Revealing My Top Ten Reads of 2023

Heya readers! Welcome back to another post! As 2023 draws to a close, it’s that time again to share my reading highlights of the last year. I did this same type of post for 2022 and loved it so much, I wanted to do it again. However, I decided to name a top ten rather than a top five and not have a list of finalist this time. If you want to see the books in the running you can check that out right here. I’ve read 65 books this year as of writing this (okay, really, it’s 64, but I have less than a hundred pages in the book I’m currently reading so I figure it will be finished by the time this post goes live) so I had a bit of a difficult time nailing what my favorites were. While the first half of the year proved to be a reading let down as I wasn’t really loving what I was reading, around August things started turning up so I’m very hyped to share my bookish loves with you all. This was actually my biggest reading year yet, and I made it into the top 25% of readers on GoodReads (or so they told me in an email) so we’ve got plenty of books to go through.

Now let’s get into the rules as what qualifies a book for the running:

• Rule #1 – The title has to be a novel length. While I love my short books, it’s hard to compare novels and short stories. I might criticize the pacing of a novel and love it in a short story because it’s smaller. Or I might prefer the characters in a novel more than a shorter work because there’s more time to develop them. So to make it easier on me, this is a novel’s only listing.
• Rule #2 – It cannot be a reread. Because I reread the book that already means I most likely loved it to begin with. Plus rereads often have nostalgia affecting the rating so it’s better to not include them in my rankings.
• Rule #3 – It cannot be a sequel. This is hard for me because some of my favorite reads this year were sequels. However, I don’t tend to continue a series if I don’t like the first book, so a reread already means I enjoyed the books that came before.
• Rule #4 – It cannot be a beta-read book. ARC books are allowed, but I won’t include any books I beta read this past year as they would’ve still been in edits and are not as close to what the final product will look like so it would be wrong to compare. (And honestly, I don’t think I even beta read a full book this year…)

And that is it! Now, it’s time to unveil which books made the ranking for top ten reads of 2023!

curtains, please!

#10 Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

“In a world turned upside down, will love or duty prevail?“

With my first Sarah Sundin novel, When Twilight Breaks, making it to #5 in my top reads of 2022, it is no surprised that another Sundin novel reached the list! (But, once again, can we please talk about how gorgeous these covers are!!! *heart eyes*) Until Leaves Fall in Paris is a Christian historical romance novel during World War 2 when the Nazis occupied Paris. Lucie Girard is a ballerina turned bookstore owner who seeks to aid the resistance in any way possible, but the Germans are prepared to stamp out any resistance against the occupation. While I didn’t love this book quite as much as When Twilight Breaks, it still held a favorite place in my heart. It has plenty of romance, suspense, and adventure to keep you hooked! One thing that especially caught my attention was how even though Lucie quit dancing, she still couldn’t help accidentally slipping into ballet moves at times. This stuck out to me because I’ve taken a break on dancing for a year and a half now and still find myself doing an arabesque or a bourree time to time. I guess once it’s ingrained in your mind, you can’t easily forget it. This just made Lucie come alive on a deeper level for me. If anyone here has read The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron, I would definitely recommend giving this a try because it talks about a similar historical setting.

#9 Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham

“In this epistolary novel from award-winning author Pepper Basham, bookish dreams and happily-ever-afters collide to create a beautiful sort of magic that’s even better than fiction.“

Guys, this book was SO CUTE!!! I devoured every moment of it, and can I just say that Izzy is literally me. In like every way possible. Plus, it has given me a much deeper love for the nickname Izzy, and I henceforth plan to suggest people to use it more often. yeah, books totally don’t control my mind at all, whyever would you think that? Authentically, Izzy is a Christian contemporary romance that just pulled at my heartstrings. I love books told in epistolary format and it suits this one very well. All the bookish references made me quite pleased, not to mention knowing a character is in some of the same fandoms as you just makes you care about her that much more. So what if I’m biased? ;P (Oh and Luke is hands down my favorite character so I may or may not have squealed when I saw he was getting his own book!!) My only complaint is the ending felt like it had dragged on much longer than needed, but other than that, I definitely plan to continue the series and would recommend it, especially to huge book nerds looking for a cute, cozy, and clean romance read!

#8 The King’s Mercy by Lori Benton

“…this epic historical romance tells of fateful love between an indentured Scotsman and a daughter of the 18th century colonial south.”

