I am a bookworm of note averaging 100+ books a year. You can find my 2022 favourite books and three things that help me read more over here. Again, a little out of sync with 2023 being quite far behind us now but I read some real gems last year so wanted to share my best books of 2023. I’ve gone with the same categorisations because this is how I file books in my brain and hopefully, it helps you find a new book to try out!
One of my weird reading quirks is that I like to start reading books cold. As in, I may have once known roughly what the book was about and added it to my “want to read” list but when I start reading them I really only roughly know the genre. And then when I am about halfway through the book I like to read the blurb. I find the blurbs often give much too much away. So in the list below I have tried to keep it short and snappy.
Of the 118 books I read in 2023, these are my best books of 2023
1. Great books that are a little more serious
– Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Incredible book. This is NUMBER ONE of my best books of 2023. I’d highly recommend reading this book cold. The characters are fantastic. I sent my friend Roxanne messages as I read the book as it was her recommendation and one of her favourites too and we were both just so excited about it together. I had so many feelings reading this book and I think this should be required reading for existing in this day and age. Please read this book and then tell me all about your feelings.
– Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
A little slow to start but then you can’t stop reading. An epic story of two men born on the same day and their great rivalry born of misunderstanding and misplaced assumptions.
– Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors.
Very much the book of the summer. Really enjoyed it. Snippets of a chaotic relationship.
– The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
A great book based on the true story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P Morgan’s personal librarian an African American woman passing as a white woman in the early 1900s. I loved the story of Belle da Costa Greene but as someone working in finance, I loved the insights into J. P Morgan too.
– Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This is another trending book and I am glad to report it lived up to the hype. A story of connection, of friendship, of love set in the world of video games. It’s unique, nostalgic and so charming.
– The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
It’s a big book set across multiple generations in Kerala, India. And whilst it is an amazing book that I’d highly recommend, I would caution that you need time to really get into the story and if you’re in a scatterbrain phase you may need a break mid-read.
2. Best books of 2023: Sweet stories / romance
– The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune.
This was one of my favourite reads of the year. It’s a wonderful beautiful story. Another book where it is better to read it completely cold. The story is completely unique. Unfortunately, I recently read T J Klune’s In the Lives of Puppets and struggled through it but based on the magic of The House in the Cerulean Sea I will try more of T J Klune’s books.
– The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Read the synopsis on this one. It is such a unique story. So lovely. Good feels. The warm fuzzy feelings from this book are similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea.
– Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
One of my favourite authors. I’ve read everything she’s written. If you’re a fan of magical realism her books are for you. Her previous books have been lighter romance stories with this book touching on my serious themes.
– The Friend Zone series by Abby Jimenez
Really great funny romance stories that cover heavier topics that are dealt with in a very non-heavy way (infertility, relationships after the death of a partner and terminal illness). All three are good.
– Part of Your World series by Abby Jimenez
I have read books one and two. Book one was good but so far book two has been my favourite. I don’t think the order matters but my A-type personality would recommend chronological order of course.
Abby Jimenez consistency delivers funny romance stories this one following women in the medical field and again dealing with trickier topics.
– The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Its so beautifully written and the location becomes a character. A little like Where the Crawdads Sing and The Scent Keeper. The story and characters are broken and complicated and wonderful.
– Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is a short story which is definitely not normally my thing but I loved this one. Taylor Jenkin Reid is a fantastic author and I am pretty sure I have read all of her books and would recommend them all. A woman writes a letter to the husband of the woman her husband is having an affair with. The story is told entirely through letters back and forth between them.
– Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
I’ve been meaning to read this for the longest time but the release of the recent series featuring Brie Larson hurried me along. Set in the 1960s, the fictional story of a female chemist who is the star of a TV cooking show. The characters are quirky and charming and I absolutely loved it. The TV series is quite different to the book so I would highly recommend reading the book even if you’ve watched the series. There’s also a ton of great internal monologue that isn’t captured in the TV series.
– Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
A love story told across six summers. I loved this book. It was so beautiful.
– Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
I don’t even know how to explain this book because the one liner completely undermines the complications, the themes and the back and forth between the present day and the story being shared. It’s a beautiful book about family and being a mother to daughters.
3. Who done it / mystery / thriller
– A World of Curiosities, The Chief Inspector Ganache series by Louise Penny
There are 18 out in the series and I eagerly await the new release every year. It’s a “Who Done It” series but not gory/horrible like some can be. Much more of a human aspect. Book 18 was one of my favourites yet. This lady can do no wrong. If you haven’t tried this series yet then please get on it!
– Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea
Read the blurb on this one and it’ll hook you! Clever unique storyline incorporating a cold case, 9/11, investigative journalism and a secret past.
– Thursday murder club series by Richard Osman
Bunch of 80 year olds solving crimes. Hilarious. I first started this series in 2022 and it made my favourite books list. Book two and three were highlights of 2023 and these books have really lifted me up during some tougher days. These books are best saved for when I need a hug from a book.
– The Husbands Secret and Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriaty
Everything she writes is SO GREAT. Again, I think I have read everything she’s written.
– A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
High school girl starts a podcast to solve a cold case murder in her neighbourhood. Great storytelling in a unique forum.
4. Absolute fluff
– Twisted Series by Ana Huang
Absolute fluff. Great entertainment.
– Kings of Sins series by Ana Huang
Of her series I have read, this is my favourite of the two. Again, strong on the fluff and the spice. Not an intellectual read.
– Beautiful Bastard Series by Christina Lauren
The first one is the best but I will absolutely read them all.
– Brutal Birthright Series by Sophie Lark.
Spicy mafia series. Zero literary awards. Would read again.
– Monsters & Muses by Sav R. Miller
Spicy book with twisted characters. This series is probably very problematic. And 100% everyone needs therapy. But yes, very entertaining.
– Kingmaker Series by Sophie Lark
Mafia hairs at secret isolated creepy school training to be future bad guys. Again on the everyone needs therapy. But the spicy bits are fantastically spicy.
5. Fantasy
– Kingmaker Chronicles by Amanda Bouchet
Fantastic four book completed big epic fantasy series. I read three of the four in 2023. And yeah, it’s how I like my fantasy with a lil romance on the side.
– Warriors of the Five Realms by Hollee Mands
Another complete fantasy series. I read all three in 2023. Plenty of angst and action.
– Dark Night, Golden Dawn by Allison Carr Waechter
Witches and creatures and spicy bits – I am here for it.
– Poison Study by Maria V Snyder
A woman is up for execution – either go through with the execution or become the King’s food taster. The book moves quickly on from there and it’s great! Magic and assassinations and journeys across multiple lands!
– Crystal Bloom Series by Sarah A Parker
Book one was good but books two and three got better and better.
It has a dark and twisted Rapunzel vibe and will hit the spot for anyone looking for something similar to Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout.
– The Empyrean series (Fourth Wing and Iron Flame) by Rebecca Yaros
Yes of course I read the most talked about Romantasy series of 2023 and the winner of the Goodreads Romantasy 2023 book of the year. And yes it’s good and I would recommend it. It’s a big chunky book and it can be slow at times but it’s five stars on world-building and that can take a little time. I would suggest trying to read them one after the other as there’s a lot going on and you’re unlikely to remember it all.
Interestingly, on the Goodreads’ awards – I also read Yellowface (Fiction winner), Happy Place (Romance winner), In the Lives of Puppets (Science fiction winner) and Check & Mate (Young Adult Fiction winner) in 2023 and these didn’t make the list. Yellowface was alright but kind of belaboured the point. Happy Place was fine but the characters were just dramatic and rubbish communicators. Check & Mate was sweet but not a must read. And In the Lives of Puppets was very bad which I think only won because people love the author for writing The House in the Cerulean Sea.
