These Are The Absolute Best Books I Devoured This Past Year, According To Someone Who Reads Just About Every Single Day
Hi, I'm Hannah, and I absolutely love to read. Every year I make a goal to read as much as I possibly can, even if it means just setting aside half an hour of reading time each night before bed. In 2022, I read over 45 books: a mixture of fiction and non-fiction, new releases, and old novels I never got around to.
As always, there were a few duds for me (The Night Ship by Jess Kidd and Hester by Laurie Albanese stand out in this department) and a bunch of books I thoroughly enjoyed but didn't feel very passionate about (such as The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt). And then there were the books that I absolutely loved, which I'll tell you all about!
I've already written about a few of my favorite books from this past year, but I've also added a bunch more to my top picks. So if you're hoping to read more in 2023 or just starting your must-read list, hopefully, some of these titles will inspire you!
1.Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Based on the description of this novel (the plot is loosely based on video gaming), I wasn't expecting to enjoy it. In fact, I wasn't going to start it in the first place. But after hearing from several friends how great it was, I decided to give it a go. I shocked myself when I devoured all 416 pages in about 36 hours, unable to stop reading until the very end.
WHY I LOVED IT: Yes, this novel is in a sense about video games. Two unlikely childhood friends — Sam and Sadie — who bonded over a love of gaming reconnect in college and end up creating a hit video game together. But that's only the very beginning. It's a story about friendship, love, loss, identity, belonging, and so much more. I can confidently say you don't need to appreciate or even like video games to love this book because while it's partly about gaming, it's mostly about life and the relationships that make life worth living.
2.In Love by Amy Bloom
Disclaimer: This book will probably make you cry. And if it doesn't, you should maybe be concerned. I am not an easy crier, and let me tell you the waterworks were flowing. Amy Bloom is a best-selling fiction author, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this book — a memoir — is so incredibly well written.
WHY I LOVED IT: There's no sugarcoating the fact that this is a devastating memoir: Bloom's husband, Brian, diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, decides he wants to travel to Switzerland for Dignitas, an organization that assists in suicide. But despite the heartbreaking premise, Bloom's memoir is laced with moments of humor, lightheartedness, wit, and such honesty. The entire memoir is also a powerful statement on how we view the right to die in the United States, which gives you lots to think about. In Love left a very deep impression on me.
3.Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
This is a top contender for my absolute favorite book of 2022. My best advice: block a day off in your calendar before you pick it up because you will not be able to stop turning the pages until it's over.
WHY I LOVED IT: The whole book takes place in the 12 hours before the execution of Ansel Packer, a man accused of multiple female murders. The chapters are made up of the hours leading up to his execution interspersed with others about the women in Ansel’s life — his mother, his wife, and her twin sister, and a female detective tasked with solving this whole case. What I loved most about this book though is that it isn’t violent or gory as most "serial killer" stories are. Rather, it's a striking psychological deep dive into the mind of a killer that brings up interesting questions about us as a society. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this one since I finished reading it. If you're a fan of Criminal Minds or Mindhunter or the like, don't miss this novel.
4.The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
Technically, this novel is a sort of sequel, to A Visit From the Goon Squad. I never read Egan's previous book (although now I certainly would like to), so don't let that stop you from picking this one up.
WHY I LOVED IT: The novel is, at its core, about Bix Bouton, who dreams up Own Your Unconscious—a technology that allows people to access a lifetime of memories and share them in exchange for the memories of others. But the story is told in fragments in the form of interconnected narratives and characters who are affected by the technology. I loved Egan's method of storytelling, which came together little by little and in no obvious fashion. Each chapter of The Candy House illuminates a character from a previous chapter but from a new point of view, so by the end of the novel we see the characters from several different lenses and how they are intertwined. If that sounds a bit trippy, it's because it is...and that's all part of the fun.
5.City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
I remember when City Of Girls first came out back in 2019 and it felt like everyone and their mother was reading it. I don't know exactly why I abstained at the time, but I'm so glad I finally decided to read it. As you might have gathered from this list, I'm not much of a beach read person. But this was an entertaining, witty, page-turner that is my definition of a feel-good read.
