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Best of the Best Books 2023

Our “best of the best” returns for 2023! We’ve reviewed the end-of-year best book lists and narrowed them down into one reference guide.

Overwhelmed by what to read from the past year? We’ve gathered the fiction, nonfiction, and young adult titles we recommended in 2023 that also appear on at least one of the favorite lists from:

BookRiot, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Bookpage, New York Times, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Washington Post, NYPL, Shelf Awareness and Powell’s

Check out these “best of the best” books below!


Best of the Best 2023… FICTION

One of our recommended books is Yellowface by R.F. Kuang        One of our recommended books is Tom Lake by Ann Patchett    One of our recommended books is Dearborn by Ghassan Zeineddine

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow is a recommended book    One of our recommended books is Absolution by Alice McDermott    One of our recommended books is The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez    One of our recommended books is Devil Makes Three by Ben Fountain.

One of our recommended books is The Liberators by E.J. Koh

 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Appears on the “best of” lists from BookRiot, Kirkus, New York Times, Powell’s

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
Kirkus, New York Times, Washington Post

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Kirkus, New York Times, Washington Post

Dearborn by Ghassan Zeineddine
Kirkus, Powell’s

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
BookRiot

Absolution by Alice McDermott
Kirkus

The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez
Kirkus

Devil Makes Three by Ben Fountain
Washington Post

The Liberators by E. J. Koh
Powell’s


Best of the Best 2023… NONFICTION

One of our recommended books is The Talk by Darrin Bell    One of our recommended books is Anansi's Gold by Yepoka Yeebo    One of our recommended books is Rest Easy by Ximena Vengoechea

 

The Talk by Darrin Bell
Appears on the “best of” lists from New York Public Library, Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness

Anansi’s Gold by Yepoka Yeebo
New York Times

Rest Easy by Ximena Vengoechea
BookRiot


Best of the Best 2023… YOUNG ADULT

One of our recommended books is Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson    One of our recommended books is Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

 

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson
Appears on the “best of” list from New York Public Library

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
Powell’s


Curious about the most popular books on the Reading Group Choices site in 2023? We’ve got the top two books from each month listed here!