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Genre Experts Spill the Literary Tea on 2023 Reading
For avid readers, the turning of the calendar year always brings about the particular joys of anticipation. But before we all get swept up in the excitement of 2024's biggest books, our team here at ŷ wanted to take a last look at all the great readsand bookish trends from 2023.
In that spirit, we're turning to our group of voraciously well-read genre experts who have tracked the newest developments in literary fiction, romance, speculative fiction, and mystery/thriller throughout the year.
Below, we’ve asked our experts to give us their end-of-year takes on the highlights of 2023, providing high-altitude perspective along with some straight-up personal recommendations. The overview portion focuses on the year’s new books, while the personal recommendations mix new and old, the way most of us read books in any given year.
You’ll find many illuminating insights below concerning innovation, representation, and literary trends in the year that just was. The discussions also highlight the sheer and exhilarating variety available this year, especially for readers with serious genre habits: Romantasy! Queer cozies! Climate fiction! Thinly veiled allegorical horror! Hockey players in love! Keep reading for some valuable 2023 reading tips and hidden gems.
2023 in Literary Fiction
Mateo Askaripour wants people to feel seen. His first novel, Black Buck, takes on racism in corporate America with humor and wit. It was an instant New York Times bestseller and a “Read with Jenna� Today show book club pick. Askaripour was chosen as one of Entertainment Weekly’s �10 rising stars to make waves� and was named as a recipient of the National Book Foundation’s �5 Under 35� prize. His second novel, This Great Hemisphere, will be published in summer 2024. He lives in Brooklyn.
Trends. Hmm. I always find it hard to write about them, because as someone who reads fiction both contemporary and written many decades ago, I’ve come to believe that everything—what we write about, whom we write about, and the way in which we write about those people, places, and ideas—is quite cyclical.
Original is as original does, and I am of the camp that originality is still in large supply these days. Take a couple new short story collections, Witness by Jamel Brinkleyand Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal. As mentioned in of Brinkley’s collection, Brinkley investigates the impact of seeing and being seen in reimagined and wholly captivating ways. Bilal’s collection features a group of people many of us haven’t encountered intimately before—Black American Muslims—giving us rich insight into their lives.
In this same vein, many familiar themes have been masterfully punched up and transformed this year so that we see them anew: theft, cultural appropriation, ambition, family, community, wealth, food. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang falls squarely into this category. The book, like Hell of a Book and The Other Black Girl, satirizes the publishing industry, but in a way that is entirely Kuang’s own.
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng, as good fiction often does, seems eerily prescient when it comes to book banning, censorship, and general big-brotherhood. But, again, these intestine-twisting woes and concerns aren’t exactly modern; they’re history replaying right before our eyes.
So what am I trying to say with all of this? Just like those who have come before us, we 21st-century writers continue to seek meaning out of the madness of life, in new and different ways, all in an effort to engage, educate, and entertain––sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding. But what gives me hope year in and year out, is that many people, like you, are still out there, hearts thumping, pulse quickening, turning the page.
What new books especially stood out to you in literary fiction?
Books that stand out. Another weighty topic, if only because I’m aware of all that often goes into making a book stand out. Money. Publicity. The belief and backing of your publisher as well as said publisher’s resources. It may or may not be common knowledge now, but all books, despite how "good" they may be�"good" in quotes because it’s so subjective—do not receive the same support. There are so, so many wonderful works you might love that you’ve never heard of, and will never hear of, because they’re not considered marketable, so I encourage you to continue digging for those gems, sharing them with the world (including below in the comments!), and making sure those beloved books reach as many people as possible.
The following books are those that have, one way or another, pierced my personal ozone of overstimulation and reached me. A publisher could have sent me an advance copy that I loved, I might have seen a friend sharing it on social media, come across an interesting cover or book description that caught my eye, or I just became privy to them through other means of book-mosis.
"You know how some books require a ton of courage to both write and read? An openness, and a willingness to venture into the scary and difficult, to know that you’ll be broken without the promise of being put back together? Enter One Summer in Savannah. It’s a story about a woman who experiences tragedy and leaves the place where it occurred to live a new life, on her own terms, when one day she’s pulled back, and once there, she meets someone new that blows up the stable, secure life she’s fought so hard to build. The question for her, and us, is: Is it worth it?"
