#top 10 book 2023

[justwriteyoudummy]

My Top 10 of 2023!

Getting this out there a little early this year because I'm about to be super busy with work. Started my yearly reading goal at 35 books and have almost since doubled it! I'm SO grateful for audiobooks as that's been the main way I've been able to get through so many on my drive to work and on my lunch breaks. It's nice to be able to take a pause and read for a little bit. . This list does NOT include all the Manhua, Manga and Webcomics I've read so I'll do a separate post for that later when I have more time. . . I've started thinking on my reading goal for next year and I might try to finish the whole of my physical TBR collection on my shelves. Not sure yet but I definitely want to attempt it at least! Either way this was such a fun year of reading for me and I absolutely loved the books I was able to get through. There were a lot of books that got put into the "Come Back To Later" pile as I'm a big mood reader so I hope I can eventually come back to them to finish them out! . . I know it's still early but what's been your favorite read of 2023 so far???

[ID: Photos of a foggy forest landscape with little dots of color from the out of focus flower buds. /end ID]

My Top 10:

1: The Perfect Run by Maxime J Durand. 2. Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson 3. All the Skills by Honour Rae 3+1. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao 5. Mark of the Fool by J.M.Clark 6. House of Leaves by Mark. Z. Danielewski 7. The Billionaire's Fake Fiance by Annika Martin 8. Death Loot and Vampires by Benjamin Kerei 9. Cursed Cocktails by S.L.Rowland 10. Dungeon Crawler Carl 6: Eye of the Bedlam Bride

[bookthroneking]

Top 10 Books of 2023

I've read 35 books this year. Some of them I liked, some of them I loved... these are the ten books I adored (and one honorable mention).

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (review here)

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (review here)

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (review here)

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield (review here)

The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat (review here)

The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris

Zombies: A Cultural History by Roger Luckhurst (review here)

The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories edited by Alan Ryan (review here)

The Crow by James O'Barr

Wormwood by Poppy Z. Brite

+1: Dark Matter by Michelle Paver (review here)

[youritalianbookpal]

Top 10 books for 2023

I tried to give this some order but I am not the most organized being alive. I am proud of having read 49 books, and I take it as a symbol of the fact that I have finally been able, in the past few years, to go back to reading. My love for books and words got me through hard times, and now that I'm doing better and I can make more time for myself, I'm glad I can dedicate myself to this.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Most beautiful and haunting book I've ever read. Kind of hope no book will ever hurt me like this ever again. I loved it but at the same time I had to talk to my therapist best friend multiple times about this because the damage it could have done to me...

Still. Most beautiful book of the year.

2. Beautiful World Where Are You by Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney gets me in ways I'm not sure I want people I know to get me, let alone a random book I pick up because I liked Normal People like three years ago.

3. Palestinian Trilogy by Mahmoud Darwish

Anthology made up by Journal of an Ordinary Grief (1973), Memory of Forgetfullness (1987), and In the Presence of Absence (2009). It's one of the most poetic and heartbreaking books I've ever read, and one of the books I have been recommending since I finished it in early 2023.

4. Ghosts by Dolly Aderton

Dolly Alderton also gets me in ways I'd rather perople not get me, and she makes me laugh a lot. And cry.

5. The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia could write a grocery's list and I would read it and love it.

6. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Technically a reread, but this was my favorite book at 17 and I'm glad it still is as beautiful as I remember.

7. The Wicked King by Holly Black

I technically rated Queen of Nothing higher than Wicked King but... I think this is more dramatic and iconic and if I have to choose between a kidnapping and an exile I'll always choose the kidnapping.

8. Tutta intera by Espérance Hakuzwimana

Best Italian novel I read in several years. If it doesn't get translated in 204610464 languages then what's the point.

9. Tre ciotole by Michela Murgia

This year we also lost author and activist Michela Murgia. It still feels like I lost my cool auntie, and I know it shouldn't, but it does. To cope I read this and... yeah.

10. If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura

If we consider how short it is and how much I cried reading it... it was probably a sob every two pages.

Honorable mentions:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (not incluced because I wanted to keep only 1 book per author).

