IT’S TIME!! The one! The only! The best books I read this year!!
AAHHHHHH!!
(can you tell I’m excited?!???!!?!)
Seriously, I LOVE doing this post every year- because it’s time to celebrate all my new favourites and share them with you lovely people!! So without further ado, here’s my top ten for 2022…
This Woven Kingdom– I’m actually in shock I haven’t been going on and on about this book since I read it! Because this was a beautifully crafted fantasy inspired by Iranian mythology. I was captivated by the romance and absolutely intrigued by the characters. A stunning start to a series!
Cytonic– I was hesitant to continue the series after Starsight, but this swept in and saved the series for me! Largely, this is down to the plot really taking off and getting more and more out of this world. And I’m super keen to continue now! I can’t wait to see where it takes me- hopefully to infinity and beyond! 😉
The Wild Silence– a stunning sequel to the Salt Path, it takes us away from the UK into even more ethereal landscapes of Iceland. Tying itself to time and history, it is clear Raynor has found her voice and has so much more to say.
Gilded– this retelling of rumplestiltskin was pure gold. Focusing on stories within stories and telling tall tales, I loved how this span something entirely new from a well-worn fairy tale. I loved every second of it and can’t wait for more!
Carrie Soto is Back– Reid is always a winner for me. I mean, I knew it was going to be the book for me- it’s set in the nostalgic 90s and it’s about TENNIS for goodness sake! But I still couldn’t get enough of this sports comeback story. The characterisation was raw and on point; the relationships make you want to pump your fist in the air. And of course, Reid has become a master at historical settings. I just want to cheer on everything she does at this point!
The No Show– Beth O’Leary’s best yet. She absolutely turned up with this layered romance! As much about the character’s individual journeys as a romance book, I was still swept up in the ***ADORABLE*** love story at the heart of this. I swear her books get better and better! This was a showstopper!
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting– if you’re looking for an Austen-tatious regency romance, this is sure to get your petticoat in a twist! A delightful romp in regency London, this unconventional love story will have you clutching your bonnet and falling head over heels. With a schemer for a lead and a stiff gent as her foil, we know who we’re supposed to be rooting for… because a schemer’s not supposed to get her way, is she? 😉
An Unkindness of Magicians– the best kind of urban fantasy, this keeps one foot in the real world whilst taking us out of the ordinary. Set in an alternate version of New York, this striking novel was an awe-inspiring adventure, filled with heartache and dark intrigue. A brilliant concept, beautifully executed- I definitely suggest picking up this underrated standalone.
Dark Queens– it’s rare that I find a non-fiction history book that reads like the most thrilling fiction- but this was it. A powerful and timeless tale of murder, revenge and political intrigue, it’s a slice of forgotten history. Obscured through time and mythological retellings, this real story is impossible to forget. A vivid book I cannot stop thinking about and one that I would recommend to everyone!
The Sword of Kaigen– ahh this cut me to the quick! No read has made me more emotional this year. A memorable and sharp fantasy, I was swept up in this epic intergenerational tale. And while the magic system and the world building are both very cool- but it’s the characters and their relationships that burn brightest.
And that’s all for now! Have you read any of these? Did you enjoy them as much as me??? Do you plan on giving any of them a go? Let me know in the comments!!
Canterbury Tales– I was endlessly surprised to find how realistic the characters in this were- not least because this was written OVER 600 YEARS AGO! And yet the fundamentals of human nature haven’t changed. What is also incredible is how complex and layered each of the stories are, how they tales interplay with their role in the prologue and how this all builds up the character study even more.
Great Expectations– ahh the king of realism- Dickens. And this happens to be my favourite I’ve read so far. A part of this comes down to how much I adore the story- and yet I find that somewhat imperfect- not intentionally so (I just prefer Dicken’s original ending where *spoiler alert* he doesn’t end up with Estella, it made more sense from a narrative standpoint). But mostly, because I cannot get over that image of Miss Havisham, sitting in her wedding dress. It’s both tragic and horrifying.
Catcher in the Rye– this one will surprise people straight off the bat, because it is such a Love-it or Hate-it book. I for one won’t pretend that I liked Holden Caulfield- in fact I spent a good deal of time disliking him- and yet… there was something so compelling about him. I could not deny the realistic tenor to his character. Nor could I say that I didn’t grow sympathetic to him over the course of the book. That change struck me and took me by surprise- it felt like getting to know an actual person. Yes he may be whiny and difficult on the surface- however strip away the layers and there is so much more to him. So feel free to love him or hate him, but you can’t deny that this book captures something very real.
To Kill a Mockingbird– I genuinely do not have any words for this book. The realistic characters, the finest fictional father figure of all time, the story, the beautiful writing, the message- ah it makes me speechless. If you do not know why it is on this list, then quite simply you haven’t read it.
King Lear– okay, yes I’m following with a shall-we-say less good fictional father? (yes, I will admit I didn’t know what book to put next). But on the positive side this play made me cry… wait a second… JK- what I mean is this is a deeply moving play (not that I’m a masochist who seeks out stories that will make me cry… okay I totally do that- whatever 😉 )
Brother’s Karamazov– speaking of dysfunctional families (gosh I ought to make a “favourite dysfunctional families” list) In all seriousness, this book is magnificent- not least because this has some MAGNIFICENT characterisation. I have to say that I love the intellectual tussles between Ivan and Alyosha (#teamAlyosha… which is weird because I should rightly pick Ivan… whatever I’ll psychoanalyse that comment later 😉 ). Incidentally, anyone that knows me might be surprised to have found no Dostoevsky’s my favourites so far- never fear, this part has three- pahahaha!
Hamlet– but if what you’re looking for is philosophical questions, why not get to the crux of the existential issue. To be or not to be– damn I get shivers from that speech every time. There’s a reason it’s quoted a million times. And sure, Hamlet might procrastinate for half the play about whether to avenge his father, but all his romps through faux madness and his eventual spurts of violence are so worth it… err… sort of. Stay in school kids. 
Waiting for Godot– well since we’re on the subject of existential despair, we may as well go in for a penny in for a pound. And okay, this slightly surreal play is kind of the opposite of the realism theme I’ve been leaning towards here. Despite the strangeness of the play, however, it’s very clear that the themes it plays with- the passage between life and death- are very tangible issues. Some could say the most real of all. And of course, I could give any number of reasons for this being on the list- but what I will say is that what makes this play special is how it makes you feel alive with laughter one minute, and then, all of a sudden the warmth fades away, and you are left with nothing but a chill.
Notes from the Underground– I actually studied this for a “Novel and the Collapse of Humanism” course (I know, cheery stuff). Here Dostoevsky explores the paradoxical nature of man- both alien and atypical of his society. It is a work of pure genius- exhibiting the internal chaos of humankind- as we struggle to find our place in the world (and if you’re in any doubt as to how seriously cool this book is, this 19th century book smashes through the fourth wall, like a Deadpool comic)
Richard III– okay to leave off on a more positive note- let’s talk about someone who actually deserved to get their comeuppance. Cos let’s face it, from the opening speech, we can be certain Richard’s the baddie. And I know, I know, some historians and novelists have tried to rewrite the character in a more sympathetic light BUT there’s no following Shakespeare. He is “determined to prove a villain”- and what a villain he is! Too bad he couldn’t get hold of a horse.
the orang-utan librarian 