22 FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2022

[@ElliesCozyChronicles]

🤗🙌 Miss Buncle's book was also one of my favorite reads in 2022. It makes you smile a lot!

[@BooksAndJams]

It was such a sweet story. I am looking forward to reading on in the series.

[@ElliesCozyChronicles]

@@BooksAndJams 🤗🙌

[@WildeBookGarden]

Okay, I think you've sold me on Miss Buncle's Book AND The One Hundred Years!

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope more people do pick up Miss Buncle's Book. It was a delight. I am also glad to press Lenni and Margot into your hands. It was lovely as well. A bit more sad, but still so good.

[@talandacampbell6873]

Loved the Bodyguard need to read the 100 years

[@BooksAndJams]

Oh I think you'll love it!

[@Readingindarknesss]

I also need to read lennie and margot!!

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope you do. It was so lovely.

[@MLLatUtube]

I forgot about rereading Dear Mrs Bird with you. Definitely one of my favorite books. I still need to read All Thirteen and A Place to Hang the Moon.

[@BooksAndJams]

Yes! Please read those ones. MaryLou I have missed you!!

[@EssentiallyBooked]

Just finished The Last Cuentista for my IRL bookclub and what an incredible book!!!

[@BooksAndJams]

I'm so glad you loved it! I have read some Newbery winners that had me wondering how they won, but not The Last Cuentista. I thought it was fantastic.

[@EntertheBook]

So many of these I need to make sure I have on my wishlist- the library book is in top 20 all time favorite nonfiction- random personal note my father was a top executive for Atlantic Richfield who had a headquarters across from the library and helped during the fire/ contributed after to restoration. So he had extra experience and memories of that event - so cool. Thanks for this amazing list!

[@BooksAndJams]

That's so cool that your dad has a personal connection to that fire. I loved reading about so many people pitching in to help with cleanup and restoration. Love that.

[@sandyokey1019]

Many of these are on my tbr list. I enjoyed Miss Buncle’s Book as well💕

[@BooksAndJams]

I just purchased the rest of the Miss Buncle series. I can't wait to read them!

[@pamhayton5835]

Dear Mrs Bird has a sequel, Yours Cheerfully and the third book is coming out in 2023.

[@BooksAndJams]

I did read Yours Cheerfully. Really loved that one too!

[@kfp10596]

My favorite was Dear Edward. I need to move Sparks like Stars up

[@BooksAndJams]

Yay! I'm so glad we all read Dear Edward together. What a good book.

[@ashleycarrick4566]

Wow. Thank you for this video! I can’t wait to pick up Sparks like Stars! My husband spent a year in Afghanistan with the Army, so he talks about it and I feel like this book would be a good little eye opener for me!

[@BooksAndJams]

I would be so curious to hear your thoughts when you're done. I just loved it.

[@loriglasser5173]

Hi Krista! The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is one of my favorite books of 2022. You have introduced me to All the Lonely People; I think I would enjoy it very much. I really enjoyed the selection of your favorite 22 books for 2022!

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope you do read All the Lonely People. It's so heartwarming.

[@estherbouchillon95]

I put several on my tbr! I'm especially interested in Dear Mrs. Bird. That sounds like a fun one.

[@BooksAndJams]

It was a lovely story! I love books that make me laugh a bit. I am easy to cry with a book, but it's more rare to have a book that can make me laugh. So they're special.

[@sherylwill3309]

Choosing a favorite can be a bit hard when you read 460 books but this year hands down my favorite was House in the Cerulean Sea.

[@BooksAndJams]

Nice! I was an outlier and didn't care for that book too much. But I know so so many loved it!

[@BernasBookishAdventures]

I added Miss Buncle's Book to my TBR, it sounds so cozy :)

[@BooksAndJams]

I think Miss Buncle is such an underrated read! Hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

[@juliewells4310]

So many of your favorites are mine too, especially The Other Bennett Sister & Cici's Journal!

[@BooksAndJams]

Yay! Love that we have similar reading tastes. What were some of your favorite reads from last year? I'd probably love them too! haha.

[@juliewells4310]

@@BooksAndJams yes, probably! Let's see...Marmee by Sarah Miller, America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray, Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer

[@pjlacey3990]

Loved Cici’s Journal! Read them because of your recommendations. I also grabbed Yellow Wife and 100 Years of Leni and Margo a while back when you recommended them! I hope to get to them soon. FYI. Leni and Margo is on Kindle Unlimited.