"People say, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.� As a New Yorker, I’m biased and inclined to agree, but this city isn’t the be-all and end-all, and it is something our protagonist, Soila, a young, privileged Kenyan woman, investigates on her own when she decides, against her mother’s wishes, to leave her home and make it in America. Man, this one is so, so good. Muchemi-Ndiritu excavates notions of class, race as a monolith, history, art, duty, mother-daughter relationships, and helps us all better understand the nature of forgiveness, along with the many manifestations of love."
"I mean, if you haven’t heard about this book, you must live under a rock. A small, small rock. Kidding. Sort of. Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s debut novel, centers on two incarcerated women gladiators who are doing all they can to free themselves. It’s an unflinching examination of the carceral system, those who profit off of it, and our general obsession with violence, especially as entertainment. Adjei-Brenyah’s pen knows no bounds, and despite the book’s success, you can tell he’s just warming up."
"One of my most anticipated books of the year. Sometimes we all want to take a vacation from the world, right? Escape to an island, into the woods, or maybe create our own utopia where safety, love, and belonging are the building blocks. In Gabriel Bump’s imaginative sophomore novel, two people do exactly that: construct an egalitarian utopia where the idea of “the good life� is actualized. Whether that actually works is for you to find out."
"Iran is a country for many that doesn’t actually exist. In its place are headlines, photos, and a pervading sense of, “Ah, those poor, poor people. Maybe one day they’ll be free.� But if you actually speak with an Iranian, or a member of the diaspora (of which I am a part of), you’d be surprised to find that Iran, like most places, is more than a nation full of fear and paranoia. Within its borders resides love, longing, and happiness. And in Salar Abdoh’s latest work, we’re given a glimpse into contemporary Iran, by way of Issa, our main character, who, like all of us, is doing his best to do more than survive."
"Ah, mob mentality. Feels so good to find out something horrible about a [insert actor, writer, musician, general celebrity or public figure here], and then pile on and on until they’re reduced to a bloody pulp. We all get to post our posts, attain some moral superiority, and then go about our days as if nothing has changed. But what if the person everyone is canceling is our…fiancé? Let the mess ensue, which is precisely what happens in Yomi Adegoke’s fiery debut, where a journalist’s fiancé’s name is included on 'The List,'comprised of allegations against men who need to be fired. What would you do? What does she do? Well, you know where to start…the first page."
OK, what about your personal reading year? What were the top books you read in 2023?
These days, my personal reading years are really hit-or-miss, which eats at me! The reason is that in an effort to be a Good Literary Citizen�, I often end up reading new or forthcoming books to potentially support rather than the growing stacks of books I’ve personally curated and sought out to read for pleasure. Fortunately, I’ve discovered some recent or soon-to-be-released novels that made me go, “The Lords of Literature still smile on us,� in addition to older books—what I would dare call classics even if they’re not in the often-cited “canon”—that continue to remind me of the serious joy of reading, and the privilege and responsibility I bear by also being in possession of the pen.
The following books are books that challenged me, mainlined inspiration into my writerly veins, helped sharpen my own creative sensibilities, and were oftentimes not only transporting, but also one of my all-time-favorite “F� words: fun.
"Whew. Whew. One more time: whew. Regina Porter is such a keen observer of people and the ways we think and behave, and this superpower of hers is on full display in her sophomore novel, which is primarily about a rich man and wife who decide to go away during the pandemic, setting off a set of strange and extraordinary chain of events that touch on class, capitalism, and a whole lot more, while also sweeping you away to beautiful and unexpected locales. Out next year."
"Another novel coming out next year that you should run and put on your “To read� lists. Mark Cecil’s debut is about Paul Bunyan and John Henry, but unlike you’ve ever seen them. This isn’t your typical bedtime fable; it’s packed with searing social commentary delivered in the most delectable way, and, with Bunyan and Henry at its center, we’re taken on a dazzling journey through a world much like ours, where people dream, scheme, and dream again in the hopes of building a better tomorrow."
"Reading Manchild in the Promised Land felt like reading the Iliad in high school, except instead of Ancient Greece, it’s set in 1940s Harlem and follows a boy named Claude, just like the author, who gets into and out of trouble with the regularity of the sun rising and setting. At the same time, he’s so self-aware, and aware of his surroundings—the danger and doom, as well as the love and the light—and it’s this awareness, coupled with a longing for more, that pushes him to grow and evolve, despite how painful of a process it is. This is a book that challenged me and was 100 percent worth every page."
