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Best Books I Read in 2023

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Best Books I Read in 2023

Best Books I Read in 2023

I feel like I’ve spent the whole last month scrambling to catch up on the things I didn’t get to in December, which means that my January tasks have also gotten pushed back a little later than normal. But, at last, here we are: talking about the best books I read in 2023.

Last year was a really great one for me in terms of books. I read a lot of books that I very much enjoyed, and even more that I thought were good. I’m hoping to feature even more of them in lists over the next few months. We’ll see how that pans out. But, for now, here’s my list of the best books I read last year.

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost anything for you to use but do generate support for this blog when you use them for your shopping.

Best Books I Read in 2023

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll and Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This was the first book in the Remixed Classics series that I’d read, and wow. I thought Bayron nailed the style and tense feel of the original story while delivering a novel both fresh and compelling. I loved it.

Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I love the way this author creates historical fiction centered around women– especially women pilots! This one had me on the edge of my seat and rooting for its characters from start to finish.

The Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This book has had quite a journey, so I was delighted to see it find a home with a new publisher. It’s a beautiful, complex story artfully told and my favorite of the author’s work.

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I’d only recently been introduced to Zappia’s writing, but I was hooked, and when I saw this book listed for release last year, I knew I had to read it. The story is broken into parts, each part narrated by a single character. The parts reveal a mystery that threatens the lives of the whole village. I could not put this down.

Spell Bound by F. T. Lukens

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This is definitely not the kind of book I’d grab off the shelf on my own– it reads a bit like a paranormal mystery, but with magic– but I couldn’t get enough of the writing and immediately fell in love with the characters.

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I remember seeing a blogger talk about how much they loved Alkaf’s books, so when I got the opportunity to review this one, I squeezed it into my schedule, and I’m so glad I did. This is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with Malaysian folklore, and it’s incredible.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I bought this when it came out, but by the time I got around to reading it, I’d read WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH and THE POET X and loved them both. I didn’t think Acevedo could top those, and yet here we are! This is a masterful, heartbreaking tale of sisterhood, grief, and courage.

No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Steven Salvatore has to be one of the most under-the-radar authors in YA. Every book of theirs I read becomes my new favorite. I laugh. I cry. Every. Time. And every book gets better somehow! In this one, the narrative follows a brother and sister who deal very differently with the death of their father and the existence of a brother they did not know about.

The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Okay, I love sister books, so I couldn’t resist this one. Estranged sisters. One goes missing and returns… different. The other scrambles to figure out whether she’s losing her mind or something more sinister is going on. Absolutely brilliant.

Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This is the kind of portal fantasy you can completely lose yourself in. I loved that the magic involved plants. The characters are amazing, especially the cat! I loved this one.

Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: So, I’ve read some contemporary romance by Emma Mills, and I think she’s hilarious– so I was curious but nervous to see her take on fantasy. I shouldn’t have been nervous at all. If you like the kind of fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is definitely one you’ll want to read!

Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: THE SECRET GARDEN is one of the childhood classics I’ve read more than once, so I was nervous about seeing it redone with some of the plot changes (mainly the possible poisoning). However, once I got into the book, I felt completely immersed. Though many things about the story are different here than in the original, I felt like this story preserves Mary’s personal journey and the power that the garden has in her transformation.

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I went into this book expecting another lovely fantasy romance with fairytale vibes, and it has all that. The friends-to-lovers romance was so sweet, and I felt like I was on edge waiting for them to realize their feelings for each other. I loved the dangerous forest and twisted fairytales they encountered.

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

Review to Come | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I remember wanting to read this back in 2020 when it came out, but I had no idea how powerful a story it was then. It focuses on the journey of a young soccer player in Argentina who keeps her playing a secret because there could be harsh consequences for her otherwise. Filled with powerful storytelling, heartbreak, and triumph. Such a fabulous story.

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Summer camp stories have a special place in my heart, but this one is at the top of my list. I loved the friendships and romance in the book, but I also really enjoyed the commentary on what it’s like to be Deaf or Hard of Hearing in the world today.

What were the best books you read in 2023?

Now that you’ve seen my list of the best books I read in 2023, it’s your turn to tell me about yours. What were the books you read last year that you couldn’t put down? What changed your life?

