January 2024’s newsletter – “Ranking My Reads From 2023.”
Another year over, and a new one just begun.
Let’s take a moment to look back on 2023. Specifically, I’d like to share all the wonderful books (and series) that brightened my days last year.
I didn’t read a single bad book in 2023. Ranking them was crazy hard– it hurts that I had to rank some of these books so low. And the books at the top were difficult to order, since they were all amazing. So please know that even if a book is at the bottom of my list, that DOESN’T mean I didn’t enjoy it.
I guess that’s the downside of making a rankings list. Something’s got to be on the bottom.
On the upside: Everything on the list is great!
So are you looking for a great book to add to your 2024 TBR list? Keep reading and see if anything catches your eye.
17) “Misfit Mansion” by Kay Davault
Kid’s Fantasy Graphic Novel
The only reason this graphic novel is at the bottom of my list is because it’s far beneath my reading level. Clearly, it’s meant for children in late elementary school or young middle school. For an adult, the story is simple.
But it was also an adorable, heartwarming story full of cute and colorful characters. I always say you should read whatever you want regardless of age, and sometimes I’m in the mood for children’s stories! I’d highly recommend getting it for your young readers– particularly around Halloween!
16) “The Forgotten Beasts of Eld” by Patricia A McKillip
High Fantasy
This stand-alone fantasy novel isn’t as widely known as some others on my list, which is a shame. It’s a magical tale of a young woman raised outside the confines of patriarchal society who must deal with the complications of civilization and powerful men’s greed. She travels with a team of magical creatures, whom I loved. (You’ll find it’s a theme on my list that the animal characters are my favorites!) I like how much the heroine’s love interest respected her as a powerful woman and supported her however she needed it.
15) “Hooky” by Míriam Bonastre Tur
MG Witch Fantasy Graphic Novel
This graphic novel trilogy starts off as a fun and lighthearted middle grade tale, and quickly becomes darker and far more complicated as the heroes are thrust in the middle of a witch-human war. I’m a sucker for sibling relationships, so I got attached to the twin main characters pretty fast. I especially connected with Dorian, as a fellow socially-awkward, book-loving nerd.
14) “Uprooted” by Naomi Novik
Fairytale High Fantasy
Another lesser known stand-alone fantasy novel. The world of “Uprooted” has an old Russian fairytale feel. It features a creepy forest, a mysterious wizard in a tower, and a unique, soft magic system. I enjoyed watching the main character transform from a meek and low-self-esteemed village girl to a powerful forest witch who stands side-by-side with her morally grey love interest against the evils of the wilds and civilization alike.
The book also features a prominent friendship between two young women. Their love and willingness to sacrifice for each other drives a great deal of the plot. It’s always wonderful to read a story where friendships are valued as much as (or more than) the romantic plotline.
13) “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo
YA Dark Fantasy
I finally got around to a duology that’s been on my TBR for ages. I did read both books in the duology, but I decided to rank them separately. “Six of Crows” was intense and captivating, with a clever heist plot and complicated characters. Throughout this book, we watch the heroes slowly set aside their mistrust and selfish goals, and grow to love each other. The first book sets up their found family dynamic, which we can enjoy more fully in the second book.
12) “The Iron Druid Chronicles” by Kevin Hearne
Mythological Urban Fantasy
And here we come to reason I only have 17 titles on this list. I read the entire “Iron Druid” series– all 11 books, 13 short stories, and 3 novellas– which dominated my early 2023 reading. Rather than attempting to rank them all separately, I’m grouping them together for the sake of my sanity. Ranking my reads was hard enough as it is.
This series is fun because it includes pantheons and mythologies from many different cultures. Some I hadn’t heard much about before, such as the titular Irish druids. And the best characters are the dogs. Fair warning: the ending is melancholy, as the main character faces the consequences of his actions. If you enjoy mythology, urban fantasy, and flawed heroes, definitely give the series a try.
11) “Bloodmarked” by Tracy Deonn
YA Urban Romance Fantasy
Bloodmarked is about the heroine Bree journeying to find her power. This is the second book in the “Legendborn” series, and I think I enjoyed the first book slightly more because Bree was more active in her choices. In “Bloodmarked,” she was thrown about by other people’s actions. But she’s a teenage girl dealing with powers she doesn’t understand and the weight of her ancestors’ expectations, so that’s realistic. By the end of the book, I felt she was ready to step into her own power and take back control. I’m itching for the third book in 2024!
10) “Crooked Kingdom” by Leigh Bardugo
YA Dark Fantasy
While I enjoyed the first book of this duology, I loved the second. I had grown far more attached to the characters and so the suspense drew me in even more, wondering what would happen to them. I also felt the found family dynamic was fully developed, and I ate that up. In a dark world, it was great to see a group so dedicated to each other.
9) “So This is Ever After” by F.T. Lukens
YA LGBTQ+ Romance High Fantasy
Apparently I have a soft spot for comfy reads, cute gay romance, and found family.
This book is a lot of fun. It’s comedic and romantic, and a spin on classic YA fantasy to boot. What happens after the Chosen One defeats the Evil Overlord and frees the kingdom?
