12 Must-Read Books of December 2022
- Here are the new books you should read in December 2022.
Can you believe the holiday season is already here?
While December is often a time to look forward to the New Year, the publishing industry never stops. If you’re looking for a book to accompany you on your winter travels or need to sprint to complete your reading goals, there are plenty of exciting releases this month for you to choose from.
Happy holidays and even happier reading from all of us at the Chicago Review of Books !
Super Sad Black Girl By Diamond Sharp Haymarket Books
The Chicagoans among us are rejoicing for the release of Diamond Sharp’s debut poetry collection. Super Sad Black Girl is a both soaring love letter to her hometown and a tender meditation on what it means to be free as a Black woman. From Lorraine Hansberry to Gwendolyn Brooks, Sharp calls upon the city’s literary idols to navigate the speaker’s own struggles and search for answers. Save room on your shelf, because Super Sad Black Girl is a book you’ll want to set next to some of Chicago’s great poets.
Things We Found When the Water Went Down By Tegan Nia Swanson Catapult
Looking for a little mystery during the holidays? Then look no further than Tegan Nia Swanson’s debut novel, a dark and ethereal read about a young woman in search of her mother who went missing after being accused of murder. When a miner is found murdered on the frozen shore of a North County lake, people are quick to blame Marietta Abernathy, an outspoken environmental activist and recluse. Described as a “Nordic eco-noir with a shot with magical realism,” Things We Found When the Water Went Down is set to captivate fans of literary mysteries.
Cursed Bunny By Bora Chung Translated from the Korean by Anton Hur Algonquin Books
Sharp, wildly inventive, and slightly demented (in the most enjoyable way, of course), Cursed Bunny is an electric first impression for readers in the United States. Shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize, this collection of short stories from rising star Bora Chun blends horror, sci-fi, fairy tales, and speculative fiction to form something of a literary Frankenstein. All we can say is buckle in, because when these stories take their horrific turn there’s no setting them down.
A Dangerous Business By Jane Smiley Knopf Publishing Group
Jane Smiley’s Perestroika in Paris kept many of us at the CHIRB company during the early days of the pandemic, and now the Pulitzer Prize-winning author is back with a fascinating murder mystery set in Gold Rush California. A Dangerous Business follows two young prostitutes who pursue the trail of two missing girls. Smiley has crafted a dangerous world for our heroines—from the lawlessness of the Wild West to the rumblings of an approaching Civil War—but this novel balances that danger with a striking beauty.
The Splendid Ticket By Bill Cotter McSweeney’s
What would you do if you won the lottery? For Angie Bigelow, that question becomes reality when she learns her ticket has earned her $324 million. In this darkly comedic novel, Bill Cotter explores the effects of an unexpected fortune on Angie and her broken family, as she struggles to decide whether to share her earnings with the father of her children and inveterate gambler, Dean Lee Grandent. The Splendid Ticket is fast-paced, frenetic, and wildly entertaining.
Stella Maris By Cormac McCarthy Knopf Publishing Group
It’s head-spinning to think we went from having no new Cormac McCarthy books in over a decade to having two in the span of a few months. Stella Maris , the second volume of the new The Passenger series, is a deeply prodding and inwardly focused novel about a young woman who admits herself to a psychiatric hospital in 1972. Whereas The Passenger echoes some of the raw adrenaline-spiking aspects of McCarthy’s past works, Stella Maris is a largely philosophical endeavor written entirely in dialogue. The result is a more-than-welcome addition to this prolific author’s bibliography.
How to Turn Into a Bird By María José Ferrada Translated from the Spanish by Elizabeth Bryer Tin House Books
After years of working in a factory outside of Santiago, Chile, Ramón accepts a job looking after a Coca-Cola billboard by the highway, which ultimately leads him to an even stranger decision: he’ll live on this billboard. But while many in town are quick to dismiss him as having lost his mind, his twelve-year-old nephew Miguel is enchanted by his uncle’s new life. How to Turn Into a Bird offers us a captivating view of society from above—a coming-of-age tale with a fascinating twist.
No One Left to Come Looking for You By Sam Lipsyte Simon & Schuster
Ananda Lima on Framing Short Stories, Projects That Fit, and Having Fun
Welcome to Sam Lipstye’s depiction of the East Village in the early 90s, a place filled with dive bars, DIY music venues, drugs, and plenty of strange personalities. Darkly funny and playfully mysterious, No One Left to Come Looking for You follows Jack S., a young rock musician searching for his lead singer who went missing with his prized bass. Lipstye presents us with an unforgettable cast of witty and weird characters throughout Jack’s search, stitching together a page-turning love letter to a past era of New York City that still offered promise and prosperity to young artists pursuing their dreams.
The Easy Life By Marguerite Duras Translated from the French by Emma Ramadan and Olivia Baes Bloomsbury Publishing
We’re thrilled to see the work of Marguerite Duras finally get its long-awaited English translation. The Easy Life is the story of Francine Veyrenattes, a twenty-five-year-old woman suffering from intense grief and detachment after witnessing a series of tragedies on her family farm in rural France. Hoping to cleanse herself of the pain, she leaves for the coast, only to find herself continuing to unravel. For fans of philosophical novels, this is a perfectly unsettling and knotty read.
Grocery Shopping with My Mother By Kevin Powell Soft Skull
Grocery Shopping with My Mother is a strikingly beautiful and heart-wrenching poetry collection borne out of Kevin Powell’s weekly trips to the grocery store to help his ill mother. Crafted like an album, these poems celebrate his love for his mother and dive deep into the complexities of vulnerable and honest relationships.
Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion By Bushra Rehman Flatiron Books
Our editors always love to read well-written stories about female friendship and queer love, and Bushra Rehman’s new novel fits that description perfectly. Enchanting and playfully mischievous, Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion tells the story of Razia, who becomes caught in the middle of a budding attraction to her classmate Angela, a newcomer to her close-knit Pakistani-American community. Rehman writes about heritage, faith, and young love with the care and gravity that a coming-of-age tale deserves.
Flames From the Earth: A Novel from the Lódz Ghetto By Isaiah Spiegel Translated from the Yiddish by Julian Levinson Northwestern University Press
Northwestern University Press has brought this powerful and poetic Yiddish novel to English translation for the first time, which is something we can all be thankful for. Flames from the Earth is an autobiographical story that weaves together the material author Isaiah Spiegel wrote while imprisoned in the Lódz Ghetto, which he recovered from a cellar upon returning from Auschwitz after the war.
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The Best New Books To Read In December 2022
- In NEW BOOKS
- November 29, 2022
via pinterest.com
Release Date: December 1
About the book: A richly rewarding novel about family bonds, the power of words, and the resilience of mothers and daughters in 1930s Appalachia.
Available at Amazon
2. A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley
Release Date: December 6
About the book: From the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling author of A Thousand Acres : a mystery set in 1850s Gold Rush California, as two young prostitutes—best friends Eliza and Jean—follow a trail of missing girls.
3. The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey
About the book: A wealthy family shrouded in scandal; a detective tasked with solving an impossible cold case; and a woman with a dark past collide in Hannah Morrissey’s stunning new Black Harbor mystery, The Widowmaker .
4. The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
About the book: “A luminous and wrenching portrait of a frighteningly possible future,” The Light Pirate is a hopeful, sweeping story of survival and resilience spanning one extraordinary woman’s lifetime as she navigates the uncertainty, brutality, and arresting beauty of a rapidly changing world ( Booklist , starred review).
5. The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
About the book: My Dark Vanessa meets The Queen’s Gambit in this new novel of suspense about the bonds of family, the limits of talent, the risks of ambition, and the rewards of revenge.
6. Witcha Gonna Do by Avery Flynn
About the book: An unlucky witch and her know-it-all nemesis must team up in the first of a new, spicy romantic comedy series from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.
7. The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader
About the book: “A breathtaking story of an extraordinary friendship. Molly Fader has penned an unforgettable novel that is sure to be one of the year’s best.” —Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil.
8. Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood by Jessica Grouse
About the book: In this timely and necessary book, New York Times opinion writer Jessica Grose dismantles two hundred years of unrealistic parenting expectations and empowers today’s mothers to make choices that actually serve themselves, their children, and their communities.
9. All the Dark Places by Terri Parlato
Release Date: December 27
About the book: A savage murder rocks a quiet Massachusetts suburb, revealing the dark secrets at the center of a group of friends and setting two women – one with a traumatic past, the other a Boston police detective – on a hunt for truth in this stylish debut thriller for fans of Megan Miranda and Shari Lapena…
10. The Book of Everlasting Things by Aanchal Malhotra
About the book: For fans of All the Light We Cannot See , a lush, sweeping love story about a Hindu perfumer and a Muslim calligrapher, set against the backdrop of partition.
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10 noteworthy books for December
Reading time is the perfect antidote for a busy month
December can be a busy month, and finding downtime can be as simple as a good book with a cozy blanket and a mug of something warm. You might start with one of these delightful December releases.
