As I haven't discovered a better way of expressing the following, I shall repeat what I said in previous years...
The books I select as my favorites each year are those that: I get lost in; the ones that while reading, I lose all track of time; the ones that evoke the strongest emotions; the ones that make me laugh, cry, blush, gasp, and sigh. Yeah, those books!
Each year I meticulously review my database and online shelves to select my favorites. Even though I arbitrarily decide upon the categories, I am careful in considering which books deserve each designation.
Sadly, no matter how much I love a book, I am unable to recall details. In other words, although my devotion is clear, my memory is not. I would, indeed, like to attempt to explain my choices to anyone who may be interested.
In 2022, I did a great deal of re-reading favorites. I finished a total of 52 digital library books (Kindle and audiobook). I completed 35 Kindle Unlimited books and 3 Audible Escape titles. There were 8 books that I did not finish. As far as genres go, I read 10 non-fiction, 10 contemporary mystery/suspense/thrillers, and 6 historical fiction. The remaining 220+ were sub-genres of romance.
There are several books that were published this year that I wanted to read but was unable to, some of which were published late in the year. I may have to make an exception for some of them and include them in a future list, just as I made an exception this year for one "Special Mention" book that was published in 2021.
I'll be starting out 2023 with about 235 books on my to-be-read shelves—primary and secondary—and the 30+ books on my library wish list. I've set my StoryGraph Reading Challenge goal at 210 books.
My 2022 Stats
My StoryGraph Challenge total was 254 (first reads and rereads of single titles)
My database total was 208 (first reads of individual formats only)
(Note: I receive no monetary compensation. I only wish to show my appreciation. The book links below open up to the corresponding Webpages on Amazon.com or Audible.com.)
Single Titles
The Unknown Beloved by Amy Harmon (review)
Moody by Penelope Ward (review)
Special Mention
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult (published 11/30/2021)
Series Titles (two or more installments published within 2022)
Calamity Montana Series (The Bully #4 and The Brawl #5) by Willa Nash (Devney Perry)
The Edens Series (Juniper Hill #2 and Garnet Flats #3) by Devney Perry
Genres
Favorite Historical Fiction - The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki
Favorite Suspense/Thriller - Listen to Me (Rizzoli & Isles #13) by Tess Gerritsen
Favorite Historical Romance - The Unknown Beloved by Amy Harmon
Favorite New Adult - Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Favorite Paranormal Romance - Paladin's Kiss (Elemental Covenant #3) by Elizabeth Hunter
Favorite Romantic Series - First Family Series (State of the Union #3 and State of Shock #4) by Marie Force
Favorite Audiobook Performance - The Chameleon Effect written and narrated by Joe Arden
Romance Tropes
Characters
Most Luscious - Tempt (Cloverleigh Farms Next Generation Series #4) by Melanie Harlow
Most Realistic Romance - Moody by Penelope Ward
Most Surprising Plot Twist - Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
Most Devastating Blow Delivered - Desert Star (Ballard & Bosch #5) by Michael Connelly
Most Pleasant Surprise - The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki
So Close (Blacklist #1) by Sylvia Day
(The (a) following a book's title designates an audiobook and a (p) denotes the paperback or signed paperback (*p) of a book that I previously read via Kindle. The table is best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices.)