"Come on, anything Achebe wrote is a classic. In Arrow of God––which is confusingly considered the second book in his African Trilogy,even though it was written after the third book—we meet Ezeulu, a chief priest who serves many villages. Here is a man who is utterly admirable and inspiring in the way he holds his beliefs so dearly, but we also see the folly in a certain amount of inflexibility and how it can, and sometimes does, change the course of history. Building off of the themes featured in Achebe’s groundbreaking first novel, Things Fall Apart—community, colonialism, and our connection to worlds both spiritual and natural—we are made to bear witness to the devastating consequences of conquest, leaving us wondering, 'Could this have actually ever been avoided?' "
"Another classic. Yeah, I said it. A classic. If you’ve ever read James Joyce’s Dubliners, you’ll love Lost in the City. Set in Washington, D.C., these 14 stories chronicle the lives of regular folks in the mid-20th century, revealing the extraordinary in the ordinary. Each story is packed with so much feeling, such incredibly drawn characters, that the experience of reading them is that of a voyeur peering into the lives of real people, full of our everyday strivings, loves, losses, aversions, and contemplations. It’s only a little over 250 pages, and it’ll leave you wanting more, much more, especially if you’re partial to writing that isn’t focused on the flash and bang bang bang (and this is coming from someone who loves plot) but the slow and measured approach to unearthing that which quakes inside all of us."
2023 in Mystery, Thriller & Crime Fiction
Kellye Garrett’s crime fiction novels have been featured on the Today show, won numerous awards, and named among Time magazine’s 100 Best Mystery & Thrillers of All Time. After breaking into publishing with the Detective by Day lightweight mystery series, she transitioned into standalone suspense with Like a Sister. Up next is Missing White Woman, a "compulsive page-turner" (Harlan Coben) about a woman who thinks she’s waking up to a romantic vacation—only to find a body in her rental home and her boyfriend gone.In addition, Kellye is a cofounder of Crime Writers of Color, which received the 2023 Raven Award from MWA.
I’m still seeing a lot of hooks I’ve enjoyed the past few years, such as queer cozies (which I hope becomes status quo) like Board to Death by C.J. Connor, exotic-locale locked-room mysteries set in exotic locales like She Started It by Sian Gilbert, and reunited survivor/final-girl books like The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda.
Lighter mysteries are also expanding beyond the traditional cozy tropes of a character coming back to a small town to focus on a trade like pottery. Examples include Nina Simon’s Mother-Daughter Murder Night, about a mother, daughter, and granddaughter solving a murder; Michelle Gagnon’s Killing Me, about a woman stalked by a serial killer; Jessa Maxwell’s The Golden Spoon, about a British Bake Off–type competition; Charlotte Vassell’s The Other Half skewering English aristocracy; and Benjamin Stevenon’s Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.
The biggest trend I noticed, though, is a growing number of crime fiction focused on author main characters. On the suspense side, you had new books by both Andrea Bartz (The Spare Room) and her sister Julia (The Writing Retreat). On the lighter side, we got fun additions in Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan crime series (Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice)and V.M. Burns� The Mystery Bookshop series (Murder on Tour).
What new books especially stood out to you in crime fiction?
Some of the biggest books for me this year are a testament to how diverse the crime fiction genre has become—be it genre, characters, or subject matter. And I’m hoping the success of these books will mean publishers finally realize readers have room for a variety of different crime fiction novels on their bookshelves beyond just tough guys and unreliable narrators.
"With a killer cover, title, and premise, it’s no surprise Kuang’s crime fiction debut made such a splash. The story centers on a white writer who steals her friend’s unpublished manuscript after the Asian American woman passes away. It brilliantly satirizes the publishing industry while dealing with issues of race and cultural appropriation."
"Three years after his breakout Blacktop Wasteland, Cosby has truly cemented himself as a star in our genre. All the Sinners Bleed is his most traditional mystery yet—it focuses on a small-town sheriff investigating a serial killer—but it still has all the elements I loved about his three previous books: dynamic characters, a Southern noir feel, and razor-sharp insights into pressing issues like race, class, and bigotry."
"With its early January release date, Reyes' book was my first indication it was going to be a great year for crime fiction. Her protagonist Maya is broken—dealing with both Klonopin withdrawals and the death of her best friend seven years before. It combines suspense tropes like the unreliable narrator, dual timelines, and a true-crime element (the friend’s cold case goes viral thanks to YouTube) to create a brooding Gothic story."
