My Top Reads Of 2023

I've actually read quite a few books this year. In fact, as I'm writing this, I've read 25 books. I currently have three books on the go at the moment so that may go up by the time this post goes out but who knows. Either way, I thought I'd share my top five reads of 2023 with you. Don't worry there will be no spoilers to any of the books in this post.

Let's get started.

A Good Girl's Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

This was one of the first books I read in 2023 but I remember really enjoying it. I've been really into watching True Crime on YouTube so this one sounded right up my street. I actually listened to the audiobook version which was really effective for this book. It's about a girl called Pippa who chooses to cover a closed murder case for her final-year project but ends up uncovering a lot more that she bargained for and someone is trying to stop her from finding out the real truth. The audiobook works because it has recordings as if Pippa is speaking on a recording device while she interviews people involved in the case and it just works so well. I found myself really enjoying this one and wanting to know what really happened to Andie Bell. I've finally gotten around to the sequel of this book Good Girl, Bad Blood which I'm very excited to read as it involves another mystery. This was definitely a really enjoyable read for me and I'm excited to see what happens next in the sequels. 

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

The reason I read this book was because last year I decided to reread Fangirl as I've only ever read this one and in Fangirl it has snippets of Carry On within it as it's a fanfiction written by the main character Cath. It made me want to read this book so I ordered it after I reread Fangirl but only started reading at the beginning of this year and I must say I really enjoyed it. It's almost like a Harry Potter fanfiction with different characters and more modernised but it's still an interesting concept. Even though there are many similarities to Harry Potter, Carry On pleasantly surprised me as its own little world and honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning about the world of Simon and Baz. It was definitely a good read and definitely a book that if you like Harry Potter then you're going to like this one. I believe there's two other books in the series but I haven't yet gotten around to getting them but I will say I do fancy having a read one day. Maybe in 2024 I'll treat myself to them and read them because I'm curious to where else this story goes. I can safely say though I really enjoyed reading this book this year. 

Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella

This is honestly a book that's been on my wish list ever since I started reading Sophie Kinsella books. When I finally got it, it sat on my TBR shelf for a bit but I eventually got around to reading it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This story involves our main character Lexi who wakes up in a hospital bed thinking she's still twenty five with a disastrous love life but soon learns it's three years later and the boss of her department plus also married to a millionaire. It's an interesting tale about Lexi trying to figure out what happened in the three years she's missed and trying to remember everything. I really enjoyed this because it's classic Sophie Kinsella writing which I feel is like a romantic comedy in a book and honestly, it was a joy to read. It was just a feel good story about someone finding out who they are and the surprises that come with that. I'd highly recommend this one if you're looking for a feel good book to read. This was definitely one of my favourite reads this year. 

With This Kiss by Carrie Hope Fletcher

Honestly, I love reading Carrie Hope Fletcher's books because they always pleasantly surprise me as they always have a bit of magic within them and this one was no different. It's about Lorelai who is a woman with a normal life except whenever she kisses someone on the lips, she sees how they are going to die. Which honestly, if that doesn't make you curious to pick up this book then I don't know what does. Honestly, it's a lovely story about Lorelai as she has made a vow to never kiss anyone until she meets the handsome Grayson which makes her struggle to fight with urge to kiss him as she runs the risk that if she does then she'll see how he dies. It's an interesting story and I honestly loved it because it had that touch of magic that Carrie brings to all her books. This is the fifth book I've read of Carrie's and she's a wonderful writer. I've always thoroughly enjoyed her stories and I think this one might be one of her best yet. Definitely give it a read if you want a beautiful love story to read because this one is definitely a good one. 

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Oh boy, this honestly one of the most heartbreaking tragedies of 2023 which was the loss of Matthew Perry. He went through so much in his life and it was truly heartbreaking when I heard the news. It's honestly such a terrible shame. I had my eye on this book when it first got released but I never got it until I heard the tragic news then I knew I must get it. It's a very honest reading and even the first line will cause you to shed a tear. I actually also bought the audiobook which was read by the man himself which was a comfort in a way to hear his voice but at the same time truly sad when you know what happened. Of course nobody could predict this and even now I still struggle to believe it happened. This was definitely a top read for me this year as it goes through the struggle he went through with his addiction and he doesn't hold back an inch. I can respect his honesty in what we went through and I'm glad he wrote this book so we know exactly what he went through. I just wish this was read in better circumstances. I know deep down, he wouldn't want us to be sad. He'd want us to be more like Chandler and live everyday with laughter. I honestly believe I learned my sarcasm watching Chandler on Friends and I only have Matthew Perry to thank for that for bringing the character to life. I would highly recommend reading this book as it's a good read as well as emotional but also motivational in that you can turn your life around. Honestly, this was a heartbreaking read but I'm so glad I read it because it opened my eyes just a little bit more and made me learn a bit more about the man behind Chandler. Rest in peace Matthew Perry. You are very much missed.

There we have it. Those are my top reads of 2023. Let me know if you've read any of these books and what your top read of 2023 was in the comments below. I would love to hear it. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I'll be back tomorrow with another post. 

See you then. 

Megan x

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