Well, the good news is: we've made it through another year. Can you even believe it? I didn't clear the To Be Blogged stack, and I only finished one book in December (yesterday!), but it was a great reading year and I'm looking forward to making a fresh new book list for 2023 today.
But before we do that, let's take stock of 2022. I read a lot of really great books this year and, quantitatively, this was my best reading year yet with my tally adding up to 46 books. I got re-acquainted with the library system this year thanks to my book club, and I've finally read The Lord of the Rings which felt like a major literary milestone for me. I discovered a series I never dreamed I'd enjoy but ended up loving (also thanks to book club), and I finally read and consequently unearthed some new favorite authors I've been meaning to get to for years. I still haven't tackled David Copperfield despite this being the third year I've put it on my book list, and I only managed to complete one presidential biography this year though I am well on my way through my biography of Polk. C'est la vie. Tomorrow is another day, or, as it happens, another year. Here's what I read in 2022.
January
Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions & Advice to Young Converts : completed 1/8
Great way to start the year. Highly recommend reading this in January.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (re-read) : completed 1/20
The Proposal by Lori Wick (re-read) : completed 1/23
I love a good re-read, especially near the beginning of the year, and I did a lot of comfort reading in January. This English Garden series by Lori Wick is a familiar favorite for me.
The Rescue by Lori Wick (re-read) : completed 1/24
The Visitor by Lori Wick (re-read) : completed 1/27
February
The Selection by Kiera Cass (library book) : completed 2/1
Not my favorite, but the book club decreed this would be the book for January so to the library I went.
The Elite by Kiera Cass (library book): completed 2/2
The One by Kiera Cass (library book) : completed 2/5
The Lady's Mine by Francine Rivers : completed 2/15
So excited to get a new release from one of my favorite authors!
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare : completed 2/25
Ye ole Bard's most maddening comedy yet.
Church Membership by Jonathan Leeman : completed 2/28
I Am A Church Member by Thom S. Rainer : completed 2/28
The MVP of the three church membership books I read this year.
March
What Is a Healthy Church Member? by Thabiti M. Anyabwile : completed 3/11
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (re-read) : completed 3/29
Wasn't planning to re-read Jane Eyre this year, but this was the book club book for February. Haven't decided if I should recap this for the blog or not. Any thoughts on that?
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (re-read) : completed 3/31
Wasn't planning to re-read this EVER, but this was the book club book for March. Just as depressing as the first time around with an added sense of dread knowing what was coming.
April
Summer Promise by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 4/10
Decided to go back to the very beginning and visit with Christy this year for my Robin Jones Gunn selections.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (library book) : completed 4/18
Easily my least favorite book of the year.
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle : completed 4/27
May
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (read aloud) : completed 5/20
Such a good idea reading these aloud with my husband. We loved them.
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear : completed 5/21
June
The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse : completed 6/1
One of those newly discovered favorite authors I'd been meaning to get to.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (read aloud) : completed 6/3
The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty : completed 6/17
Another new favorite author.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (library book) : completed 6/23
That series I didn't expect to love.
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (library book) : completed 6/28
July
Cress by Marissa Meyer (library book) : completed 7/8
Winter by Marissa Meyer (library book) : completed 7/14
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien (read aloud) : completed 7/24
That ending.
August
completed 8/6
The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne : completed 8/15
Not a summertime book!
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman : completed 8/24
One of my favorites this year. So much laughing and crying.
Present Concerns by C.S. Lewis : completed 8/30
September
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare : completed 9/8
Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais : completed 9/15
Could not put it down. Looking forward to her next book.
In His Image by Jen Wilkin : completed 9/21
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie : completed 9/30
Read the book; skip the movie.
October
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (re-read; read aloud) : completed 10/2
Got to read the whole book to my niece when we brought her home with us for a week. Love that.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (re-read) : completed 10/6
Thinking I'll end up recapping this one.
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle : completed 10/15
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl : completed 10/20
So fun.
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl : completed 10/26
But I liked this one even better.
November
A Whisper and a Wish by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 11/5
Yours Forever by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 11/6
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer : completed 11/27
My BFF Christina read this one with me.
The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley : completed 11/28
Flavia is so fun. Looking forward to more of her adventures.
December
Watership Down by Richard Adams : completed 12/30
Recap coming soon. This one was so good.
I'd love to hear what you read this year or if you kept any resolutions you made for yourself. I hope you made some memories in 2022 you'll treasure, and I hope you're looking forward to a brand new year. Thanks for visiting this little corner of cyberspace, and have a safe time bringing in the new year tonight! Don't forget to check back soon for my 2023 book list.
From me and mine, peace and love to you and yours.
What a fantastic year you've had, Hannah! Happy new year! (And don't sweat not getting to David Copperfield - it's been around for 170 years, it ain't going anywhere, you'll get to it when you get to it 😉)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sheree! And a happy new year to you as well!
Deletesomehow I missed that you read LOTR out loud. that's some commitment; respect.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think we both needed it to get through The Fellowship, but then we flew through Two Towers and Return of the King.
Delete46 is IMPRESSIVE. Am I missing something or did you also have a "secret list"? How many of these are from that list?? (or did I just dream that?)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about of Mice and Men. Heartbreaking.
I also read the Lord of the Rings Series this year, thanks for the inspiration! The kids are LOVING the Hobbit. I told them the story while we were hiking in Cyprus. We got them an illustrated copy and put the story on their Toni box (a mite scary for night time but eh still a hit) and they are having a ball with it.
Thank you! I used to have a "secret goal" each year, but I haven't made one for myself the past few years. We'll have to see if I can come up with one this year.
DeleteI love that the kids are loving The Hobbit. Such a great adventure!