The Best Books of 2023 by Goodreads: Discover Every Genre and Category

What are the best books of 2023? If you are looking for some great reads of the year, you might want to check out the winners of the 15th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards. These are the books that millions of readers voted as the best of 2023 in 20 different categories, ranging from fiction to fantasy, romance to romantasy, and more. Whether you are in the mood for a thrilling mystery, a heartwarming romance, or a mind-blowing sci-fi, there is a book for you on this list. In this blog post, we will explore every genre and category of the Goodreads Choice Awards and give you some recommendations based on your preferences. Let's dive into the best books of 2023 by Goodreads!

Discover the Best Books of 2023 by Goodreads: From Fiction to Fantasy, Romance to Romantasy, and More

Dive into 2023's literary landscape alongside Goodreads! From scorching satires like R.F. Kuang's "Yellowface" exposing publishing's dark underbelly to Emilia Hart's witchy saga "Weyward" spanning centuries, the fiction shelf brims with captivating tales. Crave chills? Unleash Freida McFadden's "The Housemaid's Secret," a gripping sequel that unravels hidden family secrets. Or escape to Emily Henry's charming "Happy Place," where enemies find love on a cozy island. But hold on, that's not all! Dive into mythical love with Rebecca Yarros' "Fourth Wing," feel the shadows of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse in "Hell Bent," or discover the heartwarming sci-fi family in T.J. Klune's "In the Lives of Puppets." And this is just the tip of the iceberg! Whether you're a die-hard fantasy fan, a hopeless romantic, or seek thought-provoking non-fiction, Goodreads' "Best of 2023" awaits, waiting to fill your reading year with unforgettable stories.

Related post: Discover the 20 Best Children's Books of All Time, Sorted by Age (3-13)

Best Fiction 2023: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang is a biting satire of racial diversity and social media in the publishing industry, following an aspiring author who steals the manuscript of a dead Chinese-American writer and passes it off as her own.

Best Historical Fiction 2023: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Weyward by Emilia Hart ia a sweeping historical fiction that intertwines the stories of three women across five centuries, all connected by a mysterious word and a locket that holds the key to their family legacy of magic and witchcraft.

Best Mystery & Thriller 2023: The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden is a gripping thriller about a housemaid who discovers the dark secret of her employers, a pair of elderly professors who are hiding a gruesome crime in their basement, and vows to make them pay for their sins.

Best Romance 2023: Happy Place by Emily Henry

Happy Place by Emily Henry is a charming and witty romance that follows a couple who broke up months ago but pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends, only to realize that they still have feelings for each other.

Best Romantasy 2023: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a thrilling fantasy epic that follows a fragile human who joins a war college for dragon riders and faces challenges and dangers from her ruthless rivals, the warring gods, and the handsome wingleader who becomes her ally and love interest.

Best Fantasy 2023: Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo is a dark and twisted mystery that brings back fan-favorite character Holly Gibney, who must solve the truth behind a series of murders and disappearances in a university plagued by ancient magic and hidden secrets.

Related post: 30 best fantasy books, novels, and book series of all time

Best Science Fiction 2023: In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune is a queer retelling of the Pinocchio tale that explores the heartwarming and heartbreaking journey of a family of robots who live in a peculiar forest and face the dangers of a world that does not accept them.

Best Horror 2023: Holly by Stephen King

Holly by Stephen King is a terrifying horror novel that follows a private investigator who takes on a case of a missing girl and uncovers a pair of unlikely serial killers, a married couple of octogenarian academics who have a twisted hobby of torturing and killing their victims.

Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction 2023: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is a captivating fantasy romance that follows two young rival journalists who find love through a magical connection, but must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

Best Young Adult Fiction 2023: Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood is a clever and swoonworthy YA debut that follows a chess prodigy who enters a charity tournament and defeats the world champion, sparking a rivalry and a romance that will change her life and the future of the sport.

Best Debut Novel 2023: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a sweeping historical fiction that intertwines the stories of three women across five centuries, all connected by a mysterious word and a locket that holds the key to their family legacy of magic and witchcraft. (same as above)

Best Nonfiction 2023: Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond is a powerful and eye-opening nonfiction that exposes the reality and causes of poverty in America, based on extensive research and personal stories of people who struggle to survive and thrive in a system that fails them.

Best Memoir & Autobiography 2023: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears is a candid and inspiring memoir by the pop icon who shares her journey of overcoming adversity, reclaiming her voice, and finding her true self, after years of being controlled and silenced by others.

Best History & Biography 2023: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann is a riveting and suspenseful history that recounts the incredible story of a 19th-century voyage that ended in disaster, betrayal, and a high-stakes trial that captivated the world.

Best Humor 2023: Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond by Henry Winkler

Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond by Henry Winkler is a humorous and heartfelt autobiography by the legendary actor who reflects on his life and career, from his iconic role as the Fonz to his struggles with dyslexia and his success as a children’s book author.