The Ten Fantasy Series I'm Most Excited to Read in 2022

I've already posted a blog post on the 20 books I need to read in 2022, but this is my list of 10 Fantasy series I'm most excited to read this year. If you didn't already know, fantasy is my all-time favourite genre, and I have so many high/epic fantasy series that I want to get to this year. I've tried to choose series that are mostly complete so I can finish as many series as I can this year. They're also mostly adult fantasy, but I believe one of them might be considered YA in some places.

Let me know if you want to read any of the below or if you're interested in what I think about them.

1. The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee

This is an urban fantasy following two warring crime syndicates fighting over a substance called 'Jade' which grants superhuman abilities. I first heard about this book the year it was published and it's taken me so long to get to it so I'm very excited to pick this up. This book series is also on my Top 20 Books to Read in 2022

2. The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang

I read the first book in this trilogy when it first came out in 2018 and gave it 5 stars - it was fantastic. Don't get me wrong, it's also harrowing and dark, but R.F. Kuang is a fantastic fantasy writer. The first book really set this up to be an epic military fantasy trilogy and I'm so excited to continue. This trilogy is set in ancient China and inspired by actual Chinese wars. These books follows Rin, a war orphan due to be sold into marriage, until she passes the hardest entrance exam in the country (the Keju) and gets to go to the prestigious/elite military academy in Nikan. The first half of this book takes place at the school, while the second part of the book shows the brutality of war. I am so excited to continue this series although I've heard The Burning Gods will break me.

3. The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty

This is a book I've been desperate to read since I first got a copy in 2017/18. The only reason I didn't pick it up initially was because I wanted to binge the trilogy when it all came out. The final book has now been released for about a year and I still haven't got around to this series, but this is the year I will finally read this trilogy! This is a YA/Adult fantasy series set in 18th century Cairo and I am so hyped for this setting. The book follows Nahri, a con-woman who doesn't believe in magic, until she accidentally summons a djinn warrior and she's forced to accept that the magical world she though only existed in childhood stories is real. Again, these books were also on my Top 20 Books to Read in 2022

4. Of Blood and Bone by John Gwynne

I absolutely adored the Faithful and the Fallen series that I read last year by this author, and he has become one of my favourite fantasy writers of all time already. I don't know a lot about this trilogy except that it's set a few hundred years after the Faithful and the Fallen series and that at least one character overlaps. I'm really excited to see where this series goes, especially since I loved the worldbuilding in the first series.

5. The Tawny Man Trilogy by Robin Hobb

I started my full read of the Robin Hobb books last year, and I've already read The Farseer Trilogy and The Liveship Traders trilogy. I didn't actually enjoy The Farseer Trilogy that much, but I did love The Liveship Traders. I know this trilogy follows Fitz, similar to the first trilogy, and I don't want to say much more than that because it would spoil the first trilogy if I did. I'm hoping to enjoy Fitz's POV more than I did the first time, and I'm really looking forward to getting to The Rain Wild Chronicles after this.

6. The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington

I got all of these books for my birthday last year and it goes without saying that I can't wait to read these. This sounds like a typical fantasy, but I'm really intrigued by the magic in these books. These books follow Davian, a student of the Gifted, who suffers the consequences of a war fought—and lost—before he was born. Despised by most beyond the school walls, he and those around him are all but prisoners as they attempt to learn control of the Gift. Worse, as Davian struggles with his lessons, he knows that there is further to fall if he cannot pass his final tests. But when Davian discovers he has the ability to wield the forbidden power of the Augurs, he sets into motion a chain of events that will change everything.

7. A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons

This series has been on my radar for a long time, but after Jade from Jadeyraereads gave it 5 stars, I knew I had to pick it up soon. This is one of the series that isn't yet finished. I believe the final book is coming out in May and I own the first 3 books in the series already. I believe the book follows Kihrin who witnesses a prince performing a terrifying dark-magic ritual. Kihrin flees but he's marked by a demon. That night also leads to him being claimed as a lost son of that prince's royal house. But far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family's power plays and ambitions. I believe this is an epic political fantasy series with a lot of intrigue and it's been so long since I read a series like this - I can't wait!

