Hello friends!

Happy new year! Let me ask you something: is there a better way of starting the new year than with great book recommendations? Because that’s exactly what I’m bringing you today: the best books I’ve read in 2022! 

I read 60 books last year, and let me tell you… it was an amazing reading year! It was overwhelmingly full of 4 and 5 stars ratings, so it was very necessary for me to make this post to tell you all about it!

Just a small disclaimer: these are not necessarily books that came out last year! This list is focused on my personal reading year and the books that were part of it. 

So here are 7 books I read last year that I loved! Let’s get into it:

1. The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns

This book was absolutely stunning! It reminded me of my all-time favorite book “Memoirs of a Geisha”, and I honestly couldn’t help falling in love with this story. This is an historical romance, with a setting in Japan.
This book is beautifully written and the reading experience is very immersive. Not only will you feel like you traveled in time, but you also get a good glimpse of what life in Japan was like in 1957. The author used two different time periods for the story.and when these timelines converge, the story is blended perfectly and a big revelation is made!
The inspiration for this book came from someone close to the author, who lived a similar reality, so she worked on this fictional story for years before publishing it.
It’s just a beautiful story. It is so much more than a love story. It’s a story about heartbreak, love and loss. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, but it’s absolutely worth it.

2. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

This year I found the best book I have ever read about financial freedom: the amazing “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. This is the kind of book that changes your perspective forever.
It had a huge impact on my life and I will forever be grateful to Mr. Robert for sharing his knowledge with this book. My perspective on money issues has forever changed and I’m now on the right path to achieve financial freedom. There were so many things said in this book that made me reflect on my life and my own beliefs about money. To create a different reality, we need to think differently and get out of our comfort zone. And that’s exactly what I have been doing this last month! My reality already changed drastically and I’m even more motivated to keep going.
I don’t know what else to say other than: you need this book in your life. No matter how much money you have (or don’t have), this is definitely worth picking up. There’s no way you’ll stay indifferent to your financial situation after reading this book. You need to read it!

3. Atomic Habits by James Clear

This book is absolutely phenomenal! The focus of this work of art is to teach you how habits work and how to make changes in your life using practical and easy techniques. It’s a very practical book because the author gives easy and clear instructions for the reader to follow. He also explains what’s behind each tip with a fresh and new perspective.
It is a very simple and easy book to follow. It’s not a dense, complex or hard book to keep up with. Everything is very well structured and the language used is accessible to readers of all ages.
I learned a lot from this amazing book and I already use some of its teachings in my daily life. I strongly believe you’ll take something from this book if you give it a chance. If you are looking for a book to create new habits or to stop old habits, this is the book for you!

4. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

This is one of the best memoirs I have ever read in my entire life, and trust me… I’ve read a few already! Like everyone else who came across this book, I was hooked by the words “I’m Glad My Mom Died”.
The title hooked me in, but the book amazed me. Jennette shares a lot about her and her life in her book, including her family dynamics, the abuse from her mother, what it is like to go through child stardom, and body image issues/eating disorders. This is a very personal memoir, but mostly – it’s an important one. This is just a real life example of what so many child actors go through growing up. They frequently are abused and exploited by parents and people in the business, and they’re scarred for life – just like Jennette was.
It’s a very impactful and tough book to read, and I’m very impressed with what was achieved with this book. If you’re into memoirs, I have to recommend this one!

5. The Obesity Code by Jason Fung

If I had to pick the best book I have read in 2022, this one would be my first choice. This was a life changing book for me. I’ve struggled with overeating and being overweight for a few years now, and I’m always looking for new information and new things to read on the subject. This was a very important read for me because I learned a lot and I applied a lot of the teachings to lose weight… and guess what? It worked perfectly! I’m happy to say my habits have changed and I’ve lost a lot of weight so far!
The author uses A LOT of human studies to back up every claim. It’s the kind of book that you will definitely take something from, even if you’re an expert in the subject because he covers a lot of areas. Not only does he explain what works and what doesn’t for weight loss, but it uses a lot of proof to back it up. And the best part? It’s very easy to read because the language used is simple so anyone can read it.
This is an amazing book and an essential read with anyone struggling with losing weight! It’s a must read.

6. The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne

And the award for best retelling book read in 2022 goes to… you guessed it, “The Book of Gothel”! Yes, I’m a big fan of retellings – especially with villains -, and this was one of the best I have ever read! I’m very surprised this is a debut novel, because it’s absolutely stunning and well written. Every single element of this book created a beautiful and immersive reading experience. I would describe this book as young adult fantasy, but it definitely matures as the story goes. It’s nothing too graphic (in my opinion), but it talks about more serious topics as the book progresses.
There’s a bit of romance in here, but it’s not the main focus of the book. The focus of this book is 100% the main character’s development. It’s a coming-of-age story with a touch of feminism, folklore and paganism. I just love how original, creative and inspiring this story was! If you like retellings, this is definitely a must-read!

7. The Power is Within You by Louise L. Hay

Another great book! When I started this book and I got through the first chapters, I thought this would be a pretty simple self-development book. But as the book progresses, I started to read about things that really spiked my interest and curiosity. One of these topics was on how we create our own diseases with our negative emotions such as frustration and anger. Not only that but she also talked about how the affected organs and side of the body are also not coincidental.
Honestly, I just loved this one so much. It’s a very positive, feel-good book, and I learned a lot of new things. Even if you don’t take everything it preaches, I guarantee you’ll still find something here that you can take with you.

I’m just so happy with all of the amazing books I found this year. It was truly an inspiring year dominated by self-development and non-fiction. I feel like I learned a lot through reading in 2022 and I’m forever grateful for that.

Like Dr. Phil always says, “no matter how many times you flip a pancake, it always has two sides’ ‘. But why am I referencing this quote? Because even though I had read amazing books in 2022, I also read bad books… and that’s exactly what I’m bringing you in my next post: “The Worst Books I’ve Read in 2022”! So stay tuned for that. 🙂

What about you? What were the best books you read last year? Did you read any of the books I included in the list? Let me know in the comments!

See you in the next one!