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope you love those other ones too. So glad you picked up Cici's Journal. I just loved that one!

[@Readingindarknesss]

Seriously! I need to read the other benett sister! Everyone seems to love it and i’ve had it for a year!!

[@BooksAndJams]

Get to it! It's fantastic!

[@daisy4750]

Wonderful!

[@BooksAndJams]

Thanks for watching, Daisy!

[@richiereads2]

I enjoy historical fiction and have added most of your books to my tbr list.

[@BooksAndJams]

Sweet! Glad you found a few you want to read.

[@brushlow9344]

I also loved What the Wind Knows. Need to read more by Amy Harmon.

[@BooksAndJams]

I do too! I am glad I have a few more backlist to still read.

[@ndreader]

I loved Yellow Wife too!

[@BooksAndJams]

It was so so good!

[@debbifaust3106]

These books all sound wonderful. There are a lot on this I want to read. I did read The Bodyguard and I loved it.

[@BooksAndJams]

I am glad I have a couple of Katherine Center's backlist books to still read. I just enjoy her writing so much.

[@anitahayne8621]

I am definitely intrigued about “Sparks Like Stars” and I have just requested the online version from the library. I also live in Virginia up in the northern part.

[@BooksAndJams]

Hello VA neighbor. I hope you enjoy Sparks Like Stars.

[@gerrid9092]

Remember, never judge a book by its cover. 😉 I loved Miss Buncle’s Book and so many other D.E. Stevenson. Check out Molly Clavering and Elizabeth Fair as well.

[@BooksAndJams]

Right? I loved Miss Buncle’s Book. Such a pleasant surprise. Thanks for the other recs.

[@nonisnest9718]

So glad to see two favorites of mine, Lenni and Margot and Miss Buncle on your list. Added a couple of your favorites to mine.

[@BooksAndJams]

Yay! I am so glad I read Miss Buncle this year. I am excited to get to the rest of the series in 2023.

[@catreadsbooks]

Sounds like you read some great books in 2022! Hopefully, 2023 reading will be just as good or better! I've heard a few people talk about Mrs Buncle's Book. I may try it this year. The cover that you don't like is actually making me want to read the book more. LOL!

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope your reading year is great in 2023 as well. I love that you love the older cover. haha. It just makes Miss Buncle feel much older than she is supposed to be.

[@kimabbott6466]

I read The Yellow Wife and All the Lonely People and LOVED them! One Hundred Years is on our book club list this year and so excited to read it. Also, interested in reading All Thirteen and A Place to Hang the Moon this year. You read some great books!

[@BooksAndJams]

Thanks, Kim. Glad to see we have a bit of overlap in our reads.

[@reddotreads2693]

Fab list, Krista! As you’re talking, I’m busily writing down a list of all the ones I want to read! 😂 such as Yellow Wife, All Thirteen, Miss Buncle and the Afghanistan one too! So pleased you had a wonderful year of reading! 🥰📚

[@BooksAndJams]

I think you will like all of those, but will especially love Sparks Like Stars. I remember just being so blown away by that one.

[@phague85]

I put Cici’s Journal and A Place to Hang the Moon in hold at my library. Thanks for the recommendations. I am currently reading Madame Fourcade’s Secret War. Highly recommend as a nonfiction

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope you love them both! I will look into Secret War. Thank you for the recommendation.

[@EssentiallyBooked]

Just started Four Treasures of the Sky on audio and whoofda it’s going to be a heavy one!

[@BooksAndJams]

Oh man, it's a tough one for sure. It's so good though. Also, I don't think I've seen "whoofda" in print before. I love it!

