Top Book Picks of 2023 (so far!)
Here are my top 10 book choices for the year, so far. While none are too similar, I gave each book 5 stars.
“A daring and redemptive novel set in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, DC, that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.”
I have started to love historical fiction books despite never really enjoying history growing up. This book focuses on racial divide, love stories within it and how seemingly small decisions can have impactful outcomes. I felt like it opened my eyes in more ways than one and was beautifully written!
“An emotionally layered and engrossing story of a family that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?”
I loved the family and sisterhood aspect that this book possessed. The story spans decades and demonstrates how the choices we make can dictate the future of others close to us. With a story that seems unlikely on the surface, Napolitano makes it come to life in a very emotional way.
The Man Who Died Twice: Thursday Murder Club #2
This book is the second following #1, Thursday Murder Club. While the characters are the same, I don’t think you have to read TMC first, but you should! In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. These characters are precious, grandparent-like figures that are very much on the pulse of what is going on in and out of their town. The writing is witty, the characters come to life and I cannot wait to read book #3.
“An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.”
I normally dislike magical realism but this one I could get behind. I enjoyed reading about the characters professions, a book publicist and chef. The time travel aspect isn’t as cheesy as it could be and the ending did not disappoint. A love story mixed in with a bond between main character Clementine and her aunt is one not to miss.
“Stars. Lovers. Liars. Killers. This is Hollywood, and everyone has a part to play in a shocking novel of suspense.”
Nora is getting married to Hugh, both of who are movie stars. Hugh has an identical twin brother, Trent, who is known to the public as a bad boy. A murder-suicide happens on Nora and Hugh’s property but it’s not what it seems. There is more to the crime than meets the eye, and more to Nora, Hugh and Trent’s past that begins to unravel. I had to know what happened and you won’t believe it until the end.
“The perfect neighborhood can be the perfect place to hide…”
This was a thriller without being scary. It focuses on a neighborhood where one neighbor’s son was killed by a hit and run and they haven’t figured out by who. Another new neighbor, that seems like a recluse, has also moved in. With multiple stories between characters happening at once, it was a page turner with surprises I did not see coming. Definitely a quick read!
This book follows Chloe 20 years after her dad confessed to kidnapping and killing 6 teenage girls but the bodies were never found. Fast forward to the present, and another teenage girl has gone missing. Is Chloe going crazy in seeing similarities or is she right to keep digging into the past? Thrillers are always fast reads for me and do enjoy a story that spans many years or decades. This book kept me going until the very end with an ending worth the wait.
Homecoming by Kate Morton
Absolutely fabulous. Well written, captivating and my new favorite things in books; historical fiction with a story that spans decades. I couldn’t summarize it better than Good Reads. A must read!
”An epic novel that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, and how we protect the lies we tell. It explores the power of motherhood, the corrosive effects of tightly held secrets, and the healing nature of truth. Above all, it is a beguiling and immensely satisfying novel from one of the finest writers working today.”
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
“After tragedy strikes, Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.”
I think I have read every Elin Hilderbrand book there is because she is from Nantucket and they are (almost) all based there. Her latest is a perfect beach read. In a story of love and loss, grief and forgiveness this one nailed it for me. It made me want to have my own five-star weekend when I am 50!
If you need a seasonal recommendation with the holidays coming up, I absolutely love her Winter Street Series!
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
“Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.”
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. After another run in with each other, Josie convinces Alix to let her be the subject of her next podcast. A story unravels that you won’t know who to believe. If you read Verity, by Colleen Hoover, the ending left me with similar feelings… who are we to believe? Such a page turner!
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