The Best Books I Read in 2023

It’s no secret that I read a lot of books. At the start of 2023 I decided that I was going to track my reading. I had never done this before and wanted to see how many books I read a year, what books I liked best, and how many times I re-read books. 
    
In this blog post I’m sharing with you all the stats, how many books I read, what authors I read the most, and the best books of the year (with a few more thrown in there.)

​I am so excited about this, so what are we waiting for? Let's get into it.

Stats:
    
In 2023 I read a grand total of 107 books. This may seem like a big number to you, or it may not. Don’t compare how much you read to me though, I read a lot of middle-grade and young adult (which tend to be shorter) and I read almost constantly.  In counting these books I only counted books that I read in their entirety, I read a lot of poetry and excerpts from my favorite books, but those aren’t counted here. Same for books I quit on.
  
 75 books that I read were first time reads, and 32 of my total were re-reads. I read 100 fiction books and 7 non-fiction books. 
    
My most read author of the year was (unsurprisingly) Heather Vogel Frederick followed closely (only one book less) by Maud Hart Lovelace.

The most shocking thing that happened reading wise is that I began to LOVE two writers I have often said I hated - Jane Austen and Emily Dickinson.

Oh, and if you care, the longest book I read this year was (I think) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. The edition I read was 648 pages long. I won't be getting into that book here (I have very complicated opinions about it), but if you would like to hear me do a Jane Eyre rant, let me know in the comments.

Before we get into the best books of the year, I thought I would list some honorable mentions. These are books I really enjoyed, or am proud of reading that just didn't quite make the cut.

• Walden by Henry David Thoreau
• The Pumpkin Falls Mystery Series by Heather Vogel Frederick
• The Time Castaways Trilogy by Liesl Shurtliff
• Romanov by Nadine Brandes
• Get out of Your Head by Jennie Allen
• Honey Butter by Millie Florence

The Books:
Alrighty, here's what we’ve all been waiting for, the best books I read in 2023. The books are in order than I read them, except for the best one (I saved it for last.)

• Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

(young adult historical fantasy)
I have to be honest, a lot of fantasy books don’t really appeal to me, but when I heard that this book was historical fantasy I knew I had to read it. (And credit where credit is due, this cover is stunning!)

This book follows Thomas Fawkes (the son of Guy Fawkes) as he navigates his life in London, groping for the magic his father won’t let him possess, and hiding the fact that his face is turning to stone. This book animates the Gun Powder Plot with adventure, mysterious magic, and a touch of romance. 

I loved the characters in this book, the magic was fascinating, and the subtle allegory woven throughout the whole story really touched me.
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I would recommend this for people who love fantasy, history, action/adventure, and Christian themes.

• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

(young adult)
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This book is so so good! The reader follows a boy named Leo (who likes porcupine neckties), as his school explodes over the arrival of a new and strange girl who calls herself Stargirl. The thing about Stargirl is that she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her, she wears prairie dresses, sings happy birthday to people in the cafeteria, and carries around her pet rat named Cinnamon. And Leo, well, Leo has a crush on her.

This story is such a beautiful book about non-conformity, showing kindness to strangers, and being oneself no matter what everyone around says. Throughout the book, Stargirl struggles with being herself, verses being the type of person people think she should be.

Rarely do I leave a book thinking I want to be a character in it. But with this book, I wanted to be Stargirl.

This book is great for people who love quirky characters, school stories, and first love tropes.

• Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery

(vintage children's)
If you are a fan of L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon, etc.) this book is a must read! 

Jane is a girl who lives with her mother and grandmother in Toronto. Her family doesn’t talk about her father, but Jane knows there is something they're not telling her. She very quickly learns that her father isn't dead, no, he’s living on Prince Edward Island. This story spans multiple years as Jane spends the summers in PEI with her father, and the winters in Toronto with her mother, all the while wondering what went wrong between them.

