Most Anticipated Books of 2022
Shelf Reflection’s Most Anticipated Books of 2022
By: Brittany Shields
“Pleasure is found first in anticipation, later in memory.” - Gustave Flaubert, French novelist
My to-read list keeps getting longer and longer! How am I going to find time to read all of these?!
I’ve scoured the interwebs to see what’s getting released this year and these are the ones I’m looking forward to the most.
Lucky for me, I have early access to several of them, which means you do too! I’ll post my reviews when I’m done and will link below to give you all a sneak peek!
I’m still finishing up my 2021 Fall Reading Challenge.
Then I started a Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge.
And now I have a list of new books to get through!
What are you excited to read this year?
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: March 29, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.
Kate Quinn also wrote The Alice Network, which I didn’t like, and The Rose Code which I really liked.
I’m excited to read this book. A mother becomes a silent sniper during Hitler’s invasion of Russia plus she forges a friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. Sounds really interesting!
**Updated with link to my full review**
The Falcon (Nina Guerrera #3) by Isabella Maldonado
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: June 28, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Special Agent Nina Guerrera and her FBI team are called in to investigate a string of disappearances on an elite university. They piece together clues revealing the dark mind of a killer compelled to fully conquer his victims before they die using a combination of behavioral psychology, Stockholm Syndrome, and Falconry techniques to control his captives.
This was a recent series I discovered and have really enjoyed. It’s Criminal Minds meets Steven James’ serial killer series (The Patrick Bowers Files—also highly recommend).
Read Book 1, The Cipher, and Book 2, A Different Dawn, so you’re ready for the third installment!
**Updated with a link to my review!**
Humble Moms: How the Work of Christ Sustains the Work of Motherhood by Kristen Wetherell
Genre: Theology/Christian Living
Release Date: April 1, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: What does a weary mom need? What will help her not only keep going in her life and work of motherhood, but enjoy it? Instead of offering a parenting plan or a pep talk or a list of things you need to do to be a better mom, Humble Moms offers you exactly what Kristen needed in seasons of struggle: biblical meditations on Jesus, who reveals to us what servant-heartedness looks like as the walking and talking embodiment of humility. As you journey along with Kristen through the book of John, soaking in the entire life and work of Christ (his incarnation, life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and return), you’ll find that your life and work as a mom is sustained in the process.
I, too, find motherhood really hard and I know that the only thing that can sustain me to do this monumentally important thing is to rest in Christ. I expect to find this book very encouraging!
**Updated with link to my review**
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him in Paris for a bit, but when she arrives, he’s not there. The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge. Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.
I have not read anything by Lucy Foley before but I keep seeing her book The Guest List and this one and am interested to see what this one is like!
**Updated with link to my review**
God, Technology, and the Christian Life by Tony Reinke
Genre: Christian Living
Release Date: January 25, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: As technologies multiply and life in this age becomes more complex, the questions become more stark: What does God think of human technology? Is he threatened by all its power? Is he trying to dismantle Silicon Valley? Reinke seeks to dismantle 12 common myths Christians often hold about technology, helping them understand the story of where human innovation came from and to embrace the church's essential role in it.
I’ve had many conversations with my husband about the advancement of techonology and how it fits in with a biblical worldview. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Reinke dissects the phenomenon of technology and social media from a Christian perspective.
**Updated with link to my review**
Gallant by V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy/YA
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.
The only book I’ve read by Schwab is the over-hyped The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I want to give her another shot and see what else is in her fantastical arsenal.
**Updated with link to my full review**
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Mystery/Fiction
Release Date: March 8, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Marissa and Mathew Bishop seem like the golden couple--until Marissa cheats. She wants to repair things. After a friend forwards an article about Avery, Marissa takes a chance on this maverick therapist, who lost her license due to controversial methods. When the Bishops glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and already read it- see what I thought of this one in my review link below! These authors also wrote An Anonymous Girl.
The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman
Genre: Nonfiction/History
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: The Nineties: a wise and funny reckoning with the decade that gave us slacker/grunge irony about the sin of trying too hard, during the greatest shift in human consciousness of any decade in American history. Chuck Klosterman has written a multi-dimensional masterpiece, a work of synthesis so smart and delightful that future historians might well refer to this entire period as Klostermanian.
