2022 was a weird reading year for me. I read fewer books than I usually do, I only read fiction books (which is SO unlike me), and surprisngly 3 of the 9 dealt with time travel. Most of my free time throughout the year was filled with wedding planning so I didn’t get to read as much as I liked but whenever I did, it was a welcome escape and something I looked forward to. See below for how I’m ranking each read!
1|It Ends With Us: Read If You Need A Good Cry
This feels like a pretty basic #1 now that it has made its way through BookTok, but I read this book in January of 2022 before it hit the Tok and I have to say that it deserves every bit of hype it has received. It’s a story that makes you feel ALL the feels– you’ll be crying, rooting for the bad guy, disappointed in the anti-hero, and more. I’ve read a few Colleen Hoover books through the years and I have to say this is my second favorite. The first being Veritiy, of course.
2| The Lions of Fifth Avenue: Read If Your Classic Literature Obsessed
This was such a special read for me! I’m not usually into historical fiction but when I found out that this book was about a family who lived at the New York Public Library, I knew it would be the perfect honeymoon read (ICYMI: My wedding was at NYPL). This book is perfect for the book lover who also enjoys a mystery and romance.
3| The Hotel Nantucket: Read If You’re Looking For A Beach Read
Every Summer I read at least one Elin Hilderbarand novel and this year, it was Hotel Nantucket. All of her books are based in Nantucket, which I absolutely love but her character development is really the shining star. I truly feel like I know the characters personally as I’m reading ANY of her novels. The Hotel Nantucket is perfect for anyone who loves to travel or has an appreciation for the hospitality industry. There is also a sprinkle of haunted hotel, romance, and teenage drama to keep you hooked.
4|Ugly Love: Read If You’re Emotionally Stable
DO NOT READ if you’re emotionally unstable 😂. Another Colleen Hoover that pulls at your heartstrings. When you start Ugly Love, you’ll think this is just another steamy romance novel but if you keep reading, you’ll get to the core of these two characters and why love can truly be ugly sometimes. This is a book that STICKS with you. I swear to god, I find myself thinking about it all the time.
5| In A Holidaze: Read If You Love Christmas
I Read at least one Christmas book each year and this year it was, In A Holidaze. Getting married and honeymooning in December, I didn’t have any Christmas books on my radar and this was one of the only ones available via Scribed so I started it on my way home from Hawaii and I’m so glad I did. This book has a little bit of a Sci-Fi (light time travel) and is about a family that goes to a cabin with their closest friends every Christmas. As someone who does soemthing similar, it made me very nostalgic and excited for the holiday week to come following my honeymoon.
6| In Five Years: Read If You’re In A Rut
This is another BookTok fave but I didn’t love it as much as others seem to. It’s about a woman who gets engaged and then time travels by 5 years to find out her life is COMPLETELY different from what she was expecting. I read this early in the year and as someone who just got engaged and was planning a wedding, I found it a little too depressing. That said, it does make you think a little harder about how we live our lives, what we spend our time on and who we choose to love.
7| It Starts With Us: Read If You Already Read ‘It Ends With Us’
Due to the success of ‘It Ends With Us,’ Colleen Hoover released ‘It Starts With Us’ in late 2022. It is a continuation of the ‘It Ends With Us’ story so it will only resonate with you if you are caught up. This was another honeymoon read and I certainly enjoyed it but it felt pretty uneventful, which I believe was a strategic choice by Hoover after an emotionally-packed novel like ‘It Ends With Us.’ I did love getting more of some of my favorite characters but overall not a must-read.
8| One Last Stop: Read If You Want Queer Love And Sci-Fi.
This one was probably my biggest disappointment of the year. I absolutely loved Casey McQuiston’s first book, ‘Red, White & Royal Blue‘ and can’t wait for the movie to be released so my expectations were HIGH for this one. It takes place in New York City and is about August & Jane who have a classic meet cute on the subway, only to find out that Jane has been stuck on the subway since 1970s and hasn’t aged a bit. It’s well-written and I was into August & Jane’s chemistry but I just didn’t like the story.
9| Marriage On Madison Avenue: Read If You Just Got Engaged
This one was another Scribed pick that I read on a flight back from one of my many LA trips in 2022. Getting married in NYC, I thought it would be a light & fun read, which it was. It’s at #9 because it was a pretty dumb read. I didn’t get invested in any of the characters and it felt generic.
Now that wedding planning is over, I’m excited to fill more of my free time with reading. Might even get crazy, and re-launch the book club, who knows! What are you reading this year?
