Oh the joy reading brings me! I have been writing book recap blog posts for a while now, and I love to share what I’m reading in real time over on my Instagram page, too. Because I read so much, I like to set a yearly goal. Every year the goal is to read one more book than I did the year before. My goal for 2022 was 60 books. I read 69!! Here they are in the order in which they were read.
January Titles
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever- Barbara Robinson | Read for my class. It’s a funny story about a church Christmas pageant and a lovely take on the nativity through the eyes of some bad kids. Love this one!
- Bringing Down the Duke-Evie Dunmore | A good story with strong female characters. A bit of a steamy read.
- The Book of Lost Names- Kristen Harmel (My favorite of the month.) | WWII novel about a woman who forged false papers for people. I waited for 6 months for this book at the library, and it was worth the wait.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses- Sarah J. Maas | Everyone said I should read it. They were right.
Februray Titles
- The Devil Wears Prada- Lauren Weisberger | It was available in audio format at the library, so I gave it a reread, well, listen. I forgot how much different it was from the movie. Still good.
- When Life Gives You Lululemons- Lauren Weisberger | This was funny and cute. Follows Emily from The Devil Wears Prada. Never imagined her to be like she is!
- Zombies Don’t Play Soccer- Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones (The Adventure of the Bailey School Kids) | Year after year my students love these books.
- Transcendent Kingdom- Yaa Gyasi | Tough story about opioid addiction and loss but beautifully told. Excellent for book clubs.
- The Secrets of Love Story Bridge- Phaedra Patrick | This one was not good. Very unrealistic and, well, just not good.
- In Five Years- Rebecca Serle | Compelling story that has a bit of time travel. Extremely sad but also very good.
- Taste- Stanley Tucci (My favorite of the Month) | Listen to the audiobook to hear him read it but buy the physical copy for the recipes! That’s what I did.
March Titles
- The Lions of Fifth Avenue- Fiona Davis ( My favorite of the month) | I couldn’t believe some of the things that happened in this story.
- Ghosts Don’t Eat Potato Chips- Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones (The Adventure of the Bailey School Kids) | Better than the soccer one.
- Things We Never Got Over- Lucy Score | I didn’t like the writing (though I’m in the minority). I was invested in the characters, but I thought it lacked imagination and depth.
- Inheritance- Katharine McGee | This book was a prequel to the American Royals book series. I’ve been loving these characters.
April Titles
- Local Woman Missing- Mary Kubica (My favorite of the month) | This book has a great twist- I didn’t see it coming! Very compelling read.
- The Matzah Ball- Jean Meltzer | Pretty cheesy but cute. It’s about a Jewish woman who writes Christmas stories. There’s some elements of chronic illness in it, which was something I’ve never encountered in literature.
- The Atlas Six- Olive Blake | This was a very popular book series, but I didn’t like it. I just think it’s not my genre. Check out the synopsis before you discount it. Lots of people love it.
- Where the Crawdads Sing- Delia Owens | Are we allowed to talk about her anymore? I know she’s steeped in controversy, like murder controversy. Anyway, I reread it to get reacquainted with the story before I watched the movie when it came out in the summer.
May Titles
- Lonesome Dove- Larry McMurtry (My favorite book of the year) | An incredible story that will have you feeling literally all the feels. You’ll laugh then cry and miss them when the story is over. If you read a western in your life, read this one.
- The House in the Cerulean Sea- T.J. Klune | This book was interesting, weird, entertaining, and a little unsettling. It’s a book a man who is assigned to a home of strange children. One child is named Lucy. He’s the son of satan but is a likeable character who might actually have good in him. Like I said, it’s weird but a good story with lots of happy feelings and a sense of belonging for the outcasts of the world.
- In a New York Minute- Kate Spencer | This story had a great meet-cute on the subway. It wasn’t very realistic, but it was an endearing love story nonetheless.
- The Home Wreckers- Mary Kay Andrews | There was a good story-within-a-story in this book. I wanted more of that. It was mysterious and lighthearted like most MKA books. I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I didn’t! Liked it a lot.
- A Court of Mist and Fury- Sarah J. Maas | Like everyone else says: it was better than the first one!
June Titles
- The Big Door Prize- M. O. Walsh | A book about a machine that can tell you what you should do with your life. A small Louisiana town experiences such a machine and you get to witness that upheaval that town goes through. Not anything like I thought it was going to be, but I really liked how it made me think.
- Matrix- Lauren Groff | Gosh, what a beautifully written book. The prose just wraps you up and leaves your mouth agape. It’s a book about medieval nuns, but it’s not what you think. Quite the story.
- Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind- Ann B. Ross | I had so much fun getting to know Miss Julia and want to read more about her.
- The Personal Librarian- Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray | I liked the historical portions of this book about J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian who was a black woman that passed for a white woman. Great story.
- From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler- E. L. Konigsburg | I started this one with my students, but they didn’t like it. I finished it in the summer and loved it. The ending was especially wonderful.
- Meant to Be- Emily Giffin (My favorite of the month) | Oh my goodness! Just read it! It’s a reimagining of what could have been with JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessett Kennedy.
- Beach Read- Emily Henry | I am the only person in the world that does not like this author and her books. I’m sure you’ll love it, but I’ve yet to enjoy one of her stories. They annoy me.
July Titles
- Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?- Lizzie Damilola Blackburn | This was a lovely story about a Nigerian woman who has an overbearing mother and aunties who want her to get married. She discovers herself in the book, and I loved that journey. Seriously great book.
- The House Across the Lake- Riley Sager | This book had me up until the big twist. Then I was out. All the way out. No thank you.
- 28 Summers- Elin Hilderbrand | Ugh! What a gut punch. But it was wonderful.