Author | Title | Publication Year | Reading Date | My Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
Abe, Shanna | The Second Mrs. Astor | 2021 | 9/7/2022 | 8 |
Akeroyd, Serena | Obsessed | 2022 | 10/3/2022 | 7 |
Aleahmad, Linda | Simi Valley: Toward New Horizons An Illustrated History | 1990 | 8/2/2022 | 6 |
Arden, Joe | The Chameleon Effect (a) | 2022 | 10/14/2022 | 10 |
Arden, Joe | The Chameleon Effect | 2022 | 9/13/2022 | 10 |
Armas, Elena | The Spanish Love Deception | 2021 | 3/21/2022 | 4 |
Asher, Lauren | The Fine Print | 2021 | 12/29/2022 | 5 |
Ashley, Kristen | Still Standing | 2021 | 12/9/2022 | 5 |
Bailey, Tessa | It Happened One Summer | 2021 | 7/27/2022 | 10 |
Bailey, Tessa | Hook, Line, and Sinker | 2022 | 8/23/2022 | 10 |
Bay, Louise | Mr. Knightsbridge | 2020 | 5/18/2022 | 8 |
Bowen, Rhys; Broyles, Clare | Wild Irish Rose (a) | 2022 | 9/1/2022 | 8 |
Bowen, Rhys; Broyles, Clare | Wild Irish Rose | 2022 | 4/7/2022 | 8 |
Boyd, Natasha | Deep Blue Eternity (*p) | 2015 | 2/22/2022 | 10 |
Boyd, Natasha | Broken French (a) | 2022 | 2/2/2022 | 10 |
Boyd, Natasha | Stolen English | 2022 | 11/26/2022 | 6 |
Brey, Karen | Campbell | 2004 | 6/19/2022 | 10 |
Brown, Sandra | Overkill | 2022 | 8/20/2022 | 10 |
Caine, Rachel; Ryan, Carrie | Trapper Road | 2022 | 9/20/2022 | 8 |
Canterbary, Kate | The Belle and the Beard | 2021 | 3/30/2022 | 4 |
Cate, Sara | Beautiful Monster | 2020 | 9/18/2022 | 6 |
Cate, Sara | Beautiful Sinner | 2020 | 10/4/2022 | 5 |
Cate, Sara | Praise | 2022 | 9/12/2022 | 8 |
Cate, Sara | Eyes on Me | 2022 | 9/13/2022 | 8 |
Cate, Sara | Give Me More | 2022 | 9/15/2022 | 8 |
Cate, Sara | Mercy | 2022 | 9/16/2022 | 8 |
Center, Katherine | The Bodyguard | 2022 | 8/18/2022 | 6 |
Chase, Emma | Getting Real (a) | 2021 | 1/26/2022 | 10 |
Cherry, Brittainy | The Air He Breathes (*p) | 2015 | 5/2/2022 | 6 |
Christy, Samantha | Catching Caden (*p) | 2017 | 4/9/2022 | 10 |
Clare, Pamela | Bound to Fall | 2022 | 3/3/2022 | 10 |
Clare, Pamela | Dead by Midnight (a) | 2017 | 10/16/2022 | 10 |
Clare, Pamela | Deadly Intent (a) | 2018 | 10/2/2022 | 10 |
Clare, Pamela | Fire and Rain | 2022 | 7/30/2022 | 10 |
Cohen, Stan B. | Pink Palace: The Royal Hawaiian Hotel | 1986 | 6/11/2022 | 8 |
Connelly, Michael | Dark Sacred Night (a) | 2018 | 4/30/2022 | 8 |
Connelly, Michael | Desert Star | 2022 | 11/15/2022 | 8 |
Connor, Claudia | Waiting on Forever | 2022 | 9/29/2022 | 8 |
Cross, Kaylea | Broken Bonds | 2020 | 5/19/2022 | 8 |
Cunning, Olivia | Backstage Pass (*p) | 2010 | 4/11/2022 | 10 |
Dare, Tessa | The Duchess Deal (a) | 2017 | 5/18/2022 | 8 |
Darhower, J.M. | Monster in His Eyes (*p) | 2014 | 1/8/2022 | 10 |
Darhower, J.M. | Torture to Her Soul (*p) | 2014 | 1/22/2022 | 10 |
Darhower, J.M. | Target on Our Backs (p) | 2016 | 2/15/2022 | 10 |
Davis, Fiona | The Magnolia Palace | 2022 | 2/6/2022 | 8 |
Dawes, Casey | Return to Promise Cove | 2021 | 4/14/2022 | 6 |
Day, Sylvia | Bared to You (p) | 2014 | 5/13/2022 | 10 |
Day, Sylvia | Reflected in You (p) | 2013 | 7/1/2022 | 10 |
Day, Sylvia | Entwined with You (p) | 2013 | 7/9/2022 | 10 |
Day, Sylvia | Captivated by You (p) | 2014 | 7/10/2022 | 10 |
Day, Sylvia | One with You (p) | 2016 | 7/12/2022 | 10 |
Deveraux, Jude | A Knight in Shinining Armor (a) | 2012 | 9/19/2022 | 8 |
Di Cola, Joseph M. | Chicago's 1893 World's Fair, Illinois | 2012 | 8/25/2022 | 8 |
