the best books i read in 2023
As the new year unfolds and everyone is busy making new year’s resolutions and looking towards the year ahead, I always like to take a small look back. It’s fun to reflect on everything that happened in a year and gather all the highlights and that is exactly what I am doing in this post. I’m going to take a look back at the books I’ve read in 2023 and share the 5 that captivated my imagination and left a mark. So hopefully, after reading this post, you’ll have a few more books to add to your list for the coming year!
Want to save this post for later? Pin it in the top left corner!
A little life – 5 ★
I’ve talked about a little life before in my five star books post (accessible here) and those 5 stars also brought it onto the list for this post. A little life is an emotionally charged narrative in which we follow 4 friends throughout their life together. The writing in this story is so cleverly done that at some point in the book, the author just stops telling you from which perspective the chapters are written. Because you get to know the characters so incredibly well, it isn’t needed anymore and you just know who’s talking through little details. But, as I’ve said before, the topics discussed in this book are heavy and I highly recommend looking up a list of discussed topics or trigger warnings before getting into this book. Other than that, this book is an unparalleled emotional journey and left me feeling all kinds of good and bad. The characters truly feel like your own friends towards the end of the story and I’ve never read anything quite like this book.
Alone with you in the ether – 5 ★
Another 5 star read that was on my list this year and might be my top pick of 2023 overall! I love Olivie Blake’s writing style and this book is just superior. It weaves together mental illness and falling in love and I’ve underlined something on almost every page of this book. It is so insightful and made me emotional more than a few times while reading it. The story follows two strangers who meet and decide to have six conversations with each other. Throughout these conversations we watch them fall in love and follow a beautiful story of love growing through turbulent times. With its profound insights and emotional resonance, I would recommend this book a 100 times over to anyone!
Six of Crows – 4.75 ★
Six of Crows has been on my favourites list since I read it for the first time a few years ago. Since that year I have been rereading this young adult fantasy at least once every year, which is why it is also on my list for 2023. The story introduces 6 young people who, all for their own reasons, have ended up on the streets and been forced into criminal activity. When offered the chance to pull off a dangerous heist for an unthinkable amount of money, they form a team together to make it happen. It’s a book full of ingenious plans, criminal intrigue, found family and plot twists I didn’t see coming at all.
Come as you are – 4.5 ★
The only non-fiction book on this list! Come as you are is, as you might have guessed from the title, about sex. This books covers everything, from basic anatomy to more complicated sexual difficulties and where they come from. Because it is rooted in real stories from real people, it is truly a breath of fresh air in a topic that is usually regarded as taboo. While I awarded it 4.5 stars, the recurring message of 'just don't be insecure' slightly detracted the rating slightly. Nevertheless, it remains one of the best self-help books I've encountered, providing valuable insights for everyone, regardless of gender. If you’ve ever wondered ‘am I normal?’, had insecurities about your sexuality or just want to brush up on your knowledge like me, this is the year that you should read this book. It’s truly one of the best self-help books I’ve ever read and I would recommend it to everyone!
Bonus tip: I listened to the audiobook and it is so much fun! You can really hear the author’s passion for the subject and it is kind of useful if you don’t want to take a book with a ‘vagina’ on the cover onto public transport lol.
Babel – 4.5 ★
And finally we have arrived at number 5! Also rated 4.5 stars is Babel, an incredible fantasy book that talks about issues like race, colonialism and the art of translation. While the first half of this book is a bit slow, the latter half really picks up and bursts with unexpected twists and turns. The magic system used in this book is based on translation and a really unique concept that fascinated me all throughout the book. In the story we follow Robin as he gets rescued from certain death and is brought to England. Here he is taught multiple languages and the art of translation so in the future he can attend Babel, the main translation institute in all of England. From here we follow him and his friends as they slowly start to figure out what business Babel is involved in and why they were all recruited from a young age to be there. The story and magic system are super original, the topics discussed are incredibly important and the twists happening in this book left my mouth hanging open several times. Don’t get scared by the size of this book (it’s over 500 pages lol), it is truly incredible!
I hope that through sharing my favourites you have found some new additions to your reading list. I would love to hear what you thought about any of these books if you have also read them. So leave a comment below and let’s chat!
Until next time!