Hey guys! I have finally caught up on all my book reviews and it’s finally time to do my 2022 book blog post! I wanted to get all my individual book reviews up so I could link them in this post.
If you didn’t read last year’s post, I’m going to rank all the books I’ve read this year. I read 18 books this year, just shy of my goal of 20 books. I want to note that I rate series together, so while I read 18 books, there are only 15 entries. I’m going to start at the bottom and finish with my favourite book. Let’s get into it!
Two Star Books
15. I did have one DNF this year, but it’s a part of the Order of Darkness series, which I gave 2 stars overall. It had a good start but the later books just weren’t good. The series was slow and predictable. All of the characters were one-dimensional and I didn’t like where the series was heading which is why I did not finish it. I wouldn’t recommend the series.
Three Star Books
14. At the bottom of my three-star list is Normal People. As I mentioned in my review, I couldn’t decide between giving it two or three stars which is why it’s at the bottom of the list. I didn’t like the main characters and didn’t enjoy reading the book. Yes, there is some literary merit to the novel. But I’ve come to a point where I just want to enjoy what I’m reading and didn’t enjoy reading this book.
13. Unlike Normal People, I didn’t mind reading The Revolution of Sabine. It just wasn’t meant for me. I think this book is on the cusp of young readers and young adults so it was just too simple for me. It’s a good introduction to the ideologies of the American and French Revolutions. But I just want something more.
12. The premise of Bewitching Season was good. It had kidnapping and magic against the backdrop of Victorian England. But it focused too much on the melodrama. Miscommunication is a trope that really bothers me but I could see other people enjoying it.
Three-and-a-half Star Books
11. Another example of a book not being bad but just not for me was The Twelve Topsy-Turvry, Very Messy Days of Christmas. It was a cute, family-friendly novel. You know when you watch a kids’ movie as an adult, sometimes they’re fun and other times they’re just so obviously meant for kids? This book feels like the latter. It was unique and original so I give it props for that.
10. I love a great atmospheric book and Into The Water was that. But it was also confusing with too many points of view and lacking suspense. The pacing was also a little off for me, with the middle section being slow and the ending rushed. Paula Hawkins’ other novel, The Girl on the Train, is much better.
9. One of the few series I read this year was The Remnant Chronicles. This series had a unique premise, something hard to find in the fantasy genre. I also appreciate that the war wasn’t long and dragged out, unlike other fantasy series. That being said, the second book dragged quite a bit. It was a good series and I enjoyed reading it but it doesn’t stick out in my mind compared to other fantasy series I’ve read over the years.
Four Star Books
8. Similar to The Remnant Chronicles, Reminders of Him was a good book but it doesn’t stick out in my mind. The premise was interesting and I appreciate the nuance that was brought forward. But I didn’t have any emotional connection to either of the main character. It’s a good book but not memorable.
7. Another great atmospheric book was The Guest List. It gave me all the spooky vibes I wanted. This was a multiple point-of-view but unlike Into the Water, it wasn’t confusing. My only issue is that I prefer a whodunnit when you know what the crime is at the start and try to figure out what happened. In this book, you don’t know what happened until the end and find out the antagonist about a chapter later.
6. It’s funny because my top six novels are all romance books. I guess that happens to be my favourite genre right now haha. In sixth place, we have The Love Hypothesis. There was a lot of hype online about this one and I liked it but didn’t love it. I loved the setting, the relationship and the banter. I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character. And once again it had miscommunication!!! It’s a fun read though.
5. Cracking into the top five we have November 9. Despite not being a huge fan of the instant-love trope, I did enjoy the book. It was super easy to read and I binge-read it. The plot twist is what sold me on the book.
4. I know I said I rate series together, but I felt like the Bellinger Sisters duology deserved to be separated. I gave Hook, Line and Sinker four stars because while it was super fun and cute. It lost a star because of the miscommunication trope. A super great summer read and follow-up to the first book.
Five Star
3. I feel a little silly putting a Christmas novel so high but I absolutely loved A Merry Little Meet Cute. I love cheesy Christmas movies and it was like that but also self-aware and full of spicy romance. It was just so good.
2. It Happened One Summer was so fun to read. I found myself laughing so much while reading it. The spice was amazing but I also loved the character development. I started off the book a little unsure of the main character and I loved her by the end. This was a little predictable but it was a light-hearted and fun read. I enjoyed it so much.
1. My top book of the year had to be People We Meet On Vacation because I happy cried at the end of the book. If a book can make me happy cry it’s a win in my book because it shows that I was truly invested in the characters. The main character, Poppy, just reminds me so much of myself and I wish to have a great romance just like her. I love reading about all the vacations Poppy and Alex went on. It was full of tension and character growth and just so good. So so good.
And those are all the books I read in 2022! If you guys read any of these books let me know what you think. And also let me know what your favourite book that you read last year was! I’m always on the lookout for new books!
Xoxo
Lea
Leave it to Lea 