Hey, everyone. The year 2022 was a good one for me, reading-wise. I had set a goal of 60 books, and I’ve far exceeded that. (Seventy-six completed as of this post.)
This year, I read books by new-to-me authors as well as some on my auto-buy list. I re-read some old favorites, including a couple by Mary Higgins-Clark and my favorite childhood book The Incredible Journey.
Rather than doing a top reads list, I decided to select one book completed each month of the year. Included are a variety of genres and story lengths.
January – Lightning Strike
After being introduced to the Cork O’Connor series in 2021, I enjoyed the first book enough to continue. Lightning Strike is the eighteenth in the series, but it’s a prequel as it takes place in the 1960s when Cork was thirteen years old.
February – Jagged Feathers
When you have a main character who is a wounded warrior, that speaks to me. Book two of Jan Sikes’ White Rune series tells the story of Vann Nobel who suffers from PTSD after his time in Afghanistan. Part suspense and part romance, this one will keep you turning the pages.
March – Coyote’s Regret
I had this book on my TBR list for a while. Set in Southeastern Utah near Moab, Coyotes Regret is the eighth book of Rich Curtin’s Manny Rivera series, but it was my first one to read. Since then, I’ve completed all ten novels and hope he writes another one.
April – Carolina Moonset
I picked up an advanced reader copy of Carolina Moonset through Net Galley. It was my first time reading Matt Goldman, but it won’t be my last. This book is one of mystery, but also of family dynamics.
May – The Fallen Man
This was another first-time read for me, but having become interested in Native American fiction, I was eager to read this one by the late Tony Hillerman. The Fallen Man was first published in 1996. This is the eighth book of the Leaphorn and Chee series kept my interest.
June – Life and Soul
I don’t read a lot of poetry, but Harmony Kent’s Life and Soul touched me. A multi-genre author, Harmony’s poems speak to people from all walks of life.
July – The Waking Bell
The Waking Bell is a historical mystery set in the Appalachian mountains during 1943. Like most small towns, Oak Flatt has secrets—a missing child, a mysterious death, and clandestine love affairs to name a few. I enjoyed this novel where the main character, Cady Blue hears “warning bells” in her head. As you can imagine, this sets the stage for a suspenseful story.
August – Last Summer Boys
When you have a coming-of-age story set in 1968, that’s enough to intrigue me. Last Summer Boys is a delightful read that chronicles the summer adventures of three brothers and their city cousin. The author brings real-life events into the story, including the Vietnam War and the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
September – The Haunting of Chatham Hollow
A dual timeline story co-written by two of my favorite authors, The Haunting of Chatham Hollow will keep you turning the pages. The writing was seamless, and the authors brought together a story spanning from the late 1700s to the present day. I highly recommend this ghost fiction story to anyone who likes to read about “things that go bump in the night.”
October – Between the Darkness and The Dawn
Between The Darkness and The Dawn is a short forty-five-minute read, but don’t let the length fool you. Set in historic Old Manse where Nathaniel Hawthorne once lived, this short story packs plenty of suspense in only twenty-seven pages.
November – You Can Hide
You Can Hide is the second book of Rebecca Zanetti’s Laurel Snow series. I thought the first book was fantastic, but this one was even better. I recently learned the third of the series is scheduled for release next July. I eagerly await that one.
December – The Unfinished Gift
What would December be without reading a Christmas story? I first read Dan Walsh’s The Unfinished Gift in 2014, and I enjoyed it just as much this time around. Set during World War II, this is a touching story of family, faith, and love.
It was hard to pick just twelve books. I read several more that deserve recognition, but I didn’t want to make this post into a small novel!
This is my last post of 2022, as I’m taking a break until the new year. I’ll return in January with more book reviews, new posts of mysteries, legends and lore, and more.
Wishing you and your families a joyous holiday season.
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29 Responses
Well done on surpassing your goal, Joan. That number could even go higher next year now that you’re retired.
More reading and more writing. That’s my goal, Pete. 🙂
As I like to say to my wife, “If readingis my worst habit, then you married the right guy.”🤣
😀
Well done! You read some amazing books.
I had a good year. Thanks, Darlene.
Felicitations on surpassing your reading goals! Thanks so much for your lovely mention of Life & Soul. Some great reads here. The ones I don’t have on my ereader already I’ll be sure to check out. Thanks for sharing, Joan. Wishing you a happy holiday season 💕🙂
I enjoyed the book a lot, Harmony. Overall, I had some pretty good selections this year. Very few books went into the DNF files.
You’ve had a good reading year with a variety of genres. I know there are many more you would have liked to highlight. Have a wonderful holiday, Joan!
Even with highlighting one per month, it was hard to pick just twelve. I may have to rethink this next year.
Congrats on surpassing your goal, Joan! I hope to do the same in 2023. Thanks for sharing this terrific list! Wishing you and your family a peaceful holiday season.
I have more time to read now, but when I was still working most always read during my lunchtime. I’m finally getting my routine down so that I can devote evenings to reading.
You are a voracious reader. Well done on exceeding your goal! Have a wonderful holiday season!
It’s been a long time since I’ve read this many books in a year. Wishing you the brightest of holidays.
Thanks!
A beautiful post, Joan. Terrific books and congratulations on exceeding your goal.
Thanks, John. Seventy-six books is a lot.
It is
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these twelve books, Joan! I’m taking notes, here, and will no doubt be adding several to my TBR pile.
Here’s to a very Merry Christmas, my friend, and a super Happy New Year, too!
😊❤️🎄❤️😊
Hope you find some you enjoy, Marcia. Merry Christmas to you. BTW, I’ve sure enjoyed your photos on Facebook.
Thanks, and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed them. My TWS post tomorrow has 21 pictures in it, I think, all Christmas-related stuff, so stop by if you get a chance. Hope you’ll enjoy it, and I promise, I’m done for the year now. 😄😄😄
Congrats on books read, Joan 🙂 I see some really great reads here! Merry Christmas xo
Merry Christmas to you as well, Denise.
What a fabulous way to showcase books you enjoyed! I am beyond thrilled to see Jagged Feathers listed!! Thank you SO much. I’ve read a lot of these, but see some I need to explore. 🙂 Merry Christmas!!!
Thanks, Jan. It was so hard to pick just one per month. Merry Christmas to you too!
Congrats! I’m at 62 of 66, so I’m almost there!
You’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. I’ll bet you make it!
I’m honored that my co-written title (with Mae Clair) made the list. Thank you!
I’ve read some on this list and would have put them on my monthly lists, too. Excellent selections, Joan. Thanks.
Well deserved, Staci. I loved it!