-Brown is set in 1936 Parsons, Georgia. It follows Opal Pruitt who soon finds herself in the middle of a city wide storm that’ll shake the foundations of the community she loves. This is definitely a coming of age historical romance that also covers racism, violence, family relations and religious beliefs.
What I loved about this story was its exploration of racial issues within a reconstruction era southern town and how it was terrifyingly realistic. It’s parallels to modern problems resonates with POC readers who are used to similar struggles. I loved the questioning of religion (rather than blind faith) and all the unique perspectives from imaginative characters.
Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark definitely made the list! This is a shorter read set in 1915 America. The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America which swelled the Klan’s ranks and turned them into monsters. Monster’s that were born by drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. The only thing between the Klan and the vulnerable is Maryse and her fellow resistance fighters.
Besides being a historical fiction this was also classified as a fantasy and horror book! That alone also pulled me, but what sealed the deal was the fact it talks about the dangers of racism. How racism can turn you into a monster and illuminate the ugly hiding in the hearts of people. Also, who doesn’t love a group of kickass black women who willingly and brutally fight monsters. This book has my heart and I need to buy a copy to keep.
Biographies
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X, Alex Haley had to make this list. I will admit it’s taken me a while to get to this autobiography but I wasn’t disappointed. Just as the title says this is a pretty unbiased account of the life of Malcolm X. They didn’t spare any of his crimes, indiscretions or the more unsavory parts of his story, which I adore. This story can read a little boring at points, but stick with it. It’s worth it, I promise.
Malcolm X has always been a favorite of mine. It’s a love handed down from my dad and who I eventually stole a Malcolm X hat from. What I loved about this book is how Malcolm X made mistakes and acknowledged them; He was honest to a fault and sometimes that put him in the role of a villain to the opposing sides. He was intelligent, open, modest and motivated. He followed what he believed in passionately and without reservation.
Becoming by Michelle Obama had to make my list. This memoir covers Michelle Obama’s life from early childhood in south side Chicago to her Ivy League education then to becoming the first African American First Lady. Talk about a resume!
What I loved about this memoir is that it read exactly how I thought it would. Michelle was so candid, genuine, real and authentic. She didn’t shy away from the hard or uncomfortable topics of her upbringing or how attending an Ivy league opened her eyes to what it really meant to be a minority in a white dominated society. She handled herself with such grace and resilience during her time in the white house and I’ve never been prouder of the amount of restraint she had to utilize. A gorgeous book written by and about a gorgeous person.
Poetry
Home Body by Rupi Kaur is the only poetry book to get a five star rating from me this year. That’s not to say the other three poetry books I read weren’t good (they all received four star ratings), they just aren’t Home Body. This collection of poetry is about embracing growth through a reflective and intimate journey with oneself.
What I loved about this poetry collection is it reminded readers to embrace love, acceptance, community, family and change. I understand Rupi gets a lot of hate for her “tumblr” poetry but I think there is such strength in writing about your traumas and sharing them with the world. She has a lot of poems that cut deep and get you thinking.
Manga
A Sign of Affection (Yubisaki to Renren) by Suu Morishita and translated by Christine Dashiell is so cute! It follows Yuki whose a deaf college student. It’s a story or broadening horizons and experiencing all that life has to offer, no matter the handicap.
This manga is heartwarming. It’s stood out from all that I’ve read this year because of the perspective. It isn’t as bully heavy as A Silent Voice but does cover a lot of the challenges that deaf/hard of hearing people have. Watching Yuki balance her two worlds: one that involves her deaf friends that can sign and her hearing friends that don’t is fascinatingly complex. I also never understood how Yuki’s family didn’t bother to learn sign language to make communicating easier (I think it’s kind of selfish). Otherwise its a beautiful read with a very sweet romantic interest who turns out to be everything each other want/need.
