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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,633 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Red, White & Royal Blue

Christine Herbert Why did I love this book?

Let me say it. I love gay romance novels. I read one on a whim during the 2020 COVID lockdown (during which I would blow through 2-3 novels daily), thinking, “This is probably not my thing, but I’ll give it a whirl.” I can now declare: It. Is. My. Thing.

I’ve now read dozens of queer romance novels, and I’m here to say that this story is the most charming, most hilarious, and most swoon-worthy I have ever read.

This enemies-to-lovers romance centers around a high-profile, biracial American (son of the President) and a prince (the spare, not the heir) of England. Talk about “ripped from the headlines” fanfic! Best yet, this story imagines an altogether different American political landscape and not a global pandemic in sight.

By Casey McQuiston,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Red, White & Royal Blue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

* Instant NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestseller *
* GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER for BEST DEBUT and BEST ROMANCE of 2019 *
* BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR* for VOGUE, NPR, VANITY FAIR, and more! *

What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius--his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Fourth Wing

Christine Herbert Why did I love this book?

I’m a sucker for a good coming-of-age story, especially when set in the world of an epic fantasy. And let’s face it. Badass dragons? Sexy, leather-clad dragon riders? Sold. Just shut up and take my money. But for me, the most irresistible thing about this story is that it always zigs when you think it is going to zag. It’s charming, funny, feels good, and keeps you guessing until the end. 

Speaking of the end, I guarantee your face will resemble the “mind blown” emoji as you read the last page, and you’ll be hitting the pre-order button for the next book in the series.

By Rebecca Yarros,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Fourth Wing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book

"Suspenseful, sexy, and with incredibly entertaining storytelling, the first in Yarros' Empyrean series will delight fans of romantic, adventure-filled fantasy." --Booklist, starred review

"Fourth Wing will have your heart pounding from beginning to end... A fantasy like you've never read before." #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history.…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Lessons in Chemistry

Christine Herbert Why did I love this book?

It’s tough to pick a book club selection that everyone enjoys, but this book knocked it out of the park for my group!

Like any good chemistry experiment, this book takes simple ingredients (classic tropes and character trials). It combines them to create reactions: a whip-smart heroine who takes no nonsense from the patriarchy, a loveable mutt, a slow-burn romance, jealousy, intellectual property theft, and love-to-hate bad guys.

What results is a worthy protagonist who rises above her trials, against all odds, like a perfectly baked soufflé. This also takes a few (loving) jabs at rowers and rowing culture. As someone with several rowers and a coxswain in her family, this had lots of “insider” laughs for me!

By Bonnie Garmus,

Why should I read it?

60 authors picked Lessons in Chemistry as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • Meet Elizabeth Zott: a “formidable, unapologetic and inspiring” (PARADE) scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show in this novel that is “irresistible, satisfying and full of fuel. It reminds you that change takes time and always requires heat” (The New York Times Book Review).

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, GoodReads

"A unique heroine ... you'll find yourself wishing she wasn’t fictional." —Seattle Times…


Plus, check out my book…

Book cover of The Color of the Elephant

What is my book about?

An outstanding new voice in memoir, Christine Herbert takes the reader on a “time-machine tour” of her Peace Corps service as a health worker and educator from 2004–2006 in Zambia. Rather than a retrospective, this narrative unfolds in the present tense, propelling the reader alongside the memoirist through a fascinating exploration of a life lived “off the grid.”

At turns harrowing, playful, dewy-eyed, and wise, the author’s heart and candor illuminate every chapter, whether she is the heroine of the tale or her own worst enemy.

Even at her most petulant, the laugh-out-loud humor scuppers any “white savior” mentality and lays bare the undeniable humanity—and humility—of the storyteller. Through it all, an undeniable love for Zambia’s people, land, and culture shines through.