Last year, I read 31 fiction books. Pitiful, I know. Plenty of writers, bibliophiles, and book bloggers read upwards of 100 books a year, sailing through the best of every genre in stolen moments to maximise their revered productivity. They spend their weekends dancing through imagined worlds, and rise early to get in a chapter before sunset.
I’m in awe of these people. I’ve often aspired to join their ranks.
Now, I could regale you with a million excuses as to why I didn’t read more. Most of them would be valid: long periods of illness, brain fog, time spent writing, reading articles, consuming film, slumps in activity that paralyse the mind, and simply a reluctance to follow up a perfect story with one that couldn’t contend.
But honestly, none of that should matter. It was never a competition. I never signed my name in blood on some mystical scroll committing myself to over fifty books. I never entered a figure on Good Reads or tracked my progress each month, nor do I want to.
Reading should be a joy, not an endeavour.
So, when I say I don’t care what you read in 2022, I don’t mean to be rude. I say it with love. Whether you listened to two audio-books, skimmed one on Kindle, and immersed yourself in a couple of beach-read paperbacks, or completed the entire Library of Congress, you are a reader. You can love reading with every fibre of your being, and barely have a second to check the daily headlines.
Personally, I’m somewhere in the middle, and that’s OK. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, that’s OK.
As I write this, I am surrounded by the utter bliss of post-Christmas book piles scattered around my desk. I breathe them in. The delicious scent, the chalky texture of the pages, the absence of blue light from their covers. And I realise, the upside of my rather limited 2022 page count is that I can remember each and every story.
The following recommendations are based on characters that left vivid imprints, plots that forced me to think far beyond my own experience, and words that transported me across an entire menstrual cycle of emotions (PMS sisters, what’s up?). No shade to the other books I read, but the following ten were right up my street, and have been listed only in the order they were read.
And yes, clearly I’m a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid.
1. Anxious People – Fredrik Backman
This is the absolute pinnacle of what I’d love to achieve with my own fiction. Comedy meets slick observation of human nature. I laughed, I cried, I loved it. It’s certainly on my 2023 agenda to read the rest of his work.
2. Daisy Jones and The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
I doubt this one needs much introduction. The structure was inspired. I found myself forgetting it was fiction, and could’ve sworn I knew those songs. Obviously, I’m buzzing for the TV adaptation coming later this year on Prime.
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
If you’re curious about the world of old Hollywood, as I am, this is the ideal pick. With characters rich as they are troubled, I was wholly absorbed by the world Jenkins Reid created. I also get a major kick out of the character overlaps between her books.
4. Little Wing – Freya North
This novel introduced me to the Isle of Harris – a setting painted with such intricacy, I feel as though I’ve been there. It follows two families over three generations. It broke my heart, warmed it, and wove in back together again. Highly recommend for a January up-lit read.
5. Wrong Place, Wrong Time – Gillian McAllister
As a writer, I’m in awe. Like, wow. The structure of this book defies logic, and yet, McAllister pulls it off with total grace. This is a novel of the highest concept, featuring murder, mystery, and time travel. There’s a reason it made Reese’s Book Club. And on a personal claim to fame here, I used to cross paths with this author regularly as we walked our dogs. Gorgeous writing, gorgeous pup.
6. Death and Croissants – Ian Moore
Just a fun, joyful read. Located in a fictional French valley with characters as colourful as the cover, this is the perfect pick for escapism and laughs. We love a cosy mystery, and I’m loving this new brand of comedic cosy.
7. The Christie Affair – Nina De Gramont
My hardback copy with red sprayed edges reeled me right in with this one. As an Agatha Christie fan, with embarrassingly little knowledge of her life, I was keen to delve into this re-imagination of a mysterious incident in Christie’s past. After watching Lucy Worsley’s documentary on BBC, I know more of fact versus fiction now, and would still avidly recommend this book. Brilliant plot, without a hint of shadow cast on it.
8. Malibu Rising – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Who doesn’t want to be a Riva sibling after reading this? Malibu, surfing, celebrity, and yet, raw relatable struggles mixed in. This novel was a fabulous reminder that not is all as it seems, and dreams are individual. Jenkins Reid worked her magic again, and I certainly hope this one will hit the silver screens.
9. Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus
This may be the best yet (with respect to the others). I don’t think I have read such an original novel before, in every aspect. Only Bonnie Garmus could have written this, and to me, that’s the mark of a truly unique story. Science, feminism, grief, religion, rowing, food: each celebrated in their own splendour. The Waterstones Author of the Year award was well deserved.
10. The Movement – Ayisha Malik
This brilliant conceptual novel had me reflecting on the society we live in. The protagonist is an author who, after becoming disillusioned with the world around her, decides to take a vow of silence, and shut the fuck up. An entire movement follows. This story is written with such contemporary clarity, it’s not hard to imagine it happening for real. I love a book written with heart and subtle comedy, but also makes you look around you and think.
Given the outstanding Ayisha is my mentor, I am only a tiny bit biased. But I did read this before meeting her, I swear.
I’d love to know what your favourite reads from 2022 were. What should I add to my list? What books are an absolute must?
P.S. Happy new year! My goals this year include better consistency with this newsletter, and growing my readership, as such…