My reads of 2023
Another year of reading has come and gone, and boy oh boy, what a year it’s been!
In 2023, something really weird happened – I think I fell in love with reading again. What’s even weirder is that I don’t think I really even realised I’d fallen out of love with it in the first place. I think it was a mixture of having writing deadlines, working another job, raising a kid that was still in nursery, etc. that got in the way of me actually wanting to read, much less enjoy it.
But this year, my writing deadlines were, for the most part, limited to edits, I’ve been able to quit my job, and my daughter is now in school, which has meant I’ve had a lot more time and energy for reading.
I think my sudden lust for the reading life was also lent to by the fact that I was reading some really fantastic books. Honestly, even the ones I wasn’t crazy about, I still enjoyed. If anything, the theme for this year was “concept.” I didn’t rely on authors or genres – if I was captured by a concept, I read the book. And I think that really helped here.
So, without further a due, here, in the order that I read them, are the books I finished in 2023. Expect a lot of weird, a lot of dark, and a lot of brilliant YA.
1. The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett – I really enjoyed this book, but I saw the twist coming from a mile away. I realise that’s not necessarily a bad thing – maybe the author intended for us to catch on. But I love a girl power book, and this one has girl power aplenty, with an unlikely cohort of high schoolers teaming up against higher up abusers. It’s told with darkness and sarcasm, with tongue and cheek nods to misogynistic tropes in pop culture. It’s one I picked up just because I liked the cover, but I’m really glad that I did.
2. Don’t Call It a Cult by Sarah Berman – Oh boy, do I love a cult book. And this one did not disappoint. It tells the story of the NXIVM cult with journalistic precision, and interviews former members to get a true, inside look. It’s so twisted and creepy, but a fascinating look at how people who seem so average can fall so deeply into something so awful and exploitative.
3. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black – I picked up this book for the same reason everyone probably did: because I loved The Cruel Prince series. I know this is awful, but I found the appearance of the main girl sort of repulsive (she has sharp, pointed teeth like a piranha), so I took a few liberties when imagining how things played out in my head. And while I definitely didn’t connect as much with this story as I did TCP (there’s still enemies to lovers here, but a lot less intense), I did enjoy it and have already preordered book two!
4. Afterlove by Tanya Byrne – I was really looking forward to reading this book, because the concept is brilliant. It’s about a girl who dies suddenly and becomes a reaper, who then uses her ability to walk around the mortal world to reconnect with her ex-girlfriend. For me though, the concept didn’t live up to the execution I wanted – there’s no denying it was written lovingly and beautifully, with so much romance and sweetness, but I think I wanted more to come of this great, magical concept. So that’s on me.
5. Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz – Oh dreamy, dreamy weirdness! I loved this book. I originally picked it up because it’s published by my US publisher and I lean in hard when I join a community. And then, of course, the concept is just incredible. It’s about a young woman who wants to be a surgeon, but it’s the 1800’s in Scotland and she’s not allowed, so she befriends a gravedigger and darkness ensues. Plus romance, intrigue, mystery. It’s so good, and I scrambled to get book two.
6. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Sadly, this book was a big let-down for me. I mean, it was like a crazy bestseller, and I get the intrigue. It’s a good premise. But the execution was incredibly lacking, from the lazy characterisations to the less than inspiring writing. I just found it really slow and unsatisfying at the end. I didn’t get the twist though until it was revealed, so that was something.
7. Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz – What a joy to be back in this world! This time they head down south to England and the love interest isn’t around for quite a while, but it’s all worth the wait. There’s an intriguing secret society of famous historical figures, it’s all super sexy and cool. The ending wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but that’s life, I guess. All in all, a fantastic read.
8. A Million to One Adiba Jaigirdar – This is another one where I was immediately captured by the concept, but that I found was lacking in the execution. It’s about four girls trying to execute a heist on the Titanic. Yes, that Titanic. Sounds amazing, right? But while there was great romance, I felt the story didn’t take enough advantage of the incredible setting and what we knew was inevitably going to happen. I found that aspect disappointing, but that’s a creative choice the author took and so therefore wasn’t up to me.
9. Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent – Yet another book where the premise instantly sold me. My local indie bookstore sends out a newsletter and this was one of the highlights. I immediately ran down to the shop to buy it, and was warned by the manager that it was incredibly dark, so much so that she had to put it down. And while I agree, it was pretty horrific at times (okay, most of the time), it was so well-written and so compelling. The ending was incredibly anticlimactic, but I’d still recommend this book to anyone, anywhere.
10. The Devil You Know by Dr. Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne – I’ve been wanting to read this book ever since they did snippets of it over BBC Radio 4. I listened to it on audiobook, and I’m glad I did, because in general I find I can get easily distracted when reading non-fiction on the page. I love true crime, so it was really interesting to hear about perpetrators and what kinds of lives preceded their crimes. It’s told by the actual forensic psychiatrist that treated them, so she was really knowledgeable and partial in her writing. It’s a great read for true crime fans that want something a little different.
