Hello Book Fiends of Bloglandia!
It's that time of year when everywhere you turn you're fighting back yet another Top Whatever of 2022 List.
These are sometimes filled with stories about news items you thought happened five years ago, recipes you still haven't bothered to try, and celebrity foibles that make you question the state of humanity.
And of course, there's plenty of Top Books of 2022 lists.
These lists are usually filled with all the same books, which are all in the same genres, and have all met the same editorial blather to the point they could be called The Top Cut and Paste Lists of 2022.
Which is why my Top Books of 2022 list is a little different.
There's oodles of categories, oodles of genres, and oodles of...well, me being too indecisive to pick just ten top reads.
And before you start thinking I'm terribly clever, I kind of sort of stole this idea from the fabulous Kim M Watt. Her categories were a little different, but if you want to see another unique Top Books list, then do check out her selections HERE
If you care to jump around, my categories include...
- The Funniest
- Best of the Beasts
- The Creepiest-Eeriest
- Unique-est (yes, I know that's not a word) Mysteries
- Super-Duper-est Series
- Topmost Re-Reads
Alright then, on with the winners...
The Funniest
Since I love humorous fiction, this one was terribly tough to decide...and it's why many books in the other categories also fit the bill.
Sister Agatha by Domhnall O'Donoghue - This was absolutely hilarious! Sister Agatha has one goal in life and that's be the oldest person in the world. At 118, she's done pretty well, but there's four other people ahead of her in the age line. What's a goal-oriented nun to do? That's right, steal the nunnery's credit card and jet around the world so she can kill off her competition.
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Torsten - I picked this up thinking it would be some rollicking adventure of an old lady. Like a female version of the 100 Year Old Man. I could not have been more wrong and it was an utter delight...and an utterly disturbing one.
This Charming Man by C.K. McDonnell - A delightfully funny romp through a paranormal mystery involving vampires, which aren't even supposed to exist. Be sure to read the first book (The Stranger Times) in the series first.
Runners up...the Inspector Hobbes series, Three Bags Full, Small Gods, the Bunny McGarry series, Gobbelino London and a Scourge of Pleasantries
Best of the Beasts
Who says animals can't be the stars of adult fiction?! I don't know either, but I'm sure some Grumpy Gus out there says animals should stick to kids books. These books, prove old Gus wrong...
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swan - Crime-solving sheep. Need I say more?
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett - Okay, there's plenty of humans in the book, but the real star is the turtle in this snarky, goofy, hilarious look at religion.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle - Technically this was a re-read, but the charming tale of a unicorn trying to find others of her kind still holds up.
Runners up...Gobbelino London and a Scourge of Pleasantries, Gobbelino London and a Worry of Weres
The Creepiest-Eeriest
Sometimes I just like a deliciously dark tale. And sometimes their creepy factor turns out to be utterly delightful.
The BEK Curse by Jonathan Pongratz (indie pick)- A lovely farm house? A peaceful retirement? Not when some damn creepy kids show up on your doorstep!
The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell - Throw in one part Shutter Island, one part Dracula, and one part Jack the Ripper and you've got yourself an eerie tale of a young psychiatrist fighting some even eerier demons.
Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware - An edge-of-your-seat modern twist on the gothic haunted house genre...and another one with some creepy kids...maybe I should have made a Creepiest Kids category! Kidding aside, Ruth Ware turned out to be one of my favorite author "discoveries" in 2022.
Runner up...Equinox
Unique-est (yes, I know that's not a word) Mysteries
Lost In Time by A.G. Riddle - A world where the punishment for crime is to send the criminal back to pre-history? How's that for unique? Turns out though that the wrong person was sent back and it's up to his daughter to figure out what's really happening. I devoured this one!
Equinox by David Towsey - I don't know any other way to describe this book but to say "compelling". And yes, it is unique. Set in a world where each person is two people (one who exists only in the day and another who exists only at night), the concept draws you in, but the writing holds you attention...and the mystery is pretty darn good as well.
A Worry of Weres by Kim M. Watt (indie pick) - Talking cats, bumbling antics, and twisty turny paranormal mysteries make all the Gobbelino London books a delight. This one was no exception!!
Runners up...The Inspector Hobbes series, The Stranger Times, The Bunny McGarry series, Gobbelino & a Scourge of Pleasantries.
Super-Duper-est Series
Sometimes one book just isn't enough. I found myself gobbling up several books in these series and am looking forward to indulging in more in 2023!
The Inspector Hobbes series by Wilkie Martin - Wry humor, bad puns, paranormal antics, characters you can't forget, and just a whole lotta great fun! Book #1 = Inspector Hobbes and the Blood.
The Bunny McGarry series by Caimh McDonnell - Bunny, an Irish gardai, tries to do his best to solve crimes while keeping his nose clean, but at the same time will do anything to solve those crimes...whether his methods are in the rule books or not. A wryly humorous crime series with a hilarious cast of characters. Book #1 = A Man with One of Those Faces.
The Cormac Reilly series by Dervla McTiernan - I've really been enjoying Dervla's work this year, but each of these investigative thrillers keeps getting better. All in all, the books don't lag one bit. Even the slower paced moments keep you turning the pages. And if you can put this series down without feeling Reilly is a character you want to see more of, you're built of sterner stuff than me! Book #1 = The Ruins
Topmost Re-Reads
It's pretty rare for me to re-read a book...unless it's just THAT good.
The Stranger Times by C.K. McDonnell - The first time I read the ebook of this, but I just finished the audiobook and it made me love the story even more. If you're looking for something quirky that'll make you laugh out loud, then get your ink-stained paws on a copy of The Stranger Times.
Gobbelino London & a Scourge of Pleasantries by Kim M. Watt (indie pick)- If there's a book out there that matches my own snarky humor better than this book, please don't give it to me to read because I might just wet my pants. And no one wants to see that. Besides the humor, there's a talking cat who can't quite seem to get his idioms correct, a touch of paranormal mystery, and plenty of tea.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett - It's the end of the world and someone's misplaced the Anti-Christ. Honestly, I could see myself re-reading this book every year.
There were plenty of other amazing books I discovered this year. Too many to list without spending all day creating this post (it's already taken far too long). Of course, there were plenty of awful tomes too, but like those news stories I've already forgotten, I'm blocking them from my thoughts.
Now it's your turn...
What did you read this? Anything surprisingly good? Anything horrible? Any starts to irresistible series? Any categories you'd like to see in a Top Books list? Reply and let me know!
Thanks for popping by and I hope you have a wonderful 2023 full of wonderful books!!!
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