More Bookish Superlatives for you! I had a real slump in the middle of the year, but I ended my year happy with most of the books I read. Eight 5 star books, and some of those 4 star books I'm still thinking about today. Many of the 3 star books were books that had been on my TBR forever, so I'm happy to have moved those off my shelf.
Find my 2022 highlights (and lowlights) below or track my previous years in books for 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
Favorite Book: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
Genre: Academic Literary Magical Realism
Synopsis: Nell was an up and coming star in the world of cartography, until her father curiously fired her from the prestigious Map Division of the New York Public Library, all over a junky highway folding map. Seven years later, after her father is found dead in his office, hiding the very last copy of the very same map, Nell sets out to discover what is so special about the map, and what dark mysteries it could be hiding.
Thoughts: This is quite literally everything I love in a book. A literary tale with a sprinkle of magic, grounded in the here and now, equal parts plot and character driven, a setting that is a character in itself, all served up in short well-written chapters that flow together seamlessly. And of course, the maps. I loved the storytelling style and one continuous narrative despite multiple POVs. I so appreciated the sense of wonder Shepherd brought using the weird wide world of maps. A fascinating love letter to adventurers and map-makers alike.
Most Eye Opening & Most Cinematic: Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
Genre: Social Commentary disguised as a Thriller
Synopsis: Ike, a black man, is fifteen years out of jail, committed to keeping his record clean, but too late in accepting his son for being gay. Buddy Lee, a white ex-con with a drinking problem, also finds he has a lot to learn after realizing he screwed up bigtime with his family and son. When their married sons are brutally murdered, Ike and Buddy Lee come together on one last quest for vengeance.
Thoughts: It was interesting to watch the fathers as they confront their own prejudices about, and practice empathy for, their sons and each other. This book really tested me in a way that enlightened me - I had to really find a balance between having compassion for the two fathers and their journey, but also not excusing them from their past actions (and inactions). I always find it to be a testament to the author's writing when you find yourself with a flood of different emotions, not to mention, rooting for the antiheroes. While, at its core, Razorblade Tears will tug at your social conscience, the author never sacrifices plot and entertainment. There's a thrilling and fast-paced cinematic factor Cosby brings to each page. I'll just say you don't want to be on the shit-list of a lawn care business owner with a guilty conscience and a thirst for revenge. This would be an EXCELLENT candidate for an Oscar-winning movie.
Most Likely to Make You Look at Life a Little Differently: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Genre: Magical Realism
Synopsis: In the midst of grief, Katy embarks on a solo trip to Italy after her mother Carol sadly passes away. Katy hopes to feel her mother’s spirit with her as she travels to Positano, a place Carol visited before she had Katy. In a magical twist, Katy meets a sun-kissed 30-year old version of her mother while on her trip, alive and well in more ways than one.
Thoughts: Meeting your parent before they became your parent? The premise alone is reason enough to read this book. Rebecca Serle creates a perfect blend of poignant and heartwarming moments that are packaged in short but impactful and thought-provoking stories. This book will make you wonder about all the people in your life, and who they were before meeting you. Not to mention, you'll have some serious wanderlust for all things Positano after reading One Italian Summer.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Best Writing: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Genre: Literary Historical Fiction
Synopsis: How much would you trade to defeat lonesomeness? Kya watched her siblings and parents abandon their difficult life in their North Carolina marshland. But way out yonder, where the crawdads sing, the swamp is the only home Kya knows. It keeps her secrets better than anyone else can, even if it can’t keep everyone else out.
Thoughts: Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautiful and heartbreaking tale of survival, loneliness, isolation, chosen family, and forgiveness. Specifically, I thought the questions regarding lonesomeness interwoven throughout the book (and for various characters) were well thought-out and definitely seemed to come full circle by the end. The author really brought the swamp to life, and not just via the critters that live there, but as a character in its own right. The marsh provided solace and familiarity when she needed it most, truly putting the mother in Mother Nature. There is a mystery component in the novel, but ultimately Where the Crawdads Sing is literary at its heart. I didn’t read the book to find out whodunnit or even why, I read to be entranced by Kya’s wildness and uncover the beauty in all the things she showed us.
Most Unique: Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis: 1. Dan quit his job as a mediocre teacher. 2. Dan now runs a failing bookshop and has a dwindling savings account. 3. Dan's wife wants a baby. 4. But Dan still feels mediocre compared to his wife’s late first husband. 5. Dan copes with his stress by writing lists.
Thoughts: This book is written entirely in lists. There's lists detailing his savings accounts, judgy opinions about the world, and one sided text threads - all so well crafted! Who woulda thunk a book written in lists would be so well-written?