Full transparency— I was born in 1990. Many aspects of the Nineties decade resonates with me. I’m hoping for some nostalgia in this book and am intrigued to see where he takes his historical lesson.
**Updated with a link to my review**
A Biblical Case Against Theistic Evolution: Is It Compatible with the Bible? by Wayne Grudem
Genre: Nonfiction/Theology
Release Date: March 15, 2022
Goodreads Summary: A scholarly analysis of biblical passages relevant to the issue of how God created the universe, making the case that he did not do so by means of evolution.
I love Wayne Grudem and respect his theology and biblical knowledge. This is an interesting topic to me and I’m excited to see what Grudem has to say about Theistic Evolution and evaluate my current belief about this topic.
**Updated with a link to my review**
The Silent Sisters (Charles Jenkins #3) by Robert Dugoni
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: The final two of the seven sisters—American assets who have been deep undercover in Russia for decades—cut off all communication with their handlers. Are they in hiding after detecting surveillance? Or have they turned and become double agents? It’s Jenkins’s duty to find out, but he’s been added to a Russian kill list. It will require all of Jenkins’s knowledge of spycraft—and an array of disguises—to return to the country undetected.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this action-packed spy series! You will want to read Book One, The Eighth Sister, and Book Two, The Last Agent before reading this third installment.
I received and finished an ARC of this book, you can read my review at the link below!
Talking about Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations by Isaac Adams
Genre: Nonfiction/Christian Living/Cultural
Release Date: January 4, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Conversations about racism are as important as they are hard for American Christians. Yet the conversation often gets so ugly, even among the faithful who claim unity in Jesus. Why is that the case? Why does it matter? Can things get better, or are we permanently divided? In this honest and hopeful book, pastor Isaac Adams doesn't just show you how to have the race conversation, he begins it for you. By offering a fictional, racially charged tragedy in order to understand varying perspectives and responses, he examines what is at stake if we ignore this conversation, and why there's just as much at stake in how we have that discussion.
I’ve read numerous books on the topic of race and the church. Browse some of them HERE. But I enjoy continuing to read about how we as Christians can walk and talk rightly in our culture and love others better.
**Updated with link to my review**
The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: In the aftermath of two killings, three lives intersect: the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive her tragedy; the brother of the original suspect, who’s convinced the police have it wrong; and the FBI agent, who’s determined to solve both cases. On a collision course toward the truth, all three lives will forever be changed, and not everyone will make it out alive. Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side.
I have not read Alex Finlay but I’d like to check out his books- the premise is right up my alley! I just hope it’s not too gruesome…
**Updated with a link to my review!
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Genre: Fiction/Science Fiction
Release Date: April 5, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: It’s a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon three hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space. A virtuoso performance that is as human and tender as it is intellectually playful, Sea of Tranquility is a novel of time travel and metaphysics that precisely captures the reality of our current moment.
I read Station Eleven back before I really started reviewing books. It was definitely a different style of writing than I had read before. I’m looking forward to reading another of her books now that I’ve read more science fiction and see where it leaves me!
**Updated with a link to my review**
This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Fantasy/YA
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.
I have read Mafi’s Shatter Me trilogy and I liked it— didn’t love it. I wasn’t a big fan of the main character or the love triangle but I liked the concept and the writing so I’d like to give this series a try!
Fun fact, Mafi is married to Ransom Riggs who wrote the awesome Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series!
We Go On: Finding Purpose in All of Life’s Sorrows and Joys by John Onwuchekwa
Genre: Christian Living
Release Date: January 11, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: In a world that encourages us to find meaning in temporary things, we long to know that who we are makes a difference after we're gone. This hope-filled exploration of this biblical book of wisdom turns our attention to what our true purpose is and how to let that purpose shape our relationships, career, and life choices. Along with biblical insights, John Onwuchekwa weaves together meaningful challenges that even from difficult beginnings, we can continue to trust God's path.
I’ve heard about John O. but have never read anything by him. But in a cultural moment where purpose and meaning are fleeting, I think this will be a good book to ground us in truth in all areas of life.
**Updated with a link to my review**
Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: August 9, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers―a stranger who now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That’s when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE. An electrifying novel that plays with memory and murder.
I discovered this author on NetGalley when I read The Night Swim. Looking forward to another mystery of hers!
