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The 40 Most Read Books of the 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge (So Far)
Time once again, gentle readers, for our midyear check-in on the Goodreads Reading Challenge, in which readers push themselves by pledging to read a set number of books for the year. Lots of activity this time around! Six million participants and more than 250 million books pledged?! Crazy numbers!
We’ve collected below the most popular books completed so far in this year’s Reading Challenge. That is to say, the books that people are marking "read" as part of this year's Challenge.
There are a few clear takeaways here at the halfway point. As is typical, the list tends to favor a few Very Popular Authors, each of whom has multiple individual books clocking in. For instance, Colleen Hoover, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Sarah J. Maas. Romance continues to be a popular genre in the Challenge, but you’ll find other specimens, too: domestic thrillers, inventive fantasy, giant octopi, this sort of thing. Not surprisingly, you’ll also find plenty of nominees and winners of past Goodreads Choice Awards.
Take a leisurely scroll through the images below, click through the cover images for more details, and feel free to add to your own Want to Read shelf.
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#11
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#13
#14
#15
#16
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#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
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#29
#30
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#40
What are some of your favorite reads so far this year from your own 2023 Reading Challenge? Let us know in the comments!
Comments Showing 351-400 of 688 (688 new)
I'm 20/40 but most are books I read in 21 and 22. Only 3 of them are on my TBR. I would have loved to have seen a little more variety of genres on this list. Non-fiction, horror, historical fiction, psychological thrillers.... even mysteries. Something.
Ben wrote: "Just finished All the Sinners Bleed (amazing!). Currently reading The Housemaid and Your Table is Ready. I have about a long line of books all lined up and set to go for the next few months includi..."If you've read any of SA Cosby's other books, I'd All the Sinners Bleed just as good as the others? Better? Excited to read but can't decide if I want to buy or wait to get from the library. Would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you!!
vivienne wrote: "this list is abysmal? do ppl not get tired of reading the same shit over n over again? how are 90% of the most read books this horrible."Right? I've probably TBRd some of these because I'm pretty liberal with what I add, but almost none of these interest me. I hate to yuck others' yum, and I always say to friends who tell me they want to read more to read what they love, but there's so much better reading out there than most of what's on this list (I'm looking at you Colleen Hoover). To each their own, I guess. Exceptions for me here were : Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Song of Achilles, and The Last Thing He Told Me.
Didn’t read a single one from this and maybe only a couple of books seem interesting. Is there a list like that for non-fiction books? Not all of us like to read fiction.
I've read 24 of these.
I've only read four of these books...and I didn't like one of them (I can not figure out why Daisy Jones and the Six is so popular...read any biography/memoir of any rock star/band member from the 60s and 70s and you'll find out that real life is stranger than fiction, and makes for a better story). So what have I learned? To steer clear of these lists created by paid marketing stooges...
Yess wrote: "That's a lot of Colleen Hoover, a little too much actually."My thoughts exactly.
I only read a few of these. I'm more annoyed that half the list are books from 4 or 5 authors. I have nothing against those authors, but it really skews the list and I feel like we're missing a ton of great books. I suppose everyone using GR is really reading those books, but it makes this list kinda boring and not that much different from Booktok/bookstagram/etc.
Amber wrote: "Y’all need to read some non fiction like damn. And step away from the Colleen Hoover." Yes, please. Do yourself a favour and read non fiction
I read only 1/40. Nearly all of them don't interest me. But this is fine. Everyone's taste is different.
have read 3 of them and another 15 are on my TBR i want to pick up my pace.. so excited
Of the 8 I’ve read, Song of Achilles and Remarkably Bright Creatures were the best. Not much interest in the others.
Read 22, DNF 1, 8 TBR. I need to find the books that everyone else isn't reading.
i read one of these and it was so bad istg don't even waste your time on november ninth by colleen hoover
Julia wrote: "I swear to god, if there are no haters of The Silent Patient left, I'm dead."I was definitely not fond of that book!
I've read 14 of these and many of the other ones (except Spare bc really?) are on my TBR. Great list!
