We're nearly a week into 2023, so it's time to officially wrap up 2022. I'll start with my list of favorite books today, then look at statistics and resolutions over the weekend.
Overall, 2022 was a good reading year. I maintained my usual pace of one book per week and that continues to feel comfortable. In addition to the true standouts, I've listed a few honorable mentions. I have also noted where fiction and nonfiction favorites were read/listen combinations, but my audiobook favorites were audio only.
FICTION FAVORITES
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
(read/listen combo, excellent audio)
A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
The Promise by Damon Galgut
Honorable Mention
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
Foster by Claire Keegan
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (read/listen combo)
Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow (read/listen combo)
NONFICTION FAVORITES
by Gilbert King (read/listen combo)
Honorable Mention
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (audio)
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (read/listen combo)
Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg (audio)
AUDIOBOOK FAVORITES
by Shelby Van Pelt
narrated by Marin Ireland, Michael Urie
by Steven Rowley, narrated by the author
Great choices, I've only read Lucy By The Sea.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vicki. Elizabeth Strout is my favorite.
DeleteYou are the second book blogger I read to add A Town Called Solace to their best of 2022 list. I'll have to read that one!
ReplyDeleteAileen - Mary Lawson was a new-to-me author in 2022. I went on to read her earlier novel, Crow Lake... so good, but bleak. I plan to read her other novels this year.
DeleteMake it three! It made my list this year, too.
DeleteI have Lucy and Remarkably Bright on my library holds shelf!!!!
ReplyDeleteJinjer - You are in for a treat with those two, especially Lucy!
DeleteI've not read any of your favorites, but I have a couple on my TBR already. Glad you shared your 'best of' list, JoAnn!
ReplyDeleteKay - Hope we get to see your 'best of' list, too!
DeleteThanks for sharing your favorites of the year. I loved Lucy by the Sea and I greatly enjoyed In the Garden of the Beasts.
ReplyDeleteDeb - Elizabeth Strout is just so talented! I sure hope she is working on another novel.
DeleteRemarkably Bright Creatures looks like a good one for an audio listen.
ReplyDeleteHarvee - Remarkably Bright Creatures, especially the voice of Marcellus the Octopus, is the best audiobook I've listened to in a long time.
DeleteI always love to read everyones favorites list because inevitably I'll find new books to add to my TBR! Hope 2023 is filled with lots of great reads too!
ReplyDeleteIliana - Same here! My TBR list always grows this time of year.
DeleteI just posted my favorites. Impossible to narrow it down to 10! A Town Called Solace made my list, too. Ack. I still haven't read In the Garden of Beasts! It was on my November list, but I ran out of time. Sigh. The Guncle was a good audiobook. Probably one of my favorites for the year, along with The Four Winds.
ReplyDeleteLes - It seems like A Town Called Solace didn't get much buzz, but the handful who read it loved it. In the Garden of Beasts is such an interesting story and Larson tells is so well. So glad I listened to The Guncle instead of reading it in print.
DeleteGood list of favorites! I still intend to read Devil in the Grove and The Promise
ReplyDeleteHelen - Devil in the Grove was by far the best nonfiction I read this year! Hope you get a chance to read it.
DeleteOh great list. I just made my list too and Lucy by the Sea was right up there in the top three. I hope to get to Lawson's and Shapiro's this year. I thought In the Garden of Beasts was pretty incredible. You read some good ones!
ReplyDeleteSusan - I want to go back and reread all the Lucy books... just love Strout's writing!
DeleteGood selections. I have A Town Called Solace on my list for this year.
ReplyDeleteTina - I just mentioned to Les that it seems A Town Called Solace wasn't widely read, but those of us who did read it loved it! My mother loved it, too.
DeleteWasn't sure if you would be back at my blog to see my comment about a book so I am responding here as well: If I were recommending books to someone I wouldn't recommend Klara. I know many people love Ishiguro's writing but this is my second by him and I will give Remains of the Day a chance but, not my type of thing. That said, the writing is excellent but the dystopian theme doesn't work for me. Just my opinion.
DeleteTina - I always try to remember to check the 'notify me' box when I comment on your blog, but appreciate you stopping back here, too. I think I'll skip Klara and go with Remains of the Day, too. It's in my shelf in FL.
DeleteI'm reading Winter Solstice right now...halfway through and it's just what I need. Glad to see it's on your honorable mentions list. So many good ones. Hope this year is even better!
ReplyDeleteHeather - I felt the same way about Winter Solstice... it was just what I needed! Glad you're enjoying it, too.
DeleteI've seen Book Lovers on so many lists! I really need to read that this year! I want to read Town Called Solace and Winter Solstice is on my list for this year. Happy reading in 2023!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I rarely read romance, but Book Lovers was just the right book at just the right time... loved it and laughed out loud several times. Hope you get a chance to read it.
DeleteI hope I can get to Book Lovers this year. It sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing your favorites with us!
ReplyDeleteWendy - I don't read much romance, but Book Lovers was a lot of fun. It was just the right book at the right time for me... hope you like it.
DeleteThanks for so many great recommendations, in 2022 and before. I will expect the same in 2023! I also really loved A Town Called Solace, although I haven't yet read more by the author...but I still intend to. One miss for me was Book Lovers--I expected to love it, but quit just over half way into it. Just not feeling it or liking the characters all that much. I keep on meaning to read Take My Hand--I read this author's first book and thought it really good, but haven't made time to read more of her. Eager to read Dinners with Ruth.
ReplyDeleteJaneGS - I'm hoping to read other two Mary Lawson novels this year. One is already on my kindle. Sorry Book Lovers didn't do it for you. I've had mixed results with the author (her previous book was a dnf for me) so was pleasantly surprised by Book Lovers. Take My Hand was another surprise, and also a shock. I'd never heard about those awful events. Hope you enjoy Dinners with Ruth.
DeleteHow I've managed to miss reading Book Lovers is beyond me!
ReplyDeleteStacy - Book Lovers was on a lot of favorites lists this year... such a fun read!
DeleteLucy by the Sea is my favourite of the Lucy books now. It hit all the right notes.
ReplyDeleteBrona - Lucy by the Sea is my favorite of the Lucy books now, too. I'd love to go back and read them all again this year!
DeleteBook Lovers got a lot of great buzz this year. It's on my wish list, glad to see it was one of your favorites! I think one book a week is a nice pace. That's my goal for this year.
ReplyDeleteDiana - Emily Henry has been hit or miss for me, but I really loved Book Lovers. Hope you do, too!
DeleteThe Promise! I enjoyed (if that is what it was?) and Remarkably Bright Creatures YAY
ReplyDeleteCare - The Promise was a surprise. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Remarkably Bright Creatures was one of the bets audios I've listened to in a very long time... can still hear the voice of Marcellus!
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