Maggie’s Top 10 Books of 2023
Hello, hello from week 2 (I think?) of my post-YLWP writing break. I’ve barely known what to do with myself these last couple weeks. I’ve seen these “best of 2023” lists going around on a few author blogs I follow so I figured I’d throw my hat in the ring.
Let’s do this countdown-style, shall we?
10. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
This was a cute and devastating book about growing up gay in the 1950s. The story itself was really fun and compelling albeit a little predictable, but the best part for me was Tommy Andrews, the drag king (historically accurate term “male impersonator”) who captivated every other character in the book. I loved how vibrant and alive the characters felt, and I did root for the central couple, although I felt like the ending was a little abrupt.
9. The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy
Is this a cheater answer because I met the author? Maybe? But in all seriousness, The Ninth Metal was SUCH a fantastic read. Set in Minnesota after a horrific meteor shower redefines mining, wealth, and mysticism, the book follows a family of Minnesota miners who basically form their own mafia. It was hardcore, the mystery was incredible, the characters were fantastic, and I’m still reeling over the ending.
8. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
I read all of Casey’s books this year, with my seventy-ninth reread of Red, White, and Royal Blue somewhere up there too. I loved both One Last Stop and I Kissed Shara Wheeler, although Shara Wheeler lacked something — maybe since it was YA and not the spicy stuff I love and have come to expect from Casey McQuiston? Point being, Shara Wheeler didn’t emotionally devastate me as much as RWaRB did (does), but it was still a fun ride.
Meanwhile, speaking of fun rides (god I’m so punny tonight), One Last Stop was a total departure with fantasy elements that I loved. Also — lesbians! Who doesn’t love lesbians?
This cute-but-crazy, fast-paced-but-believable romp through time was a fantastic read. I know like pretty much everything else on this list I couldn’t put it down and stayed up way too late to finish it. The characters were wonderful (especially Wes, he was my favorite), the story was fun and unique, and the writing, as always, was impeccable. (Not to mention laugh-out-loud funny.) My only slight issue was that the ending felt convenient, but the other 98% of the book was so good I’m letting it slide.
7. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
An oldie but a goodie. I thought I’d already read this, so I was shocked to listen to the audiobook and realize I’d only ever seen the movie. And oh my god — the original book was so FUNNY. I kept cackling at Howl being pathetic and passive-aggressive, and everything about Wales kept blowing me away over and over again. Such a fun read/listen. The vocal performance from Jenny Sterlin was completely perfect and hold-your-sides-from-laughing funny. So glad I finally read this, even though I thought I had.
6. Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
Kristin Cashore, consider this my formal application for adoption. The latest book in the Graceling universe was a rollercoaster from the very first page. Cashore completely stepped away from her usual writing style and gave us a choppy, diary/epistolary-style story from the perspective of Hava, a character we met in book three (Bitterblue) and got to know better in book four (Winterkeep).
I actually thought Hava was boring/annoying in Winterkeep so I was shocked by how much I liked her in Seasparrow. Maybe it was because we actually got to see inside her head this time around. The book was devastating and horrifying and gave me nightmares, and I absolutely could not put it down.
5. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Yes, I read the horny dragon book. Yes, I fucking loved the horny dragon book. No, I will not stop calling it the horny dragon book.
I had a delightful experience with Fourth Wing because I happened to read it right before the second book came out — and I mean right before. I stayed up until at least 3am to finish Fourth Wing and freaked out about how good it was to my friend. Her answer blew my tiny mind: “The second book comes out tomorrow.”
I think Iron Flame suffered the second-book-in-a-trilogy curse because it needed so much setup for the showdown we’re going to get in book three, and it also committed one of my cardinal sins of romances. (I won’t get into it here because the book just came out and I don’t want to risk any spoilers, but it’s a HUGE pet peeve of mine in books and movies.)
Fourth Wing was by no means the “best” book I read all year. It suffered from some serious tropey-ness and had some writing moments that made me cringe (including referring to a relationship unironically as “endgame” — c’mon, Rebecca, if the internet makes fun of it on Riverdale you probably shouldn’t put it in your book), but oh my god, if it wasn’t the most fun I had reading a book all year. The pacing, the characters, the worldbuilding — all incredible!!