"The premise of Adegoke’s debut novel reminded me of Alafair Burke’s The Wife. It deals with a British It Girl journalist whose happily-ever-after is threatened when her fiancé is on an anonymously compiled viral list of sexual predators. It takes a topic that’s been (rightfully) in the news and puts a unique, personal spin on it by asking, “What would you do if someone you loved was one of the accused?"
OK, what about your personal reading year? What were the top books you read in 2023?
I read so many good books this year—more than I could put on this list. But the ones that really stuck with me were the stories that twisted traditional crime fiction tropes in some unique way, be it setting, plot device, or character.
Here are just a few of my favorites:
"This one got me because of the setting—a fictionalized version of Whittier, Alaska. Told from three different POVs, it asks the question of what type of people decide to live in a town where everyone lives in one building? I loved it for both the character studies and how cinematic it is, which makes sense considering Yamashita is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter."
"For this one, it was all about the setup. At first glance, it’s about a murder in the Boston library, but Gentill adds a mystery-within-a mystery twist of having the main story be presented as reading a famous author’s work in progress. We also see feedback from one of her critique partners—who gets more and more unhinged with each passing email. It also subtly but brilliantly handles the pandemic, sexism, and racism in a way that feels more real than preachy."
"This was another great setup—a group of investigators are brought together by a director to look into the 20-year-old murder of his stepfather. And it’s all for a reality-TV show. Pretty standard stuff, except we get the story through episode transcripts, emails, voicemails, texts, articles, and listserv commentary. The quick read is very much an indictment of the true-crime genre, manipulating the audience and the need for everything to be a juicy cliff-hanger."
"Angoe’s Nena Knight series is all about the character—in this case, a female African assassin. The third book has Nena taking on the uncomfortable role of emissary. She literally can’t just shoot her way out of a situation. Like the previous books, Angoe is able to humanize what we traditionally would view as the villain—be it an assassin or a gang leader. The books are also great with dealing with identity—who you were, who you are, who you want to be."
"This is another one where I was fascinated by the main character. Sister Holiday is a cursing, smoking, investigating tattooed queer nun determined to find out who’s starting arsons at local Catholic schools. Like with Angoe, Douaihy does an amazing job with humanizing a character that many would be so quick to dismiss. Sister Holiday is complicated, confused, and vengeful—and a lot of fun. I’m excited to read more of the series."
2023 in Romance
Adriana Herrerawas born and raised in the Caribbean and now lives in New York City. When not at work as a trauma therapist, she writes stories with unapologetic happily-ever-afters about people who look and sound like her people. Her books, whichTheNew York Timeshas called "sweet and thoughtful, but delightfully filthy too,"includethe contemporaryDreamersseries as well as historical romance like 2022'sA Caribbean Heiress in Paris. Her newest title,An Island Princess Starts a Scandal, is available in the U.S. now.
Tell us about the new trends you spotted in romance this year.
Romance reigns supreme! In 2023, the bestsellers list continued to be packed with love stories, which means the world is finally catching up to what romance readers have known all along. Romance is powerful. Romance is subversive. Romance is joy.
Romance is an ever-changing Queen and this fandom’s tastes shift accordingly. These past 12 months saw the rise of adult romance fantasy. Romantasy has blown up in a big way in these romance streets, and I am here for it. Books like megahit Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros have brought a lot of excitement to a corner of romance where I have many favorites. Another big trend is the explosion of sports romance; hockey romance, in particular, continues to be a sensation, with romances like Icebreaker capturing hearts more than a year after its release.
A lingering trend from the last few years is that of fan fiction writers transitioning into traditional publishing. ReyLo (Rey and Kylo Ren for those not in the Star Warsfandom) remains a very hot ship. This year, Kate Goldbeck with You, Again; Lana Ferguson with The Nanny; Jenna Levine with My Roommate Is a Vampire; and Thea Guanzon with The Hurricane Wars are just a few of the phenomenal fic warriors that have successfully landed on our bookshelves with their ReyLo-inspired romances.
Lastly, an interesting (but perhaps not surprising) trend for 2023 is the growing popularity of romance with darker themes. Dark romance has been a robust subgenre for a long time, but this year books like HD Carlton’s Haunting Adeline have made big splashes. I have some recommendations for all these categories, so get those TBRs ready!
