Ranking Every Book I Read This Year.

KZbinr status CERTIFIED!
For all the babes, nail polish is:
NAILS.INC (Gel Effect)- Victoria ‪@nailsincLondon‬
Titles Listed in Chronological Order
Under the Banner of Heaven/Jon Krakauer
Three Cups of Deceit/Jon Krakauer
Among the Flowers/Jamaica Kincaid
Horrorstor/Grady Hendrix
So Long, See You Tomorrow/William Maxwell
Near to the Wild Heart/ Clarice Lispector
The People in the Trees/ Hanya Yanagihara
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich/Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Sharp Objects/Gillian Flynn
All in the Timing/David Ives
American Indian Stories/ Zitkala-Sa
City of Thieves/ David Benioff
McGlue/ Ottessa Moshfegh
Two Serious Ladies/Jane Bowles
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running/ Haruki Murakami
Clowngirl/ Monica Drake*
Deak Wake/ Erik Larson
Work, Sex and Rugby/ Lewis Davies*
Lust & Wonder/Augusten Burroughs
Netherland/Joseph O'Neill
Cockroaches/Scholastique Mukasonga
The Secret History/Donna Tartt
Choke/Chuck Palahniuk
Invisible Monsters/ Chuck Palahniuk
Survivor/Chuck Palahniuk
Night Shift/ Ron Kolm
Pnin/ Vladimir Nabokov
Fever Dream/Samantha Schweblin
Night Train/ A. L. Snijders
One Hundred Years of Solitude/ Gabriel García Márquez
Hunger/ Kunt Hamsen
The Pisces/ Melissa Border
Her Body and Other Stories/ Carmen Maria Machado
Bonsai/Alejandro Zambra
Mrs. Caliban/ Rachel Ingalls
Perfume/Patrick Süskind
Seductive Poison/Deborah Layton
My Brilliant Friend/Elena Ferrante
Voices From Chernobyl/Svetlana Alexievich
Book of Delights/ Ross Gay
Ariel/ Sylvia Plath
Lanny/ Max Porter
A Frozen Woman/ Annie Ernaux
Rag: Stories/ Maryse Meijer
Lot: Stories/Bryan Washington
Barrel Fever/David Sedaris
Redhead by the Side of the Road/Anne Tyler
East of Eden/John Steinbeck
Before the Coffee Gets Cold/Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Black Swans/Eve Babitz
The Ghost Writer/Philip Roth
The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake/Breece D'J Pancake
Catch the Rabbit/Lana Bastašić
Passing/Nella Larsen
Call Me Freedom/Tasha Keeble
Disruption: Short Fiction from Africa/Various
In the Eye of the Wild/Nastassja Martin
The Twilight World/Werner Herzog
Heavy/Kiese Laymon
Suicide Blonde/Darcey Steink*
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian/ Marina Lewycka*
We Have Always Lived in the Castle/ Shirley Jackson
A Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex/ Oksana Zabuzhko
The Ass's Tale/ John Farris
Milk Fed/ Melissa Border
A Walk in the Woods/Bill Bryson
Joan of Arc: In Her Own Words/William Trask
Mouth to Mouth/ Antoine Wilson
*sent to me by ‪@KDbooks‬ --check out his channel for great books!!!
Let's Connect, baby:
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Thanks for being here!

[@shawnmccomb]

my favourite Chuck P is definitely the fight club because I relate to it so much!!! :)

[@landongreen1272]

Hey Shawn 🤭 idk if you saw my comment on this video but I said that Ana is my favorite booktuber. But I just want you to know that you and her are tied. Don’t worry.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

omg, I didn't even know you when I first read it, but I was like... um... wait... isn't this about a guy named Shawn????

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

give him that crown, baby!!

[@TheBarandtheBookcase]

The Jennifer Coolidge moment made me cackle 😂

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

she is my past, my present, my future

[@bdwon]

And the book "for him, but not for me" edit? It was fantastic.

