I have finished 50 books this year. I spent more time with audio-books this year because of the amount of road trip time we had. My top 10 is a mixed bag for sure. I would be hard pressed to say what order I would put these in so I won’t even try. I will just say they made the top 10 and leave it at that with the exception of my top pick. My Journaling Bible is by far the best book I read all year. You probably knew that was coming. LOL It was an NASB Floral Journaling Bible. NASB is my favorite translation with ESV being a close second. I will be back in an ESV this coming year.

A bit of business before I share the list… I have a January newsletter coming early next week. If you are interested in that you have time to sign up to receive that. I did one in December for Advent, too. I am hoping to do at least one every other month in 2023. Feel free to join the fun with the extra content. Now, on to the books…

I chose several very spiritually encouraging books, mysteries, cozy, classic, and how to books…

• Songs of Suffering by Joni Eareckson Tada – a beautifully inspiring devotional full of old and new hymns. I loved it so much I gifted copies to my MIL and my Mom. This will be on a regular rereading rotation in my home.
• Dawn of Redeeming Grace by Sinclair B. Ferguson was my Advent pick this year. I read his first one last year and have the Lent edition ready to go for Easter this year. I am a huge Ferguson fan!
• You Who? by Rachel Jankovic – this is a no nonsense book full of the truth of who God is and who He has created us to be. I highly recommend it especially if you are confused by the lies of the world and why we will never be enough no matter what the world tries to convince us. God is always enough… me, not so much. 😉
• Magpie Murders was my favorite fiction of the year. I know I said I could not pick but it was. It was two mysteries in one. I read it and then I watched the Masterpiece Mystery version. Not disappointed one bit! That is rare but it helps that Anthony Horowitz actually masterminded the miniseries version, too.
• Habits of Grace by David Mathis – I read this one early in the year. It was very biblical and practical. If you are a Christian it is a must read.
• Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher – It was not quite as remarkable as September but it was thoroughly enjoyable. I have not met a Pilcher I did not enjoy. Her books tend to be chunkers and slow reading but so satisfying and like a giant cozy sherpa blanket you wrap yourself in to escape the outside world. Her books and Jan Karon’s books are the kinds of stories I turn to when I need something familiar. I am trying to choose another Pilcher for 2023 to cozy up to for a long read.
• The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith – this was a super quick read that was loaded with helpful advice. My favorite advice from her was to STOP DOING WRITING PROMPTS! I loved this so much because those things wear me out. I highly recommend this book to anyone writing nonfiction from books to blogs. You will find inspiration here.
• The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy – this was my first Tolstoy but it won’t be my last. I could not put this little book down! I read it in two sittings. I could have read it in one but I had to make dinner. It is the story of a dying man. I won’t say more. It is thoroughly fascinating.
• The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie – This is the first book in the Tommy and Tuppence series. We listened to this one in audio form as we drove through Tennessee and North Carolina. Christie was certainly a master storyteller. I am currently in search of the next one in the series for 2023. I loved this couple and this story very much.

I had a few firsts this year with the Tolstoy and I also read my first Anthony Trollope. I picked up an Elizabeth Von Arnim, too. I have a few more of these authors books on my shelves now.

What did you read this year? What was your favorite or something you would recommend to us? Did you read an author for the first time and fall in love with their writing? Did you enjoy a book to film or TV adaptation you care to share?

In 2023 I have a few things lined up already and hope to share that soon with you. I refuse to make a full TBR because I am so fickle. I change my mind so often and get distracted by the shiny covers a lot. I am planning to try to read from my own shelves again this year and will limit purchasing new books. My genres will include fiction, nonfiction, biographies, theology/christian living, Bible reading, devotional books, some history books (including the one my middle son got me for Christmas), and a few topical nonfiction reads. I have a stack of missionary bios I want to delve into. I do plan to take a few choice review books again this year. I am starting with the newest from Laura Frantz. It came in the mail yesterday. Stay tuned for that review by the end of January.

That’s it for a review for 2022. I hope you had a great reading year. There are so many books left to explore. I cannot wait for what the new year brings for my reading life.

Until next time…

Happy Reading!

~Leann