Best Books of 2022 Pt. II: 2022 Releases!

Today I'm thrilled to finally be sharing the second and final installment of my best books of 2022! This list features all of my favorite books that were released in 2022. There were so many amazing books released last year that I liked, but these are all the ones that stood out to me above others and that I find myself still thinking about every day and dying for a sequel for (if it's not a standalone, of course). As usual, these are lsited in no particular order. Please let me know if you also read any of these books, if you're planning to, or what some of your favorite 2022 releases are!

Pt. I of my best books of 2022 featuring backlist titles and a couple 2023 ARCs can be found here.

My annual reading stats post will also be up later this month and I can't wait to get it finished! This post has fun stats about. my reading year, including # of books read, genres I read the most, where I get my books, average page amounts, and more. (Not everyone is probably into all of the stuff, and no worries if you're not, but I really love keeping track of it and seeing a comprehensive look at my reading.)

2022 Releases:

(in no particular order)

     

1. The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper: The Wolf Den was easily one of my favorite reads of 2021, and fortunately the sequel was just as amazing. I have absolutely adored this historical fiction series thus far and am constantly impressed by Elodie Harper's commitment to historical accuracy and her ability to bring this era of Rome's history to life in such a vivid way. The characters are so complex and compelling, and the storyline is full of so many ups and downs that make it impossible to put down. This book–and series–has brought me so much joy after finishing my Classics studies and I can't wait for the final book. 

2. A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross: I don't think this book has gotten neearly as much love as it deserves. I thought A River Enchanted was a beautiful and magical story that transported me wholly to the whimsical island of Cadence where folktales are alive and well. I loved getting to know the characters and was absolutely captivated by Ross' prose.  (Review)

     

3. On Lavender Tides by Travis M. Riddle: So I actually read three books by Travis Riddle in 2022 (Dirt King, On Lavender Tides, and A Fracture in the Qwisdeep) and I honestly loved all of them. On Lavender Tides is easily one of the most fun and enjoyable books I've read and I absolutely relished exploring this new world and all the different settings and creatures that are a part of it, as well as getting to know some amazing new protagonists. The sequel, A Fracture in the Qwisdeep, is just as exciting and fun and I consider that a favorite as well, but I had to give it up for On Lavender Tides and its introduction to this world and all the Jekuas! (also, my counting is very poor but I think this may be the fifth year in a row Travis Riddle has ended up on my favorites of the year list??)  (Review) 

4. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher: T. Kingfisher is another regular to my favorites list, this year because of Nettle & Bone! This is a short novel featuring a slew of quirky characters and a very magical world that is full of surprises. I can't seem to get enough of Kingfisher's prose that is insightful, flowing, and full of plenty of witty humor. Whether you've read T. Kingfisher before or not, you definitely can't go wrong with Nettle & Bone. (Review)

     

5. Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen: Lavender House was a complete surprise with how much I loved it. I was hooked immediately after only the first page and I was captivated from there until the end of the book. I liked exploring the weird relationships and dynamics that existed between this eclectic family and how our protagonist, Andy, fit into it all. I thought the mystery element was really fun, but the setting and characters were what really set it apart.  (Review)

6. Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel: This was a beautiful, memorable debut about the oft-villified queen Kaikeyi from the Ramayana. This retelling was unbelievably absorbing and had me ridiciulously invested in Kaikeyi's life and experiences. Patel prose was utterly compelling and had such an effortless quality about it that was perfectly balanced between detail and simplicity. I appreciated Patel's loyalty to the source material while also incorporating her own style and voice to the story. I am so excited to see what Vaishnavi Patel will be writing next! (Review)

     

7. Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang: This book was such a gut punch at times and is one that will really sit with me for some time to come. Following Daiyu's journey was incredibly difficult and full of tragedy, but it also held its own source of hope and inspiration that is what really set this story apart for me. I think this is an incredibly important and amazing story and I can't recommend it enough.  (Review)

8. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig: If any book was going to be a surprise to me to make it onto my favorites list, it'd be this one. There were a lot of things about this book that could've been too cliche'd or overdone, but somehow Gillig made it feel fresh and exciting and I really had a wonderful time and really loved this book. The world feels dark and mysterious and full of potential, and I really enjoyed the interactions between the main characters, as well as learning more about the magic system and how all of the different cards worked. This was probably one of my favorite magic systems that I've read about in a while! I can't wait for the sequel and to see more from Rachel Gillig! (Review)

     

9. The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish: This is another one of those books that I ended up enjoying more than I could have expected. I feel like rebellions and similar plot beats have become a little overdone to me in recent years and I often find they feel very similar to one another, but something about what Dalglish did with The Bladed Faith made it feel so new and exciting. I loved exploring all the different aspects of this world, the politics, and the characters. This was an amazing fast-paced fantasy that ticked off all the right boxes for me and I can't wait to see what's next. (Review)

10. The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesly by Sean Lusk: This book was such a delightful surprise! There was such a strong air of quirkiness and inventiveness in this story that I found myself effortlessly engaged and wanting to see what would come on each page. I loved the clockmaking aspect of this and following Zachary and his father to Constantinople. This is a book that feels very different from others in ways that are sometimes hard to describe, and it's one that I adored and am so glad I got to read last year.  (Review)

Have you read any of these books? What were some of your favorite 2022 releases?

Best Books of 2022 Pt. 1: Backlist & 2023 Releases

 

Today I am presenting to you all Part I of my favorite books of 2022! I know we're already into the second week of January, but I've been weirdly busy and had a lot going on already so we are a little behind on things–but that's okay! I always feel very fortunate to be able to read so many books every year–both the good and the not so good–and always find so much joy in looking back at all the books I read in order to pick out my favorites. I really enjoy a lot of books I read, but I think we all know when we read one that just feels a little extra special to us and is one that will likely stick with us just a little more than others, and these are some of them.

Just as I split up my lists for the past couple of years, I am once again splitting up my favorites lists into a few categories because I read a grand total of 154 books and there are just too many that I loved to make only one list. Today I am sharing my favorite backlist titles (this will include any title published prior to 2022) and two 2023 ARCs I read and also loved. Part II, which consists of 2023 releases, will (hopefully) be up later this week, and my annual reading stats post will be up by the end of the month (assuming nothing drastic happens in my life to change that). As always, these lists are in no particular order. Without further ado, let's dive in!

Backlist Titles 
(pre-2022 release, in no particular order):

    
1. Hunting by Stars by Cheri Dimaline: The Marrow Thieves was a favorite read last year, and this sequel was just as incredible. This duology is about dystopian future where Indigenous peoples of North America are the last ones able to dream, and the rest of the world begins hunting them for their bone marrow and ability to dream. Hunting by Stars is a sequel that really carried on the story in a meaningful way and served to further expand on each character's experiences, backstories, and evolutions as people throughout these books. I was captivated by the plot and moved by the stories within this book. 

2. The Stone Knife by Anna Stephens: Since I loved Anna Stephens' previous series, Godblind, I had a feeling I would like The Stone Knife–I didn't realize I'd end up loving it quite as much as I did! This is a fantasy taking place in an ancient Central American setting and it was truly incredible to explore this world in a fantasy setting. I adored all of the characters and found the magic system, political intrigue, and plotlines fascinating. I genuinely cannot wait for the sequel (which I think is coming soon!) and would urge any fantasy fan to try this one out. 

3. A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson: (Quick note: This was re-released under Orbit this year, which technically makes it a 2022 release, however, I read the self-published version early in the year so am counting it as a backlist since it was initially published in 2021.) The first thing that grabbed me about A Dowry of Blood was the gorgeous, immediately captivating prose. Gibson is clearly an incredible talented writer and knows how to write a character that is impossible to look away from. I also found myself completely captured by the general story itself of Constanta as Dracula's first bride and how she moves through her life with him. This was incredible! 

