Happy New Year! Welcome to my post and the second part of my wrapping up the year series: top 10 books of 2022! The first part was on which 2022 releases I read. My favourite part of a new year is looking back and reflecting on my reading, and it’s always nice to remember the best books! So here are the very best books I read in 2022.
Honourable mentions
There are so many good books that I couldn’t fit in my top 10 but wanted to mention. I had to have this category, especially as I’ve included separate books from a series in my list (they were that good). All of these were 4.5 stars! Now onto the countdown…
10: The Atlas Six
This is a very recent read. The start was a little slow but I was so into it by the end. I enjoyed the academic and philosophical discussions, and the plot ended up being exciting and mysterious. I would’ve liked more interaction between the group, but I loved the detailed character analyses which made up for it. Not a perfect book but a memorable one!
9: Conjure Women
I went into this not expecting much and left blown away! It gave life to the time period, showcasing the brutality but hope and love of the characters. The structure really worked for me although it might not for others, with the switching of timelines. A very underrated book.
8: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done it again with a stunning book from a mix of genres. The only thing that held it back was the romance in the first half, but I liked the direction it ended in. The setting and history were my favourite parts. As always, her work is slow but exciting and emotional. I also need a physical copy for that beautiful cover!
7: Hamnet
Another one I didn’t have the biggest hopes for but ended up loving is Hamnet. As you might have noticed, I tend to love slow, thoughtful books with a strong focus on characters, which is exactly what this was. The prose is beautiful and Maggie O’Farrell crafted a captivating story with very little action! I’m so excited to read more of her work.
6: Babel
A staple in most top 10 lists this year, Babel was everything. I initially rated it 4.5 stars but on reflection I changed it to 5 because my problems with it (like the magic system and disregard for some characters) were pretty inconsequential compared to what I loved. The themes explored in depth, the atmosphere, Robin’s arc , all of it was just so well executed and will stick with me for a long time.
5: The Kingdom of Copper and The City of Brass
Next up is the first and second books of the Daevabad trilogy. I preferred The City of Brass slightly more but I decided to put them together because it was so close. I fell in love with the characters and themes of the series in The City of Brass, but fell in love with the world with a better understanding of it in The Kingdom of Copper. Definitely one of my favourite series of all time.
4: In the Dream House
I clearly love emotionally scarring books looking at this list and In the Dream House is no exception. It is a heavy book as it is a memoir about an abusive relationship, but it’s so impactful and creative in the way that the author does it, by looking through different lenses of writing and genres.
3: The Hollow Places
This was my second read of the year, but it kept a high position for all of 2022! I think what made me rank it so high was the tone and writing style. It was simple yet Kingfisher created a dark and creepy atmosphere, all while adding in humour that felt right for the book. I was entertained and on edge the whole way through the book!
2: A Dowry of Blood
No. 2 is A Dowry of Blood, another one I read in January. I thought the would actually be my favourite of the year, and it was until December! The lyrical writing created a dark, gothic atmosphere, and expressed all the conflicting emotions of the main character which built up throughout the book. It’s another quite heavy book, but utterly beautiful. I might have to reread this next year to feel it all again.
1: The Empire of Gold
Finally, in the top spot, a late contender that displaced every other book, is The Empire of Gold, the final book in the Daevabad trilogy! I had to include it separately because it was a masterpiece to me that wrapped up the series perfectly. This book took it to the next level in the series, involving new groups and actors with their own interests that the main characters had to deal with and use to their advantage. I’m so upset to leave this world and the characters but at least I can leave it happy with how it ended!
Thanks for reading, Happy New Year again! Have you read any of these? What were your favourite books?
—ella♥
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ella isn’t writing 
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