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Readers' Hit Books of 2023 (So Far, That Is)
We’re halfway through the new year, believe it or not. Time flies when you’re reading!
At any rate, that means it’s time for our annual midyear check-in, where we suss out Goodreads members’ most popular books of the year so far. As always, these selections are based on the total number of reader reviews and which titles are making their way to Goodreads members’ Want to Read shelves.
This time around, we’ve sorted out the top nine books in each of the usual-suspect categories, in order of popularity. So, glancing below, you’ll see that Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful currently holds the top spot in contemporary fiction. The genre designations can get a little blurry, but we do the best we can.
Scroll down to find the top nine books in historical fiction, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror, romance, young adult, and nonfiction. This can be a fun jumping-off page and a place to get a sense of what’s resonating in the culture. Haunted houses, androids, and insomnia, evidently. And storm hags. Ah, well, these are anxious times. On the upside, you might find your happy place.
Click through the cover images below for more details, and don’t forget to feed your Want to Read shelf.
Contemporary Fiction
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Historical Fiction
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Mystery
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Fantasy
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Science Fiction
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Horror
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Romance
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Young Adult
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Nonfiction
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Which 2023 new releases have been hits with YOU? Tell us about them in the comments below.
Comments Showing 51-100 of 225 (225 new)
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"I am loving Yellowface so far! I have something to ask you by rebecca makai was good too
The Second Ending is my favorite read of the year so far, so good!
I gave 5 stars to River Sing Me Home and Lady Tan's Circle of Women.
The only book I've seen out of all of these is The Stolen Heir by Holly Black. I just like her writing style, and The Stolen Heir was better than I thought it was going to be.
fourth wing is sooooo good im halfway through and i literally can't think of anything else my last 2 dreams have been about this book i wake up in the morning just to read this book
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"the happy place an the things we hide from the light !
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Happy Place!!!!!!!!
tanya ⋆ ☁︎ ˚☽˚｡⋆ wrote: "Yellowface is unlike anything I've EVER read before!"In a good way?
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"I am reading The Covenant of Water right now and am addicted!
Spare was "meh". Interesting but not worth buying. Just my 2 cents.
Weyward was SO GOOD. I def recommend that one!
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"The Housemaid's Secret is worth it (and The Housemaid- also by McFadden- while you're at it... actually EVERYTHING written by McFadden is great).
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"All the dangerous things and what lies in the woods are both fantastic reads.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Lone Woman was really good!
'You Could Make This Place Beautiful' was an incredible read. I highly recommend giving it a shot!
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Things We Hide From the Light - Slow burn, smutty romance, thrilling adventure and plot twists.
Final Offer - One of my top reads of the year so far! Cal is such a loveable, relatable character. I loved seeing him finally get his happily ever after.
The Housemaid's Secret - Another top read of the year for me! I love anything by Freida McFadden and the Housemaid series has not disappointed.
How to Sell a Haunted House - I wouldn't call this one horror. More thriller and disturbing. If you don't like puppets, this one may not be for you.
Other liked reads on this list: Don't Fear the Reaper, All the Dangerous Things, What Lies in the Woods, I Have Some Questions for You, and Children of Memory. Enjoy!
I really enjoyed Weyward. Very much in the vein of stories by Alice Hoffman.
The book of the year 2022 and other books published since 2005.Metaanalysis of psychoanalysis
Deutsche Krankheit.
The Tommyknockers complex.
Manifest of a New time
De amore
New Jerusalem
Putinism: A Phenomenological and Prototypical Investigation.
ChatGPT
Der Sinn des Lebens und andere psychologische Schriften.
and others
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"I've only read Hello Beautiful and The Stolen Heir on this list.
I loved Hello Beautiful! It's a heartbreaking family saga. It has flowery language though, so that might be a turn off for some, but I really liked it.