‘The Vibrant Years,’ by Sonali Dev (Mindy’s Book Studio, Dec. 1)
A surprise million-dollar inheritance allows Bindu Desai to purchase a luxurious retirement condo, but it also threatens to expose a secret she would prefer to keep hidden from the two people she most cares about — her tech-savvy granddaughter, Cullie, and her daughter-in-law, Aly. All three women are at different life stages, but each supports the others through tangled paths woven by careers, love and family history. These Indian American women and their struggles will appeal to readers from every age and culture.
The 10 best books of 2022
‘Tom Clancy Red Winter,’ by Marc Cameron (Putnam, Dec. 6)
CIA analyst and former Marine Jack Ryan is tapped to investigate a potential defector in East Berlin. Working with agents in Moscow and West Berlin, Ryan races to uncover the truth while KGB and Stasi assassins close in. Cameron brings the essence of Tom Clancy’s heroes to life and creates a fast-paced thriller with all the technical details and authenticity that fans crave.
‘The Light Pirate,’ by Lily Brooks-Dalton (Grand Central, Dec. 6)
“ Where the Crawdads Sing ” meets “ Station Eleven ” in this near-future eco-fiction novel spanning the life of a Florida woman born during — and named after — Hurricane Wanda. As ocean levels rise and infrastructure falters, Wanda’s neighbors migrate north; when her father refuses to leave the ghosts of his past behind, she must learn self-sufficiency from a survivalist neighbor, eventually charting a course for a new way of living. Brooks-Dalton’s rumination on what might happen if sea levels remain unchecked paints a dramatic picture of a nation returning to the wilderness it once was.
50 notable works of fiction from 2022
‘My Darkest Prayer,’ by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron, Dec. 6)
Fans of “ Blacktop Wasteland ” might not realize that the award-winning noir thriller wasn’t Cosby’s first full-length novel. A new edition of his debut is being republished, including a new author’s note. After modest success with short stories, Cosby remembers being “terrified” of writing a novel, when an encouraging friend who knew that Cosby worked in a funeral home described the job as a “ready-made story factory.” The result is this colorful tale of small-town corruption connected to the death of a local minister. The author admits that some of his early writing may have been “rough hewn,” perhaps referring to the regular objectification of female characters, but his powerful storytelling skills shine through.
S.A. Cosby’s new crime novel is provocative, violent — beautiful and moving, too
‘The Circus Train,’ by Amita Parikh (Putnam, Dec. 6)
Parikh’s well-researched novel centers on Lena, the daughter of a Greek illusionist in a circus traveling through Europe at the start of World War II. A childhood polio affliction caused her to spend much of her youth in a wheelchair, where she was marginalized despite her intellectual curiosity. After Alexandre, an orphan with a mysterious past, becomes her father’s apprentice, a friendship turns into something more just as the Nazis are zeroing in on the traveling show.
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‘How to Turn Into a Bird,’ by María José Ferrada, translated by Elizabeth Bryer (Tin House, Dec. 6)
When his Uncle Ramón climbs onto a Coca-Cola billboard and doesn’t come back down, 11-year-old Miguel’s neighbors in Santiago, Chile, say that people aren’t meant to live as birds. But Miguel is fascinated by the idea of living alone in the sky. When he visits his uncle’s perch, the world looks different, but back on the ground, reality brings tension and even terror when a local boy disappears. As Miguel learns more about his family history, his uncle’s actions begin to make sense. Ferrada illustrates the value of compassion toward others in this tender coming-of-age tale .
‘Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion,’ by Bushra Rehman (Flatiron, Dec. 6)
Razia, raised in a strict household to be the perfect Allah-fearing daughter, finds small ways to rebel, but in the end, she always defaults to following her family’s rules. Escaping her neighborhood in Queens to attend a prestigious Manhattan high school widens the gap between her upbringing and the person she is becoming . As Razia explores an attraction to another girl, a family friend discovers her secret, forcing the teen to choose between her family’s acceptance and living her own truth.
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‘Scatterlings,’ by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe (HarperVia, Dec. 13)
South Africa’s Immorality Act of 1927 decreed that interracial sexual relations were illegal, and the children produced by these unions suddenly became evidence of relationships banned by the government. Although Abram, a White man, and his wife, Alisa, a Black woman, are estranged, a visit from a government worker to verify their marriage certificate feels like a threat to their two daughters. As a result, Alisa makes a terrible choice that rends the family forever. With a raconteur’s rhythm, Manenzhe, a South African villager and storyteller, brings to life a painful piece of history , enriched with myths and lore.
‘Yours Truly: An Obituary Writer’s Guide to Telling Your Story,’ by James R. Hagerty (Citadel, Dec. 27)
The best obituaries read like compelling short stories, and the details matter — reading about someone who ran a moonshine business is more compelling than reading about someone’s background in sales. Instead of leaving your own history to be hurriedly written by a grieving family member, Hagerty, a lead obituary writer for the Wall Street Journal, suggests chronicling it yourself. By asking probing questions (“What were you trying to do with your life? Why?”) Hagerty helps readers preserve their legacies by writing mini-memoirs for those closest to them. Examining the past might even lead readers to make beneficial changes for the future.
‘One Last Secret,’ by Adele Parks (MIRA, Dec. 27)
Sharp as well as striking, Dora has a successful career as a discriminating escort but decides to move on to a new life with a man she loves, one who can keep her safe from the perils of her profession. Taking one last job with a well-paying regular client seems prudent enough, especially because all she must do is convince his friends that she is his girlfriend while vacationing at a French chateau. Upon arrival, it quickly becomes apparent that things are not what they seem , and keeping her secret might put Dora’s life in jeopardy.
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8 Books Coming in December
A newly translated novel by Marguerite Duras, a book on exotic sea creatures and what we share with them, the letters of John le Carré: December brings books for readers of all tastes.
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By Joumana Khatib
Cursed Bunny: Stories , by Bora Chung. Translated by Anton Hur.
These selections, by an acclaimed South Korean writer, are scatological, surreal and flat-out creepy. In the title story, a rabbit-shaped lamp unleashes a tragedy for anyone who touches it; in another, a pregnant woman is told she must find a father for her unborn baby or face terrible consequences.
Algonquin Books, Dec. 6.
The Easy Life, by Marguerite Duras . Translated by Olivia Baes and Emma Ramadan.
The second novel Duras wrote has been published in English for the first time. It follows Francine Veyrenattes, a woman in her mid-20s who leaves behind her family farm and battles an existential crisis. Though short and sparse, the book is “seeded with early indicators of its complicated author’s talent,” our critic Alexandra Jacobs wrote.
Bloomsbury, Dec. 6.
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures , by Sabrina Imbler
Imbler, a science journalist, shines a light on some of the ocean’s most delightful and overlooked creatures: goldfish that flourish in the wild, an aquatic worm named after Lorena Bobbitt, octopus mothers that make sacrifices for their offspring. Along the way, the author draws connections between these fascinating animals and our own needs and desires — for safety, family and more.
Little, Brown, Dec. 6.
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Independent Book Review
A Celebration of Indie Press and Self-Published Books
The Best Books We Read This Year (2022)
THE BEST BOOKS WE READ THIS YEAR (2022) is a collaborative book list by the reviewers at IBR in which they review the best books they read this year irrespective of their publication date. It consists solely of books by indie presses and indie authors.
Curated by the IBR team
Let’s talk about the best books we read in 2022 .
This doesn’t mean they were published in 2022.
Yes, some of them were published this year, because this was an impressive year for indie books , but some of these titles have been out for years and have been making a difference in people’s lives long before we got to them.
But they’re still here, they’re still awesome, and we can’t wait to share them with you.
If you don’t know, IBR is a team of book lovers dedicated to highlighting the best of indie presses and indie authors, so this list reflects that. You won’t find any books by big five publishers here.
This year, 15 of our 25 reviewers participated. Some of these books came from IBR assignments, and some came from their own leisure reading (because, plot twist, I think they like books). And while some reviewers chose five and an honorable mention list (whoops!), others only chose two or three that stood out the most. You will find the books, publication information about them, and a mini-review about why each book was chosen.
So if you’re in the mood to treat yourself to something indie and something awesome, consider yourself prepared.
Here are the best books we read in 2022!
#1. Braiding Sweetgrass
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Released: August 2015
Genre: Nonfiction / Nature & Ecology
Review by Joe Walters :
A thing about books is that they can change your life. I know this. I believe this. I just wish I could have known that this would be one of them so I could have read it sooner.
I learned so much about being alive on this planet thanks to Robin Wall Kimmerer, the author and narrator of this audiobook. Kimmerer told me stories and taught me the wisdom of the earth, most often while I was doing dishes. Not only did I enjoy it, I had a regular excuse to revisit a place of gratitude for the planet I’m living on.
