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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,627 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 The Soldier's Girl

Lisbeth Eng Why did I love this book?

In her stirring World War II novel Sharon Maas weaves an exhilarating adventure with a deeply moving personal journey.

The perilous exploits of the protagonist, Sibyl Lake, a spy for the French Resistance, will keep the pages flying by; the deftly drawn characters will remain with you long after the final page.

Sibyl, her comrades, and even her adversaries come alive as multidimensional human beings and not as the stereotypical, cartoonish figures sometimes seen in World War II fiction.

If you’re ready to be jarred by shocking plot twists or to have your heart melted by tender love scenes, then this is the book for you.

By Sharon Maas,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Soldier's Girl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

France 1944 and the streets are filled with swastikas. The story of a brave English girl behind enemy lines, a German soldier, and a terrible sacrifice…

When young English nurse Sibyl Lake is recruited as a spy to support the French resistance, she doesn’t realise the ultimate price she will end up paying. She arrives in Colmar, a French town surrounded by vineyards and swarming with German soldiers, but her fear is dampened by the joy of being reunited with her childhood sweetheart Jacques.

Sibyl’s arrival has not gone unnoticed by Commander Wolfgang von Haagan and she realises that letting…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization

Lisbeth Eng Why did I love this book?

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s common sense and conversational non-fiction book brings science and philosophy to an engaging, accessible level. 

I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Tyson briefly at an event at the American Museum of Natural History, and he was the second astrophysicist I’d encountered – after Sir Brian May, lead guitarist for the legendary band Queen – with rock star status! Tyson deals with subjects as diverse and compelling as truth, beauty, the cosmos, racism, gender, conflict, and death.

As a non-scientist who is intrigued by these age-old questions, I found Starry Messenger both an entertaining read and a deeply thought-provoking and personal narrative.

By Neil Degrasse Tyson,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Starry Messenger as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Bringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our time―war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, and race―in a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity for us all.

In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment―a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science.

After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Life of John André: The Redcoat Who Turned Benedict Arnold

Lisbeth Eng Why did I love this book?

Most Americans recognize the infamous name of Benedict Arnold, but few know the entire story, particularly the tragic fate of Arnold’s accomplice/victim, Major John André. I was intrigued by André’s story years ago, fascinated by the admiration he engendered in his American captors, including Hamilton, Tallmadge, and Washington.

D. A. B. Ronald’s intimate portrait of the British officer who “turned” Arnold provides a penetrating analysis of André’s character and motivation. I’ve read several André biographies, and Ronald’s The Life of John André focuses fresh light on his family background and early experiences and how these influenced his later actions.

André was mourned by two armies and memorialized on two continents. Ronald’s compelling biography helps us to understand why this British spymaster of the American Revolution continues to captivate.

By D. A. B. Ronald,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Life of John André as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

John André was head of the British Army's Secret Service in North America as the Revolutionary War entered its most bitter and, ultimately, decisive phase. In 1780, he masterminded the defection of a high-ranking American officer - General Benedict Arnold. Arnold-his name for ever synonymous with treason in American folklore - had recently been appointed commander of West Point and agreed, through Andre, to turn over to the British this strategically vital fort on the upper reaches of the Hudson River. Control of the fort would interrupt lines of communication between New England and the southern colonies, seriously impeding military operations…


Plus, check out my book…

In the Arms of the Enemy

By Lisbeth Eng,

Book cover of In the Arms of the Enemy

What is my book about?

Isabella Ricci has pledged her life for the cause - to free Italy from Nazi oppression. Her mission for the Resistance, to seduce a German officer into revealing military secrets, could be deadly. Can she complete her assignment before losing her heart...or her life?

Günter Schumann is handsome, chivalrous, romantic... and a captain in the Army of the Third Reich.

When he meets Isabella, he falls for her instantly, never imagining that she is a spy and he her unwitting target. What will he do when forced to choose between love and duty?