It’s a big ask to narrow down the books read in the last year to a single favourite, but we asked our team to each select just one as their top title for 2022. 

And the winners are …..

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett                           

“Memoir is my favourite genre and Ann Patchett’s collection of essays about her life is the best autobiographical read I’ve come across. Whether she’s reflecting on the best parts of being at university, being married to a pilot, or nursing a dying friend, Ann Patchett’s writing transforms the personal into the universal and leaves the reader reflecting on their own life and the joy, pain, sadness, excitement and meaning of it all. Brilliant.”   

Caroline Harker

Real Estate, The Cost of Living and Things I Don't Want to Know by Deborah Levy

“Called an "experimental, living autobiography" these three slim volumes should be read in order. They trace Levy's life from apartheid South Africa to her transplantation into middle-class London in the 1960s and beyond. She looks at her life in a clear-eyed, detached way but as she ages the emotions deepen. Finally, together they form a fascinating memoir of trauma, deep love, and finding redemption through her writing and motherhood. We learn first-hand what has been "the cost of living" for this exceptional writer. She is my 'discovery' of 2022.”         

Jenny Ainge

All the Broken Places by John Boyne

“Whether or not you have read Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas you’ll find this - Gretel’s story - a powerful and compelling read. Although it’s called a “sequel”, I think it also stands alone. Ninety-one-year-old Gretel lives a quiet and private life in London, keeping her personal past a secret. Then a young family moves into the apartment below her and she is faced with the opportunity to expiate her guilt, grief, and remorse. The book contains all the elements I love in a good read; grounded in history, filled with compelling characters, and thought-provoking explorations of moral issues. It was one of those books that I felt so invested in that I didn’t want it to end. John Boyne at his brilliant best!”

Sally Battson

You Made a Fool of Death with your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Feyi is about to be given a chance to escape the city’s blistering heat for a dream island holiday …. And as the sun goes down on her old life our heroine also might just be ready to open her heart to someone new. The only problem is she’s falling for the one man she just can’t have. “This book is phenomenal. It is funny, it is raw, it is fierce. Emezi’s writing is beautiful, and the story is honest. It’s a book about love, friendship, grief, healing and staying true to yourself. I absolutely loved it!”        

Sarah Clark

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

There seems to be a resurgence of interest in the classics and vintage fiction at the moment, and the recent release of the movie “Emily”, focusing on the life of Emily Brontë, has led many readers to want to include this title in their 2022 reading.

“I read a number of classics in 2022, as well as contemporary fiction, but this was my absolute favourite. It poses a destructive and bitter twist on the typical romance novels of the Victorian era. The writing style is densely poetic but still has clear, timeless themes and makes you want to interrogate the nature of every character. “

Sienna Nicholson