What new books especially stood out to you in romance this year?
"A captivating high fantasy with intriguing magic has two star-crossed lovers whose opposing powers could be the key to save their world. The stakes in this ReyLo-inspired romance are high, and the Filipino lore the author uses makes it a unique reading experience. The burn is slow in this one, but the payoff is worth the wait. I am excited for more romances set in this world."
"Contreras won the Trope Wars in this one. This dark, hockey, second-chance romance is utterly addictive. I could not stop reading Lachlan and Lyla’s bumpy road to a HEA. This book has a phenomenal twisty suspense element that really made it a standout to readers this year. I hope there are more Contreras-crafted dark romance heroes in our future."
"The newest addition to the Meant to Be series is a The Little Mermaid retelling with Ariel as a sheltered pop star desperate to see the world beyond her gilded cage. In her quest for adventure, Ariel dons a disguise and sets off to tour the country as part of the crew for an up-and-coming indie band. The lead singer, Eric, is a swoony cinnamon roll who helps our girl find her voice. With lots of sweet moments, many laughs, and a wealth of nods to the original, this romance hits all the right notes. It might be one of the strongest retellings of a Disney classic I’ve ever read."
"The Bright Falls series is one of my favorite series of the last few years, and this final installment did not disappoint. Iris, a romance author with a bad case of writer’s block, is struggling to find inspiration. She finds it when she ends up fake dating the adorably shy and anxious Stevie. Like the previous two books in this series, this romance renders the complexities, nuance, and beauty of queer love in all its glory. A beautiful lesbian romance with two women that in each other find a person who loves them, and desires them, exactly as they are."
"Black described her debut romance as “Shonda Rhimes does The Good Wife,� and baby, that is exactly the vibe. Rachel Abbott is forced to reckon with all the ways she’s lost herself to her role of trophy wife. Her journey back to herself includes the sexy, and much younger, artist Nathan Vasquez, who reminds her not only of who she is as a woman, but also of her art and her passion. This is a stunning debut."
"The first book in the LunaSisters series was one of my most anticipated romances of the year, and it fully lived up to my lofty expectations. Three sisters escape Mexico in the mid-19th century and take London society by storm. Ana Maria, the eldest of the sisters, is intrigued by Gideon, an up-and-coming member of parliament. The romance in this lush, intriguing historical is captivating, as is the relationship between the sisters, whose bond blossoms throughout the story. A phenomenal addition to the genre."
OK, what about your personal reading year? What were the top books you read in 2023?
No one needs me to tell them about Fourth Wing, which I read, and can confirm is a thrilling, propulsive read with a certified dreamboat hero! Unless you have been living in the Space Station, you probably heard that Emily Henry’s latest, Happy Place, delivered, as she always does, in giving us BIG feelings and a swoony romance. I can only assume you gobbled up Ali Hazelwood’s fantastic and deeply romantic fake-dating romp Love, Theoretically. Many of the super-popular books are viral for a reason: They’re great! And there are so many more books that are just as phenomenal, which fly under our reading radar. I am here to share with you some of my personal favorites of the year.
"This might be my favorite romance of the year. It is a perfectly executed workplace love story with a chronically ill adjunct professor who takes on a side hustle at the local bar, only to end up with one of her older students as her boss. The chemistry and tension Charish Reid manages to deliver in this romance is outstanding, and this romance bangs, y’all! Fans of a grumpy/sunshine pairing will fall hard for unrelentingly optimistic Mickey and her broody, and swoony, barman."
"Saint is the second sibling to get an abuelo-assisted HEA in this latest installment of the Vega Family series. This second-chance romance between a veteran widower, single dad (SWOOOONN), and the girl from his neighborhood he could never forget is an absolute winner. In these days of a very wide spectrum for humor in rom-coms, Caña is writing laugh-out-loud bangers with a whole lot of substance. Family, community, redemption, and shenanigans are a combination that always wins in my book."
"One of the best things that happened to me this year was diving into Alexandria (Power)House’s backlist. Her is a bounty of deliciously steamy Black romance, and baby it has it all. You want a billionaire/hip-hop star hero who falls hard? You’re covered. Perhaps a sport romance reverse age gap joint? You’re in luck. A darkish, morally gray type of romance? Get into it! Every romance in this series is a five-star read, and once you’re done, go to the rest of her ouvre…you won’t regret it."
