Well, 2022 has been a funny old year for me.

While I haven’t got a lot of writing done (although I have been working on multiple WIPs when I feel up to it) I have managed to keep up with my reading. This year has been quite a bounty for stories that were fantastic, thought provoking, hilarious, heartbreaking, inspirational or just flat-out demented!

I haven’t published a Recommended Reading post for a number of months, mainly due to me focusing on my recent health issues, but I wanted to wrap up 2022 with a post featuring a few of the books that I just loved reading. So here it is!

Disclaimer: While I did read all these books this year, some of these titles were not released this year. I don’t think that matters, but I just wanted to clarify that. Anyhow, I hope you find a few books to add to your TBR pile.

“Probably Texas” by Chase Connor

It’s hard to say too much about this book without giving away major spoilers, but this was one of the most amazing books I have ever read. Thought provoking, quirky and written with genuine heart – Probably Texas is one you will continue to think about long after you put the book down… and you’ll be happy to pick it back up and revisit this strange little town time and time again.

“Subway Slayings” by C.S. Poe

Book Two of the Memento Mori series takes NYPD Cold Case Squad Detective Everett Larkin and his partner Detective Ira Doyle on another dark and disturbing case while trying to work out their feelings for each other.

If you’re a fan of slow burn M/M Romance Mysteries, like the works of Josh Lanyon, then you will love this series.

“Hide and Seek” by Josh Lanyon

Speaking of Josh Lanyon, their latest M/M Mystery/Romance/Thriller Hide and Seek is an absolute must read for fans of the genre. A classic mystery, multiple suspects, lots of red herrings and a splash of romance thrown in for good measure.

I’ve been slowly working my way through Lanyon’s back catalogue this year, but even after 20 years of writing, this author is still producing brilliant books that are both thrilling and manage to keep you guessing until the very end.

“The Damning Stone” by TJ Klune

The latest edition to the Tales from Verania series of hilarious and down right demented books by TJ Klune continues to deliver more outrageous humour, scathingly witty dialogue, and some of the most brilliant parodying of the fantasy genre you will ever read.

If you haven’t experienced this series yet, grab book one, The Lightning Struck Heart, and start there. And if you really want some entertainment, get the audiobook versions. The narration by Michael Lesley is some of the most brilliant and hilarious voice work I have ever heard.

“How I Stole The Princess’s White Knight and Turned Him To Villainy” by A.J. Sherwood

More wacky fantasy stuff, this cracky little series (now available as an omnibus edition with extra content) was released in multiple volumes over the latter half of this year, and quickly became something I really looked forward to. A dark sorcerer with an obsession with cute cats and a white knight with nothing left to lose are forced to work together to prevent their tyrannical princess from throwing the kingdom into total chaos.

It’s silly, it’s quirky, there’s a necromancer who like to be called “Bone Daddy” and the whole thing manages to be wonderfully wholesome and sweet despite all the bloodshed and smut! I loved it and I think you will too.

“The Trouble With Trying To Date A Murderer” by Jennifer Cody

Another title that mixes dark themes with even darker humour, this novel by Jennifer Cody was a book I picked up on Kindle Unlimited without really knowing what the book was about (the title caught my eye in my recommendations and I instantly added it to my TBR pile) so I was pleasantly surprised by just how funny and well-written this twisted and unpredictable story was.

Just when I thought I knew where the plot was going, it managed to surprise me several times. My dark and demented sense of humour adored this book, and the sequel did not disappoint either.

“Monstrous Intent” by Alice Winters

Alice Winter’s quirky new series begins with this story of a man-eating Chimera who falls desperately in love (or lust, or both!) with a human, a retired monster hunter who just wants to be left alone to enjoy his new career as a school teacher. All the while, his ex-hunter’s former associates are trying to bring him back into the fold and a series of monster attacks drags them both on a potentially deadly road trip.

Like most of Alice Winters’ work, this book sprinkles a fair amount of humour into the story to help break up the darker themes. If you liked Alice’s VRC series, you’ll know how this works. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

“Dearest Milton James” by N.R. Walker

This was easily my favourite book of 2022. A fun story about a young man trying to find his place in the world, finding himself a job in the dead letter office of the Australian postal service. Between quirky co-workers and a super handsome boss, he becomes obsessed with a series of misdirected love letters posted decades earlier, determined to locate either the sender or the intended recipient.

Sweet, hilarious and touching, this book is brilliant and left me with a smile on my face, not to mention a few happy tears. Highly recommended!

Well, thats all my recommendations for 2022. I will try to be a bit more regular with reading recommendation posts in the new year. In the meantime, I wish you and your loved ones and happy and safe holiday season!

Lots of Love

Alex Leslie

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