Favorite reads of 2023

 

 

2023 was truly the year of Brandon Sanderson for me. Not only did I receive four Secret Project novels (and a surprise short story) and other monthly swag from his record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, but four of his books ended up on my list of favorite reads of 2023. 

Without further ado, here are my top 10 books read in 2023:

1. The Lost Metal - Brandon Sanderson 

My favorite book from 2023 was the only Brandon Sanderson novel I read that wasn't a Secret Project. Just as The Hero of Ages was a great conclusion to the first era of Mistborn, The Lost Metal was an awesome way to end the second era. All of the usual elements of a super Brandon Sanderson book were present in this one. More than any Sanderson book I've read, however, The Lost Metal referenced other parts of the Cosmere, something that any Sanderson fan will appreciate. I know it'll be a few years before we'll see Mistborn's third era, but I'm already looking forward to it!

2. The Final Gambit - Jennifer Lynn Barnes 

The conclusion to the Inheritance Games series and winner of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction was as good if not better than the first two books (both of which made my list of top ten favorites of 2022). Once again, the puzzles and mysteries in this novel were what set it apart from other YA books I've liked, and the whole story of Avery and the Hawthorne family was truly engaging. I recommend this series to all YA fans.

3. Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree

Who knew that a fantasy tale about opening a coffee shop would be so fun to read? I never thought a fantasy novel could feel warm and cozy, but that's how this book left me. I breezed through Legends & Lattes because I was so absorbed in its simple story about a tough orc who hangs up her sword to open a coffee shop, discovering menu items like iced coffee and cinnamon rolls along the way. This was a refreshing escape from the real world, and it's no wonder the book was a 2022 finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy.

4. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter - Brandon Sanderson 

Brandon Sanderson is known for his world building, and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter has some of the best world building I've read in any book. It was a hard call which of the Secret Project books was my favorite, but Yumi just edged out Tress because of the world building reveal near the end of the book. I liked both Yumi and Painter as characters, and the way their relationship grew seemed natural if predictable. It was fun trying to figure out what was happening in the book, and when some of the big reveals came, it reminded me of one of my favorite movies of all time. (I won't spoil it by naming the movie, but I'm curious if anyone else felt the same way.)

5. Tress of the Emerald Sea - Brandon Sanderson 

What do you get when Brandon Sanderson writes a fairy tale narrated by Hoid? Answer: Tress of the Emerald Sea, the first of his four Secret Projects. Although this book is unlike his other Cosmere novels in tone, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Tress has become one of my favorite Brandon Sanderson characters. Sanderson said that he was inspired by "The Princess Bride" when he wrote this story, and I can see the similarities. Whether you're a fan of Sanderson, "The Princess Bride," or a good fairy tale in general, this book is for you.

6. The Grace of Kings - Ken Liu 

I may have found the next fantasy series to rave about. I've heard that The Grace of Kings is a retelling of the founding of the Han Dynasty, but since that is a period in China's history I'm unfamiliar with, I read the book like any other work of fiction. In that respect, I enjoyed it greatly. It took some time for me to get to know the characters, but once I did, I found it fascinating the way they were all portrayed as well-developed individuals with their own desires and moral codes. This was also one of the most thought-provoking books I read in 2023, as it made me ask myself what I considered right and wrong and what I would do in the shoes of the characters. I definitely want to continue reading the rest of The Dandelion Dynasty series.

7. Upgrade - Black Crouch 

As with other Blake Crouch books I've read (Dark Matter and Recursion), Upgrade blends intriguing science concepts with a fast-paced plot that held my interest throughout the book. The topic is particularly timely, given the COVID pandemic and climate change. Without giving away more than what's in the book's description, I'll leave you with this quote from the book: "If nothing changes, we will die off for the stupidest reason imaginable--because we refused, for so many childish reasons, to do the obvious things that would save us." If that resonates with you, you should read Upgrade.

8. Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus 

In 2022, I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, even though I didn't think it'd be my cup of tea, because of great things I heard about it, and it turned out that I enjoyed the book immensely and became a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid. In 2023, the same thing happened with Lessons in Chemistry. Despite the praise from book bloggers, I didn't have high expectations before I started reading the book, but it sucked me in right away. Elizabeth Zott was a protagonist I immediately related to, and the story itself was thought-provoking, insightful, and entertaining. I really appreciated the way it tackled the injustices of the 1950s and 1960s (many of which are sadly still present today) in a serious yet entertaining way, while weaving a gripping story about Elizabeth Zott's life. I understand now why so many people loved this book.

9. The Sunlit Man - Brandon Sanderson 

It's a testament to how great the Year of Sanderson Secret Project books were that my third favorite of the four books still made my top ten list. The Sunlit Man is the Secret Project book with the most direct tie to the Cosmere, and it was a joy to read it. As a standalone novel, it worked well, and it made me consider re-reading some of Sanderson's prior books so that I can remember the full background. Sounds like a good idea for a reading challenge in 2024. :-)

10. Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Speaking of Taylor Jenkins Reid (see #8 above), she is a master at characterization. I've now read four books written by her, and with each one, I feel like I know the characters as well as I know any fictional character. They are complex and flawed, but I can't help rooting for them, and I miss them when I finish the books. The winner of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction, Carrie Soto is Back is my second favorite book by Taylor Jenkins Reid (after The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo), but that still makes it better than most other books I've read. I highly recommend it.