Best Books I Read in 2022: A Reading Recap

Last January, I shared my favorite reads from 2021 and I thought I’d continue the new tradition this year. I use Goodreads and Storygraph to track my reading and they tell me that I passed my reading goal of 100 books for 2022 and that 86% of my reading was non-fiction, which is surprisingly higher than last year. I am always amused when I see just how much non-fiction I read these days because when I was younger, I thought non-fiction was intolerably boring and preferred novels. How things have changed!

These are a few of my favorite five star reads (with a few 4-star honorable mentions thrown in) from 2022. I have provided affiliate links for them on Amazon and Bookshop.org for your convenience. I would love to hear about your own favorites after you have read this post!

Category: Memoirs

You Don’t Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl from Ukraine by Yeva Skalietska (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This little book makes for a quick read (you can likely finish it in about an hour) and reminds me a lot of The Diary of Anne Frank. It is the journal of an 11-year old girl written as she and her family live in and flee Ukraine after the war begins. Harrowing, heart-wrenching and memorable, it is one I will keep on my shelves for a long time.
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

I really enjoy listening to memoirs read by their authors. There is something special about being able to hear the author’s voice - their tone, their inflections - as they read their words the way they meant for them to be heard. I really enjoyed Michelle’s first memoir last year and I loved this one just as much. It’s filled with insight, inspiration and sweet memories from Michelle’s life.
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This book is one that stuck with me after I read it. It’s well-written and later in the year when I read a book by Jenny Booth Potter, it was interesting to make the connection between the two books and their authors.

Category: Creativity

The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Carol Ekarius Deborah Robson (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

I had so much fun reading this one. Never mind that I am allergic to sheep’s wool! I still loved learning about all kinds of different sheep breeds, including some rare ones that are at risk, and how their fleeces behave when spun up or knit. There are some non-wool animals included too, which was a happy surprise.
Yarnitecture by Jillian Moreno (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

I have been learning to spin yarn and this book has, by far, been the most helpful one I have read on the subject thus far. The photography in it is also beautiful. For anyone else who is interested in spinning, Jillian also has a wonderful class available on Craftsy
Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World by Neil Gaiman (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This is a short book but an inspiring one. I loved all of the illustrations that were included throughout! I don’t think I have actually read anything else written by Neil Gaiman, but I did listen to his Masterclass a few years ago and enjoyed it. This book made me want to read more of his work.
Fibershed: Growing a Movement by Rebecca Burgess (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

If you wear clothes, you should read this book. It is excellent. I have a full review on it here.

Category: Poetry

My revived love for poetry continued into 2022 and I read several volumes that I really enjoyed. Several Mary Oliver collections made my five-star rating list, including Felicity: Poems (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org), Blue Horses: Poems (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org) and Thirst (on Amazon). If I had to choose only one of the three as a favorite from the year, it would probably be Thirst.

I also really enjoyed Amanda Gorman’s Call Us What We Carry (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org). I loved her The Hill We Climb the year prior and had been waiting for this collection since. It did not disappoint! Her writing is lovely.

I mentioned last year that Billy Collins’ poetry makes me laugh and in 2022, I read his Musical Tables (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org). The poems within are much shorter than the ones in his other books but are still delightfully witty.

A new-to-me poet who became a favorite this year is Morgan Harper Nichols. I loved her All Along You Were Blooming (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org) collection so much that I wanted to buy extra copies so I could frame the pages for my office walls (I haven’t done it yet, but may at some point). It’s filled with beautiful artwork.

Category: Classics

I read fewer classics in 2022 than I thought I would but I thoroughly enjoyed the ones I did read. Among them:

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

I liked this one so much I gave a copy to each of the guys in my family for Christmas. It is about a young boy named David who is orphaned. We follow along with him as he grows into a young man and faces a number of challenges and hardships along the way. In true Dickens fashion, the book is a bit wordy and dense but is also a thoroughly enjoyable read if you allow yourself to take your time with it.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This one was a re-read for me. I first read it in 4th or 5th grade as a class assignment and it is one of the books from my childhood that produced such vivid imagery in my brain that it stuck with me all through my life. Even as an adult, I can think back on that book and see the pictures in my head that I had seen when I read it as a kid. I wanted to re-read it in 2022 and found it just as great a read now as I did then. The book is based on a true story about an indigenous woman who survived alone on an island off the coast of California for some time.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This is my mother-in-law’s favorite classic and I have to admit that I put off reading it for years. I read Wuthering Heights first (written by Charlotte’s sister, Emily) and absolutely hated it, so I was not much inclined to pick up this one for a while afterward. Once I started reading, though, I couldn’t put it down and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr. Rochester has his issues, of course, but I did love Charlotte’s writing style and the characters were well developed.

