What I’ve Read and Loved in 2022 (So Far)
Hi friends, Happy July!
Hopefully you’re ready for some bookish content because I’m here today to talk about the 57 (!!) books I’ve (somehow) managed to read halfway through 2022. Back in January when I set my reading goal at 52 books (thinking a book a week), I had no idea I’d shatter it by June. After finishing 40 books all of last year, it's crazy to think I’ve read way more than 40 books in half as much time this year. I’m so happy with my reading progress in 2022 and can’t wait to see where I’m at come the end of the year. So let’s wrap up the first 6 months of 2022 reading, shall we? Keep scrolling to see what I’ve read and loved so far.
What I read in January:
(1) Clap When You Land — 4 stars — Really good story, told through verse. My only qualm is that I wanted more. I liked the ending, but also felt the book could have been extended another 100 pages.
(2) The Four Winds — 5 stars — No one does historical fiction quite like Kristin Hannah. A good book to read if you’re interested in the Great Depression/Dust Bowl era. I got lost in the pages of this one. But beware, it’s quite a depressing read.
(3) Yes & I Love You — 4 stars — I thought this book was really well done. There was good representation of things you don’t normally see in books, so that was a huge plus too (i.e. main character with Tourette syndrome, plot that centers around improvisation, and so much more).
(4) Cultish — 4 stars — Interesting insight into cultish behaviors, covering extremist cults to modern day multi-level marketing companies. It’s amazing how influential cult ideology is to our lives even today.
(5) Finlay Donovan Is Killing It — 3.5 stars — I personally could never quite get there with this book, though Finlay and her sequel are beloved by many other readers!
(6) One True Loves — 4 stars — Not a new all time favorite from Taylor Jenkins Reid but I liked the story.
(7) Reminders of Him — 3.5 stars — I wanted to love this one but in the end, it felt rushed! It was good, just not as good as others from the CoHo catalog.
(8) Mary Jane — 4 stars — A 70s coming of age novel that I absolutely adored! Mary Jane and Izzy? Super charming characters. If you’re going to read it, I recommend the audio format.
(9) The Unsinkable Greta James — 3.5 stars — This book brilliantly tackles many subjects: grief after unexpected loss, complicated familial relationships, career struggles, companionship, and finding light amid the darkness. I thought Greta’s emotional struggle was well written, but the father/daughter relationship knocked this one down a bit for me. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for gifting me an advanced copy.
(10) Black Cake — 4.5 stars — A phenomenal debut! Please read this book. It’s a slow, but gripping story.
What I read in February:
(11) The Maid — 4 stars — Quirky but I loved it! Molly was such a fun main character; I found her narration to be a breath of fresh air. I listened on audio and loved every minute of this whodunnit mystery. If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you’ll probably enjoy The Maid too.
(12) The Great Alone — 5 stars — Quite possibly an all time favorite? This book broke my heart really. Thank you for giving us Leni, Kristin Hannah. You have a way of writing the best female characters.
(13) Under One Roof — 2 stars — Meh, I have no comments other than this was super awkward.
(14) Nothing to See Here — 4 stars — Another quirky novel but so so good. Go in blind if you read it. I was surprised by this one.
(15) Local Woman Missing — 4 stars — A solid thriller throughout but the ending was quite unbelievable unfortunately. Things wrapped up way too nicely where I thought they should have stayed a little messy. Not everything needs a pretty bow and a happy ending.
(16) Written in the Stars — 4.5 stars — I loved this book, despite not being into astrology at all. The characters were so relatable! The fake dating trope was well executed and I really liked the way things came together in the last chapters. Now it’s time to read the rest of the series.
(17) They Both Die at the End — 2 stars — I loved the premise of this book. You live in a world where you get a call the day you’re going to die, how would you spend your last hours alive? For me personally, the story itself was too teeny-boppy; I didn’t think there was enough depth to the characters because they were teenagers! I would have preferred this with a different age bracket for the main characters.
