48 Books of 2022

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Written By Michele Snow
 
 
 

I made a distinctive choice this year to go for a more leap-of-faith style in my book choices. If anyone posted about a book, texted me or gifted me a book, I just read it, no Googling. Highly recommend going in cold more often!

Then somehow, before I knew it, I realized I was reading a book a week—and it was already the beginning of March. My pace ebbed and flowed through the year, and I tried not to put pressure on myself to maintain it, but by October I was still averaging a book a week. In the end, the holiday season slowed me down and I didn’t reach the goal. Which I feel slightly relieved by! I even changed the draft title of this post from 50 to 48 in the last week of the year. I was haunted by some perception of failure, which felt increasingly silly as I looked back on a year of reading more books than I ever have. I’m proud of all this! And a little exhausted. The number is beside the point. Books are for adding value and enjoyment to our lives! And they certainly did that for me in 2022.

In the interest of making this list slightly easier to parse, I have categorized these 48 books of 2022 mostly by genre, given you a little mini table of contents, and tried to be slightly more concise in my summaries. I hope you find something to add to your own list! And I hope it’s Cloud Cuckoo Land!

 
 

Historical fiction, heavy on the history:

Bad bitches only in this category.

 

The Island of Sea Women — Lisa See

This was probably the singularly most impressive book I read this year. Based on the island of Jeju off the coast of South Korea, this matriarchal society is centered around women who dive for sea creatures – for the food they eat and sell. Everything the women on that island have been through in the last few centuries makes for a compelling and heart-wrenching story of resilience, community, and love for your home.

The Only Woman in the Room — Marie Benedict

“I wanted for nothing except liberty and purpose.”

The unbelievable true story of Hedy Lamarr. This story has everything. Escapes from Nazi arms dealers! Success in Old Hollywood! Underwater torpedo innovation! World War II intrigue! I just wish the book had been written a little better…

The Widow’s War — Sally Gunning

Pre-Revolutionary War Cape Cod-era with a protagonist you root for immediately.

Joan — Katherine J. Chen

You all know the myth, but do you know Joan?

“You must have faith the journey you started on was always the journey you were meant to take. Whatever has happened before, you must trust in the future.”

The Secrets We Kept — Lara Prescott

Cold War-era spy novel with some twists and some truth.

 

Historical fiction, heavy on the fiction:

 

When We Lost Our Heads — Heather O’Neill

Montreal in the 1800s. A wild, decadent, bizarre tale of fierce female friendship and intimacy that’s not quite grounded in reality, but in the best way possible.

“How could you not love someone who you secretly feared was better than you? And naturally their success terrified you because it meant they were going to move off to somewhere in the universe far, far above you. So, yes, occasionally you struck out against the love of your life.”

The Lincoln Highway — Amor Towles

America in the 1950s. A book with male protagonists? Shocking to find this on my reading list. But it was honestly a fun one.

Lessons in Chemistry — Bonnie Garmus

California in the 1960s. Big Bang Theory meets Hidden Figures. Don’t hate me for that comparison.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet — Jamie Ford

Seattle in the 1940s. Japanese-American internment from the perspective of a young Chinese-American boy. But written by a white guy? I realized that halfway through and the book lost a little shine for me. Beautifully told though!

Woman of Light — Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Colorado in the 1930s, from a young Indigenous woman’s perspective. Thank you to Sam, who sent this to me and said “This is the book you thought Inland was going to be.” She was absolutely correct.

 

Fantasy-flavored books:

Listed in ascending order of potency. From “just a dash” to heaping spoonfuls. Pick your poison.

 

The Other Black Girl — Zakiya Dalila Harris

I hope I’m not giving away the plot here by including it in this category. This book really does present itself as a normal workplace drama until the twist hits… **Cue ominous music!

The Book of Form and Emptiness — Ruth Ozeki

Again, almost a normal book, except for the parts that are narrated by the book itself.

“As objects, books were sacred, and you built temples for us, and later, libraries in whose hushed and hallowed halls we resided as mirrors of your mind, keepers of your past, evidence of your boundless imaginations, and testimony to the infinitude of your dreams and desires. Why did you revere us so? Because you thought we had the power to save you from meaninglessness, from oblivion and even from death, and for a while, we books believed we could save you, too.”