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong (extremely tough decision between this and Genki Kawamura, but I had to go with the book that made me cry the most. I will remember 2023 as the year of the Shanghai duologies though, and this is by far my favorite book of the series).

[smalltownfae]

TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2023

The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

Swimming in the Dark - Tomasz Jedrowski

The Odyssey - Homer

The Complete Maus - Art Spiegelman

Shadows Return - Lynn Flewelling

Stalking Darkness - Lynn Flewelling

Maurice - E.M. Forster

Small Gods - Terry Pratchett

Momo - Michael Ende

As Meat Loves Salt - Maria McCann

[the-forest-library]

2023 Tumblr Top 10

1. 1,951 notes - Feb 2 2023

2. 1,667 notes - Jul 23 2023

Greta Gerwig could do Oppenheimer, but Christopher Nolan could never do Barbie.

3. 1,206 notes - Jul 22 2023

After now having seen Barbie, I am laughing at the idea of it being the palate cleaning portion of Barbenheimer. It was straight...

4. 1,041 notes - Dec 7 2023

“You should be at the club.” No, I should be at the seaside for my health.

5. 588 notes - May 21 2023

6. 554 notes - Jan 17 2023

7. 465 notes - Feb 24 2023

8. 315 notes - Aug 18 2023

Ok, I’m going to need books to stop coming out for a while so I can catch up.

9. 277 notes - Jul 20 2023

10. 274 notes - May 5 2023

Created by TumblrTop10

[tafadhali]

Top Books Read in 2023

System Collapse by Martha Wells

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Greenwing & Dart series by Victoria Goddard

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass

Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds & Jason Griffin

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

The October Country by Ray Bradbury

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner

Translation State by Ann Leckie

[slaughter-books]

Day 31: JOMPBPC: Favourite Books Of The Year

My top 10 favourite books that I loved reading throughout 2023, I love them all! 💜💙💚

[akocomyk]

8th Place – Top 10 Books of My 2023

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Is there any book in this list whose inclusion I wouldn't question?

I'm kidding hehe.

I adore the fact that Miller joyfully took advantage of her creative freedom in order to write this book. It's a very touching love story—really, I was a bit emotional during the final chapters. And though she used characters and the setting of the Iliad, she took the liberty to create a story of her own.

If I had one big concern about this... it's how she portrayed Patroclus' character. It's a HUMONGOUS concern, because he is the main protagonist.

Having been a fan of Greek mythology in high school, I thought it was general knowledge that Patroclus was a formidable warrior—almost equal to Achilles. And yeah, I thought there might be more to their relationship than just being bros. In this novel though, Patroclus was portrayed like a doe-eyed twink medic that couldn't even properly carry a spear.

I mean... you've already used their names for this fan-fiction, might as well use the right character profiles.

Anyway, I can't deny that I still enjoyed it. That's why it's here in this list. Had I read more good books this year, I wouldn't mind leaving this off.

[golden-fairylights]

Thank you for tagging me to post my top 10 favourite books I read this year @hrhgeorgerussell.❤️🥰 This was so much harder than I had originally thought! (Also, how is yours so aesthetically pleasing?)

I'm tagging @jshadow01, but honestly, just feel tagged if you want to participate 🥰

[holyfigtree]

top reads 2023:

⦁ will you please be quiet, please? by raymond carver ⦁ strega by johanne lykke holm ⦁ stoner by john williams ⦁ the faraway nearby by rebecca solnit ⦁ selected stories by alice munro ⦁ august: osage county by tracy letts ⦁ anna karenina by leo tolstoy (richard pevear and larissa volokhonsky translation) ⦁ the stone diaries by carol shields ⦁ the brothers karamazov by fyodor dostoevsky (richard pevear and larissa volokhonsky translation) ⦁ anne of green gables by LM Montgomery (the audiobook narrated by rachel mccadams)

honorable mentions:

⦁ of saints and miracles by manuel astur ⦁ crossroads by jonathan franzen ⦁ greenery street by denis mackail ⦁ goodmorning, midnight by jean rhys ⦁ the lover by marguerite duras ⦁ the true deceiver by tove jansson ⦁ cathedral by raymond carver ⦁ in love by alfred hayes

[televinita]

Goodreads Choice Awards but the nominees are just the books I've personally shelved

I have a lot of thoughts about the options as they exist (mostly not that bad, except when it comes to the total elimination of children's literature, about which I am furious), but per usual I can't really articulate them in a coherent way SO I sorted my shelves by publication date, ignored the GCA requirement of a minimum 3.5 average rating, and am doing this instead.