The Stolen Heir was just okay. Don't go into it thinking it'll be just like The Cruel Prince, if you've read that.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Happy Place, The True Love experiment, The House of Eve, Things we hide from the light and yours trouly.. are all great reads!
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Weyward was great - a new take on historical fiction that I haven't seen before; The Collected Regrets of Clover had a quirky main character and some great quotes - wonderful debut book; All the Dangerous Things was a fast paced mystery and good writing.
Romantic Comedy was OK with portions that were great and other parts that were slow; Spare had some good moments but was just average
Bobbi wrote: "beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"The only one I read on this list was How to Sell a Haunted House and it was... A very Grady Hendrix book...."
Okay, I'm glad I'm not alone in my Grady Hendrix opinion. I love his ideas and I always want to love his books, but they end up just... meh.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?" The right move is one of my favorites 🫶
I loved Hello, Beautiful and You Could Make This Place Beautiful.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Fourth Wing 10000%
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Collected Regrets of Clover, House of Eve were good
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Read The Wager recently and it was pretty good. I believe one of his previous books, Killers of the Flower Moon, was slightly better, but it's still a fantastic read for nonfiction.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"I liked Pineapple Street, Maame, and Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Don't bother with Spare, as I found it just more nonsense and a waste of my reading time.
Momma wrote: "Of the ones listed, I enjoyed Someone Else’s Shoes; Adelaide; All the Dangerous Things; I Will Find You; Happy Place; Yours Truly; and, The True Love Experiment. Just picked up Pineapple Street an..."
I am reading Horse now, but not overly thrilled with it. Only a bit more than halfway through.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?" I just finished The House is on Fire and it was so good. Definitely recommend it!!
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Here are my "yeses"
All the Dangerous Things
I have some Questions for You
Spare (liked it despite all the negative press)
Covenant of Water (liked it, abandoned the hard copy because too long and will listen to audio book)
Here are my "OK's"
River Sing Me Home
Weyward
Here is my "No"
Adelaide (reads more like a YA book)
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Yours Truly, All the Dangerous Things, The Maid's Diary
I agree with Shell (a levels szn). The books available this year are shockingly abysmal, the writing far below par. However I have a theory. Lockdowns and pandemic for three years, books take at least two to write, edit, market and publish. I think covid impacted us authors imaginations. I've rewritten my current work in progress (drafted in 2020) 4 times! Now it's much better, a completely different plot, and I'm still struggling to get it past 40,000 words.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Happy place is really good!
There’s no picture books or middle grade novels.
Dee wrote: "I think I am going to take a break from tiktok recommended books hahaha I will try these out, so far I've only read "The Housemaid's Secret" and that was just awesome!"All of Freida McFadden's books are worthy of a read. She is my new fave author!
Disappointed with Yellowface - it was almost good, but didn't quite live up to the promise of the premise. Hope I have better luck with Hello Beautiful and Maame, which are two I plan to read next.
Someone Else's Shoes... I loved the plot twist! it was funny and sad at times. and most of the time I just got mad at Carl!
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"
I obviously haven't read all of the books but I loved I Have Some Questions For You and Chain Gang All-Stars. Both were excellent. I found Yellowface and Lone Women to be slightly above average.
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Yellowface, Weyward, and A Day of the Fallen Night!
Ariel wrote: "beth ‧ ₊˚୨୧ ₊˚ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Fourth Wing!"
AGREE
beth ☆ wrote: "Can someone reply to me and tell me which ones on this list are worth it?"Fourth wing was great
How to Sell a Haunted House if you like thrillers. Happy Place because Emily henry is the best at writing banter and relatable characters. Divine Rivals I am currently reading but I have 3 chapters left after starting it last night....FOURTH WING is worth the hype!
The only thing I can tell you is that How to Sell a Haunted House gave me the creeps big time. Also, you will never see puppets in the same light. I've always found them creepy, so there's that.
I have never hated a character so much since The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. That is not to say its a bad book, if you are into horror, you will certainly have goosebumps and look over your shoulder with this one.