I know everyone talks about their Spotify wrapped every December, but personally, I love viewing my year through the lens of the books I’ve met. Looking at Goodreads, I get flashes of reading a book on a plane to Vegas with my book club (true story), and then a memory washes over me of the romance I devoured by the pool in Costa Rica, and then I remember staying up WAY too late to finish a mystery. (10/10 would do it again.)
At any rate, putting this list together each year is one of our favorite tasks at FYA HQ, so I hope you find some new novels to add to your TBR or just nod emphatically as you spot a book that you, too, absolutely adored. Cheers to another excellent year of reads!
Mandy C.
Title: Hell Bent (Alex Stern #2)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Bardugo is an auto-buy author for me. I adore the Grishaverse—it tops my list of fictional places I’d want to visit—and I’d sign on with the Six of Crows crew in a second. But I wasn’t a huge fan of Ninth House, her first adult novel, so I was hesitant when diving into Hell Bent. My review of Ninth House mentioned that the book, to me, was missing some of the magic I’d come to expect from Bardugo. I should have trusted in her, though, because Hell Bent absolutely blew me away. Perhaps I was just in the proper mindset this time, or the fates aligned just so. Regardless, my faith in her writing was 100% restored, and I cannot wait for the third book to come out.
Seconded by Sarah
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Title: Some Shall Break (None Shall Sleep #2)
Author: Ellie Marney
Speaking of auto-buy authors… I’m not a true crime fan, but Marney’s books consistenly suck me in to their suspenseful and often gory worlds. She’s got a killer (heh) way of combining some truly gruesome situations with massive amounts of chemistry between her leads, and it keeps me coming back for more. Some Shall Break absolutely doesn’t fall pretty to the Bridge Book Blues, and only ramped up both my anxiety and also exitement for what’s to come.
Title: Painted Devils (Little Thieves #2)
Author: Margaret Owen
I was on a roll with second books in series this year; where they often suffer from too much transition and not enough plot, most of the sequels I read this year not only were excellent in their own right, but made the series as a whole even better. Owen’s one of the wittiest and most clever authors publishing right now, and her books never fail to delight. Painted Devils made me laugh out loud more than a few times, even while I was worried for the main character and her “accidental” forming of a cult…
Title: Spell Bound
Author: F.T. Lukens
Lukens is another author who continually delights, and Spell Bound made me a Fan (rather than, you know, just being a fan). I loved the mix of contemporary ideas and setting with magical elements, and the queer representation in the book is truly lovely. If you like the offbeat nature of Terry Pratchett’s books, or just sweet stories about folks who deal with magical issues, you’ll love this one.
Title: A Psalm for the Wild Built (Monk and Robot #1)
Author: Becky Chambers
I didn’t quite know what I was getting into when I started Psalm, but I’d heard good things about Chambers’s writing, and I needed a reading reset. Psalm is a book unlike any others I’ve read. It’s a quiet, peaceful book that doesn’t skim on character- or world-building. I would love to wander off into the forests of this world and perhaps discover something unexpected, either internally or externally. This book definitely made me want to pick up more of Chambers’s work!
Mandy W.
Title: Spare
Author: Prince Harry
The first book I finished in 2023 remained one of my most entertaining reads for the year. For a brief time, my DMs were full of cringing along to all the todger talk. (There is SO. MUCH. TODGER. TALK.) I’m definitely not a monarchist, so I was hoping for the royal schadenfreude to continue with an audiobook Grammy nom. Alas, the Recording Academy boringly did not choose violence, but at least Spare tops my list. (Prestigious consolation prize, I know).
Title: The Woman in Me
Author: Britney Spears
(Yes, I realize the irony of neither of my picks being YA, but 1) I didn’t read very much new YA this year, and 2) this list is for all our faves, YA or otherwise.)
To bookend my reading year is another memoir about a celebrity who has been mistreated by family and friends while facing intense scrutiny from the press and the public. Obvs – IT’S BRITNEY, BITCH. It was eye-opening and heart-wrenching to revisit all the pivotal moments in her life and recognize all the rampant misogyny and bullshit that she’s been through. But the reason why I picked The Woman in Me is because Britney can be cutting and funny as heck. Everyone was catching strays, but honestly, she would have been justified warranted to be even more vicious. (I didn’t go with the audiobook, but it seems like I missed out fo shizz fo shizz. May Michelle Williams win next year’s Grammy to make up for the Spare snub!)
Sarah
Title: Happy Place
Author: Emily Henry
So, I just realized that I read very few books published in 2023, but I read a lot of 2022 releases, because I was trying to catch up on all of our faves. I guess what I’m saying is, now I’ll spend the next year reading 2023 releases and end up in the same jam. How do I break the cycle?!!
