The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,707 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Scythe

Dan Rice I this book because...

Scythe is chock-full of ideas. Although this is a YA, young and old readers will find plenty to ponder while reading the story and long after.

The Thunderhead is an AI that rules humanity. Instead of trying to wipe out humans or make their lives miserable, it has created a utopia. But there is a catch. To keep the human population within the current caring capacity of the Thunderhead, a few people a year must die. This task is carried out by Scythedom, a human-run organization outside the Thunderhead’s purview.

The story follows two apprentice Scythes as they navigate their apprenticeships and the politics of Scythedom. Wonderful characters, fantastic world-building, and profound questions about morality and what gives life meaning make this book incredibly memorable.

By Neal Shusterman,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Scythe as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

"A true successor to The Hunger Games." Maggie Stiefvater

In a perfect world, what is there left to fear? A chilling and thought-provoking sci-fi novel from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman.

A dark, gripping and witty thriller in which the only thing humanity has control over is death.

In a world where disease, war and crime have been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed ("gleaned") by professional scythes. Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythes' apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation, they must learn…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Emperor of Thorns

Dan Rice I this book because...

This book is a slam dunk of a conclusion to Lawrence’s excellent Broken Empire Trilogy. The story’s antihero, Jorg, has one of the best character arcs in fantasy. This book and the entire trilogy are must-reads for fans of Grimdark.

The trilogy’s plot, character development, and world-building become more impressive with each installment. Emperor of Thorns provides suspense, bloody action, fantastic world-building, and unforgettable characters. What puts the novel over the top is the ending. Lawrence ends the series on a high point, just as Jorg would desire.

By Mark Lawrence,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Emperor of Thorns as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the final novel in the Broken Empire Trilogy, the boy who would rule all may have finally met his match...

King Jorg Ancrath is twenty now-and king of seven nations. His goal-revenge against his father-has not yet been realized, and the demons that haunt him have only grown stronger. Yet no matter how tortured his path, he intends to take the next step in his upward climb.

Jorg would be emperor. It is a position not to be gained by the sword but rather by vote. And never in living memory has anyone secured a majority of the vote,…


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My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Holly

Dan Rice I this book because...

Holly is a fantastic thriller. The title character, Holly Gibney, has appeared in several stories by Mr. King. If you've read any of these tales, namely The Bill Hodges Trilogy, you will surely enjoy this novel. I hesitate to call this a paranormal novel, but it is paranormal adjacent. The elderly villains bring the creep factor and are terrifyingly evil. 

Ultimately, Holly makes this story so satisfying, especially if you have encountered the character in previous yarns. This book culminates her journey from a shut-in, terrified to leave her home, to an astute detective always in the thick of the action.

By Stephen King,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Holly as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a midwestern town.

“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” —BILL HODGES

Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

The Blood of Faeries

By Dan Rice,

Book cover of The Blood of Faeries

What is my book about?

Allison Lee wilts under the bright light of celebrity after being exposed as a shape-shifting monster. She’d rather be behind the camera than in front of it. Being under the tooth and claw of her monstrous mother is even less enjoyable. All she desires is for everything to go back to the way things were before she discovered her true nature. But, after she accidentally kills a mysterious man sent to kidnap her, she realizes piecing her old life back together is one gnarly jigsaw puzzle.