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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,608 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

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My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Guest

Lee Matthew Goldberg Why did I love this book?

The Guest is a brilliant novel about a woman who is lost as she drifts from house to house in the Hamptons, looking for a home.

The main character is hard to like at first, but in the end, she will break your heart. It’s gripping, uncomfortable at times, and reads like the best kind of literary thriller: a stunning achievement and a worthy successor to The Girls. 

By Emma Cline,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

* A TIMES 'Book of 2023' * 'Addictive' STYLIST Books to Look Out For 2023 * 'Destined to be the status read of 2023' HARPER'S BAZAAR BEST NEW FICTION * 'The perfect summer read' CULTURE WHISPER * An EVENING STANDARD 'Best New Books for Spring' * A Financial Times Best Summer Read 2023 *

Summer is coming to a close on Long Island, and Alex is no longer welcome...

One misstep at a dinner party and the older man she's been staying with dismisses her with a ride to the train station and a ticket back to the city. With…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Yellowface

Lee Matthew Goldberg Why did I love this book?

I love books about the ins and outs of publishing, and this thriller is a timely, razor-sharp satire with twists and turns that I never saw coming.

It offers a cultural dialogue while also being an immensely readable thriller about the need for validation. You won’t forget it for a long time after reading it. 

By R. F. Kuang,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller from literary sensation R.F. Kuang

*A Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick*

'Propulsive' SUNDAY TIMES

'Razor-sharp' TIME

'A wild ride' STYLIST

'Darkly comic' GQ

'A riot' PANDORA SYKES

'Hard to put down, harder to forget' STEPHEN KING

Athena Liu is a literary darling and June Hayward is literally nobody.

White lies
When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it as her own under the ambiguous name Juniper Song.

Dark humour
But as evidence threatens June's stolen success, she will discover exactly how far she…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Age of Vice: A Novel

Lee Matthew Goldberg Why did I love this book?

A sprawling crime saga taking place in India, Age of Vice is a breathtaking novel about gangsters and lovers that reads like a great film.

The characters came to life, and while the book is over 500 pages, those pages turned so fast that it never felt too long. I was completely immersed and look forward to its sequel. 

By Deepti Kapoor,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED OPRAH DAILY PICK FOR 2023

'Ill-fated love and toxic family power struggles provide emotional drive for this big dynastic saga' JAKE ARNOTT, GUARDIAN

'Huge, epic, immersive and absorbing . . . certain to be a book of the year' LEE CHILD, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

'Kapoor's violent and bitter story is deeply addictive' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (STARRED REVIEW)

This is the age of vice, where pleasure and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill

New Delhi, 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the kerb, and in the blink of an eye five people…


Plus, check out my book…

The Great Gimmelmans

By Lee Matthew Goldberg,

Book cover of The Great Gimmelmans

What is my book about?

Middle child Aaron Gimmelman watches as his family goes from a mild-mannered reform Jewish clan to having over a million dollars of stolen money stuffed in their RV’s cabinets while being pursued by the FBI and loan sharks.

After losing all their money in the Crash of 1987, the family starts stealing from convenience stores, but when they hit a bank, they realize the talent they possess. The money starts rolling in and brings the family closer together, whereas, at home, no one has any time for bonding due to their busy schedules.

But Barry’s desire for more, more, more will take its toll on the Gimmelmans, and Aaron is forced into an impossible choice: turn against his father or let his family fall apart.

My book recommendation list