Douglas, Penelope | Punk 57 | 2016 | 10/20/2022 | 8 |
Downey, Clifford J. | Chicago and the Illinois Central Railroad | 2007 | 6/24/2022 | 8 |
Evans, Katy | Real (*p) | 2013 | 4/2/2022 | 10 |
Evans, Katy | Mine (p) | 2013 | 12/23/2022 | 8 |
Evans, Katy | Remy (p) | 2013 | 12/24/2022 | 8 |
Flockton, Nicole | Next Door Knight | 2019 | 8/14/2022 | 6 |
Force, Marie | State of Grace | 2021 | 1/15/2022 | 10 |
Force, Marie | State of the Union | 2022 | 9/27/2022 | 10 |
Force, Marie | State of Shock | 2022 | 12/26/2022 | 10 |
Force, Marie | Someone Like You | 2022 | 2/26/2022 | 10 |
Gerritsen, Tess | Listen to Me | 2022 | 8/9/2022 | 10 |
Gilbert, Melissa | Prairie Tale: A Memoir | 2010 | 3/23/2022 | 6 |
Grant, Glen | Waikiki Yesteryear | 1996 | 6/13/2022 | 8 |
Grayson, K.L.; Urruela, B.T. | A Lover's Lament (*p) | 2016 | 4/26/2022 | 10 |
Greenlaw, Linda | The Hungry Ocean | 2001 | 4/27/2022 | 4 |
Grunwald, Lisa | Time After Time | 2019 | 3/2/2022 | 6 |
Halle, Karina | Before I Ever Met You (a) | 2017 | 10/12/2022 | 6 |
Harlow, Melanie | Call Me Crazy (a) | 2021 | 1/23/2022 | 10 |
Harlow, Melanie | Tie Me Down (a) | 2021 | 12/5/2022 | 8 |
Harlow, Melanie | Ignite (a) | 2022 | 1/16/2022 | 10 |
Harlow, Melanie | Taste (a) | 2022 | 6/25/2022 | 8 |
Harlow, Melanie | Taste | 2022 | 3/13/2022 | 10 |
Harlow, Melanie | Tease | 2022 | 7/18/2022 | 10 |
Harlow, Melanie | Tempt | 2022 | 11/23/2022 | 10 |
Harlow, Melanie | Some Sort of Crazy | 2015 | 10/31/2022 | 6 |
Harmon, Amy | The Unknown Beloved (a) | 2022 | 10/1/2022 | 8 |
Harmon, Amy | The Unknown Beloved | 2022 | 10/1/2022 | 10 |
Harmon, Amy | What the Wind Knows | 2019 | 10/27/2022 | 8 |
Hazelwood, Ali | The Love Hypothesis | 2021 | 2/12/2022 | 8 |
Hazelwood, Ali | Love on the Brain | 2022 | 9/23/2022 | 8 |
Hazelwood, Ali | Love on the Brain (a) | 2022 | 12/16/2022 | 8 |
Henry, Emily | Book Lovers | 2022 | 12/7/2022 | 10 |
Henry, Emily | People We Meet on Vacation | 2021 | 2/1/2022 | 6 |
Hoover, Colleen | Heart Bones (a) | 2020 | 3/16/2022 | 10 |
Hoover, Colleen | It Starts with Us | 2022 | 10/18/2022 | 10 |
Hoover, Colleen | Reminders of Him | 2022 | 1/18/2022 | 10 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | Paladin's Kiss | 2022 | 9/3/2022 | 8 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | The Dancer and the Dark | 2022 | 5/31/2022 | 8 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | Pearl Sky | 2022 | 12/15/2022 | 8 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | A Hidden Fire (*p) | 2012 | 11/12/2022 | 10 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | This Same Earth (*p) | 2012 | 12/3/2022 | 10 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | The Force of Wind (*p) | 2012 | 12/5/2022 | 10 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | A Fall of Water (*p) | 2012 | 12/11/2022 | 10 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | Double Vision | 2022 | 4/25/2022 | 8 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | Mirror Obscure | 2022 | 8/16/2022 | 8 |
Hunter, Elizabeth | Trouble Play | 2022 | 11/19/2022 | 6 |
Hyde, Catherine Ryan | The Language of Hoofbeats | 2014 | 10/19/2022 | 8 |
James, Nicole | Outlaw (a) | 2017 | 3/12/2022 | 8 |
James, Nicole | Jake | 2022 | 3/6/2022 | 8 |
James, Nicole | Trick | 2022 | 5/3/2022 | 8 |
Janowitz, Brenda | The Grace Kelly Dress | 2020 | 2/23/2022 | 4 |
