Books we loved in 2022

[Leslie]

OK, ya'll. I know if you are like me you read CONSTANTLY. So what books did you read this year that are still with you? What book did you read that you could not put down and thought about when you were not reading it? I read mostly in the evening after the dishes are done and the dogs are tired and napping and there are those books that I so look forward to.
These are my top three books of 2022, what are yours?

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and recommended to me by @Dawn_McClure

This was such a wonderfully structured book and so compelling. I LOVED this book!​

Red Storm Rising: A Suspense Thriller by Tom Clancy

Oldie but still a goodie! I read this when the Ukraine war started and immediately fell back into Clancy's cold-war era world. Great stuff and a fun read!​

​

The Reign of Wolf 21: The Saga of Yellowstone's Legendary Druid Pack (The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone Book 2) by Rick McIntyre

I acquired two dogs this past year and in my ever widening reading to better understand my doggie companions I stumbled over the wolves of Yellowstone. I think this book and the other two in the series are some of the most useful and fascinating books about wolves and our canine companions. I have a far better understanding of dogs now than I did before reading these.​

​

OK, your turn! What three books will you always remember from 2022?

@Dawn_McClure @RJ Garside and @Walker I tag you as well!!

Happy Sunday, all

 

[RJ Garside]

I am always reading so this was really, really tough. I read a lot of kids books, including Pete the Cat series and Grumpy Monkey with my youngest. My middle guy and I read the Bad Guys series which was so funny! I was so thrilled to move past the Captain Underpants series and Wimpy Kid because I find them a bit obnoxious. My oldest and I have been listening to the Percy Jackson books. He loves the graphic novel edition but doesn't like to read Percy Jackson. Audiobooks have been perfect.

As for reading for my enjoyment, I've been a bit obsessed with middle grade books. These are my top three for 2022:

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. This is spooky and I loved the mystery of it, but it had fantastic characterization, and I was so engaged with the writing voice. I am planning to start book 3 for my holiday break. So far I've loved the first book the best, but I have yet to finish the series. I love spooky and scary without being gory.

Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca made me sob almost as hard as The Fault in Our Stars. (The Fault in our Stars is still one of my most favorite books of all time.) The writing was lyrical and beautiful. It was the first novel-in-verse book that I read, and I was hooked. The author does an amazing job showing us what it's like to be going through that awkward MG stage, but she's trying to figure out where she fits as her mother's family is Indian and her father's family is caucasian. It was a beautiful, heart wrenching story. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex beside you. It's a tear jerker.

Star fish by Lisa Fipps is another novel-in-verse. I know I've chatted about this book in a few special events, but I loved how authentic the main character was. I loved the growth. Writing voice is smooth, and it was so hard to put down.

I'm looking forward to hearing the three books that you'll remember!

RJ

 

[Dawn_McClure]

Glad you liked the book! It made my top three. Probably because it wasn't romance and I needed a break from romance. lol

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Cowboy for Keeps by Laura Drake
Claimed by J.R. Ward

 

[Zena Ryder]

My top three of the year (so far!) are:

Fayne by Ann-Marie MacDonald
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I also loved:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
Young Mungo and Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

I could go on, but I won't

 

[Leslie]

My top three of the year (so far!) are:

Fayne by Ann-Marie MacDonald
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I also loved:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
Young Mungo and Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

I could go on, but I won't

I have a couple of times picked up and then put down The Road. Is it really good? It sort of feels pretentious to me, but I ADORE post-apocalyptic so feel like I need to read it.

 

[Leslie]

I am always reading so this was really, really tough. I read a lot of kids books, including Pete the Cat series and Grumpy Monkey with my youngest. My middle guy and I read the Bad Guys series which was so funny! I was so thrilled to move past the Captain Underpants series and Wimpy Kid because I find them a bit obnoxious. My oldest and I have been listening to the Percy Jackson books. He loves the graphic novel edition but doesn't like to read Percy Jackson. Audiobooks have been perfect.