(And yes, the horniness was five handkerchiefs fluttered in shock out of five, which is why I refuse to stop calling it the horny dragon book. Sorry not sorry.)
4. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Becky Chambers is one of those authors that I think if I ever get the chance to meet her in person I will say something completely incoherent and then burst into tears. She’s my favorite author right now behind Kristin Cashore, and I am constantly stunned by her work. A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy are two of my favorite books of all time, and the first book in the Wayfarers series is up there too.
I’m not surprised she won a freakin’ Hugo for this series. Small, Angry Planet is like Firefly if Firefly took place entirely inside Inara’s cabin. So cozy, so sentimental, but packed with emotion and a truly fascinating story. I’m obsessed with the way Chambers works in things like gender and sexuality, sex work, and explorations of race theory into these beautiful, comforting pieces of art.
I am still mad about the ending, though. #JusticeForJenks
3. Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (and Gideon the Ninth, of course)
I read the first two books of The Locked Tomb this year and had to take a break between Harrow and Nona. I do plan on reading the whole series again (including Nona) before the fourth and final book comes out, but good lordt what a wild ride these two books were.
The universe, again, isn’t one I would normally go for. Necromancers in space? Excessive flowery language? Violence and gore that at times got truly disturbing? Not really my thing. But holy FUCK can Tamsyn Muir pull off a twist.
We’re talking full, out-loud “WHAT THE FUCK” followed by immediately blowing up my friend’s phone to freak out. Just—damn. For both Gideon and Harrow I listened to most of the audiobook and fell madly in love with Moira Quirk, who could step on me and I’d say thank you. Seriously, best audiobook performer of all time??? If there was an Oscar or a Hugo just for audiobooks, she’d win seventeen of them just reading the phone book.
For both books, I made it about 75% of the way through the audiobook, then got too impatient to wait 6 hours to hear the ending. Both books had me up until 4am finishing them on my iPad and both books had me screaming at Cypress after for how good and insane and mind-boggling they were. So fricken good.
(I’m just noticing that I read an awful lot of sci-fi this year — super out of character for me!)
2. The All For The Game series by Nora Sakavic
Alrighty, this next one I don’t understand. There is no reason I should have loved this series as much as I did. It’s about sports. (A made up sport, but still.) It’s gratuitously violent. The writing is kinda choppy. It’s about sports. It has some poor and kinda-not-PC depictions of mental illness. IT’S ABOUT SPORTS.
But oh my god, I could not put any of the three books down. I am still thinking about the characters a full month after finishing the third book. I cried my EYES out for at least an HOUR after finishing the trilogy, then stayed weepy for the next several days and would literally actually cry anytime I thought about the characters after that. WHAT THE HELL.
The storyline, the pacing, and especially the characters were all off-the-wall good (and that’s actually a HILARIOUS Exy pun I only realized after I typed it). I cared (and still do) so deeply about every single character. I wanted to punch many of them in the face and also give them hugs. Neil is a sweet baby angel who must be protected at all costs, and I can’t wait to read this series again knowing what I know from the finale and just lose my marbles all over again. God, what a read.
1. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
My number one book of the year is one that I never thought I’d like. I’m not a war novel kind of person, normally. But All the Light We Cannot See completely floored me. Beautiful prose, incredible use of both French and German without it being overwhelming or confusing, fantastic characters, a truly gripping story.
I listened to this in one of the best audiobook performances I’ve ever heard (second only to anything Moira Quirk touches). Huge props to voice actor Zach Appelman. There was something magical about the way he read the story — half radio drama, half one-man show. I’m obsessed.
Reading ATLWCS also made me change up a huge chunk of my own manuscript, so you KNOW it kicked all kinds of ass!!
That’s my list for 2023! Tune back next year, when I inevitably lose my mind over whatever Kristin Cashore, Becky Chambers, and Casey McQuiston put out next.
Til next time,
Mags