8. The Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb

Again, I'm making my way through all of Hobb's books and this is the quartet set after The Tawny Man trilogy. I can't say much about the plotline for fear of spoiling the earlier series, but this is set a few years after The Liveship Traders trilogy, and I believe it follows some of the same characters. I'm really interested to see more about the dragons in this series.

9. Raybearer Duology by Jordan Ifueko

I had to get this duology on this list because it's been recommended to me so many times and I have both of the books. I know this duology borders on YA but I've also seen it shelved as Adult, so I'll be interested to see how it reads. This duology follows Tarisai, who has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. I've also heard this book as LGBTQ+ rep as well, which is always good to see in fantasy!

10. The Burning Series by Evan Winter

This is the most incomplete series on the whole list as only the first two books out of four are currently released. I own the first two and the third book doesn't have a publication date yet. However, I wouldn't mind starting this series because I've heard it's fantastic. It was a self-published book that became so popular that a publisher picked it up. Once again, it has one of my absolute favourite tropes that immediately makes me grab the book: dragons. Ever since I read The Inheritance Cycle when I was younger, any books with dragons appeals to me on a deep level. I've not yet found another dragon series that I love as much as that so I'm always on the look out for the next one. In this series, one in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons and one in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him.

I hope you enjoyed my 10 fantasy books that I'm most excited to read! I'm hoping this list will keep me accountable this year so I actually get around to these books. I think I'm going to be picking up The Poppy War trilogy first, but let me know what I should pick up next. Are any of these on your TBR? Let me know in the comments and I'll see you in the next blog post!

REVIEW | The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publication Date: 26th May 2022

My Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet.

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read from Katy Birchall, and I believe it's her first foray into adult contemporary romance books.  This books follows Freya, whose fiancé breaks up with her after 12 years, on the day before her wedding. She then has 5 wedding to attend throughout the year so her friends come up with a list of challenges that she has to complete to distract her from the breakup. 

I'm happy to say that this has become one of my favourite contemporaries of all time. First, let's start with the reality. Birchall perfectly encapsulated life in your late twenties/early thirties - lots of weddings and the occasional, very tough break-up. The way the break-up was portrayed was so realistic and it almost mirrored break-ups I've seen friends go through. I adored the way she showed Freya healing throughout the book and I love that the romance came into the story a bit later and that the story was spread over nearly a year.

Next up, the relationships. The friendships with both friends and family were so well done. This book had me laughing at the jokes between both her best friends, and her father and brother. The humour was perfect. The wedding challenges were great to read about and I love that Freya was never too overwhelmed with bitterness towards her friends (which I've seen in other books). There was no bitchiness in the book and it made me so happy. I also liked that Freya was repairing a relationship that had broken down within her family, showing that she was actually gaining something from her new life.

The love interest was also great. I liked that the 'miscommunication' was barely there and the usual third act in contemporary books was done very differently in this, which I much preferred. 

Overall, this was a fantastic adult contemporary for anyone who needs a pick-me-up and a good laugh. I will 100% be picking up any books from Kat Birchall in the future. Also, for anyone wondering, this isn't a steamy romance book, so if you're picking it up for that, you might be disappointed!

20 Books I Have to Read in 2022

So I've decided to hold myself accountable by making a post of the 20 books I need to read this year. These are not necessarily the books I'm the most excited to read (post coming soon! Watch this space).

The majority of these books are ones that I've had on my shelves for years, and one of my aims for this year is to catch up on some of my backlist titles. So, I'm hoping to get to these books asap and finally cross a few of them off my list. Let me know if I need to get to any of these sooner rather than later.

