My Best Books of 2023
Would you even believe me if I told you I read more than cringey, poorly edited smut this year? Well it's true! Let's discuss my best reads of 2023.
These books were the only thing standing between me and a lobotomy this year. I wish I was kidding.
I read some weird books, some god awful books but these books… these books are the reason I still believe reading to be fun. They brought me back to life! Click below to watch the video but skip ahead if you’re just here for the book list!
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So for starters, I had a rough year emotionally, so I found myself reaching for old reliables with low stakes, familiarity and a guarantee of no wasted time.
Comfort Reads, Classic Faves + Re Reads
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - always a guaranteed good time and it is even better when I follow up a re read with a re watch of the films!
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews - this might not scream “comfort” to you but for me, it reminds me of a simpler time when I first discovered weird fiction and the only thing I was worried about was my mom finding out what I was reading!
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman - this is just a solid short story read about a woman’s slow descent into madness. Can’t go wrong.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - do I even need to explain this one? I love this series so much, it has my heart in a vice grip and I am ok with that.
Ghost Eaters by Clay McCleod Chapman - again, a gory horror novel doesn’t just give “comfort” to most people but I love this book, it feels like an atmospheric, grotesque horror movie in the best and worst ways. I re read it to feel alive.
The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue - my all time favorite ghostly historical fiction with ethereal story telling and a complicated but beautiful main character to follow around. *ALSO, I do not recommend this one on audiobook, it is the abridged version and not as fun.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie - whether it’s the book or the movies, this story is a balm to my weary soul and a warm hug to my inner child.
The Iron Man by Ted Hughes - I only just realized this was a thing, who it was written by and how it came to be. My husband loves the movie adaptation and now, I love the book.
New Faves of 2023
Now it’s time for the good stuff. These are the new books that found me in 2023 and reminded me that reading is fun.
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammond - this was a sapphic, coming of age story following a young girl as she and her family move back to her mother’s hometown to care of her terminally ill grandma. It was warm and charming but powerful at the same time.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - 1 of 3 SMG books on this list, Mexican Gothic is a gothic horror novel that tells the story of a young woman who receives a odd, concerning letter from her recently married cousin. Worried, she heads off to check on her and is met by a strange family of in-laws in an even stranger house.
Deviant by Harold Schechter - Schechter was my most read author this year and he is one of my all time favorite true crime non fiction authors. Deviant tells about serial killer Ed Gein in a gripping, honest, informative but still entertaining way that only Schechter can do.
Way Down Deep by Charlotte Stein and Cara McKenna - a romance for the digital age, this epistolary style novel gives you a front row seat to two flawed people who have a chance encounter via text and get swept away with each other. Catch me being swept as well. So cute and sweet and even a little spicy!
You by Caroline Kepnes - not only is this a genius concept for a thriller novel (writing it completely in second person) but it is so evocative, particularly with my rage for stalker and all around creep Joe Goldberg as he becomes obsessed with Guinevere Beck. I also really enjoy the TV series.
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati - historical fiction, Greek mythology retold with patriarchal pain and feminine rage at the center. I loved this slow burn that gave “I support women’s rights, but more importantly, I support women’s wrongs” until the very end.
The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes - a heart warming, important queer, YA contemporary that navigates friendship, trauma and revenge with nuance and so much heart.
Brother by Ania Ahlborn - (available on KU) any time I read a horror novel by Ahlborn, it’s almost a guarantee that it will be on the “best of list” for that year. This is no exception with it’s violent family traditions in the heart of Appalachia.
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates - dire circumstances in an isolated, snowy setting. This was my first Coates novel and I really enjoyed it. A group of people find themselves stranded in a snowy hell and there is a killer among them. Very fun to read and it nails the winter vibe.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - a historical, mystery/horror set in Mexico City with a cool FMC and lots of references to classic horror films. At one point, I got literal chills. So good.
There are no Saints by Sophie Lark - (available on KU) a dark romance I actually liked? I can hardly believe it myself. The new illustrated version of the ebook is not to be slept on either! Since art plays such a big role in the story and the main characters, it really brings the book to life in a fun way.
Galatea by Madeline Miller - Greek mythology will always appeal to me, I blame my 7th grade social studies teacher for it. This is a short story so it was an enjoyable breeze!
Sweet Inferno by Elliott Rose - (available on KU) another dark romance that didn’t suck, I am blessed! This involves a romance between a fire witch and a shifter wolf which makes it all the more fun.
Disseverment by Z.C. Krol - (available on KU) extreme horror has entered the chat. A young man goes to visit his estranged, mentally ill mother and it gets gross! It is pretty short but it still packs a disgusting punch so check the trigger warnings before proceeding.
Unhinged by Vera Valentine - (available on KU) an erotic door romance novella. I don’t think I need to say anything else. This book knew what it wanted to accomplish and it did just that.
The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - a dark fairy tale fantasy novella filled with longing and tension.
Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller - a moody, gothic, historical mystery/thriller as told in memories from a deathbed. This book was a slow burn but I enjoyed taking my time with it. It felt haunting and unsettling pretty much the whole time. It felt very reminiscent of another fav of mine: Surrender by Sonya Hartnett.
Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum - extreme horror novellas are so much fun. In this one, you get dread and gore as you follow a nurse/wife while she cares for her doctor husband who is dying slowly from an unknown illness. Check trigger warnings before diving in!
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins - I finally picked this up in anticipation of the movie (which I didn’t love or hate) and while it wasn’t the story *I* would have wanted to expound upon and it didn’t hit the way the first 3 Hunger Games novels did before, it was still really good. I will always be happy to get to return to this series in any way.
What Kind of Mother by Clay McCleod Chapman - this southern gothic horror follows a woman who recently moved back to her hometown to be closer to her daughter who she lost custody of. She begins reading palms to make money and her path crosses with a man from her past with a missing son. Chaos ensues and it gets weird (and a bit gross too).
Bury Me into Diamonds by Kaitlyn Luckow - (available on KU) last but not least, my friend Kaitlyn wrote a collection of short stories and I loved it. I KNOW SHE’S MY FRIEND SO YOU WON’T BELIEVE ME BLAH but I found the stories to be evocative and inviting in a way that they left me wanting more but gave me just what I needed at the same time. THAT’S MY BEST FRIEND, Y’ALL!
Thank you so much for reading and cheers to an incredible reading year with you!
What was your favorite read of 2023? Let me know so we can chat!