- The Love of My Life- Rosie Walsh | Took me a while to get into it but once I did, I was hooked. Imagine thinking you know who you’re married to and then BAM you don’t! Great story.
- It Ends with Us- Colleen Hoover | Jumped on this bandwagon. So glad I did! You should too.
- The Paris Apartment- Lucy Foley | This was a pretty good mystery. Not amazing but good.
- The Lifestyle- Taylor Hahn | This was supposed to be a reimagining of Emma by Jane Austen with a singers twist. Weird and not for me.
- Nora Goes Off Script- Annabel Monaghan | Super cute story of a writer who allows a film to shoot at her home. She meets the lead actor and well, you can imagine what happens next. It was very good.
- The Hotel Nantucket- Elin Hilderbrand | Loved this end of summer book. I wish I could stay at this fictional hotel.
- Reminders of Him- Colleen Hoover (My favorite of the month) | I didn’t think she could top herself with It Ends with Us, but I was wrong. This one was better. I cried for three solid chapters, but it was worth it.
August Titles
- The Sixth Wedding- Elin Hilderbrand | This was a sequel to 28 Summers. I enjoyed revisiting some of these characters. Short and sweet and enjoyable.
- Freckle Juice- Judy Blume | I love reading this every year to my students at the beginning of the year.
- Things We Do in the Dark- Jennifer Hillier | This mystery didn’t pick up until about page 200. I’d say skip it.
- Rivals- Katherine McGee | Finally the next installment of the American Royals series. I thought it was the final book but NO!! More to come! Hooray!
September Titles
- Prep– Curtis Sittenfeld | I’m normally a Curtis Sittenfeld fan, but this one was supremely boring and annoying.
- Once Upon a Wardrobe– Patti Henry | A feel good novel with a C. S. Lewis connection that tugs at your heartstrings.
- The Paper Palace– Miranda Cowley | A complicated tale of forbidden love. The ending left me wanting more, though, not necessarily in a good way.
- Anne of Green Gables– L. M. Montgomery | How have I never read this until my 30s? It had me laughing and crying. A must-read.
- Persuasion– Jane Austen | After watching the new film on Netflix (which I loved), I had to read it. I listened to the Audible production, and it was wonderful.
October Titles
- The It Girl– Ruth Ware | In true Ruth Ware fashion, it’s a good mystery. I found it to be a little too long for my personal taste, but it was pretty good.
- Carrie Soto is Back– Taylor Jenkins Reid | I’ve yet to read a book by TJR that I didn’t like. I’ve never wanted to play/watch tennis more. Also, I am totally open to reading more sports books.
- The Mother Next Door– Tara Laskowski | This Halloween based whodunit was a fun audiobook to get you in the spirit of Halloween without the scare factor.
- The Love Hypothesis– Ali Hazelwood | Just as good as everyone said it was. I will definitely read more from her.
- Run, Rose, Run– James Patterson and Dolly Parton | You must do the audiobook for this one. Dolly voices a character, which was delightful to my ears.
- Stuart Little– E. B. White | I’d never read this book and decided to read it to my students. None of us really liked it.
- Olive, Again– Elizabeth Strout | Olive is a delightfully strange character that I want more of. Elizabeth Strout is a beautiful writer.
November Titles
- It Starts with Us– Colleen Hover | I definitely enjoyed getting more of the story of Lily and Atlas. If you loved It Ends with Us, you must read this sequel.
- The Other Einstein– Marie Benedict | My main takeaway from this book was that women are incredible and Albert Einstein was a tool. (If any of the things about him are true)
- The Best Worst Christmas– Kate Forster | This is an Audible exclusive and was very cute. I wanted a Christmas story, and that’s what I got. It was short and funny.
- Ready Freddy in Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble– Abby Klein | I read this one every year to my class. Short, hilarious, and holds their attention. Love it!
- This is Where I Leave You– Jonathan Tropper | While the movie is okay, you must read this book! Darkly funny and all the family dysfunction.
- Funny You Should Ask– Elissa Sussman | Fun tale about a romance with a superstar. I enjoyed these characters.
December Titles
- The Tobacco Wives– Adele Myers | I just loved this story about the wives of the men in the tobacco industry and how they start to discover that glamorous cigarettes maybe aren’t all that great after all.
- The Last Thing He Told Me– Laura Dave | I couldn’t stop with this story. It’s a fast paced mystery that has an ending that tugged on my heartstrings and delivered a gut punch all in a matter of a few paragraphs.
- A Christmas Carol– Charles Dickens | A delight to read after seeing every movie adaptation ever made, basically. However, I advise reading it along with the audiobook narrated by Tim Curry. He does the best voices.
- Christmas in Winchester– Dawn Ramos | A sweet Hallmark movie of a book. I wanted to visit Winchester after I was finished with the story. Adorable.
- The Christmas Bookshop– Jenny Colgan | I thought this one was pretty cute. I could definitely see it being played out as a movie or tv show. I enjoyed loving and hating the cast of characters and really loved the setting of the book.
- Lessons in Chemistry– Bonnie Garmus | My second favorite book of the year. I couldn’t get over the story of Elizabeth Zott. I think all you girls need to read this one.
Sixty-nine books! Wow! It was a good reading year. I do want to finish he ACOTAR series and would like to read a few more classics this year. Other than that, we’ll see where the year takes me.
The goal for 2023 is 70. I’m not sure how I’ll manage that, but I am up for the challenge. As I mentioned before, I share and recommend books in real time over on Instagram, and I plan to keep that up this year. I’m looking forward to what this year has in store for reading. Please leave a comment with your favorite book or books of 2022. I’d love to see them!
