I can’t believe another year has come and gone. I accomplished so much during 2022: I graduated college, got a “grown-up-girl” job, started this book blog, and read over 200 books! That’s the most books I’ve ever read in a single year (which was kind of difficult given that I have a full-time job, a part-time job, and needed to read almost 4 books a week).
I learned so much from the various books I read; I also recommended a lot of them to people I know (not to mention on my Instagram). Since the year is ending, I thought I would pick my top 22 books I read throughout the year and summarize them for you in a blog (or two, since this is turning out to be longer than I thought) with my thoughts on each one. So, without further ado, let’s get to the book reviews!
My Top 22 Books of 2022
1. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
I watched Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time this year (though, to be fair, I only watched the first one in the series; still working on the other three or four) and quickly thereafter began looking for a pirate-themed young adult novel. I’m not necessarily a mood reader, but I wanted to start the year off with something different than my normal hallmark-esque romance books. After some quick google searches, I found Levenseller’s book Daughter of the Pirate King – it couldn’t get much closer than that!
This young adult book follows Alosa as she’s sent to retrieve a piece of an ancient map that will lead her father (who is, as the title suggests, The Pirate King) to a legendary treasure. That map piece is in the hands of their enemies, so Alosa allows herself to be captured in order to better search the ship. It’s surprisingly easy to do and no one is suspicious – except for the first mate acting as her captor. Riden, who is conveniently clever and attractive as the potential love interest, doesn’t entirely trust Alosa (I wonder why; it’s not like she’s there with nefarious intentions or anything).
I found this book to have a really ingenious plot, entertaining dialogue, a bad-A female character, a slow-burn romance, and plenty of action to keep you entertained throughout the entire read.
2. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Confession time: I actually only read this book (and subsequent series) because I saw the trailer for the TV show (which stars Matthew Goode, who I think is very attractive). And I am so glad I did! Both the book series and the tv series were absolutely fantastic!
Published in 2011 – right in the middle of the paranormal creatures period of modern literature – by Deborah Harkness, this debut novel tells the tale of a scholarly witch who wants nothing to do with magic, a very old french geneticist vampire, and a mysterious alchemical manuscript that only appears when it wants to. Everything starts when Diana Bishop (the reluctant witch) manages to call up a manuscript that hasn’t been seen for centuries at Oxford’s Bodleian Library; this single act causes a chain reaction within the magical community. Soon Diana is being bothered and threatened by witches, daemons, and vampires – until she finds an unlikely ally in fellow professor Matthew Clairmont (a vampire). As the danger escalates and time passes, their relationship deepens into something the legends are made of.
Everything Twilight could’ve been (though a more adult and mature version), this series boasts a strong female heroine, a sophisticated plot, accurate historical references, suspense, magic, and a fantastic romance. It truly is addictive (I read them all within a week) and I would highly recommend the series; if you’re a seasonal reader, save A Discovery of Witches for your ‘Books to Read During October’ list.
3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I finally decided to tackle some of the books on my list of Top 100 Classic Books to Read Before I Die (blog coming soon!) and started with this quick and simple story. Paulo Coelho’s book tells of a shepherd boy named Santiago and his quest to find treasure – though it ends up being a different treasure than he imagined. Filled with insightful parallels, this book reminds readers how important it is to recognize opportunities, read listen to your heart, and follow your dreams. I would recommend this book even to those who don’t like reading.
4. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Let me start this review with I AM NOT A COLLEEN HOOVER FAN (more on that to come). However, It Ends With Us was one of the most impactful books I read during 2022; I consider it to be one of the top 10 books I have ever read. So yes, surprisingly, this BookTok book is actually worth the hype.
Lily is ready for her new start. She’s left behind the small town she grew up in, recently graduated college, and is starting her new business in Boston. When she meets Ryle (a very attractive-yet-arrogant neurosurgeon who has a complete aversion to relationships) she can’t get him out of her head – especially after she becomes the exception to his “no dating” rule. As their relationship progresses and different things happen, Lily begins to wonder why thoughts of Atlas (her first love) keep popping up. And, of course, everything she’s built suddenly gets threatened when Atlas suddenly reappears.
Warning, this book (and all of Hover’s books, tbh) is very graphic. That being said, I think everyone (18+) should read It Ends With Us. I loved how my perspective on issues regarding domestic abuse changed throughout the entire book. Colleen Hoover did so well at letting her characters live in the grey instead of making the book starkly black and white. It reminded me that we all need to have more empathy, compassion, and understanding of circumstances; the book put it best: “we often ask why victims stay with abusers but never ask why the abuser harms in the first place?”
5. The Choice by Dr. Edith Eger
The Choice was one of the top 5 books I read in 2022. Classified as a nonfiction memoir, Eger tells her story as an Auschwitz survivor and the lessons she learned while there (and after). She explained that despite everything she endured while in the concentration camp, she learned that she could either choose to be her own jailer or could choose to be free; she chose to focus on what she had, instead of focusing on what she’d lost.
This unforgettable story was truly life-alter for me; it shifted my perspective on the world because, as Eger so eloquently stated, we can’t vanish the darkness that is found, both in the world and sometimes inside of us, but we can choose to kindle and nurture the light we find. The Choice was thought-provoking and uplifting – which might be why I recommend it to most people looking for a memoir that will change their life. The one piece of advice that Dr. Eger shared, the one I literally still think about even all these months later? “Suffering is universal but victimhood is a choice.” It all comes down to that – the choices we make while in this world.
6. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
I consider Kate Quinn to be the queen of historical fiction; I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything of her’s I’ve read since discovering her last year.
