Favorite Books of 2023
Top Ten reads of 2023
2023 was filled with so many incredible new releases. I read 80 books in 2023 and these were my top ten favorites! The books featured on this list were all published in 2023. I’ll share all the books I rated five stars in 2023 (including the backlist — aka older books — I read and loved) in another post. In no particular order…
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond: A powerful and educational exploration of the poverty crisis in America, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond tackles the question of how and why the most prosperous country in the world has, for decades, failed to make substantial progress on poverty.
Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino” by Hector Tobar: An exploration of race that draws on the author’s life experiences and those he encounters in his effort to document the historical and present existence of individuals who identify as Latino/a/x/e and/or Hispanic in America.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi: When a down-on-his-luck teacher inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain empire, hilarity ensues as the protagonist meets genetically engineered spy cats, unionized (and foul-mouthed) dolphins and the many, many enemies of his late uncle.
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair: A reflection on family, culture, self-discovery and power, this beautifully written memoir recounts the author's upbringing in Jamaica and her efforts to extricate herself from her father and his strict Rastafarian household.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: In this brutal-yet-poetic dystopian novel, the author deftly exposes the criminality of the real-life prison industrial complex as incarcerated individuals fight to the death for their freedom while the world eagerly watches
The Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland: In this sweeping memoir, the author embarks on an exploration of blindness and disability as he provides a first-hand account of his gradual vision loss and how his degenerative eye condition has impacted his family, sense of self and community.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang: This captivating satirical novel offers an inside look at the systemic inequality that plagues the publishing industry as an insufferable white writer finds success after stealing the work of her recently deceased Asian American frenemy.
Murder Your Employer: The McMaster’s Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes: This witty adventure story takes place at an elite academic institution that specializes in teaching the art of homicide where students must complete their proposed thesis or risk their own deletion.
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb: In this melodic mystery novel, a Black musical scholar is hired to restore a newly-recovered symphony by one of the world’s most revered white composers and, in the process, uncovers long-buried secrets that expose the celebrated composer as a fraud.
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor: An epic thriller and family saga that takes places amidst a modernizing India where wealth, corruption and organized crime reign supreme. If you’re a fan of fast-paced crime thrillers and/or rich-people-behaving-badly stories, this book is for you!
Honorable Mentions
While the following books didn’t quite make my top ten list, they were all close runner-ups that deserve recognition and high praise:
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld: A 2023 Reese’s Book Club selection, this witty and fun story offers a behind-the-scenes look at an SNL-esque TV show as a female writer forms an unlikely bond with a celebrity guest — one that forces her to reconsider all her previous assumptions about romance.
Confidence by Rafael Frumkin: This comedic satire about two friends and the rise of their fraudulent technology / wellness company is perfect for fans of rich-people-behaving-badly stories. This clever and engaging novel provides a frighteningly accurate portrayal of the capitalistic values that perpetuate greed, corruption and denial.
The Future by Naomi Alderman: Set in a not-so-distant future where a small group of tech billionaires (who are knowingly destroying the planet with their mega-corporations) are determined to use their wealth and privilege to predict the future - and thus, ensure their survival amidst the mess they've made. That is, until a group of insiders hatch a plan to reset course and hopefully save humanity.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: This buzzy New Adult romantasy was perhaps the most talked about book in the online book community in 2023 as readers were captivated by the first book in this adventurous new fantasy series that centers on a young woman entering the treacherous world of dragon riding.