WHY I LOVED IT: City of Girls is told from the perspective of an old woman named Vivian who is looking back and telling the story of her youth to some unknown listener. The story begins when 19-year-old Vivian is kicked out of Vassar College and moves to New York City to live with her aunt Peg at the Lily Playhouse. I loved how City Of Girls manages to be both fun and serious: Vivian is young and reckless as she explores her whole new world, a larger-than-life New York City in the 1940s, but the book takes on a more serious tone as it progresses, as Vivian must face mistakes, shame, scandal, war, and loss. I especially adored the strong female protagonists and the way in which this bygone era in New York City comes to life once again through Gilbert's pages.
6.Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
This book was truly a rollercoaster. When I first read the plot, I wasn't sure it would be my kind of book. That being said, I'm so glad I stuck with it. It's a bit of a darker and more intense read, but if that doesn't deter you, give it a try.
WHY I LOVED IT: Once There Were Wolves is about two twin sisters who move to the Scottish Highlands, one of whom is in charge of a group tasked with rewilding grey wolves. If that doesn't appeal to you, read the book anyway. It's ripe with memorable characters, scandal, suspense, surprises, and even a murder mystery. This novel was haunting, beautiful (yes, I was in tears for the last 50 pages), and a serious page-turner.
7.Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
I was very bad at chemistry as a student (and honestly not a huge science person in general), so I will admit I was sort of turned off by the title of this book. But after reading some reviews, I figured I'd give it a try. And I am SO glad I did.
WHY I LOVED IT: This is a perfect summer read, one that you can devour in a day or two, but at the same time, there's substance to it. The writing is laugh-out-loud funny and clever, and the story is adorable. It's about a single mother (a remarkably bright, determined, and super quirky female chemist) who is unwilling to give in to the gender norms of her time. It reminded me a lot of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and it was highly entertaining from start to finish. Read this one if you're looking for something light and compelling but still interesting.
8.Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
This memoir, written by Suleika Jaouad, is the story of a young woman who, almost straight out of college, is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The book follows Jaouad's experience with illness and her journey toward recovery.
WHY I LOVED IT: This memoir is both incredibly heartbreaking and wildly inspiring. I felt so moved by this story, by the author's attitude toward life, her brutally honest account of illness and the road to recovery, and her ability to embrace the unknown. Of course, some of this book is about illness, but it's mostly about life. Even if you don't think you're a non-fiction person, I encourage you to read this book because it will change your mind.
9.Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
Maybe by now, you're familiar with Elizabeth Strout, who also wrote Olive Kitteridge and I Am Lucy Barton. Her latest book, Lucy by the Sea follows Lucy Barton, a divorced mother-of-two who leaves New York City during the pandemic to live in lock-down in a small, coastal Maine town with her ex-husband. And if you're not familiar with the Lucy Barton series, don't fret. You can easily pick up this novel as a one-off.
Why I loved it: Though technically a novel, this book reads a whole lot like non-fiction (in fact, parts of it really reminded me of a Joan Didion memoir). When I picked this book up, I wondered if I really wanted to read something about the pandemic, an event that still feels so recent and exhausting. But as I read, I found myself loving the story. Strout really captures so many of the feelings that I (and so many Americans) experienced during the pandemic: panic, anger, isolation, insecurity, skepticism, and lots of confusion. But at the same time, I loved the characters in this book — they are imperfect and messy and so very human — as well as Strout's unique writing style, which feels both profound yet casual at the same time, as if she's talking to a close friend.
10.How High We Go In The Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
Maybe you've had enough talk of pandemics to steer clear of yet another book about a virus, but if you're anything like me, you'll still want to dive into this one. Parts of this book reminded me of Emily St. John Mandel's Sea of Tranquility, which I also read and loved this past year. In the same vein, it's about different characters and their fragmented stories that all vaguely weave together. And, of course, all of the stories play out in the wake of an apocalyptic virus.
Why I loved it: If you've made it this far into my list of favorite books, you have probably noticed that I really enjoy a dark and twisted read. This one is no exception. It's an ambitious saga that spans generations and continents, and it's heavy: Parts are incredibly sad — depressing even — and parts of straight-up wacky (for example, a chapter about a pig that develops the ability for human speech). Oh, and the pandemic in this novel, an ancient virus that emerges from melting permafrost in the Arctic Circle, makes COVID feel tame. But if you look beyond the plot, I also found Nagamatsu's writing itself to be exceptionally beautiful.
