I genuinely love to read. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than picking up a book, getting to the end and realizing it’s changed something. Your way of thinking, creative process, or even your outlook and feeling for your love and zest for life. I have a love of reading I always have. I can vividly remember reading Harry Potter in the second grade. Arguably far too advanced for a seven year old, but that didn’t stop me from absolutely falling in love with the Wizarding World. And so grew my love for reading. Since then I have read hundreds and hundreds of books. The best part about a good book is sharing it with someone else, so without further ado, let’s chat about the best fiction to read in 2023.

The Maid by Nita Prose. This book was one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. It is very well written, and the character development and characters in general are absolutely fantastic. It’s what you would call more of a suspense category novel but also funny and entertaining and just all-around good. I absolutely loved it. If you’re looking for a fun quick read, this is it.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah. This book was so precious. I loved the character development and the imagination of the main character, Ursa. It is very sweet and the insights into foster care, as a former foster parent myself, were really touching.

Another fun when I read this year was the series Finley Donovan by Elle Cosimano. The first one is Finley Donovan Is Killing It. It technically falls under the category of murder mystery, but is far more arguably a funny, lighthearted, fun book. Finley Donovan’s character is entertaining and chaotic and very relatable for somebody like me who’s got 1 million things going on and 1 million things I’m trying to do at all times. The mystery element and her nanny tied in are some of my absolute favorite aspects.

Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt is a book I will be reading again and again. It is one that I would feel safe referring to anyone and everyone. Its is incredible. There are some triggers of parental abuse, so be warned there.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides was interesting to say the least. I did not see the twist coming. I would not say its even in my top books, but seeing as how I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, maybe you can read it and help me understand the intrigue. I read it initially because of my love for The Silent Patient (below), and did love the nod that was given to the character that is present in both books. Why is a tie like that so satisfying?

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was the best psychological thriller I read in all of 2022. The story was good, the characters were fantastic and the suspense was unmatched. It is a page turner that has you wondering and gripped until the very last page.

I read over 80 books last year but did a terrible job at tracking and rating them all. This year, I hope to do better both with how many I read and even more so with how many I actually process and review in my mind and on paper. Let me know in the comments if you have any books that I MUST add to my list, and I hope you enjoyed my recommendations for fiction to read in 2023!

If you need a tasty treat to curl up with while you read, this is one of my all time favorite indulgences. Happy reading!