Have you read any of the books on my list? What did you think about them?

Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to talk more about what you read and what you thought about it.

Review: Holy Care for the Whole Self by Laura L. Smith

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Holy Care for the Whole Self
Laura L. Smith
Our Daily Bread Publishing
February 6, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Holy Care for the Whole Self: Biblical Wisdom for Mental and Spiritual Well-Being

Learn how to have a healthy mind and spirit with a biblical approach. Whether you’re carrying emotional wounds from childhood or suffering from daily anxiety, depression, or intrusive thoughts, none of these are God’s intention for you. He lovingly knit you together in your mother’s womb and calls you to a life of abundance. He offers healing and freedom from these feelings of despair, and Laura L. Smith is here to help you receive them. 

Join Laura as she guides you through tangible tools like prayer, healthcare resources, exercise, Bible memorization, setting boundaries, breathing exercises, gratitude, counseling, and so much more. Experience the rest and restoration our God has to offer.

My Review

Laura L. Smith is one of the few Christian authors that I still follow closely, and I am always glad I do. Her books are saturated with her faith but very centered on celebrating God’s love and encouraging others that they are worthy of every bit of that love. It’s always refreshing and grounding to read her books, and this one is no exception.

Not long ago, I left a Christian book award program when it awarded a book that I felt equated depression and suicidal thoughts with demonic possession. I realize the story was fiction, but it really left me with some ick feelings, and I kept thinking of the teens (and adults) I knew who’d been shamed for anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues as if they needed to have more faith or rebuke the devil better or something.

I wish I could say that organization was the only place I encountered that attitude. It’s absolutely not. I hadn’t realized that I still carry with me a guardedness toward books on faith as if I’m continually braced for the shame game when it comes to mental health concerns.

That said, this book is not about shaming anyone. In the early chapters, the author compares depression or anxiety to other illnesses or disorders. Can prayer help? Sure, she says. But if we have a child with a heart problem, we don’t simply pray for it to go away– we can pray, sure– but we also take the kid to a pediatric cardiologist and follow the doctor’s instructions. It doesn’t have to be either/or. We can have both, and in fact, that’s healthier. I love that.

This book gives a lot of practical tips for managing lower daily stress and anxiety, like making sure you’ve eaten or resting when you need to, etc. It’s very therapy-positive, with stories from the author herself as well as other friends she’s interviewed talking about the benefits of seeking professional counseling and medication where it’s needed.

Conclusion

You’ll find lots of encouragement in the pages of this book. It’s very grounded in the Bible, and each concept is connected back to a verse or passage from the Bible. When I have friends who are looking for faith-based help with mental health issues, this is absolutely a book I’ll recommend. (Good Boundaries and Goodbyes by Lysa TerKeurst is also on that list!)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
The author is white. She shares stories from friends and professionals but doesn’t offer race information about those individuals.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a person who was unfaithful in their marriage.

Spiritual Content
This faith-based book centered around Christian principles and practices to support mental health contains lots of references to Bible verses and biblical stories.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
References to addiction.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

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A Bit of Earth
Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books
Published March 14, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Bit of Earth

Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places?

Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember–first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world.

When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home.

With a prickly main character, a sullen boy, two friendly allies, and a locked garden, A BIT OF EARTH is a reimagining of THE SECRET GARDEN.

My Review

I probably say this every time, but I feel like it’s always a little bit of a risk to read a reimagined version of a childhood favorite story. One of the reasons I was excited about this is that it centers on a girl from Pakistan with an inclusive cast.

I loved the way this book highlighted and connected Maria’s rigidity and contrariness with her grief and loneliness. This is present in the original story, too, but I loved the way the author brought those parts of Maria to the page. I felt like I understood Maria’s character and her heart in a way that I’m not sure I ever understood the main character from the original.

Another fantastic but unexpected element of the story for me was in the relationship between Maria and Lyndsay. She’s the second wife of Mr. Clayborne, the wealthy couple who has taken Maria in. Not only does Maria find a way to bring life back into the neglected garden, but she also helps Lyndsay’s courage to blossom again. I loved the way the story captured that transformation and celebrated the relationship between those two girls.

