Our Favorite Reads of 2022

The holiday season is here—and whether you're looking to add titles to reading list or find the perfect gift for your favorite readers, here are a few books to consider! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Midnight Library

By Matt Haig

Truth be told, I didn't expect to like The Midnight Library. It's completely outside of my usual genres, and I only added it to my 2022 reading list because it was on so many "Best Of" lists that I had to see what the fuss was about. We've all probably wondered how life might have been different if we'd made a different choice here or said something different there. . .and this novel explores the shapes our lives can take, all while begging the question of what it means to really live your life. If you're a fan of good stories, you'll have trouble putting this one down.

Cloud Cuckoo Land

By Anthony Doerr

A number of people from various areas of my life suggested Cloud Cuckoo Land to me. While some of the subject matter is tough, the story is beautiful. Many of the books I've loved this year have focused on the importance of our stories—and making sure they are known and preserved—and Cloud Cuckoo Land carries that idea forth through three storylines from the past, present and future, discovering that in the end, our connection as human beings is what's most important.

The Great Alone

By Kristin Hannah

It's well-documented here on The Bookery that I haven't loved several of the Kristin Hannah books I've read . . . but I liked this one a lot. Sometimes, months after finishing it, I find myself thinking about the characters, the storyline, even Alaska itself. While I think Hannah's historical fiction lacks connection and vibrancy, this story of a young family moving to Alaska in 1974 to forge a new life leaps off the page with vibrant storytelling. Telling the story through the eyes of Leni Allbright, who's 13 when the book begins, The Great Alone explores love, loss and survival, as well as our own capacity to hurt those we love the most. As Hannah explores our own wildness, she allows the wildness of Alaska to become a character in its own right.

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