My reading rate has picked up again in 2022, and this year I’ve read another mix of non-fiction, novels, and short stories, keeping track of everything through Goodreads as usual.
1st – Winner – Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Every Summer After is the New York Times bestselling debut by Carley Fortune. It’s a “second-chance romance” novel that marks a step out of my comfort zone into a genre that perhaps it’s still fair to say is traditionally enjoyed by women.
My full review of Every Summer After.
2nd – Starter for Ten by David Nicholls
Starter for Ten is set in 1985, and is the story of Brian Jackson, a first-year student who is preparing for an appearance on University Challenge while simultaneously falling in love and discovering the “University Experience” is not quite living up to his expectations.
My full review of Starter for Ten.
3rd – Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, the ragged little marsh girl who only attended school one day in her life yet grew up to be a beautiful and successful author of nature books, similar to Owens herself. The book begins when she is just six years old and follows her life journey as she tries to survive alone in the marsh she calls home, with only the gulls as friends.
My full review of Where the Crawdads Sing.
There are a couple more books that I loved, but didn’t quite make it into my personal top three for the year.
The Graduate by Charles Webb
The Graduate is set in the 1960s, and introduces us to Benjamin Braddock just after he has returned home to his parents’ house in California following his graduation from a small college in the east of the United States. His parents are throwing a party to celebrate his success, but Benjamin does not want to attend.
My full review of The Graduate.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club is one of the most talked about debuts in crime fiction in recent years. It’s a record-breaking number one platinum bestseller, shifting over one million copies in the same year as its release, and notably the only book to have done so. I don’t read much crime fiction, but this novel is so talked about, I wondered if I was missing out on something special.
My full review of The Thursday Murder Club.
As usual, there are plenty more books on my want to read list on Goodreads, and I’m hoping to get through a similar number next year.
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash.
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