Best of 2022

I’ve had a pretty good reading year so far. It’s been a lovely combination of some incredible new reads and some favourite rereads, though as always, I wish I’d had a chance to read more. (It doesn’t matter how many books I read; I always wish I’d had time for more!)

Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher - I don’t know how it’s possible to make a dark, often grisly story feel both funny and cozy, yet T. Kingfisher has done it! I loved everything about this book, but particularly the main character’s devotion to her sisters, the wit, the weirdness, and the hilarious and charming crew of misfits.

The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri - There’s not much I can say about The Oleander Sword without giving away too many spoilers for the thrilling, heart-wrenching and romantic The Jasmine Throne, the first book in this excellent series, but suffice it to say that this is a fantastic successor.

The Final Strife by Saara el-Arifi - Gah, what a book. It’s gorgeously written, sweeping and epic in scope, and I’m absolutely furious that I don’t have the next book in the series in my hands already.

Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen - I’m obsessed with all things cozy, but cozy graphic novels are a particular joy. This is the sequel to the incredibly lovely Garlic and the Vampire, and Paulsen’s gorgeous colour palettes, cozy illustrations, and heart-warming story make it a comfort read I’m sure I’ll come back to again and again.

Looking ahead to 2023

2023 promises to be another amazing year for magical reads, but some of the books I’m most excited to read include Gwenda Bond’s Mr & Mrs Witch (a magical Mr & Mrs Smith? Sign me up!), A House With Good Bones (because it’s T. Kingfisher, enough said) and The Fall of Rebel Angels by Zoraida Córdova (I loved Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, and fallen angel books are my catnip, so this is a no-brainer!)

On The Horizon for Sangu Mandanna

2023 brings another cozy romantic fantasy from me (one I can’t yet say too much about!), and after that, in 2024, I’ll be kicking off my new fantasy series for children.

Author

Sangu Mandanna  was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many, many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. Sangu now lives in Norwich, a city in the east of England, with her husband and kids.