[@caraharper3093]

God bless you for not only listing every single book but also your NAIL POLISH COLOUR. She's giving the girlies what they want and NEED!!!!!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

The nails have said, "it's time for us to take the main stage"

[@suzannebousquet2710]

I love these videos! You had a great reading year. I am not one for short stories, but, I love Raymond Carver. While I have not read Passing, I did read The Vanishing Half and that seems to run on a similar vein. I need to check out the Jamaica Kincaid book. I think I would love it. Thanks for making wonderful videos! You make watching fun.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Thank YOU! What a kind comment. I NEED to read Carver. I think his writing will alter my mind. And haven't read The vanishing half yet--but if I see it at the thrift, it might come home with me : )

[@infinitynow90]

Yes finally a booktuber who's read Sedaris. For some reason I feel like I almost never hear him mentioned by booktubers. Have you read "Naked" by him? Looooved that one!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I love David! I want him to become a part of my family. Haven't read Naked! But I see it in the thrift all the time, so I'm sure I'll pick it up soon!

[@landongreen1272]

I also really enjoyed Perfume (one of my favs of the year) and hated Before the Coffee Gets Cold. You’re my new favorite booktuber btw. Love you ❤️ your hair is absolutely serving.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

omg, sending love back. Reading Perfume honestly made me ask for perfume for christmas

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

babe, me EITHER!

[@mountainbikingvampirewitch]

I’m in the middle of The Spicy Pisces! 😊 No better way to start off a new year than with a Mel B novel 💕 thank you for introducing me to her!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Melly B in the New Year!! She's such a great way to get that year off right!

[@el_writes]

I recently found your channel and I'm absolutely loving it! I'm not sure if you've read Carmen Maria Machado's memoir In The Dream House yet, but it was my favourite book of 2022 and definitely worth a read - I think you'll love it. I've heard it's a bit more cohesive than Her Body And Other Parties and the writing is just phenomenal. Hope you're having a lovely new year

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Thank you so, so much!! And ohhhh, I read Machado's memoir. THAT WRITING! Out of this world and such an aspirational way to express yourself.

[@SavidgeReads]

Looooved this. As if I wouldn’t. I mean I just couldn’t. I wish I had the tech savvy and patience to do this. Maybe the end of this year. Maybe.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh, baby, listen. The synching of the mic and the screen recording almost sent me into an Alice in wonderland hole.

[@harrylew]

Hey, hey, hey. You adopted my suggestion to list the books discussed! Huge help. I bow before thee.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Always thinkin' of ya, Harry!! :))

[@ShivangiBhasin]

In the Eye of the Wild was totally for meeee!!! And I found it accidentally through you only a few weeks ago! I’m writing my masters dissertation on Siberia and I was hitting a dead end. I was scrolling through KZbin to take my mind off and your January wrap up showed up on my feed where THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST BOOK YOU MENTIONED!!! How INSANE is that coincidence??!! Thank you so much for (unknowingly) giving me direction🤗 I don’t comment often but I look forward to your videos and love how eclectic your taste is❤ Also, the idea for my dissertation was influenced by this book called The Lost Pianos of Siberia. You might like it :) it has beautiful writing and is the reason why I now read travelogues, a genre I detested for, it seems now, no good reason.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh my gosh, this is one of the most meaningful comments I've gotten. I can't believe that coincidence and I'm so glad In the Eye of the Wild was just the book you were looking for!! Wow, the piano novel seems like such a unique way to explore a region's history--totally noted! Good luck on that dissertation, baby, you got it!!

[@sofyaantonova5583]

I read the lost pianos last year and also liked it a lot! Being Siberian myself

[@Sthemingway]

I like the names of your categories.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I was holding back going super HARDCORE

[@kaybanks8781]

Loved this video and love your channel. Here's to a fabulous 2023 reading year. Cheers! Salud! Here's to you! To my best . . . Oh, just drink it already.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahahah! Cheers and cheers and cheers, baby!! Thank you for being here! To many more years 🥂🥂

[@justinmonisit5932]

I don't know if you've read it already, but Stoner by John E. Williams is a great read. Enjoyed the tier list and totally not commenting right after you said to drop recommendations in the video

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

!!! I have been SCOURING used bookstores for Stoner. It's been on my mental TBR since I got into Booktube.

