While I didn’t read as many as usual because of an out-of-state move and working in an office full-time, it was still a standout year for reading.
Seems I leaned heavily into lighter romcoms. These were books I read this year, not necessarily published this year. Here’s my Top 12 in no particular order.
Click through any of the covers for more details or to purchase. (I am an Amazon affiliate and may make a small commission.)
What were your favorites for 2022? Happy New Year!
A definite page turner and the short chapters helped make this one a quick read overall. I was definitely curious as to how the entire story would play out but overall felt like some gaps were like that scene in Speed where the bus made it safely over the missing piece in the highway – just not entirely plausible.
After finishing, I read the author’s note that this was part of a previous series featuring Detective Ellie Hatcher, but it could also be read as a standalone, which it could. But now that I know that, I felt I would have gained more about this character had I known her backstory because as is we did not get a lot of character development.
Speaking of characters, there were a lot. Even after finishing, I am not completely clear on who relates to who and backgrounds. It won’t ruin the suspense or the mystery but if you want a true fill, read slowly and process.
I won’t mention any of the plot, as you’ll get that as soon as you start but the gaps and coincidences were too many for me to rate this any higher. A solid mystery and great read to grab for a plane or long wait. 3.5 stars.
My thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy.
At least the books in 2020 were great! 😉
This year I added the category of romcom because I definitely appreciated the lighter reads, especially in a year of…doom.
Click through any of the covers for more details or to purchase. (I am an Amazon affiliate and may make a small commission.)
Please share your favorites of the year. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Fiction
Mystery/Thriller
Historical Fiction
Romance/Romantic Comedy
Nonfiction
It’s a longer list than normal this year. So many outstanding reads broken out into 4 categories, plus 2 surprises I highly recommend preordering for 2020. These are books I read in 2019 — they may have been published earlier. For more information on each book, click directly on the image.
I’d love to hear what you considered favorites this year. Leave me a comment below and have a happy, healthy, and safe New Year!
With such a long winter here in the Midwest, it was the cover of this novel that first intrigued me. It drew out feelings of warmer weather and sunshine and having previously enjoyed The Things We Wish Were True, I was eager to dive in.
This one took a little longer to draw me in. Maybe it was my confusion over how all the characters related or some of the secondary storylines. The premise is perfection — a bride disappears days before her wedding. Is it cold feet or foul play?
Whalen writes the story as we get closer and closer to the big day. We follow different characters’ viewpoints as to what happened to Annie Taft. I love the idea of small secrets bubbling to the surface with Annie missing and how they play off each other. When finished, I felt like some seams were still left undone and some plot points didn’t get enough “air time” while others had too much.
I will say this was a quick read and the second half moves at a much faster pace. Once you get a feel for the characters, you’ll yearn for the conclusion. The small town feel works well within this novel and if you’re looking for a good mystery to grab for a plane ride or a day away, you’ve found it.
My thanks to the publisher and Little Bird Publicity for the review copy.
If you are looking for the ultimate beach read this summer, look no further. Mary Kay Andrews brings her sandy beaches and charm to her newest release, out now.
Listen, I read my fair share of heavy thrillers. I can also go to the other extreme of what some might refer to as “chick lit” or romance. This is the perfect blend of both. In fact, for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, this is one you’ll definitely want to pick up.
Drue Campbell is down on her luck with the loss of her mom and a string of bad jobs that are not helping with her income. When she receives an offer from her estranged father to come work for him, she heads to Florida’s west coast.
I loved the characters in this and what a kickass heroine Drue was. Her interactions with her family (blood and step) had me grinning and it was a read I looked forward to getting back to each night.
This one is on the longer side but the story moves quickly and hopefully you are as eager as I was to follow Drue as she tried to solve two mysteries, all while balancing her new job and relationships.
My thanks to Tandem Literary and the publisher for a review copy.
Thanks to their generosity, I have one copy to share with a lucky reader. U.S. only, please. Enter on the Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveawayCONNECT WITH MKA
Website: https://marykayandrews.com
Newsletter: https://marykayandrews.com/newsletters/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marykayandrewsauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marykayandrews/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkayandrews
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21387.Mary_Kay_Andrews
Given the overload of psychological thrillers, especially domestic suspense, in the recent years makes coming up with an original story that much harder. When I read Best Friends Forever last year, I was very impressed with what a page-turner it was. That made me eager to read Hunt’s second venture into this genre.
Natalie and Will Clarke met in law school, fell in love, and got married. Fast-forward to their only child, Charlie, in 5th grade, when a scandal shakes their small town. How far will this couple go to protect their child and their marriage? Given that Natalie is a criminal defense attorney, she knows the system inside and out and knows she has to take matters into her own hands.
Will didn’t seem as fully formed as a character to me as Natalie. He did get his own section he narrated in the book, which helped, but I was so used to Natalie it always took me a minute to realize it was his turn. It made sense she ran the household and was more in control, but he did play an essential part to this story.
