The best books of 2022

In my highly subjective and extremely correct opinion

I thought for a long time that my favorite books and favorite reading experiences were set in stone. My favorites were my favorites and nothing would ever match the first time reading them or the childhood reading memories I treasured. But ever since I revolutionized my reading life a few years back, I’ve been discovering new favorites every year.

2022 was a magical year for stories told in novel form. I wanted to celebrate with a recap of my absolute favorite novels that were brand-new in 2022 (plus, my favorite nonfiction read). I hope it helps you remember the stories you read and loved this year — or perhaps gives you some reading inspiration as we get ready for 2023.

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

I’m so glad I couldn’t resist getting a signed copy of this book from my local bookstore. I know someday I’ll want to slip back into the story of Alice’s 40th birthday and what she discovers about her father and herself, and when I need to, the book will be on my office shelf waiting. The beautiful cover perfectly represents the book inside.

Search by Michelle Huneven

A delicious read — in a literal sense, if you try one of the recipes in the back. In this unique literary novel written in the style of a food memoir, restaurant critic Dana Potowski joins her church’s committee to find a new pastor … and, secretly, so she can write a book about the search. This book is dishy yet thoughtful, quirky but completely believable, and hard to put down.

Bomb Shelter: Love, Time and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott

The memoir-in-essays genre sneaks up on you. At first, you think you’re reading about random moments from someone’s life, and in a sense, you are. But in flawless examples like Bomb Shelter, those random moments add up to some keen and tender insight about life and the human condition that leaves you floored. Some of my favorite essays were “Firestarter,” “Pinwheel,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and “Another Box, Another Christmas,” but I loved them all.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a book I’d recommend to any devoted reader who wants to be swept away by a big story, but it’s also the novel I’d hand to someone who doesn’t usually seek out stories in book form. If you’ve ever wished a film’s story could be told both as a sweeping and cinematic epic and a raw, weird, little indie flick, somehow at the same time, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a reminder that a brilliantly executed novel can do that.

French Braid by Anne Tyler

I’m not sure how to recommend French Braid because in a sense, nothing happens in this book. It’s just about a family. But I couldn’t put it down. The writing is spare yet beautiful, and the characters sneak up on you. Maybe it’s partly because this book took me by surprise, but I think it will stay with me as one of my all-time favorite reading experiences. 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

A joyous reclamation of the “career-minded city woman who acts as a foil for the sweet heroine” trope, Book Lovers is the perfect summer escape to a small town. Content note: Emily Henry’s steamiest romance to date, with a few open-door scenes (depending, as always, on your subjective definition).

Great or Nothing by Caroline Tung Richmond, Joy McCullough, Jessica Spotswood, and Tess Sharpe

This Young Adult retelling of Little Women set in World War II and written by four different authors almost sounds as if it shouldn’t work — but it absolutely does. I had a special love for Meg’s and Beth’s parts of the narrative.

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller

Mallory wants to fit in at school more than anything, and she can’t understand why the new student, Jennifer Chan, doesn’t care. Jennifer isn’t afraid to tell anyone she believes in aliens and knows she’ll make contact with them someday. This middle-grade novel is a read I’d recommend to all ages. It’s fresh and unique, balancing character development with page-turning plot with ease, yet the themes explored are timeless. If you pick it up, definitely don’t miss the Author’s Note after the end of the book.

One's Company by Ashley Hutson

I discovered this weird read by skimming a Tuesday list of books that were published that day, and as soon as I saw the premise, I knew I needed to get ahold of a copy ASAP. Bonnie Lincoln has been through something hard, and — like many of us — she finds solace in the warm glow of her favorite TV show. Her comfort watch is Three’s Company, and she longs to slip into her beloved characters’ 1970s world and leave this one behind. When she wins the lottery, Bonnie has the money to get as close to stepping into that world as she can — by recreating the iconic apartment set of Three’s Company and living as its characters. For fans of Mona Awad and anyone looking for a dark, unique read.