Best Comfort Read (& Most Predictable): The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
Genre: Holiday Romance
Synopsis: With only twelve days to Christmas, a holiday mishap forces identical twins, Charlie and Cass to swap lives, each on an unexpected journey to personal and professional fulfillment along the way!
Thoughts: A Hallmark Christmas movie meets The Great British Baking Show (and sprinkle in some classic Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen movies) in this cozy holiday romance. And I loved it! As with most Hallmark Christmas movies, I could see from the first two chapters exactly how the switch would play out, but there’s a reason we watch these movies over and over and it’s the same reason I liked The Holiday Swap - comfort food!
Best Book Club Selection: The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh
Genre: A Love Story wrapped up in a Mystery
Synopsis: After a scary diagnosis, Emma is determined to beat cancer for her husband and daughter. Her husband, and obituary writer, Leo, copes with this distressing news the only way he knows how - by researching and writing about his wife’s life. But what Emma’s told Leo about her life turns out to be very different than what he finds out…
Thoughts: Described as a love story wrapped up in a mystery, it would make a great book club pick - a little bit of something for everyone. There's intrigue, suspense, relationships, and parenthood. It also has so much potential for insightful discussion on love and life, not to mention some interesting career paths to learn about as well.
Most Likely to Evoke a Sense of Longing: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: For Percy and Sam, their life revolved around the glorious summers they got to spend together in Barry's Bay. That is, until the one moment she ruined it all. Now, Percy returns to their lake for the first time in twelve years to attend Sam's mother's funeral, but finds herself confronting both her greatest love and her greatest regret.
Thoughts: I loved Percy and Sam together. Their best friendship was evident from the first summer they met and every one after. I can't deny that tears were shed for Sam and Percy's love story. Carley Fortune flawlessly transported me to the lake and back in time to summers between school. It made me nostalgic for summer camp friends, exploring the woods behind my house, and visiting family in the mountains. Curiously, it also gave me nostalgia for the things I never had, like sleep-away camp, friendship bracelets, and falling for the boy next door.
Most Over-Hyped: Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Genre: Social Commentary mis-marketed as a Thriller
Synopsis: As a teenager, Ani is just trying to fit in with the popular kids at a prestigious private school, thereby igniting a sequence of events that lead to some horrifying experiences. Years later, Ani considers sharing her side of the story, but at what cost?
Thoughts: Another book mis-marketed. While some graphic and horrible events take place, this book is not a thriller - definitely not the next Gone Girl that it's marketed as. I wasn’t fully engaged in the first half of the book - admittedly, I skimmed over some non-dialogue sections in those first 200 pages. I wish we could have spent more pages on the discourse around the tragic events rather than irrelevant commentary about her social life.
Biggest Snowballing Thriller: One by One by Ruth Ware
Genre: Locked-Room Thriller
Synopsis: Erin runs a remote and rustic ski chalet in the French Alps - this week’s guests a group of ten coworkers from a tech start-up. When an avalanche strands her inside with the guests, survival extends beyond just the elements, as they start to get ominously picked off… one by one.
Thoughts: The book started out in a tizzy - twelve personalities to keep track of, all under the same roof and in the same scenes. I thought it was going to be a nightmare to keep track of them all, but the author does a good job reminding you who was who and crafts two very distinct narrators who alternate chapters throughout the book. The action is like building up a snowball, if you will. And once that snowball turns into an avalanche, it really takes off. I loved the locked-room mystery aspect - who can you trust, who has a motive, who has an alibi?
Don't Waste Your Time: Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison
Genre: Thriller
Synopsis: Claire is an up-and-coming artist; Jack is an heir to an ultra wealthy family business. Everyone is en route to their wedding on a secluded Italian island when an unexpected break-in sets off a series of very foreboding chain reactions prior to the event.
Thoughts: I saw someone on Goodreads say “the story line is kind of what I imagine it would look like for a child to drop 300 mentos into a massive thing of coke and then just sit and watch it.” It’s truly just a string of absurd events leading up to a wedding that I’m not entirely sure why we were attending in the first place. I'd recommend The Guest List instead.
Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Why Didn't I Read This Sooner? The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
Genre: Age-Gap, Famous Person/Non-Famous Person Romance
Synopsis: Solène is a divorced mother of a preteen and rapidly approaching age 40. After taking her daughter to a VIP meet-and-greet, she also begins rapidly falling for a 20-year-old boy band member.
Thoughts: This book has been on my TBR for over three years and I see it RAVED about at least once a month in various book clubs, podcasts, and blog posts. Y’all, the hype is real. If you want a swoon-worthy and passionate love story, this is the book for you!
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