Braiding Sweetgrass shares insights on nature with the knowledge of a botanist and the prose of a poet. If you’ve got some dishes to do, I’d recommend giving your ears to this book.
#2. My Volcano
by John Elizabeth Stintzi
Publisher: Two Dollar Radio
Released: March 2022
Genre: Literary / Disaster Fiction
This novel sprouts a volcano from the reservoir in Central Park and continues to take big risks and land big punches. I was flabbergasted by where Stintzi took me. I read so many books that sometimes I think I get what you can do with them, then a book like this comes along.
It describes the various eruptions of our personal and collected lives with surprises and characters doing their best. I am so grateful to have found wonder in the pages of this groundbreaking book.
I read it on vacation, and strangers asked me about it (prob because of this badass cover), and I had so much trouble talking about it, despite doing it for a living. It might be hard to talk about, but it’s cool as hell to read it.
If you like experimental fiction and prose that’ll circle around you like a swarm of bees, you’ve got my wholehearted recommendation here.
by Sara Lippman
Publisher: Mason Jar Press
Genre: Literary Fiction / Short Story Collection
I admit that I make a majority of my book purchases based on the cover. This is no different with Jerks . I mean, look at this thing.
It’s such an unbelievable experience for a book to be as good, if not better, than its great cover. A treat waiting to be peeled open.
The language is so bouncy in this collection. It features a cast of strong, weird, funny, sexual, and flawed characters, and each story fulfills or exceeds my expectations. Every. Single. One.
Short fiction fans: this is an easy recommendation.
#4. The Anthropocene Epoch
by Bruce Glass
Released: November 2021
Genre: Nonfiction / Climate & Environment / History
Important. Impactful. Surprising.
The Anthropocene Epoch: When Humans Changed the World is about as good of a book on the climate crisis as I could have asked for. Supremely readable and undeniably informative, it has what it takes to transform everyday citizens from unknowing contributors in the end of the world to enthusiastic and active participants in its possible salvation.
If you don’t know much (or want to learn more) about the history of humans on this planet, I’m throwing a recommendation for this one your way.
#5. Negative Space
by Lilly Dancyger
Publisher: Santa Fe Writer’s Project
Released : May 2021
Genre: Nonfiction / Memoir / Family
Another audiobook choice for me! Narrated by the author, Negative Space plants me in 80s/90s New York City with a group of artists and punks who have so much to show me about love and family.
I don’t read enough books about kids who love their parents despite their flaws, like drug addiction in this one, but I’m hoping this book changes that. It’s both a heartbreaker and a heartwarmer thanks to Dancyger’s deft hand.
Honorable Mentions:
- And If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing edited by Hannah Grieco ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- Not Your Job by Pierce Brantley ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- The Red-Headed Pilgrim by Kevin Maloney ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- Gather Us Up and Bring Us Home by Shasta Grant ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- Jewbilly by Rick Rosenberg ( Bookshop | Amazon )
#1. First Born Sons
by Vincent Traughber Meis
Genre: Literary Fiction / LGBTQ+
Review by Jaylynn Korrell:
First Born Sons follows the lives of a handful of standout characters as they navigate their worlds, which are soon to be rocked by the year 2020.
Touching on subjects such as race, being trans, politics, pandemics, adoption, and more, this story is jam-packed with contemporary issues. And yet it never feels like too much. Meis gracefully weaves in and out of the narratives, writing with sensitivity and honesty about each subject.
I can honestly say that I enjoyed every single chapter of this book—and each narrative within it. It is impressive to say the least for an author to tackle such difficult subjects in such a complete and compelling way.
Meis brings humanity to the forefront of this book: characters who are uniquely flawed and deeply recognizable.
#2. What Happens In…
by Steffanie Moyers
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Romance
What Happens In… is a white-hot thriller set in the wonderful world of Las Vegas. With a steamy romance at the forefront and a dangerous killer lurking in the background, this novel absolutely mesmerized me.
I’d recommend What Happens In… to those readers who enjoy lustful and high-stakes stories. From the beginning, we know that Knox is engaging in activities that could put her away for life, and it makes the book even sexier. We never know what scene will be her last, if any. We never know who will catch on or when. And for a long time we have no clue just what it is her mysterious new boyfriend is up to while he is away. It creates a damn-near perfect hodgepodge of events that leaves readers guessing.
It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
#3. The Linchpin Writer
by John Matthew Fox
Publisher: BOOKFOX
Genre: Nonfiction / Authorship
A valuable guide to crafting a novel worth reading
In writing, the “linchpin moments” are the pivotal places that will either make or break your work. When done correctly, these moments hold your book together and make sure your readers are always engaged.
With specific examples from some of the greatest novels ever written (both classic and contemporary), his own personal experience, and lessons from writing professionals, Fox guides readers to better writing in regards to killing characters, ending chapters, creating gripping first dialogue, describing characters, evoking wonder, and much more.
In addition to some really spot-on writing advice, Fox provides personal experience and inspiration to make this book something that writers can’t afford to miss.
#1. The Maenad’s God
by Karen Michalson
Publisher: Arula Books
Released: December 2022
Genre: Literary Fiction / Metafiction / LGBTQ+
Review by Tucker Lieberman :
An engaging metafictional romp through an improbable New England
What you’ll get out of this strange novel isn’t the blow-by-blow of how a drug ring is busted. It’s a character-driven story of interpersonal relationships and a general wonder at the explosive funniness of life. The dominant voice is irony and camp, even leaning into the 1970s-style bizarro that has been called “high weirdness,” but there are also glimpses of sincere existential questioning.
The narrator is unique and memorable: a gay FBI agent who appreciates potpourri aromatherapy with his gun at the ready. Michalson also surprises readers with language that describes, for example, what it is to feel “like an old sea mollusk might feel dying on an Iowa plain.”
#2. Man Made Monsters
by Andrea L. Rogers
Publisher: L evine Querido
Released: October 2022
Genre: Short Story Collection / Aboriginal & Indigenous Fiction
Monsters menace the border between realms. One kind of monster can wrap around a coyote, leaving “an empty skin and gaping eyes.” Core to this collection is Cherokee folklore; for example, if you see Uktena, a serpent with deer antlers, it means “the world is about to change.”
Every story is a different scenario and setting, but it all coheres into one world with energy and depth.
#3. When They Tell You to Be Good
by Prince Shakur
Publisher: Tin House Books
Genre: Nonfiction / Memoir / African & African American Literature
A memoir of coming into self-knowledge as a queer Black man and coming into activism as a young Jamaican-American. Shakur, who was an infant when his father was murdered, describes feeling “the importance of being incompatible with a world that aimed to destroy you. ” The chronology circles like a ribbon, walking the labyrinth forward and backward.
#4. Cascade
by Rachel A. Rosen
Publisher: The BumblePuppy Press
Released: June 2022
Genre: Fantasy / Magical Realism
A novel of climate apocalypse and magic. This magic, a power that comes to some individuals, is a gut response to suffering or injustice or whatever they can’t accept. This story stars a new plant species called shriekgrass. Why does the grass shriek? Because it knows what’s happening to the world. Out of all the solutions we brainstorm to address the climate crisis, why don’t we hear more about magical ones?
#1. A Perfect Night
by Joseph Stone
Genre: Fantasy / Dark
Review by Alexandria Ducksworth :
I cannot get enough of Joseph Stone’s dark fiction.
A Perfect Night is Joseph Stone’s unforgettable story about a young girl and the terrible secrets tied to her gift of seeing spirits. You think your family has dark secrets. You’ll be glad you don’t have any like Fran.
Stone weaves heavy scenarios you can’t stop thinking about in this story. It’s like not being able to fall asleep after watching a horror movie. Stone really knows how to give us the creeps. Scenes are disturbing yet strangely captivating. Readers may become addicted to the drama.
Everybody involved in this gripping story has something to reveal, and the results are often jaw-dropping and downright scary.
by Tam Derudder Jackson
Released: May 2022
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
Move over JR Ward and Gena Showalter.
Tam Derudder Jackson is coming for the paranormal romance pantheon.
Rogue, her sizzling romantic adventure, is going to have readers missing its story and characters before they even reach the final page. This steamy story gives readers a little extra spice to their romance, and the tale includes characters as believable as you’re going to find with a splash of underrated Celtic mythos.
I highly recommend Rogue to longtime paranormal romance readers who can’t get enough of handsome, magical fighters with big swords. After reading this book, you’re are going to be starving for more of Jackson’s tales.
#3. Whole Body Prayer
by Yan Ming Li
Released: January 2022
Genre: Memoir / Spirituality / Asian & Asian American Literature
A tall glass of water for the parched soul
Yan Ming Li’s spiritual memoir Whole Body Prayer is an absolute treasure. Li is no stranger to hard times, yet his book is filled with encouraging moments for those who feel less than they should in this world.
We all have a gift of some sort. Some of us are born builders, writers, healers, and more. Whole Body Prayer is a wonderfully-written reminder of it.