[@justinmonisit5932]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson I will say that it lives in up to the hype of it being a contender for thr next Great American Novel, or at least if you read it you will thoroughly understand why even if you don't enjoy it. It's actually really that good. Much more readable than a lot of other classics.

[@jaynm]

the pisces would also be buried with me. loved this video, ana. happy new year!

[@jaynm]

you put your nail polish in the description, bless you.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

JORDAN! happy new year to you, my dove. thanks for being here this year

[@mountainbikingvampirewitch]

OOOooohh my goodness, an AWJ video AND a Shawn McComb video oN THE SAME DAY??!?! This is the best birthday present I could have asked for 🥰 thanks queen! P.S. bad bitches are born in January ❤

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FELLOW CAPPY BABYYYY! I knew with a username like that, you were a bad bish

[@christinaobo]

Excited for this one and can’t wait to add more books to my list ♥️ also I’m so glad I found you! I’m a fellow curly haired, Ukrainian, (fledgling) booktuber and NYC resident!!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

!! I've stumbled across a couple of your vids and I think you're fab! NYC bookstores are QUAKING!

[@christinaobo]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson aww this absolutely made my day! hehe can't wait to see more of your videos from a fellow NYC book queen

[@bignatesbookreviews]

Who am I gonna lie who am I gonna say is officially part of my lexicon

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahahahahahah some country singer is already on it

[@jessicalane3566]

Been binging all your videos this weekend! ❤I loved Cockroaches, and East of Eden is probably my favourite book of all time! I never comment on videos, but I am currently reading The Book of Night Women, and I think you would also like it too! ☺

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Thank you so much! I'm so happy you read Cockroaches!! I also can say that I would, indeed, like The Book of Night Women. Thank you for the suggestion

[@rebekahmenn2118]

Interesting choice going from red (the best) to green (the worst). Really mixing it up with traditional color associations! I love it.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I wish I could take credit! The website kind of helps with the template, but I'll take the compliment ; ))

[@btamez7669]

I finally started 100 years of solitude bc of your recommendation 💛🧡❤️ I will take a couple more from this video, thank you again!!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

keep me posted!! Get the bath running and post up in there to really enjoy the experience

[@btamez7669]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson i do need a long bath as well 😅 so I will def take that advise 💛🧡❤️

[@lisaplummer8144]

The Pancake book is the first one I heard you review! It was recommended to me by my niece and I sort of enjoyed it. I live in WV and am currently debating moving away or staying. I'm leaning toward staying and it's nice to hear your words about her.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I love WV. Camped near New River Gorge this past year and felt like I was in heaven. How long have you been there for?

[@lisaplummer8144]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson I grew up here but moved to Roanoke, VA in 1985. In 2015, my mom died and I moved back into my childhood home to care for my disabled brother. He died last February and I am trying to figure out my next move. I live thirty miles from the New River Gorge. It really is beautiful up there.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Wow, Lisa. I am so, so sorry for your loss. I say do what feels like something you’ve wanted to do your whole life. If you move in that direction, you’ll be happy with your decision.

[@lisaplummer8144]

That puts a whole new spin on it. Thanks!

[@hanadiamin6914]

Thank you for the video and happy new year, Ana! All I'll say is if you appreciated Elena Ferrante's writing but weren't too keen on "My Brilliant Friend", I'd give "The Days of Abandonment" a shot! It's much shorter (I got through it in one sitting), and the protagonist is an adult newly-single mother navigating a recent separation. Ferrante explores contemporary gender relations and the lives of women in the modern day (compared to the economics of 50s/60s Italy and the coming-of-age narrative in MBF), so you might get more out of it :)

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

OH! Yes, I think this might be more for me. I think you hit the nail on the head about adulthood being more alluring. I think the reason I fell short of loving MBF is because the narrators were children.

