Wrapping Up: Best of 2023

Well, well, well… here we are again. It seems like only a few days ago when I was compiling my “Best of 2022” list and now a whole year has gone by. 2023 has been a bit of a mixed bag (as many years are) but we’ll part on good terms. One day I might even look back on this year fondly as one in which I took time for myself, focused on (re)discovering simple pleasures and prioritised my own well-being. Of course, that included taking a little break from this blog but it’s been great to have this space to come back to whenever I felt ready to do so, and I’ll always be thankful for the wonderful bookish community that makes this online space so precious.

Reading-wise it’s actually been a pretty good year! I read 55 books, with only 2 DNFs this year (although one was more of a “not-right-now” read that I hope to pick up again somewhere down the line).

I read a nice mix of genres this year, although it’s probably no surprise that I read more fantasy than anything else. I was also really happy to get back into reading some non-fiction as well and I hope to keep this up in the new year! This was also the year I got into audiobooks, listening to 19 which was more than my original goal (I aimed for one a month)!

Not many books managed to blow me away this year… I only had 6 5-star reads this year and 7 4.5-star reads, but there were also very few low ratings so it wasn’t actually too bad! So, which were my favourite books of the year after all, you ask? Let’s have a look at my top reads of 2023 right now! These include a mix of new and backlist books, but they’re all ones I discovered for the first time during this weird and wonderful year. The link in the book’s title takes you to Goodreads, while the one in the text goes to my review (if I posted one). The books are listed in no particular order, and they’re the ones that stayed with me long after reading them, not necessarily the ones I rated highest shortly after reading them.

Let me know in the comments if you read any of these or which ones (if any) are on your TBR!

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

I picked this up after watching the beautiful film adaptation, and I have found myself thinking back to this book several times throughout the year – so much so I even contemplated a re-read (which I very rarely do). A poignant, reflective and profoundly inspiring read on the patriarchy and the power of resistance, community and love. For such a short book, it takes its time but is definitely worth it to stay as long as possible with this memorable cast of characters.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

A truly delightful cosy fantasy, and the one that got me back into the genre. These characters absolutely stole my heart and gave me ALL the feels. I didn’t think I could get so invested in an orc’s efforts to open up a coffee shop in a place where no one even knows what coffee is, and yet… I’m really looking forward to going back to this world with Bookshops & Bonedust in the new year!

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Completely different vibes with this lush and haunting gothic tale. Strongly atmospheric and brimming with poetic writing, I loved getting lost in the story of Indigo and the Bridegroom.
This book effortlessly weaves together the storytelling traditions of old and gothic romance elements with mystery and a dash of magical realism to create a classic tale for modern readers, making it truly one of the most engrossing reads of the year.

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen

Easily one of my most anticipated reads having loved the first book in the series, Little Thieves. And it absolutely delivered! This book managed to have everything I loved in the first one (heists! gods! curses!) while building on it in new and exciting ways. The characters are extremely well-written and the humour is always top-notch, without ever shying away from difficult topics. The only negative? Having to wait so long for the final instalment in the trilogy!

One for All by Lillie Lainoff

This gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers features spies and court intrigue, balls and swordfights, a school that isn’t at all what it seems, and a delightful found family. It was basically written for me. Add to it a beautiful father-daughter relationship, defying social conventions, social commentary, AND some great diversity rep (LGBT side characters and a disabled MC) plus some great action scenes and you get a fantastically entertaining read.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

I was clearly in the mood for either super dark or super cosy books this year, so of course this light academia fantasy couldn’t be missed from this list.
A light and cosy read featuring unforgettable characters, faerie court intrigues, academic research and a slow-burn romance, topped with a generous sprinkling of humour and danger: basically all my favourite things! I can’t wait to dive into the next book in the series!

Clytemnestra’s Bind by Susan C. Wilson

In the year in which I burned out on Greek myth retellings, Clytemnestra’s Bind managed to give me everything I had been longing for in recent retellings. This is a deep, painful, harrowing account of the life of this queen, forced to live with the killer of her husband and son, torn between her duty to avenge the dead and the one to protect her new living children. Clytemnestra’s resilience and her mistakes, her slow growth all contributed to making her a well-rounded and fully developed character. Despite knowing the story, I kept turning the pages, desperately hoping for a miracle, and I found myself completely absorbed in the narrative in a way I hadn’t been for a while.