Although this is a short read, it’s uplifting and well worth the time spent. We all need a book like Whole Body Prayer during eventful times. It can give readers peace of mind and the power to keep moving no matter what happens out in the world.
#4. The Grand Game
by Tim Ahrens
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
A Hunger Games meets Battle Royale fantasy delight
Do you control your fate, or is a higher power doing all the work? Is there some god out there who sets up where you live, work, date, and die?
Tim Ahrens takes this thought and throws it into a fun, fantasy adventure in The Grand Game . It’s a wonderful world filled with intriguing characters, unique lore, and memorable faraway lands.
Ahrens knows how to scribe entertaining fantasy. Sure, there are tons of fantasies filled with kings, queens, dragons, and fairies, but what else can writers do with these age-old elements? Ahrens takes these tropes and twists them into an RPG “fight for your life” ordeal. Every page is filled with surprises, dangers, and secrets worth reading.
#5. Creole Conjure
by Christina Rosso
Publisher: Maudlin House
Released: October 2021
Genre: Short Story Collection / Fantasy
Alluring and mystical— Creole Conjure captures Louisiana in all of its mysterious glory .
This story collection comes with a pinch of magic. Author Christina Rosso thrives in her depiction of mystical New Orleans and makes you want to explore its singular charm.
This collection of intertwining stories is set both in New Orleans and the Honey Island Swamp, modeled after the real Manchac Swamp. The areas are well known for their magic, superstitions, and folklore. There are witches, werewolves, vampires, cursed dolls, and more than you can imagine in Creole Conjure . And the non-magical folks are just as peculiar.
Rosso has a way with mystical storytelling, taking you in like one of her witches and capturing you in her spell.
#1. Stamp Mill Murder
by Sherilyn Decter
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Historical Mystery
Review by Joelene Pynnonen:
Despite being an escapist novel, this novel doesn’t sugarcoat the darker parts of the era.
The Moonshiner Mysteries series steps up its game with this second installment. The first book, Big Sky Murder , is a great set-up: it introduces the characters and shows readers around a fascinating historical small world.
This second book, Stamp Mill Murder , expands all the horizons: Characters who were already thoroughly enjoyable gain more nuance; we explore the town of Pony Gulch and its surrounding mines and forests deeper; and all the great historical aspects are developed even further too.
Light and fun with enough historical clout to hold its own, this series has been a fantastic escape from reality so far.
#2. Balsamic Moon
by Alan Gartenhaus
Genre: Literary Fiction / Disaster Fiction
Most disaster novels I’ve read follow similar conventions to disaster movies: more action than reality. Balsamic Moon breaks that mold. It’s a thoughtful, nuanced, and authentic exploration of the occurrence and direct aftermath of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. The long days of waiting, the stifling anxiety about whether they’ll be rescued, and the dwindling of already meager rations are all drawn with stark clarity.
Something about the way Balsamic Moon is written pulls readers so smoothly across its pages. It’s easy to empathize with the characters through the struggle for survival. The heat of the long days is palpable, the stench of the floodwater equally so.
While Balsamic Moon uses Hurricane Katrina as a vehicle for its story, the story isn’t really about the storm. There are so many different things that this novel explores, but, at its heart, I think it is about the people that society accepts and the people it rejects.
Reading Balsamic Moon is somehow both wonderful and heartrending. I could easily have spent more time with these characters. There seems to be so much of both of them left unexplored. It feels fitting, though, that in the wake of this disaster, things are left messy and incomplete. It leaves an air of disturbance around the novel. A feeling of disquiet that somehow mirrors the ultimate atmosphere of the book.
#3. Life, Travel, and the People In Between
by Mike Nixon
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
Released: September 2022
Genre: Memoir / Travel
An insightful, feel-good travel memoir that shows how following your passion can change your life
Life, Travel, and the People in Between is like an interesting discussion with someone talking about the life they love. It’s accessible, relatable, sometimes funny, and sometimes painful. It’s also one of those books that inspires you just by existing.
For someone without a lot of means, either social, professional, or economic, it’s amazing how Nixon manages to build such a fulfilling, enriching life while following his heart.
#4. So Far From Home
by Robert Wilhelm
Released: December 2021
Genre: Nonfiction / True Crime / Historical
A vivid true crime story that dives into the social and political climate behind a gruesome murder
So Far From Home is a fascinating historical tale. While the crime is at the forefront, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. Wilhelm paints a full picture of the stakes that pertain to all parties through the trial. Pressure is on the prosecution to return a guilty vote.
Author Robert Wilhelm maintains the perfect balance in giving all parties involved a voice, but also in making each of their perspectives persuasive. He takes the time to humanize the people involved in this story. For a book gleaned from old newspapers, it does so well in delving into personalities.
#5. Laugh Cry Rewind
by Judy Haveson
Released: July 2022
Genre: Memoir / Women
A poignant memoir that shows how love perseveres beyond death
Laugh Cry Rewind could easily fall into pity memoir territory, but the often funny, irreverent tone puts it onto another level. While the central most devastating event in Judy’s life might have been losing her sister, Celia’s life dominates the page more than her death. This isn’t the story of a person fixed on one terrible moment, but of a person whose moments, both bad and good, all add up to an incredible life.
Funny, awkward, and sad by turns, it explores the ins and outs of navigating all the complexities of the world from adolescence to relationships to careers.
#1. Don’t Ask the Blind Guy for Directions
by John Samuel
Released: November 2022
Genre: Nonfiction / Autobiography / Disability
Review by Andrea Marks-Joseph :
This is a tremendous book about the powerful impact of having a disability, denying that disability, and then finally using tools that make the world accessible for people with your specific disability. It’s a short, personal story that could be an afternoon read, but John Samuel’s words and life will stay with you long afterwards.
Though my disabilities are very different from Samuel’s, I could see so much of my own journey (the best parts: getting the accessibility tools I needed!) in there, but it’s filled with enlightening, practical lessons that would be beneficial and life-changing for everyone to read–especially if you’re running a company or involved in hiring processes.
#2. The Sleepless
by Victor Manibo
Publisher: Erewhon Books
Released: August 2022
Genre: Science Fiction / Cyberpunk
I think about this book every day, and I read it almost a year ago. This is a sci-fi novel about a world where “sleeplessness” (chronic, permanent insomnia) is the product of a global pandemic, but it is now something accessible on the black market.
What does capitalist society look like when the world is filled with people who never sleep? What does that mean for our office culture, our personal lives, our brain’s capacity to make and store memories, and for how our families see us? The worldbuilding is phenomenal, but this is also a murder mystery, a corporate conspiracy, and a highly motivated queer Filipino protagonist on his devastating journey through compounding grief.
#3. Like & Subscribe for Murder
by Elle Kleos
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / LGBTQ+
Like & Subscribe for Murder is a super fun, hilarious queer murder mystery complete with constant, affirming use of they/them pronouns (and gender neutral Spanish!) for its nonbinary protagonist, Detective Sam. Imagine HBO’s The White Lotus as more focused on the murder, just as horny but way more queer, heavier on the ‘eat the rich’ energy, and depicting actual solidarity with its local hotel staff.
Elle Kleos nails the absurdity of wealth and the traditions of the rich, alongside the ridiculously serious business of an influencer’s lifestyle. I wish there were already ten books in this series because it’s truly unlike anything else I’ve read in the genre!
#4. Xenocultivars: Stories of Queer Growth
edited by Isabela Oliveira & Jed Sabin
Publisher: Speculatively Queer
Genre: Anthology / LGBTQ+ / Fantasy
This short story anthology is the perfect gift for anyone interested in speculative fiction, and should be part of every inclusive library. All these stories—written by diverse marginalized authors from every corner of the globe—are magnificently queer and fantastically imaginative.
This vibrant collection blooms with ideas of what the world could look like and flourishes because it models what community should look like; it crosses genres from fairytales to horror to space adventure and back, radiating gender expansiveness and everyday queerness everywhere it takes us.
#5. Wicked Blood
by Margot de Klerk
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Paranormal
A wild and dreamy poetic journey through the wilderness in all of us.
De Klerk’s writing is effortlessly descriptive… The prose is never dense or overwhelming and really makes us feel as though we are wandering the streets of Berlin: riding its trains, noticing its architecture, appreciating its history, encountering its strange and mysterious people carrying worlds of secrets in their skin.
I particularly enjoyed reading the shapeshifting experience as Cynthia transforms into whichever animal she chooses. De Klerk’s worldbuilding is rich with fresh takes on old magic. The fascinating mechanics of being a shapeshifter are by far my favorite. Shapeshifting is described clear as day, as if you’re watching on screen. The rules of Cynthia’s magic create challenges just as exciting as the opportunities they cause. The supernatural in Wicked Blood is wonderfully accessible and conversational, bringing you into the experience with ease.
Wicked Blood is a book I’d read again with pleasure. Like any young adult’s time abroad, the true magic is in the surprises that each day brings and the people you meet along the way—prickly and powerful as they may be here.
