my favorite books of 2023 thus far

How is the year already halfway over?

Anyone else making terrible progress on their TBR this year? All the networking/socializing/TV bingeing is eating into my precious reading time! I’m hoping to get back to my routine the second half of this year (by which I mean spending 2-3 hours reading every weeknight), but for now, here are my ten favorite reads for the first half of 2023.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio - Dark academia + Shakespeare + murder + wonderful prose. The characters of Villains would hate a sports metaphor, but this really was a home run.

The Measure by Nikki Erlick - What if, one day, a box arrived on every doorstep around the world—and the contents inside revealed how long you have left to live? Would you look? My answer was 'yes' when I started and 'no' by the time I finished. This one should be required reading. It's one of those books that makes you step back and examine the life you're leading.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - If you're following any book accounts or newsletters at all, you've heard about this one. Many times. The hype is deserved, y'all. I want to be friends with Garmus in real life because I'm confident she's as hilarious and charming as her characters. Plus, one of the narrators is a dog! Need I say more?

Motherhood by Sheila Heti - This book is not for everyone, but the people whom it is for will be blown away. It's fiction but there's no plot—more like a thought experiment. Definitely will make my top-five list at the end of the year.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King - This year I find myself drawn to stories about people trying to make it as writers. Send me all your portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-young-woman recs. (I've already got The Idiot on deck.) I just loved this book. Contemplative and quiet and yearning.

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai - After reading The Great Believers (one of the few books to make me sob—multiple times!), I knew I’d read whatever Makkai wrote next. After reading IHSQFY, I’ve realized I need to go back and read all her previous books too. This is the thinking person’s whodunit. Lots of thoughtful questions are posed about the true crime genre, the nature of memory, and the selves we were in the past vs. who we are now.

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas - Not sure if I was in a reading slump or just busy, but Vladimir pulled me out of it. We are not reading this one for the plot, mmkay? Not a whole lot of action, yet I was still riveted—the mark of a great writer. We are reading Vladimir for the pitch-perfect character rendering and for its insights into humanity (reminded me of Normal People in that way). I underlined half the book. Officially a Jonas fan (not those Jonases).

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen - It’s not easy to write a thriller that focuses all of its pages on the victims and none on the serial killer, yet still deliver a satisfying reading experience. We’re not going to find out whodunit at the end, but also, we don’t really care? This is the women’s story, not the man’s. Impeccable writing, and so very deserving of the Edgar Award. I particularly loved The Janes’ chapters. Can’t wait to read what Mullen writes next.

Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer - Is it okay to consume good art by bad people? Including but not limited to Polanski, Allen, Jackson, Picasso, Hemingway, you get the picture. A question that has long intrigued me and that Dederer examines with thoughtfulness, specificity, and wit. Highly recommend.

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay - Did I just find a new favorite author? Last year I raved about A Head Full of Ghosts, and Cabin is another five-star read for me. It has a few graphic scenes (it’s classified as horror but was more suspenseful than scary IMO) and an ambiguous ending. If you can tolerate those things, this one is a must. I read it in one sitting with my breath held.

What’s your favorite book you’ve read this year?

Talk soon,