Top Reads of 2022

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Hey friends!

We are wrapping up another year and I thought it would be fun to revisit some of my favorite books read this year. This list is made up of all my 5 and 4 star reviews. These are the books I can’t stop thinking about, books I keep recommending to others. So without further ado, here are my top reads for 2022!

5 Star Reads

I don’t give out 5 stars easily, so if its in this section, it’s worth your time! Let’s get things started right! In no particular order, here are my 5 star reads for 2022!

• Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton – 1950s Cuba, Historical Fiction that’s an easy entry into a difficult topic about a horrible part of history and a wake up call about present issues plaguing the US and how much hasn’t really changed
• South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber – heartwarming Magical Realism from one of my must-read authors
• Clanlands Almanac: Seasonal Stories from Scotland by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish – a fun romp through the Scottish Highlands with two of my favorite actors from the Outlander series
• The Mountains Sing by Nguy?n Phan Qu? Mai – Vietnam War, Historical Fiction that highlights what’s not told in US History books about the Vietnam conflict and its causes
• Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi – Afghan Historical Fiction illustrates another view of history that has been left out of mainstream narrative
• Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera – Historical fiction that gave me all the Where the Crawdads Sing feels in a whole different way
• The Only Girl in the World by Maude Julien – a Memoir that reads like a thriller, made all the more chilling by the fact that it’s a true story
• The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel – WW2 Historical Fiction that is everything I love about this genre

4 Star Reviews

I admit that 4 star reviews are more common for me, so I’ve tried to fine tune the list here to only give you my absolute favorites, the ones I still think about and recommend. Again, in no particular order, these are my favorite 4 star reads from this year.

• The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams – Historical Fiction for language lovers with a dose of subversive feminism
• The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict – Historical Fiction based on the life of Hedy Lamaar, an insightful portrayal of her life, love, and brilliant mind
• Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney – A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing even after you’ve finished reading
• The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee – YA Historical Fiction showing the struggles a Chinese-American girl faces living in the New South as an Asian female
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry – a Contemporary Romance that is sweet and steamy, clever, and heartwarming
• The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris – WW2 Historical Fiction about a female stage magician devising tools to aid pilots escape Nazi territory but really about friendship, love, and loyalty
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – SciFi or Magical Realism, you decide, but it is definitely an interesting take on what happens in those moments between life and death and a beautiful depiction of the importance of mental health
• The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict – This Historical Fiction gives us a likely scenario to explain what might have really happened during famed author Agatha Christie’s unexplained, real-life disappearance
• A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America’s Ghosts by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes – Paranormal NonFiction that offers a thought-provoking, insightful, and sometimes eerie look at women’s stories as they are and as they’ve been told by society
• Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young – Magical Realism with an incredible atmosphere that is both cozy and creepy at the same time
• Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano – a Cozy Mystery that is laugh-out-loud funny featuring a strong female duo

Well, if this list is anything to go by, 2022 was a great year for books for me! I met and exceeded my reading goal for the year, which was 50 books. We’ll see if I can sneak any more in these last few weeks of 2022.

I hope you found some new books to read and enjoy! Until next time, happy reading!

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