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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,633 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 Midnight Library

Michael Poeltl Why did I love this book?

What a fun ride! The writing kept producing quality storytelling, and the plot was so unique you didn't focus on the ending but, rather, on the journey.

As in life, it's all about the journey, not the destination. Even with a pretty clear picture of how it would end, I wouldn't have wanted it to end any other way.

I'm glad I read The Midnight Library. It gave me some laugh-out-loud moments and some difficult moments to process. I hope to read more of Haig's works.

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…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Circe

Michael Poeltl Why did I love this book?

This was a very entertaining read that brought the characters together in the most satisfying way. And who wouldn’t want the perspective of a captive, empathetic octopus?

It was unique and moving. I felt an emotional connection to the characters and even the setting. Dude living in a van on the west coast?... I did that! It’s funny how life gives you more than you’d ever expected.

By Madeline Miller,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The international Number One bestseller from the author of The Song of Achilles, shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Woman. Witch. Myth. Mortal. Outcast. Lover. Destroyer. Survivor. CIRCE.

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. Circe is a strange child - not powerful and terrible, like her father, nor gorgeous and mercenary like her mother. Scorned and rejected, Circe grows up in the shadows, at home in neither the world of gods or mortals. But Circe has a dark power of her own: witchcraft. When her gift threatens…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Michael Poeltl Why did I love this book?

What a great read! I gamed in my distant past and had no idea of the processes that went into it and the kind of people who coded the games I loved. This is not to say you need a gaming background to enjoy this character study.

Getting to know Sam, Sadie, and Marx was a pleasure, even through all the drama and the highs and lows of their twenty-five years of friendship and partnership, perhaps especially because of those intimate moments.

This was a very well-written work and an especially fun read for me. I haven't offered a five-star review in a while, but this book deserves every star. I think I'll look up Zevin's backlist.

By Gabrielle Zevin,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

* AMAZON'S #1 BOOK OF 2022 *

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow takes us on a dazzling imaginative quest, examining identity, creativity and our need to connect.

This is not a romance, but it is about love.

'I just love this book and I hope you love it too' JOHN GREEN, TikTok

Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital in 1987. Sadie is visiting her sister, Sam is recovering from a car crash. The days and months are long there, but playing together brings joy, escape, fierce competition -- and a special friendship. Then all too soon that time is…


Plus, check out my book…

Cleo McCarthy Time Travel and Other Impossible Things

By Michael Poeltl,

Book cover of Cleo McCarthy Time Travel and Other Impossible Things

What is my book about?

The first time Cleo feared for her life was when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 23. The second time is when she discovered she could travel back in time at 24.

While offered guidance from fellow time traveler Franklin, she is plagued by a fragmented message transmitting through white noise. Cleo’s best friend Bobby, a physicist, is recruited to help her and Franklin make sense of what’s happening, but despite their successes, Cleo’s constant jumping backward in time delays their progress.

Once the message is received, three friends race against time to right the wrongs disclosed in the cryptic message. Burdened with an unlimited number of do-overs, Cleo McCarthy finds herself asking, how much time is enough?

My book recommendation list