11.All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
Earlier this year I read A Flicker In The Dark by Stacy Willingham, which I really enjoyed, so when I saw her newest novel as an option on Book of the Month, I ordered it immediately. The plot of All The Dangerous Things is as gripping as can be: Isabelle Drake's toddler is taken from his crib in the middle of the night. Now, a year after his disappearance, the protagonist is determined to find out what happened to him. Of course, there are some complexities to the story, such as the fact that Isabelle has barely slept for the 364 days following her son's disappearance. This captivating novel alternates between the present and the past, revealing a series of intriguing twists.
Why I loved it: All The Dangerous Things has all the makings for a great thriller: First, there's an unreliable narrator who suffers from sleep issues and blackouts, there's a parallel plot of Isabelle's past that unfolds alongside the present mystery, and there are several mysterious characters with unclear histories and intentions. This was a binge-able read that was difficult to put down until the end, and it was a rarity that kept me guessing until the final chapters.
12.The Secret History by Donna Tartt
First of all, I can't believe it took me so long to read this. I loved Tartt's more recent novel The Goldfinch, and The Secret History is the common denominator on most lists of best books. I had been meaning to pick it up for years, and I'm so glad that I finally did. It was published in 1992 (that year I was born!), and I can confirm it has aged like a fine wine. It's the story of a group of six eccentric misfits who are studying the classics at a small liberal arts college in Vermont. I was reeled in from the very first line: “The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.”
Why I loved it: I wish this book had been required reading in school because there is so much to unpack and so many things I have been thinking about since I finished the last page. One fascinating thing about this novel (and something that makes it different from most books I've ever read) is that each of the six main characters is terrible. Not one is likable, including the narrator, Richard, and Bunny, who is proclaimed dead on the first page. Rather than feel sympathetic to any of these characters, you are totally repulsed by them. And that's part of the allure of this book. It's all about wickedness and treachery and deceit, and it's completely brilliant and spellbinding. The Secret History is over 500 pages long, but I can honestly say I was never ready for it to end.
13.This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
This Tender Land reminded me of Stand By Me meets Adventures of Huckleberry Finn meets The Wizard of Oz. It's part coming-of-age, part epic adventure, and part fable with memorable characters and a mesmerizing plot. It follows two Irish, orphaned brothers who are sent to The Lincoln School, a merciless school for Native Americans who have been forcibly separated from their families. Odie and Albert escape from the school with their friends Mose and Emmy, fleeing in a canoe down the Mississippi in search of a permanent home.
Why I loved it: The plot of this novel should be enough to convince you to read it, but the characters are really exceptional. Krueger brings each of them to life through his writing to such as extent that it's hard not to fall in love with them: I felt their pain, celebrated their victories, and found myself really, truly rooting for them to succeed. At the heart of this novel is the whole notion of storytelling. There are plenty of moments when you'll wonder what is truth and what is make-believe. The children tell and listen to stories to survive, and they encounter situations that seem somewhat fantastical. But just maybe the whole point is that the line between truth and fantasy, reality and fable doesn't really matter all that much.
14.The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Believe it or not, this was my first Amor Towles novel, but since finishing The Rules of Civility I've already set my sights on A Gentleman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highway. This story takes place in New York City during the late 1930s just after the Great Depression and before World War II. The story begins when 25-year-old Brooklyn native Katey and her friend Eve meet a handsome and wealthy banker named Tinker. The chance interaction turns into an unusual friendship, which sends Katey on a rollercoaster ride into NYC's high society.
Why I loved it: Like in City of Girls, New York City is very much a character in this story. It's a period piece at its finest, and Towles does an amazing job of transporting the reader into the glitz, glamor, noise, and debauchery of 1930s NYC. It made me want to travel back in time to experience this moment of the city for myself (and it also made me want to drink several martinis). Aspects of this novel reminded me a lot of The Great Gatsby with its depictions of class and wealth, its portrayal of scandal, and its exploration of complicated relationships.
Get it from Amazon.