A Book A Week

2022 was a banner year for A Book A Week in more ways than one. In January, I celebrated my milestone 10th anniversary of the blog. It is crazy to think I've been doing this for as long as I have. The connections this outlet has afforded me have been the number one thing sustaining me through all these years. I'm so grateful for the friendships I've made and the fantastic books I've been exposed to. 

In addition to this being a landmark year for the blog, I also achieved a personal best of reading 59 books this year. There are always way more books on my TBR than I have time to read. I'm at a point where I enjoy reading most of the books I pick up (I usually set a book down if I don't like it), so distilling my reads down to 5 favorite titles proved to be more challenging than usual. I was surprised that the books I most enjoyed were also all published this year. That speaks to the quality and diversity of selections that were published this year. Without further ado, here are my Top 5 Favorite Reads of 2022 listed in the order that I read them. 

Unmasked by Paul Holes

Part memoir, part true crime, Unmasked sees Paul Holes recall his life as a criminal investigator on some of the most high-profile cases in recent history. From bringing the Golden State Killer to justice to investigating the murder of Laci Peterson and the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard, Holes has had a front-row seat to the headline-grabbing crimes that have captured our nation. He writes of balancing the pressures of his demanding work with trying to be present for his young family. The book succeeds as both a fascinating inside look at the mechanisms of solving a crime and as a memoir of one man who has dedicated his entire life to seeking justice.

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Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alsion Espach

The loss of a child brings the kind of inconsolable grief that defies comprehension. Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance sees Alison Espach present her own contemplations upon grief and loss through the eyes of a young woman directly in the process of dealing with it. Espach doesn't pretend to have answers. Instead, she writes an intimate novel that allows her characters to naturally go through life, making decisions that seem authentic to each of them. I was riveted by this challenging yet rewarding work. 

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Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

It is hard to comprehend that Nightcrawling is a debut novel. Mottley has crafted a narrative akin to the best writing from the most seasoned and celebrated authors. Inspired by the true story of a young girl who was physically and mentally taken advantage of by a group of corrupt police officers, Mottley weaves the crumbs of that reality into a sobering portrait of poverty in America. Nightcrawling is a phenomenal debut from a promising author who is worthy of all the hype and praise she has already received.

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The Measure by Nikki Erlick

What would you do if you knew the exact length of your life? In her debut novel, Nikki Erlick takes this grand "what if" concept of moral ambiguity and unleashes it upon an ensemble cast of well-crafted characters. Erlick effortlessly shifts perspectives as she tells the stories of people coming to terms with the lengths of their lives. The Measure is a novel that dares its reader to contemplate their own life and place within the world. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the final page.

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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

It is rare to find a nearly perfect book, but this one is. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a big book filled with big ideas, all grounded through some of the most brilliantly crafted characters I've ever read. We follow these characters through three decades of life, feeling companionship, exhilaration, frustration, and heartbreak. Zevin shifts perspectives between the main characters, ensuring the plot moves in a way that is authentic and ever-compelling. By the end, Sam and Sadie are completely known to us, as real as the people we know in our own lives. I don't often heap universal praise upon a novel, but this is easily my favorite book of the year. 

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Have you read any of these books? What was your favorite read of 2022? As always, thanks for supporting A Book A Week. I can't wait to share all the great reads that 2023 will bring.