Readers who enjoy reimagined stories will like this one. I think readers looking for realistic fiction about a lonely girl and the way that gardening helps her find herself again will also love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Maria is from Pakistan. Additional characters are Desi, too.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Maria attends a Milaad, which she tells Lyndsay is a religious celebration.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of A BIT OF EARTH in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton

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The Absinthe Underground
Jamie Pacton
Peachtree Teen
Published February 6, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Absinthe Underground

Moulin Rouge meets Holly Black in a thrilling sapphic friends-to-lovers romantasy!

For Sybil Clarion, the Belle Époque city of Severon is a wild, romantic dream, filled with cafés, cabarets, and glittering nightclubs. Eager to embrace the city’s freedom after running away from home, she’s traded high-society soirées for empty pockets and barren cabinets. At least she has Esme, the girl who offered Sybil a home, and maybe—if either of them dared—something more.

Ever since Esme Rimbaud brought Sybil back to her flat, the girls have been everything to each other—best friends, found family, and secret crushes. While Esme would rather spend the night tinkering with her clocks and snuggling her cats, Sybil craves excitement and needs money. She plans to get both by stealing the rare posters that crop up around town and selling them to collectors. With rent due, Esme agrees to accompany—and more importantly protect —Sybil.

When they’re caught selling a poster by none other than its subject, Maeve, the glamorous girl doesn’t press charges. Rather, she invites Sybil and Esme to The Absinthe Underground, the exclusive club she co-owns, and reveals herself to be a Green Faerie, trapped in this world. She wants to hire thieves for a daring heist in Fae that would set her free, and is willing to pay enough that Sybil and Esme never have to worry about rent again. It’s too good of an offer to pass up, even if Maeve’s tragic story doesn’t quite add up, and even if Sybil’s personal ties to Fae could jeopardize everything she and Esme have so carefully built.

Jamie Pacton, author of THE VERMILLION EMPORIUM, dazzles in this lavish and decadent LGBTQ+ fantasy romance that will leave readers utterly enchanted!

My Review

I don’t know how Jamie Pacton does it, but both times I’ve read her fantasy books, I’ve fallen deeply into them and not surfaced until the story concluded. I love this immersive fantasy world inspired by 1890s Paris.

The chapters alternate point-of-view, flipping back and forth between Esme and Sybil’s perspectives. Esme is organized and orderly. Sybil is pure creative chaos, but somehow, the pair really works. I liked the differences between them and watching them navigate those differences in their friendship and as participants in a dangerous heist.

The girls pine for one another a lot throughout the story, which was okay, but sometimes felt a little bit distracting from the other elements. The romantic arc progressed perfectly, though. I loved that– it’s so sweet.

The Fae elements felt both magical and otherworldly, which I find I really like as well. The magic elements were used in very cool ways in connection with the plot.

All in all, this is another hit for me with this author. I think fans of Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fae series or Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves books will very much enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Sybil, whose family is wealthy, has had past romantic relationships with people of all genders. Esme, who grew up poor and in an orphanage, would like a romantic relationship with a girl.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. The story hints they slept together but does not show this.

Spiritual Content
Contains Fae and characters who can use magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to physical abuse. Two characters get into a fight, and one is stabbed with a knife.

Drug Content
Characters drink a strong alcoholic drink called absinthe.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

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Drawing Deena
Hena Khan
Salaam Reads
Published February 6, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Drawing Deena

From the award-winning author of AMINA’S VOICE and AMINA’S SONG comes a tenderhearted middle grade novel about a young Pakistani American artist determined to manage her anxiety and forge her own creative path.

Deena’s never given a name to the familiar knot in her stomach that appears when her parents argue about money, when it’s time to go to school, or when she struggles to find the right words. She manages to make it through each day with the help of her friends and the art she loves to make.

While her parents’ money troubles cause more and more stress, Deena wonders if she can use her artistic talents to ease their burden. She creates a logo and social media account to promote her mom’s home-based business selling clothes from Pakistan to the local community. With her cousin and friends modeling the outfits and lending their social media know-how, business picks up.

But the success and attention make Deena’s cousin and best friend, Parisa, start to act funny. Suddenly Deena’s latest creative outlet becomes another thing that makes her feel nauseated and unsure of herself. After Deena reaches a breaking point, both she and her mother learn the importance of asking for help and that, with the right support, Deena can create something truly beautiful.