"This is one of those books where every line is achingly perfect. Two time-traveling war spies who romance each other through love letters. The writing itself is a romance. The angst and the beauty is devastating and transformative, just as a great love should be. This gem of a book is one to be read over and over again."
"The book I didn’t know I needed: a sapphic noir with enough grit to give Raymond Chandler a run for his money�.but with demons. C.L. Polk is without a doubt one of the best sci-fi/fantasy authors writing today, and this moody, broody, elegant story only confirms that. Give me all the brassy dames with magical powers making deals with the literal devil all in the name of love. Absolutely brilliant."
"When it comes to sports romance, I’m going for baseball. Wild Pitch is a seriously steamy banger from new-to-me author Cat Giraldo. The first woman pitcher to be called up to the majors gets tangled with a baseball veteran who needs a bit of a stern hand. This kinky love story with a hot-as-Hades domme is everything I never knew I needed."
2023 in Fantasy, Science Fiction & Horror
Kerine Wint(she/her) is a freelance writer, editor, and reviewer of speculative fiction for publications including,ŷ, and. She's also writing media critique essays, recording podcasts, and designing (editorial and packaging) a lot.
Tell us about the new trends you spotted in science fiction, fantasy, and horror this year.
While the fantasy tide has steadily continued to comprise supernatural/paranormal titles and retelling/modernizing fairy tales and mythologies, the rise of romantasy on BookTok has greatly affected recommendation lists everywhere. Also, the growth in diversity, re-releases of indie darlings (Olivie Blake keeps delivering), and more global voices (lots of translated fic), blessed us with a vast array this year (The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty, The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill, One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake).
Climate discussions and premonitions have embedded themselves throughout science fiction in near-future imaginings and dystopian hellscapes. From the multidimensional, multi-POV space opera Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey to the hyperrealistic fight to save humanity from the climate crisis in The Deluge by Stephen Markley, the call to action is imminent. With the debate surrounding AI more prominent than ever, robots, mecha gods, and a broader metaphor for questioning human injustices can be found in epic series starters (The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon) and the AI companions in standalone reimaginings (The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu and The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu).
As for horror, it has cemented itself as the genre/subgenre of choice. Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt was a juggernaut at the beginning of the year, and the variety only went up from there. Monstrous Girls and Women delivered in Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede, Chlorine by Jade Song, and Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder. The psychological, paranormal, and cosmic make many appearances in familiar sci-fi renditions (The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown, Briardark by S.A. Harian, Feed Them Silence by Lee Mandelo) and demonic religious thrillers (Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi and Camp Damascusby Chuck Tingle), and took some storytelling liberties like highly anticipated novels Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie and Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward.
What new books especially stood out to you in speculative fiction?
The variety this year was incredible, especially with more global entries, a plethora of anthologies and debut collections, and the boom of horror. I tried to reach for more standalone and unique premises, which led me to many genre-bending stories and horror novellas. The stories that stood out didn’t fit into neat boxes; instead, they were inventive, weird, and had an undeniable pulse on every page.
"Mariana Enríquez’s literary, historical, horror (supernatural/gothic) tome is the perfect example of how to write a dark family drama that also makes space to juxtapose politics and the occult. The prose is entrancing and the horrors are unflinching. A traumatized father, a motherless child, and the brutal, tumultuous history of Argentina meld into a masterpiece only Enríquez could pen."
"It’s hard to set your expectations for a novel that starts with a mother removing a piece of her dead son’s lung, but it’s an amazing opening for the brilliance to come in 336 pages. Monstrilio shows how the sharp edges of grief can hold a family hostage, testing their love, loyalty, and how much it costs to hold on."
"This book is a feat of high-action, political science fiction. Surveillance, incarceration, torture, and brutality are all on full display, and scrutiny, in this dystopian (yet all too possible) reality. Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah sets you in a world that gamifies the prison system, monetizes violence, packages it as entertainment, and asks you if this isn’t America."
"Horror has always been an avenue to expose the ways forced conformity and submission will breed its own strains of evil. Set in an isolated Catholic orphanage with unsavoury, masochistic adults, vicious demons, and creepy children, Boys in the Valley is easily one of the more immersive horror books to come out this year and has the pace and scares for horror movie buffs too."
