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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,624 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 Blood & Steel

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

Blood and Steel might be a bit of a bit of a departure from Helen Scheuerer’s previous series’, but that just means we’ve got a whole new world to explore.

I’ve been a fan of hers for years, and love devouring her books, and Blood and Steel was no exception. It’s full of her usual humour, gasp-inducing moments, and heart-pounding action.

There are the usual tropes you’d expect from a fantasy author; found family, magic, forced proximity…. But with some extra spice included. Be warned, this is an adult romantic fantasy, and is full of blood, gore, and sex. 

By Helen Scheuerer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Blood & Steel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher, BLOOD & STEEL is an epic romantic fantasy with enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn spice, found family, and a sprawling world of magic and monsters.⁣


With her death foretold, Althea Zoltaire only has three years to become what she's always dreamed of being: a warrior legend.


Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms.


The sparring and hazing of…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Saving the Dead

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

Set in a city in Scotland, this paranormal mystery brings a lot to the table. We have Cassie, a woman escaping her village life to rebuild her life and to try to find the real culprit behind the murder of her best friend. Who she still sees regularly. Because Cassie can see ghosts….

But rather than just being about a girl who can see ghosts, Saving the Dead is a story about friendship and bonds that survive everything. It will make you cry and then laugh in the same breath.

By Rebecca Allan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Saving the Dead as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Ruptured Sky: Gardens of War & Wasteland Book I

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

This is McMinn’s debut novel, and wow. What a debut.

The Ruptured Sky is a book that’s filled with action from the off. Nothing in this book is obvious – nothing goes smoothly for the characters, and they all face obstacles at every turn. It’s not what I would call a laugh-a-minute book, but it’s one that’s definitely engaging and compelling.

I couldn’t put this book down and certainly didn’t want it to end; to the point where I was loath to read the final chapter.  

By Jessica A McMinn,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Princess Amikharlia likes a fight.

Abandoning her homeland, she travels across the ruins of Whyt’hallen to take up the hunt against the mutated remnants of a magical war that killed the gods and tore the sky asunder.

But these vicious beasts are not the darkest shadow hanging over Amika's life—it's the forbidden magic she’s hidden since childhood … and what would happen if it were discovered.

On the trail of a dangerous mark, Amika uncovers a madman who is more than what he seems. He claims her unnatural gifts are prophesied to restore the goddess to her throne, protecting Whyt’hallen…


Plus, check out my book…

The Witch Laws: Book One of The Moon Magic Chronicles

By Sally Altass,

Book cover of The Witch Laws: Book One of The Moon Magic Chronicles

What is my book about?

A Higher Power, and a secret buried deep. Seren's life changes forever on her eighteenth birthday, when her younger sister falls out of the apple tree in their garden. Now she must protect her family and herself from the encroaching darkness and from those who have betrayed them all.

As she navigates the world of mystery, lies, and intrigue, Seren must grow into her Power and accept that not everything is as it seems to be.