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When I started reading this year I made a promise to myself not to set a number on how many books to fI wanted to finish this year (since last year was a FAIL!). Well, we are only halfway through 2022 and I’ve read 39 books!

I’m so proud of myself because last year I read 48! I feel like I’ve never been more motivated to read. Maybe it’s because I’m following a lot more Bookstagram accounts that make amazing suggestions. Who knows! All I DO know is that I have read some books this year that I couldn’t put down!

So I’m making a list of the top books I’d recommend that I read so far this year. I’m also including a link on Amazon, a brief summary (if you want more click the Amazon link), and some of my thoughts. Here are the books I loved so far:

Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you)

1. For Your Own Good By Samatha Downing

If you like thrillers with BIG plot twists then this is the book for you! This was a part of a buddy read I joined in January. I finished it in three days because I was HOOKED! The story is about a teacher named Teddy who works at a private school. Teddy likes to teach his privileged students and their parents some lessons. One day a school parent dies on school grounds and it’s looking like someone murdered her. As colleagues and students look deeper and deeper into Teddy’s life there ends up being more questions than answers.

If any book could describe someone digging themselves deeper and deeper into a hole, this would be it. Teddy was an obnoxious narrator who was more pretentious than the privileged people he disliked so much. The whole time Teddy tries to convince the reader he’s doing this for his students’ own good. The last scene in the book is beyond satisfying!

2. We Were Liars By E. Lockhart

I started reading We Were Liars thanks to my 2022 Monthly Reading Challenge where I tried to read a book from a different genre each month. For the month of June, I assigned a Young Adult Novel to be the genre and this was the book I chose. I’m not a huge fan of the YA genre but this book had me hooked from the first chapter.

One thing I will say about this book is the less you know going into it, the better. We Were Liars is about a young girl, Cadence, whose family stays on their private island every summer. The Liars are Johnny, Mirren, Gat, and Cadence. They come from a family of money but deep-rooted problems. The Liars want to start a revolution.

If you are into a YA book with a shocking twist then you should definitely pick up a copy!

3. Before I Do By Sophie Cousens

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing me with an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of Before I Do. I had a great time reading it!

Before I Do is about a woman, Audrey, who we meet the night before her wedding day. She is going to marry Josh who is a very particular and sweet man. But in walks in Fred, a man who Audrey had one perfect day with years ago. The story is told through flashbacks to when Fred and Audrey first met and when Audrey started dating Josh. As the book goes on Audrey starts to question her relationship with both men and where her fate lies.

This book had me HOOKED from the first page. I stayed up late reading the ending because I was dying to know what happened (and that’s saying a lot because I have a newborn at home and I need sleep!). I read This Time Next Year last year and I loved it so I had high hopes for this book. Sophie did not disappoint!

I loved the main character Audrey. She’s the kind of girl you relate to very easily. She has some Daddy/Mommy issues that she clearly needs to work on. I really liked both Josh (the man she is supposed to marry). I love how the book made it seem like there was going to be something wrong with Josh. Like that would explain Audrey’s doubts. But instead, he’s just a big lovable, and caring man who may or may not have some OCD tendencies.

If you want to continue reading this review or want to keep up to date with what I’m reading, check out my Good Reads account: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/91472844-kelly-m

Before I Do will be released on October 11th, 2022.

Related Post: The Best Books I Loved in 2021!

4. The Best of Friends By Lucinda Berry

This one I listened to on Audible (Yes, listening counts as reading). It is a heartbreaking story about motherhood and grief. Three friends endure the worst night of their lives when a tragic accident affects their three sons. One is left dead, one is in a coma, and one is left traumatized and unable to speak. The three friends unravel and are left wondering what happened that night. The friends spend the rest of the novel trying to piece their lives back together as much as they can.

As a mother of boys, this book was tough to listen to. The Best of Friends is about a parent’s worst nightmare and biggest fears all in one book. As each mother tries to figure out what happened that night you can’t help but feel a pit in your stomach. I loved the build-up to the final answers and how the story wrapped up. I also loved the relationship between the friends because of how relatable it was. Sometimes our closest friends can be our biggest blind spots.

5. The Paper Palace By Miranda Cowley Heller

Before I get into this book I need to put out a BIG Trigger Warning! There are multiple scenes of sexual assault and rape. I didn’t know that going in (we chose it for my book club and boy were we all shocked) but this book was a page-turner. The Paper Palace is a beautifully written novel about a married mother in her 50s who is spending the summer at her mother’s vacation home. She starts an affair with her oldest friend, Jonas, and the next 24 hours are spent divulging into Elle and the women in her family’s past. Elle needs to make a decision about whether to stay with her husband or be with Jonas. The question this book poses is; who are the people who know your worst moments and are they your soulmate?

I finished The Paper Palace in less than 24 hours because how could you not?! It’s the kind of book you NEED to finish to know how it ends and then sit with your thoughts. I absolutely LOVED the ending! We read this in my book club and talked about the ending ad nauseam. If you do end up reading this book please let me know so we can talk about it!

6. Reminders of Him By Colleen Hoover

What is a “Best Books of 2022” list without a Colleen Hover book? Not a book list I trust! Reminders of Him is about a young woman named Kenna who just spent 5 years in prison for a terrible mistake. She comes back to town to hopefully see her daughter even though everyone wants to shut her out. Ledger is a local bar owner who is shockingly drawn to Kenna and can’t seem to shake his feelings for her. Can Kenna and Ledger find a way to get Kenna involved in her daughter’s life without stepping on too many toes?

Best Sellers in Audible Books & Originals

In my opinion, any Colleen Hoover book is going to be heart-wrenchingly amazing. I loved the story and how Hoover makes you feel for Kenna even if you don’t understand her actions until later. One of the themes of this book that I loved was the belief that one bad decision doesn’t mean that you are a bad person. Also, how can anyone forgive the unforgivable? If you haven’t read this one yet, I’m telling you now that you HAVE TO!

Related Post: The Best Beach Reads for this Summer

7. Atomic Habits By James Clear

Instead of having a number of books as a reading goal for 2022, I decided to set different goals. One of them was to read 1 Non-Fiction book every month. (Want to read more about my goals? Click this link: My 2022 Goals!) I chose Atomic Habits because I saw so many people raving about it on Instagram. This is one non-fiction book I would recommend to everyone who’s hoping to better themselves.

From the first few paragraphs, James Clear tells the reader all about his struggles and setbacks as a high schooler. The fact that he went on to play some college baseball is astounding and also inspirational. Clear lets you know from the get-go that he is a man who knows a thing or two about making healthy habits and keeping them. One of the themes that I loved about this book was how it’s not about making big goals and making big steps, it’s about taking the next step. Motivation follows AFTER you start doing things. Don’t focus on the fact that you need to run 3 miles, just focus on running for one minute. If you are looking for an amazing self-help book that will inspire you to be your best self you need to check this book out! There’s a reason why bookstagram is raving about it.

Final Thoughts

As I’m writing this post there are a few books on this list I want to reread again. I’m pretty sure some of these will go down as my favorites of all time that I recommend to people. I hope you find a book in this list that piques your interest or helps you find a new favorite. If you do end up reading any of these books let me know so we can talk about them. I love talking about books! Also, if you have any books that you’ve read this year that you consider the best so far, let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from all of you.

Thanks for reading

Kel

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