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 The Last Widow

Madison Lawson Why did I love this book?

I am never disappointed by a Karin Slaughter novel, and though it was difficult picking only one from the Will Trent series, this one has stuck with me more than any other.

It has it all: suspense, love, danger, cult vibes, a multilayered and complex plot, Sara’s brilliance in the midst of life-threatening danger, creative and unique evil plans by the antagonist, threats to Will and Sara’s relationship, humor, and more.

I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning and forgot about the real world while I was sucked into the dark world crafted by Slaughter’s immensely talented brain. This series installment is endlessly gripping and thrilling, and I loved every second of it.

By Karin Slaughter,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Last Widow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller!

It begins with an abduction.
The routine of a family shopping trip is shattered when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young daughter. The police search for her, her partner pleads for her release, but in the end...they find nothing. It's as if she disappeared into thin air.

A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon,
medical examiner Sara Linton is at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the serenity of the summer's day is broken by the wail of…


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 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Madison Lawson Why did I love this book?

I rarely find a book with a plot so unique that there’s nothing to compare it to, and that’s exactly what I found with this next book. The pace is fairly slow and leisurely, but I didn’t mind because I loved living in these pages.

V.E. Schwab has such a beautiful, elegant way of weaving a story that feels like a classic and a fresh new book all at once. It was one of the most creative stories I’ve ever read, and I adored the characters in this book (Luc is my favorite).

I found myself thinking more deeply about life, love, hope, and humanity than I have in a while. I didn’t know what to expect in the end, but it was heartbreakingly perfect.

By V. E. Schwab,

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"For someone damned to be forgettable, Addie LaRue is a most delightfully unforgettable character, and her story is the most joyous evocation of unlikely immortality." -Neil Gaiman

A Sunday Times-bestselling, award-nominated genre-defying tour-de-force of Faustian bargains, for fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and Life After Life, and The Sudden Appearance of Hope.

When Addie La Rue makes a pact with the devil, she is convinced she's found a loophole-immortality in exchange for her soul. But the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.

Addie flees her tiny home town in 18th-Century…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of The Risk

Madison Lawson Why did I love this book?

I’m a big dark romance fan, and this is one of my favorites. The main character, Lana Myers, is my hero and one of the most BAMF women I’ve ever read. Her revenge plot was fantastic and so creative that it stuck in my mind for weeks after I finished.

I loved the romance, especially the tension of an FBI agent unknowingly dating the serial killer he’s hunting and the dynamics between all the multi-dimensional side characters. The book was super-fast-paced and thrilling, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I tore through this collection of novellas in less than two days, and I genuinely wish I could erase it from my memory to read it again for the first time.

By S.T. Abby,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

They took too much.
Left too little.
I had nothing to lose...until him.
*****************
~Lana~
I didn't expect him.
I didn't want to fall in love.
But I can't let him go.
Logan Bennett makes the world a safer place.
He's brilliant.
He's a hero.
He locks away the sick and depraved.
But while he's saving lives, I'm taking them. Collecting the debts that are owed to me.
Ten years ago, they took from me. They left me for dead.
They should have made sure I stayed dead.
Now I'm taking from them.
One name at a time.
I've trained…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

The Registration

By Madison Lawson,

Book cover of The Registration

What is my book about?

A genre-bending, dystopian, near-future tale that challenges our humanity in a visceral, heart-pounding exploration of right and wrong.

In this world, most citizens have the legal right to murder one person in their life as long as they Register and complete the murder within fourteen days. The book follows Lynell Mize, who becomes the victim of multiple Registrations for reasons she can’t understand.

To survive the next fourteen days, she's confronted with dark secrets about her family and herself. Lynell is determined to outlive the Registration, overcome the guilt that tore her marriage apart, and discover who wants her dead… and why. 

Book cover of The Last Widow
Book cover of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Book cover of The Risk

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

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

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?