1. Wool by Hugh Howey

This is the first book in a sci-fi/dystopian trilogy, and I've owned the whole trilogy for years now. The first book follows a dystopian world where humans live underground in a Silo because the outside air is supposedly toxic. But, our main character, Jules, doesn't believe people were meant to stay enclosed under the Silo's rules and regulations - this makes her dangerous. I've been really interested in reading more adult dystopian books (and I've heard this book is border YA/Adult), so I'm definitely looking forward to this trilogy, especially since I've only heard good things about it!

2. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

I first heard about this book on Reagan's channel (PeruseProject) years ago, and I'm still really interested in getting to it. This is a sci-fi novel that follows Harry August, a person who is reborn and lives the same life again and again. This happens 11 times until something finally changes. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside: 'I nearly missed you, Doctor August,' she says. 'I need to send a message'. This is the story of what Harry does next. 

3. Night Shift by Stephen King

I always have Stephen King books on my TBR as I'm slowly making my way through his extremely large backlist of titles. Because I have so many King books, I tend to read one or two a year. Overall, I've found they're very hit and miss, with some being my favourite of all time (11.22.63) and some being fairly boring (Cell). This book is a collection of short stories that features: 'Children of the Corn', 'The Lawnmower Man', 'Graveyard Shift', 'The Mangler', and 'Sometimes They Come Back'. I've never actually heard of any these stories but I'm keeping my fingers crossed I enjoy them!

4. Insomnia by Stephen King

As I've said above, I'm trying to prioritise my backlist titles, and I got a lot of my King collection a long time ago from charity shops so I'm trying to read a few of these this year. I've already read around 25 of his books but there's still so many! This book follows Ralph Roberts who has suffered from insomnia since his wife died. But his insomnia is causing him to see strange things and maybe they're not actually hallucinations after all?

5. Lifelike by Jay Kristoff

I read the Nevernight trilogy by Jay Kristoff and really enjoyed it, so I bought this book in 2018 when it first came out. I don't actually know if I'll finish the entire trilogy, but I'll at least read the first book to see if I like it. I don't know a ton about this book, except that it's a sci-fi that has a similar concept to Robot Wars. I'm also just realising that a lot of these books are sci-fi, so I've clearly been putting off this genre!

6. The Reviver by Seth Patrick

This book was given to me by a friend for my birthday years ago and I absolutely need to read it this year. This is the first book in a sci-fi trilogy that follows Jonah Miller, a Reviver. He is able to temporarily revive the dead so they can say goodbye to their loved ones or help the police solve their murder. But during one of his revivals, Jonah senses a strange presence that everyone tells him is just a sign of stress. But is that all it is? This basically sounds like a murder mystery/sci-fi and I'm really looking forward to finally picking it up.

7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

This is one of the only classics left on my owned TBR and I need to get to this. I first read Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier when I was at university and I loved it. I've heard that Rebecca is her best work though so I have high hopes. This is a gothic romance/mystery and it follows a woman in Monte Carlo who is swept of her feet by a dashing widower Maxim de Winter. It is only when they arrive at his country estate that she realises his late wife overshadows everything and there might be more to all of this than she initially thought.

8. Contagion by Teri Terry

I've read a lot of Teri Terry books over the years now and while I really enjoyed Mind Games and Book of Lies, I didn't enjoy her earlier Shattered trilogy which I DNF'd after book one. So I don't know how I'm going to feel about this one, but I'm hopeful I'll enjoy it as much as her other later books. My main concern is this being set in a pandemic and I find that difficult to read about these days (surprise, surprise - thanks COVID!). This book follows Kai whose sister is missing. When Kai meets Shay, a girl who saw Callie the day she disappeared, his hope is reignited. Their search leads them to the heart of a terrifying epidemic that is raging through the country. Will they both survive?

9. City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

This is a book I've been desperate to read since I first got a copy in 2017/18. The only reason I didn't pick it up initially was because I wanted to binge the trilogy when it all came out. The final book has now been released for about a year and I still haven't got around to this series, but this is the year I will finally read this trilogy! This is a YA/Adult fantasy series set in 18th century Cairo and I am so hyped for this setting. The book follows Nahri, a con-woman who doesn't believe in magic, until she accidentally summons a djinn warrior and she's forced to accept that the magical world she though only existed in childhood stories is real.

10. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

The first time I heard about this book was on LittleBookOwl's channel back in 2013 (wow, that's made me realise how long I've been watching Booktube). I got this book second hand because it sounded like such a moving story. It's an historical fiction about an Australian man and I know it also follows the story of a POW in a Japanese slave labour camp. It sounds intense but also important and I don't think I've ever read anything about this subject matter before.

11. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

This is the start of the first trilogy in the second era of Mistborn, following the initial Mistborn trilogy. I first read the Mistborn trilogy in 2016 and I absolutely loved it. I've adored every Sanderson book I've read so far (both within the Cosmere and his other YA books). This is a fantasy western set a few hundred years after the first trilogy and, honestly, I don't know much more than that. This is one book I'm happy to go into not knowing a ton about it, and I'm looking forward to getting to more Sanderson this year.

12. Oathbringer Part 2 by Brandon Sanderson

Speaking of which, here is another Brandon Sanderson book. This is the second part of the third book in the Stormlight Archive. I can't believe I did this, but I read Part One of this book nearly two years ago now and then just didn't pick up the second half! I either need to read a recap of the first two books or I need to re-read the entire series at this point so I don't miss anything. I don't own Rhythm of War yet because I'm waiting for the paperback so I'm not in too much of a rush, but I do want to finish Oathbringer at least. This is a hard series to explain but it's an epic high fantasy series following a large cast of characters during a time of political upheaval (I may have just described a lot of fantasy books). The magic system is incredible (as with all Sanderon's books) and the characters are very memorable (we love Kaladin and Dalinar here).

13. Dreamcatcher by Stephen King

And here's the third and final Stephen King on my list for the year. This is a horror/sci-fi about four childhood friends in a Quarantine zone when something crashes to earth. I also think there is an alien parasite of some kind. Now, I know King has said he doesn't like this book much as he said it was written under the influence of a lot of painkillers after his car accident, so I'm hesitant with this one. If I end up DNFing it, then so be it, but I at least want to give it a chance.

14. Jade City by Fonda Lee

Here is a book I'm ridiculously excited about reading. The third book in this trilogy came out in November, which means I can now binge the trilogy. This is an urban fantasy following two warring crime syndicates fighting over a substance called 'Jade' which grants superhuman abilities. I first heard about this book the year it was published and it's taken me so long to get to it so I'm very excited to pick this up.

15. Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

This is the sequel to Carry On which I read in 2015. I will definitely have to re-read the first book in order to read this because I really don't remember much about it. I also don't know if I'll actually like these books now that I'm older, but I'm very interested to see if it's still a favourite. These books are a spin-off of the book Fangirl and it's a fictional story written within that book. It's basically a HP-type book but with a male/male romance. If I don't enjoy this, I'll probably unhaul all the books and DNF the trilogy, so we'll see how it goes.

16. The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

I've never read a Cinda Williams Chima book before, but I know they are all young YA fantasy books that are beloved by so many people. I'm interested in finally reading one to see if they read too young for me, or if I actually enjoy them. The good thing is, if I enjoy this one, there are so many books by this author that I'll have to read. This book follows Jack who thinks he's normal until he learns the truth about himself: he is a Weirlind, part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. He has to take part in a magical tournament called The Game where each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death.

17. Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

My mum bought me this book for Christmas a couple of years ago and this is one of the Disney Twisted Tales stories. This one in particular is a Sleeping Beauty retelling/reimagining. I've heard very mixed things about these stories so I'm interested in picking this up to see what I think. I feel like I've heard better things about this book than some of the others though which is positive.

18. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

I read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty a few years ago and I actually read it in one sitting because it was so compelling and fast-paced. It was easily one of my favourite books of that year so I'm looking forward to reading more of her books. The synopsis for this is really interesting so I'm just going to leave it here to speak for itself: Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret - something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive...

19. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

This is the first book in Marissa Meyer's sci-fi superhero trilogy. I read The Lunar Chronicles a few years ago and really loved it so I'm excited to read more of Meyer's work. In this world, The Renegades are humans with extraordinary abilities who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society, establishing peace and order. But Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. This book also sounds a little bit like Steelheart, and I loved that book so I have high hopes for this one!

20. The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green

This final book is the first in a fantasy trilogy. I know very little about this because I received it in an Illumicrate box a few years ago. This is me giving Sally Green a second chance after DNFing her Half Bad trilogy when I heard it had a controversial ending. This novel does sound really interesting though so if I enjoy it I'll definitely continue with the series. The book follows a princess, a traitor, a hunter, and a thief. Four teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands and four nations destined for conflict.

Let me know in the comments if I should get to any of these quickly of if you enjoyed/disliked any of them. I look forward to seeing you in the next post!

2021 | End of Year Book Survey

  2021 Reading Stats

Number of Books You Read Overall: 186

Number of Re-Reads: 25

Genre You Read the Most From: Fantasy

1. Best Book You Read in 2021?

Easily Malice by John Gwynne

2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn't?

The Gunslinger by Stephen King. I've enjoyed most Stephen King books and I thought a fantasy by Stephen King would be great, but this was just so so boring and I didn't enjoy it at all.

3. Most surprising (in a good way) book you read?

Traitor's Blade by Sebastian de Castell or Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. I enjoyed both of these books wayyyy more than I ever thought I would. The Greatcoats has become one of my favourite fantasy series, and the Liveship Traders was a lot better than the initial trilogy by Robin Hobb.

4. Book you "pushed" the most people to read (and they did)?

We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

5. Best series you started in 2021? Best Sequel of 2021? Best Series Ender of 2021?

Best series started: Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

Best sequel: Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

Best series ender: Wrath by John Gwynne

6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2021?

John Gwynne

7. Best book from a genre you don't typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry or The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Masarenhas

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson was an amazing YA thriller.

9. Book you read in 2021 that you would be most likely to re-read next year?

Maybe Middlegame by Seanan McGuire since the sequel is coming out this year.

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2021?

The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks

11. Most memorable character of 2021?

Fitz from Robin Hobb's books, or Corban from The Faithful and the Fallen series

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2021?

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman or And Every Morning the Way Back Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2021?

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2021 to finally read?

Light Years by Kass Morgan

15. Shortest and longest book you read in 2021?

Shortest book: And Every Morning the Way Back Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman (76 pages)

Longest book: Grimm's Fairytales by The Brother's Grimm (1019 pages)

16. Book that shocked you the most?

 Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

17. Favourite non-romantic relationship of the year?

Falcio, Brasti and Kest from The Greatcoats Series

18. Favourite book you read in 2021 from an author you've read previously?

Pretending by Holly Bourne

19. Best book you read in 2021 that you read based solely on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure, etc.?

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

20. Best 2021 debut you read?

Malice by John Gwynne (not a debut from 2021, but one I read in 2021)

21. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?

The Lightbringer Series

22. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most fun to read?

I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young - the Graphic Novel series

23. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2021?

And Every Morning the Way Back Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

24. Hidden gem of the year?

How Do You Like Me Now? by Holly Bourne

25. Book that crushed your soul?

The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb

26. Most unique book you read in 2021?

Educated by Tara Westover

27. Book that made you the most mad? (doesn't necessarily mean you didn't like it)

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

1. One book you didn't get to in 2021 but will be your number one priority in 2022?
Wool by Hugh Howey

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2022 (non-debut)?

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

3. 2022 debut you are most anticipating?

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

4. Series ending/a sequel you are most anticipating in 2022?

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2022?

Maybe I'll actually start blogging again, who knows!

6. A 2022 release you've already read and recommend to everyone (if applicable):

None right now! I just got The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall from Netgalley though, so if I love it, I'll be recommending it soon.

Let me know if there are any books I should get to soon, or if you have any thoughts on the books mentioned above!

This survey comes from the wonderful Perpetual Page Turner!