Mark Twain once said “A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.” Knowledge is power and reading can transform one’s outlook on life. Nonfiction can teach you facts and strategies. Fiction can teach one empathy and the power of imagination. Whether you’re the biggest bookworm or haven’t picked up a book since fifth grade, listed below are four books you NEED to read this year! 

Atomic Habits by James Clear – 2022 is a year for self improvement and Atomic Habits can be the roadmap that will drive you to success. The word “atomic” describes a small unit that is part of a much larger system. Clear asserts that “you do not rise to the level of your goals.” Rather you “fall to the level of your systems.” The premise of Atomic Habits is that tiny changes and a 1% improvement can lead to significant results. He strays away from the intangible factors like “inspiration” and “motivation” and highlights the cold hard facts of habit building. The examples he uses are practical and not too far-fetched. He crafts a well-organized guide to self-improvement that is sure to make an impact.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong – “It is the year 1920 and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.” In this Romeo and Juliet retelling, China is ruled by gangsters. Eighteen year old Juliette Cai is the heir of the Scarlet Gang – feisty, headstrong, and unafraid to kill. Her lover turned nemesis, Roma Montagov, is the heir to the rival gang, the White Flowers. They hate each other and want nothing more than to hold a knife to each other’s throats.  But when a monster emerges from the dark waters of the Huangpu river, the two will need to join forces in order to stop chaos from ensuing. Will they shatter the history of the blood feud? Will they dare to love? These Violent Delights combines the best of both worlds – a historical fiction that highlights European imperialism and a high-stakes fantasy. Readers get to see Shanghai in all of it’s 1920 beauty – corrupt, rampant, and wild with hints of betrayal. 

Rebecca by Daphne Du Murier – If you want to dive into classics, Rebecca is a perfect place to start. A Gothic tale of mystery, suspense, and crime, Du Murier crafts a stunning tale of love and identity. With the iconic first line, “last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again”, Rebecca opens with an unnamed protagonist who falls head over heels over a man she meets at a hotel called Maxim de Winters. Upon their hasty marriage, he takes her to his estate, Manderly, where she is indoctrinated into a new life of luxury and wealth. But this “perfect life” soon vanishes. As she wanders the house, traces of Maxim’s dead wife linger in every nook and cranny. The ghost of Rebecca seems to be following her whenever she goes along with the family housekeeper who is a little too obsessed with the dead woman. And all along, she can’t scrap the feeling that everyone seems to be hiding something. 

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson – Five years ago, popular Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh. At least, that’s what the city believes happened. Everybody but high school senior Pip Fitz Amobi. She has one mission – to prove Sal innocent. What starts as an innocent school project spirals into a full blown re-investigation of the closed case. Soon, Pip finds herself knee deep in the case, battling both her suspicions and a mysterious threat to “stop digging”. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder blurs the lines between truth and lies until… you don’t know who to believe. With high stakes and a masterful plot twist, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder will keep you up til 2 AM, your heart pounding in suspense. After you finish this book, you’ll practically be a detective yourself! 

Still looking for additional book recommendations? I’ve listed some more crowd-favorites below! 

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age by Dale Carnegie, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, The Four Winds by Madeline Miller, etc. 

All of these books mentioned can be purchased on Barnes and Noble and Amazon!