The Best Books of the Year | 2022 Wrap-Up Pt. 2

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog! 

It's the most anticipated post of the entire year. Today I'm talking about the best books I read in 2022. In previous years, I've done countdowns to the top book, but this year I won't be doing that, purely because I have no idea what is actually the best book I read this year. 

What I will be doing is separating the books into standalones and series. I will also be adding some honorable mentions, because there are just so many amazing books that I read this year. I've been keeping track of the best books on my phone, and as of now I have 9 standalone novels and 9 series (or parts of series) on this list. Considering I've read 180 books this year, having 10% of those books be favorites is pretty damn good. But I will narrow it down to top 10 anyway. 

So just a recap: aside from the honorable mentions, these are the top 10 books I read this year (though some of them might be series as a whole), but they aren't ranked in any way. Also, if I have written a book review for any of the books mentioned, the reviews of course will be linked next to the book title.

Okay, let's get into it!

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Honorable Mentions

Jurassic Park/The Lost World by Michael Crichton
Star ratings/CAWPILE scores: 4.5, 4 stars/8.29, 7.57 CAWPILE
Goodreads Reviews: (Jurassic Park) This was SO much better this time around. I think when I first read it (back in 2019) I wasn't used to reading adult fiction, much less sci-fi, and I didn't give it a fair shot because I was expecting the movie. Of course, the movie is NOTHING like the book. But having subverted my expectations, I really enjoyed reading it this time. Even though it's over 30 years old now, I think it's gonna be a staple on my shelves for a long time.

(The Lost World) It makes me laugh so hard that Stephen Spielberg really pressured Michael Crichton into writing a sequel because the movie made so much money. That, and the fact that Crichton resurrected a character because of Jeff Goldblum? Wild, absolutely wild.

Middlegame/Seasonal Fears by Seanan McGuire
Star ratings/CAWPILE scores: 4.5, 3.5 stars/8.43, 6.43 CAWPILE
Goodreads Reviews: (Middlegame) This is probably one of the most convoluted and complicated books I’ve ever read. Not necessarily confusing, but there is just so much in here that it takes time to process it all. It’s absolutely incredible, really. I hardly have the words to describe it.

(Seasonal Fears) I liked this, but not nearly as much as the first one. There was a lot of info-dumping and that part was pretty boring, but the second half flew by really fast. But I wasn’t as confused as I was with middlegame, probably because of said info-dumping. The concept is super cool though, I love the idea of being a season incarnate.

Loveless by Alice Oseman
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 4.5 stars/8.00 CAWPILE
Goodreads Review: This was practically perfect. I only have little critiques, and they're all things that bother me specifically and not necessarily bad for the book itself: like the amount of pop-culture references (which I prefer little to none, if possible, and Alice Oseman always uses an ample amount in her writing). I loved Georgia's exploration of her sexuality, and even though I don't relate entirely to her preferences, it's so wonderful reading about an ace MC. I just get her. Though I'm probably closer to Sunil when it comes to asexuality.

Anyway, this was amazing, and I loved it, and I can't wait to recommend this to absolutely everyone.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Star rating/CAWPILE score: N/A (since this is a memoir, I feel uncomfortable giving it a star rating)
Goodreads Review: I don't rate nonfiction, but you should know this is a perfect ten across the board.

Throughout the experience of reading this book, I had angry, hot tears in my eyes and streaming down my cheeks. But at the end, I was crying tears of hope and relief. Chanel has taken back her name, her life, her January 17 in 2015. And in her pages she has lifted up every victim, every silenced woman, every little girl who has been violated and kept in the dark, had their attacker, their rapist, walk free.

I remember reading about the case back when it was in trial, even before when it was first reported, and feeling so disgusted, so violated, and I could very clearly imagine how Emily Doe was feeling, because I had felt the same things. The fear, the anger, the confusion. And I followed the case throughout the years, with more anger rising in me every time I saw someone defending her rapist, wanting someone, anyone, to speak out on her behalf. And now she's gone and done it herself, and I am so happy.

Standalone Novels

We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.00 CAWPILE
Goodreads Review: This was so weird and I fucking loved it. I don't know why, and I can't give you details, but this was bloody fantastic is what it was. I may not be an 80s child but I appreciate all of the references, like the music and hairstyles and slang. It was all so ridiculous that you can't help but love it. Despite the hive mind, each character had their own personality and voice, so you'd never mistake one for another. And the increasingly bizarre situations they found themselves in are the exact sort of weird witchcraft-adjacent bullshittery you would expect from a group of high school girls willing to do anything to win, which is something I can appreciate on a molecular level.

Ophelia After All by Raquel Marie
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.14 CAWPILE 
Goodreads Review: STOP THIS MADE ME CRY. Ahhhhh this was so good, an immediate queer favorite. I love that not only do we get a great storyline about a girl learning who she is and what it all means to be Ophelia Rojas, but we also have amazing, messy friendships and a focus away from romance (thank you, Rocky!). Plus the fact that nearly all of her friends are queer in one way or another, it makes me so happy - especially Wesley, being a perfect ace bean. I feel a spiritual connection to Wes. And I want to mention that all of the characters are really well-rounded and fleshed out, I felt like I could read a book about every single one of them as the main characters and I wouldn't feel confused or lost at all.

Side note: this would adapt so well as a movie or tv series!! Again, with so many queer kids, and queer kids of color at that, I think a lot of baby teenagers would benefit seeing this story on a screen.