- Bibi Blundermuss & the Tree Across the Cosmos by Andrew Durkin ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- The Antidotes: Pollution Solution by Patty Mechael ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- Alora Factor by D.L. Williams ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- I Sang That by Sally Stevens ( Bookshop | Amazon )
- The Way of the Cicadas by Audrey Henley ( Bookshop | Amazon )
#1. Personal Demons (Hopeless, Maine)
by Nimue Brown and Tom Brown
Publisher: Outland Entertainment
Released: September 2021
Genre: Graphic Novel / Fantasy
Review by Kathy L. Brown :
This is a beautiful graphic novel with engaging characters and a really interesting story. I’m thrilled to see more magical orphanage adventures are available!
Fans of gorgeous art, subtle eldritch horror, and all around creepy good times will enjoy this hardback, full-color book.
#2. The Kraken Imaginary
by James M. Wright
Publisher: Montag Press
Genre: Fantasy / Historical
This secondary world has strong similarities to our own world’s ancient history and tells stories that interweave amongst each other.
Hilarious and entertaining while philosophically exploring the nature of, well, everything. Strong character development and well-crafted storytelling too! Great for fantasy fans, especially role-playing gamers and history buffs. (Disclosure: this reviewer also has a book out with the publisher, Montag Press.)
#3. 1836: Year of Escape
by Rose Osterman Kleidon
Genre: Historical Fiction / Adventure
A desperate and dangerous journey; an immersive historical fiction
Rose Osterman Kleidon crafts a compelling tale, seamlessly weaving family research, historical facts, imagination, and insight into human emotion and behavior into an exciting story.
The first book in a series, it describes the Kästner family’s travels from Prussia to the Port of New Orleans. 1836: Year of Escape includes everything you could want in historical fiction—engaging characters, brisk action, compelling drama, and historical facts that are totally integrated into the narrative.
#4. Dilation: A 10,000 Year Sci-Fi Epic
by Travis Stecher
Genre: Science Fiction / Epic
The human drive to survive propels this skillful epic sci-fi, where humankind suffers from its own folly and an alien race plans for its annihilation
Author Travis Stecher takes on a vast subject in Dilation: A 10,000 Year Sci-Fi Epic —nothing short of the near-destruction of humanity. The story brings together people from across nations, planets, solar systems, and historical epochs to combat an extinction threat from light-years away.
Dilation’s prose is skillful and the voice confident. The author’s wry humor grounds the narrative, especially when things get dark and heavy. Readers who enjoyed The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey will appreciate Dilation ’s grand scale, well-rendered characters, and ingenious melding of scientific possibilities with logical speculation about what lies ahead in humanity’s future.
#5. Taming Infection
by Gregg Coodley & David Sarasohn
Released: April 2022
Genre: Nonfiction / Health / History
An engrossing history of infectious diseases’ toll on humanity
Taming Infection is the story of the infectious diseases that have most tormented humanity as well as the impact of these illnesses on American history. In a clear conversational voice, the book explains fifteen major infectious diseases’ microbiology and clinical presentation as well as the measures developed to combat them.
Readers interested in infectious diseases of the past and, unfortunately, the present will gain much from this book. History buffs will find new insights into the tremendous impact disease has had on events from war to colonization to legislation, as well as human behavior.
#1. The Seed Keeper
by Diane Wilson
Released: March 2021
Genre: Literary Fiction / Native American Literature
Review by Genevieve Hartman:
This intergenerational narrative of one Dakota family’s struggles to maintain their homeland and their family legacy despite war, generational trauma, hostility from white neighbors, and environmental threat is one of the most achingly beautiful books I’ve ever read.
The characters are finely rendered with a deep devotion to each other, to their family history, to the land they call home, and to the seeds that represent both past and future hope.
#2. The Wet Hex
by Sun Yung Shin
Publisher: Coffee House Press
Genre: Poetry / Asian & Asian American Literature
The Wet Hex plays with form and expectations, using the symbols of shadows and light to create a gripping portrait of Korean folklore, motherhood, immigrant experience, and cataclysm. The poems are darkly resonant and honed to fine metal, piercing and leaving the reader paging through the depths of legend and our fading future.
#3. Born Into This
by Adam Thompson
Released: July 2021
Genre: Short Story Collection / Indigenous & Aboriginal Fiction
A stark, moving window into Aboriginal life in Australia
Immersive, honest, and at times cutthroat, this short story collection peers into the lives of ordinary people across Tasmania—students, activists, desk workers, prisoners, and beyond—looking broadly into how people learn to survive in the circumstances they are born into.
Thompson leaves readers wondering what to say in the face of suffering and resilience, of fading ties to the land and the people who once lived there. Frank and darkly perceptive, yet somehow still tender, Born Into This is built out of short stories that strike, that spark, that ignite into flame.
#4. Coffee, Shopping, Murder, Love
Publisher: Red Hen Press
A chaotic, hilarious, and murder-filled journey through LA and Baja California
Readers will embark on a riotous, ribald, and somehow still laughter-inducing ride, from a terrible first date over coffee to a somewhat-accidental-but-also-on-purpose murder, with a few unintended deaths, a lot of misery, and of course, shopping and love to boot.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book as unabashedly fun as Coffee, Shopping, Murder, Love , and I think it’ll be a while before I read another book that so deftly marries whimsy with wrongdoing, that makes me laugh out loud while cringing at the same time.
#1. A Lot of Questions (with no answers)?
by Jordan Neben
Genre: Nonfiction / Philosophy / Essays
Review by Jadidsa Perez:
A Lot of Questions illuminates the darkest corners of humanity with humor and intelligence .
Neben has written one of the strongest debuts I’ve read in a while. A Lot of Questions does not simply look at the surface of ideas; it plunges deep into the waters of human behavior. The prose is clever, neat, and most importantly, accessible. Neben clearly explains any concept that is introduced and creates analogies that are easy to understand.
The book does not hone in on only one perspective. Instead, it looks at many different angles. As Neben himself admits, humans are extremely complex, thus history itself is almost a labyrinth.
A Lot of Questions is an incredible read—emotionally intense but extremely important.
#2. Lost Roots
by KArl von Loewe
Genre: Memoir / Family History & Genealogy
A seed is planted in the reader’s mind that blossoms into a beautiful flower of prose, memories, and familial bonds.
Lost Roots: Family, Identity, and Abandoned Ancestry details the way oppressive structures have altered the identity of millions of families. For von Loewe, what began as a search for the significance of the compound name, “von Loewe Kiedrowski” resulted in a historical journey through wars, borders, and time.
Lost Roots has equal parts nostalgic storytelling and detailed research, providing beguiling context for what’s happening in Poland, Germany, and America… My favorite aspect of this book is the juxtaposition between the family’s recollection and actual evidence of what occurred. Embellishment is a natural part of oral storytelling, and despite the documented evidence, it’s an important part of how people are remembered.
#3. The Perfect Tulip
by Alexander Martinez
Genre: Nonfiction / Self-Help
Impulsivity and indecision can alter your life completely—let this book help you make the best decisions.
The goal of this book is not to make the “perfect” decision for someone, but to allow readers to critically engage with their choices and understand themselves, their environment, and how all of that will impact their future .
What sets Perfect Tulip apart from other psychological self-help books, especially as personality tests have risen in popularity? Martinez’s honesty and focus on decision making carves out a niche within the self-help genre and makes Perfect Tulip not just enjoyable, but practical and informative.
#1. What Have I Done?
by Carrie Close
Publisher: Unsolicited Press
Genre: Memoir / Poetry
Review by Anne Greenawalt :
I loved the hybrid/fragmented style of this book as well as the intimacy of the writing. I felt like I was getting a secret glimpse into the author’s private notebook. She writes unabashedly with the gritty and uncomfortable details of relationships and motherhood. This is one of the first hybrid books I’ve read, and I was drawn to the style because of the way the gaps leave room for the reader to make meaningful connections.
#2. Beautiful, Violent Things
by Madeline Anthes
Publisher: Word West
Genre: Short Story Collection / Literary
The first time I read this book, I thought it was narrative prose poetry (even though it says “stories” on the cover) because the language is so beautiful and vivid. The strong narrative voices within each story drew me in, as did the themes of romantic (or not so romantic) relationships and motherhood. The intimacy Anthes creates, even in the micro stories, touched me viscerally.
#3. Ceremonials
by Katharine Coldiron
Publisher: Kernpunkt Press
Released: February 2020
Genre: Literary Fiction / Women / LGBTQ+
Coldiron writes with gorgeous, lyrical prose about love, loss, and obsession that leaves me feeling haunted. This novella lives up to the jacket description of “a song etched in ink.” Now I want to listen to the album (Florence + the Machine’s 2011 album Ceremonials ) that inspired it.
