So, I had grand plans about getting back into blogging and starting off the new year with my top reads right at the very beginning of the year. Yet here we are, almost the end of January–better late than never I guess! I do also plan on doing my 2023 reading stats (anyone else a stats girlie??), but before I get to those I wanted to share the top 23 books I read in 2023. Why 23? Because it rolls nicely off the tongue, tbh. These 23 are my 4 and 5 star reads of the year. I’m also going to include some honorable mentions because my 4 and 5 stars equaled to 28 but that didn’t flow so 3 of my 4 stars will be honorable mentions and then everything else is will be “Top 23” (which includes a series of 3 books).

Still with me? Ok, here we go.

• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo: I have been a fan of Leigh Bardugo’s writing since I read Shadow & Bone in 2015 and she is an author I will always pick up. Ninth House is her first adult novel (although Alex is 20, so frontal lobe still not fully formed) and it did not disappoint for me. It’s magical dark academia with some demons and shit. Is it overwritten? A little bit. But I ate it up.
• The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel: Station Eleven is one of my favorite novels of all time and being that this is the same author AND *kind of* linked to it, I obviously had to check it out. I didn’t find this one as impactful as Station Eleven, but I love St. John Mandel’s writing and the way she weaves interconnected stories with such subtlety. If you haven’t read Station Eleven you could still read this one, but like read Station Eleven because it’s so good (not to mention the HBO adaptation).
• The Curse of Saints by Kate Dramis: this is the first in a romantasy series about a court spy who discovers she has a power that could turn her into a deadly weapon in a war she’s not so sure about. It’s enemies to lovers with Will, who’s the queen’s enforcer. And when I tell you, the ANGST–chef’s kiss. The world building is like typical fantasy, but it’s got political intrigue, which I like and again, the ANGST.

• In Defense of Witches: the Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still On Trial by Mona Challet: this is an exploration of the character of the “witch” being a symbol of women’s independence and nonconforming to patriarchal expectations throughout history. I found myself nodding my head in agreement a lot and as Taylor Swift says, “they’re burning all the witches, even if you aren’t one, so light me up”.
• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir: this is a young adult novel about two friends facing racism and xenophobia who are wanting to escape their small California town for a better life. When tragedy strikes, one of them spirals and their friendship is put to the test. As the title implies, I felt a lot of rage reading this while reading about the injustice they face, but the ending will pull at your heartstrings.
• Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee: this is a memoir about the author navigating the Australian justice system after she files charges for sexual assault she experienced as a teen. What’s interesting/infuriating is that she also works in the justice system as a judge’s associate, so she sees firsthand from both ends how slow justice can be to come for victims. I thought this was well written and an interesting look at how a justice system works outside of the United States. Also, shout out to the interlibrary loan service my library provides for getting me a copy of this Australian published book when they didn’t have one.
• To Survive On This Shore by Jess T. Dugan: another interlibrary loan book, this is a photo book of older transgender and gender nonconforming individuals with one (sometimes two) page interviews about their experience being transgender. The adults featured were 40+ years old. The photos were beautiful, and I think an example of two things–1) that transgender and nonconforming individuals have always been a part of society and 2) how beautiful it is when people can be their authentic selves.
• The Heiress: the Revelations of Anne de Bourgh by Molly Greeley: ok so listen, I am not a Jane Austen girlie. No shade to those who are, I’m sure I’m just uneducated (I have read Pride & Prejudice, so don’t @ me). Anyway, what I’m getting at is that I had no idea who Anne de Bourgh was because it has been literal years since I’ve read Pride & Prejudice. Turns out she was betrothed to Darcy until that harlot (I kid, I kid) Lizzie Bennett stole him. Greeley fleshes out Anne’s backstory as one of opium dependency (at the hands of her mother) and burgeoning sapphic love. I really enjoyed the audiobook and thought the ending was beautiful.
• Disability Visibility: First Person Stories From the 21st Century, edited by Alice Wong: as the title says, this is a collection of first-person accounts from disabled individuals about their experience being disabled in the United States. Spoiler: it hasn’t been great due to ableism and inspiration exploitation, among other things. This one got me thinking about how I’ve treated disabled people in my life (my granny was wheelchair bound) and how I can be a better disability advocate.
• Never Coming Home by Kate Williams: ok this one was surprising–I read it because Mara (Books Like Whoa on YouTube) recommended it. It’s a retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, except it’s young adult and features influencers on a remote island. I did not expect myself to enjoy it as much as I did because 1) it’s young adult (no shade, I just am very picky about what YA I like) and 2) I’ve never read And Then There Were None, so I had no reference point. But I thought it was fun! It was a real whodunnit and I still don’t know.
• Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas: this is a prequel to The Hate U Give, but following Starr’s father Maverick as a teen in the 90s and how he became her father. I really enjoy Angie Thomas’s writing and I thought this was a good exploration of the experience of young Black men in the United States, and how much has changed since the 90s and how much has stayed the same.
• Excavations by Kate Myers: this is a contemporary about three women on an archaeological dig who discover something that could upend the history of sports as people know it. It discusses misogyny in sports and archaeology, how the patriarchy pits women against each other, and finding yourself after things you used to know are no longer serving you. The wit is very dry; it reminded me of April Ludgate‘s tone in Parks & Rec.