[@ChautonaHavig]

I 100% agree with The Other Bennet Sister. At first, I was annoyed that there was the rehash (ish) of some of P&P but once you got in, you saw that it NEEDED to be there. This book did for me what Barbara Cornthwaite's George Knightley Esquire did. I never understood what Knightley saw in Emma until I read the story from his perspective. Her being a Regency and Victorian lit expert (and professor--one who knows the DIFFERENCE between the eras) really helped I'm sure. A Place to Hang the Moon was Phenomenal and I LOVED it. I just finished The Skylark's War and at first, it felt like a great companion story and then in the last quarter to third, the ending just got rushed through as if the author lost interest. I'm so bummed. It's like a bunch of epilogues instead of final chapters. Weird and disappointing. You've sold me on Lenni and Margot. Off to find it. I keep meaning to get The Library Book. I remember the great fire. We lived in Rosamond then and I remember my mom telling me about it when she picked me up from school. I think we went to Lancaster and just dwelt in the library there (part of the LA system so it felt connected). We didn't have electricity at the time, so we couldn't watch the news to get more info, so that was part of it. It was a 20-minute drive from school to the library and forty minutes home, so lots of radio listening to KNX that afternoon. I'm sure Mom would love it, too! Just ordered Dear Mrs. Bird and the other book she wrote (found it while looking for Bird). I suspect I'll love them. You know I love the Buncle Books, and I am dying to read I Must Betray You. I need to order that one, too. Off to put it in my cart before I forget again! This year if I had to pick 22 books in no particular order... I'm going to go with... (and this might change in five minutes... not even going to look at my journal or GR) The Space Between Words The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kiip Rose Among Thornes The Words Between Us The Love Note (Politano) A Place to Hang the Moon A Man Called Ove When Stone Wings Fly OH! Last Christmas in Paris Christmas By the Book A Gentle Tyranny/A Brutal Justice (they really are two parts of a whole) A couple or three No Less Days books (Amanda G. Stevens) The Haunted Bookshop Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery Whose Waves These ARe (I'm seeing a lot of WWII books!) The Happenstance Books Adorning the Dark! (close to the top! How could I forget this!) The Gold in These Hills Women of the Word The Tommy and Tuppence Series Much Ado about Persuasion The Heart Between Us Letters from Skye. Although I HATE one thing she did in this book, it really was a brilliant book. Sigh. The Never List

[@juliewells4310]

Wow, this looks like a great list! Many that I haven't heard of, so I'm gonna look them up, thanks!

[@BooksAndJams]

Love your list! I forgot that I still have Kindle Unlimited, so I just went and found those George Knightley books. I want to read them so bad now! Bummer about Skylark's War. I have that on my shelves. Now I know to lower my expectations a bit. I love your list! A few I'm not familiar with, a few are on my shelves, and a few are going on my GR to read list right now! I am especially intrigued by Much Ado About Persuasion (since Persuasion is my favorite Austen book). Mrs Kip is on my next 5 star prediction pile. After hearing Chantel rave about Adorning the Dark it's already on my want to read list. Thanks for sharing!

[@dawnandalankirke7045]

I loved the library. Amazing writing about something I had never heard about.

[@BooksAndJams]

I agree! I was just fascinated by that story.

[@fcohen8296]

I really like Miss Buncle's Book as well. I also was skeptical when I picked it up but then wound up really enjoying it. Short excerpt from my review says it all: "Wholesome, charming, amusing, clever idea, sweet"

[@BooksAndJams]

I am glad you also enjoyed Miss Buncle's Book. I agree that part of your review sums it up perfectly!

[@katharinaboyer3275]

Wow, added a lot of great reads to my tbr pile. Thanks. Happy reading 📖

[@BooksAndJams]

Awesome! Glad some of these sound good to you.

[@christinaalbee6874]

There are so many that are on my TBR list. I am hoping to start The Keepers of the Lost Cities next month.

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope you love it!

[@cassidybrenner3784]

After watching this video, I just listened to And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer; pretty sure I bawled for the whole story! 😭

[@BooksAndJams]

OH my word. Yes. It was so so good, but whoo boy, it did a number on my heart!

[@beckyfaith1070]

What the Wind Knows was one of my favs, too! And I am really wanting to read a place to hang the moon. Thanks for sharing your favorites!

[@BooksAndJams]

You're welcome. A Place to Hang the Moon is such a lovely, heartwarming read. I think you'll love it.

[@somero2350]

The Yellow Wife and the 100 years of Lenni and Margot are two books I would love to read again. I am currently reading Everything Sad is Untrue. So far, so good. I think my favorite book for 2022 was The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kipp. Oh man. So good.

[@BooksAndJams]

I have Everything Sad is Untrue on my wishlist. I have heard good things. I can't wait to read Mrs. Kipp.

[@salomegreeneyes1542]

Hi Krista! Thanks! I have written down some of your favorites.It was great your enthusiasm for these books was awesome! Take care🤗

[@BooksAndJams]

Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching, Salome.

