As we step into a New Year, it's the perfect time to look back at the best books (IMO) I read last year. For those looking for their next read, here are Book Hookup's Top 10 recommendations from 2023.
The following list in not in order by most to least favorite. They are actually in reverse order of when I read them.
1.
Fantasy: Pariah’s
Lament by Richie Billing
A fresh
coming-of-age fantasy drama rife with fast-paced battles, kings, kingdoms, and medieval-style
politics. A new favorite author.
Pariah's Lament review on TikTok
2.
Fantasy: Dream
Walker Chronicles (Books 1-3) by Christopher Patterson
The epic nature of
this story’s setting, characters, and plot were both engaging and enthralling.
I didn’t want it to end.
3.
YA Action/Adventure:
There’s No Basketball on Mars by Craig Leener
The protagonist, Lawrence Tuckerman, is a high-functioning
autistic teen and the story is told from his POV. The author does a great job
of bringing the reader into his head to understand his actions and motivations
in this YA action-adventure as he creates a neurodivergent protagonist in
Lawrence who is loveable, sensitive, quirky, and a math genius with a dream of
manning Earth’s first mission to Mars one day.
No Basketball on Mars review on TikTok
4.
Christian Coming
of Age: Nellie’s Gold by Danie Marie
An inspirational
coming-of-age story that follows tomboy Nellie Ward from childhood to adulthood
as the youngest child of four. The captivating storytelling, gives the reader a
fly-on-the-wall experience back to the late 1940s, into the 1950s, in historic
Folsom, California, where red-haired, freckle-faced Nellie Ward loves to read
books while sitting in her favorite tree. But home life for this Ward family is
not picture perfect. Nellie shares a room with her three older brothers, with
only a linen curtain hanging between them for privacy. Her Papa is an abusive
drunk and her mother is a Christian woman who prays for them all while making
home life the best she can.
Nellie's Gold Review
5.
Christian
Historical Romance: An Unlikely Belle by Danie Marie
Well-written
characters that are likable but flawed combined with family secrets on the
Stirlingshire Estate. Maddy (the protagonist) isn’t ashamed of her humble
standing, or her work in the stables with her brother Nate, but her life
changes when Elizabeth Stirlingshire, daughter to the Viscount, accepts Maddy
as her best friend. Maddy is invited to participate in social events above her
standing. Dressed in Elizabeth’s clothing, Maddy fits right in, and soon her
dance card is filled with young men who have no idea of who she really is.
6.
Montpelier
Tomorrow by Marylee MacDonald: Women’s Literary Fiction
An emotionally
charged, heart-wrenching story that grabs you like a riptide and drags you
along through the everyday life of Colleen Gallagher, a mom in her mid-50s who
was widowed in her 20s as she was expecting her third child. As the story
opens, she is working toward retirement. But life takes a turn when she visits
her adult daughter, Sandy when her second baby is due. That’s when Colleen
learns that her son-in-law, Tony, has been diagnosed with ALS. None of them understands
the impact of what this will mean to their future, but it doesn’t take long for
the fatal disease to start to steal Tony’s abilities to function. It’s a
reminder that a mother’s love can fix everything. I loved MacDonald’s writing
style and I recommend this book to people who enjoy Women's Literary Fiction
that touches the heart, those who have been affected by ALS, and caregivers
currently caring for someone suffering from a devastating disease.
7.
Futuristic
Fantasy: Neglected Merge Trilogy by Eve Koguce
These books can be
read as stand-alone stories, but knowing the backstory adds depth to this
suspenseful fantasy series filled with plenty of drama. Koguce weaves all the
plot threads and relationships to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoy her writing
style, her world-building, and the personalities of the Winged Ones as they learn
to interact with the Wingless and vice versa.
Where David Threw Stones review on TikTok
8.
Historical
Paranormal WWII Fiction: Where David Threw Stones: A Haunting WW2 Tale of
Courage, Love, and Redemption by Elyse Hoffman
I have read several
from this author and haven’t read a bad one yet. Where David Threw Stones is
one of those treasured reads I plan to read again. The plot takes place 30
years after WW II and is a blend of historical fiction infused with mystery and
suspense merged with fantasy to create a captivating WWII story of the cursed
German town of Brennenbach.
9.
Emperor by
John Fullerton: Action/Adventure Political Mystery
Reads like today’s
news behind the news. This thriller takes the reader behind the political
curtains in Beijing and Washington, DC, and delves into the world of
international espionage and intrigue as events build toward WWIII. The
narrative is so authentic and well-researched it reads like a prophetic
foretelling of events before they unfold on the world stage. This spy thriller
stays with you even after you finish the book. I didn’t see the end coming.
Loved it.
10. Castle Brave by Hawkings Austin: Military
Fantasy
Includes well-known
fantasy races like elves and dragons and offers new races like the Vanir,
Numen, Aesir, and Jotuns. The plot is rich with magic and futuristic tech. Told
from a first-person point of view, but not with a single narrator. The reader
gets to hear from each member of the squad. Each chapter delivers the story
from a single perspective. It feels like a first-person shooter game that lets
you get into the heads of the team members, know and understand their tech,
weapons, background, what they are up against, and how they feel about it. This
first-hand information draws the reader in. Provides an understanding of what
motivates them. Know their strengths and weaknesses. It builds an emotional
connection and makes you care.
