The Best Books I Read in 2022
It has been one heck of a year. In a lot of ways, it feels like 2022 was three years squeezed into one. So much happened . . . things like:
My son turned one right at the beginning of the year.
My son learned to walk and, with that, I lost all control.
I landed a literary agent.
I co-hosted my first writer’s retreat with 40 women in Nashville.
I got a book deal!!!
I gave birth to my beautiful daughter.
I took my first overnight trips with my husband sans kids.
I turned 30.
It was a pretty sweet and fruitful year. Although there was one area of my life that wasn’t very fruitful this year: My reading life. Between raising a toddler, working on book edits and a book proposal, being super tired from being super pregnant, I just didn’t have a lot of extra time for books.
But that doesn’t mean I didn’t read anything. Because I didn’t have a ton of extra time, I was more selective than usual and leaned heavily on audio books. When I scanned through what I read the past 11 months, five books stuck out as having given me so much this year.
Those five books are:
Grit by Angela Duckworth
I began reading (okay, listening on Audible) this book when my agent first sent out my book proposal and manuscript to several publishers. I’ll never forget the day I got an email from my agent about a rejection we’d received because I was in the car listening to this book. More specifically, I was listening to the chapter on how “gritty” people handle disappointment.
Rather than believe disappointment is the end of a dream, “gritty” people face disappointment and failure with hope and optimism. It felt like a divine gift to hear these words in the midst of rejection
There’s so much more this book taught me, so I’ll just say one more thing: Whether you struggle with sticking to one thing or believing you have to be an expert to pursue a dream, this book can probably serve you in many ways.
All That is Secret by Patricia Raybon
It was a privilege to watch Patricia Raybon win the Christy Award for best first novel. I immediately picked up her book, and I’m so glad I did.
This is a good, clean mystery novel about a theology professor who is trying to uncover her father’s murderer. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entirety of the book. If only I didn’t have to wait for the second book in the series to come out!
Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe
This book promised to break my heart and then heal it in the best way . . . and that’s exactly what it did. So much of it is tragically sad, but like all good stories, there’s redemption in the end. Loved it so much!
How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
Another non-fiction read that taught me so much this year! I wrote about how much I loved this book on Instagram. It was such an important reminder about what I want for my kids.
To put it simply, I want my kids to grow up to be adults, not just “big kids,” and this book taught me how I can work to accomplish that.
Violeta by Isabel Allende
Like many readers, Allende is one of my favorite authors. This year’s release did not disappoint! I loved how this novel followed the life of a woman from birth (during the influenza pandemic of 1920) to death (during the Covid pandemic).
It was creative, beautiful, and heartbreaking . . . everything I love to see in a novel!
Bonus: Meet Me in The Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Okay, I know I was only going to share five books, but I couldn’t leave this one out! What I loved most about this book was that it was just plain fun. Sometimes you just want to read something that is lighthearted, funny, and “easy.” By easy, I just mean you can follow the story and characters without any problem and with lots of laughs along the way. It was the perfect beach read.
For more book recs, check out my Goodreads page. I try to keep it up to date.
And I’d love to know your favorite 2022 reads! Let me know on Instagram.
Happy New Year, friends!