Jordan, Skye | Playing with Fire | 2022 | 2/10/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi | All Grown Up (a) | 2019 | 9/22/2022 | 8 |
Keeland, Vi | The Boss Project | 2022 | 8/11/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi | Egomaniac (*p) | 2017 | 12/20/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi | The Rivals (a) | 2020 | 7/5/2022 | 6 |
Keeland, Vi | The Summer Proposal | 2022 | 1/25/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi | The Summer Proposal (a) | 2022 | 11/16/2022 | 8 |
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope | Hate Notes (a) | 2018 | 1/7/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope | Mister Moneybags (*p) | 2017 | 12/18/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope | Rebel Heir (a) | 2018 | 1/8/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope | Stuck-Up Suit (*p) | 2016 | 12/19/2022 | 10 |
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope | Well Played (a) | 2021 | 4/8/2022 | 8 |
Kleypas, Lisa | Scandal in Spring (a) | 2021 | 1/30/2022 | 8 |
Kleypas, Lisa | Scandal in Spring | 2009 | 1/12/2022 | 8 |
Kleypas, Lisa | A Wallflower Christmas (a) | 2021 | 2/4/2022 | 8 |
Kleypas, Lisa | A Wallflower Christmas | 2008 | 1/15/2022 | 8 |
Lauren, Christina | Something Wilder | 2022 | 9/3/2022 | 8 |
Lauren, Christina | The Soulmate Equation (a) | 2021 | 1/20/2022 | 8 |
Leighton, M. | Levi's Blue (*p) | 2016 | 4/30/2022 | 10 |
Louie, Emma Woo; Lai, Him Mark | Chinese American Names | 2008 | 6/30/2022 | 7 |
Malpas, Jodi Ellen | This Woman | 2022 | 12/1/2022 | 6 |
McGuire, Jamie | Almost Beautiful | 2022 | 10/12/2022 | 5 |
McIntire, Emily | Hooked | 2021 | 10/3/2022 | 8 |
Mitchell, Kennedy L. | Mine to Protect | 2019 | 3/17/2022 | 4 |
Nash, Willa | The Bribe (a) | 2020 | 2/17/2022 | 10 |
Nash, Willa | The Bluff (a) | 2021 | 2/20/2022 | 8 |
Nash, Willa | The Brazen (a) | 2021 | 2/21/2022 | 10 |
Nash, Willa | The Bully (a) | 2022 | 8/29/2022 | 8 |
Nash, Willa | The Bully | 2022 | 3/5/2022 | 10 |
Nash, Willa | The Brawl | 2022 | 10/6/2022 | 10 |
Nickless, Barbara | At First Light (a) | 2021 | 4/28/2022 | 10 |
Nickless, Barbara | Dark of Night | 2022 | 11/23/2022 | 8 |
O'Roark, Elizabeth | A Deal with the Devil | 2021 | 5/6/2022 | 10 |
O'Roark, Elizabeth | The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea | 2022 | 5/7/2022 | 8 |
O'Roark, Elizabeth | The Devil You Know (a) | 2022 | 10/18/2022 | 9 |
O'Roark, Elizabeth | The Devil You Know | 2022 | 8/5/2022 | 10 |
Owens, Ivy | Scandalized | 2022 | 9/9/2022 | 10 |
Owens, Ivy | Scandalized (a) | 2022 | 9/11/2022 | 9 |
Parton, Dolly; Patterson, James | Run Rose Run | 2022 | 3/12/2022 | 6 |
Pataki, Allison | The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post | 2022 | 2/21/2022 | 10 |
Patterson, James; Lupica, Mike | The Horsewoman | 2022 | 1/29/2022 | 8 |
Perry, Devney | Steel King (a) | 2019 | 2/5/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Riven Knight (a) | 2020 | 2/6/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Stone Princess (a) | 2020 | 2/7/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Noble Prince (a) | 2020 | 2/8/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Fallen Jester (a) | 2021 | 2/8/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Tin Queen (a) | 2021 | 2/10/2022 | 8 |
