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22 Engaging Novels to Read in 2022

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2022 is upon us and like me, you are probably searching for a new novel to read. Lucky you are in the right place to find a multitude of engaging novels to read in 2022! Below are 22 novels published predominately in 2021 - what can I say, there were some great books published that year, that would be great choices to become your next and newest read. All of the novels below are engaging, intriguing, and a few are down-right the best novels I have read; take a look and hopefully you will find something new to read and enjoy in 2022!

1: A Children's Bible

| Science Fiction

A Children's Bible is the ideal short story to start off 2022 for those that enjoy dystopians surrounding changing climates. This is a story of twelve mature children forced to vacation at a lakeside mansion with their parents; parents that prefer to pass their time with drugs, sex, and alcohol leaving their children to fend for themselves whilst simultaneously battling emotions of neglect and suffocation.

When a catastrophic storm hits, the children decide the best course of action is to flee from the apocalyptic chaos - without their parents. The devastation outside begins to mirror the stories in the Bible carried by the narrator's younger brother and subsequently, A Children's Bible transforms from a story of childhood frustration to one of safety and what lies on the other side of Revelation.

Find the full review | HERE | for A Children's Bible

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2: Constance

| Science Fiction

Human cloning has become a reality in the late 2030's. For some, clones are subhuman, for those who can afford them they are a way to cheat death, and for Constance who was gifted a clone, clones are terrifying but after almost dying in a terrible car accident that took the life of her friends, she has cloned her consciousness ever since.

After an upload goes wrong, Con wakes up dazed and confused in the clinic only to discover that it's been eighteen months since her last upload. Eighteen months of her life missing and she's just been informed that she, Constance, is actually the upload and the original is dead. The question is, if she's the upload - what does that make her? Is she Constance or is she something else?

The answer to that question is buried somewhere between her last upload and the cause of her death. If Constance wants the truth, she must unravel the missing time but the only thing that has become clear since her awakening is that she is being marked for murder, again.

Find the full review | HERE | for Constance

3: Exhalation

| Science Fiction

For fans of technological advancements that change reality and short stories, Exhalation by Ted Chiang is a great choice to read in 2022. Exhalation is a compilation of short stories exploring sci-fi elements and what the future could become. All nine stories contain a unique narrative that will take you on a journey filled with introspection and intrigue. If you are ready to think and contemplate reality, this is the novel for you.

Find the full review | HERE | for Exhalation

4: Klara and the Sun

| Science Fiction

Klara is an Artificial Friend. She watches from within the store those that come to browse, she is an AF programmed for observation and one who hopes to be chosen. Klara and the Sun explores the world of science fiction and the question, what does it mean to love? It is also one of my favourite sci-fi novels from 2021 and an absolute must for anyone that enjoys what love and dystopia can encapsulate.

Find the full review | HERE | for Klara and the Sun

5: The Ladies of the Secret Circus

| Fantasy

The secret circus is a world of fantasy and entry to the dangerous yet magical place is coveted. Cecil Cabot is a performer whose life has been bound to the circus. It is the only world she has known until a new arrival catches her eye. Soon, Cecil and the charismatic visitor are entwined in a passionate affair which could cost her everything.

Moving from 1925 to 2005, Lara Barnes has just been hit with devastating news. Her fiancé has disappeared and on their wedding day none-the-less. Desperate for answers, she embarks on a journey to find her missing husband stumbling upon the way on her great-grandmother's journey, the story of the secret circus, and the curse that has plagued their family for generations. Although The Ladies of the Secret Circus is not my favourite novel on this list, I am able to recognise its amazing world building and captivating storytelling that makes it worthy of your time.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Ladies of the Secret Circus

6: The Lighthouse Witches

| Fantasy

Liv accepts the commission to paint a mural inside a 100 year-old lighthouse located on a remote island in Scotland; the commission sounds like the ideal start that her and her three daughters - Luna, Sapphire, and Clover need. But, when Sapphire and Clover disappear, Liv's peace found from accepting to paint the mural transforms into panic and then fear when she learns that underneath their new home is an old prison for women accused of witchcraft.

