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Looking for something brilliant to read to take you into the new year? Check out the Stylist team’s picks of the best books they’ve read in 2022.
Another year is coming to an end – and as we begin to look back on the past 365 days, now’s the perfect time to reflect on all the incredible books we enjoyed in 2022.
With travel returning to normal post-pandemic, morning commutes back on the cards and lots of hot, sunny weather throughout the summer months, we made our way through plenty of books over the last year, ranging from murder mysteries to unique love stories.
But which books came out on top? To give you an idea of what titles we’ve enjoyed this year, we asked members of the Stylist team to reveal their top reads from 2022. Not all of these books were published in 2022, but we did read them this year – and they certainly made an impact.
So whether you’re looking for some new books to read in 2023, or simply want to find out what Team Stylist has been flicking through over the last 12 months, keep reading to check out our picks.
Undoctored by Adam Kay – chosen by Kayleigh Dray, Digital Editor-At-Large
“Adam Kay’s Undoctored is the sort of book that makes you laugh out loud on the train, ugly-cry in public, and leaves you thinking long and hard, even after you’ve finished the final page.
“With everything going on in the world at the moment, it’s definitely worth a read – even if it is going to leave a bruise on your soul in the process.”
She And Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa – chosen by Lauren Geall, Digital Writer
“This comforting book follows the stories of four women who live in the same neighbourhood, and the cats who stand by their side as they navigate the challenges of everyday life.
“Full of warmth and mundane delight, She And Her Cat is the ideal book for a day spent curled up reading on the sofa.”
Shop She And Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa at Bookshop, £9.50
Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – chosen by Jazmin Kopotsha, Executive Editor, Digital
“I picked up Gabriel Zevin’s Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow quite sceptically. I remember adoring her novel Elsewhere in my teens so was excited to see her name, but a narrative anchored by video games really wasn’t my vibe.
“I’m incredibly grateful that I gave it a go, though, because it’s one of the most absorbing stories about love and purpose that I’ve read in a long time.”
Shop Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin at Bookshop, £16.14
Everyone’s Invited by Soma Sara – chosen by Leah Sinclair, Senior Digital Writer
“One of the best books I read this year was Soma Sara’s Everyone’s Invited. It was an eye-opening read about the issues women and girls face in today’s society, from porn to the patriarchy. It’s truly essential reading for those who want to push forward for a more equal world.”
Is Mother Dead by Vigdis Hjorth – chosen by Hannah Keegan, Features Editor
“There’s a type of book I crave when winter comes: dark in tone, moreish in nature and set somewhere cold. Norwegian writer Vigdis Hjorth’s latest novel does all of this very well.
“Set in frosty Oslo, it follows a middle-aged painter as she returns to Norway for a gallery’s major retrospective of her work. Once home, she finds herself confronted by the complicated desire to seek out the family she’s long been estranged from. It’s a brilliant, propulsive read.”
Cleopatra And Frankenstein by Coco Mellors – chosen by Zoë Daniel, Social Media Assistant
“This novel was the textbook case of a book so addictive you can’t put it down. Mellors weaves the story so well that you can’t help but crave to know what happens next. The character you are rooting for constantly shifts, adding to the intrigue of what happens next as your loyalties to each of the characters shift and change.
“It was the first novel I read in a long time that I felt a pang of sadness when it was over. Mellors develops such complex characters, none of which are all flawed, yet through her brilliant storytelling you become so invested in their lives and motives never knowing what will happen next.”
Shop Cleopatra And Frankenstein by Coco Mellors at Bookshop, £14.24
The Appeal by Janice Hallett – chosen by Miranda Larbi, Strong Women Editor
“Written exclusively via emails, WhatsApps and posters, The Appeal tells the story of a family desperately trying to raise the funds for lifesaving cancer treatment for their toddler.
“At the same time, they’re the stars/directors in an amateur production of All My Sons. Oh, and there’s a murder. It’s hilarious, intriguing and absolutely unputdownable. I read it in two days and was furious to have read it so fast.”
Wordslut by Amanda Montell – chosen by Amy Beecham, Digital Writer
“Amanda Montell’s Wordslut may have been published in 2019, but it came into my life this year as a gift from a treasured friend. While it’s usually fiction I devour, this feminist history of the English language was an absolutely fascinating read.
“Did you know that the word ‘bitch’ originated as a gender-neutral word for ‘genitalia’? Or that ‘slut’ has historically been used to describe men?
“You don’t have to be a language nerd to enjoy this deep-dive into the insults, curses, gossip, catcalling and grammar that we use on a daily basis but are actually steeped in years of stereotypes and power imbalances.”
Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner – chosen by Helen Bownass, Entertainment Director
“Barack Obama chose Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner as one of his books of 2021, and I’ve always said, if it’s good enough for OB, it’s good enough for me (I obviously haven’t ever said that, but it really should be my new life mantra).
“The food memoir by the Japanese Breakfast singer is a beautiful, intimate and hunger-inducing portrait of grief, race, heritage and coming to know yourself through what you eat.”
Shop Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner at Bookshop, £9.49
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – chosen by Chloe Gray, Stylist Contributor
“I flew through The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo in a weekend – like all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books, the imagery was so vivid that you feel completely absorbed by the plot. It’s total escapism!”
Shop The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid at Bookshop, £8.54
How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie – chosen by Jenny Tregoning, Digital Chief Sub-Editor
“I’m a bit late to the party on this one as it was published in 2021, but I raced through Bella Mackie’s darkly funny How To Kill Your Family over the summer.
“It’s a biting satire about dysfunctional families and an evil fashion tycoon, as anti-hero Grace sets out on a laser-focused revenge mission to murder six members of her estranged family.
“Fast-paced, gruesome and with on-the-money reflections about modern society, it’s just the sort of page-turner I needed to distract me from the permacrisis that was 2022.”
Shop How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie at Bookshop, £8.54
Images: courtesy Of publishers
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