My Review

One of the things I remember most from AMINA’S VOICE and AMINA’S SONG is the way that the author creates these rich family connections and still keeps the story centered on its kid characters. Deena has complex relationships with both her parents, where sometimes she feels like they don’t see or hear her, yet it’s clear they love her, and she loves them, and they have a good relationship in other ways.

In this book, Deena explores both her artistic style and talent, learning about other artists, especially Vincent Van Gogh, whose work she feels a connection with. She also wrestles with feelings of anxiety that build to a panic attack. Like lots of people, she can’t tell at first what’s happening to her body. She only knows she feels nauseated and tense. At first, she doesn’t even connect those feelings to any particular fears or worries.

I liked the way that process played out and the way people in Deena’s life responded to her once they understood what was going on. That part felt really realistic, and I couldn’t help celebrating with Deena as she finds her voice and speaks up for what she needs.

I also really enjoyed the descriptions of artwork in the story. It made me want to visit a museum– and especially to look up the names of the artists mentioned in the book.

Fans of Hena Khan’s earlier books will love this one, and readers who enjoy books about artists will also find lots to love here.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Deena and her family are Pakistani American. Deena has anxiety.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to prayer and Muslim celebrations.

Violent Content
Descriptions of a panic attack.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman and Brian Britigan

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Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard
Lesléa Newman
Illustrated by Brian Britigan
Abrams ComicArts
Published September 26, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard

A poignant tribute to the life of Matthew Shepard and his legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, published on the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

On the night of October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Wayne Shepard (1976–1998) was brutally killed solely because he was gay. It was a shocking murder that was nationally covered in the media, and it became a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Barack Obama, expanding the federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

With a foreword by Jason Collins—the first openly gay, active player in the NBA—and written by Lesléa Newman—author of the Stonewall Honor–winning novel-in-verse October A Song for Matthew Shepard, and a friend of the Shepard family—Always Matt is an emotional yet ultimately hopeful look at the progress that’s been made, as well as the work that still continues, in advocating for the dignity and equality of all people. Without shying away from the pain and tragedy of his death, moving, lyrical prose and minimalist line drawings present a celebration of his incredible life.

Twenty-five years after the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which dedicates its mission to erasing hate, Matthew’s story still resonates for those who lived through it, and remains a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history for younger generations to learn.

My Review

I don’t have any strong memories from when these events happened, but I know I’d heard about Matthew Shepard before reading this book. Despite not having a personal connection to the tragedy, I found reading this book so deeply moving. Each page drew me into thinking about what Matthew Shepard’s life was like. His childhood. Adolescence. Early adulthood.

When I got to the page that references his death, I felt gut-punched. I felt gut-punched again reading about the hateful protests at the courthouse and the funeral service. Is there anything as destructive as hate? Awful. I loved that people dressed up as angels with giant wings that they used to shield people from those messages of hate and fear.

What’s truly beautiful, though, is the way that Matt’s family and community have rallied together to share a message of peace and kindness. It’s courageous.

This is a brave book. It’s unflinching in its truth-telling, but it centers around celebrating a boy’s life, his dreams, and hopes for the future. In the foreword, Jason Collins shares how Matthew Shepard’s death impacted him personally. The author and illustrator also share their personal connections. There were a few other brief stories about people who’ve been impacted. All were so heartfelt.

This is an incredible tribute to a young man whose life has, without doubt, changed the world. I am honestly in awe, and I’m so grateful that the author reached out and asked me to review this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Includes a foreward by Jason Collins, the first openly gay active NBA player. The story focuses on the life of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The family received comfort in Matt’s ashes being interred at an Episcopal church with a ceremony led by the first openly gay bishop in the church.

Violent Content
One illustration shows Matthew Shepard lying on the ground after being attacked. It isn’t graphic, but I did find the image shocking because it really brings home what happened. The text talks about the murder briefly but spends much more time talking about the impact this senseless death had on the community and world.

There are brief references to homophobic protests held at Matthew Shepard’s funeral and outside the hospital.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of ALWAYS MATT in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Matthew Shepard Foundation

The Matthew Shepard Foundation is an organization that works to promote dignity and equality among all people through sharing Matt’s story and his passion for creating a kinder world. You can learn more about the foundation on their website.