The Five-Star Books of 2023
17 out of 88 books I read & rated in 2023 received five stars.
I wanted to read 100 books in 2023-I read 88. Even though I did not meet my goal, I did create a Google Sheets document titled The 2023 Reading List tracking details of each book: title, author, date finished, genre, sub-genre, and a brief review with notes. I gave each book a star rating on a scale from one to five.
With the data, I created visual aids in the form of pie charts. One tracks the percentage of books I read in each genre: fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. In total 44.3% of books were fiction, 12.5% were non-fiction, and 43.2% were poetry. The other tracks the percentage of books that received one to five-star ratings. In total 3.4% of books received one star, 20.5% received two stars, 31.8% received three stars, 25% received four stars, and 19.4% received 5 stars.
If you’d like a copy to track your reading & book wish list, I’ve created a template from this document. Here is The 2024 Reading List via Google Sheets.
17 out of 88 books received a five-star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Three are worthy of honorable mentions-they were so close to receiving five stars but, for reasons I’ve mentioned in the reviews, dropped down in rating.
Here they are in no particular order; my five-star rated fiction, non-fiction, and poetry of 2023.
Open Water
by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Fiction Sublime story concerning what it feels like to define yourself in a world that constantly pushes back. Strong musical references are woven into the narrative allowing the reader to connect more deeply with the main character, both culturally and romantically. Isn’t it compelling how music serves as a soundtrack that defines love and life?
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
by Gabrielle Zevin
Fiction Interesting insight into the niche tech and gaming industry. Follows the life of a handful of kids through adolescence, college, and beyond with strong character arcs. What happens will leave you speechless. I still think about the unraveling of this plot.
Trust
by Hernan Diaz
Fiction Dismantling truth and how success is built in America. The twist is compelling. Told through four seperate documents: a novel within the novel, an unfinished manuscript, a memoir, and a diary.
The Price of Salt
by Patricia Highsmith
Fiction How do we weigh the cost of living as our authentic selves? A profound reflection on navigating unconventional relationships and what it means to love someone verses how society tells us we should love.
Symphony of Secrets by
Brendan Slocumb
Fiction A masterclass in character development. Told across two timelines from the perspective of three main characters. Transcribes the sounds of music into words with a beauty and smoothness unique to Slocumb.
Above Ground by Clint Smith
Poetry An eye-opening perspective of parenthood in the 21st century.
The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die
by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
Fiction A feminist novella that serves as a how-to lesson in navigating the waters of womanhood. Anytime I am crossed with trouble, I find myself thinking about how the main character would handle the situation.
The Bell Jar
by Sylvia Plath
Fiction The only novel written by Plath and an autobiographical must-read. The train of thought mirrored my own at times in my life; this concerning tone & irradic style of prose was oddly comforting.
The Beforelife
by Franz Wright
Poetry A direct and honest account of a year-long battle with Wright’s biggest critic - himself.
God's Silence by Franz Wright
Poetry “Literature will lose, sunlight will win, don’t worry.”
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
Fiction A National Book Award finalist that speaks to the schism between the self and one’s loyalty to family and tradition.
Stay, Illusion
by Lucie Brock-Broido
Poetry "Goats slaughtered young would have made the softest gloves for him, his hands."
Into Thin Air
by Jon Krakauer
Non-Fiction + Memoir A gripping account of the 1996 disaster on Everest from the perspective of the journalist assigned to report on client-based guided expeditions commoditizing the mountain. The author is both a climber and journalist, which lends to the overall credibility of the book and contribultes to an engaging writing-style.
Come Closer and Listen
by Charles Simic
Poetry Strange Sweetness might be my new favorite poem.
Thunderbird by Dorothea Lasky
Poetry Each stanza is small and direct making the meaning easy to decipher; also reflected by the simplistic format and cover.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa &
translated by Eric Ozawa
Fiction Japanese literature knows how to speak directly to depression in a way that American authors are just beginning to define. A journey of healing with strong references to Japanese literature; you can make a reading list from the recommendations in the novel. There is a translator note at the end that references which books are likely translated into English and could be easily found in U.S. markets.
River Inside the River by Gregory Orr
Poetry Meditation on the body, the meaning of life, and our relationship with a God told in three parts.
…and the honorary mentions that were so close to receiving 5 stars.
The Road
by Cormac McCarthy
Fiction Wow, this was suspenseful and hard to put down. Unsettling themes about what we as humans could be capable of in times of distress. This book will sit with me for a long time. I gave it only four stars, because I felt strongly it needed a trigger warning-could be a bonus to others.
The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee by Paisley Rekdal
Non-Fiction + Memoir Essays tackling identity and how we define ourselves in a modern cultural context. A little displaced, but features unique cultural references to Asia, especially Korea and Japan. Maybe displacement is the goal?
Crying in H Mart
by Michelle Zauner
Non-Fiction + Memoir Coping with grief and loss is hard. Writing about it is even harder. Zauner tackles both with strength and a perspective that feels so relatable. It lead me to tears-the only book to achieve this all year. But is there resolution?Is there ever when coping with death?