This book is beautiful and hopeful. L.M. Montgomery is known for her vivid descriptions of Prince Edward Island, and this book does not disappoint in that regard. Definitely a sweet and comforting read. 

This book is great for people who love beautiful descriptions, family centric stories, and early 1900's settings.

• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

(classic romance/gothic satire)
I am a former Jane Austen hater. This is the book that converted me! It’s Jane Austen’s first novel, and it’s a parody of the gothic fiction that was popular during the early Regency era.

The story follows Catherine Morland, a young daughter of a parson who is spending some time in Bath with friends. She makes friends with the Tilney family and gains an invite to their estate, Northanger Abbey, an old abandoned abbey. Catherine, being an avid reader, begins imagining all the secrets the abbey could hold, and gets herself in a lot of trouble in the process. This book also has the sweetest Austenian romance, between Catherine and the very charming Henry Tilney.

This book had me literally laughing out loud, it’s snarky and fun - a great book to read if you’re recovering from one of Jane’s other novels.

• The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams by Mindy Thompson

(middle-grade historical fantasy)

I have to be honest, I picked this book up solely because of the stunning cover and the charming title. I had no idea that I would love this book so much.

Poppy and her family run the Rhyme and Reason bookshop during world war II. The bookshop is part of a group of magical time traveling bookshops that connect hurting people throughout time to stories. But things aren’t so magical anymore, Rhyme and Reason is suffering, and so is Poppy’s older brother Al, who hasn’t been the same since his best friend died overseas. 

This book is a beautiful story of community and family. Absolutely perfect for people like me who love books, World War II stories, cups of tea, and charming boys named Teddy (yes, Little Women fans rejoice.)

• A Place to Hang The Moon by Kate Albus

(middle-grade historical fiction)
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Speaking of bookish books and World War II, I would like to introduce you to one of the most perfect books I have ever read! (Also, the cover is possibly my favorite cover of the year!)

William, Edmund and Anna are three orphans living in London when their Grandmother dies and World War II hits the island. They leave the city for the countryside, living in billet after billet, secretly hoping not to find a family to last the duration of the war, but the rest of their lives. It’s anything but easy, finding a family, so the siblings find refuge in the local library. This book is full of bookish references, cozy scenes with delicious sounding food, as well as kids dealing with real things like bullies, and wondering if the librarian’s missing husband is really a Nazi like people say he is.
    
I found this book so tender and heartwarming. If there is one book to read this winter, this is the one.

Although it's a middle-grade book, people of all ages love it (trust me, I've read reviews.)

• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

(the interwebs disagree on whether this is middle grade or ya, but we can all agree that it is an adventure fantasy novel)

I actually wasn't going to read this book (maybe because a review on the back called it a “swashbuckling story for adventurous boys"). I got it from the library just as backup, and was getting ready to return it, when I decided that maybe I should give it a shot. Oh. my. Goodness. I loved this book!

It’s about an orphan named Sage who gets picked up by a nobleman named Connor who may know something about the recent assassination of the royal family. Connor has a plan to get the throne of Karthia, and he needs to find a boy to help him. Three orphan boys are now vying for the throne, but the stakes are high. 

I don’t want to tell you more because I don’t want to spoil the whole book for you! I’ll just say that it’s a thrilling adventure full of sword fights and mixed loyalty. If you love medieval inspired fantasy (no dragons or magic)  this book is for you.

• The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking

(self-help)

I would like to introduce you to the coziest,  happiest, bestest (I know that’s not a real word) lifestyle book you will ever read. This book is all about the Danish art of hygge which is all about comfort, community, and happiness.

Each chapter talks about how to make your life more hygge. The book is illustrated with adorable pictures and charming anecdotes. There are statistics on what makes people happy, recipes for a more hygge winter, and ways to add hygge into your workplace.  It’s the perfect guide to filling your life with little pleasures and making your life a touch more hyggelig.