What I read in March:
(18) No Exit — 4 stars — Classic locked room thriller. Takes place over 13 hours at a highway exit rest stop. No one gets in or out due to blizzard conditions. This book kept me guessing all the way through. And the last sentence blew my mind! I need to watch the movie now.
(19) Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating — 3.5 stars — I really wanted to love this one but the ending ruined it for me. It would have been a 5 star romcom otherwise.
(20) The Golden Couple — 4.5 stars — Really good domestic thriller. I liked the way this book alternated between the perspective of the therapist and therapist’s female client. I didn’t guess the ending so it was a good final twist to me. Excited to read more from this author duo.
(21) Heart Bones — 5 stars — This is such an underrated Colleen Hoover book. I loved it!
(22) A Man Called Ove — 3.5 stars — I really enjoyed Ove. He reminded me of the grumpy guy from the movie Up! But for me, Ove didn’t stick like other books I’ve enjoyed this year, so in the end I felt pretty so/so about it. The side cast is absolutely lovable though.
(23) My Sister, the Serial Killer — 3 stars — Good potential, but too short and not enough detail.
(24) Every Last Secret — 4 stars — A very bingeable domestic thriller.
(25) Heard It in a Love Song — 4 stars — Slow burn about discovering yourself. Mixed reviews online, but I enjoyed it.
(26) The Club — 3.5 stars — Rich, gossipy people stuck on an island. The blackmail!! The drama!! The way the characters were all linked together!! Those who enjoyed Lucy Foley’s The Guest List will enjoy this one too.
(27) Exactly How It’s Supposed to Be — 5 stars — Real life in a book. It was beautiful.
(28) Falling — 3.5 stars — Entertaining on audio but also very predictable.
(29) Malibu Rising — 5 stars — Taylor Jenkins Reid proves she’s the queen again. I loved every page of this slow burn.
What I read in April:
(30) Fix Her Up — 1 star — This book gave me the ick. The most cringe writing I’ve ever read.
(31) The Last Thing He Told Me — 3.5 stars — Honestly kind of boring? Interested to see how it translates to a movie though.
(32) One Last Stop — 4 stars — Paranormal and kind of weird but also kind of good? I don’t know. I liked it.
(33) After I Do — 4.5 stars — Another Taylor Jenkins Reid book I loved. Surprise!
(34) The Book of Lost Names — 4 stars — This WW2 historical fiction novel takes on a different angle than most, centering on forgery during the Holocaust. A sweet lost love story too.
(35) Lease on Love — 3 stars — Was so excited to read this one but it fell way flat for me. The main characters were way over the top and the final conflict was totally lame.
(36) Project Hail Mary — 5 stars — This book was everything. The best character friendship. Favorite audio book all time. Rocky!!
(37) Swear on This Life — 4 stars — A book within a book. Loved it but didn’t love the epilogue which is why it’s not 5 stars. It felt a little incomplete.
(38) When We Believed in Mermaids — 3 stars — It was okay, nothing memorable.
(39) The Guncle — 4.5 stars — Loved! GUP is one of my new all time favorite characters. And the audio book being narrated by the author himself was such a fun treat. It’s a feel good book, perfect for summer reading.
(40) My Lovely Wife — 4.5 stars — Excellent serial killer story. Murder without the gory details was also a plus for me. From the opening scene all the way to the very end, I had to keep reading as I desperately wanted to know if the husband or the wife was more deranged. Ratings are middle line on Goodreads, but I’ve learned not to judge a book based on ratings from other readers.
(41) Funny You Should Ask — 3 stars — Tries too hard to be this GQ interview. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for gifting me an advanced copy.
What I read in May:
(42) A Flicker in the Dark — 4 stars — Decent serial killer story, but a few too many red herrings made it a 4 vs 5 star read for me.
(43) Lessons in Chemistry — 4 stars — This was a solid historical fiction, so it’s easy to see why it’s on a lot of people’s favorites lists already! Loved the women’s empowerment; Elizabeth Zott’s character was brilliant. She was so funny.
