Best Books I’ve Read So Far in 2022
I know. A book related blog post is nothing groundbreaking. But I’ll never not want to talk about books or what I’m currently reading (besides, as a child from the Reading Rainbow generation, I feel it’s my duty for me to share the books I love so…don’t just take my word for it…) . So here’s the thing: for the past several years, I’ve been setting challenges for myself to read a certain amount of books but it’s completely pressure-free. If I don’t reach the goal, it’s no big deal. So this year I have challenged myself to read 35 books and so far, I’m up to #29. But, I sort of cheated (I mean, is it even possible to cheat when there are no rules?) and re-read some books from childhood (ahem, Nancy Drew, I’m looking at you). But overall, I’ve read a good mix so far of bestseller titles and more obscure ones as well. This hasn’t been the most captivating book reading year, I’ll be honest. That is to say, nothing has really stood out to me the way some other titles did in previous years, with the exception of the following titles.
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Hazel Gaynor- Over the years, I’ve loved reading Historial fiction books, only I just recently discovered this is a whole genre in itself. This book was the very first one I read this year and it was just so beautifully written, I didn’t want it to end. It made me want to look up the real life female figure that this story was based on and I would just highly recommend it to anyone who likes a book they can really get lost in.
Veronica: The Autobiography of Veronica Lake by Veronica Lake- So anyone who’s known me for longer than 10 minutes knows about my love for Old Hollywood. Now Veronica Lake is someone I had never really been familiar with other than for her infamous peek-a-boo hairstyle. When I came across this book, I decided to give it a try (especially since it’s an autobiography and I love reading something written by the actual celebrity) and became incredibly invested in her life and thoughts as a person. There was way more beneath the surface than just that famous hairstyle, it turns out. I even saved some of my favorite quotes from her book (quotes relating to self-care and nature’s healing powers ). She lived a very vivid life, indeed. Did you know she owned a plane and flew it herself? I mean, have I convinced you to read this yet?
Rebel Homemaker: Food, Family, Life by Drew Barrymore- I’ve seen maybe 4 (?) Drew Barrymore movies in my lifetime and that’s basically just because I don’t really watch movies that were filmed after the 70s. But what I’ve seen of Drew as a person, I like, and this book was a delight to read. It’s mostly a cookbook but it’s written in the way a blogger would write (read: relatable), complete with some personal lifestyle photographs she took herself. It was a super quick read and while I probably won’t be using many of the recipes (I’m just not that into cooking), I did take away her tip of adding cracked pepper to Mac & Cheese and I can confirm that this is indeed a good idea.
