Warning: some of these books may contain explicit words and scenes.

There have been about 2.2 million books published in 2022 but only a few made it into Goodreads’ top five books ranked by genre.

Goodreads is a website and app created for readers to track, discover, and talk about the books they read. It was created in 2007 and has since been one of the top sites for book readers.

From fiction to nonfiction, and romance to fantasy, here are Goodreads’ top five books of 2022 in each genre:

Fiction:

1. “Beautiful World, Where Are You” by Sally Rooney
2. “Dial A For Aunties” by Jesse Q Sutanto 
3. “Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr
4. “Once There Were Wolves” by Charlotte McConaghy
5. “The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller

What “Beautiful World, Where Are You” is all about: 

Her book is a story about a novelist named Alice who meets a boy named Felix. Soon enough, they go on a vacation together with two other friends to explore the meanings of life and more importantly, each other. I thought that this book was a wonderful read and Rooney has such a talent for writing.

Mystery and Thriller:

1. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave 
2. “The Maidens” by Alex Michaelides 
3. “Billy Summers” by Stephen King 
4. “The Push” by Ashley Audrain
5. “Arsenic and Adobo” by Mia P Manansala 

A small look into “The Last Thing He Told Me”: 

Laura Dave’s book is about a husband who isn’t really who he claims to be and the truth starts to unfold with one simple letter. This book is “page-turning, exhilarating, and unforgettable” according to the popular site, Popsugar on Dave’s website. I have not read this book, but I’ve only heard good things from everyone who’s read it.

Fantasy:

1. “A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J Maas
2. “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune
3. “The Crown of Gilded Bones” by Jennifer L Armentrout 
4. “She Who Became the Sun” by Shelly Parker-Chan
5. “Ariadne” by Jennifer Saint 

A little about Maas’ fifth book in her fantasy series, “A Court of Silver Flames”: 

Reading “A Court of Silver Flames” takes you on a wild adventure through the point of view of two of her characters Nesta and Cassian. This book follows their journey in the Fae world, where they have powers and abilities, unlike humans. It is a bit of a longer read, but it is a must-read fantasy book. I loved this book in Maas’ series and I thought it was a super fun fantasy read that I would definitely read a second time.

Romance:

1. “A Court of Silver Flames” by Emily Henry
2. “The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood
3. “One Last Stop” by Casey Mcquiston 
4. “The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas 
5. “Act Your Age, Eve Brown” by Talia Hibbert

A look into “A Court of Silver Flames”: 

People We Meet on Vacation is a super cute romance book that follows two characters, Poppy and Alex, who have been friends for as long as they can remember. They go on an annual trip every year, but because they have distanced themselves from each other, they haven’t kept up with the tradition. After being away from each other for a while, the main character, Poppy, thinks they should go on one last trip together that may make them open up and reveal their true feelings. Emily Henry never disappoints and when reading this book, all I could do was smile.

Science Fiction:

1. “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir 
2. “Klara and the Sun” by Kazuo Ishiguro
3. “Light of the Jedi” by Charles Soule
4. “The Echo Wife” by Sarah Gailey
5. “Fugitive Telemetry” by Martha Wells 

What is “Project Hail Mary”:

This book written by Andy Weir is said to be “propulsive,” dipping into a suspenseful mission tangled with fear and loss. This looks to be a very action-packed book that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. I haven’t read this book yet, but I’m hoping to give it a chance soon.

Humor:

1. “Broken (In the Best Way Possible)” by Jenny Lawson 
2. “How Y’all Doing?” by Leslie Jordan 
3. “Where the Deer and the Antelope Play” by Nick Offerman 
4. “Yearbook” by Seth Rogen 
5. “Please Don’t Sit on my Bed in Your Outside Clothes” by Phoebe Robinson 

A little bit about Jenny Lawson’s book, “Broken (In the Best Way Possible)”: 

Broken (In The Best Way Possible) explores peoples’ experiences living with depression and anxiety but in a humorous way. Lawson is “extremely funny because she is extremely honest,” American writer Augusten Burroughs said. 

Nonfiction:

1. “The Anthropocene Reviewed” by John Green
2. “The Comfort Book” by Matt Haig
3. “The Book Of Hope” by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams
4. “Cultish: the language of fanaticism” by Amanda Montell
5. “What happened to you?” by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey 

A bit about John Green’s hit book, “The Anthropocene Reviewed”: 

As reviewed on John Green’s official website, his book is described as “complex and rich with detail” as well as how the book is based in the “current geological age” and “profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity.” Green’s book explores the impact that humans have on the world and where our future is headed. I am a big fan of what Green writes and have yet to read this book.

Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction:

1. “Rule of Wolves” by Leigh Bardugo 
2. “Chain of Iron” by Cassandra Clare
3. “Lord” – Alexandra Bracken
4. “Any Way the Wind Blows” by Rainbow Rowell 
5. “How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories” by Holly Black

Leigh Bardugo’s “Rule of Wolves” and what it’s all about:

Rule of Wolves is the second book in a duology following King of Scars, tracing the story of a Ravkan king, Nikolai, and his second in power, Zoya. This duology follows Bardugo’s earlier series Shadow and Bone and it deals with the aftermath of a war caused by magic and chaos. This novel not only contains themes of magic, but also politics, government, and social status. It dives into the lives of each character, the ways they change, and what they do with the extraordinary powers they have.

There were millions of good books this year, but these are the best of the best and they are worth every minute of reading.