There are only so many books one person can read during a year. Then, at the end of the year, we find ourselves looking back and thinking “dang, maybe I should have read that one.” Now that we are comfortably into the second quarter of 2023, here are the top five books I wish I had read in 2022.
5. The Maid by Nita Prose
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • “A heartwarming mystery with a lovable oddball at its center” (Real Simple), this cozy whodunit introduces a one-of-a-kind heroine who will steal your heart.
FINALIST FOR THE EDGAR® AWARD • “The reader comes to understand Molly’s worldview, and to sympathize with her longing to be accepted—a quest that gives The Maid real emotional heft.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
“Think Clue. Think page-turner.”—Glamour
ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Reader’s Digest
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The Guardian, Glamour, Elle, PopSugar, Newsweek, Mental Floss, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews
In development as a major motion picture produced by and starring Florence Pugh
Molly Gray, a 25-year-old hotel maid with social difficulties who takes pride in her job and her obsessive cleaning habits. When she discovers the dead body of a wealthy and infamous guest in one of the hotel rooms, the police immediately make her their lead suspect due to her unusual demeanor. Molly’s journey to clear her name is both a locked-room mystery and a heartwarming exploration of the human spirit, as she learns the importance of human connections and finds support from unexpected friends. The book delves into themes of individuality, social isolation, and the power of human connection to solve even the most complex mysteries.
Why I Didn’t Read It: This novel has been on my TBR since it came out last January and I honestly have no idea why I never got around to picking it up. Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery & Thriller of 2022, I am surprise I have slept on this novel for so long. Maybe I just never got around to reading it because I didn’t want to be disappointed. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley was also nominated in this category, and lost, and I gave that novel 4 stars. I find it hard to believe a Thriller could beat it, as The Paris Apartment was one that I honestly could not guess the ending of; but maybe I should give it a try. In fact, I am using one of my Audiobook credits right now so I no longer have an excuse not to read listen to this novel.
4. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.
Jennette recounts her experiences as a child actor and her difficult relationship with her mother, who pushed her to become a star through extreme measures like “calorie restriction,” at-home makeovers, and constant monitoring of her weight and income. McCurdy’s success on Nickelodeon’s iCarly and Sam & Cat only exacerbates her anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, leading to eating disorders, addiction, and unhealthy relationships. After her mother’s death from cancer, McCurdy discovers therapy and quits acting to focus on her recovery and discover what she really wants. The memoir is told with candor and humor, and is an inspiring story of resilience and independence.
Why I Didn’t Read It: I loved Jennette McCurdy growing up. Heck, I still love her. She was always my favorite character on iCarly, and I would argue she was the most talented one on the show. It takes a lot to play BOTH the best friend and the “mean” one. Back in Middle School when I came out, I wanted to be Cat so bad. I felt horrible when Nickelodeon did her dirty in the Sam & Cat spin-off and ever since her departure from Nickelodeon I have always wish Jennette the best with her life. Which brings me back to why I didn’t read Jennette’s memoir. I was super excited for it to come out in August, and even more so when I heard that Jennette herself would be the narrator for the Audiobook. However, when it came to picking what I would use my credits on before our cruise, I decided it may be too triggering for me to listen to on vacation. After all, any YouTube deep-dive into Dan Schneider and Live-Action Nickelodeon shows are pretty effed up.
3. Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • Meet Elizabeth Zott: “a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention” (The Washington Post) in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.
This novel is “irresistible, satisfying and full of fuel” (The New York Times Book Review) and “witty, sometimes hilarious…the Catch-22 of early feminism.” (Stephen King, via Twitter)
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek
Chemist Elizabeth Zott, faces sexism in the early 1960s from her all-male research team at Hastings Research Institute. However, she develops a true chemistry with Calvin Evans, a Nobel-prize nominated colleague. Elizabeth becomes a single mother and the host of a cooking show, where she revolutionizes cooking with her scientific approach. Her success challenges the status quo, and the novel is a funny and vibrant portrayal of her story.
Why I Didn’t Read It: This maybe be a little too “Pick Me” to say, but I am not really a Romance Chick-Lit person. Which is strange because I used to LOVE YA Romance Chick-Lit (Meg Cabot being my favorite). So when I first saw this novel, I really wrote it off as just another Romance Beach Read, that would be fun to read, but not really something I would be interested in (Yes I defiantly judged it by it’s cover). Since then, I have seen this novel EVERYWHERE, including being nominated as one of Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Historical Fiction 2022. Now everytime I walk by it in a bookstore, at the airport, or on one of of my friends Goodreads account I think “Dang, maybe I shouldn’t let whatever internalized misogyny I have left leave my system and pick this book up.”
