The 8 best books I read in 2023 (all by women writers)

Books

29 Dec

A 2023 reading roundup

I’ve read 26 books this year, all written by women. This blog post features the 8 I’d highly recommend! Click here to skip ahead to that list.

For some context, 2023 was the first year I’ve ever set myself a reading goal. I thought roughly two books per month might be a manageable pace, based on having only read a handful of fiction books in 2022, so I settled on a goal of 25 books.

I’m so pleased to have surpassed this goal by one book! I read 26 in total (finishing on the 28th December), with 5 of those being audiobooks that I mostly listened to on long drives in a one-month period.

I used The StoryGraph app to track my reading, and it really did make a world of difference! There’s something very motivating about seeing the little percentage climb up as you make your way through the pages.

Side note about this brilliant app: it now has a barcode scanning feature so you can use your phone camera to generate a quick preview of a book in a shop and see if it matches the genres and moods you usually like reading. So cool!

Screenshots from The StoryGraph app showing reading stats for 2023.

As a dedicated second-hand shopper, I love a charity shop book haul, so that’s where most of these books came from, plus a few Christmas and birthday gifts that were bought new.

I very much judge a book by its cover, which has proven to be an effective system so far. I’m always drawn in by beautiful (or just colourful) cover designs, and praise from authors I like tends to clinch it if I don’t know the writer whose book I’m looking at.

Lots of the books I read this year were prize-winners or shortlisted too, which explains why there aren’t any duds on this list!

Two small stacks of books from a charity shop.

This year of reading has helped me hone my taste and better understand the kinds of stories and authors I like, as I wasn’t really aware of this before. The StoryGraph tells me it’s mostly Literary and Contemporary, and in terms of mood, Emotional and Reflective.

I enjoyed reading (or listening to) all of these books, so I’ll list them all if you’d like to check them out. The ones I really liked and would recommend or gift to a friend get a prime feature here though!

In case you’re already lining up your TBR pile for 2024, I’ll also include a few books at the end that I’ve got on mine (again, a mix of presents and chazza purchases.) I obviously can’t comment on how good they are, but I’ll report back if I write another one of these blog posts at the end of the year!

Most of the book links go to bookshop.org which is a great way to buy books online while supporting independent bookstores (you can choose which one.) I recommend checking your local charity shops and library too, as so many of these will be available there.

📚 My 8 favourite books that I read in 2023:

Click the links to read each book’s blurb 😊

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

This book is prize-winning for a reason. A totally gripping and heart-wrenching story!

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

I raced through this much-beloved 2023 release. I think we could all benefit from being more Elizabeth Zott. An impressive debut!

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak

This was my favourite read of the year. Absolutely mesmerising descriptions, brave characters, and beautiful portraits of friendship.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Another brilliant author debut that kept me gripped right til the end. There’s more than meets the eye, and the way Reid weaves this sinister layer through the story is highly skilled.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

An unforgettable book and incredible feat of journalism! You’ll feel totally engrossed in the lives of these “ordinary” women.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

This was heartbreaking and chilling. It’s fiction, but sadly the theme of injustice rings all too true.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett (audiobook)

I haven’t read or watched A Handmaid’s Tale, but I get the sense this is similar. It’s a clever exploration of the way society pits women against each other, set in a dystopian world.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (audiobook)

The only memoir that made my top 8 and a really beautiful one. It’s about family, food, grief and identity. Very heartfelt and moving.

Screenshots of audiobooks by Michelle Zauner and Kim Liggett.

The other 18 books I read this year:

Here’s the remaining list of books I read in 2023, all by women authors. I’ve put a star by the ones I really liked.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 🌟

The Cloisters by Katy Hays 🌟

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Magpie by Elizabeth Day

Sorrow & Bliss by Meg Mason

The Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali 🌟

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh 🌟

Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood

One Day I Shall Astonish the World by Nina Stibbe

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha 🌟

Collage of books being held up in different places.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers 🌟

Thrown by Sara Cox

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Small Bodies of Water by Nina Mingya Powles (audiobook)

Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King (audiobook)

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh (audiobook)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 🌟

Screenshot from The StoryGraph app showing 26 books read in 2023.

Books on my list to read in 2024:

Here’s my Christmas limbo charity shop haul. I’m extremely pleased with this! Joy is finding a good-as-new book you’ve had on your list for the delightful price of £2 😍

My Name is Leon by Kit De Waal

Marriage Material by Sathnam Sanghera

Tin Man by Sarah Winman

Selected Stories by Alice Munro

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes

The Lido by Libby Page

You People by Nikita Lalwani

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott