This January, librarians from across the country met to hash out the best books published in 2023 for adults. The Notable Books List highlights literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want to focus on today, highlights outstanding genre fiction in eight genres: Adrenaline (aka thrillers, adventure stories), Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Relationship Fiction, Romance, and Science Fiction.
While each genre has a winner, it also has a four-title shortlist. Taken together, the five books in each genre typically represent a range of the types of stories a reader can find in that genre, with the idea that both longtime fans and folks new to the genre can find a title of interest. It’s a great place to find something new to read. Check out the 2023 winners (for books published in 2022) below, with annotations from the ALA Reading List Council; or find the full list in our catalog.
Adrenaline
Better the Blood by Michael Bennett
Detective Hana Westerman has long struggled to balance her Māori heritage with her work. When a serial killer begins committing ritualistic killings in response to a crime that occurred decades prior, Hana must face demons in her own past as her hunt for the killer grows ever more desperate.
Short List:
The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly ♦ Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie ♦ Going Zero by Anthony McCarten ♦ The Last Word by Taylor Adams
Fantasy
Gods of the Wyrdwood by RJ Barker
Cahal once walked the path to becoming the Cowl-Rai—the Chosen One of Crua. However, another Cowl-Rai rose to power, forcing Cahal to spend the next twenty years living in secrecy. When a desperate situation forces Cahal to reveal himself, the consequences of his choice reach further than he could have anticipated.
Short List:
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S. A. Chakraborty ♦ Starling House by Alix E. Harrow ♦ Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher ♦ Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
Historical Fiction
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Tan Yunxian spends much of her youth in fifteenth-century China studying women’s illnesses under the tutelage of her grandmother. As an adult, however, Yunxian must fight to balance a life of propriety with her own aspirations from within the confines of an arranged marriage.
Short List:
The Bookbinder by Pip Williams ♦ Essex Dogs by Dan Jones ♦ Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls ♦ Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
Horror
The September House by Carissa Orlando
Margaret has long grown used to the difficulties that come with living in a haunted house, but after four years her husband has had enough and leaves. When he stops returning calls, their daughter Katherine comes to town to search for him even as the hauntings grow ever more intense.
Short List:
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig ♦ How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix ♦ Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele ♦ The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Mystery
A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
In 1914 Fiji, disgraced Sikh police sergeant Akal Singh reluctantly accepts the seemingly routine case of a missing indentured woman. Over the course of his investigation, Akal’s perspective shifts as he navigates the complex web of colonial racism, labor exploitation, and personal redemption, realizing the case is anything but ordinary.
Short List:
Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood ♦ Grave Expectations by Alice Bell ♦ Mother-daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon ♦ The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh
Relationship Fiction
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley
After losing her college soccer scholarship to an injury, Tanner grudgingly accepts a live-in caretaker job with equally reluctant octogenarian Louise. Their uneasy coexistence takes a madcap turn after Louise forces Tanner into the role of unwilling chauffeur for an impromptu cross-country road trip to help an old friend.
Short List:
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer ♦ Maame by Jessica George ♦ The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle ♦ The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel
Romance
Role Playing by Cathy Yardley
Grumpy hermit Maggie agrees to try to meet new people if her college-aged son does too. When optimist Aiden welcomes a snarky new player into his online gaming guild, they quickly become virtual friends. Upon meeting face-to-face, the pair’s contrasting personalities blend, but their respective complicated pasts challenge their connection.
Short List:
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis J. Hall ♦ Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon ♦ Curves for Days by Laura Moher ♦ We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Science Fiction
House of Gold by C.T. Rwizi
In this Afrofuturistic dystopia, two pairs of genetically enhanced warriors trained to rule become disillusioned with a status quo that keeps the rich aristocracy in power indefinitely. Now free from the lies that shaped their childhood, they plot to shape a better future.
Short List:
Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey ♦ The Meister of Decimen City by Brenna Raney ♦ The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown ♦ Where Peace Is Lost by Valerie Valdes
Want to see even more? Check out the lists from the past ten years on The Reading List website.
~ posted by Andrea G.
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