My Favorite Reads of 2023

If you know me, you know I LOVE to read. I mean I even have my “Currently Reading” section of Goodreads at the bottom of my home page for all to see. I LOVE Goodreads. It’s so much fun to track the books I’m reading, see the progress bar go up, and feel the satisfaction of leaving those rating stars when I finish a book. Setting that reading challenge goal and watching as I tick of each book makes me feel like I managed to accomplish something with my life.

I set a goal of 52 books for 2023. That averaged out to a book a week and I’m happy to say that I actually ended up with 62 books read for the year. Several of them were audiobooks I listened to while I worked our was at the gym, some were school books I read aloud to the kids but I hadn’t read them before so I counted it, some were bed time read alouds also done with the kids, and the rest are books I read for myself because I just wanted to.

As I was thinking through the best way to share what my favorite reads for 2023 were I came across a “book bracket” (think March Maddness basketball bracket) where the person listed their top book for each month then pitted them head to head against each other to come up with a favorite book of the year and I thought that looked like a LOT of fun. So here is my 2023 BOOK BRACKET!!

Here is a bit about each book I choose for the year.

January: The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Final Gambit is the 3rd installment in the “Inheritance Games” book series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. It is the fast pace conclusion to a series of tasks and events that Avery Grambs and the Hawthorne brothers are on after the Hawthorne patriarch passes away. In this series Avery finds herself as the beneficiary of the entire Hawthorne estate rather than one of his daughters or four grandsons. No one knows why Tobias Hawthorne choose to leave this massive inheritance to a random stranger but through a series of clues, games, and challenges they are all going to find out. This is a fun conclusion to the series. I’m a big fan of things that make me think and try to figure out what is coming next so I really enjoyed this series!

February: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

If you are into cheesy rom-coms then this book is for you. I love this book because it helps shine a light on women in STEM careers while also feeding my deep love for predictable romantic comedy endings. In this one Olive is on a mission to prove to her friend that she is happy and in love and dating and all the things young adult women should be doing, and in turn finds her self in a fake dating trope with none other than the one man everyone knows to be the worst. Does it all work out in the end or does the experiment go haywire and the mission fail miserably? Read this one and find out!

March: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Ok, so I have to admit I am now a die hard Ali Hazelwood fan and will probably read anything she every writes from now until forever. Her writing is fun and fast paced and I can devour one of her books in a weekend. Like this one, Love on the Brain. In this enemies to lovers book Bee finds herself landing her dream job only to find out she has to co-lead with her grad school archnemesis, Levi. However, when he starts to seem a little less like an enemy and a little more like he might just be on her side, she has to come to terms with a lot more than just how to get through her NASA project, but also how to navigate emotions that might be more than just chemical reactions in the brain. So much fun to read!

April: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

I might have gone on a little bit of a cheesy romance novel kick for a few months in there but this one took home the Goodreads price for best Romance in 2022 so surely it was worth it right? Plus, its a book about books…well..sorta. Actually its a book about the people who get the books on the shelves for the rest of us. This fun small town, enemies to lovers story Nora and Charlie have to navigate the bumps and bruises when the continually run into each other in quaint small town North Carolina. While she is trying to become the hero in her own story and is looking for the love of her life to help her become that she just knows it is not Charlie. Why? Because they know each other and their relationship has always been anything but romantic. Will things change and will they truly see each other for who they really are? Only time will tell.

May: Weyward by Emila Hart

This was one of my Book of the Month choices from 2023 and it did not disappoint. Winner of Goodreads “Best Historical Fiction” and “Best Debut Novel” award for 2023 it truly met and exceeded all expectations. In this story that spans generations we learn about a unique family line of women who beat all the odds through grit and resilience. Absolutely a must read.

