Top 5 Books of 2022

I hit my goal of reading 100 books this year.  Here are the 5 that I consider my top picks for the year in no particular order.  If you want to see everything I read checkout my Goodreads account:  Bethany's Goodreads

1.  Subpar Parks  by Amber Share

This would make a great coffee table book.  The book is based off of Amber's Instagram account.  She shares peoples reviews of National Parks and they are hilarious to read.  You would think some people had no idea what they were going to see.  The art work in the book is modern and shares the parks in a new way.  With each review there is information about the park.  If you enjoy the National Parks you will enjoy the book. 

2.  The Address by Fiona Davis

I love Fiona Davis historical fiction books.  In 2021 I became obsessed with books about buildings, which all seemed to be in New York City.   Obviously, the library app has picked up on my love of mystery, history, and architecture. This is another book about a historic building in NYC that jumps back and forth from 1885 to 1985. I listened to it on audio, so it was easy to follow the story. It hits several themes in the book; architecture, NYC history, insane asylums, and DNA. It was a wonderful book that kept me on my toes, and I made time to listen to it quickly.

3.  The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

This is the best mystery book I read all year.  I did not figure out any of the book until the author explained what was happening.   If you like Agatha Christie you will enjoy this book, but if you don't like not understanding what is going on for a big part of the book, you won't like this book. 

4.  The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn

This was one of the many books I read this year that dealt with Jane Austen.  This one was nothing like what I expected because it involves time travel.  The main part of the story takes place in the few years before Jane dies.   A team from the future returns to her time to try and get an unfinished manuscript.  It was a fun read about what Jane's life could have been like. 

5.  Devoted by Tim Challies

If you're a mom you will love this book.    This was a bunch of Tim's blog posts that he turned into a book, so each chapter could easily be read separately.  Each chapter is about a man of faith and his relationship with his mother.  He doesn't go in chronological order and that annoyed me, but if you're a mom who wonders if you're doing enough - READ THIS BOOK! 

  

I would love to know what you enjoyed reading this year!  What was your favorite book?