My mighty 2022 library

What does an anthropologist in Siberia, a cemetery caretaker, a Presbyterian minister in Chicago, and the governor of Portugal’s smallest African colony have in common? They are all protagonists across amazing stories.?

Last year I posted my favorite books and loved the feedback received! The best part (aside from some awesome recommendations and heated discussions) was reconnecting with friends I hadn't spoken with in so long. I am hoping this year's post will have the same effect.?

So now, here I am sharing my favorites from 2022. According to GoodReads, last year I read 9,040 pages across 26 books. It's hard to pick "the best ones"; some are deep and emotional, others are light and entertaining. I cast a wide net here and listed those which resonated and entertained in some way, shape or form.?Hope you all enjoy!?

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen

What can I say, I am a Franzen fan. Few writers can describe characters with potent psychological depth the way he does. Here, everyone is flawed, human and uniquely grappling with their own morality. This incredible family saga brilliantly combines faith, parenthood, marriage, and sibling relationships. Don't be intimidated by the length (600+ pages, I know), the story is fun to read and goes by surprisingly fast.

"It was strange that self-pity wasn’t on the list of deadly sins; none was deadlier."

Fresh Waters for Flowers by Valérie Perrin

A beautiful celebration of the human spirit set amongst cemetery caregivers and graveyard diggers. (I love unconventional settings!) Violette shows it's possible to overcome abandonment, betrayal and loneliness. Her ability to deal with grief is inspiring. But it's not just about resilience; it's about falling in love and unconventional friendships.

"You must learn to be generous with your absence to those who haven’t understood the importance of your presence."

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

An unexpected love story set amongst a beautifully written historical fiction. This is the story of Anna, a determined, fierce young woman portrayed as the wife of Jesus of Nazareth. It's also the story of so many wronged women who were robbed of their voice. I truly appreciated learning more about the Roman occupation of Israel and found it astounding to learn how women have been silenced throughout history.?

"I risked everything, but I couldn’t stop myself from writing her story. I filled both papyri. Grief and anger streamed from my fingers. The anger made me brave and the grief made me sure."

Happening by Annie Ernaux

This was perhaps the hardest review from my list of faves. How do I review someone who just won the Nobel? In a type of memoir, Annie writes about her clandestine abortion with grace and openness. She confronts class divides, social stigmas, danger and shame. Annie's writing is raw. This specific book is a punch in the stomach. The type where you turn your face, close the book and put it down. I was - and wasn't - shocked by the cruelty and lack of compassion by those around Annie. Although this happened in 1963 I am not sure it would be any different today. Shame to see how the social context has barely evolved.??

"Maybe the true purpose of my life is for my body, my sensations and my thoughts to become writing, in other words, something intelligible and universal, causing my existence to merge into the lives and heads of other people."

In the Eye of the Wild by Nastassja Martin

A gripping report from an anthropologist's near deadly bear attack in Siberia. The book can be graphic and a bit disturbing at times, but definitely readable. Nastya's story shares how powerful are the forces that propel us toward the unexpected, the illusion of time, and our connections to nature.?

"I am not myself anymore, my head is a ball scored with swollen red claw-marks and sutures… and yet I’ve never looked more like my own spirit; it has been imprinted on my body, the marks on my skin reflect both a journey out and a return."

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I don't read that many murder mysteries, only when they come highly recommended. This is one heck of a page turner! Plot twists, well defined (and very suspicious) characters, perfect pacing between long and short chapters, clues galore, love stories and boom! An ending worth applauding. I couldn't put this one down. I think my family is still making fun of me for being the bookworm lugging suitcases through an airport while simultaneously glued her Kindle!?

"How would you feel if the person you love most in the world has condemned you to die, through their own cowardice? That’s quite a betrayal.”

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover?

I didn't think Colleen Hoover books were for me. I had the impression they were young adult romances which are not my genre. I was very surprised at how much I liked this book. I was instantly immersed - as if Lilly was my friend. Colleen writes about domestic abuse with delicacy, maturity, and care (it's hard not to give spoilers). Cheers to a good cry and to being reminded of how awful it is to judge people - especially never being in their shoes.??

"I think about how easy it is for humans to make judgments when we’re standing on the outside of a situation... It’s easy when we’re on the outside to believe that we would walk away without a second thought if a person mistreated us... When you experience it firsthand, it isn’t so easy to hate the person who mistreats you when most of the time they’re your godsend."

Equador por Miguel Sousa Tavares

Mais uma fic??o histórica com personagens complexos e bem construídos. Demorei para engatar com o português de Portugal… mas insisti pq veio recomendado por uma super amiga. E que bom que eu insisti! Uma belíssima história que toca desigualdade, racismo e escravid?o dentro de um contexto de amor, amizade e moralidade.?

“Todas as éticas s?o evolutivas: o que hoje é normal, amanh? será horrendo e o que hoje é crime, amanh? será banal.”

Torto Arado por Itamar Vieira Junior

Uma história sensível situada no sert?o Baiano. Torto Arado consegue contrastar o machismo e a violência doméstica com a cultura quilombola, o amor entre irm?s, e a? for?a das mulheres do campo. Uma verdadeira declara??o de amor à terra.?

“O medo atravessou o tempo e fez parte de nossa história desde sempre. (...) Era o medo de quem foi arrancado do seu ch?o. Medo de n?o resistir à travessia por mar e terra. Medo dos castigos, dos trabalhos, do sol escaldante, dos espíritos daquela gente. Medo de andar, medo de desagradar, medo de existir. Medo de que n?o gostassem de você, do que fazia, que n?o gostassem do seu cheiro, do seu cabelo, de sua cor. Que n?o gostassem de seus filhos, das cantigas, da nossa irmandade. Aonde quer que f?ssemos, encontrávamos um parente, nunca estávamos sós. Quando n?o éramos parentes, nos fazíamos parentes. Foi a nossa valência poder se adaptar, poder construir essa irmandade, mesmo sendo alvos da vigilancia dos que queriam nos enfraquecer.”

Now it's your turn to send me your favorite books!?

Iza