June: The Book of Candle Light by Elery Adams

This cozy mystery novel is the 3rd book in the Bell, Book, and Scone Society series. In this installment Nora and her friends embark on a journey to discover who killed a local artisan and why. As she navigates her new relationships with women in the community, a budding relationship with the new paramedic in town, managing her book shop, and her side gig of bibliotherapy Nora has a full plate but she is learning that there is such a thing as starting over and second chances.

July: Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood is back with another fantastic romance novel. In this one Elise navigates a life of theoretical physicist by day and fake girlfriend for hire by night. She has learned the subtle art of compartmentalizing her various lives and does her absolute best to keep both those lives as separate as possible. Until one day it all comes crashing down when she discovers the brother of a beloved fake girlfriend client is also on her hiring board. Can she manage to keep things together long enough to get her dream job? And better yet, will she finally find her dream man?

August: The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

Have you ever heard of a “Death Doula”? I hadn’t either until I read this book. Another Book of the Month Book, this story is an interesting story of a woman who is emerging from her sheltered life to one of fulfillment and joy. Not something you would think of when considering a women who chooses to spend her life giving people the death they deserve, but there it is. Romance, friendship, and self discovery fill the pages of this Goodreads “Best Fiction” and “Best Debut Novel” nominee for 2023.

September: The WingFether Saga On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

This book was one of our bed time read aloud books I went through with the kids and we LOVED it. I know I’m a bit late to the WingFeather train but we are here now and all in. This initial story that sets the scene for everything else that is yet to come is just delightful. The descriptions help to truly transport the reader into the story. The characters are either completely loveable or entirely hatable depending on who you are. Tears were shed, laughs were loud, and the constant begging for just one more chapter had us through this book in no time. Our family anxiously awaits the second book, as soon as it’s returned to the library!

October: Cherish by Tracey Wolff

This is the exciting conclusion to the Crave Series. BOOK 6! This story follows a group of paranormal teens/young adults as they navigate a new world. If you like Twilight, Vampire Diaries, or anything else in that line you will enjoy this series. Grace, the newly minted Queen of the Gargoyle court, along with her boyfriend Husdon (vampire), his brother Jaxon (Also vampire), her cousin Macy (witch), Flint (dragon), Eden (dragon), and Heather (human) all travel to the shadow relm to attempt to get a life saving cure for a friend, and hopefully save the world while they are at it. It’s quite an adventure.

November: Brother’s Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I was so excited when I discovered the Jennifer Lynn Barnes had decided to continue the story of the Hawthorne family. This story follows 2 of the 4 brothers as they learn the origins of their fathers (different dads, same mom) and get caught up in yet another round of games, challenges, and tricks. Do the come out on top? Or do the get sucked in by the chaos and intrigue through it all? And how does Avery come into play? I can’t wait for the next one to hit shelves next year.

December: Seventh Grade Vs. the Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy

The final book in the bracket is another bed time read aloud with the kids. This one is described as “Percy Jackson meets Star Trek: Voyager” and I have to say it is the best description every. And oh so very accurate. This story follows 3 pre-teens as they attempt to rescue their entire school (which happens to be on a space ship orbiting around Jupiter) from an alien race hundreds of lightyears away from where they are supposed to be. Its fun, witty, and fast paced. Another story that left the kids begging for just one more chapter each night. We will absolutely be finishing this series as well!.

Final Thoughts…and the Winner

I’ll be honest when I say that looking through all 62 books I read and deciding on one favorite a month was quite the challenge. I read so many good books (in my opinion) this year but these were the ones that really stood out to me.

If you took a look at the book bracket at the beginning you saw that it was SEVENTH GRADE VS THE GALAXY that won over all and this ultimately was because it was a fun, light hearted read that really brought our whole family together. I loved that the kids were actually begging me to get to our bed time read aloud time and they didn’t want to ask for more time on their phones, tablets, video games, etc. The fun conversation that took place after we finished each evening when we headed for bed was also a joy I wouldn’t give up for anything.

So there you have it, my to 12 reads of 2023! What was one of your top reads for the year? Let me know in the comments.