Category: Faith and Faith Communities

On Women and Gender Studies

The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This is such a valuable book and I am so glad I read it. I highly recommend it for anyone who either wants to learn more about the historical origins of the idea of "biblical womanhood" or who is reexamining what they may have been taught about it. It is well written (from the perspective of a historian / professor who knows her stuff), well-cited and thoroughly thought-provoking. One of the best books I have read on this subject thus far.
The Lost Apostle by Rena Pederson (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

I really loved this book. It was my favorite read of 2022 and has earned a spot in my top 10 favorite books list. In it, Rena insightfully weaves what we know about Junia's story (Junia was a woman who was an apostle in the time of Paul - New Testament era, after Jesus’ death - but whose history was intentionally obscured by men who did not believe women could or should be apostles) with the stories of other women (and men) throughout church history in fascinating and poignant ways. I love the way she sleuths out pieces of the story from all different directions and then brings everything together in a cohesive, understandable way. Though the work is well researched, her writing style is refreshingly readable. It was illuminating but not dense-feeling. I highly recommend it.

This is an area of study I am continuing to dive deeper into in 2023 and I am currently focusing on some of the more scholarly approaches to it. So far this year, I am really enjoying the work of Lucy Peppiatt and Carolyn Osiek. If this is a topic interests you, feel free to reach out! I’d love to connect on Goodreads or over on my personal blog where I review these types of books in my spare time. Faith-oriented books don’t really fit in with our usual topics of conversation here on Floranella, so I really only mention them here in end-of-year reading wrap-ups like this one, but I do enjoy finding people with whom to discuss them throughout the year!

On Abusive Cultures

A Church Called Tov by Scot McKnight (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

Scot begins this book by talking about how we create toxic cultures in church environments and what contributes to the formation of and sustaining of those types of environments, as well as why they are harmful. He then transitions to what we can focus on to create church environments that reflect the heart of Jesus for people. It’s such a good book. Practical, relevant, and sound. Highly recommend for anyone who is part of a faith community.
Something’s Not Right by Wade Mullen (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This book is a helpful resource for people who are experiencing abuse or who think it is possible that they are but are not quite ready to call it abuse. It deals primarily with spiritual abuse that often manifests itself in faith communities, but is also applicable to other types of abuse that can occur outside of religious organizations.
Dr. Mullen shares his own story of his family’s healing journey after experiencing spiritual abuse as he breaks down some of the tactics used by people in positions of power to abuse others. He describes common red flags, language that should serve as a warning that something might not be right, and gives suggestions for handling such situations whilst also keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.

On Purity Culture

I was brought up in the height of purity culture. The best book I have read on the subject thus far is The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila Wray Gregoire (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org). I highly recommend it for anyone who may have been affected by the teachings associated with purity culture, anyone who has read marriage books that just didn’t seem quite right to you, or for anyone who is part of a faith community, really.

Throughout the book, Sheila and her co-authors discuss the results of a large survey (over 20,000 participants) that yielded very interesting results. They break down which types of teachings, language and ideas found in a selection of critiqued marriage books leave room for harm and abuse in relationships and discuss how they were able to observe the effects of those teachings on marriage relationships via the survey results and interviews they conducted as part of their research. The data presented throughout the book is compelling.

The author, Sheila, also has a fantastic podcast that is available on Youtube.

On the Intersectionality Between Faiths and Earth Stewardship / Justice

Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview by Randy Woodley (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

Dr. Randy Woodley is a Cherokee teacher, historian, farmer and writer who has written several books in which he shows us how Indigenous values can holistically relate to place-based ecology, earth stewardship and Christian faiths. This book is written as a series of three lectures, each followed by a question and answer style interview.
This was a particularly timely read for me, as I found that many of the things that have been on my heart for the past few years were things that he brought up throughout the book. His wisdom expanded my paradigm and made me think deeply about this land’s history, the history of the people who live on it, and how Christian faiths can intersect with a more conscious, healing worldview.
Becoming Rooted by Randy Woodley (on Amazon / on Bookshop.org)

This sweet little 100-day devotional book was like water for my soul. I loved it. Also by Randy Woodley, it delivers a short reading each day. I read most of the entries outdoors and really enjoyed that practice. Highly recommend.

What about you?

Did you read any books in 2022 that have really stuck with you? I would love to hear about them, or any book recommendations you have for me!

Much love,
Erin