My Favorite Books of 2022

Hello, yes, I have indeed risen from the dead to write this blogpost. (Believe it or not, the last time I posted on this website was April 2019.) 

What have I been up to the past four years? Well, I'll keep that a mystery. 

Without further ado, here are my favorite books I read in 2022: 

1) The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren 

This funny, flirty treat is a wonderful novel about 'enemies' turned lovers. I read The Unhoneymooners while at the airport on a long layover and it was the perfect distraction. I flew through the pages of this impeccably cute romance that (mortifyingly) had me laughing out loud.  

2) New Grub Street by George Gissing 

New Grub Street is a lesser known classic that is addicting, clever, and piercingly observant. An examination of the London literary scene, this masterpiece is tragic, humorous, and still relevant today. 

3) Dear Cyborgs by Eugene Lim 

Dear Cyborgs is the strangest novel I read this year; I enjoyed every second of the unique experience. Exceedingly creative and futuristic, Lim's experimental work is an unforgettable critique of capitalism. Moreover, Lim examines the value of art and the connections that bind humans together. 

4) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomson 

 Undoubtedly, everyone has read or at least heard of The Hate U Give. This book is an essential contribution to the BLM matter for good reason. Thomson's masterful novel is hard-hitting, emotional, and topical — and still digestible for teens. It should make every reader feel rage, yet still inspire hope. 

5) American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

The American Wife is a long, long novel with a daunting amount of pages, yet I loved and savoured every minute. Loosely inspired by the life of Ex-First-Lady Laura Bush, The American Wife is smart, meticulously crafted, and heartfelt. 

6) Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

Unlike the more serious (and depressing) American Wife, Eligible is more light-hearted and comical. Still, this modern day Pride and Prejudice retelling tackles serious subjects and left me very attached to its lovable cast; I couldn't put the book down. 

7) You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry 

I read You and Me on Vacation while I had Covid for the second time and was unfortunately bedridden. I laughed, I cried, and I loved the characters to bits — Emily Henry never disappoints. 

8) The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

This well-known classic by Eliot deserves its status in the literary canon. The writing is gorgeous, the characters come alive and jump out of the pages fully formed, and the ending is both tragic and beautiful. Maggie Tulliver is an excellent, spirited, and, at times, frustrating heroine. 

9) The Beautiful Room is Empty by Edmund White 

I read The Beautiful Room is Empty for my 'American Carnage' course at university. I am very grateful we were assigned to read White's stunning work. Exceedingly lyrical and artistic, I felt like this novel was a comforting home — despite its depressing topics and heavy subject matters — and the imagery and metaphors in this book were mesmerising. 

Here's to 2022... may 2023 bring many more good reads. 

(Want to place bets on the next time I post? Will it be another four year absence?)