My Top Reads Of 2022 (Previous Releases)

Following my post from yesterday listing my favourite 2022 releases, here are my top reads of 2022 which were released in previous years (in no particular order):

The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

What an absolutely beautiful book this is! I was drawn in from the very start and fell more in love with every page. There are so many amazing quotes and messages about finding yourself and the powerful need we have to leave our mark on the world, and I was completely enchanted by every word.

You can read my full review here.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Wow! What. A. Book.

A beautifully gothic murder mystery with a time-travelling twist, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a complex but utterly absorbing story that will pull you under a masquerade of deception and foreshadowing with a vice-like grip.

You can read my full review here.

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

I can’t resist a chiller thriller but I always go into them apprehensive because I’m worried that I’ve read too many of them to find a new favourite. But Shiver is most definitely my new favourite!

A fast-paced and twisty snow-clad thriller with a claustrophobic setting, well-developed characters, and complex relationships, Shiver has all the thrills of an exhilarating adventure on the slopes.

You can read my full review here.

Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse

Rhiannon is a fantastic character. She’s sarcastic, inappropriate, outrageous, and hilarious. And although I wouldn’t quite be tempted to go to the same lengths as her, I loved her hit list of people who have annoyed her for the most mundane of things. I could totally relate to her hatred of people and socialising (to some level), and maybe that’s why I was backing her so much.

You can read my full review here.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

The Lost Apothecary is an immersive piece of historical fiction that captivated me with its interesting lessons in history, intertwining stories led by strong female characters, and gripping mystery centred on murder, solidarity, and empowerment.

You can read my full review here.

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

I’ve read many stories and retellings about the battle of Troy so I was a little worried that I had heard it all before and that might taint this book for me, although I know it is a favourite for many. But this wasn’t the case at all!

A beautiful anthology of stories told from many compelling perspectives, A Thousand Ships is a refreshing and vivid retelling of a well-known classic.

You can read my full review here.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

I very rarely read science fiction but Andy Weir made it so easy for me to enjoy The Martian that I couldn’t wait to try another book by him. And Project Hail Mary is just as mind-blowing, intelligent, gripping, humorous, and thought-provoking.

You can read my full review here.

The Watchers by AM Shine

An addictive and spine-tingling horror, The Watchers is an unnerving and engrossing story filled with terrifying paranormal entities and jaw-dropping twists.

The first half of the book plays out like a classic horror film. With an intriguing opening set-up, you can instantly feel the tension of this seemingly haunted forest, and the creepy tales of Irish folklore fill you with absolute terror as you’re slowly clued in to the situation Mina has found herself in.

You can read my full review here.

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

I’ve read four of Colleen Hoover’s books so far and have loved them all. Ugly Love seemed to be a lot of people’s favourite, so I was glad that it was one of our book club reads for this month.

At first, I thought the story was a little cheesy. Everything is very coincidental, Tate’s eagerness is a little awkward, and the main concept is pretty predictable. But Hoover is great at sticking to a common formula and making her characters break all of its boundaries.

You can read my full review here.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Excuse me while I just dry my eyes before I write this review… I’m a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s recent releases which are all very popular on Bookstagram, but I wanted to give her earlier books a go to see how they compared.

A poignant and beautifully written story about love and loss, with thought-provoking lessons about grief, healing and acceptance, One True Loves is just as devastatingly beautiful, powerfully engaging, and heart-achingly emotional.

You can read my full review here.

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney

It’s not often I “fangirl” over anything but wow, Sally Rooney really gets me. Conversations With Friends is like my mood wrapped up in a book. It took me right back to my “youth” and filled me with the nostalgia of my university days but also of the emotional turmoil that often came with them.

You can read my full review here.

The Executioner by Chris Carter

I read the first book in this series at the end of last year and instantly knew that this was a series I was going to love. At the time, I said that I didn’t think that a book could get any more gruesome. But then you have The Executioner. And oh boy, was that gory!

You can read my full review here.