Hilarity, apparently.
I also really enjoy well done friends to lovers plotlines. The love and dynamic between the childhood friends stays the same, except now they kiss.
8) “The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England” by Brandon Sanderson
Time Travel, Humor, Sci-fi Historical Fantasy
The first of the Brandon Sanderson secret projects to appear on my list!
I’ve heard other people give this book an iffy review, but I enjoyed it a lot. It’s a fun comedy along the lines of Terry Pratchett with emotional and epic moments. It’s the only one of Sanderson’s secret projects not Cosmere related, so anyone can sit back and enjoy this story. If you want a fun and emotional romp, check it out.
7) “The Sunlit Man” by Brandon Sanderson
Adventure High Fantasy
This book starts off intense and doesn’t let up. Follow the main character as he finds clever solutions for one problem after another in a desperate bid for survival. It’s a bittersweets story about change– multiple characters learn that while they can never go back to their old selves, they can move forward and become something better than they are now.
Explore the intricacies of magic and the physics of a unique and dangerous world. “The Sunlit Man” mentions multiple places and magic systems from across the Cosmere, so if you’re unfamiliar with Sanderson’s other works, you might be lost at times. I knew just enough to catch the easter eggs, with a little help from my mom.
I’ll mention here that I also read Brandon Sanderson’s short story “Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell” before Sunlit Man. It’s one of the most mentioned Cosmere works that appear in “The Sunlit Man,” so I’d recommend you read it first.
6) “Legends and Lattes” by Travis Baldree
Cozy Slice-of-Life, Romance High Fantasy
I need to read more cozy fantasy, you guys. “Legends and Lattes” was just so relaxing! You’d think watching someone set up and run a coffee shop would be boring, but the story pulls you in and keeps you invested the whole way. It features a cute lesbian couple, a cool cat, pastries that made me crave cinnamon rolls, and lots and lots of coffee.
5) “The Sun and The Star” by Rick Riordan
YA/MG LGBTQ+ Greek Mythology Urban Fantasy
This book was at the top of my list for a long time. I was super excited for Rick Riordan to finally write a novel from Nico’s point of view. And we got a deeper exploration of his and Will’s relationship to boot! “The Sun and the Star” is a story about love, trauma, and healing. You follow Nico and Will into some dark places, but you also get to follow them back out and watch their love grow all the stronger for it.
4) “Yumi and the Nightmare Painter” by Brandon Sanderson
Romance Epic Fantasy
I think this book starts out slower than Brandon Sanderson’s other secret project books, but that’s not a bad thing. The tension rises until you can’t flip pages fast enough. A slower start also gives more time to develop the romance, which is the center of the story. I usually find stories that have the romantic pair start off hating each other and then fall in love annoying, but it was really well done here. Yumi and Painter had to learn about each other and take the time to form a real bond before they fell in love. I thought their romance felt very natural.
My family got the special edition copies of all of Sanderson’s secret projects, and “Yumi and the Nightmare Painter” has the most gorgeous art!
3) “The Olympian Affair” by Jim Butcher
Steampunk Adventure Fantasy
Jim Butcher’s greatest book yet. And that’s saying a lot!
This is the second installment in the “Cinder Spires” series. It’s action packed with fantastic characters, a unique and detailed magic system, and even more talking cats than the first book! Plus we get new characters whom I loved just as much as the original cast.
I didn’t include the novella “Warriorborn” on my list, so I’ll mention it here. The novella is basically an extended prologue for “The Olympian Affair,” so definitely read it first. And we get Benedict’s point of view for the first time!
2) “The Lost Metal” by Brandon Sanderson
Western Steampunk Epic Fantasy
The final installment of the Wax and Wayne series.
And what a finale it was! This book continued the fantastic writing, plot, and character development from the rest of the series. “Mistborn” was one of the first Sanderson series I ever read, so it feels a bit like coming home. This world’s dynamic and versatile magic system is a ton of fun. The finale left some questions unanswered on Scardial’s future, so I wonder: Will we be getting a third series in this world?
And the #1 book I read in 2023 is….
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1) “Tress and the Emerald Sea” by Brandon Sanderson
YA High Fantasy
This is my favorite Brandon Sanderson secret project! It’s not as high stakes as some of the other novels I read in 2023– the stakes are the lives of a small crew and our heroine, not the entire world– but it doesn’t feel any less suspenseful. If anything, I enjoyed the plot’s smaller scale. I could really connect with Tress and her crew over the course of the story. And I was hooked on her adventure and character development from the very first line. (The special edition cover is the most gorgeous book I’ve ever seen!)
If you’re interested in more in-depth book recommendations, I wrote reviews for “The Iron Druid Chronicles” and “The Sun and the Star” on my website, and “So This is Ever After” on Dan’s Scifi & Fantasy blog.
I plan on continuing to post more book reviews in 2024, so stay tuned!
What were your reads from 2023? Feel free to send your own recommendations! There’s always room on my TBR list, and plenty of days left in 2024 to read!
Thanks for reading.
-S. Labrecque
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