2023 Book Superlatives

With 2023 coming to an end, it’s time to reflect on my reading journey this year! 

Books read: 47

Favorite 5-star review: A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury has a satisfying balance of humor and politics that are easy to follow. This book was easily my favorite of all of the things I read from Sarah J Maas so far. It truly lived up to its hype.

Favorite nonfiction: Atomic Habits

I typically don’t read nonfiction, but after constant nagging from my dad to read Atomic Habits, I decided to pick it up. James Clear uses constant storytelling to get his point across, and this makes the book so much more engaging to read. I think it’s safe to say that this book will be a book that I will reread next year.

The book that was the longest to finish: The Devil’s Thief

I’ve read (and loved) The Last Magician, but every time I picked this book up to continue the series, I fell into a reading slump. The plot seemed to become so repetitive that I was able to predict what would happen next, leaving no desire to read what came next. I was reading other books on the side, but this book still took over a month to read…

The book that was the fastest to finish: Six of Crows

Going on a heist with Kaz and his crew was one of the best experiences I’ve had this year. Unlike the Devil’s Thief, I had no idea what genius plan Kaz would come up with to get out of a dire situation that traps the characters. I devoured this book in a day over summer break. 

Most underrated book: A Thousand Splendid Suns

Feminist rights movements have been going strong, but it is so inspiring to see how such powerful women in Afghanistan, a strong patriarchal society, persevere through their struggles and grow friendships. This book will make you smile, cry, and throw your book at the wall with all of the plot twists.

Most overrated book: Caravel

I read this book towards the beginning of the year, and to be honest, the characters and the plots were so unmemorable that I don’t even remember anything that happened in the plot.

The prettiest cover: The Last Magician

This cover perfectly matches the mysterious and magical themes of this book!

The ugliest cover: Night Circus

This book is so good, so it makes zero sense to see a cover so bland and lacking in any elements. This cover makes the book seem so anticlimactic, even though it’s anything but. 

A book that I DNFed: The Cruel Prince

This book was dry and heavy on faerie politics… I was not a fan. 

The best coming-of-age series: The Mother-Daughter Book Club

This was such a cute series! While these girls will have more drama going through their grade school than I will have throughout my entire life, the main characters are so lovable, and you can’t help but root for them throughout their journey.

And that’s a wrap! Here’s to a new year where new magical book memories will be made!