My top ten books of 2022

A top books and reading recap is always my final blog post of each year. I almost didn’t post this year. I almost didn’t renew my website; I almost let Kiss My List go. But I couldn’t, and I couldn’t end 2022 without sharing my reading stats and my favorite books. So let’s sweep out the cobwebs and let the light in on this blog of mine, and talk books!

While dust was gathering here, I was busy reading. I started with a goal of 60 or 65 books (I can’t remember which), and upped it to 70 by mid-year.  By year’s end, I read 46 books and listened to 31, for a grand total of 77 books. 

As always, I rate every book from one to five stars, and my average consistently hovers around three stars. I am a tough rater, so a rating of three stars is a good book that I would recommend. I’m picky about giving four stars, and downright stingy giving out five stars. This year, my ratings fell like this:

Whaaaaat – a five-star book? A unicorn, for sure, and it’s non -fiction, which I don’t read often. I also rarely gift books, and this one I gave to my daughter because it needs to be shared.

The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger

Dr. Eger is a Holocaust survivor and a psychologist, and her memoir is heart-breaking and hopeful. Within the first pages of the book, I was highlighting passages. 

“But over time I learned that I can choose how to respond to the past. I can be miserable, or I can be hopeful—I can be depressed, or I can be happy.”

While the first quarter of the memoir retells Eger’s time at Auschwitz, the remainder focuses on her work to reclaim her life.

“But we can’t spend our lives hanging out under someone else’s umbrella and then complain that we’re getting wet.”

Eger uses her own experiences, empathy and compassion to help her patients embrace control of their own lives.

“Maybe to heal isn’t to erase the scar, or even to make the scar. To heal is to cherish the wound.”

When my friends ask me about good books I’ve read lately, they typically want to know about fiction. But this memoir is such a worthwhile read; gift it to yourself in 2023.

My top books of 2022

My top ten books of 2022 are chosen from the ones I read this year, but those books aren’t necessarily published in 2022 (although many of them were). Choosing  the best of the four-star books is tough, especially because I tend to rethink my ratings when I write an annual review. But I stand by my initial ratings; here are the other nine of my top ten books of 2022, in no particular order.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (audio)

Quirky with a few laugh out loud moments, and a decent story with memorable characters. I listened to this one, and it was completely entertaining!

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

If you could know the length of your life, would you find out? Would you live differently once you knew? This novel poses these questions, but it does so by following ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances. I loved following each on their journey as they figure out what the true measure of their life is. Such a readable, intriguing and hopeful novel.

Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau 

A coming of age story set in 1975 Baltimore. I appreciated the hometown references but would have loved it regardless – just a delightful, funny and heartwarming novel.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (audio)

King’s novels are often slow to get started, which would put me off if he were a different author. But his writing draws me in, and is so strong that the slow build is tolerable, even enjoyable. This is NOT a horror novel – it is literally a fairy tale for adults who grew up on fairy tales. 

King has said he asked himself during the pandemic, “What could you write that would make you happy?” Fairy Tale is what he wrote, and it’s clear that King enjoyed the ride – I did, too.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

When seeing that this novel was over 500 pages, I groaned as I started it, fearing it would slog along. To my pleasant surprise (which shouldn’t be a surprise given the author and my love of his past novels), I devoured The Ferryman in just three days. The pages flew by as I was immersed in the world of Prospera and its residents. I don’t want to say too much because discovering the mysteries of this world is part of the joy of reading – just know it’s worth the time. 

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

A twist on time travel…on her 40th birthday, Alice wakes up in 1996 on the day she turned 16. What does she want to do differently, armed with the knowledge and perspective of her older self? I love the exploration of the father-daughter relationship; Alice’s father is ailing in the present day, but a vital 40-something in 1996. 

The Storyteller by Dave Grohl (audio)

Grohl was the drummer in Nirvana and the founder of the Foo Fighters, and I knew nothing about him before listening to his memoir. But I found his storytelling to be engrossing. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book!

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn (audio)

Historical fiction about a female Russian sniper during World War II. It was a fabulous listen; it may be my favorite Kate Quinn book so far (which is high praise because her novels are terrific)!

Hello Molly! A Memoir by Molly Shannon (audio)

Loved it – definitely listen with Molly as the narrator. She will break your heart and then put it back together. You’ll also go down the YouTube rabbit hole watching all her SNL clips.

What does Goodreads know?

Need some more suggestions? Let me weigh in on Goodreads Readers’ Choice winners for 2022.

Best Fiction: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This was a four-star read for me – it probably would be my #11 or 12 best book of the year.

Mystery and Thriller: The Maid by Nita Prose

A solid three-star, but not really a thriller, more like a quirky, not-at-all scary mystery.

Historical Fiction: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A very good three-star listen, but historical fiction? Come on, Goodreads. A novel set from the 1980s to present day is not historical fiction. This was a surprisingly entertaining listen for someone who knows nothing about tennis (Carrie is a pro), but I take issue with the category, especially when there are so many other good choices. The Diamond Eye should have won.

Science Fiction: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John

I rated in three stars, but I wanted to like it more than I did. There is definitely pandemic fatigue at work here, but clearly I am in the minority. I voted for The Measure, which is a must read even for anti-science fiction readers. Trust me.

#22in22

I joined the #22in22 challenge this year, with the goal of visiting (in-person) 22 independent bookstores in 2022. I love a good to-do list, so I embraced this challenge by Zibby Books head on and crushed it.

By early June, I had visited 22 bookstores in four states and two countries, finishing the year with 24 visits in five states and two countries. Making a purchase is not required to count the visit, but I did buy a book or stationery at 18 of those stores. It was fun to visit so many different types of shops – new and used books, old stores and new, around the corner and across the pond.

May your 2023 be filled with many great books!