2022 has been a terrible year for me on a personal level. I have had health problems, my dad has also been unwell and I tragically lost one of my cocker spaniel’s in a freak accident. Needdless to say my reading has suffered and I have read less than half the books I normally read. However, I have read some wonderful books, books that have made me laugh, cry and some that I will never forget. It has been a difficult decision but I have finally chosen my top ten reads of the year.
The Winter Garden by Alexandra Bell. I can’t believe it’s a year since I read this magical book. This is a historical fantasy book about a Winter Garden, presided over by a Spider Queen, that appears to those in need. A place of wonderful plants and flowers and magical creatures, really captured my imagination. The friendship and rivalry between the two main characters, Bea and Rosa, was fascinating, neither happy with their lives,but both in competition to own the Garden. Beautifully written, this is a stunning read.
To Paradise by Hanya Yanighara. A Little Life is one of the best books I have ever read, so when Hanya Yanighara published To Paradise I just had to read it. This is set over 300 years in an alternate New York, anf follows the generatons of the Bingham and Griffith families. In 1983 the Bingham family are one of the founding families of the new Free States, but one of the famiy wants something different. In 1993 the Aids Epidemic is sweeping New York with descendants David and Charles being touched by this. In 2093 there is a fear of illness after an epidemic has swept the world. New York is under totalitarian rule and residents face the effets of Global Warming. This is a fascinating read, very powerful and another masterpece from Hanya Yanighara. This was probably my favourite book of all.
The House of Sorrowing Stars by Beth Cartwright. The House of Sorrowing Stars is a place for those who have suffered loss, helping them to move on. This book has a timeless quality, it could be anywhere at anytime, with it’s magical setting, enchanting trees and a library filled with stories of those eho have lost someone. The mix of fantasy, fascinating characters, and a relatable story make this another brilliant read.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I love the Hollywood Glamour years when stars were truely stars, no social media. Enter Evelyn Hugo, a star like Monroe and Grace Kelly, beautiful, glamourous and a talented actress. This book looks back at Evelyn’s career, the highs and lows, the friendships and rivalries and the lovers. Taylor Jenkins Reid captures the zeitgeist of the era, and brings to life a vibrant and enigatic central character in Evelyn Hugo.
Kiss of the Pharaoh by Mark D Richardson. I have had a life long fascination for Ancient Egypt and this book had me totally enthralled is it’s intriguing and action packed plot. The second book in The Case Files series this is about a race against time to find a cure for a pandemic spreading across the world. An ancient scroll takes Jack Case and his companions on a quest to the legendary Field of Reeds, the Egyptian paradise. Brilliantly plotted, this is a epic read.
The Second Sight of Zachary Clouslesley by Sean Lusk. This book was such a beautiful and quirky read about a young boy, Zachary, brought up in his father’s automations workshop. When his father goes missing in Constantinople Zachary goes on an adventure to find him. Full of fascinating and quirky characters this is a heartwarming and atmosheric read.
The Botanist by M.W Craven. Every year a Washington Poe thriller from M.W Craven is on my top reads of the year and they just keep getting better. There are two crimes to solve in this book, a killer sending poems and flowers to his victims before poisoning them and the murder of pathologist Estelle Doyle’s father, for which she is arrested. The relationship between Poe and Tilly are what makes these books such a wonderful read.
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd. This book as a split timeline, in 1628, a young girls Mayken boards the Batavia, on her way to be reunited her father, 1980 Gil is sent to the tiny Island of Beacon, close to the shipwreck of the Batavia, to live with his grandfather. There maybe over three hundered years between their stories but Jesse Kidd weaves a story of two children displaced, trying to find their place in their new worlds. This is one of the most beautifully written and constructed book have read.
Babel by R.F Kaung. This had to be one of the most anticipated Fantasy releases this year. Set in an alternative Oxford University of 1836, the centre of knowldge for the whole world, comes Robin Swift, torn from his home in China by Professor Lovell to joint the Institute of Translation. This is a love letter to etymology, but also looks at the ideas of colonialism, power and identity. A powerful and fascinating read, this is a book that still stays with me.
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O Farrell. I absolutely loved this book, taking me back to the Sixteenth Century Florence and the tragic story of Lucrezia de Medici. Maggie O Farrell brings Lucrezia and Renaissance Florence to life. Lucrezia, an intelligent and sensitive young woman who marries at fifteen and is dead a year later, probably poisoned by her husband , Alfonso II Duke of Ferrar, as she didnt produce an heir. Full of historical detail, and wonderful characterisation this is a masterpiece of historical fiction.