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune (Review here)
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.00 CAWPILE 
Goodreads Review: I am completely and utterly obsessed. You can really tell that this book meant a lot to TJ and was used in a way to help with his grief. It certainly brought some of my own issues with grief to the surface, but in a…I guess not a good way, because what’s good about grief, but in a therapeutic way. I also liked the anxiety rep in here as well. And yes, I absolutely did cry. Multiple times, in fact. And I really want a physical copy of this book so I can hug it, because it’s the kind of book that deserves to be hugged.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.00 CAWPILE
Goodreads Review: Holy heck, this was BRILLIANT. It was a little slow in the beginning, a little confusing, but the way it all came together at the end…! I mean, the only word I can think of is genius!

And it will definitely make you think. I mean in an existential-crisis kind of way. But you know how in almost all movies/books that deal with time travel, everything weird at the beginning makes sense at the end because we have the whole story, and through that we see through all the weirdness? Yeah, that’s this book. I’m sorry I’m being so vague but that’s pretty much the only way I can describe it.

But, oh man. I, like most people, really discovered Emily through Station Eleven, which was a five star read for me. I read The Glass Hotel earlier this year and I was pretty disappointed, so I was weary about Sea of Tranquility, but I should not have doubted! Will never doubt again! Emily St. John Mandel supremacy!

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Review here)
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.00 CAWPILE
Goodreads Review: I have an entirely new appreciation for Gothic novels. Like damn, that was so good! I'm definitely going to need to not eat mushrooms for a while though...

Series

The Bone Shard Daughter/The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
Star ratings/CAWPILE scores: 4.5 stars/8.14, 8.86 CAWPILE
Goodreads Reviews: (The Bone Shard Daughter) That was so freaking good! I was a little confused in the beginning but I quickly got the lay of the land, and even though it took me a while to read, I enjoyed every minute of it. I can't wait to see how the world and the characters expand in the sequel!

(The Bone Shard Emperor) So good! It took everything amazing from the first book, and then bumped it up to eleven! So many more amazing characters and revelations, I can't wait for the third book!

Strange the Dreamer/Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor (Review here)
Star ratings/CAWPILE scores: 5 stars/9.14, 9.29 CAWPILE
Goodreads Reviews: (Strange the Dreamer) Well, I finally read it. Who’s surprised that I loved it? Anyone? Not me, that’s for sure. This has to be the most mashed-potato book I have ever read. It’s literally the book I’ve had on my TBR shelf the longest, over four years. I’m actually mad that it took me this long to finally pick it up. And it was beautiful and amazing and everything I wanted from it and more. And I can’t even look up art or anything yet because I need to still read the sequel. Ahhhhhh my heart can’t take it!

(Muse of Nightmares) Ahh, beautiful answers. This was a spectacular ending to this series, and I especially love all the little nods we got about DoSaB. Of course there were a few things that I wish were different (Sarai's ghostliness for one) but you know, I have very little complaints overall. This is very close to being (at least in my eyes) a perfect book.

The Fifth Season/The Obelisk Gate/The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
Star ratings/CAWPILE scores: 4.5 stars/8.57 CAWPILE (for all books)
Goodreads Reviews: (The Fifth Season) Seriously, that’s how it ends?! That’s so mean! This was so fucking brilliant, I’m truly in awe at how N.K. Jemisin managed to tie everything together so neatly. I kind of guessed a main point, but it was the kind of guess where I felt so smart and validated when it was revealed, rather than it feeling predictable. Honestly though this has to be one of the smartest plotted books I’ve ever read. I can’t wait to read the sequel.

(The Obelisk Gate) The stakes!! How the stakes have been upped!! I’m boggled, absolutely flabbergasted, as to how N.K. Jemisin came up with a story like this. How can anyone think up something so complex and wonderful?? How will I recover?

Also, I know Hoa isn’t a child but I really just wanna wrap him up in a blanket and hug him because he’s so SMALL and PRECIOUS ahhh I love him.

(The Stone Sky) I am completely and utterly SHOOK. I can't believe this story exists, it's so incredible. AND THAT ENDING????? How am I meant to get over that ending, huh??? GTG lie in bed for the next week with a book hangover, because holy hell. 

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.00 CAWPILE 
Goodreads Review: That was brilliant and horrifying. It has all the qualities of a slasher film—an isolated setting with people getting picked off one by one—while maintaining the creepy atmosphere of a sci-fi horror novel. Also I will say one thing that won’t make sense unless you know: How to Train Your Dragon, but on steroids.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (Review here)
Star rating/CAWPILE score: 5 stars/9.57 CAWPILE
Goodreads Review: I just…it’s just so freaking good. I don’t think I’ve ever read it all the way through, beginning to end, in a purposeful manner to finish the entire story. And now that I have I am so happy, but so sad that it took me this long. Of course I’ve grown up with this story and know it by heart, but I missed out on so many beautiful lines and details. But no longer!!

My heart will always belong to Middle-Earth. It’s so weird to think that this was the very first “fandom” I was ever a part of, downloading movie posters for wallpapers and listening to the soundtrack to fall asleep. I’ve really come full circle now!

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Alright, those are the best of the best from 2022! I'm really happy with this list, looking back on these books just automatically brings a smile to my face. Like I said, I don't have an ultimate favorite from this year, but if I had to choose a top 2, I'd probably say The Lord of the Rings and Ophelia After All. I need a copy of Ophelia stat! Seriously, I haven't been able to find a copy at any of the bookstores around me. It's so frustrating!

I really want to know, what's your favorite book of 2022? Let me know in the comments!

Tomorrow will be my entire year in review. Until then!