(44) Evvie Drake Starts Over — 4 stars — “Evvie like Chevy, not Evvie like Stevey.” This one was CUTE. Two people starting anew under different circumstances, learning how to find joy in life again.
(45) In My Dreams I Hold a Knife — 5 stars — Gossip Girl meets dark academia. I loved this thriller, unreliable narrator, unlikable characters, and all. Kept me guessing to the very end.
(46) My Oxford Year — 4 stars — Julia Whelan, you are amazing. This book was heartbreakingly beautiful and not at all what I expected it to be in the best way.
(47) The Hunting Party — 2 stars — I get a slow burn, but this was the slowest burn ever. There was a decent twist in the end but it took way too long to get there.
(48) Cover Story — 4 stars — For all you con artist lovers out there. Talk about a mindf*ck! I’m still thinking about it. Predictable in some ways, but not so much in others. A quick, enjoyable read.
(49) When in Rome — 4 stars — I was absolutely swooning over this celebrity-meets-small-town-grumpy-baker romcom and I’m not usually a romcom lover. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this delight. Out in September, so add to your list now.
(50) Book Lovers — 3.5 stars — Well, I didn’t love love this. I found it wasn’t super engaging, so it took me several weeks to motivate myself to finish it. There were things I loved though. Like grumpy Charlie!! And Libby!! And the small town setting!!
(51) The Paris Apartment — 4 stars — Murder mystery in a Paris Apartment building, sign me up! Lucy Foley’s books are always a slow burn, this included. Out of The Hunting Party, The Guest List, and The Paris Apartment, I think I liked The Paris Apartment the best.
(52) The Last Mrs. Parrish — 4 stars — The twist in Part 2 had me shook. Pretty good domestic thriller involving a conwoman and a ritzy family. The question is — what’s the consequence of getting everything you’ve ever wanted?
What I read in June:
(53) A Girl During the War — 3 stars — I’m pretty indifferent about this one. The first part piqued my interest, but my desire to finish the book fizzled out toward the end. I finished it though, and in the end, thought it was fine, but not great. A good WW2 historical fiction if you’re looking to see the war from a different view. And if you love art history, this just might be your cup of tea. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy.
(54) My Favorite Half-Night Stand — 3 stars — It was okay. Cheesy but okay which is how I usually feel about Christina Lauren’s books anyways.
(55) Slammed — 3 stars — Some questionable topics in this one, but okay overall.
(56) Don’t Cry for Me — 4.5 stars — A fictional novel that reads like a memoir. Told through a dying father’s letters to his estranged son, this was a heavy read, one filled with a father’s guilt, shame, and regret for choices made in the past.
(57) Beautiful World, Where are You — 2 stars — I think Sally Rooney’s just not my cup of tea because I felt the same about Normal People. This book was boring and tried so hard to be something, but in the end it lacked substance. The book itself was filled with toxic and misogynistic men (seems to be Rooney’s forte???) and honestly it felt there was no plot, just a bunch of rambling. Also I’m not ready for books that talk about lockdown and quarantine, so that gave me the ick.
Now for the fun part — time to share a few thoughts on some of my favorite books from January through June. In order from reading date, because I have commitment issues when it comes to ranking anything, here are 5 books I loved and can’t stop thinking about.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
“‘How will I stop loving him, Mama? Will I.... forget?’ Mama sighed. ‘Ah. That. Love doesn't fade or die, baby girl. People tell you it does, but it doesn't. If you love him now, you'll love him in ten years and in forty. Differently, maybe, a faded version, but he's part of you now. And you are part of him.’”
People said this book was good good, but I didn’t think it’d be GOOD GOOD. But wow, my girl Kristin Hannah knows how to tell a story. The whole time reading this book, I could imagine the Alaskan wilderness. It was a painful, yet beautiful journey to walk alongside Leni Allbright as she navigated each phase of her life. Through the violence she endured and through her great losses, Leni showed herself to be strong and resilient, always trying to see the good. I went into this book blind and I’m so glad I did. It was heartbreaking yet triumphant. It covered so much ground. I honestly feel like I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time. What an absolute treasure of a book. Watching Leni grow up and embrace life and love in Alaska was an experience I wasn’t prepared to love.