The King’s Mercy by Lori Benton is a Christian historical romance. The storyline reminded me a lot of A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz because it followed a Scotsman who was sent to work as an indenture at the colonies in the “New World” so I was expecting something similar to that novel. While, yes, it does remind me of it, I actually walked away loving The King’s Mercy a lot more. The plot moves a lot quicker, and I enjoyed reading more about North Carolina history (as the colony he gets sent to is in North Carolina). This book tugged at my heart more than I had expected, and I found myself enjoyably turning the pages, eager for what was to come next. I would definitely recommend this novel, though I do want to note, I’m giving it an 18+ recommended reading age. There wasn’t anything in the novel that made it not a clean read, but it does discuss several mature topics that younger readers might not feel as ready to read about. There was even one thing in particular that disturbed me to think about (I’ll refrain from discussing it here due to having a younger audience), though I feel everything was handled from a Biblical viewpoint and nothing was overtly explicit.

#7 Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi

“Inspired by the true “355” and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.”

Okay, guys, I am ALL for historical spy stories, because who doesn’t love a good spy story. And secondly, it’s even better when you know it’s based on real facts or inspired by a real story. And Rebel Spy didn’t disappoint! This is a YA historical fiction novel that follows the story of Frannie as she arrives in the colonies in the midst of a rising revolution. When she becomes a spy to help George Washington’s group of spies, how far will she go for liberty? I must admit one of my favorite things about this novel is that it’s a good and interesting novel set during the American Revolution… which it’s sad to say how hard those stories are for me to find. This book is exciting, suspenseful, and full of interesting facts about the time period. Frannie was an enjoyable character to read from, and Asa has to be one of my all time favorites ever! (And can we please gush over this cover? I LOVE how they included the thirteen stars to represent the thirteen colonies!) The only thing I want to note is there are a few of swear words throughout the book, but other than that (to the best of my memory) it’s clean. And shout out to my friend Pippi for introducing this book to me!

#6 A Wolf’s Rose by M.C. Kennedy

“Can two broken people ever find redemption?”

A Wolf’s Rose by M.C. Kennedy is a YA fantasy (I’ve seen some people label it as Christian fantasy so I’m thinking there was an allegory in it, maybe? But I can’t really remember) and the first book in the Feyfolk Trilogy. I absolutely loved this story! I had been given a copy to read for review by the author, but I didn’t realize how much it would pull me in and keep me flipping pages. I also loved the theme of light and darkness because it’s one I never tire reading. In addition, I remember thinking how intriguing the worldbuilding was, and it made it feel like I was stepping into a whole new planet. This is something I wonder if it’s hard for fantasy novelists to create as I find books with good worldbuilding, but very few that make me believe I’m in a whole new world that could be real. Also, I found out afterwards that it was a Little Red Riding Hood retelling which I think is such a cool idea and I love the twists to the fairytale taken!! I’m eager to read the sequel and continue the series. A big recommend for my fantasy readers out there! (Now, let’s fangirl over this cover, please!)

#5 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

We’re getting into the books that have become more difficult to rank because I loved them all, so I apologize that Pride and Prejudice didn’t make it higher than five. But seriously, what is there for me to say that anyone doesn’t already know? If you haven’t read this book, stop whatever it is you’re doing and go read it. If you have, can we please just talk about how fun and unique these characters are and our mutual love over Mr. Darcy? Let’s just say, Austen knows what she’s doing. The romance, the themes, the settings… it’s all done so well. I loved Elizabeth’s headstrong nature and her clever remarks throughout the book. Oh, and the part where she says she dearly loves to laugh because I’m honestly the same way where I tend to find something to laugh about even in the craziest of moments. This is a book I definitely hope to reread again! Shout out to my friend Grace who unknowingly got me into this book!

#4 The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

“Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.”

The Naturals is a YA thriller and the first in a four book series. I read this on a whim fully expecting I would not enjoy it… and then I kinda did. Like a lot. So much that this book was tied with another for third place, but one of them had to get number four so I picked the Christian novel over this one. (I never said I wasn’t biased.) I’ve always been a sucker for a good thriller written well, but there aren’t too many clean ones out there. I was surprised with this one, however. I loved the idea of a group of kids with natural gifts joining a special program to train them for service with the FBI. It turned into an exciting novel that I could’ve read in one sitting if I didn’t have a lot of things going on at the time. I haven’t continued the series so far yet because I’ve heard it goes downhill in later books, but I think I would like to read number two and fingers cross that I enjoy it just as much. However, I am going to give this one about a 15+ recommended reading age because it does talk about some crime cases that could disturb younger readers, and I think there was a mild swear word used once or twice. So proceed at your own risk. ;P But over all, if you’re a big Gallagher Girls fan like me and want something more thrilling, this is a great read to check out! (And, no, I haven’t read The Inheritance Games. I get asked that a lot when talking about this book so I thought I’d go ahead and clarify. XD)