[@hanadiamin6914]

​@@AnaWallaceJohnson That makes total sense!! I can't wait to hear what you think if/when you get to Days :))

[@lila3372]

gosh, ana. the ed IT ing aaaahhhhhhh love love love it

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

tehehe had fun with this!

[@SpringboardThought]

Hah loved this! I really gotta get to Lanny, it judges me all the time from line-of-sight to my bed :\

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

You can doooo it! half a day read. tops

[@ninakenda]

I knew i could trust your taste when u put before the coffee gets cold to no😂

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahaha that book KILLED ME

[@rebeccawalter4901]

I love what you said about recommendations ✨ I've more than once thought about suggesting The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power. It is a memoir about Power's life as an immigrant, war correspondent and activist and how it all led to her serving as Obama's human rights adviser and the US Ambassador to the United Nations. I feel like you would find so many layers of her story interesting. Listened to the audiobook on Libby a few years ago and highly recommend that experience! 🎧

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Oh wow. Thank you so much for the suggestion. I feel like it would be a perfect audiobook read--almost like a podcast!! She sounds so fiercely intelligent.

[@sierragray11]

you should definitely read Machado’s memoir In The Dream House it’s UNREAL

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I bought it, hungover, about 3 years ago. Read it, hungover, in about a day. Loved it ever since.

[@rachaelhofford1680]

You should read agua viva by Clarice Lispector -- it is ASTONISHING

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I KNOW! it's gonna make it soon. I've only heard its greatness

[@alyssaroulo8831]

Even though you have conflicted thoughts about My Brilliant Friend as a book, I loved the HBO adaptation. I say this as someone who hasn’t read the books, so I’m unsure about the closeness of the adaptation. Either way, if you’re looking for an interesting show to watch, I really enjoyed it.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I've heard that the adaptation is stellar. I have HBO, so maybe this spring I'll peel back the winter tedium with a proper viewage

[@AnaMariaBotoser]

How do you feel about dystopias? I recently read ‘Tender is the Flesh’ and I think about it often - a bit of an unusual read, but I’d be intrigued to see what you think of it😊 Also, I think the best book I read this year is ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ - definitely HIGHLY recommended!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I wanted to read Tender as part of my October reads, but by the time the audiobook was ready to deliver, I let it lapse for too long. Maybe I'll queue it back up--I've only heard startling things about it (which I love). And omg, I love the All Quiet on the Western Front recommendation. I'm aiming hard for classics this year.

[@riviereroviere]

Have you explored Semiotext(e), Ana? Their books are often wild, but I can highly recommend them!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Nooo, but I just looked them up and woahhh what a wild ride that seems!

[@HitorMissHallmark]

💅 Nice! and thanks!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I totally forgot the lip products, but next vid I promise!

[@HitorMissHallmark]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson much appreciated!

[@aidahhh]

I highly recommend The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat. Reading it was like a fever dream and I have a feeling you're gonna like it. It's also quite short.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Added it to the mental TBR. Absolutely my vibe

[@PamsPrettyPlants]

Survivor is my favorite Chuck P. book!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

so good! Chuckles nailed it with that one!

[@neonoires]

OMG I hated the Pisces so much lmao but I am interested in Milk Fed

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahaha Milk Fed is definitely different from it, but still has that Broder raunchiness

[@kevgh3869]

Hello and back at ya!

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

🤪🤪👋

[@Eternalplay]

Love survivor, best from C.P.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Chucky P knew what he was DOING with that one

[@insideout6691]

OMG WHY ARE YOU SOOOO COOL???

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

I am literally the IT girl of NYC books, baby tehehehe

[@icedcoffeeandbookss]

We read the same amount of books, lol.

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

yes baby, yes!!!

[@ivannakuzmych7090]

Hello from Ukraine 🔥

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

Slava UKRAINI!!! 🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@ivannakuzmych7090]

@@AnaWallaceJohnson Glory to heroes

[@littlebookish5287]

These novels have the honor to be rated by…you…

[@AnaWallaceJohnson]

hahaha! I agree ;)))