Best Books of 2023
I love to read! When I had two little toddlers running around I was a TIRED WOMAN and my zombie-like sleep patterns didn’t allow for much reading. But now I’ve carved out time for reading and it has made such a difference. I’ll write another blog post all about how to find out how you like to read but for now, let’s dive into the books, shall we?
This list is very eclectic and reflects my reading style. I tend to read lots of contemporary fiction novels on my Kindle before bed with a variety of non-fiction books added in. Here are my ten favorites of the year in no particular order. Note: These are not all books published in 2023 but ones I read in the Year of Our Lord 2023.
I’ve also organized the rest of the 40 books into categories with brief descriptions so you can see if they make your “To Be Read” list:
This is the first book I read of 2023 as I received it for Christmas. I absolutely loved the aspiring and beautiful pictures. Benzakein takes you through step by step how to grow, harvest and design with cut flowers season by season.
While I still have yet to grow a dahlia (my seedlings last summer wilted 🙁) this book encourages me to keep going and gives me the advice I need. If only to look at the beautiful flower photography to get through the bleak winter, this book is worth it. And I will grow a Dahlia this summer. It’s going to happen!
I walked through this book with a friend and I am not exaggerating when I say that this book changed my life. Fugimura is a professional artist and reflects on the topic of creating, especially as an expression of bringing in the New, which is to say bringing in God’s kingdom.
He writes, “Through the fissures of our broken journeys, with pieces of our own hearts shattered on the ground, we journey by God’s grace into the New Creation. God sees beyond our shattered remains. He picks them up and sings a song over us.”
This book helped me to see myself as a maker and my purpose as an artist and also inspired my newest collection, Earth to Eden. Read if you are an artist who needs to be reminded of the significance of beauty and art in the church.
I couldn’t put this one down! I read it in a couple of days. The author, TJ Newman is a flight attendant herself and this book is set on a crashing airplane. That is how the story starts - the airplane the characters are on is crashing!
It is an intense ride full of problem solving, disasters, miracles, and heart. I love stories that center around family and this has a good one.
I still think about the creativity of this book long after I read it back in the spring. I’ve been getting into climate books lately and I never thought I would. It is a similar genre to apocalyptic fiction, which is maybe why I like it. The world is no longer as it was and characters must adapt.
Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels gradually wreak havoc on the state’s infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. A family must survive.
As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda, the daughter born in the hurricane grows up. This is a beautiful journey of Wanda as she experiences loss, gains community and seeks adventure.
5. All My Knotted Up Life by Beth Moore
This memoir is acclaimed and for good reason. Beth Moore is gracious in her telling of her past and the abuse suffered in the Southern Baptist denomination, but that is not all this book is about. It covers those topics but this is not a tell-all, finger-wagging assault.
It is a beautiful picture of God’s grace over Moore’s life. She sees that grace and knows it deeply and points others to it. I was initially concerned about reading this, as I knew it had sensitive content, but she handled it with such care. Must read!
6. Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson
I read this one after Art + Making and I describe it as a craft book for Christian creatives. Goodreads says, ‘While there are many books about writing, none deal first-hand with the intersection of songwriting, storytelling, and vocation, along with nuts-and-bolts exploration of the great mystery of creativity.” I appreciated how this book discussed community and how artists work together and create beauty. It was special for me to see this played out as it has been a desire of mine in the Lexington, KY area. The book helped move my thoughts along to creating a creative community called, River of Willows. Books churn ideas, shape our thinking and God uses those new thoughts to do His Will. The book was an example of that in the launch of River of Willows community this past spring. I’m grateful for the journey this book took me on.
7. We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
As you’ll see below, I love a book centered around family. I read lots of them last year! I enjoy seeing the dynamics of each character and how they interact with one another. I particularly loved We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange. (Her other book, The Connellys of County Down is great too!)
Focused on an Irish family and the pressure to save their family bar, the story goes deeper as it explores the power of love and shame. The writing is lovely and familiar as it makes you feel like part of the story with its depth of detail and intimacy of character. Maybe this made me feel nostalgic about my own big Irish family, but the characters and ending satisfies.
8. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
How did I not know about Ann Patchett until this year?! I listened to this one on audio (narrated by Tom Hanks!) while painting and this book felt like a beautiful layered oil painting. The characters and plot mix together into a thoughtful composition. The story is told by Danny, as he and his older sister, Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. This story weaves deep relationships and the longing for the past to produce a rich story about two siblings who are only truly comfortable when they’re together.
9. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
I love a good historical novel by Kristin Hannah (The Nightingale, anyone?) The Winter Garden was eye-opening for me as part of its story is set in WWII Leningrad. I did not learn the bleak history of this place until researching it after reading this book.
Two very different sisters come home to their family’s California orchard to help care for their ill father. Their cold mother, Anya, offers no support. Slowly begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Finally, the daughters hear the harrowing tale of their mother’s life and the secrets of the past.
Again, I love a family novel, especially one with healing and redemption which this one does.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
I listened to this one on audio and I am so glad I did as the narrator’s voice is a wonderful addition to the story.
I appreciated the success story of Ray McMillian, a brilliant violinist who must face obstacles of family, race, and finances to pursue his dream of becoming a professional musician. Then the story gets even more intriguing when he finds out his great-grandfather’s violin is a priceless Stradivarius. Highjinks ensue and pressure rises until the very end. You root for this character all the way through this book.
Here are the other 40 I read as well sectioned into categories:
Young Adult
11. The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley - A thrilling coming-of-age story blending Ojibwe culture, a complex crime investigation, and a deep dive into community secrets. Loved this one!
12. Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley: sequel to Firekeeper’s daughter, involving the same community by focusing on the next generation. I enjoyed The Firekeeper’s Daughter more but this one opened my eyes to the cultural abuse and misappropriation of Native American artifacts and history which was meaningful.
Nonfiction
13. Healing Through Creativity by Fiona Horrobin: A guide exploring the therapeutic power of creative expression in healing emotional and psychological wounds. Jesus + creativity = healing
14. Praying like Monks, Living like Fools by Tyler Stanton: I read this for a summer Bible study and it was a thought-provoking exploration of how to pray in today’s chaotic modern life. Practical information I still use today!
15. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer: This one had my little enneagram one heart at hello. A call to embrace slower living, emphasizing the importance of rest and mindfulness in our fast-paced world.
Poetry
16. I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer: A collection of thought-provoking poems. Baer uses the unsolicited opinions and comments from her blog to reclaim and reshape into poems. Brilliant concept!
Family Narratives
17. Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell: A captivating family drama unfolds during the scorching summer of 1976, revealing long-held secrets and family dynamics.
18. The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange: A family drama that explores sibling connection and what we would do for family.
19. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid: The story of four famous siblings throwing an epic party that turns their lives upside down, set against the backdrop of Malibu in the 1980s. No one does modern historical settings like Reid. The 80s rings true.
20. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: A mother tells the story of her summer at Tom Lake, a theater community, to her three adult daughters when they return home because of the pandemic.
21. One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood: A heartwarming tale of an unusual friendship between a 104-year-old woman and a boy and later his father.
22. Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson: A novel about a rich New York family that delves into secrets and complexities of love and societal expectations.
Fiction/Literary Fiction
23. Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid: A legendary tennis player comes out of retirement to defend her record, facing personal and professional challenges.23. Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng: A powerful narrative about the enduring strength of parental love in a dystopian society that suppresses cultural expression and personal freedoms.
24. The Lost Vintage by Ann Mae: A story of family secrets and a mysterious wine collection, bridging the past and present in the vineyards of Burgundy.
25. Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson: A novel about the chaos and creativity of adolescence, centered around a mysterious and controversial piece of art.
26. Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissen: A historical novel intertwining the lives of two women, connected by a scarf and separated by a century, finding love and hope in times of tragedy.
27. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson: An imaginative and funny tale about a woman tasked with caring for two children with a unique and dangerous ability to spontaneously combust.
28. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler: A unique and thought-provoking story about a young woman grappling with the truth about her unconventional family upbringing. Can’t say I like the twist that this book provided.
Lifestyle
29. The Cook’s Book by Bri McKoy: A delightful combination of practical recipes and personal anecdotes, emphasizing the joy and community found in cooking and sharing meals.
30. The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker: A guide to decluttering and simplifying your living space, promoting a more focused and fulfilling lifestyle.
Thriller/Suspense/Murder Mystery
31. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: A gripping psychological thriller about a woman's sudden silence following a violent act and the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.
32. Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister: A suspenseful story about a mother saving her son from a poor decision, she is forced to go back in time to find the key to the mystery.
33. Yellowface by R.F Kuang: A critical exploration of cultural appropriation and identity in the literary world, challenging readers to reconsider notions of authenticity and representation. Lots of people like this one. I don’t appreciate narratives set up on a lie.
34. The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell: Great British Baking Show + murder mystery
35. Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier: a murder mystery set on the dark side of horse riding culture
36. Lovely Girls by Margot Hunt: A thriller based on high school girls and their relationships with their mothers. If Mean Girls was a thriller instead of a comedy.
37. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn: Aging female assassins must confront their past as they become targets themselves. Think Geriatric Charlie’s Angels.
38. The Last Flight by Julie Clark: Two women desperate to escape their lives swap plane tickets, leading to suspenseful twists when one of the planes crashes.
39. Good as Gone by Amy Gentry: A gripping story about a kidnapped daughter who returns home, sparking questions about her true identity.
41. Counterfeit by Kirsten Chen: A tale of two Asian American women drawn into the world of counterfeit luxury handbags.
Romance (but literary, not steamy)
42. The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle: A heartwarming story celebrating the beauty and significance of everyday objects and memories.
43. Talking at Night by Claire Daverly: An exploration of deep conversations between two acquaintances in high school that unfold into a long-lasting relationship.
Science Fiction
44. The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis: A band of characters help a lost alien find its home. This book was a thumbs up on summer reading lists I subscribe to and I gave it a shot, but it was the worst book I’ve read all year. The premise didn’t hold up and it was just plain stupid.
45. Upgrade by Blake Crouch: A man genetically modified with extraordinary abilities faces moral dilemmas in a future where gene editing is possible.
46. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch: A mind-bending thriller about a physicist who confronts alternate versions of his life in a multiverse.
Autobiography/Memoir
47. Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes: (listened on audio) Shonda Rhimes shares her transformative experience of saying 'yes' to opportunities for a year.
48. Yes, Please by Amy Poehler: (listened on audio) A humorous and insightful memoir from comedian Amy Poehler, reflecting on career, life, and motherhood.
49. A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost: A candid and witty memoir by comedian Colin Jost, sharing personal stories from his life and career on SNL.
50. Becoming Free Indeed by Jinger Dugger Vuolo: Jinger Dugger Vuolo recounts her journey from a strict, conservative upbringing to finding her own path and beliefs. I liked this as she disentangled her faith from circumstances and did not just completely give it up. I read it after watching the Shiny Happy People documentary.
All thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not paid or incentivized in anyway for this content.