I'm absolutely over the whole Colleen Hoover hype. I'm to the point where I refuse to touch her stuff, especially after DNFing two of her books years ago. There are books out there that are so much better and by more talented authors.
I read #5 and #30 and didn’t like both of them! I’m reading #11 and #20 and so far I’m enjoying it. I usually don’t like the popular books. Colleen Hover was such a disappointment! The Midnight Library was awful.
I've read 7 of these. Not all of them were Colleen Hoover or Taylor Jenkins Reid either. There are other really good authors out there
I've read 13/40 (and 13 were already in my TBR)
Ben wrote: "Just finished All the Sinners Bleed (amazing!). Currently reading The Housemaid and Your Table is Ready. I have about a long line of books all lined up and set to go for the next few months includi..."Ben, here's a great surprise for you, in case you didn't know yet: two new books after American Demon and she's working on the next already 😈. My life is so much better with The Hollows back in it 😀.
I haven't heard about most of your titles, but that's normal: I have sooooooo many books on my TBR list that I often stop checking out new titles for fear of never making a dent (luckily the majority of the books on list above in the post don't interest me). Still, with American Demon on your To Read list - and my favourite genres being many - I might add a few of them ;).
Also, this thread reminds me that I really, really need to update my Reading challenge with like 30 books or so...
read 9 of these. 0 in tbr. Not reading anymore shit from list like these.
I've read 14 of these books already and most of the others are on my TBR 🔥🍹
I've read none of them, which isn't a surprise. I'm usually not reading popular books. I've heard of several of them, however.
I’ve read some, abandoned one, and have zero interest in reading the rest 🫢🙈
I am 5/40.. There are lots of book here which I personally don't want to read as I am not fan of that particular genre. Still a lot of books are there which are on my tbr.
just finished reading this splendid book (5/5) and OH MY GOD!! a must read for fans of ya horror/mystery/thriller
Completely agree, just because something is popular by the masses, in no way does that make it good.
Read 12/24 so halfway at the halfway point, although I haven't read hardly any of the books I planned to read this year. I think I got caught up in meeting the number of books, next I might go for a lot lower number, thereby allowing myself to read books I have had on my tbr pile for ages and might be a lot longer in length. I haven't read any on this list so far, but a few of them are on my want to read list.
Most books on this list are written by a female writer. Most of the commentators are female. Sad to see that this sounds like a competition for reading most books. I would have hoped that readers read for pleasure and not because they felt they ought to, but I guess it is a good thing that you read books at all.
~Anna~ wrote: "Amber wrote: "Y’all need to read some non fiction like damn. And step away from the Colleen Hoover."I agree with the part about Colleen Hoover, but please don't judge people because they like to ..."
How about we just don’t judge people, period ☺️
Just finished Homecoming by Kate Morton. Loved it.
Have read 11/40, many of these are on my TBR list. Surprised not to see Lisa Jewel on this list. “The Family Upstairs” has definitely been a highlight of my Reading Challenge this year! And Lucy Foley’s “The Paris Apartment”.
From this list I only have Midnight Library on my "want to read" list. I'm always a bit behind on new books, because my "I want to buy this book"-list is longer then my wallet is fat. And I try to alternate: one book in my native language Dutch (or a translation from a language I don't speak into Dutch), one book in English. I do a lot of "oldies": P.G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" (done), and I loved Updike's Rabbit series. Now I'm slowly doing Patricia Highsmith and Philip Roth, but also the 1920's oldies from E.F. Benson, about Miss Mapp & Queen Lucia, I more or less have to be convinced "new books" are really good before I buy them, so that's usually a year or two after release. With the oldies I know they're good when I buy them. And they all are still worth while.
I've finished 10 of these and currently reading my 11th off the list. None of the others appeal to me. To my way of thinking, just because a book is popular does not necessarily mean it would be one I would choose.
I've read 33 out of 50 so far; 9 of which were by John Le Carre (none from the above list though). Favourite read so far in 2023 is actually a non-fiction by Thomas E. Ricks entitled 'Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom.'
For anyone that hasn't read Verity, bump it up on your TBR list, it is by far one of my favorite books.