Amy's Favorite Books of 2022

Here are the best books I read in 2022. (These are not books that were necessarily released in 2022.) I’ve read 67 books, of which 51 were audiobooks, this year to date. That's the largest percentage of audiobooks I've ever read--3 out of every 4 books! It has become so much more convenient for me to listen to a book while I'm walking, quilling, driving, cleaning, etc. I started but did not finish another 3 books. I didn't read as many books as I did during the COVID years but I think that's a good thing!

To read my full review of any books listed below, click on the title.

 

MY FAVORITE NOVEL OF 2022

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe (5 stars!) by Heather Webber, magical realism: After her grandmother dies in a small town, Anna Kate moves there to manage the diner, famous for its blackbird pies which bring the customers messages from their deceased loved ones. This novel is about family, forgiveness, independence, self-determination, memories, and love. There is character growth, romance, supportive relationships evolving after previous hardships, and a lot of heart. I fell in love with several of the characters. The author did a great job crafting this very satisfying story. 

THE OTHERS IN MY TOP 10:

The Lincoln Highway (4-1/2 stars) by Amor Towles, historical fiction/adventure: After Emmett’s release from a juvenile detention camp and the death of his father, he and his 8-year-old brother plan to drive from Nebraska to California along The Lincoln Highway in order to start their new life together, following the supposed path of their missing mother. However, before their new adventure can begin, two of Emmett’s friends from the detention camp appear with their own plans. This was a fantastic adventure novel in which the author often surprised me. The characters were wonderful and I had to know how things would turn out for all of them. Some repeated themes were routine days vs. unusual experiences, orphaned children, men stepping in to be surrogate father figures, Independence Day, Abraham Lincoln, and, of course, adventure and travel. 

November 9 (4-1/2 stars) by Colleen Hoover, romance: Fallon and Ben met when Ben crashed Fallon’s lunch conversation with her father on November 9th. Fallon was moving to New York City that evening but Fallon and Ben made a promise to each other to meet at the same restaurant on November 9th for the next five years. This was a very fun romance with ups and downs where two people who had each lost their own sense of self found acceptance by someone else. This gave them both a second chance at enjoying life. Hoover’s story crafting was terrific. 

Black Cake (4-1/2 stars) by Charmaine Wilkerson, fiction: Byron and Benny, siblings who haven’t seen each other in 8 years, are forced to get together when their mother, Eleanor, dies. She has left them an audio message to be heard together with her lawyer upon her death. The recording reveals the story of her youth about which her children had been previously unaware. Eleanor’s story was fascinating. The difficulties she suffered were not unique to her, sadly, but her perseverance was inspirational and her particular twists and turns kept things interesting. I was swept into the lives of these characters and the ending felt good. 

The No-Show (4-1/2 stars) by Beth O’Leary, contemporary fiction: Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane are all dating the same man, Joseph. They don’t know about each other. But it’s obvious that Joseph has let them all down, at least once, by being a no-show for a scheduled date. Siobhan thinks he’s perfect for regular hook-ups. Miranda thinks he’s the perfect boyfriend. And Jane doesn’t consider their weekly book discussions to be dates but she’s slowly falling in love with him despite vowing to stay away from men. This story is surprisingly heartwarming! The characters’ lives were complicated and compelling. They were all very different people and there were twists in the story! The pacing was terrific and I could hardly put it down near the end. 

The Shell Seekers (4-1/2 stars) by Rosamunde Pilcher, historical fiction: This family drama about the Keelings, a British family living in the 1980s, is centered around Penelope and her grown children. The characters were unexaggerated and they led normal lives. But their situations were such that I wanted to know how things would turn out for them. I appreciated Pilcher’s writing which included several nuggets of insight and beautiful settings which made me want to visit Cornwall. It was a pleasure to read. 

The Rose Code (4-1/2 stars) by Kate Quinn, historical fiction: Osla and Mab became friends when they were both employed by a code-cracking arm of the British military during WWII. Osla had been raised as a lady in a wealthy family and she even dated Prince Philip before he married Queen Elizabeth. (Her character is based on a real person!) Mab’s family struggled financially but she was determined to do better for herself. Wanting to aid the war effort, both women got hired for top-secret roles and were billeted together in Beth’s house. The reader is driven to find out which one of the three women ends up in an asylum. This novel drew me in immediately and kept me riveted. It’s about people trying to do their best in difficult times. 

Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon (4 stars) by Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam, memoir/music: This audiobook is less like a book and more like an audio documentary of Paul Simon’s music. It was produced from a series of “sessions” in which Simon met with the authors. It dives into Simon’s songwriting—his aims, accomplishments/failures, ideas/strategies, reflections—and also analyzes his songwriting process. Listening to these interviews lifted my spirits. It would literally put a smile on my face frequently as I listened to Simon explain his happy accidents and his in-depth understanding of musical theory. There was a good bit of recorded and live music played. It was fun when Simon would say, “Here, let me show you.” If you’re a Paul Simon fan, you’ll enjoy this. 

Firekeeper’s Daughter (4 stars) by Angeline Boulley, young adult/contemporary fiction: Eighteen-year-old Daunis has always felt separate from her Ojibwe community because her mother was white. She is beloved by many but still treated differently. After surviving some family tragedies, she decides to assist the undercover police in order to avenge the deaths of those close to her. This is a good teen drama and mystery with engaging characters and situations. I enjoyed learning about the traditions in Daunis' tribe and getting a flavor of life in her contemporary Native American community along the U.S./Canadian border.

Legendborn (4 stars) by Tracy Deonn, young adult/fantasy: Bree's mother died shortly before Bree left home to attend an Early College program. On her first night at college, she sees unexplainable things. Her new friend, Nick, has some surprising answers for her. When she realizes that her mother's death has suspicious similarites to the magic she's recently witnessed, she attempts to find out the truth behind her mother's death and an apparent secret society on campus. I was rivetted to find out what Bree would discover. Deonn realistically depicted teenage life while also addressing serious topics of racism and handling grief. And the fantasy elements were crazy and fun.

 

BEST AUDIOBOOK NARRATION

Julian Elfer reading Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine, young adult/fantasy: Elfer was simply fantastic! He has a large vocal repertoire including multiple accents, stupendous vocal acting, and made the novel that much more enjoyable from his delivery. He was entertaining and did a fabulous job voicing many different characters.

 

If you’re hungry for more, here are my favorites of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Also, don’t miss Lynnie’s favorites of 2022! We both have Midnight at the Blackbird Café, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and Legendborn on our lists.