Favorite Reads of 2022

This is a self explanatory post, so let's get right into it. If I end up having time later, I may come back and add photos of the books. None of the links are affiliates.

In no particular order, my favorite reads are:

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

This one is somehow harder to read after having experienced the entire series. Certain sections just hit differently; knowing how things will turn out, and being aware of backstory that you didn't know before puts everything in a new light. Even though this book is aimed at younger audiences, the strong character development and themes ensure enjoyment for older readers as well. This is definitely a book (and series) that I'll regularly re-read.

Scholar's Plot by Hilari Bell

Book 5 in a 6 book series, Scholar's Plot continues the tragically comical journeys of Michael and Fisk. My favorite aspect of this series is that the character arcs are non-linear. The story feels fresh due to the lack of standard story structure; it's very much a goals-driven series rather than a plot-driven one. The magic is an enticing blend of "old world" (ie, druidic-style nature gods) and middle ages (natural sciences advancing and juggling old understandings with new discoveries). While I would love to re-read this and the rest of the series soon, I'm not sure how often I'll get around to it. As far as I can tell, there aren't any audio/narrated versions of the series, and lately I've only had time to listen to audio books.

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

I forgot how much I loved this when I was younger, and am very glad I decided to come back to it. There's so much beauty and character to enjoy!

People Fuel by Dr John Townsend

This is one of the few non fiction books I read (even though I tried to branch out and include more non & historical fiction in my reading!), and I read it twice. There is a lot of great information. It is geared towards a Christian worldview, so there are comments about God and some Scripture references (specifically in how people should act towards one another). I found this book helpful, particularly in regards to managing my energy input/output and adding context to some aspects of discernment in company that had been instinctive.

The City Between series by WR Gingell

A series full of Fae shenanigans, tropes, and twists, this is one I hope to revisit at least once a year. The first two books took a bit of getting used to, due to the fact that it's in first person POV and she's trying to get used to the world that's opened up to her. Once she finds her groove, the narration smooths out. This series has magic, murder, mystery, light romance later on in the series, and a wonderfully sarcastic narrator. The murder scenes are somewhat graphic, but no more so than some episodes of X-Files.

The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maas

I found this book immensely helpful, with good advice, exercises, and excerpts showcasing each chapter lesson. I'm looking forward to having a WIP finished/mostly finished so I can run it through the exercises and test its mettle. The only downside is there's no way to copy/paste the exercises, or a separate PDF of the exercises. This makes it a tad difficult to write on one screen; the exercises are extensive. Be forewarned, there is an excerpt from a book that features the POV of a pedophile. There is a warning in the book, so you'll have plenty of notice to skip (which I did, so I have no idea how detailed it got).