**Updated with a link to my review—- this one was so good!**
Suffering Wisely and Well: The Grief of Job and the Grace of God by Eric Ortlund
Genre: Theology/Christian Living
Release Date: January 11, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Why does God allow suffering? In Suffering Wisely and Well, Eric Ortlund explores different types of trials throughout Scripture, revealing the spiritual purpose for each and reassuring readers with God's promise of restoration. The majority of the book focuses on Job, one of the most well-known yet misunderstood stories of suffering. Ortlund thoughtfully analyzes the text chapter by chapter, including the doubt of Job's friends, God's response to Job's questions, and the meaning behind important imagery.
Eric is brother to Dane (Gently and Lowly and Deeper) and Gavin (Finding the Right Hills to Die On). With such solid theology in the family, I knew I had to read this book and see what the third brother has to offer. Plus the topic of suffering wisely is always worth studying.
**Update: Review link added!
The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers
Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian Romance
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Francine Rivers returns to the California frontier in this sweeping, romantic tale of a displaced New England suffragette, a former Union soldier disinherited by his Southern family, and the town they join forces to save.
Francine Rivers has written many books. Most popular (and fantastic) are Redeeming Love and the Mark of the Lion trilogy both of which I read before I started writing reviews. The Christian Romance genre is not always my favorite but Rivers usually writes a good book.
*Updated: Added link to my review!*
All the Lights Above Us by M.B. Henry
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Across Europe, on what history will call D-Day, five unforgettable women from all walks of life strive to survive the most terrifying night of their lives. Told in alternating viewpoints, this unforgettable debut is perfect for fans of Kate Quinn. Now, during the most perilous twenty-four hours of their lives, all five women must summon courage they never knew they had, as they confront the physical dangers of war, alongside treacherous family secrets, heartbreak, and the ability to trust themselves. For these women, their inner strength is their only hope. But is it enough? How far can one person go for the things they believe in?
Fans of Kate Quinn? Well considering the other book on this list, I better check this out!
*Updated: Added link to my review!*
The Happy Rant: Wandering To and Fro Through Some Things That Don’t Matter All That Much
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Date: August 2, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: From the hive mind behind the popular Happy Rant podcast (Ted Kluck, Ronnie Martin, and Barnabas Piper) comes this cornucopia of humorous and thought-provoking critiques of Christian culture. Come for the good-natured cynicism. Stay for the enlightenment. Always candid and frequently compelling, Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas tackle everything from the divisive, hot-button issues within the church to more lighthearted fare that reminds us never to take ourselves too seriously.
Considering I’m a big fan The Babylon Bee, I’m assuming this might be in the same vein of satire and poking fun at Christian culture, and I’m here for it! I’ve never heard of their podcast but it’s now on my radar!
**Updated: Added link to book review!**
Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans by Scott Sauls
Genre: Christian Living
Release Date: June 14, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Find the freedom from regret, hurt, and fear that God wants for you, so you can embrace a life of relief, joy, and hope in him. We all carry regret, hurt, and fear. These are burdens that weigh us down and make us feel trapped. Scott Sauls battled his own anxiety and depression. He knows what it's like to be worn out and burdened by life. But it doesn't have to be this way. Freedom, healing, and joy are available to us even in the midst of suffering, even when circumstances don't change. Beautiful People Don't Just Happen reveals how you can find a new way of living.
I just read Scott Sauls’ book A Gentle Answer and really felt encouraged by it. When I saw this book I knew I needed to add it to the list!
Star Father (Star Mother #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Release Date: March 8, 2022
Shortened Goodreads Summary: Between Aija and Saiyon, attraction grows warmer. For Aija, an unfathomable revelation: she’s falling in love with the earthbound Sun God. When Saiyon’s faltering powers are restored to full glory, what then? There’s a way Aija can become immortal, too. Saiyon can’t allow such a risk. Aija has no choice but to follow her heart to places darker and more dangerous than she realizes. Whatever sacrifices lie ahead, they’re the only way to make an impossible true love last forever.
I’ve read Holmberg’s The Paper Magician and the first book in her recent Spellmaker duology and enjoyed both of those. To be honest I’m a little hesitant about this one because of the romance aspect of it, but I’m giving it a shot! I received Star Mother via Amazon First Reads and Star Father through NetGalley so I’ll have to read the first book before I get to it.
*Updated: Added link to my review!*
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