My Favorite Books of 2022

It was the spring of 2020. Tyler and were living our entire lives in a small condo. I looked at my single bookshelf and thought “I wish I could be someone who finishes books”.  It had been years since I’d finished a novel.  I decided to give it a try. 

At that point in time, we were living with the reality of a relentless that would only continue to get worse. Businesses were either essential or closed, and I needed a way to escape the reality we were all trying to cope with. Off to Target we went, and I bought the book that grabbed my interest the most: a psychological thriller. 

Two years later, I just finished my twenty-fifth book of the year. I decided to start documenting and reviewing my books in the last two years. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll find all the books with very brief ratings in my highlights. As we come to the end of another year, I wanted to offer my favorite reads from the year in no particular order. 

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – This novel was everywhere at the beginning of 2022. As soon as I finished it, I understood why. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking story of love, Hollywood, and family. Taylor Jenkins Reid is also a prolific writer, so you’ll have a plethora of options to choose from should you enjoy her storytelling. 

Themes: Family, queer representation, sacrifice, old Hollywood. 

2. Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett – I devoured this book. It wasn’t easy to put it down! This twisting story about a murder and the bond between sisters will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning. I enjoyed the pop culture references and the complexity of family relationships in this story. 

Themes: Family, mystery, the music industry, race, class.

3. A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham- This book was my favorite novel of 2022. High praise, I know! The story is about a therapist reconciling the reality of her father’s imprisonment for murders in the past, while a copycat killer strikes in the present day. She’s also getting married and dealing with a burgeoning prescription drug problem. This story kept me guessing until the very end. It also reminded me so much of A Serial Killer’s Daughter, written by the daughter of BTK. The similarity had me fascinated and wondering what kind of research the author had to do for this story! 

Themes: Homicide, mystery, love, family, sacrifice, mental illness, trust.

4. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – Witches, small-town Halloween, broken hearts, and the one that got away. It’s the perfect romance novel! This witty story had me laughing out loud. I read this one in January, but it’s the perfect read for the spooky season. If you’re a fan of Practical Magic, Gilmore Girls, or Sabrina The Teenage Witch, you’ll love this story! 

Themes: young love, witchcraft, small-town charm, small businesses 

5. As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson – Wow! What an end to the trilogy! That’s right – this was the third book in the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. You’ll definitely want to read the first two books to understand what’s happening, but this will not disappoint. I read this book while Tyler and were on our honeymoon in Mexico, and I genuinely had a hard time putting it down. Pip and Ravi have quite the adventure in this one! If you’re looking for a young adult series as an easy read that will keep you engaged, I recommend all three books (because they really are that good)! 

Themes: homicide, podcasting, coming of age, young love, small-town bonds, cold cases, and young adult books. 

If you haven’t noticed yet, I have a fascination with crime-solving, both fiction and non-fiction. There are still 4 weeks left in 2022, and I’m hoping to finish a few more books before we launch the new year. As of right now, my to-be-read list includes:

– Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss (currently reading and loving)

– The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh(a book of the month pick)

– The Round House by Louise Erdrich (Minnesota Author) 

I’d love to know, have you read any of my top five? What did you think? 

What’s on your to-be-read list for the remainder of the year? Let’s chat in the comments! 

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