The end of a year and the start of a new year is always scramble time for me, because I’ve got to do my end-of-year wrap ups and start-of-year plans. I started off 2024 with full energy, posting my 2024 goals, a book review (Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri), and one in my 2023 reading wrap up series (Books I DNFed in 2023). But after that, things got weirdly lethargic health-wise and I somehow lost steam for a bit, trying to post on all platforms but only succeeding on one or two at any given time. That was the impetus that pushed me and I forced myself to revisit my goals for the year. It reminded me of what I want for my brand in 2024 and how I want to succeed.
And that success isn’t going to come about if I flail around like a headless chicken. So here I am, trying to get my to-do list set according to priority and trying to check them off one by one.
First on that to-do list is to complete my 2023 reading wrap up series of blog posts. Two and a half months into the new year and I still haven’t posted my Favorite Books of 2023 and Worst Books of 2023 blog posts even though the videos for them went up relatively on time. (I’ve linked to the respective videos above, if you’d like to go check them out.) So since there’s been such a delay in these posts, I’ve decided, similar to but not completely like last year – since the DNFs post is already up – to club these two remaining categories.
Moving onto an overview of the year, I did get quite a few favorite books across 2023 and a few not-so-favorites from the 141 books that I read. But I must note that overall, 2023 was a pretty unmemorable year for me. It wasn’t bad. There just weren’t a lot of things that happened or that I did that I will look back on fondly. Sometimes, that’s all that one can hope for. But I’m ready for something different in 2024, be it in reading or otherwise. (How else do you explain the fact that I’ve been ploughing through books on my TBR? And have you seen my Valentine’s Day recs post? I know right?! Groundbreaking!)
Anyway, here’s the remainder of my 2023 reading wrap up – both favorite and least favorite books. I’ve spoken about many of these books either on my channel or on the blog or Instagram, and I’ll link the appropriate posts/videos as we go. I hope you like this post and find some book recommendations for yourself in here!
MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023
The number of favorite books on this list came up to 51 and I had to whittle it down quite a bit, remove the usual suspects from the main list, before I came to a talkable number of 25. I’ll still mention these usual suspects first because they do deserve mention, given that they are favorites.
So now that those are out of the way, here are my favorite books of 2023 in chronological order of when I read them:
The Joy Luck Club is about 4 Chinese-American immigrant mothers and their daughters, their experiences, what the mothers want to teach their daughters, what the daughters hope their mothers will understand, given their situation, and all of it. I did a full blog review of the book. If you’d like to go check it out, here’s the link: The Joy Luck Club.
Darius the Great is Not Okay is about a Persian-American boy who is about to go to Iran for the first time to visit his ailing grandfather. How he deals with the overwhelming emotions that greet him there, through his depression, forms this story. It was heartfelt and lovely and emotional – everything I love in a book!
This Poison Heart is the first in a duology of the same name and it’s based in Greek mythology, with a much-hated character being shown an understanding, compassionate turn. This first book was great but the second went back to Cinderella is Dead quality – a book that I did not like at all.
Three more books that I loved were so varied. From a much-loved classic in Watership Down, which is about survival and fellowship and camaraderie and perseverance and resilence to Bad Feminist, in which Roxane Gay talks about being a feminist, how there is no ‘bad feminist’, and dissects popular movies and books from a feminist perspective, to Dust Child, a book with three timelines, all characters of which are connected to the Vietnam War and are trying to either find their pasts or a better life for themselves.
I did a full blog review for Dust Child. If you’d like to go check that out, link is here: Dust Child.
Pet is a novella of sorts with a focus on the metaphorical and real representation of the monsters that plague our world. Once you understand what the author is referring to, you will feel the chills and the anger creeping down your spine.
Carrie Soto is Back is a sports story following Carrie Soto who returns from retirement after a younger player threatens to take her crown of ‘all time great’. It is one of the best character studies I’ve ever read and I loved Carrie Soto as a character way too much at this point. Here’s a full blog review of this book: Carrie Soto is Back.
These three books were unexpected favorites and the fact that each of these is from a different genre just makes me love them even more.
Family of Liars is a prequel to We Were Liars and we follow the generation of the parents as they return to the island and indulge in some wild shenanigans. Although it follows in the earlier book’s footsteps when it comes to showing what family will do you for you, Family of Liars dials it up to a 100 with near-perfect execution.
On the other hand, Daphne du Maurier, who does horror like the pro that she is, dials it down a notch and puts the short stories in The Doll: Short Stories firmly in extremely creepy and chilling territory. And you should know by now that a scaredy cat like myself doesn’t recommend a book of this genre that often.
