The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,707 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Midnight Library

Martin Lastrapes I this book because...

My favorite book from the past year is The Midnight Library because of its remarkable originality and imaginative storytelling. It offered a unique reading experience that I’ve never encountered before.

This book is a rare gem that made me laugh and cry, all while inspiring me to reflect on my own life in the same way as the protagonist (well, not the exact same way; that would be impossible…right?).

By Matt Haig,

Why should I read it?

35 authors picked The Midnight Library as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestselling WORLDWIDE phenomenon

Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction | A Good Morning America Book Club Pick | Independent (London) Ten Best Books of the Year

"A feel-good book guaranteed to lift your spirits."-The Washington Post

The dazzling reader-favorite about the choices that go into a life well lived, from the acclaimed author of How To Stop Time and The Comfort Book.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Final Girl Support Group

Martin Lastrapes I this book because...

The Final Girl Support Group captures the spirit of all of my favorite horror novels and movies, which is a mixture of scares and laughs.

This book is chock full of humor and terror while also managing to be terrifically original as it unpacks one of the most famous tropes in the horror genre: the “final girl” (i.e., the last surviving female character in a horror story, usually the one who confronts and ultimately defeats the antagonist in the story’s climax). 

By Grady Hendrix,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Final Girl Support Group as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

VOTED GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD BEST HORROR NOVEL OF 2021

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick

“The horror master…puts his unique spin on slasher movie tropes.”-USA Today

A can't-miss summer read, selected by The New York Times, Oprah Daily, Time, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer,CNN, LitHub, BookRiot,Bustle, Popsugar and the New York Public Library

In horror movies, the final girls are the ones left standing when the credits roll. They made it through the worst night of their lives…but what happens after?

Like his bestselling novel The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, Grady…


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My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Hide

Martin Lastrapes I this book because...

What I love about Hide is that it takes an innocent children's game and elevates it into a wildly fun and scary thriller about a group of adults invited to play a seven-day game of Hide and Seek in an abandoned amusement park.

I love how masterfully the story unfolds, revealing enticing breadcrumbs along the way about what this strange game of Hide and Seek is truly about. But, even more than Hide's very inventive narrative, I love how the story serves as a clever metaphor for some ultra-relevant social issues. 

By Kiersten White,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark supernatural thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White, perfect for fans of Stephen King and SQUID GAME.

The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught.

The prize: enough money to change everything.

Even though everyone is desperate to win - to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts - Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she's an expert at that.

It's the reason she's alive, and her family isn't.…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Inside the Outside

By Martin Lastrapes,

Book cover of Inside the Outside

What is my book about?

15-year-old cannibal Timber Marlow has lived her entire life within a murderous cult called the Divinity of Feminine Reproach. Still, she's always suspected there was more to life than the strange and twisted lessons she's been indoctrinated to believe.

After risking her life to escape into the Outside, Timber bears witness to some dark and unsettling truths about the world around her...and the integral role she unwittingly plays in it.