    

4. The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer: This was a book I'd been meaning to read for a number of years now and I'm really glad I finally did. I read this after reading Treuer's Rez Life, which was also great, and was blown away by his immense research and insight throughout this book. The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee covers much of Native history in the Americas (to the extent that one book can) and it was an unbelievably enlightening and important read. Not to mention, if you are a history fan like me then you'll be getting tons of history to learn about. It also covers present day issues and where things currently stand, which I also found incredibly helpful in deciding what I want to read next. If you like nonfiction and/or history and haven't read The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee yet, then add this to your TBR!

5. The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch: I had a feeling that this would be a really thoughtful and well-written memoir, but I didn't expect it to resonate with me as much as it did. There are a lot of personal reasons I connected so much with this book, but I especially liked hearing her talk about a consistent theme that plagued her through life regarding what she was meant to do and what was expected of her–I think these are very common themes many of us can understand. I loved hearing about her perspectives on life dealing with all the anxieties and obstacles that plague us all. This was 

6. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu: This book hit me hard in all the best ways possible. I believe it's considered a novel, but it reads much more like a series of interconnected short stories set in over hundreds of years throughout the future after a climate plague has wreaked havoc upon humanity. It's an intense read that includes a variety of different settings and characters, but that all maintain a very cohesive theme and thread of humanity, dreaming for something more, and the resilience that humans always display. It was deeply moving, beautiful, and I still think about it fairly regularly. 

    

7. Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont: This book is one I'd been wanting to read for a number of years and finally got around to it... and was immediately taken aback by how much I really loved it. This entire book has a melancholy air to it that fits so well with the teenage experience in a way that is very deep and relatable and gives validity to these experiences. None of the characters in it are perfect, but that's the point to some extent, and this book covers so many of the things we all struggle with, from guilt to loss to much more. This is a beautiful story. 

8. Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston: I read some great nonfiction this year, and Lost City of the Monkey God was one of my favorites that involved exploring one of my favorite settings. I've never read any of Douglas Preston's books, but I really enjoyed reading about his experiences researching and visiting the archaeological site known as The White City in the La Mosquitia region in Honduras. I loved all of the historical information he provided, as well as the nuance and care given to the topic of relics and idea of "discovery" regarding past civilizations. I think this would be a great read for anyone who loves adventure and exploration, as well as someone interested in history or who is curious about how to tackle topics around "lost" civilizations and how we look at the past. 

9. Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam: This was a very unexpected horror novel that I loved. It seems to have a fairly low average rating on Goodreads and I can actually understand why because it's a little odd and a little... lacking in action? But everything weird about it worked incredibly well for me and I really loved how this author played with tension and atmosphere. I didn't love every aspects, such as some of the weird things thought by the male characters, but I liked the overall story and that's why I've included it on this favorites list. 

2023 Advance Reads:

  

1. Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee: Although I won't have a review up until closer to the release of Untethered Sky in April, I had to include a brief note about it in this list since I loved this novella and I did read it in 2022. Untethered Sky is one of the best novellas I've read for so many reasons: it has adventure, rocs (awesome large birds of prey), ruhkers (riders of rocs), family, revenge, loss, hope, and much much more. I already knew Fonda Lee was an incredible writer, but getting to see her write something so different from The Green Bone Saga has really cemented for me just how talented she is and how she is clearly capable of writing in many different genres. This makes me even more excited for future work from Fonda Lee!

2. Sister, Maiden, Monster by Luca A. Snyder: I don't even know what to say about this novella other than what the actual f@ck just happened. This was an unhinged level of bananas and I loved it. Seriously, I was more glued to this book than I've been glued to any book in a very long time. It starts off as a pandemic story, only this pandemic is a million times worse than Covid (in my opinion, and especially as someone who is emetophobic) and things go completely sideways as the story progresses. I don't know how I feel about how this went but I know it was crazy and awesome and very thought-provoking and I think you are all in for a huge treat this year when it releases. I'll have a review up closer to its publication, but for now just know it was a favorite 2022 read for me and it will keep you hooked and dying to know what's going to happen next. 

Have you read any of these books? What backlist titles and/or 2023 ARCs did you read and love last year? Feel free to link any of your favorites lists below!