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 City of Thieves

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

Benioff brilliantly built the desperation during WWII through a bizarre task commanded by an NKVD officer to the protagonist and his sidekick: finding eggs for his daughter's birthday party. The book is packed with emotional roller coasters. I laughed and cried so hard, following Lev and Kolya’s journey. It’s one of my favorite WWII historical fiction.

By David Benioff,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

From the critically acclaimed author of The 25th Hour and When the Nines Roll Over and co-creator of the HBO series Game of Thrones, a captivating novel about war, courage, survival - and a remarkable friendship that ripples across a lifetime.

During the Nazis' brutal siege of Leningrad, Lev Beniov is arrested for looting and thrown into the same cell as a handsome deserter named Kolya. Instead of being executed, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet colonel to use in…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of The One-In-A-Million Boy

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

Reading this book gives me a comforting and nostalgic feeling. Monica masterfully told the story of all the characters through the death of a boy; how a dead boy turned all the characters’ lives—especially Ona and the boy’s father—upside down interestingly.

This book made me contemplate how the loss of someone can make your life connected with strangers and give you a new ‘family’ in exchange. It broke and warmed my heart at the same time.

By Monica Wood,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The One-In-A-Million Boy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

She may be 104 years old, but Ona Vitkus is on a mission and it's all because of THE ONE-IN-A-MILLION-BOY...

Monica Wood's unforgettable novel about a boy in a million and the 104-year-old woman who saves his family is not to be missed by readers who loved THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, ELIZABETH IS MISSING or THE SHOCK OF THE FALL.

'A lovely, quirky novel about misfits across generations' Daily Mail

'A bittersweet story about finding friendship in the most unlikely of places' Good Housekeeping.

The story of your life never starts at the beginning. Don't they teach you…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

When I first saw the book cover, I instantly knew I should get it. Like all other books by Jon Klasse, this one is also a masterpiece. The story is unsettling and weird in a good way, completely different from any children’s book I’ve read.

The art is gorgeous, with Jon Klassen’s trademark: limited palette, desaturated tone, heavy textures, simple shapes, and unique lighting. The book’s format is also interesting; it’s like a hybrid of a short early reader novel with a picture book.

By Jon Klassen, Jon Klassen (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Skull as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

A #1 New York Times bestseller!

Caldecott Medalist and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Jon Klassen delivers a deliciously macabre treat for folktale fans.

Jon Klassen's signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Wolfgang in the Meadow

By Lenny Wen,

Book cover of Wolfgang in the Meadow

What is my book about?

Wolfgang is a ghost who lives in the meadow. Along with his friends, Wolfgang loves to practice supernatural things, such as hiding and making things fly or twirl in the air. But he also enjoys non-spooky things like picking wildflowers or stargazing.

Most of all, Wolfgang dreams of becoming a great spirit and haunting the Dark Castle like his hero, The Mighty Hubert. When he finally reaches his dream to haunt the Dark Castle, will he truly be fulfilled?

Book cover of City of Thieves
Book cover of The One-In-A-Million Boy
Book cover of The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale

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