My top reads of 2022!

This book!!!!!! I picked it up in October and then I had to reread it again in December because it’s actually just so adorable. The cast of characters is absolutely wonderful and all have such distinct voices and personalities – a little found family in a magical little house. Absolute perfection. Reading this book is like sitting down with your favourite cup of tea and cosiest blanket. Don’t even get me started on Mika and Jamie because Sangu had me absolutely giggling, blushing, and kicking my feet in the air. I’m already considering rereading it again!!

Racquel Marie knows exactly how to make me cry and I adore her for it. I was absolutely blown away by Ophelia After All and I think that it is one of the best debuts I have ever read. It is such a wonderful coming of age story, filled with an incredibly earnest cast of characters. I really appreciated that this was not a romance and it instead focussed on Ophelia’s journey of self-discovery. I also absolutely adored Ophelia’s whole friend group and their dynamic!!

This was the year of cozy fantasy and Legends & Lattes absolutely delivered!! I absolutely fell in love with Val and the rest of her crew, 10/10 would die for Thimble. This book had me craving delicious treats and yearning for adventure. This adorable slice of life fantasy opened a door into a whole new world for me and I would give anything to spend an evening in Thune’s best coffee shop. If you have other cozy fantasy recs please send them to me, I’m begging you.

I started 2022 with a bang with Dial A for Aunties. It is genuinely one of the only books that has made me laugh out loud while reading it. However, while it was very funny, the heart of the book is truly the relationship between Meddelin and her mother/aunts. Woven in with the hijinks of covering up a murder and dodging her ex, is the undeniable love that these women have for each other. The perfect balance of humour, heart, and murder.

Aiden Thomas truly wrote The Sunbearer Trials for the PJO fans who are all queer now. This was such a perfect mix of action and heart, and balances the fun and the pain. I absolutely loved Teo, Aiden Thomas writes lovable shit disturbers so well. I am eagerly awaiting the second book because that cliffhanger made my jaw drop.

I am a ride or die Allison Saft fan, and I refuse to admit how many copies of this book I own. I am so in love with A Far Wilder Magic and Margaret and Wes are so full of life. If you love magic and quiet coastal towns and finally finding someone who makes you feel seen, this is the book for you.

Little Thieves was absolutely enchanting. I love retellings of folklore and fairytales, and even though I had never heard of “The Goose Girl” before reading it, I loved learning more about it afterwards. The characters are splendid and make such a wonderful cast, and the woodsy and cold setting is a perfect backdrop. The art in the book is also absolutely gorgeous! I can’t wait to see where the sequel, Painted Devils, takes us later on this year.

Portrait of a Thief surprised me in the best way. I went in thinking it would be a fun and sexy heist story full of glitz and glamour and stumbled into an incredibly heartfelt story about identity, anti-colonialism, and yearning for a place to call home. There is also a hot girl who drives fast cars and I am so gay, so that’s a huge bonus!

Emily Henry never misses. Book Lovers is witty, charming, and incredibly sweet. I typically stay away from contemporary romances but there’s just something about Emily Henry’s writing that keeps me coming back again and again. Nora and Charlie are far from perfect, but that’s just what makes them extra special. I also really loved the dynamic between Nora and her sister Libby, I’m a sucker for a good sibling story.

This book made me cry my little eyes out in public. Young Mungo is gut wrenching but absolutely wonderful. I haven’t read Shuggie Bain, but it is high on my TBR after reading Douglas Stuart’s incredible sophomore novel. While this isn’t one that I would recommend to many other readers, mostly due to a laundry list of trigger warnings, I loved Douglas Stuart’s writing style and exploration of softness in a harsh world.