The Ultimate 2023 Book List - The Olden Chapters

If you’re not into reading, then you are clearly reading the wrong books; if you are, you know exactly what I mean.

However, it can sometimes be difficult to maintain a good reading habit throughout the year.

But when you do, it’s magical!

That is why, each year, I create my own book list.

This way, I’m never asking myself “what should I read next?” allowing me to read continuously throughout the year.

So, today, I challenge you to create your very own 2023 book list!

Ready to get started? Good, let’s do it!

This post may contain affiliate links where, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a commission if you use them. I only recommend products I use, trust, and adore. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

*Update: Here are my newest book lists:

The top productivity tips and time management ideas that will change your life in college, work, business, or as a stay at home mom. Start staying organized and blast through your to do list by using a planner, becoming a morning person, and mastering your daily schedules, study habits, and writing. Even includes free printables to help you stay focused and utilize these life hacks. Pin this post now so you don’t forget these life changing secrets! #planneraddict #organization #college

My Secret to Reading 52+ Books Per Year

I know what you’re thinking.

Reading is fun BUT I’ve got a gazillion things to do. I don’t have the time!

Plus, once I do find the time to read, I can never figure out WHAT to read.

Yeah, I used to always feel the same way!

But, I’ll let you in on a little secret that will solve both problems.

This is the two-part secret formula that allows me to read at least one book per week.

The first part: Audible.

Audible is an audiobook subscription service that allows you to listen to books throughout the year.

This gives you amazing entertainment while you drive, clean, exercise, etc.

The second part: creating a book list.

This helps you avoid book hangover and ensures you’re never thinking “what should I read next?”

So, if you’re ready to create your own, let’s take a look at the 2023 book list.

2023 Book List: 52 Page Turners You Won’t Want to Miss!

Why 52 books, you might be asking?

That is the magic number that gives you one book idea per week, plenty of ideas for an entire year!

Anyways… let’s get started.

Non-Fiction

Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman: The powerful exploration of how competitive sports were designed for men and how reform is needed to help young female athletes.
Why Didn’t You Tell Me? by Carmen Rita Wong: After the death of Carmen Rita Wong’s immigrant mother, long-held secrets begin to unravel, changing her understanding of everything she was led to believe as a child.
Finding Me by Viola Davis: The highly acclaimed actress Viola Davis tells her life’s story. Everyone is raving about this book, I’m so excited to check it out!
Beautiful Country: A Memoir by Qian Julie Wang: This memoir follows Qian Julie Wang’s life and her poor family’s pursuit of the American dream in New York City.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson: The loss of their mother reunites two estranged brothers, who soon learn of the secret-filled life their mother once lived including the discovery of a long-lost child.
Hunger by Roxane Gay: This memoir discusses how to feed your body in a healthy, safe, and nourishing way.

