Hello, friends and fellow readers!
I’ve been curating and anticipating this post for a while now, reworking my list until it felt right. Today I’m excited to share my top ten list of books I read in 2022. These are the books that brought me the most JOY throughout the year.
Here are my top ten books of 2022, counting down from ten to one…my favorite book of the year. So, make sure you read to the end to find out which book make it to the very top of my list.
TEN // A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
I read this near the beginning of the year and it stayed with me as a book that is uplifting and full of hope. I immediately knew I wanted to read everything that this debut author, Ethan Joella, writes in the future. I read A Quiet Life, his next book and it did not disappoint. I loved the sense of community and connection found throughout this book and in Joella’s writing.
NINE // In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
If I can immediately place where I was when reading a book, I know it has staying power as a favorite. I read In the Wild Light during a weekend retreat to Rudesheim with my husband. I was immersed in this young adult novel and felt a strong connection with the characters. I’m not typically a fan of coming of age stories, but this one was a definite winner for me. I appreciated the poetry throughout the book and I passed it on to my poet daughter who immediately fell in love with this story as well.
EIGHT // Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
This is another book that is outside of my typical genre that I absolutely adored!! Romantic comedy books usually fall in the “just okay” category for me. I enjoy reading them and find them fun, but they’re not going to wind up among my favorites. That was not so with Nora Goes off Script. I LOVED it!!! I loved Nora and thought she was such a relatable character. I was fully immersed in her story and was cheering her on in life and romance. The fact that I read this book in less than 24 hours speaks volumes!
SEVEN // The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
I don’t know what’s going on, but this is the second coming-of-age story that made it into my top ten. I loved the way that the protagonist, April, was surrounded by people that loved her–even when she couldn’t see it. She ends up coming out on top in spite of some very difficult circumstances and I found that hopeful. There were moments of despair and heartache throughout the novel, but the ending was hopeful and positive.
SIX // We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
I shed actual real tears while reading this novel on the beauty of life, friendship, death and grief. In this novel, two childhood best friends walk through the dying process together. One friend is dying of terminal cancer and the other becomes her caretaker as she moves her friend into a hospice close to her home. This is raw and real and heartbreaking and also hopeful and moving. This was a very memorable book that will have a lasting impression.
FIVE // Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Talking about real and unforgettable…that was Lessons in Chemistry for me! From the protagonist chemist Elizabeth Zott, to her lovable dog six-thirty, this was truly unforgettable. I loved the strength of character displayed in this female scientist and the way she fought for herself and her work. I loved the honest way this novel challenged the status-quo just as Elizabeth Zott did. I love how this book celebrates women and all of our strengths!
FOUR // Booth by Karen Joy Fowler
I picked this book up at Hatchards in London, so that will always give it a special place in my heart. In Booth, Karen Joy Fowler, writes about John Wilkes Booth–the man who assassinated President Lincoln–without making him a hero or even a focus of the novel. The focus of the book is actually placed on Booth’s family, especially his siblings. We see how his childhood shapes the man he later becomes, and how each sibling reacts to him as he becomes increasingly troubled. This book was utterly fascinating and a compelling read for me!
THREE // Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
I ordered this book after seeing it recommended by several people that I highly respect. The author describes this book as being both fiction and nonfiction at the same time. It is told from the author’s perspective as he is a little boy in a middle school classroom telling his story. He is describing his life as an immigrant to our country and his history left behind in Iran. This book is beautifully written and it is sobering to read.
TWO // The Measure by Nikki Erlick
I had a hard time placing this book and my top book of the year because they were both so special. I was immediately hooked when I began reading The Measure and I had to stop over and over again to tell my family about it. I couldn’t NOT talk about it–AND I cannot wait for my book club’s discussion in April. The premises of The Measure was so original and innovative! I loved the way the lives of the eight characters are connected and weaved together! I loved the way that this book made me think–what would I do if a string showed up in real life and what impacts would it have in our world–were questions that just had to be grappled with as I read this book.
ONE // Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
My absolute favorite book of 2022 was Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. When I saw that Kingsolver had a new book coming out, I immediately placed a pre-order for it! I love her writing and the way it prompts thoughtful questioning. Her take on Dickens’ David Copperfield was beautifully written and I connected with it deeply. This novel takes a real and honest look at poverty in America, especially in Appalachia, and the effects it has on a community and individuals who are buried under its pressures. The narrative voice of Demon Copperhead was remarkable and Kingsolver’s writing is unbelievably beautiful. I love a beautifully written immersive novel that I can sink into and that’s exactly what this was!
I think these ten books are an excellent representation of my reading in 2022. I’m excited for all the books I’ll read this year and sharing my thoughts on them here.