Best books of the year, so far.
Because who doesn't love a good book list?
I have been trying to resurrect my book blog for over a year. Since Piper was born in March last year and I started seminary a few months later, there has been no margin for anything extra. But she is finally napping for two hours at a time (may this newsletter not jinx her routine) and classes are done for the summer, so I have a tiny window in my day that I am using to make a list of my favorite books of 2022 so far.
I finished 38 books in the first half of the year but also started and did not finish dozens (including Commonwealth by Ann Patchett and one of my goals of the year was to read her backlist so it’s not going great). I owe this to a.) never being without a book b.) audiobooks and c.) compulsively reading when I ought to be doing laundry or schoolwork or taking a nap.
Here are some of my favorites:
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
I will read anything Emily St. John Mandel writes, and I’m still trying to make my way through her backlist. Sea of Tranquility is set in the future but also the past and follows three characters who’s lives intertwine as the story unfolds. It’s pretty short and the writing is gorgeous. If you like her other books, or if you liked The Martian or How High We Go in the Dark , I think you’d like this one!
Nora Goes Off Script
One very exciting thing that has happened this year is that I’ve started receiving ARC (Advanced Reader Copies) of books. (!!) This has been a delight and you too can sign up to get e-books from NetGalley. There’s no guarentee you’ll be approved but it’s worth a try. This was the first ARC I received, and it did not disappoint. It’s a romance, which I typically don’t read, but it was recommended by trusted sources and occasionally I will pick up a romance for some warm fuzzy vibes. This is about Nora, a screenwriter and a mom who used her recent divorce to inspire her most popular script she’s ever written. When actor Leo, who I pictured as Chris Hemsworth, gets cast in the role of her ex-husband, well, its a romance so you know what happens next. I loved the characters and it was just cheesy enough.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Listen, if you haven’t heard of this you must have been living under a rock where no books exist. This is in the running for my favorite book of the year. It is hard to describe because it was just so good and the summary doesn’t do it justice, but basically it’s about two friends, Sadie and Sam and their lifelong creative partnership. They are flawed, and they love each other, and they make video games together. I also highly recommend the episode of The Book Review podcast by the New York Times with Gabrielle Zevin where she discusses her novel.
Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close
I started following Jennifer Close on Instagram after I finished this novel, and now I want to be her best friend. I rarely pre-order books, but this one made the cut because it takes place in Chicago (my favorite city) in and after 2016, which is the year my beloved Cubs won the World Series. It’s about a big, messy family and the restaurant they’ve owned for decades. It’s funny! I think it is so hard to write humor so when a book makes me laugh, I usually love it. This is more character driven than plot driven, but don’t let that imply that it is boring. I had a hard time putting it down and ended up loving the messy family.
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
Listen, if you had told me a book featuring ghosts would be among my favorites of the year, I would have given you a very confused look. Not only are there ghosts, there are animals! (If you know me, I am not an animal person.) This is about a young woman who drops out of medical school and returns home to spend time with her dying father. It also made me laugh and it made me cry. It was warm and well-written and so unique.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but when Annie Jones, owner of the bookstore The Bookshelf, recommends a historical fiction book, I listen to her! This is one of those rare plot-driven and character-driven novels that are my sweet spot. The story follows Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the 50s who is fighting to make a name for herself in a very hostile, male dominated world of science. It was really unexpected and I enjoyed it. Don’t let the cover fool you into thinking this is a light and fluffy read!
Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott
Piper was born last year and becoming a mom has led me to crave books about motherhood. I often wonder if other other moms experiencing things that I am? Am I doing this right? Questions about motherhood and identity and having children are constantly revolving in my head and Mary Laura Philpott puts words to some of these thoughts. I laughed, I cried, I zipped through this short book that would not only make a great gift for about anyone in your life, it will also remind you about the complexities and beauty of just living a full, ordinary life.
Welcome to Anyways by me, Haley. Avid reader. Recovering Southern Baptist. Big fan of puzzles.
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