#3 Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green

“But even when all of that was gone … it was just God himself. He’s there, Peter, and I think you were right: He’s been listening in the silence all along.”

since there wasn’t a quote from the blurb I could use I decided to go with a favorite from the book

Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green is a Christian historical novel set on the US home front during World War 2 about a linguistics student who begins to work as a translator for a German POW camp. This book was SO beautiful, and one I would recommend everyone to read. I love it being told in epistolary format without ever relying on novel format at any point, something I was very impressed to see pulled off. This book sheds light on something I knew a little about but hadn’t ever seen tackled in fiction, the POW camps during WW2. This is a thought provoking read, and made me think deeply on certain subjects all while telling an entertaining story with two characters who I fell in love with and enjoyed reading about, Jo and Peter. Plus, I love how it wasn’t a completely perfect ending because those are endings I’ve grown to enjoy more lately as they’re better reflections of real life.

#2 The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green

“With her dreams shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous land, where only grace—and love—can overcome the stigma of the king’s mark upon her shoulder.”

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green is a Christian historical fiction novel about a woman who was a midwife arrested for murder when her client dies after going into labor. Her only chance at freedom is to be exiled to the French colony in Louisiana, New Orleans, but surviving is going to be harder than she expected. This novel was the ultimate tear-jerker and had held it’s place as my number one read of 2023 for most of the year. I loved the setting, the characters, the heartbreak and hope interwoven together, and the theme of grace and redemption. Being marked by the King of kings as redeemed which holds more weight than being marked by the French king as a murderer beyond saving. I would give it about a 17+ recommended reading age for some more mature topics, but overall, this is a book I not only plan to reread again but would recommend anyone looking for a touching story about love, grace, and redemption to check out!!

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Which title of 2023 will hold the most fame place as number one read of the year and take its place among the greats. Last year, this title went to The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden, a book that I not only loved but also got many of my friends to read who also ended up loving it. (Seriously, I know like six people who read this book or one in the series last year and loved it a lot.) So there’s a bit of pressure here for if 2023’s pick will turn out to be equally as great.

And

the winner

of the best read

of the year

is

…

*drumroll*

drumroll… Skillet style!

THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!

I could totally go GIF crazy right now with Hunger Games GIFs, but I shall refrain from doing so because we could be here all day. Honestly, though, this one is such a surprise. Like if you had told me at the beginning of this year that I was not only going to read this book but actually love it, I would’ve thought you’d lost your mind.

Like… wow. That’s really all I can say. I can’t believe it.

So I don’t really feel like I need to explain what this book is about, because even if you haven’t read it, you’d be living under a rock this last year if you haven’t heard nearly everyone talking about it. I had already gone into this story knowing the entire plotline of the first book and all the ship names for the fandom, that’s how much it’s talked about.

speaking of I’m Team Peeta forever and will not listen to any talk about g*le. *glares at team gale friend* 😂 I’m kidding… *cough* mostly.

But anyways, like, wow, this whole series. It’s like really good. Like really, really good. So I feel like I should explain what happened between the beginning of this year when I would’ve adamantly refused to read this book to being like it’s number one fan. (alright that *might* be a stretch. I wouldn’t go as far to say I’m number one, maybe like in the top twenty? I’m still first and foremost a False Prince girl.) So around late summer, August I believe, I saw that the movies were free on YouTube. I’ve always wondered if the hype was worth it, because in most cases, it’s just not. Hence why I don’t read a ton of the “popular books.” I went into the movie with low expectations but hoping for the best.

And it was like good. Really good. Maybe even amazing good. I didn’t know at this time if I would continue because I was worried about if the content would get more, but eventually, my desire to know what happened next won out and I went into Catching Fire. Then Mockingjay Par 1 (which we are NOT talking about that movie) and finally Mockingjay Part 2. And then I just had to read the books which has led into full-blown fangirl mode. They are so well paced, and the characters are so captivating and well fleshed out. The world is both intriguing as well as terrifying, but I think it leaves a frightening message about what can happen when power is left unchecked and how it can be easily abused. It’s not too far of a picture of what we see in our own world, though there is still a hopeful message left here. I think it’s often missed because it’s buried underneath so much darkness and tragedy, but there is always hope for change. For a brighter tomorrow. And I love how that small bit of hope clashes against all that darkness. (also there is some mild content to note: obviously there’s violence because it’s the hunger games, and there was I think two or three usages of a swear word. if you want to know more about the content in this or any of the books mentioned, just reach out and I’ll be more than happy to give you a heads up!)

So there’s my list of books! Now it’s your turn. What’s YOUR number one read of the year? Have you read any of the books on my list? Team Peeta or Team Gale? Do you have any books for me to look into reading for the new year? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below!