It’s that time of the year to announce my best books of 2022! I had a really good reading year in 2022, so this list was both easy and difficult to make. Easy, because I had a lot of 5-star reads, and difficult because I had to narrow it down. Let’s hop in!
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Honorable Mentions
I don’t usually list honorable mentions, but I had so many choices that I thought it would be a good idea to mention them. Here are my best books of 2022 honorable mentions:
- Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire
- The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
- A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
- Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese
- The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
- Dead Silence by S.A Barnes
- Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
The Best Books of 2022
These are in no particular order! Here are my best books of 2022!
To Be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers
I don’t know why I waited so long to read Becky Chambers’ books. She’s officially one of my favourite authors. I read this book in March and I’m still thinking about it. I have plans to reread this book in 2023, and I almost never reread books.
To Be Taught if Fortunate imagines a future in which, instead of terraforming planets to sustain human life, explorers of the solar system instead transform themselves. I just love Chambers’ writing and her characters. They really stick with you.
The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew
I knew this book was going to be a favourite as soon as I heard the synopsis. And I was right. However, I didn’t expect the writing to completely blow me away. Honestly, Kelly Andrew’s writing is gorgeous. Every word pulled me in and did not let me go.
The Whispering Dark is pitched as The Raven Boys meets Ninth House – a dark, atmospheric fantasy about a Deaf college student with a peculiar connection to the afterlife.
Stuck With You by Ali Hazelwood
This is the first time a romance novella makes the list. This book made me cry, which is why I put it here. I almost never cry when reading books, but this book hit me right in the feels.
Stuck With You is about two STEM rivals who get stuck in an elevator together, and obviously, they work through their drama and romance ensues. It’s honestly so much fun, with some unexpected emotional beats.
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Yeah, this one is obvious. My love for the Locked Tomb series knows no bounds. My face paint is ready and I will happily let Ianthe step on me.
Nona the Ninth is about…a birthday party. There are zombies, dogs, and lots of swearing. Honestly, it’s wild. Don’t ask me what it all means.
Network Effect by Martha Wells
Murderbot is one of my favourite robots, so I had to put this book on my best books of 2022 list. Network Effect is the full-length novel in the Muderbot series, and it was a riot. I had so much fun listening to it. Murderbot really shines in a longer format, and it was fun to see characters from the novellas pop up. I highly recommend this whole series.
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
See what I mean when I say Becky Chambers is now a favourite author? She has two books on this list. Her books are the definition of cozy sci-fi. Record of a Spaceborn Few is so profound, and the book stuck with me for a long time after reading it. It’s quite an emotional book, with themes of discovering who you are and where you fit in. The entire Wayfarers series is great, but this one stands out.
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams
This book took me completely by surprise. The first few chapters had me a little skeptical, but soon enough I was hooked. This book deals with some heavy subject matter (check TWs before reading) but it was also fun and fluffy. I highly recommend How to Fail at Flirting to all romance lovers.
There you have it, my best books of 2022!
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Nona made my list last year, too. There’s just something so unique about The Locked Tomb that I absolutely love. It’s twisty and dark, but there’s so so so much hope in it, too. Muir does a fantastic job balancing the dark with the funny, and the light with the truth of things. Great list!
I really hope we get Alecto this year. I need to know what happens!
I keep forgetting I need to read both Harrow and Nona!
Harrow is such a trip. Hope you enjoy them!
Oooh you read lots of great sci-fi & fantasy books Bianca! I’m planning to get to Whispering Dark this year, I love the atmosphere of the writing and world so far. Need to pick up Becky Chambers work too 😍
Becky Chambers’ books are just the best. I recommend starting with The Long Way to a Small Angry planet!
So many excellent titles on this list! I haven’t read any of the ones you absolutely adored, but I did read and love a few of your honorable mentions. Belladonna was my favorite book of the year and I’m a big fan of the All Souls trilogy. I did a reread of ADOW in October! 🙂 I look forward to checking out a few of the other titles!
I’ll admit I haven’t read any of these but they sound so cool! How to Fail at Flirting is on my TBR though so I am hoping to get to that sometime.
OH MY GOSH YAYY ON SUCH A GREAT READING YEAR!!!!! i mean look. 10+ FIVE STARS ARE BASICALLY PHENOMENAL AND UNHEARD OF WHERE I COME FROM?? tbh i swear i dont even have enough 5-stars to do a top-10 list SO MAYBE I’M NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO SAY THIS BECAUSE I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING OVERLY JUDGEMENTAL WHEN IT COMES TO STORIES AHAHAHAHA. but am so happy for you!!!!! ALSO ALL OF THESE SOUND AMAZING. i must read??
all the becky chambers books are SO HYPED but apparently i never knew the author writes scifi too?? I NEED. also yes am with you on HOW INTRIGUING THE SYNOPSIS FOR THE WHISPERING DARK ACTUALLY SOUNDS. but shhh i’m slightly idiotic sometimes and still havent read it DONT TELL. will (one day) read nona the ninth and the entire series solely because of all your convincing screams AND BECAUSE BIRTHDAY PARTIES WITH DOGS AND ZOMBIES AND SWEARING SOUND FABULOUS. i love your posts so so much!!!!!