The 45 Books I Read in 2023, Ranked

From hilarious beach reads to heartbreaking lesbian sea romances to Parker Posey, I read some really great books this year. And the ones I liked the least probably sold the most copies!

The time has come for everyone to share all of their accomplishments and opinions! Of course, reading a bunch of books or watching a bunch of movies pales in comparison to actually making one of these things, but while I’m still looking for an agent, my year-end reflection will consist of quick judgments and (potentially unpopular) opinions of the 45 books I read in 2023. (Excluded are a manuscript I was a beta reader for and Fleabag: The Scriptures.)

While I list my favorite books at the top and my least favorite at the bottom, all of these books were great. In fact, the ones at the bottom are far and away some of the most popular books of the past few years. This is merely a rough ranking based on how much I enjoyed the book. Recency bias does factor into the results!

Okay, without further ado…

Favorite Book of the Year: Poor Things

In a year in which I only read fewer than 10 books written by men, this one tops the list. Figures! Poor Things is my Alchemist, my Ishmael, my Siddhartha. It’s a book that gives you a broad philosophy on life, although it ends with a quick bop on the head and a shattering of everything you had just devoured. I loved it. The movie was pretty true to the book, although it could have used more Jerrod Carmichael. (Most things could use more Jerrod Carmichael, though, to be fair.)

Hello Beautiful

Pachinko

The Vanishing Half

Favorite LGBTQ+ Read of the Year: Our Wives Under the Sea

The prose in this book is spectacular. I will read anything Julia Armfield wants to write, whether or not it has a plot. The plot in this one gets messy toward the end, but grief is messy. Grief is unanswered questions. So I will defend my five-star rating to any book club you bring me to.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Family Meal

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

Funniest Book: Dial A for Aunties

I will also read anything Jesse Q. Sutanto writes, but for different reasons. This book was a hoot and a half. If you need a book for the beach, for a plane ride, or for any occasion in which you need to escape into a silly, absurd, lovely world, I recommend keeping Dial A for Aunties in your purse.

Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

My Government Means to Kill Me

Best Celebrity Memoir: Dying of Politeness and Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult

I love a good celebrity memoir, and all the ones I read this year were really fabulous in their own way. Extra shout-out to Paris and Britney for being honest and vulnerable about the awful things they went through. Maybe it’s because Geena Davis and Maria Bamford have some extra years of knowledge in their toolbox, or they invested more into hiring ghostwriters who really tightened up their manuscripts, but these two stood out for me.

Paris: The Memoir

Bunny

Cultish

Best Book for Writers: Blueprint for a Book

I will never write a book without using the Inside Outline again! I’m not sure how many fellow writers are reading this Substack, but I cannot recommend this method enough.

Best Book to Gift To Your Family Members If They Don’t Know Where To Start In Their Anti-Racism Journey: Anti-Racist Ally: An Introduction to Activism and Action

I have a very good friend who was in a Facebook of well-meaning white women who wanted to learn more about anti-racism. For a book club, they voted to read The Help. I would gently suggest this book instead. It’s a bit of a beginner’s guide to anti-racism, but it’s a good place to start if The New Jim Crow or White Fragility feel a bit too extreme.

I’m Glad My Mom Died

Yellowface

Song of Achilles

Best LGBTQ Spicy Book: Mistakes Were Made

I’m an adult, I’m allowed to post this.

Black Sheep

Big Gay Wedding

Misery

Best Short Stories: Old Country Fiddle

I am not a short story gal, but I heard Heath Dollar read from Old Country Fiddle at the Texas Book Festival last year and kept this collection by my bedside. This book includes stories from the residents of one West Texas town. My current WIP also takes place in a small, small Texas town so this was a great springboard for inspiration. Go to book festivals, y’all!

The Woman in Me

What They Said About Luisa

Queenie

Death in Her Hands

Love, Pamela

Made to Stick

The Artful Edit

Magic Words

Best Bathtime Listen: You’re on an Airplane

Parker Posey is a beloved actress, but she may be a nightmare to work with. I say that as a compliment. She takes the prompt of this book literally, throughout the whole text. She’s just talking to you, the passenger next to her on the plane. It’s not a page-turner, but it’s good if you want to indulge in some vices and listen to the audiobook. She narrates.

Caging Skies

Instant Karma

Dava Shastri’s Last Day

Mrs. Fletcher

Really Good, Actually

I’m Sorry! Lessons in Chemistry

The last three on the list are arguably the most popular books on the list. There’s nothing particularly wrong with these books. (One could argue that IETU and its cancelled coloring book romanticizes domestic violence, but you’re not going to get an in-depth analysis of that take on my Substack.) They’re just not for me.

It Ends With Us

Verity

Doesn’t Count Because I Read It Every Year: Play It As It Lays

Although this is technically at the bottom, this is my favorite book of all time. I read this book in 2022. I read this book in 2023. I will read it in 2024, taking more careful notes in pencil. This book says so much between the lines. If you haven’t read it, put it on your list, even if you read The Year of Magical Thinking and wasn’t a fan. (Hi, Casey!) It’s a masterclass in craft. It is phenomenal.

Well, and that’s it! Thoughts? Agreements? Disagreements? Let ‘er rip.