Who doesn’t love slowly strolling through a cozy bookstore, browsing the back cover summary of way too many books, and finally choosing some to add to your bookshelf at home.
As you explore this blog post, I hope that is what you imagine. It’s *almost* as if we are in your favorite bookstore and I’m sharing with you 23 highly rated + equally binge-worthy recommendations to read in 2023.
These are all books on my want to read list and I hope I surprise myself by getting to all of them this year. I mixed in both fiction and non-fiction recommendations for you guys! This includes 16 fiction recs ranging from romance to thriller to fantasy to historical fiction, and that leaves 7 non-fiction recs that will help to focus on personal development + ultimately upgrade your life.
You’ll find a combination of NEW books that have or will be coming out in 2023, and old trusty books that have been published in recent years that I’ve had on my want to read list.
You can shop everything all in one place on my Amazon storefront!
With that said, let’s dive into the book recs!
FICTION
Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score | Absolutely loveddd the steamy small town romance in the first book in the Knockemouth series, Things We Never Got Over, so I’m excited to read the second book in this series that comes out February 21, 2023.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | I have seen this 2022 Goodread’s choice winner everywhere and heard great things. Despite the video game theme of the book I can’t relate to, it’s also about friendship, love and our need to connect. The description is intriguing when it says “yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover | I’m sure a lot of you guys have already read this one! I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while now after falling in love with Hoover’s writing and storytelling. This highly rated novel is another beautiful romance story that I can’t wait to read in 2023.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | An Oprah’s book club pick and highly talked about novel, Demon Copperhead came out in October 2022 and is being called one of the 10 top books of 2022 by the New York Times and the Washington Post. The novel is inspired by Charles Dickens, and is a powerful story about a young boy born to a “teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer” who battles & braves child labor, addiction, love, and crushing loss.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas | An out of my norm kind of novel that intertwines romance + fantasy. Maas’s writing is describes as seductive and hard to put down. This is the first of a 5 part series, and it is also in the works to become a TV series!
The Measure by Nikki Erlick | The summary of this book instantly hooked me. The premise is that one morning every person on the continent received a tiny box on their doorstep containing the exact number of years you will live. And as you could imagine, the world turns into a frenzy. I love the concept and think it will be incredibly thought-provoking and mind blowing!
Book Lovers by Emily Henry | Obviously Emily Henry is one of the queens of a summer romance novel, and I have yet to read this one by her! I’ve only read People We Meet on Vacation and I enjoyed it, but I heard that people like Book Lovers even better. Definitely going to save this one for when it gets warmer out.
Happy Place by Emily Henry | This is probably one of the most anticipated new releases for 2023 for those who love romance novels. It comes out in April and is another summer romance story we will all be swooning over.
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine | One of my best friends has consistently recommended this book to me for probably 2 years now, and for good reason! It’s apparently an incredible fast-paced psychological thriller about a manipulative woman who befriends a wealthy “golden” couple. It was also a Reese’s Book Club pick!
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman | This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a few months and I’m hoping to get to it this month. I loved the uniquely brilliant novel Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, and I’ve heard A Man Called Ove is equally as amazing!
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab | A fantasy novel I’ve had on my want to read list for quite some time. Addie Larue is cursed to live forever and to be forgotten by everyone she meets. I’m so intrigued to see how this story plays out!
Winter In Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand | Another queen of the beach read, Hilderbrand has written a three book series that I plan on reading this summer. I absolutely love Hilderbrand’s writing, character development and the beautiful settings of her novels. It completely transports me to another world, and I’m excited to feel that way all over again with the Winter In Paradise series.
All The Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham | If you haven’t read Willingham’s debut novel, A Flicker In The Dark, this is your sign to read it. Her second novel All The Dangerous Things just released and is the same thriller, spooky vibe as the first. I can’t wait to dive into this one and support a Charleston, SC (home to me) writer.
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapor | Released in January of this year and a Good Morning America book club pick, Age of Vice is a novel “where money, pleasure, and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill.” Sign me up- I’m hooked!
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune | I absolutely ADORED Fortune’s debut novel Every Summer After, which is why I am over the moon excited for Meet Me at the Lake. It seems like it has the same past vs present writing, with another love story I’m sure we will all devour. Goodreads summarizes it as “a random connection sends two strangers on a daylong adventure where they make a promise one keeps and the other breaks, with life-changing effects.
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult | Just released in October 2022, it’s described as “riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.” I’ve never read a Jodi Picoult book, but I think it’s time to change that this year with her latest novel!
NONFICTION
Spare by Prince Harry | This is probably one of the most anticipated non-fiction books for 2023 to arrive! It is a memoir by the Duke of Sussex not only about his life, but he speaks in detail about his life after the loss of his mother, Princess Diana. I’ve also heard he tells some juicy stories about his previous love affairs. The book description states, “full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.”
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits by James Clear | A life-changing book I want to re-read this year! It’s informative, it’s powerful, it’s transformative, & it will help you improve your life daily. It’s described on Clear’s website as, “the most comprehensive and practical guide on how to create good habits, break bad ones, and get 1 percent better every day.”
Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery by Catherine Gildiner | Another non-fiction self help book that transports us to become a fly on a wall in a therapists office, and how to heal unimaginable life wounds. It’s described on the book cover as “heartbreaking, surprising, inspiring and profound.”
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman | Are you familiar with the 5 love languages? Physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, and gift-giving. You can take a test to figure out which one you receive love most by, or you can just read the book to help us connect most to the people we love. Can’t wait to study this book this year!
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk | This is a fascinating and research backed book about how much trauma has an effect on the brain and body. He discusses all forms of trauma such as veterans and their families, growing up with an alcoholic, being sexually assaulted, obtaining physical abuse, and more. What I love is that it’s all scientifically based and written from recent scientific advances.
Educated by Tara Westover | A highly rated and talked about memoir about Tara Westover and her life not stepping into a classroom until the age of 17. I really want to listen to this one on audiobook because I’ve heard great things.
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman | This is a day to day book with 366 daily meditations on personal growth and development, and mindfulness. It’s another quick 5 minute daily read that I’d love to add to my morning quiet time.
QUESTION: What is on your 2023 reading list? Anything from these recs? I’d love to know in the comments!
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