Exactly How It’s Supposed to Be by Jodi Niehaus
“What I didn’t realize is that the universe isn’t all-powerful. It can send you signs and try to push you in the right direction, but at the end of the day, everyone has a choice. If you aren’t brave enough to see those signs and take action, you’ll never get the life that was meant for you.”
This book came out of nowhere and wow! Exactly How It’s Supposed to Be felt like real life in a book, which is something I love (like All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover). I didn’t expect such a vulnerable story, nor did I expect to bawl my eyes out. This book was raw and heavy, filled with tragedy and sadness, but somehow sealed itself with hope and love. A reminder that while endings are not always happy, you can still find some semblance of happiness and gratitude in each ending. When I finished reading on this one on my Kindle, I immediately placed an order for a physical copy because I needed it on my shelf. I don’t always read books of this type but I felt compelled to read this Indie beauty and I’m glad I did.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“Our parents live inside us, whether they stick around or not… They express themselves through us in the way we hold a pen or shrug our shoulders, in the way we raise our eyebrow. Our heritage lingers in our blood.”
After sitting on my shelf for nearly a year, I finally got around to reading Malibu Rising and absolutely fell in love with the Riva’s. The writing in this book was stunning — never before have I been able to close my eyes and be transported to a place I’ve never been, but reading this book, I was right there in Malibu. I read this one slowly because I wanted to savor all the moments. The way the Riva kids stuck together despite coming from a broken family made my heart swell two sizes. There’s such a power in choosing your family and this book wonderfully showcases that. Be prepared for a slow burn with the same Historic Hollywood flare you’d expect from a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
“I’ve gone from ‘sole-surviving space explorer’ to ‘guy with a wacky new roommate.’ It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.”
Well then. This one brought out the science nerd in me. From the author of The Martian comes another spacey novel, this time following a lone astronaut navigating space to save the earth. The pacing of this book was absolutely perfect. Alternating between the past and present, the story was so engaging I could not put it down. In fact, I brought the audio book everywhere with me because I was hooked. Plus, the narration was top tier. I laughed out loud so many times. There’s a lot of science stuff going on — get familiar with “astrophage” — but this book does a good job hitting you with the heavy science stuff while still making it entertaining. I didn’t always know what was going on, but heck, I loved it anyways. And then, the friendship aspect of this book nearly broke my heart. We all need a Rocky in our lives, I’m sure of it. It’s also in development to be made into a major motion picture which I’m so excited about.
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead
Gossip Girl vibes? Check. Dark Academia? Check. Extremely unlikeable characters? Check, Check, Check! “It was all so clear now, so terrifyingly obvious. I was the villain; I always had been. It explained everything—why I’d never gotten what I wanted, no matter how hard I’d tried. It wasn’t because life was unfair, or not working the way it should. I’d had it backwards my whole life: I wasn’t the princess, set upon by misfortune; I was the witch. And life had unfolded the way it was supposed to, giving me what I deserved.”
Thrillers can be really hit or miss from me but let me tell you, this one hit AND delivered. It’s a college reunion gone dark — secrets are revealed, the past unraveled, and in typical whodunnit fashion, you’ll be left wondering who committed the murder. I was shocked by this one, literally left guessing to the end. Each character had a motive, which made me want to keep reading until the very end. And the final twist left me with my mouth wide open. A book like this isn’t for everyone, but it hit all the boxes for me (except the title really makes no sense??). I’m excited to read her new thriller which publishes later this year.
What’s your favorite book you’ve read so far this year? Let me know in the comments below. And if you have any 5 star recommendations, please share. I’m always looking for my new favorite book.
PS — Fellow readers, make sure to follow me on bookstagram and Goodreads too!
Enjoy!
JB