My 2022 in Books
While my best laid plans of keeping a proper reading log fell by the wayside this year, I did manage to get a ton of reading done. That is, I read more books for pleasure than I have since probably high school — definitely since undergrad. While I plan to get into more book content in the new year, I wanted to close out the year with a round up of my best books of 2022. I hope the novels and histories I’m sharing here will inspire your next great read!
My Best Books of 2022 Table of Contents:
This post of my best books of 2022 is part of my What to Read series, where I share themed reading lists and book guides based on genre, time period, theme, or author.
You can peruse more of my What to Read reading guides here!
Best Books of 2022: My Favorite Standalone Fiction Reads
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I feel like I was a little late to the party on this one, but I am pleased to say that the novel definitely lives up to the hype! I could hardly put this one down. The story follows Monique Grant, a magazine reporter, as she interviews Evelyn Hugo, ultra-famous Hollywood starlet. Evelyn wants to tell her story, but will only work with Monique. Through their interviews, we learn about the lives of both women. It’s well written and thoughtfully broken up, both in regards to the protagonist’s various marriages, as well as temporally.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (Outlander Book 9) by Diana Gabaldon
The latest volume of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series came out at the end of last year. I saw mixed reviews of this one online, but I generally enjoyed it. The novel covers the Frasers and their surrounding community in North Caroline as the colonies inch towards the American Revolution. Perhaps it tries to cover too many characters at once. Regardless, I still found it to be a compelling read and a strong volume in the Outlander franchise.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
The Highland Witch by Susan Fletcher
Susan Fletcher’s The Highland Witch is set in 1692 Scotland and tells the story of the Massacre of Glencoe through the lens of Corrag, an accused witch. When we meet Corrag, she is imprisoned and her prospects are bleak. She tells her story to a mysterious man, Charles Leslie, with politically motivated curiosity. Through the novel, the twin stories of Corrag’s life and Charles Leslie’s humanist growth are intertwined, leading to a gripping end to the tale.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
Ami McKay’s The Witches of New York is a thrilling, fast-paced read that combines impressive character development with a robust historical setting. A dark, eerie story surrounding three women in the Gilded Age, The Witches of New York will entrance you and also make you want to learn more about the backdrop and setting. It is a truly feminist story, tying historical women of the past in with the contemporaneous characters.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
Blackberry and Wild Rose by Sonia Velton
If you’ve ever found yourself curious about silk weaving…this one is for you. Sonia Velton’s Blackberry and Wild Rose is set in 18th century Spitalfields, London. The story surrounds the Huguenot silk weavers living and working in the area. In this novel, Esther Thorel, the wife of a master silk weaver, acts on her hidden dreams of weaving her own silks with the help of her husband’s talented apprentice. Class struggle and romantic clashes ensue.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
Best Books of 2022: The Best Fiction Series
The Six Tudor Queens Series by Alison Weir
There are a few greats in the historical fiction world, and Alison Weir is certainly one of them. Weir is a British author and historian, focusing on English royal women. Largely, her work focuses on the Tudor dynasty. Writing both fiction and non-fiction, Weir creates well-rounded, robust characters out of what might otherwise simply seem like historical names. And Weir’s Six Tudor Queens series is no exception.
Read my full review of this fiction series here!
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org (first book in the series linked)
The Empress of Rome Series by Kate Quinn
I picked up the first of the four Empress of Rome books by Kate Quinn and, before I knew it, I had finished the whole series. In this vivid historical fiction series, Quinn makes the politics and intrigue of the Roman Empire come alive through a cast of strong female protagonists. If you’re interested in some quick reads that are as thoughtful as they are entertaining, The Empress of Rome Series by Kate Quinn is perfect for you!
Read my full review of this fiction series here!
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org (first book in the series linked)
The King Arthur Trilogy by Bernard Cornwell
The King Arthur Trilogy features three books covering the story of Nennius, one of the earliest historians to mention Arthur, and the rise of the mythical King Arthur. Written in the dramatic detail Bernard Cornwell does best, this Arthurian series is a must-read for any British historical fiction lover. Please note, this series is also known as the Warlord Chronicles, as you will see with the Amazon link below.
Read my full review of this fiction series here!
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org (first book in the series linked)
Novel of Cleopatra’s Daughter by Stephanie Dray
Through three books, Stephanie Dray crafts a robust life for an otherwise unknown historical figure: Egyptian Princess Selene, daughter of Cleopatra. The series opens with Selene and her two surviving brothers being brought to Rome as war trophies after their mother’s death by asp. Selene, a conduit of the goddess Isis, soon realizes she has powers she cannot control, and few friends to help her survive.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org (first book in the series linked)
The Borgia Chronicles by Kate Quinn
Another Kate Quinn series, The Borgia Chronicles are set around the notorious Giulia Farnese. In 1492 Rome, Giulia becomes mistress to the would-be Pope, Cardinal Borgia. When he ascends to the papal throne, Giulia must navigate church politics, along with the renowned Borgia family drama.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org (first book in the series linked)
Best Books of 2022: Non-Fiction Historical Reads
1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII by Suzannah Lipscomb
Suzannah Lipscomb is one of my favorite historians, and she works her magic on this deep-dive into the most pivotal year of King Henry VIII’s life and reign. By focusing on such a short period of time, Lipscomb develops a fuller portrait of this notorious Tudor monarch than we often see, touching on both his humanity and his sometimes-vicious political persona.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton
In this book, Elizabeth Norton humanizes the women of Tudor England in a revealing way. Pushing beyond just the royal, wealthy women of the time — who still managed to die in droves at the childbed — Norton delves into what life was like for everyday women, and the women surrounding the big names in history. The broad cross section of society that Norton covers is part of what makes the book so compelling, along with the depth of topic she discusses.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
Royal Witches: Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England by Gemma Hollman
Like Elizabeth Norton’s book above, Gemma Hollman offers a look into the smaller moments of women’s history, rather than just the overarching themes. In Royal Witches, Hellman discusses the lives of four women accused of practicing witchcraft in order to kill or influence a king. These women are names we may know, and were related in their own time: Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and Elizabeth Woodville. Their stories are emblematic of how troublesome women are silenced throughout history.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Wolsey
Last but not least in my personal list of the best books of 2022, is Lucy Wolsey’s deeply-researched Jane Austen at Home. Here, Wolsey brings the reader to the many places Jane Austen called home during her short life, discussing nuances in her lifestyle that likely influenced her writing. From vacation homes to particular rooms to individual objects, Wolsey examines the spaces and things that mattered most to Austen, and the ways in which homes can be seen as personal palaces or prisons in her works.
Available from Amazon and Bookshop.org
I hope you enjoyed this reading round up!
Check out my top reads of 2023 here for even more great books to enjoy!