Actor Constance Wu’s memoir, aptly titled Making a Scene is a collection of her life experiences, starting off in a deceptively childish manner and then moving on to a hammer whack across the head and your tear ducts that will have you apologizing to her over and over again. Highly recommend the audiobook!
Okay, three more books from wildly different genres here:
In the Watchful City is of the biocyberpunk genre under the umbrella of science fiction fantasy and is a story of grief, trauma, oppression, and love. It’s a slow read but is worth the pace, because it covers topics like surveillance, humanity, getting in touch with yourself, and the art of storytelling in a fabulously effective manner.
The Charm Offensive is a contemporary romance that is set against the backdrop of a TV reality show a la The Bachelor, following the ‘hero’ and a producer on the show. It’s lovely in the way it focuses on self-improvement as a way to improving relationships and of course became one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is a cosy mystery that follows strict, set-in-her-ways Chinese Auntie Vera Wong, who takes it upon herself to investigate a murder because the body ended up in her tea shop. I did a full blog review of it. Here’s the link if you’d like to go check it out: Book Review – Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
In Beyond the Gender Binary, Alok Vaid Menon talks to us about gender, how society has built up the gender binary to a point where people feel boxed in, and how everyone – and not just nonbinary or transgender people – will benefit from doing away with it. It’s short, it’s crisp, it’s kind and compassionate, and now, Alok is one of my favorite people ever!
The Vitals is Tracy Sorensen’s memoir in which her organs are doing the storytelling about her peritoneal cancer. It’s such a unique way of telling her story and given the different genres of sub-stories you’ll find in there, be prepared to feel a lot of feelings.
Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is a Jumanji-like horror story in which 4 friends return to finish a game in order to help their dead friend. Yeah, it’s crazy, this description, and the way the story grows on you will be even crazier. Only, don’t read this at 2 in the AM like I did. I promise you those shadows will seem like they’re moving.
Ah, the tears trio!
Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner’s memoir about her relationship with her mother, who died of cancer, broke me from the inside out and had me bawling, pining for my own mother, who’s on a wholly different continent at the moment.
The Museum of Failures is also a story of a son’s relationship with his mother, replete with heartbreak, secrets, the truth finding its way out, disappointment, love, and the want to do the right thing. It’s a whole experience in itself, this book, and if you’ve never read Thrity Umrigar before, let this be your first. All I ask is you be patient as you read it.
Imogen, Obviously doesn’t fall under the parent-child relationship umbrella. But it is a story of self-discovery, of queer identities, of queerbaiting, of friendships and loves, and so much more. This was a book that I gave my whole heart to and have been advocating for people to read ever since I read it.
Two heartbreaking reads, one rooted firmly in an ongoing reality that’s taking thousands of innocent lives, and the other, a rather cruel coming-of-age story.
Minor Detail is a Palestinian story told in two timelines, one in 1949 right after the Nakba when Israeli soldiers were moving about turning people out of their villages and their rape and murder of an Arab girl, and the second, 25 years later, when a journalist realizes that the said rape and murder was the day she was born and sets out to find out the truth. History is a cruel b*stard because of the human a-holes that make it, so it repeats.
Young Mungo is about Mungo, whose now-present, now-absent mother sends him away with two strange men, telling him that they will help him grow up, whatever that means. This is the story filled with toxic masculinity and homophobia and gender roles and so much more, and every page infuriated me more than the last. But I also felt the pain emerging from the pages and was immensely surprised at how much I loved the book!
This last set has one book to make you think and two to take you on a ride of a lifetime!
Ace by Angela Chen is a nonfiction book where the author explains asexuality, the stigma surrounding it, society’s treatment of asexual people, and the steps we can take individually and as a society to make life easier for aces across the world. It’s a little academic-sounding, but stick to it and you’ll find so much to take away from it.
Mr. Einstein’s Secretary is a historical fiction thriller following Hanna Fischer and her life, from her childhood in Germany to moving to the USA after her parents are murdered to secretary school to becoming Einstein’s secretary to having a position in the SS – all allowing her a glimpse into the world and leaving her at a crossroads to decisions. It’s quick, it’s fast-paced, it’s gripping, it’s entertaining – oh it’s the whole package!
And to finish off the yearly favorites reading wrap up is a cosy fantasy called Legends & Lattes, a book that I love so so much! This is about a mercenary orc, who gives it all up and moves to a new town, bringing with her something that the townsfolk don’t know – coffee. She plans to settle down here and opens her own café. What follows is a warm, cosy journey of discovery, camaraderie, and friendship that will make you wish Legends & Lattes were real!
