This post includes 10 favorite books of 2022 – so far.
We’re already halfway through the year, I can’t believe it! Time really flies when you’re having fun. And what fun I had reading some amazing books!
So far, I read a few good books, some okayish, and a few great ones. Today, I am going to talk about my favorites so far for 2022.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram lately, then my top favorite book should come as no surprise. But I’ve discovered a few other good ones this year, some from authors I’ve already read, some I was looking forward to reading, and a couple of new ones.
Without further ado, let’s see which books made my 10 favorite books of 2022 list – so far.
10.Finlay Donavan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
If you’re looking for a lighter thriller that’s filled with humor, this is the book to pick up. Finlay Donavan is a struggling writer and single mom who’s trying to get her life together. A misunderstanding gets her a contract to kill someone, and she gets deeply involved in a murder investigation. Witty and well-plotted, this book will crack you up.
A first in a series of three, at least so far, will get you out of a reading slump for sure. The way the book unfolds is fast-paced yet authentic. And yes, it does live up to the hype!
9. Girls Who Lie by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir
This is the second installment in the Forbidden Iceland series written by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir and translated by Victoria Cribb.
Detective Elma and the team are called in when the body of a depressed single mother is found. In this slow burn, the author describes the scenery and the weather with captivating accuracy. The storyline is dark and disturbing, and the way the author goes backward in time is typical of her style. She builds the momentum and adds a few twists and turns that give the story some spice. The ending was quite spectacular, and one I didn’t see coming.
If you enjoy Nordic Noir thrillers, I highly recommend the author. Although the book can be read as a standalone, I would start with the first book, The Creak on the Stairs.
8. Hello, Transcriber
The first book by Hannah Morrissey is a captivating mystery suspense. Hello, Transcriber features Hazel Greenlee, a police transcriber for the Black Harbor police department. It has the dark, atmospheric vibes that you expect from Scandinavian novels.
Hazel is an aspiring writer that is biding her time before getting out of this crime-ridden frozen hellhole. The case she stumbles upon hits a little too close to home, and her involvement is a bit too personal. She becomes enthralled with the main detective on the case, and she ends up risking everything to get her story.
A great first novel by Hannah Morrissey, she has a new book, The Widowmaker, coming out later this year. Definitely give her a read, she will captivate you!
7. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Many people have bashed Colleen Hoover for being too commercial, but I loved It Ends With Us. The book makes you feel emotions that are hard to ignore. The author has a way of putting words together that will make you scream in anger, but at the same time feel immense hope and joy.
While I was reading this book, in the first part at least, all I could think of were happy endings, rainbows, and butterflies. But then I kept reading, and the book just took a turn toward reality. And oh, boy, did I not see that coming! I won’t spoil it, in case any of you haven’t read it yet, but the subject just got really dark super fast, and it just left me feeling despair and anger.
You can’t help but fall in love with Lily, the main character, and you only want good things for her.
I rarely read these types of books, but I did enjoy them very much. I’m looking forward to reading other books from the author.
6. The Spectacular by Zoe Whittall
This Canadian writer is slowly becoming my go-to author. If you haven’t picked up her first novel, The Best Kind Of People, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. Although I did enjoy her first novel more, The Spectacular is not shy of being, well, spectacular.
The story is told from three points of view: Missy, a 22-year-old cellist who’s on the road with her band. Then there’s her mother, Carola, a forty-something woman who was lost for most of her adult life and now she’s resurfacing, trying to salvage her relationship with her daughter. And finally, there’s Ruth, Missy’s grandmother, her father’s mother, who was born in Turkey and immigrated to Canada in the sixties.
The first half of the book was amazing, and it literally flew by. The decision of whether or not to become a mother was discussed from the point of view of the three women. In the second half, Whittall developed it a bit more. Although the second half was told from the present time, things don’t seem as exciting to me as back in 1997. That is why the book didn’t get five stars from me.
5. The Help by Katrine Stockett
A well-written novel about three women living in Mississippi in the early 1960s and the struggles racial tensions brought on their lives.
The author writes with a sense of humor, while the unfairness with which people of color are treated is omnipresent throughout the book. How can a 22-year-old young white woman try to change things for her beloved nanny, Constantine, and other colored maids she came to see as a family?
