Top Ten Tuesday: Top Reads from 2023

/ Kristi

It’s time for another Top Ten list from That Artsy Reader Girl. The topic today is a look back at our favorite books from the past year. Since I already pick out my favorite book at the end of each month of reading, it wasn’t too hard to narrow the books from the year down to 10. I also made sure there was only 1 book from any series, so I had to add runners-up from some months. Here they are, listed in the order in which I read them throughout the year.

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I never planned to read these books, and I liked it a lot more than I expected to. See my full review here.

2. The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
I specifically enjoyed the audiobook, which is narrated by the authors. Though I also flipped through the ebook to see the pictures they reference now and then. See my full review here.

3. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Another audiobook, I anticipated a plodding read through a depressing winter, but it ended up being one of my favorites in the series.  See my full review here.

4. Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson
This series has surprised me by being quite engaging. This book is one of my favorites so far. See my full review here.

5. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
Third audiobook on the list, and while I enjoyed all of this series, I especially appreciated this one, where Ramona bonds with her father. See my full review here.

6. The Woman from Lydia by Angela Elwell Hunt
Probably one of my favorite Biblical fiction books ever. I’m really looking forward to future books in this new series! See my full review here.

7. Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou
I have been recommending this book to everyone! I loved it, and I’m not even an art lover! See my full review here.

8. Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa
This one surprised me by being a stand-out suspense/thriller novel with a Christian worldview. See my full review here.

9. Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch
I can’t say enough about this series, for which this is the final book, or the series that it follows up!  The possibility that this is the end of this story world makes me immensely sad. See my full review here.

10. The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix
Not only did this teach me about a man whose name I’ve heard but whom I knew nothing about, it gives backstory and explanation about Hitler’s rise to power in a way that isn’t dry or boring. See my full review here.

Have you read any of these? What were some of your favorite reads this year?

14 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Top Reads from 2023”

    • Somehow I missed out on reading these as a kid, even though I was a reader back then. And my kids are too old to want to read them now. But apparently I’ve come back around to enjoying kids’ books in my advanced age.

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    • I read the rest of the trilogy pretty quickly after reading the first, and I liked the whole series well enough to buy all of the books (which I don’t do unless I plan to re-read many times).

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  6. Was this your first time reading The Hunger Games? I love that series so much. I just did a reread of the whole trilogy at the end of last year. If you haven’t yet, check out the movies as well. One of the best book-to-film adaptations, in my opinion.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

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    • Yes, it was my first time. I was in the midst of a long reading hiatus when they first came out, plus I assumed they’d be too violent or intense for me. So it took me a long time (and prodding from my son) to read them, but I’m so glad I did. I haven’t watched the movies yet. I always intend to watch movies based on the books I read (even the ones that aren’t such a faithful adaptation), but so far, I have only managed a few. I have the DVD for the first one sitting on my shelf…just can’t quite seem to take the plunge.

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