[update: oops this did not turn out coherent either. but it got typed!]

Important Reminder: These are not all books I consider equal contenders for "best." I simply wanted to highlight every possible option I actually knew about and have read or am interested in reading.

YA

After the Sirens - Sharon Farrell

Begin Again - Emma Lord (forgot to add this one before)

The Brothers Hawthorne - Jennifer Lynn Barnes (actual nominee and I'm gonna vote for it even though it seems like it may be more of a filler book. The Davenports is the only other official nom to intrigue me, and its lower average rating + hideous cartoon cover isn't enough to flip me unread so sorry, we're going Basic Popularity Contest Pick)

Cleaning Up - Leanne Lieberman

Five Survive - Holly Jackson (definitely not a winner)

Gather - Kenneth M. Cadow (edit: National Book Award finalist?? like with the adult fiction??)

Good as Gold -- Candace Buford (definite contender for fave so far)

Holly Horror - Michelle Jabès Corpora

The Island - Natasha Preston (lol. lmao even. but ridiculous fun)

The Lake House - Sarah Beth Durst

A Long Stretch of Bad Days - Mindy McGinnis

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway - Ashley Schumacher (here on author loyalty only)

Three Rivers - Sarah Stusek (THAT'S RIGHT. HER.)

Summer Rental - Rektok Ross (why am I this aware of brand-new ya horror??) (because I love horror and it's usually better paced and spookier and less shock-gory than the adult brand? fair)

YA FANTASY / SCI FI

Dream to Me - Megan Paasch (I think it would go here, anyway. but maybe it's just regular YA)

The Eternal Ones - Namina Forna (I gotta remember this series exists)

FANTASY

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries -- winner winner pick!! (no like officially)

Starling House - Alix E. Harrow (though this is a close second, and honestly, if they weren't both actual nominees I'd think The Unmaking of June Farrow has some potential intrigue)

ROMANCE

Hazel Fine Sings Along - Katie Wicks (no comment on its Wattpad origin. I didn't notice until just now. have not read it.)

Famous For A Living - Melissa Ferguson (popular enough for Once Upon a Book Club! but not for for an official nom, despite my hopes, in this fiercely competitive category. boooo)

Out On a Limb - Hannah Bonam-Young (damn I actually saw this one making rounds on BookTube, thought it might be here)

Something Wild & Wonderful - Anita Kelly (can't believe there's actually a queer romance I want to see show up and it doesn't)

(Bonus: legit nominees I am considering for validity include Happy Place; Yours Truly - I really need to figure out if Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez are in my wheelhouse or not - and Hello Stranger, though as much as I like Katherine Center this one does not call to me)

FICTION

This Bird Has Flown - Susanna Hoffs (might also have been under romance if picked for the actual GCA? feels more mainstream than that but idk. anyway HATERS 2 THE LEFT.)

^ also my pick for debut

The Lost Manuscript - Mollie Rushmeyer (dunno which category this would officially go in either. probably romance? maybe mystery? but it's got a lot more plot than the average romance)

HISTORICAL FICTION

The Echo of Old Books - Barbara Davis (holy crap this one's actually in the nominations?! Instant vote. Almost disappointing because there are some other candidates I would have felt fine voting for to block the worse ones, but this is the only one on my acute TBR. If I don't give at least 4 stars I will be shocked)

MYSTERY/THRILLER

Forgotten Trail - Claire Kells

The Hike - Lucy Clarke

The Only One Left - Riley Sager

Homecoming - Kate Morton (crisis alert! the latter two are both official nominees and I am equally interested in both/both have equally good track records with me) (probs. gonna vote Kate on the principle of female solidarity. even though this is really stretching the definition of "mystery")