Related: 12 Goal-Setting Books that will Change your Life

Mystery and Thriller

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins: Two best friends hope to reconnect on their trip to Italy. But, as they begin to explore their vacation home, they learn of an old cold case that occurred there.
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth: A married couple lives on an Australian cliff that is known for suicide attempts. Although the husband has saved several lives, the most recent attempt slipped through his fingers. But, as the wife begins to learn more about what happened, she learns her husband knew the woman. Was it really suicide?
What Have We Done by Alex Finlay: A group of old friends with a shared tragic past must reunite before their past comes back to kill them.
Homecoming by Kate Morton: After finding an interesting journal in her grandmother’s home, a journalist begins investigating a famous Christmas Eve murder. But, this book is not just about mystery and murder, its also about family, love, motherhood, and more.
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix: A horror-thiller novel about a post-covid economic downturn and a group of siblings attempting to sell their twisted family home with a dark history.
The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith: If you’re like me and love the Cormoran Strike series, this book is already on your radar. In it, private investigators Robin and Cormoran return to work on a new case involving the death of a popular cartoon show creator. Note: This is the sixth book in the series.
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister: A woman watches from her window as her son murders someone in front of their home. At the end of that long day, she falls asleep, only to wake up the day before. Can she stop the murder from happening?
All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers: A big-city journalist returns to her hometown only to be wrapped up in the disappearance of a local missing girl case. Similarities between this new case and a cold case from 20 years ago send her on a wild journey to solve the crime. Note: Author Ashley Flowers is perhaps best known for her podcast Crime Junkie.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney: Shortly after the Darker family reunites to celebrate Nana’s 80th birthday, they find themselves stranded on a remote island with a killer.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black: Dive into the post-war, fantasy world of Elfhame where magic and romance follow two royals on their dangerous quest.
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (The Mistborn Saga): A band of thieves with magical abilities turns to a new mark: the ruler of the land. Can they use their unnatural abilities and political savvy to take on the biggest heist in history?
The Measure by Nikki Erlick: Everyone in the world wakes to mysteriously find a box on the doorstep. Its contents? The number of years you have left to live.
The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova: A inheritance is filled with wealth, enemies, and magic.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout: Poppy is chosen by the gods and forbidden to live a life of her own. But, as an uprising begins, Poppy would rather be protecting her family than hiding behind her veil. Apparently, if you’re a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, this book is for you (say no more, I’m convinced).

Fiction

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane: Soon after Malcolm purchases the Half Moon bar, his life begins to unravel. His wife is suffering from infertility, his marriage is on the brink of failure, a man from the bar goes missing, and just when things couldn’t get worse, a blizzard shuts down the city.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: Two old friends reunite to create a best-selling video game. This game takes them on a journey of fame, fortune, love, and betrayal. This book is said to be one of the best books of 2022, definitely a must-read!
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Crosby: Two fathers go on a journey to find vengeance after they learn their sons have been murdered.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: I always try to add a few classic stories to my yearly reading list. Wuthering Heights is a classic tale about love, vengeance, and everything in between.
The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias: Desperately in need of cash, Mario takes a job as a hitman and embarks on a wild and twisted journey across Texas.
The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo: After being invited to her father’s funeral in Nigeria, a woman meets her family for the first time.

Romance

Secretly Yours by Tessa Baily: Hallie is hired to improve the gardens at a home in her small Napa town. Will the fact that this home is owned by her long-ago teenage crush derail her plans?
Happy Place by Emily Henry: A group of friends gets together for their annual vacation which turns out to be a drama-filled trip.
Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola: Kiki uses her popular student radio show to pursue her mission: to ensure all women of the African-Caribbean Society at Whitewall University don’t fall for the ruthless players on campus. But, everything she has worked so hard for begins to collapse when she is found kissing the worst guy in school.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood: After accepting a project offer with NASA, Bee learns she must work with her grad school archnemesis. Will their spark get in the way of their work?
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center: A female Executive Protection Agent lands a new client, who happens to be a famous actor. The catch? She must pretend to be his girlfriend.
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean (Book 1): A young woman living in northern California learns her father is the crown prince of Japan.
Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean (Book 2): Izumi’s life begins to tumble when her parents’ engagement is on the rocks. Can she help save their relationship while following her own heart?
The Kiss Quotient (Book 1 of 3) by Helen Hoang: A smart young woman hires a handsome man to teach her how to kiss. But she is soon met with unfamiliar feelings… where will they lead her?
The Bride Test (Book 2 of 3) by Helen Hoang: Esme is offered an opportunity to meet a potential husband in the United States. What she doesn’t know is how hard she will fall for a man convinced he can never love.
The Heart Principle (Book 3 of 3) by Helen Hoang: After many one-night-stands, successful violinist Anna Sun meets an unexpected man that turns everything upside-down.

