I didn’t hit my Goodreads goal for the year and am so far behind, that unless I read a bunch of picture books, it’s just not going to happen for 2023! As of writing this, I’ve finished 81 for the year out of my goal of 90 books. Not too shabby!
There were a lot of duds this year. I don’t really know why, but it seemed like a lot of 2 and 3 star reads and titles I just didn’t enjoy or have a strong opinion about. I guess 2023 was the year of the reading slump for me.
Here are my 8 favorite titles from 2023…only one book got a five star rating and I have yet to read its sequel, so maybe there will be a second late in the game?
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Emily and Chess are two childhood friends looking to revive their estranged friendship. So the ladies decide to take a trip to Italy for some girl time and bonding.
They stay in an infamous villa, known for a brutal murder in the ’70s and as Emily starts researching the history surrounding that incident, she begins to uncover some shocking revelations.
Rachel Hawkins books can sometimes be hit or miss for me, but I was fully engrossed in this one!
4/5 stars
Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz
When a popular social media influencer goes missing during a trip to Europe, everyone suspects the boyfriend. Is she dead or did she maybe get tired of the spotlight?
Everyone has an opinion and everyone is watching their screens to find out what happens next.
A twisty young adult thriller that’s a little on the unbelievable side, but entertaining nonetheless.
4/5 stars
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
Jack and her husband are hackers, working for companies to break into buildings and security systems. When she returns home after a job, Jack discovers that her husband has been murdered and she’s suspect number one.
So she hits the road, running from her past and a crime she didn’t commit. And the real killer is hot on her heals.
I read this one in just a couple hours! The story is very fast paced and I wanted to know whodunit, which kept me turning the pages.
4/5 stars
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
The highly anticipated memoir from pop queen Britney Spears details her rise to fame, abuse by family, the media and *cough* Justin Timberlake.
While the writing leaves something to be desired, it seems to come from a place of honestly and will leave you sad and angry at everything she was put through by her family.
While I think it’s very apparent that she struggles with mental health challenges, I am glad that Britney is finally free – no person should be held hostage the way her family controlled her.
4/5 stars
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
When she was 17, Lenora Hope was accused of hanging her sister with a rope and stabbing her father and mother. The police could never prove it and she’s never talked about it or even left Hope’s End, her family’s mansion.
Now in her 70s, Lenora is nearly bedridden and requires daily care from a home health nurse. Enter Kit McDeere, who takes on the role when Lenora’s current nurse disappears during the night.
Kit is shocked when Lenora begins communicating with her through her bedside typewriter. And one day she offers to tell her the whole story, which may not be as it seems.
This is a wild ride, as are all of Riley Sager’s books. I thoroughly enjoy them though and he’s at the top of the horror genre!
4/5 stars
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Violet Sorrengail thought she’d be a scribe, but the dragons had other ideas. A war is raging and in a crowded field of stronger people vying for a limited number of spots in the army, Violet is bonded to not one but TWO dragons. Something completely unheard of.
There’s also a love triangle, lots of secrets and high fantasy action. I was absolutely enamored with the story, characters and the dragons.
So. Much. Hype. over this first book in a five book series! And it completely delivered on every level.
5/5 stars
The September House by Carissa Orlando
Margaret and her husband Hal thought they’d found their dream home, little did they know how much baggage the Victorian came with.
Every September, the walls start dripping blood. Ghosts are constantly haunting the manor and biting them, plus there’s something lurking in the basement that terrifies the specters, so you KNOW it’s bad.
Hal has had enough, but Margaret refuses to leave so he takes off anyway. To make matters worse, their daughter who knows nothing of the hauntings, decides to come for a visit right smack dab in the middle of September.
I enjoyed this debut novel by Carissa Orlando immensly. Yes, it was gory but it was also campy and an all around perfect spooky season read.
4/5 stars
The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
A companion novel to the Serpent & Dove series, this novel begins with Celie joining the brotherhood of the Chasseurs as their first female member.
Strange murders begin happening and she discovers that the Chasseurs are keeping secrets from her about what really happens. Angry, she decides to hunt down the truth and the killers herself, encounters a dark world of vampires and their mysterious allure.
I actually enjoyed this book more than any of the other titles in the Serpent & Dove series and can’t wait for the sequel. It ends on quite a cliffhanger!
4/5 stars
What were some of your favorite books of 2023? Anything I should read that I might have missed? I’m always adding to that to-read pile and love suggestions for the new year.
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