HORROR

A Haunting on the Hill - Elizabeth Hand

(How To Sell a Haunted House is a hard maybe but also the only one I think I'd even consider trying from the official noms)

MEMOIR

Paris: The Memoir - Paris Hilton

The Woman in Me - Britney Spears

Grimoire Girl - Hilarie Burton Morgan

Tell Me Everything - Minka Kelly

If You Would Have Told Me - John Stamos

Goodbye to Clocks Ticking - Joseph Monninger (forgot I just stumbled upon this one recently! it's on my library list but not my GR account)

and one more except GCA put it in a different category hang on

Three of these - not Burton's, alas - are actually nominees. Britney is gonna win but not without a fight from me. Do I go with Paris, whose memoir impressed me even though I still don't care much for her as a person, or Minka, whose memoir I haven't read but whose reviews sound excellent and whom I like more?

HUMOR

Being Henry - Henry Winkler (there is absolutely no reason for this not to be nominated in memoir btw. I hope it wins Humor because nothing else appeals in that category and I have multiple vendettas (SAMANTHA IRBY), but it would be as misplaced a win as the Office Ladies book was last year. fully deserving of an award! actually the best of the given nominees! but also like an adult beating a bunch of children in a footrace.)

MIDDLE GRADE

(no longer a GCA category but it fudgin' should be)

Just Gus - McCall Hoyle

Falling Out of Time - Margaret Peterson Haddix (actually glad I don't have to choose between these two because like. dogs - but also boy MC - or author loyalty ft. sequel to my childhood fave??)

Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen - Geri Halliwell The Spice Girl (no. 😔) (and yet it is still on my shelf)

I have no strong opinions for any categories I skipped.

[nonsubstantial]

2022 book reads

~most of these, I listened to as audiobooks. But this is just a list of all the books I experienced this year, by month~

January ++

Heretics of Dune (dune 5) - impact: 7/10

Chapterhouse Dune (dune 6) - impact: 7/10

February ++

Gideon the Ninth (the locked tomb 1) - impact: 7/10

Leviathan Wakes (the expanse 1) - impact: 8/10

March ++

The Obelisk Gate (the broken earth 2) - impact: 8/10

April ++

The Stone Sky (the broken earth 3) - impact: 8/10

A Storm Of Swords (a song of ice and fire 3) - impact: 10/10

May ++

nothing :(

June ++

Caliban’s War (the expanse 2) - impact 9/10

All Systems Red (the murderbot diaries 1) - impact 9/10

July ++

Artificial Condition (the murderbot diaries 2) - impact 9/10

Rogue Protocol (the murderbot diaries 3) - impact 9/10

Exit Strategy (the murderbot diaries 4) - impact 9/10

Network Effect (the murderbot diaries 5) - impact 9/10

August ++

Fugitive Telemetry (the murderbot diaries 6) - impact 9/10

September ++

Abaddon’s Gate (the expanse 3) - impact 9/10

October ++

nothing :(

November ++

Mexican Gothic - impact 8/10

December ++

Cibola Burn (the expanse 4) - impact 8/10

[cocoawithbooks]

My Top 10 Favorite Books of 2023

The following are my top 10 favorite books of 2023. They cross a few different genres. Some are popular and some might be new to you. Let me know if you have read any of these or if you plan on adding any to your own TBR. Saints of the Household 1. Saints of the Household by Ari Tison This is a heart wrenching story about grief & recovery, the repercussions of domestic violence and what it…

[kappabooks]

Books I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To | Top Ten Tuesdays

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was previously hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is “Books I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To”! Did you know, that for as long as I’ve done this prompt, I’ve always assumed it meant “2023 releases I meant to read, but didn’t”? I realize now it could be any book, but I’m going to stick with…

[loveliveforward]

Top 10 Books of 2023

I read over 100 books in 2023 (111 to be exact), and the quality ranged from DNF to 11/10! Here were my top ten favorite books that I read last year, in no particular order. I didn’t include ratings because it’s safe to say they were all 5 star reads! (Note: some of these were released before 2023 and a few are being released in 2024, but I’m counting them!) Dark Matter – Blake Crouch This was…