But anyway, Happy Place! Y’all, I’ve loved all of Emily Henry’s books, but this one, THIS ONE, is my favorite so far. Look at all of these tropes/bonus factors!
- Second Chance Romance
- Fake Dating
- Only One Bed
- Beach Towns
- Squad Goals
- Sweet Home Alabama minus the South
And it has a hot pink cover. I MEAN.
Stephanie
Title: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde #1)
Author: Heather Fawcett
I adored Emily’s dragon lady persona (and the growth!), her antagonistic friendship with Wendell, and the wintery setting. Fawcett’s writing is sharp and hilarious and pompously witty. It was like this was written just for me.
Title: Warrior Girl Unearthed
Author: Angeline Boulley
Falling in love with this one was a bit more of a slow-burn compared to Boulley’s debut, but by the end I loved Perry just as much as Daunis, and the way she found her passion and feels so strongly about it will make you want to get out there and DO something. Learning through books is one of the best ways to get people excited about a tough subject.
Title: The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance #3)
Author: Naomi Novik
I know this technically came out in 2022 but I just read it two months ago, along with rereading the first book and finally getting to the second (I like waiting until I can binge, thankyouverymuch). It also took me a while to start this after it was completed because of the mixed reviews I kept seeing, but I studiously avoided spoilers and loved the first book so much that I needed to judge it for myself. And I am SO GLAD that I did because–this ending?? Was fantastic! I do not get the haters! This gave me literally everything I wanted (and the one or two things that everyone hated, like, I just didn’t find that big of a deal) and I was crying actual tears and laughing out loud and hugging this book by the end.
Title: I’ll Stop the World
Author: Lauren Thoman
I love a good timey-wimey plot, and the ‘80s nostalgia-porn was a good balance between critical and celebratory. I had way more fun with this debut than I was expecting, and it also touched on some important topics that gave it more weight than a totally forgettable, easy-breezy read.
Title: Something Close to Magic
Author: Emma Mills
This was one of those books that came along at the right time. It’s cozy, it’s filled with charming characters who are funny and ultimately kind, and the low-stakes makes it easy to pick up when you need something to make you feel good. It’s the kind of YA fantasy that we rarely see anymore when everything is trying to be a Throne of Glass rip-off, and it reminded me of something I would’ve read when I was a teen and loved.
Brian
Title: For Girls Who Walk Through Fire
Author: Kim DeRose
In an era where women’s rights are being eroded, it’s great to read a story about victims turned avengers. Maybe the law won’t help, but the law can’t do anything about magic, can it?
Title: Where You See Yourself
Author: Claire Forrest
Sweet story that shows that just because you use a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can’t kick some ass.
Title: The Blackwoods
Author: Brandy Colbert
I love me a good multigenerational story that crosses the years flawlessly. Also love the little historical Easter eggs.
Title: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn (The Library Trilogy #1)
Author: Mark Lawrence
A mysterious, city-sized library containing every book ever written? Get me a cat and a coffee maker and see you in a few decades.
Scout Luna
Title: The Cartographers
Author: Amy Zhang
Can a book make you feel seen? But, like, the depressed, 19-year-old version of you that you wish you could erase, but her struggles were what made you who you are today? The Cartographers did just that for me.
Title: Everyone Wants To Know
Author: Kelly Loy Gilbert
I do not keep up with the Kardashians, but this story about Honor Lo, a reality-tv-show star’s daughter who doesn’t want to be in the family business anymore, made me sympathize with that family – that’s how good of a writer Gilbert is. She writes messy, flawed characters who work their way into your heart and make a little nest there. No one is the good guy here, save Atticus Lo (Honor’s twin and all-around good person), but you’ll root for this weird family anyway. Or, at least, keep reading about them to see what sort of trainwreck is going to happen.
Amanda
Title: Lies We Sing to the Sea
Author: Sarah Underwood
A heartbreaking Greek mythological sapphic love story (say that 10 times fast). This book is heartbreaking and written so beautifully you’re sure to love it. If you’re into audiobooks the narrator is amazing.
Title: The Only One Left
Author: Riley Sager
Not YA or a typical romance but oh so good. A haunting novel with so many twists you’ll need to book a chiropractic appointment.
Regina
Title: Our Divine Mischief
Author: Hanna C. Howard
A tough girl, a sweet boy and a chaotic wish-granting dog in a landscape inspired by Scotland. What’s not to like?
Which 2023 releases were your favorites? Stay tuned for our Reader Poll so you can let us know!
