I’ve been challenging myself to read more over the last few years. Like many of my fellow millennials, I fell into the “read a lot as a kid, then fell out of it in college because I got too busy with coursework and thus didn’t have time to read for fun, and then eventually picked books back up” pipeline.
I use both Goodreads and StoryGraph to track my reading, and while I’m very liberal with giving out five-star ratings, there are a few books that really stand out to me as some favorites from last year. So, without further ado, here are some book recommendations from me! These were my favorite books that I read in 2023.
Kill Your Darlings by LE Harper
An indie portal fantasy, this novel was phenomenal. There were twists I didn’t expect but they made perfect sense once they unraveled. This fantasy standalone really stuck with me.
Kill Your Darlings follows a fantasy author who wakes up in the fantasy world of her book series. While it sounds like a dream come true, she’s planned to finish the series with everyone dying and the villain winning—so if she doesn’t manage to change the ending while in the world she created, she’ll die with her darlings.
As an author with mental health struggles, this was too relatable. Even if you aren’t an author, you can probably relate to Kyla in some way, shape, or form if you’ve struggled with your mental health.
All of the characters were very fleshed out, and it also has dragons—something I’m a sucker for. The side characters are very lovable and help support the story and character.
Check the trigger warnings for this book, as it heavily deals with mental health themes (including suicide). But if you’re in a good headspace, buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Not a 2023 release, but new to me! The first book in the Brown Sisters trilogy, this romantic comedy had me giggling, kicking my feet, and swooning. I also really loved the fibromyalgia representation with the titular protagonist. As someone with chronic pain (still working with doctors to figure out exactly what is causing it…), I found her experiences super relatable in that department.
Chloe is all about lists. After a near-death experience, she realizes she needs to get out and do more, so she creates her “Get a Life” list. What she doesn’t plan for is to fall for Red, an apartment handyman by day and a secretive artist by night. Chloe ends up recruiting Red to help her with her list, only for him to end up on the list as well.
The banter between these two characters is fantastic. The sarcasm was flawless and ended up bubbling into fantastic chemistry and excellently written spicy scenes.
Yellowface by RF Kuang
I don’t usually devour books in one sitting, but Yellowface sunk its claws into me and didn’t let go.
Ultimately a critique of the publishing industry, Yellowface follows white author June Hayward, who steals her recently-deceased friend Athena Liu’s unpublished manuscript.
Chinese-American Athena was a literary superstar and June’s debut novel was a flop, so with some rebranding to help package her lies, June goes on to publish the next big literary hit with Athena’s work—but her lie catches up to her.
I’ve seen some critiques of this novel where people say they disliked it because June was very unlikeable, but I think that’s the point. We see June come up with ways to justify her actions that become increasingly delusional; the spiraling cognitive dissonance is so well-written. Kuang knocked it out of the park with this one.
You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
I read Joyce’s debut You, With a View while I was on a cross-country move from Florida to Washington State. My husband and I turned the move into an opportunity for a road trip, and while that definitely enhanced my reading experience of this road trip rom-com, this would be equally enjoyable from my couch at home.
When Noelle posts her late grandmother’s love letters (addressed to a man who isn’t her grandfather) from decades ago on TikTok in search of the mystery man, she finds his grandson. Except her grandma’s ex-lover Paul’s grandson is Noelle’s high school rival Theo… and Paul wants the three of them to take the road trip he and Noelle’s grandma planned to take for their honeymoon that never happened.
Noelle’s internal struggles are very relatable, and her chemistry with Theo is off the charts. Paul makes for a delightful side character who ships Noelle and Theo as much as I do.
Junker Seven by Olive J. Kelley
Junker Seven is a futuristic take on today’s fight for trans rights, wrapped in an inspiring love story.
When I first saw this on Twitter being comp’ed to The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Rebels, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it – and as a fan of both of those shows, I was not disappointed. If you like Star Wars at all, then this is a must-read.
If you’re just dipping your toes into sci-fi, the world-building is similar enough to our own world (while still being unique), so it is easy to follow. The environments really come to life and are easy to envision, being a nice realistic futuristic touch.
The two main characters, Juno and Castor, are both fleshed out excellently, to the point where they feel like real people. Castor’s character development especially stands out.
Their romance is also very sweet to witness unfold, and their progression from hesitant allies to lovers was done in a way that felt very natural and believable.
Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
There’s a lot to love about Love & Other Disasters, a romantic comedy set on the set of a cooking competition show. Dahlia is recently divorced and broke, so she goes on the cooking show hoping to turn her life around. On set, she meets London, a nonbinary chef there to prove the online trolls and their transphobic father wrong.
The protagonists Dahlia and London were both so fleshed out as characters, and seeing how they grew together, as show contestants, and as individuals was super satisfying. I read this book via Libby at the airport while waiting for my flight from Seattle to Tokyo – which was coincidentally at the same time as the Trans Rights Readathon – and it made all of the sitting around while waiting to board go by much faster.
The cooking competition made for a really fun setting, especially with the stakes being as high as they were personally for London and Dahlia in their own unique ways.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
I’m a big fan of books that feel existential without a looming sense of dread, like Convenience Store Woman and Before The Coffee Gets Cold. Published in 2021, A Psalm for the Wild Built (Monk & Robot Book 1) tackles themes of existential crisis while also feeling like a warm hug or a cup of tea.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built follows a tea monk struggling to find their purpose – primarily through their work – who meets a robot. For context, in this universe taking place sometime in the future, robots gained sentience and then went off into the wilderness (this is an oversimplification for the sake of not spoiling the full story and worldbuilding) before the events of the book. The robot wants to find out what people need, so the monk and robot journey together to try to help each other find their answers.
A Psalm for the Wild Built is a short, charming read. If you struggle with finding purpose in life, especially in the wake of late-stage capitalism, then I think this book will help you feel better. It certainly helped me, leaving me feeling the same way as I do after a good hike.
The Riverpeak Heroes Series
Okay, well, this is my book series, so I’m biased. But if you’re a fan of DC or Marvel Comics and My Hero Academia, then you’ll enjoy the four books in my completed superhero and supervillain romance series.
Riverpeak Heroes consists of Not My Time, To Be Normal, Play With Fire, and Etched In Ink. The series follows the lives of people affected by a vigilante superhero, Hematite, who protects his small Colorado town, Riverpeak. The story unfolds from the perspectives of his love interest, sidekick, and supervillains.