#4. Somewhere, a Woman Lowers the Hem of Her Skirt
by Laurie Rachus Uttich
Publisher: Riot in Your Throat
Genre: Poetry
I love the fierce, feminist themes of all of Riot in Your Throat’s poetry collections, and Uttich’s collection is no exception. Each poem tells a story, often about de/constructing identity, motherhood, teaching, and fighting for equality in all of those realms. The narrative quality of each poem made them emotionally true and relatable. The line “I wonder if who I’ve become is who I am” still stays with me and helps me reflect on my own journey and identity as a woman.
#1. My Volcano
Review by Nathaniel Drenner :
My Volcano explodes with a surreal, apocalyptic take on modern society.
Stintzi’s novel reflects the surrealistic feeling of the early 21 st century—the feeling of life going on as normal when things are decidedly not normal. The threats rumbling under the surface are, we may feel, invisible even as they stare us in the face.
The novel gives us a funhouse mirror of ourselves and our society: entertaining, thought-provoking, and purposefully strange. The volcano—any of our volcanoes—always threatens to overwhelm, demanding our attention. The question remains what, if anything, we will do about it.
#2. The Happy Valley
by Benjamin Harnett
Genre: Literary Fiction / Dystopian
A thought-provoking exploration of the past, the future, and the worlds we construct for ourselves
The story involves a secret society, a potential murder, and a law firm as old as the United States. The layers of plot, setting, and theme turn what could have been a simple young-adult adventure novel into a thought-provoking tale investigating how we construct our past, how societies function, and who gets to decide.
The Happy Valley offers fascinating insights about the relationship between the past and the future, anchoring its philosophical musings in a personal story of rediscovery. To blend the abstract with the concrete, to mash-up genres with intention—neither is any small feat, and this novel pulls off the sleight of hand necessary to bring its distinct vision to life.
#1. Dawn of Deoridium
by Jeff Ting
Released: February 2022
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Asian & Asian American Literature
Review by Chika Anene :
A fantastic YA Fantasy that fans of The Poppy War by R.F Kuang will love
Trust me when I say: You’re going to fall in love with the world that Ting has created here.
16-year-old Kaili, who is next in line of the queens of the kingdom of Kalulishi, is no ordinary royal. She possesses electromagnetic power caused by The Shift — an upheaval of the earth’s magnetosphere more than three hundred years ago .
From reading Dawn of Deoridium , one thing is clearest to me—Jeff Ting is one heck of a talented writer. The worldbuilding is unique, the descriptions are alive, and the characters all play integral roles in the development of the story. Brilliant.
#2. Welcome to the Free World
by Lloyd Raleigh
Genre: Science Fiction / Post-Apocalyptic
Embark on a whirlwind of feverish exhilaration in this post-apocalyptic page-turner.
Will Robin is part of a group called “Scalpels,” and they are in opposition of the creators of the AI technology dominating the society he lives in. Scalpels work tirelessly to remove microchips embedded in the brains of individuals in society.
As a part of Scalpels, Will’s job is to help individuals escape a totalitarian government that wishes to survey and control society through a metaverse where the “utopia” is in their heads.
The world is so intricately woven together that readers are going to be sucked in from the moment they begin. Everything from the details of how the technology works to the state of the society has been so cleverly crafted that we always feel a part of the story and world.
Settle in to the comfort of your chairs for this story that grabs you by the throat.
#3. Wind Out of Time
by Rhema Sayers
Genre: Science Fiction / Time Travel
A funny, whimsical, and adventurous fantasy retelling of King Arthur of Camelot
While on a wild chase after a wanted terrorist, FBI agent Andrea Schilling unexpectedly finds herself tumbling through a portal leading to 5th century Britain where the ruler of the land is King Arthur. However, something’s not quite as it should be, as the kingdom Andrea finds herself in seems to be the exact opposite of what she remembers from the popular tales about King Arthur.
What I enjoyed most about Wind Out of Time is the character development. As King Ardur gets to know Andrea, he becomes more willing to see the flaws within his kingdom and more willing to improve them.
The characters, scenes, and places are described with such vividness that I feel like the one who fell through a portal into a fairy tale.
#1. Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary
by Laura Stanfill
Publisher: Lanternfish Press
Genre: Historical Fantasy / Magical Realism
Review by Erica Ball:
A playful and loving take on authenticity and pursuing your own path to happiness
From the first pages to the last period, the author’s spirited storytelling style lifts the prose above the actual action to a place where the reader can smile at the foibles of human life and behavior. This means that though unfortunate things happen to these likable characters, the reader can take the broader view of these circumstances.
Another strength is the originality of the writing. Simple scenes evoke strong emotions, such as a quiet moment between a mother and her colicky baby. There is a plethora of unexpected analogies that reframe ordinary experiences, often into the language of music.
Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary is a place of music, birdsong, and beauty; a wonderful world in which to rest awhile. It is a look at how the destruction of certainty can make space for growth, and the peace that can be found in allowing ourselves to just be ourselves.
#2. Wipe Out
by Teresa Godfrey
Publisher: Roswell Press
Genre: Science Fiction / Dystopian
A hopeful look at what can happen, even in a dystopian future, when someone decides to do the right thing
Wipe Out by Teresa Godfrey is the story of a tough-as-nails military driver who accidentally finds herself leading a revolution. In this world, society is recovering from a deadly disease that has collapsed civilization.
It is a story of one of those rare moments when many factors come together to trigger rapid change. A pivot point. A flashpoint occurs because the right people are in positions to make things happen, and—most importantly—choose to do so.
#3. The True History of Jude
by Stuart Campbell
Genre: Science Fiction / Dystopia
The story of a rebellious woman and the power of our stories, even in a world where truth is not welcome
The True History of Jude is an epistolary novel about a bleak dystopian future in which the geopolitical structure of the world has drastically changed. Due to massive environmental upheaval caused by climate change, many countries, including Australia, face grave uncertainty about the future of their cities and the people who live in them.
When a pivotal moment strikes in the form of a tsunami, a complex political plan years in the making is triggered and the fates of millions are rewritten in an instant.
In many ways, it is a thought experiment with a terrifying premise: What would happen if the greatest powers in the world—those of government, military, and corporations were to join forces or be joined under a single will? As such, it is a look at how change can come gradually or in a single cataclysmic event. Of how freedoms can be slowly whittled away even if it’s obvious what is happening because no one has any idea what to do about it. Is there even anything to do about it, once such forces are at work?
#4. Brilliant White Peaks
by Teng Rong
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction / Animals
An engrossing story capturing life through the experiences of a young wolf.
We follow him from birth, growing up in the warmth and comfort of his family, and exploring the slowly expanding world around their den. As he gets older he experiences all the ups and downs of living in the wild: hunting, accidents, fights, danger, love, and more.
In the wolf’s world, scent carries all important information, food is always the priority, and memories–good and bad–fade equally quickly.
#1. Pearls on a String
by Jane Merling
Publisher: BayMar Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction / Romance
Review by Tomi Alo:
A captivating historical fiction that uncovers family secrets and connects the past to the present
Author Jane Merling thrives in her depiction of tenacious and courageous people facing adversity.
Sarah Langner, a successful independent woman in the progressive 1980s, stumbles upon a mysterious box containing journals and letters belonging to her grandmother. As Sarah goes through the contents of the box, she uncovers many family secrets that will change what she thought she knew about her grandmother, father, and even herself. Though the book is from Sarah’s perspective, the story revolves mainly around the life of her grandmother, Augusta.
Merling writes Augusta’s life with such eloquence, capturing a true perseverance and resilience in her character. Even though Augusta isn’t alive to tell her story, we can see much of her kindness, generosity, and positive attitude toward life.
It is a sweet and exciting historical fiction filled with love, strength, courage, tragedy, and humor.
#2. Gods of the Garden
by Robin Strong
Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Science Fiction
Robin Strong’s debut novel Gods of the Garden is an enlightening and engaging narrative that allows its reader to gain a fresh perspective on human existence.
With a focus on cultural anthropology, the book analyzes the foundation of life, offers a fresh perspective on how life changes when influenced, and poses the questions that have always seemed too ambiguous to have clear-cut answers— Why are we here? What’s our purpose in this world?
The author does an outstanding job of evoking varied emotions in her reader through the novel’s characters and description. She creates an atmosphere in which you can experience their losses and wins right alongside them.
#1. Icarus Never Flew ‘Round Here
by Matthew Edwards
Genre: Literary Fiction / Coming of Age
Review by Madeline Barbush:
A curious portrait of a cattle rancher searching for meaning
Dale Samuel doesn’t know the meaning of life, if there is one, so he asks the sky. Blunt and raw in style, author Matt Edwards crafts this indelicate Frankensteinian tale of one man’s poorly cobbled-together idea of god and creation and the power that these entities hold.
I highly recommend Icarus Never Flew ‘Round Here . It’s a novel that surprises you, makes you uneasy, and flies by in an instant. Matt Edwards creates a surreal world seen through the eyes of a cattle rancher who, once settled and serene, becomes hungry for meaning. It’s a quiet and slow sort of anxiety but one you can put back down, although in this case, I doubt you will want to.