What genre does it fall under? Not sure, but I would probably fit it in the literary fiction category.
This novel gives you hope while breaking your heart at the same time. I loved the rawness of the subject the author expertly blended with hope.
If you haven’t read it yet, I strongly recommend it. It’s never a bad time to read it, even though it is an older novel. The movie adaptation is pretty decent too, with an amazing cast.
4.The Harbor by Katrine Engberg
In the third Korner and Werner book, Engberg gets better and better. The first book in the series is The Tenant, and the second is The Butterfly House.
This Danish author is also one of my favorite authors, and one of my automatic go-to when not sure what to read. And this cover, I mean… They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I definitely do. I’m a sucker for beautiful covers, and rarely the book disappoints.
This case involves a missing teenager from a wealthy family and a body found at the garbage incinerator facility. How are the cases related? Detectives Jeppe Korner and Annette Werner uncover quite a story behind these crimes.
In a typical Scandinavian atmospheric setting, the book will take you through Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. Which also happens to be one of the cities I’m so looking forward to visiting.
This police procedural is perfect for thriller lovers, especially Nordic Noir junkies like me. It can also read as a stand-alone, but I would start off at the beginning to see the progression of the main characters’ lives. Highly recommend it if you’re in the market for a fast-paced book to keep you occupied for a few days. Depending on how fast your read!
3. The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza
OMG! I had this series on my TBR pile for a couple of years at least, and am glad I picked it up finally! This type of thriller is right up my alley. It feels as if the author wrote this book for me!
No joke, I feel so connected to this book. Detective Erika Foster is my literary role model, and Robert is a sweet guy as well as an amazing writer. I’m still more than halfway through the second book in the series, and I really need to catch up! Especially since he released his seventh book in this series, Fatal Witness, just earlier this month.
The Girl in the Ice is about the murder of a young socialite. Her body was discovered in a frozen pond in South London Park by a young boy. Although on the surface it seemed like her life was perfect, once Erika starts digging deeper, what she uncovers is disturbing, to say the least. While dealing with her own demons from the last investigation that resulted in the death of her husband, she solves this case against much resistance from all sides.
Guys, if you enjoy thrillers, you must pick up this first book in the series. A little warning though, you will want to read the complete series, it’s that addictive.
2. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkinson
There are only two books this year that I rated five out of five stars on Goodreads. This is one of them, the other is The Ballerinas, of course.
Black Cake is a story of Californian siblings Benny and Byron who get to deal with their mother’s death. Before she died, their mother made an audio recording for them to sit through together and listen to. Another thing she left them is her black Caribbean black cake, the last cake she baked before she passed. Her wish is that they listen to the whole thing, and then cut the cake when they feel the time is right.
Just like in real-life families, secrets were deeply buried, and sacrifices were made, but at the end of the day, families should stick together.
Well written, the book contains multiple points of view as well as different timelines. The way the author navigated between the past and the present was cleverly done so overall an excellent book.
1.The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
Should I keep gushing about this book once more? Well, sure I will. It is my favorite of the year so far, and very possibly my favorite for the entire year. I mean, I still have a few fantastic books I have planned to read for the rest of the year, but it will be in my top five for sure.
It has Black Swan vibes, for those who are familiar with the movie. Delving into the competitive world of professional ballet, the friendships of the main characters are also complex and complicated.
Delphine, a former soloist at the Palais Garnier Opera House, returns to Paris after she followed her former lover to Moscow. Thanks to him, that is where she started a choreographic career. Upon her return, her friendship with her two former best friends and fellow colleagues at the ballet school is strained. But now, at 36, she’s trying to make things right.
The author explores the complexities of female friendships and the dark drive toward perfection that is omnipresent in ballet. Her writing will transport you into their competitive world.
I think the reason I loved this book so much is because of my obsession with the movie Black Swan. Regardless, if you love classical ballet, this book gives you some thriller vibes along with ambition and passion for the art.
Give it a try, I’m curious if you’ll love it as much as I did.
Final Thoughts
These are my 10 favorite books of 2022 so far.
What do you think of my choices? Did you read any of these? If you do pick any of them up, I’d like to hear your thoughts about them. Until next time, keep reading my bookish friends.
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