MY LEAST FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023
The thing about reading is that if you find favorites, you’re bound to come across books that you just cannot stand. And I found quite a few in 2023, in varying degrees, of course.
This here is the reading wrap up for my least favorite books of 2023, in no particular order. Please remember that these opinions are mine and mine alone, and are not a personal attack on you if any of these happen to be your favorites. 🙂
An Anonymous Girl pissed me off to no end because it employs the obsessed wife trope who’s using a clueless girl for dumbass reasons. I am usually polite and say ‘least favorite book’ buy this one was the worst.
Poemsia is a glimpse into the publishing industry and follows the story of a girl who dreams of being a famous poet but realizes how disillusioned she had gotten after a while. It feels very amateurish in my opinion.
Brooklyn is the story of a girl who moves from Ireland to the USA, trying to make something of her life. And what irritated me the most is that the main character is someone who doesn’t do anything until its too late. And then she complains. Girl, what?
I don’t even want to talk about Highly Suspicious & Unfairly Cute because it was one of my most anticipated book releases of 2023 and was so disappointing. The writing felt so off to me, I was *this* close to tears.
Dear Girls is one of those celebrity memoirs that the celebrity in question should have thought about who they’re directing it towards. You don’t need to tell your daughters that you peed on someone’s lawn, do you? Okay, you do you, though. I did a full review here on the blog. If you’d like to go check it out, here’s the link: Dear Girls.
Another resounding disappointment was The Woman in the Library, a book that has such an interesting premise – 4 people are in the library when a cry rings out and later, a woman is found murdered. It’s roundabout, meandering, not well-written, and all in all – and I mean no offense – plain boring.
While I don’t remember much of The Death of Murat Idrissi, only that it was extremely underwhelming, I’m still way too annoyed and salty at Sorrow and Bliss. I felt so betrayed at the end, because no ma’am, you may not write a whole-ass book about how a woman is comfortable not having children – saying that she doesn’t want them even – only to turn around in the end and say, “hey, you know what, I was lying, I’ve always wanted children and I’m lost without them.” Keep your stereotypes to yourself, thank you very much.
As to Teresa Driscoll’s The Friend, I didn’t want to be its friend because it’s so ambitious in the way its woven but all it felt to me was badly executed. The last minute revelations do nothing for me, to be very honest.
I’ve done a full length rant review of This is How You Lose the Time War and I must say that even months and months after having finished the book, I still feel a prickle of annoyance at how dumb this book made me feel. I mean, that’s probably a me issue, but COME ON!
The Twisted series by Ana Huang is one of the most annoying series I’ve ever read because half of the characters in here are just plain a-holes. And by half of the characters, I mean the male protagonists. Stop glorifying characters like them, good GOD!
Again, another book that I was so excited about when it released in 2023 but the way In the Lives of Puppets sort of seemed to elevate human-robot romantic relationships, especially in this atmosphere where AI is taking over jobs meant for humans. If you’d given me this book even 5 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have been icked out this much. But the current situation weighs heavy on me.
Kavita Kane is great at writing mythological fiction – her previous books, The Fisher Queen’s Dynasty and Sarasvati’s Gift were some of my favorites. But Karna’s Wife, her first book, is underdeveloped and stuffed with fluff. It needs so much editing, I can’t even begin to understand where to start with it!
I read Leave the World Behind in December – listened to the audiobook – and found it to be another half-baked, unclear apocalyptic story of sorts that just knows what it’s saying but doesn’t know how to say it. I’ve heard that the movie (that came out around the time I read it – a fact I had no idea about until after I read the book) is far better than the book, which is a rarity in itself.
The Good Neighbor is another book with the tired trope of a woman devoting herself to a man and going to any lengths to get her hands on him. Just stop, already. We aren’t that desperate, even if you wish we were.
So that, finally, was the last of my 2023 reading wrap ups. What did you think of my favorite books of 2023? What did you think of my least favorite books of 2023? What were your favorite and least favorite books of 2023? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to watch these videos instead, here are the links: Favorite Books of 2023 | Least Favorite Books of 2023.
I’ll see you in the next blog post.
Until next time, keep reading, keep watching, and add melodrama to your life! 😀
The Melodramatic Bookworm 
I love how varied uour list of favourite books is/ Legends and Lattes and Vera Wong were two of my favourites too.
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Thank you, Janette 🥰 Ah those two books are such gems! ❤️
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