#2. By Fire
by Rhonda Harris Slota
A hauntingly beautiful collection that explores the life of a daughter seeking love and reconciliation
By Fire is a fervid debut poetry collection, retracing the life of a youth growing up in southern Indiana with a father whose mental illness took the form of an overzealous belief that he was the prophet Elijah.
Slota instills in each of her poems not only a palpable feeling of devastation, but also, eventually, renewal. She earnestly exposes and examines a family’s secrets and vulnerabilities; she need only describe the mother’s hands or the change in the father’s eyes and hair for us to feel the weight of all their suffering at once.
There is both a silence and a bellowing call in each of these poems: the silence to quiet out the cries of pain, and the bellowing call for love. Slota paints a life with so many brilliant colors that all fade at once before brightening up again.
#1. Witch Window
by Phil Bayly
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Review by Lindsay Crandall:
A gripping mystery set in a stunning Vermont landscape
Witch Window starts in the summer heat with the discovery of a body. A body that just so happens to be dressed for skiing.
Author Phil Bayly decorates this engrossing tale with rich descriptions of Vermont’s landscape and local flora—vivid enough that I started researching real estate prices in New England.
As soon as I thought I had part of the mystery solved, Bayly slyly shifts focus to revisit a previously mentioned character or locale. He is clearly comfortable turning his mysteries around on their heads and enjoys leaving readers guessing to the final pages, to see how all of the dots of the story connect.
#2. The Source of Smoke
by V.L. Adams
Publisher: New Degree Press
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Small Town
V.L. Adams absolutely nails the combination of true crime and small town drama in The Source of Smoke .
Fans of the true crime genre are sure to love this novel. I think Adams really excels in pacing this story. Every new rumor or bit of gossip Charlie hears seems relevant to the situation, making it difficult to put the novel down. The story picks up most when the lies start to unravel, making the last quarter of the book easy to fly through. I genuinely enjoyed The Source of Smoke, and I think you would too.
#3. Reportedly Murdered
by Geoffrey Walters
Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Detective
An unputdownable mystery about a reporter-turned-detective with a colorful cast of characters
Walters has a realistic reporter-turned-detective mystery. Each character, all unique and intriguing, is a viable suspect.
Set in New York City, it feels like a good old fashioned whodunnit detective mystery, even though Gregory isn’t really a detective. Fans of the mystery genre and detective fiction are going to enjoy this one.
Happy reading! What were the best books you read in 2022?
Founded in April 2018, Independent Book Review is dedicated to showing readers the best in small press and self-published books. IBR has over 25 reviewers on staff with an enthusiasm for genres all across the literary landscape. They are based out of Harrisburg, PA and are always considering new books for review .
Thank you for reading “The Best Books We Read This Year (2022)” curated by the Independent Book Review team! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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It’s fun to see so many great indie covers. This is a intriguing list. Happy reading in 2023!
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Loved all the books that you’ve mentioned as a an Avid reader these some books that I loved reading in 2022 1. We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast by Jonathan Safran Foer 2. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 3. The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. 4. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson 5. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton 6. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab 7. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley 8. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi 9. The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi by Richard Grant 10. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern 11. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah 12. The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben 13. The Overstory by Richard Powers 14. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 15. If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin 16. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 17. The Witch Elm by Tana French
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Here Are All The Best Books Releasing December 2022
End the year with these fantastic books.
At Certain Points We Touch by Lauren John Joseph
A queer coming-of-age story told by an unnamed narrator about the first time they fell in love, this stunning debut pulled me in immediately and refused to let go. In attempting to piece together the narrative of a decade-long failed relationship, the narrator lets their audience experience the heady feeling of new love and the slow devastation of losing it. A distinctly singular narrative voice propels this gorgeous novel that’s funny, sexy, and bold by turns. —David Vogel
Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman
Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion is at its core about the relationships between Razia and others and her relationship with herself — from a childhood friendship that collapses due to a family rift, to a new friendship filled with tiny rebellions. Her acceptance at Stuyvesant changes things even further, transporting the image of future Razia that her parents wanted even farther away from the school as the true Razia discovers new feelings toward a girl named Angela. And when that itself is discovered by an Aunty in their community, Razia will have to determine what she's truly willing to risk. —Rachel Strolle
The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
The Light Pirate is a devastatingly beautiful yet heavy story that pictures a dystopian American in the midst of climate change disaster. Wanda, born during a detrimental hurricane in Rudder, Florida, lives with her brother and father in what remains of the state. Wanda’s deep connection to her home and a special ability keep her tethered to a place she loves, with people she loves, even if disaster has diminished the community. —Farrah Penn
Grime: A Novel by Sibylle Berg
For fans of dystopian fiction, the first English translation of this international success is a must-read. Told in alternating perspectives, Grime follows a quartet of disaffected teenagers who bond over Grime music (a successor to punk) and their status as outsiders, and hatch a plan to enact revenge on the people they hold responsible for their misfortune. Immersive, engrossing, and entertaining, this is one readers of fiction won’t want to miss. —David Vogel
The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev
Dev’s vibrant, female-centric novel follows Bindu, Aly, and Cullie, three generations of desi women who come together at Bindu’s retirement community in Florida, where Bindu purchased a condo after unexpectedly inheriting $1 million. Cullie’s mother, Aly, attempts to keep her head above water at the news station while Cullie fights back against the company who purchased her app, pitching a new idea to investors in order to keep the business from going under. —Farrah Penn
So When Are You Having Kids? by Jordan Davidson
With its share of humor and ability to vividly paint scenarios for readers, So When Are You Having Kids? is a much-needed exploration of the age-old question that plagues us all at one time or another. Author Jordan Davidson offers an inclusive, thought-provoking journey for all humans, no matter where they are in their own questions surrounding parenthood. Packed with insight into the various ways to become a parent, alongside an honest look at just how hard it can be to achieve, this book will open your eyes to the all-encompassing role of the idea of having children in our culture — and how the stigma of maybe not wanting to choose this, or the way in which it is chosen — has kept this conversation from happening in the ways it should have before. With Jordan’s own extraordinary and candid personal story at its heart, this book is a must-read for all. —Lara Parker
Young Bloomsbury by Nino Strachey
This group biography chronicles the second generation of the iconoclastic Bloomsbury Group and their attempts to elevate the group to new heights by pushing personal and professional boundaries. These little-known stories of an artistic community that influenced culture for decades are enlightening and informative for creatives in any discipline. Also revolutionary for their unorthodox embrace of freedom of gender expression and sexuality, Young Bloomsbury is a fascinating history of just how long queer people have been fighting for respect and visibility. —David Vogel
Weightless: Making Space for My Resilient Body and Soul by Evette Dionne
The brilliant Evette Dionne's newest masterpiece discusses life as a fat Black woman and the way that shapes experiences. With little positive fat representation on TV, a toss-up experience on dating apps of being rejected for size or being fetishized for it, and the free pass doctors think they have to not listen to their patients since they can just say to "lose weight," many societal beliefs about bodies are discussed in this book. As self-held expectations clash with cultural expectations, Dionne grows to further believe in self-love and the extreme power it can hold. Dionne is a spectacular writer, and this book is a necessary addition to shelves. —Rachel Strolle
Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit and Glamour of an Icon by Kate Andersen Brower
Kate Andersen Brower’s biography of Elizabeth Taylor is the first authorized biography published since the star’s death in 2011. Using previously unseen documents and letters, Brower has constructed a riveting and thoroughly entertaining portrait of one of the most famous celebrities of the 20th century, a woman who helped define the concept of global celebrity. The coverage of Taylor’s AIDS activism is particularly engrossing, showing just how ahead of her time she was. A great read that would make a perfect gift for any fan of classic Hollywood. —David Vogel
The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