As for reading for my enjoyment, I've been a bit obsessed with middle grade books. These are my top three for 2022:

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. This is spooky and I loved the mystery of it, but it had fantastic characterization, and I was so engaged with the writing voice. I am planning to start book 3 for my holiday break. So far I've loved the first book the best, but I have yet to finish the series. I love spooky and scary without being gory.

Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca made me sob almost as hard as The Fault in Our Stars. (The Fault in our Stars is still one of my most favorite books of all time.) The writing was lyrical and beautiful. It was the first novel-in-verse book that I read, and I was hooked. The author does an amazing job showing us what it's like to be going through that awkward MG stage, but she's trying to figure out where she fits as her mother's family is Indian and her father's family is caucasian. It was a beautiful, heart wrenching story. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex beside you. It's a tear jerker.

Star fish by Lisa Fipps is another novel-in-verse. I know I've chatted about this book in a few special events, but I loved how authentic the main character was. I loved the growth. Writing voice is smooth, and it was so hard to put down.

I'm looking forward to hearing the three books that you'll remember!

RJ

The Fault in our Stars is just amazing. I love that, too. I might need to check out City of Ghosts, I love spooky.

 

[Zena Ryder]

I have a couple of times picked up and then put down The Road. Is it really good? It sort of feels pretentious to me, but I ADORE post-apocalyptic so feel like I need to read it.

It was the first McCarthy I'd read, and didn't really know what to expect. I didn't even know it was post-apocalyptic. (If I'd known that, I might not have read it because I'd have expected to find it too depressing!) It didn't feel pretentious to me, but that's obviously a very subjective thing. I loved his use of language, but I can see how some people wouldn't like it. I've since read his No Country for Old Men, and thought it was great too — although not one of my all-time favourites like The Road.

Review of The Road
Review of No Country for Old Men

 

[Robin Shelley]

Here were my top two:

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey
and
The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris.

 

[Leslie]

Here were my top two:

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey
and
The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris.

Thanks for sharing. Those both sounds really interesting. I don't usually read a lot of recent history, but I do love historicals and anything Vanderbilt.

 

[Leslie]

It was the first McCarthy I'd read, and didn't really know what to expect. I didn't even know it was post-apocalyptic. (If I'd known that, I might not have read it because I'd have expected to find it too depressing!) It didn't feel pretentious to me, but that's obviously a very subjective thing. I loved his use of language, but I can see how some people wouldn't like it. I've since read his No Country for Old Men, and thought it was great too — although not one of my all-time favourites like The Road.

Review of The Road
Review of No Country for Old Men

OK, now I think I have to read it. I'm re-reading The Hunt for Red October right now, but unless @Dawn_McClure shares her current WIP with me ASAP, I will start this next!

 

[jrgoetz]

So one book that I was blown away with this year was Who They Was by Gabriel Kruze? Anyone else happen to pick it up? I actually went back about six weeks later and gave it a second read through, and usually I wait at least a year to do so. Similar vein, slightly less good, but still a solid read was All Day is a Long Time.

 

[jrgoetz]

OK, now I think I have to read it. I'm re-reading The Hunt for Red October right now, but unless @Dawn_McClure shares her current WIP with me ASAP, I will start this nex

It was the first McCarthy I'd read, and didn't really know what to expect. I didn't even know it was post-apocalyptic. (If I'd known that, I might not have read it because I'd have expected to find it too depressing!) It didn't feel pretentious to me, but that's obviously a very subjective thing. I loved his use of language, but I can see how some people wouldn't like it. I've since read his No Country for Old Men, and thought it was great too — although not one of my all-time favourites like The Road.

Review of The Road
Review of No Country for Old Men

I just read the two new Cormack McCarthy books and... Holy Shit. It was amazing and left my jaw on the floor. Stella Maris? Might be the best thing I've read all year

 

[Devon Alexander]

The Perfect First by Maya Hughes - This is the one that got me loving contemporary romance, especially college sports.
Blindsided by Amy Daws - This solidified my love for contemporary sports. And a hot Scot in love with a plus size heroine... what's not to love
Bossy Brothers: Jesse by JA Huss - The twits this author weaves into her stories are amazing.