What were we reading in 2022? Louisville library's most popular books of the year

The Louisville Free Public Library had a busy year.

In a in a release Friday, the local library system said it recorded nearly 4 million total checkouts in 2022 between print books, eBooks and audiobooks. Particularly popular among readers were eBooks – a record-breaking 1,235,000 digital checkouts were recorded, according to the library, the second consecutive year the total topped one million.

Some of the books checked out most often feature familiar names. Former first lady Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" was a top pick, coming in at No. 5 among nonfiction options, while a couple of Harry Potter titles ranked high among audiobooks – which doesn't come as a shock, as more than 500 million copies of the series books have reportedly been sold worldwide.

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Still, two recent works held some of the most prominent positions. "The Last Thing He Told Me," a 2021 thriller from Laura Dave about a woman investigating her husband's disappearance, was the top eBook among library users and ranked second among audiobooks and fiction books. And "Where the Crawdads Sing," Delia Owens' 2018 coming-of-age mystery about a murder case and a girl growing up in North Carolina, topped the list for fiction books and audiobooks.

A film adaptation of "Where the Crawdads Sing" was released in July, which may have helped it build a following. Apple TV+ is reportedly working on a miniseries about "The Last Thing He Told Me," though a release date has not been announced.

Some local flavor made the list as well. "A Dark Room in Glitterball City: Murder, Secrets, and Scandal in Old Louisville" by local author David Domine ranked No. 4 among nonfiction books.

Louisville's libraries are gearing up for a big year in 2023 as well. Work began this month on a new branch in Fern Creek, which will add to the 17 locations around Jefferson County. Access to the library's catalog is open to all library cardholders along with anyone who lives, works, owns property or attends school in Louisville.

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Looking for your first book of the new year? Here's the full list of Louisville Free Public Library's most popular titles in 2022.

Top eBooks

1. "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave

2. "Verity" by Colleen Hoover

3. "Apples Never Fall" by Liane Moriarty

4. "The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles

5. "Book Lovers" by Emily Henry

Top fiction books (print)

1. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

2. "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave

3. "The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah

4. "Apples Never Fall" by Liane Moriarty

5. "Malibu Rising" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Top Nonfiction Books (print)

1. "Crying in H Mart: A Memoir" by Michelle Zauner

2. "Untamed" by Glennon Doyle

3. "Educated: A Memoir" by Tara Westover

4. "A Dark Room in Glitterball City: Murder, Secrets, and Scandal in Old Louisville "by David Domine

5. "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Top Audiobooks

1. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

2. "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave

3. "Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

4. "Apples Never Fall" by Liane Moriarty

5. "Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling

Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville library releases its list of most popular books of 2022