My Top 5 books of 2022

As we've now said goodbye to 2022 and have welcomed a new year, I wanted to round off by listing my top 5 books of the year (No particular order, I happen to be terrible at ranking, and no spoilers!).

5. At number five, we have Three days of Happiness by Sugaru Miaki. A light novel with only 170 pages, this book managed to give me a new appreciation for life. I knew I was going

to love it from the first couple of pages, just because of how well it was

written. In this book, your life has monetary value and you are able to sell it away for a sum. 20 year old Kusunoki is a broke student who sells all but three months of his life as he feels his life has no meaning. The book takes you through these last months of his life as he is left with harsh awakenings and reality checks. Despite not being a romance, love - and lack thereof - is included, and you are left not with a sour taste in your mouth, but a newfound perspective on life that I think everybody should experience. This book gets a 4.5/5

4. *This book has trigger warnings of SA, abuse, substance abuse and self harm* At number 4, we have Seven days in June by Tia Williams.

Another book that gave me a new appreciation for life. The main character Eva Mercy has suffered from chronic migraines her whole life in addition to a neglectful mother. Meeting and falling in love with Shane Hall in the span of the 7 days they spent together, the two battled with their own demons, including severe substance abuse and self harm. After twelve years of radio silence, the pair crossed paths at a literary panel (They're both authors) and the two battle with their growth throughout the years and whether they're ready to pursue an official relationship, despite the hurdles in their way. It isn't your typical love story, it's gritty and real and seeing the hardships that people have to endure on a daily basis gives you the reason just to keep pushing and appreciate what you do have. This book gets a 4/5 for me.

3. Coming in at number 3, we have The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

I had this book for almost two months before I decided to stop stalling and just read it. I regret waiting so long to pick it up. I devoured this book in a day and a half because it was so un-putdownable. A BookTok favourite, I can safely say I understand what the hype was about. The book was written so well, I was lost in the book in a matter of pages. It was unpredictable and full of mystery, and when I tell you that you wont be prepared for the twist at the end, I mean it. A perfectly written story of a misunderstood woman in the 50's who just wanted to make a name for herself but managed to become a household one in the process, comes out at age 79 to an unknown journalist and reveals the entire story of her life.

The only thing I'll say is that I find it weird when people write in the first person about people of different races. Third person is understandable but first person is just odd. The book gets a 4.2 from me.

2. Number 2 is Reel by Ryan Kennedy, and funnily enough is another book about a woman with another chronic illness - lupus.

Neevah Saint is an understudy at a Broadway show and is given a chance to shine when the leading actress is on holiday. She is scouted by award winning director Cannon Holt who falls in love almost at first sight. The book tells two stories; one of the couple who are working together to create an amazing biopic of a long forgotten Hollywood star, and the forgotten Hollywood star herself - Dessi Blue, and her own love triangle, while trying to break out into the music industry. The book deals with the tribulations of having a chronic illness, and the implications of a director and his actress being in a relationship. Words can't really explain how beautiful this book was, it's just something you have to experience yourself. The only issue with this book is that it felt unfinished (I'm being spoilt because I'm used to epilogues) and Ryan wrote a bonus chapter that you have to sign up to read instead of just including it in the book. With that being said, this gets a solid 4.3 from me.

1. Last but not least (seriously, this is in no particular order) is A court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. This book reintroduced me to fantasy, and has subsequently set my standards extremely high when it comes to books. Fantasy is just in a league of its own, and easily surpasses most contemporary romances in regards to both the love and the storytelling in general. This series is definitely the reason why I haven't been enjoying the contemporary romances I've read after it (sorry Emily Henry!). The twists and turns throughout the book leave you yearning for more, and is another book I managed to finish in 2 days. Feyre Archeron, a 19 year old human is sent to live with the widely feared Faeries and High Fae after killing a superior Fae. What awaits her isn't a life as a slave as she expected, but almost royalty, and her perception on the race is changed as she spends the rest of her days there falling in love with the place, and also the people. Straight 4.6/5

An honourable mention goes to A Wicked Sister by Karen Dionne.

This book is in the genre of mystery and psychological thriller and it shook me to my core. How would you feel if fact that shaped the last 15 years of your life turned out to be completely false? Rachel is convinced she is responsible for the death of her parents, and as a form of punishment decided to live out the rest of her days in a psychiatric ward. Until she pieces information together that tells her completely different. She leaves and goes on a mission to uncover the truth, and the information she finds out along the way leaves you questioning everyone and everything around you. The book sends you through all emotions; grief, happiness, relief, sadness and many more. You're on edge throughout the book and it's exhilarating. The only thing I would say is that there is a different point of view, and it isn't until you get further into the book that you realise it is the point of view of her mother recounting her life as Rachel and her sister are born, until the moments of her death. This book got me out of my reading rut and gets a 4.5 from me.