Perry, Devney | Juniper Hill (a) | 2022 | 1/28/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Juniper Hill | 2022 | 1/14/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Garnet Flats | 2022 | 8/1/2022 | 10 |
Perry, Devney | Tattered (a) | 2018 | 1/27/2022 | 8 |
Perry, Devney | Timid (a) | 2018 | 1/28/2022 | 8 |
Perry, Devney | Runaway Road (a) | 2020 | 10/30/2022 | 8 |
Perry, Devney | Wild Highway (a) | 2020 | 11/8/2022 | 6 |
Picoult, Jodi | Wish You Were Here | 2021 | 4/8/2022 | 10 |
Quinn, Julia | The Viscount Who Loved Me (*p) | 2022 | 10/14/2022 | 9 |
Raeder, Leah | Unteachable (p) | 2014 | 12/21/2022 | 10 |
Reichs, Kathy | Devil Bones (a) | 2008 | 8/25/2022 | 8 |
Reichs, Kathy | Cold Cold Bones | 2022 | 8/8/2022 | 10 |
Reiss, C.D. | Hardball (*p) | 2016 | 3/23/2022 | 10 |
Reynard, Sylvain | The Raven (*p) | 2015 | 11/5/2022 | 10 |
Reynard, Sylvain | The Shadow (p) | 2016 | 11/6/2022 | 10 |
Reynard, Sylvain | The Roman (p) | 2016 | 11/7/2022 | 8 |
Roberts, Nora | Nightwork | 2022 | 8/25/2022 | 10 |
Roberts, Nora | The Witness (*p) | 2013 | 4/19/2022 | 10 |
Ryan, Kennedy | The Kingmaker (a) | 2019 | 4/17/2022 | 10 |
Ryan, Kennedy | The Rebel King (a) | 2019 | 4/18/2022 | 10 |
Score, Lucy | By a Thread (a) | 2020 | 3/14/2022 | 8 |
Score, Lucy | Things We Never Got Over (a) | 2022 | 5/8/2022 | 10 |
Score, Lucy | Things We Never Got Over | 2022 | 2/19/2022 | 10 |
Score, Lucy | Maggie Moves On | 2022 | 10/22/2022 | 10 |
Scott, Emma | Between Hello and Goodbye | 2022 | 9/11/2022 | 10 |
Scott, Emma | The Girl in the Love Song (a) | 2021 | 4/5/2022 | 8 |
Scott, Kylie | Twist (a) | 2017 | 2/23/2022 | 10 |
Scott, Kylie | Fake | 2021 | 10/4/2022 | 8 |
Sinclair, Cherise | Soar High | 2021 | 1/22/2022 | 6 |
Society, Boulder Genealogical | Green Mountain Cemetery, Boulder, Colorado | 2016 | 6/3/2022 | 6 |
Spencer, LaVyrle | Family Blessings (a) | 2022 | 2/28/2022 | 10 |
Stapley, Marissa | Lucky | 2021 | 1/6/2022 | 6 |
Swan, T.L. | The Do-Over | 2022 | 9/10/2022 | 10 |
Tucker, K.A. | Wild at Heart (a) | 2020 | 10/26/2022 | 10 |
Tucker, K.A. | Forever Wild (a) | 2021 | 10/26/2022 | 10 |
Tucker, K.A. | Running Wild (a) | 2022 | 12/28/2022 | 8 |
Tucker, K.A. | Running Wild | 2022 | 2/4/2022 | 10 |
Tyre, William H. | Chicago's Historic Prairie Avenue | 2008 | 8/25/2022 | 8 |
Ward, Penelope | The Anti-Boyfriend (a) | 2020 | 1/11/2022 | 8 |
Ward, Penelope | The Assignment | 2022 | 3/9/2022 | 6 |
Ward, Penelope | The Day He Came Back (a) | 2019 | 1/22/2022 | 8 |
Ward, Penelope | Love Online (a) | 2018 | 12/11/2022 | 8 |
Ward, Penelope | Moody | 2022 | 9/17/2022 | 10 |
Ward, Penelope | Moody (a) | 2022 | 11/28/2022 | 10 |
Ward, Penelope; Keeland, Vi | Cocky Bastard (*p) | 2015 | 12/17/2022 | 10 |
Ward, Penelope; Keeland, Vi | The Rules of Dating | 2022 | 10/7/2022 | 8 |
Ward, Penelope; Keeland, Vi | Rebel Heart (a) | 2018 | 1/8/2022 | 10 |
Whelan, Julia | Thank You for Listening | 2022 | 9/4/2022 | 6 |
Wilson, Norah | Fatal Hearts (*p) | 2014 | 4/16/2022 | 10 |
Wylde, Joanna | Reaper's Property (p) | 2016 | 7/22/2022 | 8 |
Wylde, Joanna | Reaper's Legacy (p) | 2014 | 7/24/2022 | 8 |
Wylde, Joanna | Devil's Game (p) | 2014 | 8/30/2022 | 8 |
Wylde, Joanna | Reaper's Stand (p) | 2014 | 8/31/2022 | 8 |
Wylde, Joanna | Reaper's Fall (p) | 2015 | 9/6/2022 | 8 |
Wylde, Joanna | Reaper's Fire (p) | 2016 | 9/8/2022 | 8 |
Young, Samantha | Always You | 2022 | 5/25/2022 | 8 |
Young, Samantha | Be With Me | 2022 | 8/29/2022 | 8 |