"This collection is a cohesive and visceral exploration of gender, Hawaiian and Japanese identity, and how it feels to navigate those aspects in the wake of colonization and generational trauma. Kakimoto steeps her prose in the surreal as she contends with ideas of autonomy, exploitation, and sexual freedom in this exceptional debut collection."
OK, what about your personal reading year? What were the top books you read in 2023?
The 2023 releases engulfed my reading year, but I managed to sneak in rereads and catch up with some personal beloved series: ’s Convergence Saga, John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga, and Shelley Parker-Chan’s The Radiant Emperor duology. Otherwise, I was reading Jamaica Kincaid (following the ) and tapping into books that reached for the darker sides of humanity and all the gender/racial/sexual minorities that were not only surviving but fighting back.
"The climate crisis has become inextricable to science fiction, but there’s a special commitment you’d have to make to sit through Markley’s 890-plus page that tries to squeeze hope into this catastrophic future. Not only does he dive into the devastating impasse perpetuated by childish politics, but he also delves into the extreme ideologies and bigotry that actively harm progress worldwide. Not an easy read by any means, but worth a shot."
"Even though I searched for the dark and bleak, I was always up for a lighthearted reprieve. And Blake delivers vampires, demons, angels, ghosts, Death (and his grandson), and much more to make up the most unserious cast of characters ever. Yes, there are mysteries and betrayals, with life and death stakes, but there’s also banter, quips, and a number of shenanigans to keep the mood light."
"Count on Turnbull to deliver a sequel that is equally expansive and genre-defying as No Gods, No Monsters. Now that the monsters are out of hiding, the plans from unfathomable cosmic powers, old secret societies, and monsters fighting for social justice are bursting at the seams, keeping the momentum of this multiverse saga going strong."
"Another standout collection that excavates personal identity in every story, as Palumbo transports us from Canada to Trinidad hand in hand with women and young girls as they navigate the beauty and monstrosity of their beings. Overflowing with Trinidadian folklore, queer love, and familial bonds, the collection traverses the horror spectrum in utterly captivating ways."
"The divisive response to Ward’s latest novel is unsurprising, as the psychological aspects tangle and knot themselves in a way that will confuse most readers. What starts off as a memoir of a summer with friends and a serial killer on the loose starts to dissolve as reality and fiction contaminate each other and obscure the truth. This was right up my alley but a hard one to casually recommend."
What are your favorite genres to read? Let us know which of these genre experts' suggestions catch your eyein the comments below!
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Law
(last edited Dec 04, 2023 01:12AM)
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Dec 04, 2023 01:12AM
Hello? What about the inter/multigenerational sagas like Family Lore and Banyan Moon? I wanted to read Yellowface; it looks intriguing.
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Interesting list! I want to read "This is how you lose the time war", "Even though I knew the end" and "The list"
Lizzy Mason has been an author I just discovered and her sophomore novel that came out this year called "Remind Me to Hate You Later" was superb! It follows a teen girl whose best friend commits suicide in part because of her influencer mother who publicized her daughter's entire life for followers/profit. It's an emotional, riveting, nuanced read. I finished it in one sitting! Highly recommend!
Christina wrote: "Lizzy Mason has been an author I just discovered and her sophomore novel that came out this year called "Remind Me to Hate You Later" was superb! It follows a teen girl whose best friend commits su..."This book sounds really interesting & I have added it to one of my to-read lists.
I'm more of a retro reader & when I read more recent books I like to wait a couple of years for all the hype to die down.
So I'm glad to be able to recommend Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine funny when it needed to be & not too heavy handed with the points it was trying to make.
& E.F. Benson is a new-to-me author & I just love the Mapp & Lucia series!
This has to be one of the best lists I've ever come across on goodreads...I've now added a dangerous amount of new books to my TBR!! I might be most excited about Olivie Blake who is totally new to me, but right up my alley.
Such a fun list. I look forward to reading many of the recommendations on this page.
Thank you for including me in this! This is AMAZING.
Great list - a few new-to-me authors that I've added to my TBR!
Until I Get You by Claire Contreras is the #1 Hockey Romance of the Year.
Law wrote: "Hello? What about the inter/multigenerational sagas like Family Lore and Banyan Moon? I wanted to read Yellowface; it looks intriguing."Yellowface was excellent! Also, not sure if you've read Family Lore and Banyan Moon, but they were also both so good.