The Rose Code is the female equivalent of The Imitation Game (which is a fantastic movie, by the way) except it’s told in two parts. The beginning takes place in 1940 when three women are called to Bletchley Park to help England win the war against the Nazis and put their talents to the decoding test. A well-known debutant, who happens to be courting Prince Phillip of Greece (yes, that Prince Phillip), uses her German to translate decoded messages; a self-made bad-a is asked to put her mind to use by working on the legendary code-breaking machines, and the shy village recluse who has an aptitude for puzzles becomes one of the few female cryptanalysts.
1947 rolls around and a mysterious encrypted letter is sent to the three friends-turned-enemies; if decoded, it’ll reveal information about an old betrayal, but only if solved quickly. What secrets will be revealed and what enemies will be discovered?
I love that Quinn takes real events that happened and real people that actually existed and combines them into something truly magical with stories that may or may not have happened! Though I know these books are mostly historical fiction, it’s still exciting to think of what could have happened. Also, if you want to see something cool (especially after reading this book and feeling like you could break codes) Google “Bletchley Park” and see what happens!
7. If You Tell by Gregg Olsen
Are you aware of what’s actually going on around you?
Full disclosure, this true crime book is extremely dark and heavy to read. It deals with intense mental, emotional, and physical abuse – not to mention multiple murders – and is a true story. I found it fascinating and disturbing from a psychological perspective and it made me realize that we never can be 100% sure of what’s going on in other people’s lives. It reminded me that we all should be a little more vigilant of our neighbors and more compassionate to the ‘weird’ kids in our lives. It hurts my heart knowing that people have gone through and continue to go through things like this.
8. In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
What would you sacrifice to have a better life?
That was the question running through my mind as I read this book. In Order to Live is Yeonmi Park’s inspiring story of her escape from North Korea. In 2007 Park fled North Korea and went to China, where she was sold (along with her mother) into slave marriages and human trafficking. She lives like that for two years before finally saving enough to flee to South Korea, where she deals with the shame and societal shunning that comes from being an immigrant and different.
This book is inspiring, both in Park’s personal story and in how she reminded me to never give up regardless of the circumstances we’re in. I learned so much about different countries and regimes in the world and how it is the people who actually make a difference; we give governments power over us, not the other way around.
9. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Deemed Goodread’s “Best Science Fiction Novel” in 2021, Project Hail Mary tells the story of Ryland after he wakes up on a spaceship with two corpses for company, no idea where he is, and no memory. The clock is quickly ticking down as he tries to determine what his name is, his mission, and why he was chosen for this ill-fated trip. Told from Ryland’s perspective, the narrative – and mission – is explained as his memories slowly come back and pieces fall into place. Ryland finally remembers that the fate of humankind is literally in his hands and he has to solve it all on his own… or does he?
To me, Andy Weir (author of The Martian) is the science fiction version of Dan Brown. He writes fantastic stories and excellent plots all while dumbing down the science into normal bite-sized pieces we humans can understand (even though a lot of it goes over my head) and manages to keep everything engaging.
10. Dune by Frank Herbert
Okay, I 100% read this book because I was so intrigued by the movie; I mean, if Hollywood was willing to invest that much money (I mean, they hired Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet) into a three-part movie series that only covers the first book, the book has to be good!
A couple of things you should keep in mind when reading Dune. One, it was published in 1965, so the standards of science fiction were WAY different than the ones we have now. Two, this is a world-building book with several pages dedicated to describing the scenery, planets, people, etc; if you took all those pages out, you’d probably have only a third of the book left. Third, Dune is a very long book. Full disclosure, I actually listened to it, which I think helped.
The plot is very Star Wars meets Tolkein (I imagine because, tbh, I’ve never watched Star Wars). Paul Atreides, along with his parents, is sent to Arrakis – a nearly inhabitable world where the only commodity is this super rare spice the rest of the empire wants. After a betrayal happens and the House Atreides is betrayed, Paul begins a journey of self-discovery that leads him toward a destiny bigger than anyone imagined (coincidentally, maybe the “Chosen One” story arc started with this book).dune
11. The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
I consider The Soulmate Equation to be absolute romance book perfection. The plot is new and interesting, my favorite cliche trope is present (hello fake dating), the characters are funny, the romance is real (great chemistry AND an actual progressive relationship), and the dialogue made me laugh out loud multiple times. Plus the ending! Total butterfly-inducing, toe-curling, breath-catching, heart-skipping moment. 😍
Jess is a single mother trying to make ends meet; she works as a statistician, but between her job, her child, and her grandparents, she doesn’t have a lot of spare time to dedicate to dating. Enter GeneticAlly (a new DNA-based matchmaking company), a slightly pushing but well-meaning best friend who all but forces her to send in a sample, and an unheard of 98% match with found Dr. River Peña (she already knows him; they don’t get long). When the company offers to compensate Jess if she publicly get’s to know him (aka fake-date) for a little bit before the company goes public (therefore earning everyone even more money) Jess isn’t in a position to say no. Things get complicated (of course) and Jess is left wondering if soulmates really do exist.
Trust me, of all the books I’ve ever read (and there are over 1,000 on my read pile) The Soulmate Equation is at the top of the list of my favorite books. I love the characters, the romance, the plot, the dialogue – literally everything about this book. It’s a book I know I’ll keep coming back to for years to come (plus, you know, everyone I’ve recommended this book to has LOVED it too). My only question is: if these are the results, where can I sign up for GeneticAlly?
Read Part Two