REBLOGGING: #R3COMM3ND3D2022 with #BookBlogger HC Newton (@HCNewton) #TheIrresponsibleReader #BookRecommendations #publishedin2022 #booktwt #whattoread #damppebbles

I didn’t like what I’d cobbled together to post today nor did I have time to fix it, but I was going to push on just to be able to move on. Then Emma Welton came to my rescue. For years I’ve been participating in, promoting, and benefiting from her #R3COMM3ND3D2022—a celebration of each year’s books. It’s a place for authors, bloggers, and others to share 3 outstanding books from the past year, and today was apparently my day. So, first, let me suggest that you go check out the original post, where it’ll look much better than what I have below—secondly, let me strongly suggest that you check out the rest of this series (which continues through the month).

Thirdly, in lieu of something half-baked today, I’m just going to recycle her post and wonder why that “reblog” button on her site didn’t work.

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. It’s so good to see you! It’s Monday, the start of a brand new week with brand new possibilities and of course, brand new book recommendations. It’s day 14 of #R3COMM3ND3D2022 and we’re nearly halfway through this year’s series. Hasn’t time flown?! And if you paid the blog a visit yesterday you may have noticed that one book has edged its way out from the rest into first place! We have a front runner and that front runner’s name is The Girl from Guernica by Karen Robards! Will The Girl from Guernica stay in the number one spot until the end of the month? Let’s find out!

Joining me to talk about all things #R3COMM3ND3D2022 today is one of my favourite bloggers, it’s the brilliant HC Newton of The Irresponsible Reader. I’m a huge fan of HC’s blog and strongly suggest you give him a follow if you don’t already. You certainly won’t regret it. I’m also hugely grateful to HC for supporting #R3COMM3ND3D every year and including the week’s links in his weekly wrap up post. Thank you, HC.

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2022? It’s about sharing the book love. It’s a chance for authors, book bloggers, reviewers and bookstagrammers to shout about three (yes, only three) books they love. They can be written by any author, in any genre and published in any way (traditionally, indie press or self-published). But there is a catch. All three books must have been published in 2022. To make things interesting there are a couple of teeny, tiny rules; 1) the book must have FIRST been published in 2022 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. I like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉

Here are the three books HC recommends…

Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor
I was blown away by this novel. I read it in May and I’m not convinced I’ve wholly recovered. It’s a story about faith, family, and (American) football. I can’t tell you which is more important to any character in this novel at any point (but I’d lean toward the latter for just about all of them). The prose is gorgeous and visceral, the story is intense and heart-breaking–it’s about a high school coach and a star player trying to keep their heads above water in the middle of a murder they’re both connected to. I can easily sound like I’m over-hyping this, so I’m not going to go on the way I want to. I’ll simply say that Cranor’s work is just gut-wrenching, beautiful, and powerful. And not to be missed.
HC’s Review of Don’t Know Tough

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
The story of a COVID-era food delivery app driver who leaves it all behind to go work for an NGO that happens to study Kaiju in a parallel dimension has been told so many times that it’s practically a cliché, right? Well, maybe not.

This book delivers all the ridiculous fun that the premise promises. Scalzi calls it a pop song, I tend to compare it to a popcorn movie. It’s not meant to provoke thought, to be pondered over, or analyzed. It’s meant to be enjoyed, it’s meant to be light and entertaining. Consider this me writing on the literary equivalent of a bathroom stall, “For a good time…”
HC’s Review of The Kaiju Preservation Society

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
There were at least a dozen titles I considered for this spot, but I ended up here because it struck me as one of the most distinctive reads of the year. The central conceit of the book (which I’m not going to spoil, and I encourage you to avoid mention of it) is such a wonderful concept, and really everyone who hasn’t come up with it before Shepherd should be embarrassed. But the novel has so much more going for it than that–it’s a gripping thriller (yes, a book about maps and mapmakers can be gripping–who knew?). It’s a story about family (one of the sweetest, strangest, and saddest found families you’ll come across), it’s a book about what connects people. I’m not doing a good job in this brief paragraph–just go read the novel 🙂
HC’s Review of The Cartographers

Three excellent choices. Thank you so much, HC. I can see a number of your picks ending up on the wish list!

About HC Newton:
Just some guy who’s book hobby has really gotten out of hand.

HC’s Blog and Social Media Links:
| The Irresponsible Reader | Twitter @HCNewton | Facebook | Instagram @irreader |

Sadly submissions for #R3COMM3D3D2022 are now closed. Shortly after the last post I will be inviting you to attend the virtual after-show party, which should be fun. We’ll get to gaze upon the marvellous and majestic beauty of 2022’s books and also crown 2022’s winner, if we have one (they’re all winners, right?). Until then stay tuned as we have lots more bookish gorgeousness heading your way throughout November.