11. Liberation Day by George Saunders – George Saunders, how I love thee. He is without a doubt one of my favourite authors of all time, so to read this short story collection felt like a gift. It might be my favourite pieces of his writing – it was all at once weird, magical, heartfelt and hilarious. He is the master of sarcastic magic realism, and I will always worship him for it.
12. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – I know there’s a lot of controversy surrounding this author, so I’m going to stick to the text here, which I thought was excellent. It was a tender story about a young girl abandoned in the southern marshes, who carves out a new existence for herself with what she can, one that’s threatened when she goes on trial for murdering the town pretty boy. I found her relationship with the other love interest just this side of creepy, so that was annoying, but the writing itself was so moving and beautiful. And the ending completely hit me out of nowhere, so that was a bonus.
13-17. A Court of Thorns and Roses (et al) by Sara J. Maas – Yes, TikTok made me read it, but I did really enjoy this series. A lot. I loved also that it got increasingly better as the books went on (with the exception of the Christmas special, which was just kind of dumb), which is so often not the case. This was one of my first properly spicy series, and one of few fantasy ones, at that, so it was a real treat.
18. Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher – Gah, this book was so great! What a great year for books. It was so snarky and so sarcastic and just so freaking funny. The banter is 10/10, the romance and tension is 10/10 – truly, it was all just so well executed and smart. Even though it’s technically like, an Arthurian, historical YA, I’d recommend it to absolutely anybody, because nothing but the setting feels even remotely historic (in a good way, I promise).
19. One of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley by Carol Ann Lee – Back on my true crime game. If you’re a devotee, you’ve heard of the Moors murders, so I’ve always wanted to learn more about Myra Hindley. It’s pretty much a complete, detailed telling of her life, from before her birth all the way to her death, with a big emphasis on her relationship with Ian Brady and the murders. I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to humanise Myra or make us sympathise with her, but it definitely didn’t for me. Yes, she had a tougher than some upbringing, but nothing could make what she did any more understandable. Similar to The Devil You Know, it gives an interesting look at what can make someone do what they do, so I did appreciate that.
20. Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston – I absolutely adore Kate Weston’s writing, so this was a big one for me in 2023. A teenage murder mystery told with snark and silliness? Yes please. I didn’t love it as much as I loved Diary of a Confused Feminist and Must Do Better, but that series was gold for me, so it’s hard to touch. This was still fun and hilarious, and I’m still a big Kate Weston fan.
21. The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix – I read My Best Friend’s Exorcism a few years ago and absolutely loved it, but never thought to read more of Grady Hendrix until I stumbled across this book in a Los Angeles bookstore. It was laugh out loud funny and so girl power, playing hard into the final girl horror trope but giving them back power. I loved every second of it and will never make the mistake of not reading Grady Hendrix again.
22. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – I really didn’t want to like this book, as I have an irrational dislike for “books of the moment,” as it were. But my god, I loved it. From the 90s game references, to the character relationships, to the emotional journey. My favourite literary device is form follows function, so I was especially delighted when the shape of each story took on the form of the video game they were developing. I’m basic, and I know it, but this book was just plain excellent.
23. Where the Light Goes by Sara Barnard – At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ll say it – this concept captured me! We meet a girl whose older, famous singer takes her own life, and are thrust deep into grief and her attempt to keep going with her life after losing such an important part of her family. It’s incredibly sad and heart-wrenching, with not a lot of lightness, even at the end, but I suppose that’s how it often goes in situations like this. It’s told incredibly gently, beautifully and most important, sensitively.
24. The Thing About Lemons by Tasha Harrison – I read this book because I was sent it as part of my Paper Orange subscription, but the cover was so beautiful and unique, I was sucked in. It’s about a teenage girl that goes on a road trip with her estranged grandpa, and how she reconnects with her family in a time where her friend group has been obliterated. While at times I felt like parts of the story were missing, it was such a sweet and compelling tale. I really enjoyed it.
25. None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney – Back to the dark YA, and boy, was this dark. The concept was really far-fetched—the FBI essentially recruiting teens to help interview teenage killers, as if that’d ever be legal—but I was willing to suspend my disbelief. Our main character was chosen because she’d been held captive before and so had some kind of idea as to how to get into the mind of a killer. The really interesting perpetrator was not the one that the two main characters set out to catch, which was a nice touch, though the writing was kind of clinical and emotionless in places. Either way, I left this book feeling having been pretty captivated the whole way through, and interested in reading the second one.
26. Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud – I read this book for a book club I’m in, though I’d heard about it through my husband, because he’d watched (and really enjoyed) the show. Having now read it, I wasn’t as enamoured. While the premise (here I go again) was really interesting, I found the fact that I couldn’t place the book in time really frustrating and just kind of unnecessary. The narrator also frequently fat shames one of the characters to the point where the book then feels kind of dated (like, how could a book these days get away with fat shaming a character so hard, even his knee is referred to as “ample”?). The entire way through I couldn’t wait to finish and be done with the series, and then the twist at the end kind of pulled me back in. If I do read book two, it won’t be for a while.
27. The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez – I read about this book in The Bookseller and was yes, you guessed it, immediately captivated. It’s about a young woman who escapes slavery in the American South, only to then be made into a vampire. She then witnesses Black history throughout the next two hundred years as she travels across America, meets new people and has relationships. Genius, right? The writing is so beautiful and tender, and I find the settings/places in time that Gomez chooses really fascinating. This is a must read.
28. Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli – I’ve read all of Becky Albertalli’s solo books, so this one was a no-brainer for me. I followed the saga that inspired this book as it was happening, too, so I was doubly interested in seeing how she’d use it in the narrative. I found this book’s depiction of a girl discovering her sexuality in real time incredibly thoughtful and realistic; because of course these realisations aren’t just overtly obvious to us all. Sometimes they take thought and a whole process to unfold, something Albertalli wasn’t afforded in private and something Imogen, our protagonist, isn’t either. It’s impossible not to empathise with her make you question how we relate to those people just trying to work things out.
29. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy – I’ve had this book on my TBR list for ages, and I can’t tell you how relieved I felt to finally read it (which is a weird sentiment, considering the book’s subject matter). It was such an upsetting read, especially considering just how in the public eye Jennette McCurdy was and people either didn’t know about what was going on or turned a blind eye to it. How even her family could let her be treated this way was just so baffling, though I know it’s not always black and white. The book was really captivating and I inhaled it quite quickly, so I’d definitely recommend it to people that like a solid memoir.
30. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – And I said I didn’t like reading “books of the moment.” Sigh! I must admit, it was the idea of Brie Larson playing the main character in the Apple TV series that made me want to read this book, as I have a massive thing for her. While I overall liked this book, I found the unending cruelty in it so difficult sometimes. It sometimes felt like the male characters were either completely nice and fine or they were straight-up abusers. I suppose the times were different, but at some times the cruelty just felt like overkill. The few redemptive arcs were nice, though brief.
31. A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins – This is Paula Hawkins’ third thriller, and therefore the third book of hers that I’ve read. Admittedly I listened to the first two on Audible, and while I liked the stories, I didn’t like listening to fiction, so I wanted to try reading a physical book of hers instead. True to form, this book was dark and had a mystery at its core, but I found I didn’t particularly like any of the characters (and quite frankly, I’m not sure you’re meant to), and by the time I got to the end of the book, it felt like one very major plotline was left completely open-ended and unfinished, which was a shame, because I think it was the most interesting part of the book!
32. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann – Back to Audible for non-fiction, which is really all I find I can listen to in terms of audiobooks. This saga was long and complicated and very upsetting, but ultimately a really riveting case. I’d never heard of the Osage murders before, which was wild to me, because so many people died and over such a long period. I was happy to see (or rather, hear) the end of this audiobook, and probably could’ve been just as happy reading a summary of the case, but ultimately am glad I’ve padded out my knowledge of this area of true crime.
33. From Blood & Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – Here’s another book I read for book club, after we’d all been suitably converted to smutty fantasy. For the vast majority of this book, I found myself not particularly interested in reading the second one, as I felt the narrative was quite slow and predictable. But when I got to the end, I couldn’t imagine how I couldn’t read the second one. So, how’s that for a twist? The romance in this one was less cringe than A Court of Silver Flames, and the main character Poppy was far more multi-dimensional than Feyre and the like. Dare I say I might like it more than the ACOTAR series?
34. A Kingdom of Flesh & Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout – And then there was book two! I was much more hooked to the premier, characters and their relationships by book two, though I found Poppy’s emotional struggle/turmoil really overdone and kind of annoying, quite frankly. Her constant state of denial left me wanting to shake her – I know there needs to be plausible deniability in books to keep the narrative going and stretch out the tension but this just felt naïve and borderline deliberate. So when she got to the final realisation, it was very welcome on my end.
35. How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean - I got so much side eye at my daughter’s swim lesson when reading this, but it was worth it. I really enjoyed this book, though a story about young Hollywood socialites was a deviation from my usual reading habits. I was totally thrown by the ending - I thought I had it and everything was done and dusted and then BOOM, new twist. I was fully there for it.
Next year’s book quota is going to be 35 which, yes, feels like a cop out, but my goal this year was 25, so I’m going slow. Stay tuned!