The BEST Books I Read in 2023

2023 was a big reading year for me—in all, I read 114 books (I have a problem, I know). There were good ones, bad ones, and everything in between, but here’s a list of my favorites!

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I shouldn’t have put off reading this book, because it was SO GOOD. The book follows Skeeter, a fresh graduate from Ole Miss, as she writes the story of African-American maids of her hometown in Mississippi.

Aside from the unique writing style, Stockett really shone through with her characters; they were all written to be so flawed and human. I admired her deep dive into the complicated relationship between African-American maids and their employers, showing abuse and mistreatment but also the conflicting love and friendship that can come with it.

I never felt like the plot was dragging, either. Maybe it’s the storyline—there’s something about books that center on writers that I just love, but either way, I read this book really quick despite it being over 400 pages!

2. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

I picked up 84, Charing Cross Road because I heard it’s what The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (one of my comfort reads) was based on; I ate it up.

This book is actually nonfiction, and it follows the correspondence between a bookshop owner in London and a writer in America. The letters are hilarious, heart-wrenching, and touching at times, and it was really short (I think I finished it in about a day).

3. Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Of all the books I read this year, this was one of the favorites. I wasn’t so sure how I’d feel about this book, seeing that Malibu Rising wasn’t an amazing read, but I’m glad I picked it up.

Carrie Soto is a retired tennis player—that is, until a young athlete breaks her Grand Slam record. The rest of the book focuses on Soto as she enters the game of tennis again to reclaim her title as the best women’s tennis player in the world.

I found Carrie such a refreshing character—brash, honest, and ambitious, she’s so unapologetically different from the other book characters I’ve read. And. I. Loved. It. She’s never afraid to share her opinion (I don’t think I could count how many times she cusses someone out). Despite that, her character arc was super satisfying, and I got to see her grow through so much.

I now have the strongest desire to grab a tennis racket or watch Wimbledon (even though I’m still kind of lost on all the rules).

4. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The plot: Famed artist Alicia Berenson shoots and kills her husband, but no one knows why. What’s even more odd, she never says a word after the murder. No one can understand what happened, but psychotherapist Theo Faber is determined to get to the bottom of it.

My analysis: The characters aren’t the greatest personality-wise (actually, they’re all pretty horrible), but this adds a lot to the story. The writing and psychoanalysis element of the story is done exceedingly well, and I applaud Michaelides’s execution of his plot twist.

If you liked “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman or the movie Shutter Island, definitely check it out.

5. The Letters of Enchantment Duology by Rebecca Ross

What can I say? This book has been everywhere on social media lately. I’ve been trying out the TikTok book recommendations this year, and most of them have led me astray—all except for this book.

The first novel, Divine Rivals, details the lives of two wartime journalists and how they are tied together through letters and magic. Think World War I, Narnia, and Guernsey, add a little romance, then you’ve got this book.

It’s got everything you could want in a YA fantasy: three-dimensional characters, good writing, an engaging plot, and a sweet romance.

6. Taste by Stanley Tucci

Now, this memoir might not be for everyone, since it’s definitely food-forward. In this book, Stanley Tucci details his life through the meals he’s eaten, the hardships he’s been through, and the memories he’s made.

I listened to it on audiobook (which I highly recommend). Since Tucci is the one to narrate it, he gives the jokes the life that reading it on paper alone wouldn’t capture. I loved it, though people who aren’t as into food or Stanley Tucci as I am may want to skip it.

And that’s it for this year’s reading wrap-up! What books have you guys been reading?