The Ingenue is a post-#MeToo, slow-burn mystery about headstrong Saskia, a piano prodigy, who returns home after the death of her mother only to discover she’s sold the family’s estate to Peter, a man whom Saskia shares a complex and tumultuous relationship. Saskia attempts to figure out her mother’s motivations all while confronting her past and present as she attempts to save her family’s home. —Farrah Penn
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
This short story collection is like a car crash you can't look away from: grotesque in the best way. From body horror to sci-fi elements to moralistic fables, Chung pens stories that shock and titilate as you jump from genre to genre. Translated from Korean by Anton Hur, the writing itself is matter-of-fact in an unsettling way, as if Chung knows that the scariest things are the closest to our reality. Each story is fantastically unique, and unlike anything I've ever read before. A woman is haunted by a head made up of her own bodily waste; a bunny lamp is cursed with disastrous consequences; a pregnant woman must find a father for her child before something horrific happens. Like all good scary stories, these beg to be read at night — but make sure to sleep with the lights on. —Kirby Beaton
The Opportunist by Elyse Friedman
Single mother Alana has better things to worry about than the frantic texts from her brothers about their 76-year-old father's 28-year-old nurse and new girlfriend, Kelly. Despite her best efforts, she still gets dragged into their plan to break up the couple after a wedding announcement. Teddy and Martin are hoping to protect their inheritance more than anything, and Kelly isn't one to give in easily. Fans of family-driven stories, rich people problems, and especially fans of Meredith Blake from 1998's The Parent Trap will love this twisty thriller. —Rachel Strolle
The Circus Train by Amita Parikh
Even in the World of Wonders — Europe's most magical traveling circus — Lena has never felt like she fit in. Polio as a child has left her in a wheelchair, but her doting father and her academic studies keep her occupied as they travel the world. When she stumbles upon Alexandre, a young Jewish boy, the small family takes him in as their own. But Europe is on the brink of war, and when Alexandre and Lena's father are captured she's forced to face the dark world on her own. The juxtaposition of the magical and mysterious circus with the bleakness of pre-WWII Europe is enrapturing in this unique take on a well-worn time period. —Kirby Beaton
An Impossible Return by Caroline Laurent
A moving account of an overlooked period in history, told with acute attention to detail and simmering emotion. In 1976, Mauritius declares its independence, striking a deal with the UK to evict the Indigenous Chagossians and turning their island over as a military base, effectively exiling its people forever. This fraught moment is captured through the eyes of Marie, a young Chagossian mother who falls in love with Gabriel, a Mauritian government official. Tied up in the brutal colonialism is the tragic love between Marie and Gabriel and that for their infant son, Joséphin, who later provides a sharp perspective on the situation as an adult in 2019. Laurent's devastating writing is as emotional as it is eye-opening. —Kirby Beaton
Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron
This sweet contemporary romance with a time travel twist makes for perfect cozy reading over the winter. Tired of the unceasing pace of Chicago and her work there, graphic designer and artist Isla moves to a small town in Missouri and takes a job at a more relaxed graphic design firm in St. Louis. She hopes living a quieter life will help with her chronic anxiety and panic attacks, which, though something she’s always experienced, have revved up since her mother’s death the previous year. Soon after moving into her small but lovely cottage, she receives a text message from a man claiming to be her husband, Ewan. He says he’s from the near future and texts her a picture from their wedding to prove he’s telling the truth. Slowly drawn in by this charming but clearly sad man, Isla begins to open up, falling in love all over again — or rather for the first time — with Ewan. However, Ewan hopes to be able to change the future, and with an altered future, the only way for them to be together is if Isla learns to love herself, anxiety and all. —Margaret Kingsbury
Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca
The newest addition to the Ren Faire romance series that has been a favorite of mine since day one, Well Traveled follows Mitch's cousin Lulu and guitarist Dex. Dreaming of an escape from her job as an attorney and the pressure of her family, Lulu gets pulled into the world of the Renaissance Faire by her cousin. As she travels with them, Dex, part of the Dueling Kilts band, finds her immune to his usual charms, and faces even more uncertainty when something happens that shakes up the band itself. Both are on journeys away from and toward something unexpected, and slowly they learn more about each other. But is their romance just destined for the road trip? —Rachel Strolle
A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson
If you, like me, have found yourself obsessed with the excellent food-themed queer romances of late, you'll be excited to learn about Jackson's newest. Especially if you, like me, have a soft spot for single parent romances. Xavier has started over, though not by choice, and has gotten a job as a prep chef in his hometown. Logan, the chef and single father who owns The Wharf, is not the best at assigning tasks. Though Xavier's sarcasm and Logan's lack of options make the chemistry between them all the more surprising, it will take a lot for the two of them to make it work. —Rachel Strolle
Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
Fans of Johnson's Truly Devious series are in for a serious treat with the fifth installment, which is unquestionably my favorite one since the killer series opener. It brings Stevie and the gang to London, where her boyfriend, David, has managed to secure them all a place to stay at his school for a week. Of course, Stevie's promptly dropped into a cold case, this one brought to her by David's far-too-close-for-Stevie's-comfort friend Izzy. As the book alternates between Stevie in the now and the group of nine friends who attempted to spend a wonderful break together in 1995 only for two to end up brutally murdered, it's clear one of the "friends" wasn't so friendly once upon a time, and if Stevie can't figure it out, the killer may strike again. Johnson once again combines an edge-of-your-seat mystery with a cast you'll love to hang out with, and while I won't talk about that ending, I will warn you that you'll be clamoring for Stevie's return ASAP. —Dahlia Adler
A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar
Four girls are boarding the RMS Titanic with a common goal: the jeweled Rubaiyat , a book encrusted with thousands of jewels lined with gold. Thief Josefa has put together a group to undertake this heist with her: acrobat Hinnah, artist Emilie, and actor Violet. And as is bound to happen in a story set aboard the doomed vessel that is the Titanic , disaster strikes, and an adventure to steal a book becomes a quest for survival that not all of them are guaranteed to make it out of. —Rachel Strolle
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Starred titles reviewed in our December 2022 print issue, spanning graphic novels, mystery and suspense, SF/fantasy, romance, and more.
MYSTERY & SUSPENSE
Collins, Flora. A Small Affair . Mira: Harlequin.
Croft, Rachel Koller. Stone Cold Fox . Berkley.
Crombie, Deborah. A Killing of Innocents . Morrow.
Ellison, J.T. It’s One of Us . Mira: Harlequin.
Holmes, Rupert. Murder Your Employer . Avid Reader.
Maxwell, Jessa. The Golden Spoon . Atria.
Parks, Adele. One Last Secret . Mira: Harlequin.
Raybourn, Deanna. A Sinister Revenge . Berkley.
Tracy, P.J. The Devil You Know . Minotaur: St. Martin’s.
Winters, Mary. Murder in Postscript . Berkley.
Bardugo, Leigh. Hell Bent . Flatiron.
Brown, Ness. The Scourge Between Stars . Tor Nightfire.
Cronin, Justin. The Ferryman . Ballantine.
Dyachenko, Marina & Sergey Dyachenko. Assassin of Reality . Harper Voyager.
Elliott, Kate. Furious Heaven . Tor.
Tesh, Emily. Some Desperate Glory . Tor.com.
Utomi, Moses Ose. The Lies of the Ajungo . Tor.com.
Elliot, Amanda. Best Served Hot . Berkley.
Jimenez, Abby. Yours Truly . Forever: Grand Central.
Park, Suzanne. The Do-Over . Avon.
DiLouie, Craig. Episode Thirteen . Redhook: Orbit.
Deb, Siddhartha. The Light at the End of the World . Soho.
Harding, Paul. This Other Eden . Norton.
Jones, Dan. Essex Dogs . Viking.
Lacey, Catherine. Biography of X . Farrar.
Markley, Stephen. The Deluge . S. & S.
Murray, Sabina. Muckross Abbey and Other Stories . Grove.
Nguyen Phan Que Mai. Dust Child . Algonquin.
Ryan, Donal. The Queen of Dirt Island . Viking.
Shroff, Parini. The Bandit Queens . Ballantine.
Stokes-Chapman, Susan. Pandora . Harper Perennial.
Thomas, Kai. In the Upper Country . Viking.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Harkham, Sammy. Blood of the Virgin . Pantheon.
Ma, Yeong-shin. Artist . Drawn & Quarterly.
Matejka, Adrian (text) & Youssef Daoudi (illus.). Last on His Feet . Liveright: Norton.
ARTS & HUMANITIES
Andersen Brower, Kate. Elizabeth Taylor . Harper: HarperCollins.
Banfield, William C. Musical Landscapes in Color . Univ. of Illinois.
Blaisdell, Bob. Chekhov Becomes Chekhov . Pegasus.
Freedom Moves . Univ. of California.
Giacomazzo, Bernadette. In Living Color . Rowman & Littlefield.
Harjo, Joy. Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light . Norton.
Hecht, Jennifer Michael. The Wonder Paradox . Farrar.
Levy, Aidan. Saxophone Colossus . Hachette.
Ó Tuama, Pádraig. Poetry Unbound . Norton.
Schulman, Michael. Oscar Wars . HarperCollins.
Thomson, David. Acting Naturally . Knopf.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Bennett, Todd. Neither Confirm nor Deny . Columbia Univ.
Guerrero, Lisa. Warrior . Hachette.
Hackman, Rose. Emotional Labor . Flatiron.
Masters, Oksana. The Hard Parts . Scribner.
Soni, Saket. The Great Escape . Algonquin.
Wall, Meg Jones. Finding the Fool . Weiser.
Woo, Ilyon. Master Slave Husband Wife . S. & S.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Hazard, Leah. Womb . Ecco.
Muller, Eddie. Eddie Muller’s Noir Bar . Running Pr.
Regan, Iliana. Fieldwork . Agate Midway.
Davis, Kenneth C. Great Short Books . Scribner.
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