The locals warn her that her missing children may return but if they do, they'll return as wildings, creatures created by the prisoners as a form of revenge for their sentencing. The wildings may look like their children but they are anything but; the wildings are dangerous and vicious creatures that must be killed.

Twenty-two years after their disappearance, Luna has never stopped hoping for her siblings and mother's return. When she receives a call about Clover having been found alive, Luna is overwhelmed with joy except Clover is exactly as she remembers when she disappeared, she's even still seven-years-old. Haunted by the wilding stories of her youth and terrified of the ageless face before her, Luna must return to the island and find the truth even if it could can change her in unfathomable ways.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Lighthouse Witches

7: Piranesi

| Fantasy

Hands down one of my favourite novels I read in 2022, a must-read, period. Piranesi lives in an extraordinary home. The corridors go beyond what the eye can see, the rooms are larger than life and contained within them are glorious statues, so many they could never be counted. Piranesi's home is a labyrinth with a dangerous ocean nestled in the centre but he is not afraid; this world is Piranesi's home and to him, it is one of comfort.

Piranesi knows he is not alone, that there is one other person within his world - the Other, who Piranesi meets with twice a week to discuss research and knowledge. Piranesi is happy to have the Other in his home but as Piranesi continues his exploration, he begins to pick up clues that there may be another person hiding within the confines of his home. A person who brings with them a terrible truth and revelations of a world that Piranesi has never known.

Find the full review | HERE | for Piranesi

8: Sorrowland

| Fantasy

Desperate to escape the confines of the religious compound she grew up in, a seven-month pregnant Vern escapes into the woods. In the confines of the trees, she gives birth to a set of beautiful twins, twins she is determined to raise far away from her home but in the woods, danger lurks near and the safety of her and her children is continuously threatened and when Vern is forced to fight - she does.

Find the full review | HERE | for Sorrowland

9: The Dead and the Dark

| Horror

The Dead and the Dark is Courtney Gould's debut novel about the secluded town of Snakebite, where nothing is as it seems. Logan Ortiz-Woodley is the newest resident of Snakebite along with her parents, Alejo and Brandon, the hosts of TV's most infamous ghost hunting show who plan on filming an episode in their old hometown. But since their arrival, Snakebite has turned sour: teenagers are disappearing, the weather is acting strange, and the Dark - well, it's waiting for its next victim.

Ashley Barton's boyfriend was the first teenager to disappear and since Logan's surprising arrival, Tristan's ghost will not stop popping up around her. The only person Ashley trusts to believe that she is seeing ghosts is Logan and together, they team up to uncover who is haunting Snakebite. As secrets are revealed, the who turns to what and the danger that is hidden around every corner may not be the only thing lurking in the shadows, their growing feelings may be the one bright thing to come out of the darkness.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Dead and the Dark

10: House of Hollow

| Horror

The Hollow sisters haven't always been oddities. It was only after they reappeared from their month-long disappearance with black eyes and white hair that they earned that title.

Iris, the youngest of the three siblings, has spent most of her life since that month avoiding the strangeness that lingers wherever she goes. But when her eldest sister goes missing, Iris learns she cannot hide from the strangeness and that she truly knew nothing about being strange.

With horned men, dead bodies, and disgustingly beautiful memories resurfacing, Iris's journey to find her sister requires her to untangle the mystery of their disappearance and as she gets closer to the truth, Iris discovers her missing and beloved sister has been keeping a terrible secret from her since their return.

Find the full review | HERE | for House of Hollow

11: White Smoke

| Fiction

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson is a mind-bending horror novel that modernises the classic haunted house story and a story, you should be eager to read.

Marigold, Mari for short, is running from the ghosts of her past. The small town her mother has been offered a job in is exactly the change she needs to escape the ghosts. The only issue is, the new job comes with free accomodation and the family must share with her new stepdad and stepsister, Piper.

