The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Daisy Jones & The Six

Barbara Josselsohn Why did I love this book?

I love books with characters that feel so real, so human – and that’s why I adored Daisy Jones.

Reid is a master at revealing what makes her characters tick, showing through their actions and their thoughts all kinds of insight into each and every one. I love a book that sticks with me for a long time, driving me to think deeply about the choices each character made, the origins of that choice, and the consequences that resulted.

Daisy and Billy were passionate, relatable, and flawed. Their fates were both surprising and yet somehow totally predictable. Un-put-downable and unforgettable!

By Taylor Jenkins Reid,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Daisy Jones & The Six as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SOON TO BE AN AMAZON PRIME TV SERIES STARRING SAM CLAFLIN, RILEY KEOUGH AND CAMILA MORRONE

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the author of THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and the bestselling MALIBU RISING

'I LOVE it . . . I can't remember the last time I read a book that was so fun' DOLLY ALDERTON

Everybody knows Daisy Jones and the Six.

From the moment Daisy walked barefoot on to the stage at the Whisky, she and the band were a sensation.

Their sound defined an era. Their albums were on every turntable. They…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Remarkably Bright Creatures

Barbara Josselsohn Why did I love this book?

I can only imagine Van Pelt’s pitch for this book: “My story is about an octopus who thinks like a human and transforms the life of the elderly woman who cares for him…” Crazy, right?

And Remarkably Bright Creatures is remarkably original, remarkably imaginative, and remarkably wonderful! The octopus, Marcellus, is a true tragic hero, and his evolution from ironic fatalist to sympathetic activist is off-the-charts compelling. I was so sorry to see this book end, and yet felt completely satisfied when I read the page. I was even a little teary! Sooooo good!

By Shelby Van Pelt,

Why should I read it?

26 authors picked Remarkably Bright Creatures as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK 'Full of heart and humour . . . I loved it.' Ruth Hogan 'Will stay with you for a long time.' Anstey Harris 'I defy you to put it down once you've started' Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Ever since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago keeping busy has helped her cope. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who…


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My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Tom Lake

Barbara Josselsohn Why did I love this book?

I always enjoy books about the theater/movie business – it’s a personal passion for me both to read and to write. Something about the dream to act – and the kind of people who follow that dream – has always intrigued me.

But although Tom Lake takes us into this world, using Thornton Wilder’s Our Town as a jumping-off point, what I found most compelling were the characters and their relationships. The story revolves around a family of five – mother, father, and three adult daughters – as they reunite to work their farm in Michigan during the pandemic, and as the mother recounts a life-changing story from her past to her three curious daughters.

This book made me think about my own family relationships. I thought Patchett’s observations and insights into family dynamics – especially the mother’s view of her daughters – were beautiful, insightful, and so on the mark. Patchett at her best. 

By Ann Patchett,

Why should I read it?

23 authors picked Tom Lake as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER * THE NO. 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A REESE WITHERSPOON AND BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK 'A new Ann Patchett novel is always cause for celebration ... and Tom Lake is one of her best' i 'This comforting summer read has it all ... Young love, sibling rivalry and deep mother-daughter relationships' REESE WITHERSPOON 'Filled with the moments I live for in a story' BONNIE GARMUS, author of Lessons in Chemistry 'One of the most beloved authors of her generation' SUNDAY TIMES ----------------------------- This is a story about Peter Duke who went on…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Secrets of the Italian Island

By Barbara Josselsohn,

Book cover of Secrets of the Italian Island

What is my book about?

Broken by the loss of her grandmother Annalisa, who raised her alone, Mia is shocked when she finds an old letter sent from Italy in her belongings. Annalisa never told Mia about the castle on Isola di Parissi where she spent one summer. Or that she was accused of something terrible in the darkest days of World War Two…

Arriving on the island, Mia is devastated to find it closed to visitors. Desperate to find out what her grandmother was hiding, she finds local guide Leo, who promises to help her. As they explore, Mia begins to fall in love with Leo and the country. Mia soon realizes that the accusation against Annalisa might be true, and that Leo has his own reasons for wanting to dig up her family’s past.