It was naive of me to think compiling my list of the best books of 2023 would be easy! This list started as a top ten list, then a top ten standalone book list plus a list of series, and ultimately to 14 individual books and 11 series. When I say series, these range from huge multi-volume stories like Throne of Glass to a handful of two-volume duologies.
The Best Books of the Month: Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, Throne of Glass by Sarah J . Maas, Medusa’s Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear, & more:
Explore ten great reads to get you into the autumn — and Halloween — spirit. Whether you’re looking for spooky or romantic, classic or contemporary, I’m sure you’ll find an enticing title here!
The latest work from humor writer and artist Jimmy Craig, Are You Gonna Eat That? is a compilation of Craig’s iconic animal comics giving insight into the minds of our animal friends. Chances are, you’ve seen bits of Craig’s work on Instagram, where the super-relatable comics make the rounds of the cat and dog lover communities. This book, however, offers more than one hundred of these comical snippets, proving to be a smile-inducing page turner right from the start.
Cleeton has crafted a robust and thought provoking book series, The Cuba Saga, which largely follows the fictional wealthy Cuban Perez family. Looking both backwards and forward in the Perez family timeline, this book series touches on a number of major Cuban historical events, and discusses the nuances of the social consequences of revolution, regime change, and relocation to the United States.
I had seen A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas all over TikTok for some time. So, when I came across it at a local bookstore, I decided to give it a shot. And wow…I can see why it’s so popular! Here, I’ll be sharing some information on the series’ characters and general plot, some thoughts I had on each book in the ACOTAR series, and, finally, some reader FAQ on Sarah J. Maas’ books!
This was a big month for me, reading wise, both in terms of pages read (thanks ACOTAR series) and DNFs logged. That is, there were two novels that I started by did not finish this month. It’s a first for this year, so I wasn’t sure how best to handle them. Besides those two, though, I have some great recommendations for you below, including one of my favorite books I’ve read this year: Morgan is my Name by Sophie Keetch!
A daring introductory novel in The Middlemist Trilogy, A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand sets the stage for a magical world on the brink of ruin by a dark, mystical force. The novel focuses on a lively-yet-chronically-ill protagonist, Lady Gemma Ashbourne, the oft neglected daughter of an important magical family. When Gemma meets Talan d’Astier, a handsome stranger with a dark past, the novel kicks off and pulls the reader along for a wild ride. Read on to learn more about Claire Legrand’s newest novel!
This month was a bit of a mix when it came to book genres for me. Lots of twentieth century historical fiction, headed by Chanel Cleeton’s Cuba Saga series, and rounded out with Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network. Besides that, I’ve been favoring fantasy novels lately, kicking off the month with an ARC of A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand and closing it out with Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses. All in all, eight interesting novels from six inspiring female authors!
In the Egyptian Royals Collection, Michelle Moran channels her archaeological experience and passion for history into moving historical fiction novels about Egyptian royal women. Moran is a prolific historical fiction writer, and her works span the continents and visit many fascinating periods in history. This particular series, though, focuses on Nefertiti, Nefertari, and Cleopatra Selene. If you’re anything like me, these may be names you have heard but figures you know little about. Through this fast-paced series, Michelle Moran brings these women, and the central figures around them, into clear focus, bringing the reader along for a fascinating tour of Egyptian history.
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