Cloud Cuckoo Land — Anthony Doerr

Have I turned into a cuckoo clock myself? About once a month bursting out of my front door to just yell “Cloud Cuckoo Land!” at someone until I can finally achieve my goal of everyone I know reading and loving this book as much as I did? I have no other summary except to say this is everything I love in a book. A sweeping feat of intertwining narrators from different centuries (past, present, and future). But at its heart is an appreciation for books themselves, and how the preservation of stories is inherently an act of the preservation of humanity itself. JUST READ IT, OK?!

The Cartographers — Peng Shepherd

Another Top 5 of the year for me, another Sam Epstein rec, shoutout to her. If you love maps and libraries and mysteries, and suspending a little disbelief about the laws of physics, I’ll say no more, just trust it!

A Breath of Snow and Ashes — Diana Gabaldon
An Echo in the Bone — Diana Gabaldon

Yes, I am still reading these books. Yes, they have completely jumped the shark. No, I do not recommend them! In fact, I’m exclusively listening to the audiobooks at this point because I can do other things while I listen to the insane storylines this woman is basically picking out of a hat at this point! But goddamn, I cannot quit these characters!

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — V.E. Schwab

If you attempt to summarize this book, you will only sound insane. Let’s just say, reading this may be the reason I keep getting a targeted ad on my Kindle for a truly garbage-looking e-book “God of Malice” featuring an underwear model in colored contacts on the cover… But THIS book, this was art! This was cinema! This somehow had Revolutionary France intellect mixed with otherworldly demons in New Orleans mixed with meet-cutes in New York bookstores. It’s got immortality! Forbidden love! Pursuit of a bigger, better life! Another Top 5 of the year here.

Fevered Star — Rebecca Roanhorse

The sequel to Black Sun, and I’m excited for the trilogy to complete next year. It’s a real doozy, if you’re in the mood for a totally new kind of fantasy world (it’s based on Central American indigenous cultures.)

 

Books that ask the question, “What happens after you die?”:

 

Under the Whispering Door — TJ Klune

Rounding out the Top 5 of the year for me was this absolute delightful surprise of a book. Whimsical but profound.

The Midnight Library — Matt Haig

A book about regret, and how to live with less of it.

 

A “Cozy Mystery” :

In which I discover this niche genre is really not for me…

Still Life — Louise Penny

I think I’ll leave the sleepy small-town murder mysteries to the rest of you! Left me a little bored, I’m sorry to say!

 

Memoirs of incredible women:

Highly recommend most of these on audiobook!

I’m Glad My Mom Died — Jennette McCurdy

This book (sadly) lives up to its wild title. But Jennette has reclaimed her story so completely! It’s one of the most insane life stories you’ll ever hear. And honestly one of the best uses of present-tense writing I’ve ever experienced. TW: addiction, disordered eating, parental abuse, sexual harrassment, you freakin’ name it. Tread carefully.

Everything I Know About Love — Dolly Alderton

“I’ve heard it said to me repeatedly by women I love during my twenties when they move in with boyfriends, get engaged, move abroad, get married, get pregnant. ‘Nothing will change.’ It drives me bananas. Everything will change. Everything will change. The love we have for each other stays the same, but the format, the tone, the regularity, and the intimacy of our friendship will change forever.”

The Wreckage of My Presence — Casey Wilson

Good vibes only.

Educated — Tara Westover

This story would be unbelievable if it wasn’t true. Worth the hype but at some points deeply disturbing. The idea that people can exist in another reality entirely in this country is something I don’t always love to engage with.

I’ll Show Myself Out — Jessi Klein

I heard Jessi promote her book on not one, but two podcasts, and there was still even more to discover from her perspective when I listened to it on audio. A perfect read/listen for anyone considering motherhood in their 30s or 40s.

 

Addicting books about teenagers:

Confession: prep school novels used to be one of my favorite sub-genres…

The Inheritance Games — Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This might just be Knives Out for teenagers, but it was still the literary equivalent of eating Sour Patch Kids on a road trip – just pure indulgence and delight. I devoured this whole book and was halfway through the second one in a matter of 48 hours.