[@stampincass]

Yes, Yellow Wife was incredible. I immediately wanted to read more by Johnson and look forward to her book this year. I also picked up the first book in the Secret of Lost Cities because of you - I got the regular and the annotated version because I couldn't decide. LOL The best book I read When Silence Sings. It's historcal and has a family fued and nods to Jonah and Cain & Abel. God's plan and how we think it will play out versus how it does. It's more character driven over plot driven and I loved it. Close runner up was Under the Tulip Tree, also historical during the Depression with another timeline to the Civil War.

[@BooksAndJams]

I wish I had read Yellow Wife sooner. Johnson is a local to me author and I know she spoke at some bookstores around me, but I was clueless. Now I would love to go hear her speak! I will look up those favorites you mentioned. They sound so good!

[@EssentiallyBooked]

You have the absolute best laugh! I love watching your videos for it 😂

[@BooksAndJams]

Aww thank you so much!

[@debbieperleberg8230]

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, The Unknown Beloved by Amy Harmon, Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell and I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys are in my top 5 reads of 2022. Many on your favorites made my favorite lists in the last few years. Thank you for sharing! XOXO

[@BooksAndJams]

I need to read some Maggie O'Farrell! I have Hamnet on my shelves already. I'm so intimidated by it, but am hopeful I'll love it as much as everyone else seems to.

[@giselaperez6746]

More books to my wish list were added after this video☺️📚📚📚Dear Mrs. Bird has a sequel or companion book:,Yours Cheerfully.

[@BooksAndJams]

Always glad to add to your list! haha. I did read Yours Cheerfully after finishing Mrs. Bird. I liked it too!

[@glendaw5221]

You read some heavy books in 2022. Dear Edward was among my favorites.

[@BooksAndJams]

I know, but they were so good too!

[@annasmom2009]

Since you liked I Must Betray You, you may like The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer, if you haven't already read that one. I just finished it a few days ago.

[@BooksAndJams]

I already know I want to read it...Orphan is in the title! haha. I have seen that one, but so far it's just on my Want to Read shelf on GR, but not on my actual shelves.

[@Readingindarknesss]

I loved what the wind knows!! I want a sequel so we see the adjustment if you know what i mean.

[@BooksAndJams]

Yes, a sequel would be so good!

[@BekahBooksandBujo]

I think I will pick up Sparks Like Stars and I Must Betray You. I read Cici's Journal on your recommendation and I agree, it was so good!

[@BooksAndJams]

I think you'll love both of those books for sure.

[@exploringmegan]

I love historical fiction, too! So many of my favorite fiction reads of 2022 were historical fiction (4/10, I think). I’ll have to check out your historical fiction 2022 favorites.

[@BooksAndJams]

Nice. Do you have a favorite era or area to read about?

[@exploringmegan]

@@BooksAndJams Not that I can think of. Honestly, my favorite part of historical fiction it that it can cover so many different times, locations and perspectives. Do you have a favorite era or area to read?

[@MusicalOne09]

Hey Krista! I think there may be a sound issue with your video as I can't hear anything. Can't wait to watch it, though! Have been looking forward to hearing your faves!

[@jenniferdobbs7092]

When mine does this, I have to close out KZbin and play the video again. If that doesn't work, restart. It's wired, but I get it a few times in many videos.

[@MusicalOne09]

@@jenniferdobbs7092 thank you! It actually worked after re-opening the video a few times, so all good! 😊👍

[@jenniferdobbs7092]

@@MusicalOne09 Yay!

[@BooksAndJams]

Sorry about that. I am glad it ended up working. Not sure what happened there.

[@jenniferdobbs7092]

My first favorite read was The Magnolia Palace. I was real hesitant because I had seen documentaries on the Frick family and I've read books that were so far off it was annoying. I picked from BOTM because of its cover. After reading this I jumped right down the rabbit hole, then dug farther. I was curious if "Lillian" did exist other than just being there. I discovered there actually was a "Lillian" who also modeled. I didn't expect that. Being stuck in my bed ask day long, after that hip surgery, I had plenty of time to dig, lol. Other favorites, Pictures of Hollis Woods, I Must Betray You, Gilded, Me and Paul, Swerve or Die, Daisy Darker, How To Destroy Your Husband, Fountains of Silence, and a few others. But I think my overall most favorite is Girls of Flight City! I received it from Netgalley, read it as soon as I received it, and wanted to immediately reread it!!! Actually went and bought a copy of it when it was released.

