When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
Book of the Month
Book of the Month is a monthly subscription service for readers.
The company selects five new books to feature every month, with subscribers picking one to read.
At the end of the year, Book of the Month readers vote on the best books of the year.
Book of the Month is a monthly, subscription-based service where readers choose a book from five curated picks and get a great read delivered right to their door. The books are all new releases (or even titles that haven’t been released to the public yet) and come in collectible hardcovers. Every month, editors choose titles from a wide range of genres so readers can find something they’ll like.
As readers complete their monthly read, they rate and review each book. At the end of the year, Book of the Month presents 22 of the most popular reads from this year’s picks and readers vote on their favorites, narrowing it down to five finalists and then one final Book of the Year.
The votes are in and the 2022 Book of the Year finalists are here! They include moving contemporary novels, a gripping thriller, a steamy romance, and a heartfelt historical fiction read.
Because the Book of the Year voting starts in October, books that appeared in Book of the Month boxes at the end of 2021 are eligible for the 2022 Book of the Year award. This year, three of the five finalists were actually published in 2021.
The Book of the Year will be chosen on November 10, and here are five of the best books of 2022, according to Book of the Month members.
“A Flicker in the Dark” by Stacy Willingham
Amazon
“A Flicker in the Dark” by Stacy Willingham, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $15.52
20 years ago, Chloe Davis’ father was arrested and imprisoned for the serial killing of six teenage girls in her small town. Now, Chloe is getting ready for her wedding when girls start to disappear once again, launching her into her dark past and a race to unmask another serial killer in this twisty psychological thriller.
“Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson
Amazon
“Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $14.99
Chosen for its bright characters and carefully constructed plot, “Black Cake” is the story of Byron and Benny’s journey to unravel their family history. When their mother passed away, she left them a black cake made from a family recipe and a voice recording. Together, they must listen to their mother’s story, repair their relationship, and fulfill her final wish to “share the black cake when the time is right.”
“The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles
Amazon
“The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $16.94
This 1950s historical fiction novel is primarily about Emmett Watson, who returns home after completing his prison sentence and wants to travel with his younger brother, Billy, along the Lincoln Highway. This was also Amazon’s Best Book of 2021 — check out our full review here.
“The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood
Amazon
“The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $11.04
In this STEM-centered romance read, Olive Smith is a third-year Ph.D. candidate who, to quickly prove a point to her best friend, kisses the first person she sees, who just so happens to be Adam Carlsen, a young professor with a cantankerous reputation. Since Olive needs to prove she’s in a relationship and Adam needs to prove he has a reason to stay at the school, the two agree to pretend to date and find they like each other’s company far more than they expected. This is one of our favorite recent romances — check out why we love “The Love Hypothesis” here.
“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin
Amazon
“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $14.69
Sam Masur and Sadie Green have been close friends since childhood. Though briefly driven apart, they’ve reunited over a chance encounter and have just launched into the world of video game design with the creation of their first hit game “Ichigo.” “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” is a nonlinear story of destiny, identity, and our need to be loved, told over 30 years as Sam and Sadie embark on the creative, successful, and intimate partnership of their lives.
