It’s that time of year again. With January 2023 underway, social media becomes inundated with videos and posts about the “most-loved” parts of the last year. This includes skincare, makeup, movies, and my personal favourite — books.
In 2022, I read 54 books, and while there were some disappointments, there were many that I loved. Some transported me to other worlds, others left me on the edge of my seat, and the majority I still think about, even months after reading them.
Instead of discussing each book individually, I decided to make my own favourite books of 2022 awards. From the best thriller to the best audiobook, there’s surely something for everyone on this list.
So, without further ado, here are my 2022 Book Awards.
Best Non-fiction:
Winner: Cultish: the Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
When most people think of cults, religious communes and large-scale tragedies usually come to mind. Often, readers may think, “I would never fall for that.” But what about groups like the cycling studio chain SoulCycle and multilevel marketing, the controversial marketing strategy where products are sold through word-of-mouth and recruiting? In this book, Amanda Montell explores the nitty-gritty of the power of language and how it can lure people into high-control groups and make them stay. Montell illustrates how controlling language is present in our everyday lives, from #bossbabes to Instagram gurus, and actually goes beyond what we normally deem as “cults.”
This book offers readers a critical yet accessible perspective on why specific language techniques are used, whether on social media, in community groups, or in getting people to buy a particular product. This book is wildly fascinating and a great pick for non-fiction beginners.
You can purchase the book here.
Best Thriller:
Winner: They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
If the film Promising Young Woman met the song “I Did Something Bad” by Taylor Swift, it would be this captivating and unputdownable thriller.
Although I think this book is best to go into without prior knowledge, if you need a bit more information before committing, the story follows a college English professor named Scarlett. But she has a secret: she’s been a killer for 16 years. What’s more, Scarlett only chooses men she thinks deserve being killed. Until one day, she begins killing people on the university campus, and chaos ensues.
At the same time, we follow Carly Schiller, a student at the university who becomes increasingly obsessed with her roommate until — well, I shouldn’t spoil it for you.
This book is dark, twisty and even humorous. What more could you ask for than a queer female vigilante serial killer?
You can purchase the book here.
Best Cover:
Winner: World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
As stunning as this cover is, the inside is equally as gorgeous. World of Wonders is part memoir, part love letter to nature. The book is a collection of essays by Indian-Filipina poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil, each of which focuses on a particular aspect of the natural world and how it pertains to her life, including fireflies, axolotls and catalpa trees. This tiny book contains some very powerful lessons.
Perfect for reading all at once or a bit at a time and with beautiful illustrations throughout, this collection of essays is a celebration of life and nature. I highly recommend this book if you need a pick-me-up.
You can purchase the book here.
Best character:
Winner: Emmeline Lake from Yours Cheerfully by A.J. Pearce
I first read about the lovable Emmy Lake in A.J. Pearce’s first novel Dear Mrs. Bird, and the second installment of the Emmy Lake Chronicles does not disappoint. Emmy Lake is a young journalist in London working for a women’s magazine when she becomes appointed the head of an advice column called “Yours Cheerfully,” where women write about their problems and challenges. In an effort to recruit more female-identifying workers during the height of WWII, magazines and newspapers encouraged more people to become involved. As she takes on the challenge, Emmy begins to uncover the barriers women are facing at work.
I read Yours Cheerfully at the beginning of the year, yet I could not stop thinking about Emmy. She is determined, charming and just overall wonderful. Reading about Emmy feels like reading about a friend, and I would recommend both books in the Emmy Lake Chronicles to anyone looking for a heartwarming and poignant story.
You can purchase the book here.
Best audiobook:
Winner: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
I’ll be honest: I picked up this book because of BookTok — but it did not disappoint. This is a young-adult thriller following Pippa Fitz-Amobi, an aspiring journalist doing her senior capstone project on her small town’s most talked about unsolved crime. Once her project proposal turns into a full-blown investigation and Pippa teams up with the alleged murderer’s brother, a web of lies, red herrings and twists unfolds.
What’s interesting about this book is its multimedia format, including interviews, emails and texts that, in audio form, become riveting. When you’re listening to the book, it feels like you are listening to a podcast — it has a full cast of narrators with sound effects and often sounds like you’re listening to actual interview recordings. If you’re looking to get into reading but can’t commit to picking up a long physical book, I highly recommend listening to this audiobook. However, definitely look up the trigger warnings first.
You can purchase the book here.
Best Book by a Canadian author:
Winner: Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
This debut novel by Toronto native Heather Marshall tells the captivating story of the Jane Network — a real underground system of women, doctors and nurses providing safe abortions in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, prior to abortions being legalized in Canada in 1988.
The novel follows the fictionalized accounts of three women in different timelines from the 1960s to 2017, as they all become affected by the Jane Network in some way. While this is fiction, the characters are enthralling, and you can tell the author did extensive research about reproductive rights, maternity homes and the Janes. This is an emotional read while packing in some important history lessons.
You can purchase the book here.
And last but not least…
Best Book Overall:
Winner: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
Ansel Packer has 12 hours to live, and the clock is ticking. The novel outlines a man on death row for killing four women and traces back to Ansel’s life and how he got to that point. But the story is so much more than that. Rather than the typical true-crime, murder obsession that seems to plague our culture nowadays, Kukafka points out the bizarre draw that people often have to crimes while simultaneously overlooking the victims. She focuses on the women Ansel impacted to reconstruct how he became the way he is and his effect on other people.
This is not a thriller. Instead, it is a character study that challenges society’s fascination with crime. Before reading this book, I would look up the trigger warnings as it deals with intense subject matters, although it is well worth the read. It brings into question thought-provoking topics like what it means to be human and the caveats of the legal system. This is a gripping and emotional story that I still think about to this day.
You can purchase the book here.
So, whether you’re a seasoned bookworm or your new year’s goal is to read more, grab a warm drink and a blanket and cozy up with one of these books. There’s surely something for everyone on this list.