Their new home resides on Maple Street and is the epitome of picture perfect, the ideal home for any family except, the far away neighbours are wary and their house seems to be hiding secrets. There is a foul smell only Mari notices, voices are heard throughout the hallway, lights are turning off on their own, and things are disappearing. The scariest thing of all is that Piper will not stop talking about her new friend who wants Mari gone. But, running from ghosts is only a metaphor - right?

Find the review | HERE | for White Smoke

12: Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead

| Horror

The atheist, lesbian, and animal lover Gilda cannot stop thinking about death. Desperate for relief, Gilda decides to attend free therapy hosted by a Catholic Church but upon her arrival is immediately mistaken by the Father as an interviewee, not member of the support group. Too embarrassed to correct him, Gilda goes through the interview and is soon hired to replace the recently deceased receptionist, Grace.

Between trying to hide her new girlfriend and learning the lines to mass, Gilda strikes up correspondence with Grace's old email pal once again too embarrassed to let the woman know that Grace has passed. Soon, Gilda is impersonating Grace via email and when police find evidence pointing towards a suspicious death, Gilda may finally have to reveal the mortifying truth.

13: Malibu Rising

| Fiction

It's time for the annual end-of-summer party hosted by Nina River and everybody in Malibu is itching to rage. The partygoers crave the entertainment but mostly to be valued enough to be invited by any of the Riva's - Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit. Together, the four are a source of town awe in Malibu and their party is the perfect time to catch a glimpse of who they truly are.

The only person not eager to party is Nina. Never one to crave the centre of attention and having just been left by her husband, all Nina wants is peace. Oh, and maybe Hud is not eager either as he has something to confess to his brother.

Jay on the flip side, cannot wait to party, eager to connect with the girl he personally invited. And Kit, well she's hiding things of her own including a guest the others didn't know was invited. By midnight the party will be insane and by morning, the mansion will have gone up in flames but before, the party will rage and secrets will be exposed.

Find the full review | HERE | for Malibu Rising

14: The People We Keep

| Fiction

April Sawicki lives inside a motorised home her father won in poker. Having failed out of high school, April is desperately attempting to find herself in a town that has never felt like home. When she "borrows" a car to perform an open mic-night, April comes to the realisation that her life could be so much more than the suffocating town she lives in.

After a vicious fight with her father, April packs her bags and leaves starting on a journey to find a life of her own. As she travels she writes down the stories of her life in song discovering along the way that where she was born never dictated her future.

Find the full review | HERE | for The People We Keep

15: The Travelling Cat Chronicles

| Fiction

Nana and Satoru are on a road trip. Nana, the cat, does not know where they are going but as long as he's beside his beloved owner Satoru in their cozy silver van, Nana is content.

Together, they travel through Japan meeting Satoru's old friends. Nana can't figure out why everyone they meet is so interested in him and when he does finally discover why, his heart begins to break. The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a phenomenal novel and the ideal read for 2022 if you are searching for an emotional and touching story.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Travelling Cat Chronicles

16: Luck of the Titanic

| Historical Fiction

Twin British-Chinese acrobats Valora and Jamie Luck are passengers on the Titanic. Valora has smuggled herself aboard determined to reunite with her brother Jamie and convince passenger and part-owner of the Ringing Brothers to accept them as an acrobatic act.

After two years apart, Valora is reunited with Jamie but it is unclear if her brother wants to continue his acrobatic journey and before she can convince him, the unthinkable occurs and all aboard the Titanic must fight to survive.

Find the full review | HERE | for Luck of the Titanic

17: The Rose Code

| Historical Fiction

The Rose Code is a top-notch historical fiction novel set in the UK during WWII. It contains powerful women, striking writing, and touching moments and is why it is an engaging read for 2022.