[@BooksAndJams]

Oh yay! I have Magnolia Palace on my shelves. I would love to read more Fiona Davis. I love when a book makes me want to research more about that topic or event or person. Fun! Pictures of Hollis Woods was fantastic. I haven't heard of some of your faves, that's fun!

[@jenniferdobbs7092]

@@BooksAndJams I think you'd like Girls of Flight City. Based on a true story and place. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it all over again. Oh yeah, and you know how I rarely cry, I cried.

[@mariat6171]

One of my 2022 favorites was The Night Ship by Jess Kidd. It was a duel time line & both timelines were really good.

[@BooksAndJams]

I have tried Jess Kidd a couple times and I think she's just not for me.

[@amandalillie4543]

I feel like I need to read all of these. Ha ha! I love Keeper of the Lost Cities. I just finished Stellerluna. Can’t wait to her your thoughts on it. I read Dear Mrs Bird a couple of years ago. I am planning to reread it this year and it’s sequel. I read so many good books last year I think one of my favorites is Carrie Soto is Back.

[@BooksAndJams]

I am not a fan of TJR, but so many love her. Glad you enjoyed her newest. I cannot wait to read Stellerlune, but am not in a rush since it will still be months til we get the 10th book.

[@GloriaZThompson]

I love that we have such similar reading tastes, book twin! Many on this list I've read too and loved (Dear Mrs. Bird & Harmon 💕) or are on my TBR. Hope to get to them soon and love them too!

[@BooksAndJams]

I think it's true. You are the closest to my book twin! Our venn diagrams are pretty close. I am itching to find Penguin and the Magpie. I need to just get it from Amazon one of these days! haha.

[@GlitterPoolParty]

You are so right. The old Mrs Buncle cover is such a turn off. The new cover that you found is so much more inviting.

[@BooksAndJams]

I absolutely agree! I got the whole series in those newer covers. They'll be in my next haul.

[@theresas709]

Unfortunately I haven't read any of these but most are on my list that I never seem to get to.

[@BooksAndJams]

I hope you do. I loved these all so much!

[@bonnierodriguez2316]

I have been waiting for this! Thank you for sharing. :)

[@BooksAndJams]

Thanks to YOU for watching! :)

[@gailstencel4274]

Great list Krista! Some I have already read based on your recommendation and agree on most of the ratings. I didn’t know Keeper of the Lost Cities would end at book 10. That’s a heartbreaker! Those are such a fun read, hate to see the series end. Enjoyed your sprints last night!

[@BooksAndJams]

Thanks so much Gail. I am pretty sure book 10 will be the last KOTLC. It is a bit bittersweet.

[@darleneking101]

Krista I believe I have already mentioned my love for "The Yellow Wife" that I read after hearing you speak of it. Love hearing your favorites. I was unsure about reading Razorblade Tears, but I went ahead and listened to it and I have to say it was my favorite book of the year. The narrator was amazing. There is quite a bit of foul language but I absolutely loved it. 📚😀

[@BooksAndJams]

I don't think Razorblade Tears is a book for me, but I am glad you loved it!

[@PoiemaLee]

Isn't Miss Buncle great? The 2nd in the series is good, too--- it had me laughing so hard tears were running down my cheeks. Can't wait to finiah the series this year!

[@BooksAndJams]

Oh my. I'm so excited to read it now!

[@lauracorsi3309]

Such a great list. I added sooo many to my tbr! Thanks Krista.

[@BooksAndJams]

I'm always glad to add to those tbr lists!

[@lesleystanbridge7650]

Sound perfect for me 👍

[@BooksAndJams]

Nice! Thanks for watching.

[@readknitwithcheryl]

Hi Krista! I have a video of my top favorite reads of 2022 on my channel, as well, and my number one book that I read last year was The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I just loved her writing and the story was so good! Anne of Green Gables is my all time favorite book and movie, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that The Blue Castle was my favorite. It really was a surprise, though! By the way, I put a few of the books mentioned in your video on hold at the library, lol. They all sounds so good! Thanks!

[@BooksAndJams]

I just love The Blue Castle. I didn't realize until a few years ago that LMM had so many books! I still have quite a few to read. What a treasure.