2. The Unsinkable Greta James – Jennifer E. Smith
An indie musician reeling from tragedy and a public breakdown reconnects with her father on a weeklong cruise in “a pitch-perfect story about the ways we recover love in the strangest places” (Rebecca Serle, bestselling author of In Five Years)
“The characters are drawn with a generosity that allows them to be wrong but also right, loving but also prone to missteps, and ultimately deserving of a resolution that’s full of hope.”—Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Flying Solo
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: She Reads
Greta James, a musician who suffers a breakdown on stage after the death of her mother, putting her career in jeopardy. Months later, she reluctantly accompanies her father Conrad on a cruise to Alaska, where they hope to heal old wounds in the wake of shared loss. On the cruise, Greta meets Ben Wilder, a historian struggling with his own life upheaval, and they both find themselves drawn to and relying on each other. As they navigate the stunning Alaskan wilderness, Greta must decide what her path forward looks like and how to find her voice again.
Why I Didn’t Read It: This is another novel where I have no clue why I haven’t read it. I actually received an Advanced Reader Copy of The Unsinkable Greta James from Ballantine Books and Penguin Random House on NetGalley back in October 2021. I remember being extremely excited when I was approved for it as it was one of the more talked about releases for the first quarter of 2022. (I am so sorry Ballantine Books for never getting around to this one; please don’t blacklist me!!!) But some things came up, and I thought I downloaded it to my kindle, but I never did. By the time the novel came out March of 2022, it was featured as one of the Book of the Month Club’s March picks. This jogged my memory that I needed to read and review it for a short bit…but by that point it was already archived on NetGalley. But don’t worry, I promise to purchase and read a copy of it in 2023 so I can finally submit that NetGalley review (and raise my Feedback ratio.
1. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zevin
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • Sam and Sadie—two college friends, often in love, but never lovers—become creative partners in a dazzling and intricately imagined world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. It is a love story, but not one you have read before.
“Delightful and absorbing.” —The New York Times • ”Utterly brilliant.” —John Green
One of the Best Books of the Year: The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, TIME, GoodReads, Oprah Daily
Childhood friends Sam Masur and Sadie Green become successful and wealthy after creating their first blockbuster game, Ichigo, before graduating college. However, their success does not protect them from the betrayals of their hearts or their own creative ambitions. The story spans thirty years and explores identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and the need for human connection. The novel takes place in various locations, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and beyond.
Why I Didn’t Read It: I really did not hear much about Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow until I learned it was the winner of the Goodreads Choice Awards for 2022 Best Fiction and Book of the Month’s Book of the Year Award. I was not familiar of Gabrielle Zevin as an author (Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is her 10th novel), even though The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry was another New York Time’s best seller (and now a Hulu series staring Big Bang’s Kunal Nayyar and PPL’s Lucy Hale). And, while the cover was enticing, I wasn’t really interested in description of it back in July of 2022. After hearing of all the accolades, this was the first book I read in 2023, and I so desperately wish I took the time in 2022 to read it then.
Honorable Mentions: Carrie Soto is Back – Taylor Jenkins Reid
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An epic adventure about a female athlete perhaps past her prime, brought back to the tennis court for one last grand slam” (Elle), from the author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
“A heart-filled novel about an iconic and persevering father and daughter.”—Time
“Gorgeous. The kind of sharp, smart, potent book you have to set aside every few pages just to catch your breath. I’ll take a piece of Carrie Soto forward with me in life and be a little better for it.”—Emily Henry, author of Book Lovers and Beach Read
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Time, NPR, PopSugar, Glamour, Reader’s Digest
Carrie Soto, a fierce tennis player who sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. After retiring as the best player in the world with twenty Grand Slam titles, Carrie finds her records shattered by a new player named Nicki Chan. At thirty-seven, Carrie makes the decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year to reclaim her record. The novel explores the emotional journey of Carrie as she battles to regain her title and swallow her pride to train with Bowe Huntley, a man she once almost opened her heart to.
Why I Didn’t Read It: Carrie Soto is the main reason why Nina Riva was getting a divorce. While I didn’t blame Carrie for why Nina’s husband wanted to leave her, I wasn’t ready to become emotionally invested in her as a character when the book came out. I just finished Malibu Rising, and wanted to hold off before diving into Carrie’s story.
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