I read 32 books in 2022. I know this because I take the Goodreads “Reading Challenge.” Here are my five favorite fictions and a few honorable mentions, that includes Night of the Living Rez.
My 5 Favorite Fiction Novels from 2022Photo bythe author with PowerPoint Design Creation.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on a link and buy the product, I make a small commission, which does not change your price.Fiction allows us to travel to far-off and imagined lands, live with unknown families, both human and animal, and almost anything imaginable.
I will list these in reverse order, much like David Letterman used to do. No spoilers, by the way!
#5 — Billy Summers
If you like page-turning action thrillers, you’ll enjoy Billy Summers. It’s not your usual Stephen King novel.
As everyone knows, Stephen King is best known as a horror writer, but Billy Summers adds to his growing list of crime fiction novels.
The story follows the assassin Billy Summers, a former Marine sniper, as he awaits the final hit of his career. Nick Majarian is the gangster who hires Billy and tells him the story of Joel Allen, who has valuable information on a powerful billionaire. Nick tells him this other assassin kills for sport and paints him as an evil man.
Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham is a coming-of-age story about two sons of migrants navigating their way through the complexities of life. One’s father is an alleged member of the Dixie Mafia, who owns several clubs on the Biloxi strip. The other is the District Attorney’s son.
They grow up together playing baseball and having fun, and although they drift apart, they are destined to meet each other in court.
John Grisham is one of my favorite authors. If you’re a Grisham fan, you’ve likely already read this. I know I had it pre-ordered for months. I read everything Grisham writes, from A Time to Kill to Sycamore Row to A Time for Mercy, all of the Jake Brigance books, including Sparring Partners.
The Firm was my all-time favorite, and the movie was exciting too.
The Lincoln Lawyer (2022) | Official Trailer | Netflix
#2 — Triple Cross
Triple Cross by James Patterson is the 30th novel in the Alex Cross series and follows the story of the “Family Man” killer thriller.
Once again, Alex Cross, Sampson, and Mahoney team up to track down a vicious serial killer who targets entire families. The serial killer leaves most shot through the head at point-blank range, with no apparent motive or physical evidence. Unless the killer makes a mistake, it won't be easy to catch them.
Until Bree’s investigation into a fashion icon uncovers similarities in her investigation. There’s something up with the information-gathering corporation “Paladin.”
You’ll have to read it to find out what!
#1 —Fairy Tale
Fairy Tale by Stephen King is a reimagining of classic fairy tales set in modern times but in another dimension.
As you are likely aware, Stephen King is known primarily for writing horror, but I also enjoy his fantasy stories. King says Fairy Tale was born during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is classic Stephen King, with a true teen hero exploring a parallel world.
Charlie is a high school football and baseball star destined for great things in college and professional sports. However, he is troubled by the events of his past.
Charlie's mother is hit and killed on “that goddamn bridge” while bringing home a bucket of chicken. Charlie, only seven, and his father struggle to cope with her loss. Charlie has to learn to take care of himself—and his drunken father.
Charlie’s father eventually pulls himself back from alcohol and the edge of oblivion with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
After helping his elderly neighbor, Howard Bowditch, when he falls in his yard and breaks his leg, Charlie finds himself entrusted with the doorway to a parallel world. Howard’s dog, Radar, becomes Charlie’s new best friend, and Charlie feels he must save his life because he is old and sick.
Of the 32,012 verified Amazon buyers who left a review, 91% rated Fairy Tale as either four or five stars, with an overall rating of 4.6 stars.
If I were to continue the list, number six would be another John Grisham novel, Sooley, a heartbreaking tale about an African youth brought to America to play basketball. Even if you don’t like sports, you will love this tale.
Then, Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty is a riveting tale of community and family on the Wabanaki Reservation (Penobscot) across the bridge from Old Town, Maine.
It deals with Alzheimer’s, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, rape, and violence. Night of the Living Rez is an unforgettable tale of everyday life (at least for this family) on a reservation.
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover. All she wanted, after serving five years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of her soulmate, was to reunite with her daughter.
Out of the 182,684 verified Amazon buyers who left a review, 94% rated Reminders of Him as either four or five stars, with an overall rating of 4.7 stars.
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About the author
Stephen Dalton is a native of Old Town, ME, and a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Top Writer in Travel, Food, Fiction, Transportation, VR, NFL, Design, Creativity, Short Story, and a NewsBreak Community Voice Pro.
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