I love this book so much, that it inspired a ten-page essay for my college class about the pursuit of happiness. 
Unlike so many non-fiction books, this book is not at all boring. I actually had a hard time putting it down!

This is a great book for anyone who has trouble slowing down, hates winter, or just needs a good does of hygge in their lives. Don't know what hygge is? Trust me, you need to read this book.

• Persuasion by Jane Austen

(classic romance)

This book is more therapy for the former Jane Austen hater in me. I did not expect to like this book so much, yes, it started out a little slow, but it is definitely Jane's most well written novel.

Her final (and shortest) work is about Anne Eliot, a woman who is living with her sister and brother and law after her father decided to rent out the family’s house. Much to Anne’s shock, the renters of her old home are none other than the Wentworth’s, siblings of her old lover Captain Wentworth. And who should show up at the family estate but the still charming Captain Wentworth himself. No one but Anne and the Captain know how close the two were to marriage eight years before, and to Anne, it seems like Captain Wentworth himself has forgotten.

​Anne fights with her feelings, and swears to move on as she watches Captain Wentworth fall in love with another girl. But things aren’t always as they seem.

I think it’s safe to say that Anne is Jane’s most mature and collected heroine. Nothing about her makes you want to hate her (I’m looking at you Marianne from Sense and Sensibility).

I definitely would recommend reading either Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice before reading this so that you can really appreciate it.

• The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

​(ya fantasy)

This fall I read the entire original Ascendance Trilogy (starting with the False Prince). This book is the second in the trilogy, and I think it's my favorite of the three.

Jennifer Nielsen does it again, shocking me, and forcing me to not put her book down!

Again, I don’t want to say too much because this book relies so much on plot twists and secrets, but I will tell you it’s primarily about pirates, faking ones own death, and trying to figure out who your friends are and who are your enemies. 

• The Lost Frost Girl by Amy Wilson

(middle-grade fantasy)

If you are someone who doesn’t really like winter, read this book. It’s about a girl names Owl who doesn't know who her father is. When her mother reveals that she is the child of Jack Frost, Owl doesn't know what to think. Until things she touches turn to ice, and she has an encounter with her father, it doesn’t seem real. Soon she is sucked away into the world of the elements and has to save her father from losing his season. 

This book is beautiful, whimsical, and touching. It honestly feels like something I would write. I loved all of the characters and the beautiful descriptions of frost. It definitely made me appreciate the beauty of such a simple thing.

The perfect book for fans of middle-grade fantasy books and cozy reads in general.

We have come a long way my friend, now it is time for me to introduce you to my favorite book of 2023.

• Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
  

(vintage young-adult historical)

In her introduction to this book, Mitali Perkins says that there isn’t a character she had ever seen herself in as much as she saw herself in Emily Webster. This sums up my feelings for this book pretty well. 

Emily of Deep Valley is my book. The book I will come to again and again to read about a girl like me. 

Yes, this book is a standalone based in the Betsy-Tacy world, but it is very much its own story. Don’t go into this book expecting Betsy in all of her exuberance.

Emily is a recent highschool graduate stuck in Deep Valley with her grandfather, a civil war veteran. She feels very lost, stuck in between memories of highschool and dreams of the future she can’t have. Emily then decides to “muster her wits” and make her life what she wants it to be. 

This book is about a girl finding herself, its about resolving to do what you can to make the world and the lives of those around you better. 

In addition, this book very much reads like a typical Maud Hart Lovelace book, there are beautiful descriptions of deep valley, the clothes the girls wear, cute little ice cream shops, literary references and sweet friendships. I love this book so so much, I read it twice this year. If you want to hear more about how this book has impacted me, read this post and this post.

I would highly recommend this book to any Lovelace, Alcott, Montgomery or Jean Webster fan.

So now it's your turn. What were the best books you read in 2023? Have you read any of my favorites? What books do you think I should read in 2024?

Belle Thomas

​Belle is the writer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about Jesus, good books, and living a beautiful life.