Books To Become Films (MUST add to your 2023 Book List!)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins: Long before the first hunger games book, Coriolanus Snow must restore his family name while serving as a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. To his dismay, he is assigned the female tribute from District 12 and their fates soon become intertwined.
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Rober Oppenheimer by Martin J. Sherwin: A story that follows scientist J. Robert. Oppenheimer and his efforts to help develop the atomic bomb.
Bad Luck Trouble by Lee Child: A man falls from a helicopter over the California desert, leading to Jack Reacher being thrown into the middle of a conspiracy.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: The son of an American president begins falling for a young prince.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: Years after a female chemist is forced out of her all-male lab, she finds herself as a single mother and a reluctant cooking show star that pushes women to change the status quo.
Text For You by Sofie Cramer: After the death of her fiance, a woman begins sending text messages to his old phone and, unintentionally, begins forming a connection with the new man on the other line.
Blood of Elves (The Witcher Book 1) by Andrzej Sapkowski: The assassin Geralt of Rivia is led on an epic adventure in the pursuit to protect a powerful child.
Dune by Frank Herbert: The battle for control of an arid planet’s most valuable resource “spice” leads to betrayal, revolutions, and more.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: Two sisters travel different and dangerous paths during World War II.
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande: This book is written by a surgeon and discusses medicine that truly matters.

Spooky Books for October

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice: Louis recounts his own life’s story as a 200-year-old vampire.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling: After casting a seemingly simple hex on her ex-boyfriend nine years ago, skilled witch Vivienne Jones must team up with her ex-boyfriend before their town is destroyed.
Darling Girl by Liz Michalski: Wendy’s grandaughter must take on Peter Pan to save her daughter. Sounds like a dark, evil version of the Peter Pan story… yes, please!
Book of Night by Holly Black: Charlie lives in a dark, fantasy world where shadows can be manipulated and secret societies lurk in every corner. But, leaving life as a con artist is not as easy as it seems, bringing trouble, murder, and danger to the surface.

Festive Books for the Holidays

Love and Other Train Wrecks by Leah Konen: On their way home for the holidays, two strangers become stranded after their train derails. Determined to make it home on time, they decide to travel together. What they find along the way may change their lives for the better.
Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards: After their flight is canceled due to weather, five strangers band together to make it home for the holidays. Unfortunately, each one is hiding a secret; some more terrible than others.
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan: Set in the picturesque streets of Edinburgh. Carmen is thrown into a new life: a new home with her perfect sister, a new job at a failing bookstore, and a new perspective. Can she save the bookstore before the holiday season?
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand: Holly Chase is selfish and unwilling to change her ways, even after a visit by three-holiday ghosts. She soon dies and is ordered to become a holiday ghost herself.
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber: A woman must complete three holiday-inspired tasks before finally going on the date of her dreams.

Bonus: My Favorite Books of 2022

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas: I can’t believe I waited this long to start the ACOTAR series. I’ll probably read it again this coming year (yes, it is that good) before the TV series comes out. There is a reason this series is consistently among the top fantasy novels of all time… What’s it about? A young human is thrown into a magical world where she faces death, love, war, and so much more.
One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus: Another book I should not have put on the back-burner… This is the sequel to the amazing (and now a TV series) book One of Us is Lying… it is SO GOOD. Another high school murder mystery with classic twists and turns.
The Survivors by Jane Harper: A young man returns to his coastal hometown for a family visit. While there, a body is discovered on the beach that stirs up another mystery from his past.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig: Nora Seed travels to a magical library that holds an infinite number of books, each containing the story of a life she could have lived. Once she opens a book, she is propelled into a parallel universe to decide if this new life is for her.
The Dating Plan by Sara Desai: Daisy Patel, a young software engineer, is constantly hassled by her family who is determined she marry soon. Liam Murphy, a venture capitalist, must marry someone to collect his inheritance. These two childhood friends run into each other and hatch a plan to solve both their problems.

Related: The Ultimate Book List for 2022

Previous Book Lists

Looking for even more books to add to your 2023 book list? Here are my previous lists with even more great reads:

Well, there you have it: my ultimate 2023 book list. I hope you were able to create your own list to help you feed your reading addiction because, as we all know, it is a magical experience. Have a wonderful year and happy reading!