The book girlies feel me: The only thing better than Spotify Wrapped is Goodreads’ Year in Books. And I would know — I read 22 books in 2022 and plan to read 23 in 2023. (And *gasp* I plan to read 24 in 2024.) It’s getting close to the time of year for setting goals and intentions, so if you’re looking to read more in the new year, here are some of the best novels I read in the last 12 months and some others I’m looking forward to reading in the new year. Crack open Libby (or pull up the list you’ve haphazardly been adding to in your Notes app) and pay attention. Whether you’re an audiobook fan, a #BookTok follower, or classics enjoyer, there’s bound to be a book below you’ll want to add to your 2023 TBR.
If you find yourself needing some book-reading inspo, there are plenty of ways to motivate yourself to read more, and plenty of lists from bookfluencers and celebrities alike you can tack onto your reading goals. People even have lists for books you can read based on your favorite Midnights track. Seriously. Go into 2023 with a plan and some faith in yourself.
First, I have to go over the top-tier books I read over the past year. I didn’t dislike anything I read this year, which was shocking. But there were books that stood out above the others. So, without further ado, here are the top five books I read in 2022.
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
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Moshfegh was the champion of sad girl books in 2022. If you’ve stumbled across influencers on #BookTok or scrolled through someone’s Goodreads, chances are they’ve read My Year of Rest and Relaxation if they’re on top of the trends. Readers follow an unnamed gorgeous, blonde, Columbia-graduate narrator through the year 2000 as she navigates life after her parents have died. Her life is payrolled by their wills, and to be honest, she is a total b*tch. Her woe-is-me attitude turned a lot of readers off. Moshfegh secured her place as a controversial author after releasing this novel in 2019 and then Lapvona in 2022, but I was here for it.
- Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
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The creator of Bojack Horseman decided to try his hand at writing short stories. It is both described as “the best” and “the worst” thing you can read. The tongue-in-cheek tales of love and loss will guide you through a range of emotions. If you tear up easily, maybe keep some tissues nearby when you pick up this one.
- The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
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This ‘93 classic hit shelves and pierced hearts across America when it came out. I was late to the game and just read it this year, but I can absolutely see why it’s a classic. Readers follow a group of immature, adolescent boys as they obsess over the girls next door — who kill themselves one by one until none are left. I took the novel for a twisted metaphor focusing on purity culture and “contagious” mental health. Make sure you’re in a good headspace before you head to Barnes & Noble to grab a copy.
- The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
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This short read (under 200 pages) is a work of journalistic history from Eve Ensler. She interviewed hundreds of women from all different walks of life about their vaginas. Then, she shared their stories. Some of these women are socialites in New York who are too shy to name their private parts and others are women from central Africa who suffered genital mutilation. Ensler talks about vaginas around the world and gives you a look into how different cultures handle “down there” talks.
- A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
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I will never forget Gibson’s iconic hook in this novel: “This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession.” A Dowry of Blood follows Constanta, Dracula’s first bride. The text on the page acts as her final homage to her lover, and you get a front row seat to watch the slow descent and hear the manipulation that eventually led her to splitting open her husband’s throat and feeding him to the animals. Spoiler alert: You will be on her side.
Now, out with the old and in with the new. There are so many amazing books coming out in 2023 that I can’t wait to get my hands on. There’s some new Sarah J. Maas coming (#BookTok, rise up) and the final Shadowhunters novel (literally, this is the end of my childhood). Below are five books I’m especially eager to devour.
- Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
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Don’t you miss Darlington? Alex does. She’ll do anything to break him out of hell, and she doesn’t care if that means risking her future. In the highly-anticipated sequel to Bardugo’s Ninth House, which hits shelves on Jan. 10, readers once again have a mystery in New Haven and tensions between the dynamic duo. (Also, hi, Miss Bardugo wrote this. If you liked Shadow and Bone, you have to give this a chance.)
- Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
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Skediceth, god of white lies, cannot be killed. And Krissen would really like it if Skediceth died. She knows how this works; she makes a living by murdering minor gods. So, why can’t she kill Skediceth? There’s a lot for Krissen to unpack there, and a war is brewing among the gods, so she needs to hurry up and figure out what her next move is. You can pick this one up on Jan. 19.
- Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth
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Remember when The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner dominated the New York Times Best Seller List? The good ol’ days. Well, Arch-Conspirator, out on Feb. 21, might let us travel back in time. From Divergent’s author Veronica Roth, this retelling of the classic Sophocles play Antigone takes us to the last city on Earth, where the protagonist plots to avenge her father by killing her uncle.
- Chlorine by Jade Song
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Out on March 28, Chlorine is for every Black Swan lover and unhinged girlie who can take her passions a little too seriously. Readers follow a competitive swimmer who will do anything to become the best. Lie. Cheat. Kill. Then, one day, after years of work, a miracle falls into her lap. She can be the best swimmer if she’s willing to pay the magically steep price for becoming a mermaid.
- All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley
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Described as “The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows,” All the Dead Lie Down — which hits shelves on May 16 — takes place in the Sleeping House, where ghosts of grief carry a dark family secret. Marin Blythe, the heroine, suffers a loss that leaves her without a purpose. But soon, that changes. She travels to the countryside to meet Alice Lovelace — an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Marin can sense something dreadfully wrong the moment she steps through Alice’s door and into the Lovelace residence.
Good luck with all of your reading endeavors in the new year. You’ve got this, bestie.