I loved chit-chat and gossip amongst the neighbors as the scandal broke loose. The expression “gossip is nature’s telephone” really rings true here. (See what I did there?) I had a couple issues with execution and thought the story would slowly fizzle out at the end but was pleasantly surprised at its finish.
Trigger warning for child abuse. A tough subject to cover but Hunt does so in a way that it’s not the story’s sole focus. For book clubs looking for more of a suspense story, there’s lots that can be discussed with character motivations in this read.
My thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for the review copy.
About the author: Margot Hunt is a USA TODAY bestselling author. Her latest book, FOR BETTER AND WORSE, was praised by Book of the Month as being the best thriller of the year. “A twisty tale for fans of domestic thrillers.” (Kirkus Reviews).
Be sure to follow the tour for more reviews and chances to win a copy!
Not since Moloka’i have I been transported to Hawaii through a book. The setting and descriptions were vivid and breathtaking. Never having been there myself, I imagined I was on the beach as I was reading. I loved the authentic language and settings and was definitely surprised by the amount of rain!
Sara Ackerman’s debut has something in it for everyone: a mystery, WWII history, romance, and unforgettable characters. Violet is a schoolteacher who is reeling at the disappearance of her husband, the school principal. Her daughter, Ella, hasn’t been the same since he’s been gone. When Violet’s roommate, Jean, finds out her brother Zach is training for a secret mission along with other Marines, the women learn that friendship will get them through this trying time together.
Even though this tale takes place during the 1940s, many of its themes still ring true today. Given the current events we’ve been faced with, I still need to hear “love is love,” and I was thrilled to come across it in the book. Bits of this story, especially Violet’s infatuation, reminded me of Letters from Home by Kristina McMorris. If you want an endearing story with a sprinkle of sugar, be sure to pick this book up.
I have to say one of my favorite characters was Roscoe. I’d really love to learn the true story behind his appearance that the author mentions in her note at the end. I promise you he is one surprise you’ve never come across before in fiction.
My thanks to the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the author: Born and raised in Hawaii, Sara studied journalism and earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. When she’s not writing or practicing acupuncture, you’ll find her in the mountains or in the ocean.
Thanks to the author, I have one SIGNED copy to give away to a lucky reader. U.S. only, please. Enter on the Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
We’ve all read a book or seen a movie about someone appearing in someone’s life intent on destroying it. What I loved about the premise of this book is that this person is a long-lost child, one our protagonist, David, never knew about before she shows up.
David is a college professor trying to move up the ranks all while dealing with his aging mother, wife Caroline’s return to work, and two kids. Things are finally falling back in place with him until Zoe shows up. Being the father that he is, he welcomes Zoe into their lives and home, hoping she fits right in. But what are her motivations? Who is hiding what?
The beginning of this book had a great pace, and the fact that the story alternated characters telling it between David and Caroline made it move quickly. The ending sizzled. I just felt the middle got a little bogged down. And even when it finished, I was left with several unanswered questions.
I was surprised to discover that even when I thought I knew how things ended, the authors threw me another twist. This is a dark tale, perfect for those who want to know more about the characters of a thriller. With each chapter, we unravel more and more about what makes them tick and how easy it is to make them crumble.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
About the author: Karen Perry is the pen name of Dublin-based authors Paul Perry and Karen Gillece. Together they wrote Girl Unkown.
Paul Perry is the author of a number of critically acclaimed books. A recipient of the Hennessy Award for New Irish Writing, he teaches creative writing at University College, Dublin.
Karen Gillece is the author of several critically acclaimed novels. In 2009 she won the European Union Prize for Literature (Ireland).
Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy to give away to a lucky reader. U.S. only, please. Enter on the Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
At 400 pages, this was a longer read for a thriller, but I raced through it. When I started this book, I didn’t read any synopsis because I wanted to see where the story took me. And to be honest, even halfway through I wasn’t sure where the story was going, but it was an addicting page-turner and still took me by surprise.
The tag line for this book and written across the cover is “Some women get everything. Some women get everything they deserve.” And with two reliable narrators of this story, you don’t know who specifically this is referring to. Is it Amber, a young woman with a hidden past whose main goal in life is stealing the husband of her new friend, Daphne? Or is it Daphne, so used to wealth and privilege as a Connecticut socialite?
The second half of the book had elements reminiscent of Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris, filled with tension. There were also parts which reminded me of The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson. So if you enjoyed either of those books, I recommend picking this one up.
I think the story will be more enjoyable if you go in without reading much about it first, which is why I didn’t regurgitate much of the plot here. The night I finished, I still had a third of the book left but refused to sleep until I finished, eager to find out how it ended. I can’t wait to see what this writing duo comes up with next.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
About the author:
Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Separated by three states, they spend hours plotting via FaceTime and burning up each other’s emails. They attribute their ability to concoct dark story lines to the hours they spent listening to tales handed down by their Greek grandmother. THE LAST MRS. PARRISH is their debut thriller.
Thanks to the publisher, I have a copy to give away to a lucky winner. U.S. only, please. Enter on the Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway