My goal was to read 55 books this year and I successfully surpassed that with reading 74 books for 2022. Of those 74 books, I am going to rank my top 10 favorites. I am happy to report that they span a couple of different genres rather than all being bunched into the same dark fantasy group. Although, dark fantasy tops the list of course!
Favorite Books of 2022
Honorable Mention: FACE
I am including this honorable mention because I had already made my Top Ten List in the middle of December, having zero faith that I would read another book by the end of the year that would top any of the books on this list, and I was wrong. I read one final book that would have bumped this very deserving book off the list and I didn’t want to hurt its feelings by taking it off…So honorable mention it got!
This is a dark and insightful science fiction, near future, dystopian novel where “saving face” is what matters most. In fact, it’s pretty much all that matters. You spend most of your time in a virtual reality-esque environment, and true human connection is almost unheard of. The rich can design exactly what their babies will look like, and you marry for social status. If you are a fan of Black Mirror I highly recommend you give this one a try.
10.CITY OF BRASS
This is an adult fantasy novel and the first in a trilogy. It centers around a female protagonist in 18th century Cairo who has magic living inside her, but is adamant in her belief that magic is not real…until she accidentally summons a dark djinn and unleashes a whole series of intense events. The world building is fantastic, and the characters are both complex and entertaining. The book starts out slow but finishes in a spectacular way.
9. JUST LIKE HOME
Both horror and psychological thriller, this book has you questioning what was real, what was the imagination of a child, and what just might be supernatural. It is written in a way where the reader is left in the dark for most of the book, which allows you to puzzle things out for yourself, but seriously has you questioning what in the heck is actually going on. It’s perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Mexican Gothic.
Related Links: Thrillers to make you feel all the emotions
8. TO SHAPE A DRAGONS BREATH
This is a YA fantasy book about a young indigenous woman who enrolls in a colonizer run dragon school. When a dragon egg hatches in the town of Masquapaug and bonds to Anequs, she knows she must enroll in the “approved” dragon school or risk the colonizers killing her dragon and possibly the town. Similar to Babel, this book feels akin to a Historical Fantasy because of the parallels to our own history.
Hands down Anequs has turned into my favorite character of the year. She is strong, kind, accepting, intelligent, and fiercely stands up for what she believes in. She is a great role model. This book is perfect for fans of Babel and Six Crimson Cranes.
Related Links: Babel Book Review
7. IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE
I am constantly looking for CLUE inspired murder mysteries and this one gives all the CLUE vibes plus its dark academia so it was going to be very difficult for me not to love this book. The book toggles between both the past, when a murder of a school friend takes place, and the present, when a group of friends are gathered for the first time during a school reunion. The reunion turns into a hunt for the “real” killer and the reader is given ample clues to figure out the mystery as the characters do.
Perfect for fans of Black Chalk
Related Links: Dark Academia Reading List
6. HALL OF SMOKE
This is my very first Viking inspired fantasy book and I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. There is a war between new and old gods and Hessa, our protagonist, is given a task that she is fated to perform…whether she wants to or not. I was never once bored while reading this, and felt a very desperate need to know how it would end the entire time. If you are looking for an easily bingeable addictive read this is it!
This book is perfect for fans of: Helen of Troy and The Shadow of the Gods
5. THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES
This is such a sweet romantic fantasy book, and it honestly just made me feel so cozy and happy while reading. It centers around the found family trope, but has grumpy/sunshine thrown in for good measure, plus the male lead is a librarian…need I say more? This is the perfect blend of the movie Practical Magic with The House on The Cerulean Sea.
4. BOOKLOVERS
This is an adorable rom com perfect for book lovers (obviously) and rom com movie lovers. The banter between the characters is fun and witty, and honestly kind of perfect. If you are looking for something sweet and bookish and fun…this is for you. I 100% approve of the Schitts Creek comparisons.
Related Links: Books similar to Beach Read
3. REMINDERS OF HIM
I went back and forth with whether to place this book so high on my list, but it is the only book that elicited actual sobbing from me this year so for that reason alone I placed it in 3rd. I have since read a total of 4 Colleen Hoover books and have come to the conclusion that they might not all be for me. This one, I did enjoy though.
There are a ton of triggers in CoHo books though so please research them before reading (this one deals with the death of a child, incarceration, separation, and more) This is my favorite sad romance, but I’m not sure I could handle reading too many more like this.
Related Links: Books to read based on your Favorite Colleen Hoover Book
2. THE FIFTH SEASON
If you are looking for a super complex, environmental, epic, post apocalyptic, science fiction, fantasy that will leave you heartbroken, then this will literally be your new favorite book of all time. I honestly don’t want to share too much more about the story in fear that I would spoil the unraveling of it for you. Essentially, it is about one woman’s journey to save her daughter, as she travels through an increasingly devastated and dying world.
1. THE POPPY WAR
This is dark academia fantasy at its very finest. I love a good underdog and morally grey character and this book delivers the absolute best female main protagonist under both of these tropes. It is a political military fantasy based on Chinese history during the 20th century and it is absolutely brutal. I can’t wait to continue the series next year! This has definitely been added to my favorite books of all time list!
There are some very graphic pages and if rape is a trigger for you than I would stay clear from pages 424-425 (in the US paperback edition).
EXTRA!!!
Not only did I slip in reading Hall of Smoke after originally writing this blog I also read Mistborn…and let me just say. WOW. It is totally worth the hype and probably sits around #2 or #3 on my list here. I didn’t want to bump yet another book off the list so I am just adding it here as a little extra. Make no mistake though, it’s amazing!