• When Women Invented Television: the Untold Story of the Female Powerhouses Who Pioneered the Way We Watch Today by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong: I’m a pop culture afficionado and so give me a book about women being great in the entertainment industry. Armstrong features the stories of Irna Phillips (pioneer of daytime soaps), Gertrude Berg (pioneer of sitcoms), Hazel Scott (first African American woman to host her own show), and Betty White (first woman to be nominated for an Emmy)–four very different women who had a major (yet sometimes forgotten) impact on television media and how that impact still resounds today. I had only heard of Betty White (who hasn’t), so it was fun to learn about these other women and their history.
• Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan: this is a memoir about phrases we use to connect with one another and it seemed like it could be a little too self-helpy but Corrigan is so relatable and honest that I ended up really enjoying this one. I definitely recommend the audiobook because she narrates it and it had me LOLing quite a few times.
• Another Day In the Death of America: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives by Gary Younge: this book came out in 2016, so the statistics Younge is working with has changed, but as of 2019, 4 children under the age of 18 died by a gun, and 60% of those deaths were homicides (pewresearchcenter.org, 2023). This book tells the story of 7 children, all from different races and background, who died by gun violence and the ramifications of being a country without gun control. It really makes one question, “what about the children?”
• Dancing In the Mosque: An Afghan Mother’s Letter to Her Son by Homeira Qadari: this is memoir about the author’s heartbreaking decision to stay true to herself and her beliefs at the expense of losing access to her son. The author fought for women’s rights in Afghanistan and it got to a point where she had to leave the country and her ex-husband has kept their son from contacting her (essentially telling him she was dead). I’m not a mother, but I could really feel for the author who had to choose between being miserable (and therefore not authentic to her son) or being authentic with all the risks and consequences that entailed.
• From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty: I read Doughty’s Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it so I knew I wanted to check this one out. Doughty does what the title implies and travels the world to learn about different death practices in different cultures. Very interesting and thought provoking.
• The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy Taraborrelli: I have really only seen like 2 of Marilyn Monroe’s movies but have always felt for her as someone who was just wanting to be loved for being herself. I thought this biography did a good job of depicting the highs and lows of Marilyn’s life with a diplomatic lens–showing Marilyn at her best but also acknowledging her flaws. A well rounded read.
• In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park: I have to preface this by saying that having since read this memoir I have learned of the controversy surrounding the author and the book, but at the time of reading it I was enthralled and horrified by what the author endured.
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith: I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed the storytelling. It follows 2 friends, Archie & Samad, who are veterans of World War II and just the mundaneness of them living their lives in London throughout the decades. I love a quiet story that has a simmering theme underneath.
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle: as someone who is trying to live more authentically, I really enjoyed this one and appreciated the author’s writing style and tone. One of the quotes that has stuck with me is “we forgot how to say no when we learned how to please” (or something like that). As a recovering people pleaser, this has been living in my brain rent free.

• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: this is a contemporary about a witch who is invited to a home where there are 3 young witches that need teaching, but this is dangerous because when too many witches gather magic can do dodgy things. It features a grumpy librarian dude so this book was not only really fucking cute but it also confirmed my grump/sunshine kink.
• The Body Is Not An Apology: the Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor: I picked this up because I have body insecurities and I am trying to love and appreciate my body as is. This book was an excellent reminder that some of my shame has been taught and to truly love your body is to break free of the societal expectations and exploitation placed upon us.
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: give me a multi-generational family saga any time. This is about how one young Korean’ woman’s choice sets the trajectory for the rest of her family’s life. It also features World War II, the Japanese occupation of Korea, the splintering of North and South Korea, and so much more. Extremely well written and enthralling.
• The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir: I binged all of these as soon as I could (I think I managed to read the 3 that are currently out in 2 months). These books are WEIRD and I was confused by everything that was happening but they were a vibe and I really fucking enjoyed them. If the covers don’t intrigue you, the tagline of Gideon the Ninth is “lesbian necromancers in space” so if that doesn’t get you, I don’t know what will.
• Know My Name by Chanel Miller: this is the author’s memoir about not only surviving sexual assault at the hands of Brock Turner (who got a six months sentence), but also surviving the justice system where the victim is sometimes made guilty until proven innocent. Miller’s writing is not only vulnerable and raw, but exquisite. I listened to this on audiobook, which she narrates, and I definitely recommend consuming the book that way. It made me outraged on her behalf all over again and wonder what has really changed in our society since then. A very tough and emotional read but so well worth it.

So those were my top 23 reads of 2023! Have you read any of them? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts? What were your favorite reads of 2023? Let me know!

Until next time,