Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
The first top ten Tuesday prompt of 2023 is a list of the best books I read in 2022. Last year was an excellent reading year for me, and I am going to struggle to restrict this list to just ten, but I will try.
- Mythos by Stephen Fry – This was a year when I developed an interest in mythology, mainly because of this excellent introduction to Greek myths.
- Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – Another excellent starter book. I enjoyed this retelling of Norse myths.
- Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson – I should expand this to include all three of her books in this series. This was, overall, a wonderful read.
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – There has been a lot of blogger hype around this book, but it’s worth it, in my opinion. Indeed an excellent read!
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – Sweet, sweet, high-school first-love story. Loved the development of the characters and the slow build-up of the romance. I didn’t quite like the tepid ending, but still superb overall.
- The Maidens by Alex Michaelides – Probably the best thriller I read this year. It hit that sweet spot between a psychological, domestic thriller and dark academia.
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo – Another great dark academia book. I liked the atmospheric feel and the paranormal elements, and I look forward to the rest of her books in this series.
- Beautiful world, where are you by Sally Rooney – I preferred this book over her more hyped Normal People. I liked the more mature feel, and I could relate to the characters in the story. Even more important, I liked how it attempted to acknowledge the pandemic and its impact on the characters.
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reid – Was a bit up and down. The book’s middle sections sagged a bit, but I loved some of the writing, and the ending was great.
- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear – This was the last book I read in 2022, and it was a fantastic read to close out the year. It’s helped me reflect on the year, set goals for 2023, and hopefully, has given me some tools to use that will help me stick to the habits I plan to set.
What were your best books of the year?
I’ve only heard good things about The Maidens so this was the final push I needed to add it to my winter reading list. Thanks so much and it looks like 2022 was a great reading year for you. If you find yourself looking for more suspense thriller books for 2023 I just finished “Assumed” by MHR Geer and I couldn’t put it down. It’s a great escape book with a lot of surprises and twists throughout. The main character, Anne, goes to visit her friend Sandy in Saint Martin; summoned very last minute with few details as to why, other than that she’s in trouble. After a day of exploring the island alone and a few text messages Anne never connects with Sandy and soon after she’s found dead. (I Promise these aren’t spoilers lol!) Anne is now the #1 suspect in this murder mystery and she soon finds out she barely knew Sandy at all. She has to prove herself innocent or run forever. This book has it all – excitement, romance, and it makes me want to travel!! You can read more about the book here – https://mhrgeer.com/If you check it out, I would love to know what you think.
There are so many good books on this list! I really liked Evelyn Hugo, Eleanor & Park, and Mexican Gothic.
They really are universally popular, aren’t they?
Great to see some favorites here (Evelyn Hugo, Sally Rooney, Eleanor and Park) and so excited to see some books I’m hoping to read in 2023 (Atomic Habits, Ninth House)!!
There are some good books on here.
Have a great week.
A good looking list. I struggled to choose books for my list as there were so many great ones!
I want to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Have a great week!
I really need to read Atomic Habits… everyone seems to love it. This is a very diverse list.
I read Ninth House a couple of years back and I liked it, but didn’t love it. I’m still looking forward to the sequel though!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/03/top-ten-tuesday-401/
It looks like you have had a great reading year! I hope that it continues through 2023.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/my-ten-favorite-books-of-2022/
I loved Norse Mythology. And I remember being blown away by Eleanor and Park, though it’s been a while since I read it. You’ve got a lot of good books on your list. I also found Atomic Habits very useful.
I loved Evelyn Hugo! Glad it made your list.
It’s definitely a popular choice. I have seen it on so many TTT lists today.
A TJR book made my list today, too. She’s such an amazing author.
I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
I’ve heard excellent things about Mexican Gothic. Glad you liked it so much!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-favorite-books-of-2022/
I love how it’s gothic in a slightly different way from other Gothic novels I have read. Quite a unique read! You should give it a try!
Truly Devious was the last book I read in 2022 and I really enjoyed it! I personally loved Normal People so I’m really looking forward to reading Beautiful World, Where Are You? I hope that it’s another hit for me! 😃 Have a wonderful 2023!
I think Sally Rooney is a vibe. Her books are so similar and yet also very different from each other. I liked both these books, but just felt I could relate to Beautiful world more. I felt the relationship in Normal People was a bit too toxic for my taste.
I love Ninth House, you’re so lucky there’s not long to wait till the next one!
I know. It’s an amazing book, and I am glad I got to it so late. I don’t think I could have tolerated a long wait.