1940, three different women answer the Bletchley Park call. Osla, a debutante fluent in German puts her mind to the test decoding secrets. Mab, a self-made woman searches for a solid man while she works the machines. Beth, drawn into the fight by Osla and Mab is one of the only female cryptanalysts at Bletchley. Three women whose friendship tears the longer the war rages on.

1947, three friends turned enemies are reunited via an encrypted letter. The letter is key to why their friendship burned and left one stuck in an asylum. It is up to them to discover the traitor in that letter and crack one last code but with each decipher, danger and the enemy draws near.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Rose Code

18: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

| Young Adult

Pippa Fitz lives in a town consumed by the disappearance of Andie five years ago. All assume her boyfriend, Sal Singh, murdered her but Pippa is not so confident. Using her Capstone project to her advantage, Pippa decides to explore the case and immediately is pulled into a web of lies, each way she turns uncovering another secret. If Sal is not the killer, who is? And how far would they go to keep Pippa quiet?

Find the full review | HERE | for A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

19: The Ivies

| Young Adult

The Ivies are the most powerful, public, and famous universities in the United States. It is known by all that being part of an ivy means you hold the power and for five girls at Claflin Academy, there is nothing more powerful than being accepted by one.

Each will do anything to obtain admission. From holding leadership positions, scoring the highest academically, excelling in competitions - there is nothing they won't do to put themselves on top, including murder. How do I know? Well, I am one of them.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Ivies

20: The Last Time I Lied

| Thriller

Fifteen years ago, Emma watched her three cabin mates sneak out and never return. Present day, Emma is a rising artist who has transformed that painful night into something of beauty. At her gallery depicting that night through countless pieces, one of her largest works is purchased by Francesca Harris-White, the current owner of the camp that still haunts Emma.

When Francesca asks her to return as a counsellor, Emma surprisingly agrees. It is time she found closure and put the past in the past but when she arrives at Camp Nightingale, nothing is okay. To find peace, Emma must face her past and uncover the truth - unless she wants history to repeat itself.

Find the full review | HERE | for The Last Time I Lied

21: Ninth House

| Thriller

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo is the first instalment in the Alex Stern series - a wonderful series dedicated to magic, fantasy, and a whole lot of murder.

In the hospital, the morning after that fateful night, Alex is deemed the only survivor of a multiple homicide. Surviving that would be enough for anybody to take time and recover from except Alex never had the chance as sitting by her bedside was a Yale recruiter offering her a full ride with one simple string attached, watch over the societies. Societies that work with magic, a world where Alex would be accepted and free from her past.

Sadly, it's not that simple. Her mentor, Darlington does not believe in her, a girl has ended up dead, the societies are going mad, and Alex is still searching for the hidden strings attached to this agreement.

Then Darlington goes missing and it's up to her to find him, find the murderer, and get to the bottom of all the insanity surrounding the societies. Plus, she has to remain incognito whilst doing so and yes, also whilst seeing ghosts. Searching for answers, Ninth House is the start of Alex's journey delving into magic, mayhem, and many ghosts. And the best part of picking this up to read in 2022 is that the second novel in the series is projected to be completed by late 2022 meaning you can read both amazing books in the same calendar year!

Find the full review | HERE | for Ninth House

22: That Weekend

| Thriller

Prom weekend. A secret vacation. Three best friends. All whom go hiking up the mountain and yet, only one returns. Two missing teenagers leave the police and family desperate for answers but not as desperate as Claire, whose only memory of that weekend is waking up alone and hurt on the mountainside.

Where are her best friends? Claire knows her missing memories hold the answer but the journey to unravelling the truth is more complicated than just remembering. Claire is confident that if - when - she remembers, she'll know the truth behind the disappearance but not if she'll like the answer.

Find the full review | HERE | for That Weekend

What a beautiful list of 22 engaging novels to read in 2022! All 22 novels above will keep you captivated for hours and all are worth reading this year in 2022. From mystery to history, pick a new book and enjoy an exciting read this year.
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