Here are the books, movies, television, music, and podcasts staff enjoyed in 2022!
Some movies and TV shows are not available to circulate but the platforms they are on are noted. Make sure to scroll to the bottom where we feature favorites that weren’t published in 2022 but were discovered and enjoyed this year. Titles are linked up to the catalog so you can easily check availability.
Adult Fiction
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center (light-hearted, romance, sweet)
The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer (historical, world war 2, thought-provoking)
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas (intriguing, well-written)
A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz (faith, romance, historical)
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak (original, surprising, riveting)
I’ll Be Seeing You by Robin Lee Hatcher (family dynamics, faith, reconciliation)
The Maid by Nita Prose
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (charming, silly, fun)
The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick (character-driven, funny, sad)
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett (meticulous, well-plotted, experimental)
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Adult Non-fiction
All the Flowers Kneeling by Paul Tran (heart-breaking, violent, resilient)
Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems by Warsan Shire (powerful, traumatic, visceral)
The Book of Phobias and Manias: A History of Obsession by Kate Summerscale (interesting, horrifying, witty)
The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER by Thomas Fisher (eye-opening, timely, despondent)
Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry (funny, heartbreaking, entertaining)
I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir by Harvey Fierstein
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (candid, reflective, darkly humorous)
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke
The Puzzler by A.J. Jacobs (though-provoking, journalism, enjoyable)
Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby (funny, touching, informative)
The Trayvon Generation by Elizabeth Alexander
This Boy We Made: A Memoir of Motherhood, Genetics, and Facing the Unknown by Taylor Harris
Woman Without Shame: Poems by Sandra Cisneros (honest, moving, sensual)
Working Girls: Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Professional Womanhood by Trixie Mattel (fabulous, funny, fun)
The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J.W. Ocker (funny, curious, Americana)
YA
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuinston (witty, diverse, refreshing)
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (thriller, historical, dark)
My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (witty, historic, magical)
Children’s
I Am Me: A Book of Authenticity by Susan Verde (affirmative, inclusive, sweet)
A Library by Nikki Giovanni (playful, vibrant, celebratory)
Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers by Uma Mishra-Newbery, Lina Al-Hathloul, Rebecca Green (timely, empowering, courageous)
Shadow of the Bird (Lightfall #2) by Tim Probert
Movies
Aftersun, written and directed by Charlotte Wells
Armageddon Time, written and directed by James Gray
The Banshees of Inisherin, written and directed by Martin McDonagh
Bones and All, directed by Luca Guadagnino
Crimes of the Future, written and directed by David Cronenberg
Decision to Leave, directed by Park Chan-wook
EO, directed by Jerzy Skolimowksi
Everything Everywhere All at Once, written and directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, written and directed by Rian Johnson (on Netflix beginning December 23)
The Fabelmans, directed by Steven Spielberg
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
Nope, written and directed by Jordan Peele
Stars at Noon, directed by Claire Denis
Tár, written and directed by Todd Field
White Noise, written for the screen and directed by Noah Baumbach
TV
Atlanta (final season, FX)
Barry (season three, HBO)
The Bear (season one, FX on Hulu)
Better Things (final season, FX), directed by Pamela Adlon
Business Proposal (Korean; Netflix)
Dark Winds (season one)
Hacks (season two, HBO Max)
Industry (season two, HBO/BBC Two)
Irma Vep (HBO), written and directed by Olivier Assayas
The Rehearsal (season one, HBO), directed by Nathan Fielder
Reservation Dogs (season two, FX on Hulu)
The Righteous Gemstones (season two, HBO)
Severance (season one, Apple TV+)
Weak Hero Class 1 (Korean; Viki Plus)
The White Lotus: Sicily (HBO), written and directed by Mike White
Music
And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow by Weyes Blood (rock)
Being Funny in a Foreign Language by The 1975 (rock)
Caprisongs, by FKA twigs (pop/R&B)
Chloë and the Next 20th Century by Father John Misty (rock)
Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (rock; catchy, lush, fun)
CRASH by Charli XCX (pop)
Doggerel by Pixies (rock; stirring, whimsical, explosive)
Harry’s House by Harry Styles (rock/pop; calm, melodic)
It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T (rap)
Laurel Hell by Mitski (rock; danceable, rhythmic, melodic)
Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar (rap)
Renaissance by Beyoncé (R&B)
Requiem by Korn (rock; nostalgic, dark, nuanced)
Podcasts
Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam (storytelling, fascinating, thought-provoking)
Life Kit by NPR (enlightening, applicable, quick)
Honorable mentions – materials released in prior years but consumed in 2022
Anne of Green Gables (1908 juvenile fiction; heart-warming, light-hearted, timeless)
The Bona Fide Legend of Cool Papa Bell: Speed, Grace, and the Negro Leagues by Lonnie Wheeler (2021 adult nonfiction; illuminating, historical perspective altering)
The Bones Keeper by Luca Veste (2019 adult fiction; ominous, twisted, surreal)
Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar (2021 adult fiction; daunting, paranoid, nostalgic)
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach (2021 adult non-fiction; funny, investigative, weird)
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang (2021 adult fiction; romantic, own-voices Autistic lead, character-driven)
The House of Ghosts: A Mystery by William Ryan (2019 adult fiction; atmospheric, slow-burn, gothic)
Loveless by Mary Oseman (2020 YA; coming-of-age, AroAce lead, own-voices)
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark (2021 adult fiction; clever, inventive, dynamic)
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams (2021 adult fiction; heartwarming, heartbreaking, engaging)
The Royal Governess: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth II’s Childhood by Wendy Holden (2020 adult fiction; Relevant to current events)
The Sandman, Vol 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (1989 adult fiction; brilliant, captivating, witty)
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl (2021 adult nonfiction; funny, inspiring, entertaining)