Fave Books - 2023 Edition

In no particular order, here are some of my favourite books that I read in 2023*

(*Some of these books are older, some newer, but all were read by me in 2023. Please note: individual opinions may differ.)

Legends and Lattes

by Travis Baldree

As a person who likes fantasy and frequenting coffee shops, this book was such a delight. Although the stakes aren't “save the world” high, there are still stakes and drama, and the characters are endearing enough that I didn't want anything bad to happen to them.

Iron Widow

by Xiran Jay Zhao

THIS IS HOW YOU SHAKE THINGS UP! You want a book with feminine rage, masculine rage, hell all the rage? This is your book. Zeitan is a character with a lot of spirit, ambition, and anger, and you can't help but want to know what she does next.

I Want to Go Home

by Godon Korman

I loved this book as a kid and read it so much. Having rediscovered it, I can't help but love it again. Rudy's odd reasoning; Mike's friendship; and Chip's inability to understand anything. Yes, it's for kids, but yes, it's fun.

My Favourite Thing is Monsters

by Emil Ferris

This book is huge and I devoured it in one day. It hooked me so much that when it ended I immediately wanted to grab the second book (coming out in 2024). Beautiful artwork, entrancing stories, and I couldn't look away.

Sea Stories From the Rock

Edited by Ellen Curtis and Erin Vance

A great variety with some truly wonderful stories. I love how different these stories are, yet they all fall into the theme.

Just Out of Jupiter's Reach (The Far Reaches collection)

by Nnedi Okorafor

A short story, part of a collection of space/travel stories. I loved the ships and getting to know the characters and how being in space changes things. Great imagination and naturalism.

Emergency Skin (Forward collection)

by N.K. Jemisin

Another short, but one I really loved. Really relatable in this day and age, and I want to quote it but I don't want to give it away.

I'm Glad my Mom Died

by Jenette McCurdy

Brilliantly written, riveting, and heartbreaking. An unflinching look at life growing up with a narcissistic mother.

Defenestrate

by Renee Branum

I picked this up purely because of the title, and decided to read it because of the blurb on the back. Poetic, melancholic, almost hypnotic. The end seemed a bit 'tidy', but overall a great demonstration of the power of the stories and what happens when we allow them to have a large hold on our lives.

All You Need is Kill

by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

I've read this book many times before, but it had been a while. Guess what - I still love it. Rita is such a fantastic badass.

Mary Bennet & the Bingley Codex

by Joyce Harmon

I'm fond of Pride & Prejudice and it was nice to see Mary come into her own, and to see Bingley and Jane in their HEA. The story is quite low stakes (which was refreshing after reading some high-stakes stories), but builds up to a big conflict.

Note: after reading this, I went on to read 2 of the 3 other stories (book 2 & 4) and while I didn't find them as compelling as this one, there was some good stuff in them.