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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,608 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

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My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Silence of the Lambs

Paul Indigo Why did I love this book?

Suspense is the backbone of any story – even a love story. In fact, anything that keeps those pages turning as a puzzle begins to unfold with an intriguing, high-concept idea, I find fascinating! In this case, the high concept is a serial killer making a coat of his victim’s skin. We want to know why, how, and whether he can be stopped.

I normally love heart-warming books with meaningful characters you want as friends, but sometimes the puzzle and suspense are enough to make me tear through a book. Alfred Hitchcock also does that to me! Thomas Harris’s novel is a beautifully engineered study of suspense yet nourishes us with a fascinating knowledge of dark psychology. The intelligence and structure of the book shines through.

By Thomas Harris,

Why should I read it?

19 authors picked The Silence of the Lambs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As part of the search for a serial murderer nicknames "Buffalo Bill," FBI trainee Clarice Starling is given an assignment. She must visit a man confined to a high-security facility for the criminally insane and interview him.

That man, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is a former psychiatrist with unusual tastes and an intense curiosity about the darker corners of the mind. His intimate understanding of the killer and of Clarice herself form the core of Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs--an unforgettable classic of suspense fiction.


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Anne of Green Gables

Paul Indigo Why did I love this book?

I will read any genre of story, as long as it’s good. However, rich, highly three-dimensional characters who feel as though you’re among friends has a special place in my heart.

In this case, Anne is wonderful! She’s positive, bright, magical, transformative, like golden sunlight dappling a dark room. She makes the world come alive and despite being a poor orphan, can’t help but saturate the grim hearts of the characters around her with love. She’s a rainbow in a black-and-white world.

If I slow my reading during a book because I’m enjoying its world, it’s because I don’t want it to end! I want to stay in that world. This book is full of characters you’d love to have as friends. It’s one I’ll definitely return to.

By L.M. Montgomery,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Anne of Green Gables is the classic children's book by L M Montgomery, the inspiration for the Netflix Original series Anne with an E. Watch it now!

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are in for a big surprise. They are waiting for an orphan boy to help with the work at Green Gables - but a skinny, red-haired girl turns up instead. Feisty and full of spirit, Anne Shirley charms her way into the Cuthberts' affection with her vivid imagination and constant chatter. It's not long before Anne finds herself in trouble, but soon it becomes impossible for the Cuthberts to…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Art of Racing in the Rain

Paul Indigo Why did I love this book?

This is a beautiful, tearful, joyous, heart-breaking, deeply moving story that engages us right from the start when we learn Enzo, an old golden retriever, is dying. But he’s had a good life.

The story, told from the unique viewpoint of the dog is wow. What a High Concept idea! But it’s also much more than that. It shows the strength and bond of love between Enzo’s owner as Enzo narrates his life with his owner, aspiring racing car driver Denny, and the bond they share in their mutual love and exhilaration of racing fast… in the rain.

Through Enzo’s narrative, we learn about Denny’s struggles, his dreams, his life, his passions. Truly a transformative story. This book stayed with me long after it finished. It’s one I will return to.

By Garth Stein,

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked The Art of Racing in the Rain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Soon to be a major motion picture, this heart-warming and inspirational tale follows Enzo, a loyal family dog, tells the story of his human family, how they nearly fell apart, and what he did to bring them back together.

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo realizes that racing is a metaphor: that by applying the techniques a driver would apply on…


Plus, check out my book…

Love Deleted

By Paul Indigo,

Book cover of Love Deleted

What is my book about?

Love Deleted is a contemporary love story about a heartbroken wife who has her love surgically deleted for her musician husband with devastating consequences. It features genuine, cutting-edge medical science with suspense elements in equal measures.