Runners Up for the Best Books of 2023

I read so many great books in 2023 I was hard-pressed to keep my "Best Of" list short. These additional 12 books were absolutely excellent reads. They also offer a bit more diversity than my "Best Of" list, which consists totally of historical fiction! 

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan. This is a reliable author for me, having previously enjoyed "The Chilbury Ladies Choir" and "The Kitchen Front", also by her. It is a sweet story of friendship between women in an English village who come together to remake wedding dresses for those who think they may have to do without due to the deprivations of WW2.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry. Also set during WW2, this book is about two young sisters who have been evacuated to the Cotswolds. Older sister Hazel entertains little Flora with made-up stories of Whisperwood, a fantasyland. Tragically Flora goes missing and is thought to have drowned. Years later, Hazel discovers a book of stories exactly like those she told her sister when they were children. Could Flora be alive? A spellbinding story of love and hope.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. This was a beautifully written contemporary family drama with some comparisons to "Little Women". It is the story of the four Padavano sisters and the broken young man who becomes close to the family. The cast of characters seemed so real, and even when some of them made poor choices, the reader sticks with them. The themes of the book are family expectations, depression, love, and loyalty.

The Connelly's of County Down by Tracey Lange. Another contemporary family drama that had me completely engrossed. At the age of 30 Tara Connelly is released from prison and goes back to her family home to start over. Family members holding deep secrets are a roadblock to Tara's plan to move on. The resurrection of a long-lost love interest and complicated family dynamics made this a compelling read. 

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. Some years past, a hugely popular children's author quit writing books under strange circumstances. His hoards of followers have been waiting for a new book for a long while. Suddenly the reclusive author comes out of seclusion with a new book and a competition. He will host four of his fans on his private Clock Island for a game. Whoever wins, will be given the rights to the new book, which is sure to make a fortune. The competitors are compelling and deserving, especially Lucy Hart who is a struggling preschool teacher whose goal is to be able to foster/adopt one of her students. This was a sweet book, about found family, facing your fears, and making dreams come true.

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. On the surface, this coming-of-age novel appears to be a mystery, but it is far deeper than that. The novel has gotten rave reviews for the way the world is seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. Cory Mackenson is growing up in the 1960s in a town called Zephyr, Alabama. One day Cory accompanies his dad on his milk route when they witness an event that appears to be a murder. The townsfolk seem able to put the matter behind them, but Cory and his Dad want to learn more. Themes are good vs evil, ignorance vs tolerance, innocence and growing up, and much more. A truly wonderful book.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Basically, the book is about a college that trains young people to ride dragons to do combat with a neighboring empire that threatens their own. Not only do you need to watch out for the unpredictable dragons, but you better keep an eye on the other students who might want to do you in.  Dragons are very cranky it turns out. Lots of action, good character development, and the plot MOVES. First book in a series.

The Second Mrs. Astor by Shanna Abe. This is a well-researched novel about John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Force and their scandalous romance and disastrous honeymoon aboard the Titanic. Very moving and rich in detail of the Gilded Age in New York. If you enjoy books by Marie Benedict or Jennifer Chiaverini, you will like this one. 

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman. Billy Perkins is a single dad who lives above a record store in Baltimore. He is a happy man who doesn't wish for much more than to spend time with his teenage son and teach piano. His peaceful life comes to a halt when his son Caleb pulls some strings and manages to bring Billy's longtime adolescent crush back into his life. This is none other than reclusive, "retired", rock star drummer Margot Hammer. If you enjoy middle age romance, quirky characters you will root for, and second chances to reinvent your life, you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter. The wonder of this book is the way it is set up. The narrative is done in a mixed media style using tv scripts, emails, text messages, interviews, and newspaper clippings. The premise is that a tv producer is making a documentary about an unsolved murder that happened in his family when he was a kid. He gathers an "A" team of detectives, journalists, and forensic experts together to try to solve the crime, which has been a cold case for decades. The reader learns the facts along with the experts and tries to solve the case along with them. It was pretty brilliant.

Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom. Crow Mary is based on a real-life character, an indigenous Crow woman named Goes First. The book begins in 1863 where we get a close look at the life Goes First lives with her tribe as the daughter of a Chief. In 1872 our main character is married off to a white fur trader named Abe Farwell. He renames her "Mary" and they embark on a journey to Saskatchewan, Canada. Mary comes to love her husband but is conflicted between wanting to retain her own culture and becoming a part of his world. A real event called The Cypress Hills Massacre takes place in 1873, and Mary commits a heroic act that results in her saving the lives of a number of native women who have been abducted and abused by white men. This act of bravery and the subsequent fight to see justice served will take a toll on Mary and her marriage for years to come. If you are interested in historical fiction, the conflicts between cultures, and the suppression of indigenous people, put this book on your "to-be-read" list. 

Don't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino is a romance, but has deeper themes than that label would suggest.  It is set in the early 1960's, and our main character is a feisty 20-year-old gal who wants to live life for herself and not according to her parent's expectations. After an "incident" with the son of the local rabbi, her parents send Marilyn away for the summer to stay with her Aunt Ada, who is not the stern old lady her parents believe her to be. Will Marilyn conform and adopt the life her parents want for her, or will she embrace the unknown and embark on her own path? Aunt Ada is the mentor Marilyn needs in her life right now. The quirky characters in this book will stay with you, and the ending is so, so satisfying. If you want something "light", but also substantive, this could be the book for you.

I read so many good books this past year and wholeheartedly recommend my "Best Of" and "Runners Up" selections to you!

 

Comments

[ml peters]

thanks so much for the recommendations, will be looking for them in my library

[Jan]

Once again, thank you for spending time writing thorough reviews of the books you're enjoying. I'm going to share your list with a couple of people. Happy reading in 2024!

[Pamela Dempsey]

Thanks for the list, going to get Jennifer Ryan’s books 😻🥰

[Joyce]

Thank you again for posting your recommendations for good books!! I love having a list of to-read books and always set a goal for the year of books to read. I look forward to seeing the books you read this year!

[Diane]

I love your reviews. I read Boys Life many many years ago and loved it. One of my favorite parts is when the boy goes to the old woman for a potion for his schoolwork. It is well written and clever.