Best of the Year in Literature: The Fourth Annual Revvies | 2022 InReview Awards

InReview is pleased to announce its fourth annual Revvies site awards for 2022. This year, InReview is adding its first-ever literature category as part of the awards. The following have been selected by InReview’s editors and writers. To be eligible, all books had to be published during the calendar year 2022 and read by a member of staff. Winners analysis and the following is written bu InReview Literature Critic Poonguzhali Arularasu:

Hiya readers, can you imagine, it has been just a bit more than a year since I started writing in InReview! And I am pleased to be contributing for the Fourth Annual Revvies for the first time. I have read and reviewed about 70 books in the past year. Strictly considering those books that were released in 2022, here is our list of top picks for romance, thrillers, police procedurals and fiction categories.

Romance

Nominees:

·        A Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid: Winner

·        The Virgin Who Captured a Viscount by Anna Bradley

·        Harvest Moon by Denise Hunter

·        Cinderella and the Duke by Lydia Drake

·        Up All Night with a Good Duke by Amy Rose Bennett

·        A Man of Legend by Linda Broday

In spite of being a fan of good romance novels, I only ever got the chance to read a handful of romance books this year. I had liked most of them and the books listed above were particularly well-written. A good romance, according to me, is something that manages to touch my heart and leaves me with a warm feeling when I finish it. All these books fulfilled that criteria; however, “A Matter of Temptation” managed to inch itself apart from the other books just because of the nostalgic feelings it evoked within me.

Mystery/Thrillers:

Nominees:

·        Her Payback (The Drew Family Series Book 4) by Emma Tallon: Co-Winner

·        Never Go Home by Christopher Swann: Co-Winner

·        Buried Deception by Amanda McKinney

·        Doomed Legacy by Matt Coyle

·        Mystic Wind by James Barretto

·        The Darkest Web by Kristin Wright

With the majority of the books I read this year being mystery/thrillers, ranging from courtroom dramas to psychological thrillers to dramas centered around the mafia, a book must be particularly exceptional for me to remember it amongst the sheer volume I consumed. All these books have done just that and much more. I was hard to choose one in this category as both “Her Payback” and “Never Go Home” are very similar in their background, the way they lay out their characters and particularly, the depth of emotion they manage to tap off their readers; hence, they both share the top spot. A special mention goes to “Mystic Wind” and “The Darkest Web” for the compelling thrill these books manage to impart in me in spite of being courtroom dramas.

Police Procedurals

Nominees:

·      Stolen Angels (Detective Ellie Reeves Book 5) by Rita Herron: Winner

·        Last Seen Alive (Detective Amanda Steele Book 6) by Carolyn Arnold

·        Unstable by Alexandra Ivy

·        Six Graves (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Book 16) by Angela Marsons

·        Her Frozen Cry (Detective Amanda Steele Book 5) by Carolyn Arnold

·        The Pier by Matt Brolly

A good mystery, brutal murder(s), a couple of clever red herrings and a flawed police officer together make for an interesting police procedural story. All these books had quite interesting leads and even very good secondary characters, in some cases. The mysteries were good enough to keep a person completely hooked; some even were atmospheric enough to give me chills. But “Stolen Angels” stands apart from the rest of the books just because of the premise it was set in; it draws on our heartstrings and keeps the adrenaline flowing as well. Carolyn Arnold is actually a favorite author of mine; however, “Last Seen Alive” is just a bit short compared to “Stolen Angels” and that truth can’t be denied.

General Fiction

Nominees:

·        A Light in the Forest by Melissa Payne: Winner

·        My Heart Went Walking by Sally Hanan

·        I’ll Be Seeing You by Robin Lee Hatcher

·        Just The Way You Are by Beth Moran

·        A Surprise Arrival For The Cornish Midwife by Jo Bartlett

·        The Dressmaker’s Secret by Lorna Cook

I am usually not a fan of emotional dramas, particularly those that deal with hardships. However, all the above books draw the readers into their world seamlessly and make us care for their characters deeply. Most of them deal with the premise of second chances, finding the strength to rise above personal turmoil and affirmation of their faith. Of them, Melissa Payne’s “A Light in the Forest” pulls you into the world of marginalized people; at once, the readers are hurt, traumatized and pulled into hell along with its characters. Still, the story ends on an uplifting note and leaves you with a lingering feeling of hope and positivity. A special mention goes to Lorna Cook for her ability to pull her readers into the Germany of World War II and the shady dealings it fostered, and Sally Hanan for her exceptional debut that drew at her readers’ heartstrings.

That’s all for 2022. It was a great year for me; I was able to discover a lot of gems and hope that is also true for 2023. See you all in my next book review!