As someone who reads as though their life depends on it, a good book is essential for day-to-day living. Already this year, I have managed to read 13 books while also juggling a full course load. Some of these books have been mind-blowing, but some books have left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Here is a list of my favorite books of 2022 thus far!
Starting off strong, I need to talk about what may arguably be my favorite book of the entire year. That’s saying a lot given it’s only March. The book in question? Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. This book was heartwarming, gut-wrenching, and like a warm hug all in one. We follow the main character, Shiori, as she discovers a dark secret about her stepmother which leads to a curse placed on her and her six brothers. This book is filled, and I mean stuffed, with Chinese and Japanese folklore. Another piece to surely draw you in? There’s magic. Not just any magic but forbidden magic. This book is as if a Studio Ghibli film met the Grimm brothers. On top of that, the cover is stunning. It is by far the prettiest cover I have ever laid my eyes on. In this case, please judge a book by its cover. You won’t regret it.
Now, I feel unsure about really recommending this book as it deals with some hard topics. I would definitely check trigger warnings for this book before diving into it headfirst. Regardless, it is a fast read and the characters draw you in quickly. It Ends With Us is by Colleen Hoover, a TikTok favorite. If you have ever spent even a singular second on BookTok, you would know that Colleen Hoover has readers wrapped around her finger. This is arguably her most popular book as a result of social media blowing it up. Honestly, I had no idea who Colleen Hoover was before I landed myself on BookTok. This isn’t the typical book I would gravitate towards as I consider myself more of a fantasy reader. However, my friend who lives in California brought it back to my attention after I had read it the first time. I found the book well-written and interesting enough to agree with the recommendation she was given to read the book. What really made me excited to dive back into this novel was my friends’ excitement towards finding love for reading. Reading this book along with her, made the experience so much more magical than it was the first time around. Would I have placed this book on this list if we had not read it together? Honestly, yes. I can’t help but love Lily Bloom as a character despite her name is one of the worst I’ve ever seen.
A book to round everything out has to go out to a book I have only just started. I’m only about 75 pages into this book, but I can already tell this book will make me sob and want to go remind my family how much I love them. Let It Rain Coffee by Angie Cruz is phenomenal…so far. Along with the previous book, this is not something I would have picked up on my own. I’m currently reading this book for my Latinx Literature class, aka my favorite class of the semester. This book follows Don Chan, Santo, and Esperanza. Don Chan moves from the Dominican Republic to “Nueva York” to be with his son and his family after his wife passed away in bed. This story follows this family through arguments, hardships, and just the struggles of life. This book has never been on my radar before I started this class, and I’m upset I never knew about it. Already, Angie Cruz writes in such a vivid way it feels as though I’m in the living room with Don Chan and Esperanza as they argue about their differences. I feel as though I’m a fly on the wall watching everyone keep their own little secrets from each other. I know it will be amazing.
Reading is a gift that not everyone enjoys, but I hope this brief list can give you some ideas as to what to reach for next time you go book shopping.