The Hawthorne Legacy — Jennifer Lynn Barnes

If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk. This is the glass of milk.

The Final Gambit — Jennifer Lynn Barnes

And then you’re just in it for the long haul. You can’t stop, you are obsessed with the ridiculous lives of these teenagers.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler — Casey McQuiston

The girl just knows how to write a fluttery little love story.

 

Books for feeling like an academic:

Because, yes, sometimes I miss being in college.

The Latinist — Mark Prins

Not for everyone… Bit of an ominous tone… but it captured such a modern appreciation for the lost knowledge of ancient civilizations while simultaneously critiquing the antiquated power structures of academic study itself. Would recommend for “further reading,” as they say, post-Cloud Cuckoo Land.

John Singer Sargent and His Muse — Karen Corsano & Daniel Williman

I do keep trying to find an artist biography quite as revelatory as A Revolution in Color: The World of John Singleton Copley. Alas, this was not quite it, but still a fascinating read. A true story, but unfolded like a novel.

“So for Sargent the history of religion as a theme for the decoration of a secular public building did not present a conflict; instead, he knew the development of religion as integral to the pageant of civilization.”

The Anthropocene Reviewed — John Green

John Green turned his podcast into a book… But the pro tip is: if you listen to the audiobook, it’s like turning the book back into a podcast.

The Simple Path to Wealth — JL Collins

This actually did unlock some things for me. I would recommend to anyone who feels like they need a truly simple roadmap, or a new way to think about money.

 

Real Life Shit

These weren’t particularly light books, but they did feel pretty necessary.

Apeirogon — Colum McCann

A truly all-consuming look at the human cost of the Israel-Palestine conflict, centered around two fathers who lost children to political violence.

“…this notion of speaking truth against power. Power already knows the truth. It tries to hide it. So you have to speak out against power.”

The Girl with the Louding Voice — Abi Daré

An ode to the innate sense of justice in young girls around the world without resources or advocates, who, despite all the odds, know that life should be better.

Mercy Street — Jennifer Haigh

Set in Boston in 2015, it’s an unblinkingly honest look at the politics and humanity of abortion care.

 

Romance Shit

Saved the hot and heavy stuff for the end ;)

Book Lovers — Emily Henry

Did I become an Emily Henry stan this year? Yes, yes I did. Career rivals-turned-lovers, city people realizing the charms of a small town, this is a 90s Julia Roberts rom-com in book form.

Beach Read — Emily Henry

Somehow this is also a novel about career rivals stuck in a small town… Toooootally different.

The People You Meet on Vacation — Emily Henry

And just for a change of pace, we have the trope that never gets old: will these best friends ever admit they love each other?!

While We Were Dating — Jasmine Guillory

Rounding out the genre, we have the classic set-up of “fake-dating” turning into… something more…!

This Time Next Year — Sophie Cousens

Reminded me quite a bit of One Day in December (which was better, read that first if you haven’t) but this was a cute little binge of a book. She bakes pies! He’s a bit of an ass with all the luck in the world! It’ll never work! Or will it…..!

 

Family Shit

Books about how much parents can really mess you up.

Black Cake — Charmaine Wilkerson

Worth the hype. A beautifully crafted novel with layers (get it?) of mystery and history.

A Map For the Missing — Belinda Huijuan Tang

“The steady accumulation of knowledge simply settled to become the factual sediment of his mind.”

The Paper Palace — Miranda Cowley Heller

Lots of trigger warnings for this one, mostly around a central childhood trauma. But set on the Outer Cape, which I couldn’t help but be charmed by.

“There are two things in life you never regret—a baby and a swim.”

The Three Weissmanns of Westport — Cathleen Schine

“Grey Gardens” meets “Gossip Girl.” These characters believe their own bullshit so completely it’s a little disorienting.

Bibliolepsy — Gina Apostol

“I’d felt a need to move out from under fate’s fast-moving pen, scribbling along so surely, tilt-wise, across the span of our normal lives—to jump off history’s inexorably written text, the truck of time, and fall into a ravine of my own choosing. A vagabond from history, a runaway from time.”

The Vices — Andrew Douglas

The first book I read this year, and somehow poetically the last on this list. Cheers! Go support your local library!

 
Michele Snow
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