Top Books of 2022 |

At the end of last year, I made a promise to not judge the number of books that I read in 2022, but rather, the quality. I knew that as a first-time mom, reading books for leisure would be a luxury, and as long as I dedicated some time to reading, I’d be happy.

Reflecting on the past year, I am pleased with my relationship with my favorite hobby. I snuck in some reading time during late-night pumping sessions, my daughter’s naps, and even on the treadmill. I rediscovered my Kindle and its lightweight convenience and would read while walking on my treadmill or cycling on the Peloton. I joined a book club and downloaded audiobooks for driving back and forth from work and doctor’s appointments. And all of this intentional self-care resulted in 34 books! Not bad, huh?

And while not all of the books were 5-star reads, I am happy with the books that I chose. This year’s books were certainly a mix of fantasy, contemporary fiction, and romance. I steered away from thriller and historical fiction, my usual go-to’s, and discovered some series that I really loved.

My favorite books this year

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Goodness. A little late to the party with this one, but boy, I loved every second. This book is hilarious, romantic, sweet, heartwarming, and everything in between. I will be rereading this one in 2023.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

The perfect book. Public radio nerd meets romance meets super fun storyline. I loved it. Another book I could read again.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Every trigger warning possible, but Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow was a super interesting story. It had very complicated characters and introduced me to the art of video game design. Takes some smarrttt people to make a video game.

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

A triumph. Incredibly brilliant. Complicated and smart and interesting and dense and everything in-between. Kuang is one of my favorite authors. No question.