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 Other Birds

Kris Neri Why did I love this book?

I actually read Other Birds twice because I couldn’t bear to let go of these soul-satisfying characters. If you love it as much, do the same.

It’s filled with an endearing collection of broken misfits, all trying to survive in a world that doesn’t understand them. You will absolutely delight in their evolution.

I also loved the magical beings, the ghosts who understand the people they left behind but who are unable to save them, the invisible bird, Pigeon, and the magical Dellawisp birds.

If you believe that family isn’t necessarily made up of the people you’re related to but those who are your emotional tribe, you will love this book.

By Sarah Addison Allen,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Other Birds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times Bestseller

From the acclaimed author of Garden Spells comes an enchanting tale of lost souls, lonely strangers, secrets that shape us, and how the right flock can guide you home.

Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It’s called The Dellawisp and it is named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy.

When Zoey Hennessey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment at The Dellawisp, she meets her quirky, enigmatic neighbors…


When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

My 2nd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of Clark And Division

Kris Neri Why did I love this book?

One of the reasons why I’ve always loved mysteries is that they serve justice.

Cime And Division deals with an especially unjust period in US history, when the formerly interned Japanese were re-homed back into American society, in a way that fit the government’s idea of where they should live and what they should do with their lives.

The historical details are beautifully depicted, and the story is riveting. The traumatic sufferings of the characters are heartrending. Aki is an endearing protagonist, courageous and persistent. The evolution she experiences in this book is terrific.

You won’t want to put this one down.

By Naomi Hirahara,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Clark And Division as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A New York Times Best Mystery Novel of 2021

Set in 1944 Chicago, Edgar Award-winner Naomi Hirahara’s eye-opening and poignant new mystery, the story of a young woman searching for the truth about her revered older sister's death, brings to focus the struggles of one Japanese American family released from mass incarceration at Manzanar during World War II.

Chicago, 1944: Twenty-year-old Aki Ito and her parents have just been released from Manzanar, where they have been detained by the US government since the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, together with thousands of other Japanese Americans. The life in California the Itos…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of Last Wool and Testament: A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery

Kris Neri Why did I love this book?

I adore whimsical ghost mysteries, and this one is my favorite.

Geneva, the ghost, is a daffy, engaging character, always creating confusion for Kath, the protagonist. The nosy, offbeat cousins are equally fun. All the characters in the ensemble are appealing, especially given their small-town eccentricities.

If you like cozies as much as I do and also love the fiber arts, this is sure to be one of your favorites as well. I loved everything that happened in this book. Pure fun!

By Molly MacRae,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Last Wool and Testament as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this mystery in the Haunted Yarn Shop series, Kath Rutledge is about to learn the true meaning of TGIF—Thank Goodness It’s Fiber.…

That’s the name of the spunky group of fiber and needlework artists founded by Ivy McClellan, Kath’s beloved grandmother. Though Ivy has recently passed on, the members still meet regularly at her fiber and fabric shop, The Weaver’s Cat, which Kath has now inherited. But that’s only the first in a series of surprises when Kath returns to the small town of Blue Plum, Tennessee, to settle her grandmother’s affairs.

There’s been a murder, and it turns…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Magical Mushrooms: A Samantha Brennan & Annabelle Haggerty Magical Mystery

By Kris Neri,

Book cover of Magical Mushrooms: A Samantha Brennan & Annabelle Haggerty Magical Mystery

What is my book about?

Magic has come out of the closet! Iconic structures around the world have simply vanished. Thankfully, the dynamic duo is on the case again: Agent Annabelle Haggerty, a Celtic goddess hidden within the FBI, and her flakey sidekick, questionable psychic Samantha Brennan.

Too bad neither of them are at their best. Annabelle experiences an inexplicable dimming of her powers. For Samantha, things are the opposite. She now possesses genuine psychic gifts, but she can’t control her new powers.

When the world is struck by new supernatural crimes and Annabelle struggles, saving the world could come down to Samantha. She pities a planet facing the unimaginable ruin she sees in her visions with only a good-time girl like her to save it.

Book cover of Other Birds
Book cover of Clark And Division
Book cover of Last Wool and Testament: A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,473

readers submitted
so far, will you?