2023 was really the year of fantasy for me because all of my favourite reads were fantasy. Usually I have one or two romance or contemporary books littered in but... a lot of those reads were lackluster for me this year. I will forever and always be a fantasy girlie and if there's female rage and morally grey characters included? It's most definitely going to end up in my favourites list.
Quick note: A couple of my favourite books from this year have been left off this post due to problematic authors being revealed as well as the current St Martin's Press boycott taking place. Therefore, this list looks a bit more bare than it usually would.
The Poppy War trilogy - R. F. Kuang
I am not exaggerating when I say that the Poppy War trilogy is maybe my favourite book series of all-time. I can't think of another series that has stayed with me so much and where every single book is an easy five stars.
I read this series back in April and I still think about it almost every day. That's not even an exaggeration. This is my Roman Empire.
Everything from the plot to the characters to the world was captivating and I am in awe of Rebecca Kuang's ability to create such fascinating stories.
Yellowface - R. F. Kuang
R. F. Kuang definitely became my favourite author this year because she never misses! Yellowface was a satirical thriller that offered tremendous insight into the publishing world and I couldn't get enough.
It was fascinating to read in the perspective of such an awful and problematic protagonist. The story raised so many interesting points around race and cancel culture and the publishing industry. It was a sinister delight from start to finish.
Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhou
Iron Widow was a brilliant attack on the patriarchy. Zetian was an awesome protagonist to follow and I love characters that are filled with female rage.
I also think Iron Widow has one of the most spectacular love triangles. I loved both Yizhi and Shimin equally - they both had fierce sides but also tender and emotional sides. I went into this book knowing that polyamory was a key part of the romance and it was fun getting to know both Yizhi and Shimin and seeing them both create a strong unit with Zetian. It's a true power team right there.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins
I was all too happy to jump back in time and pretend it was 2012 and the world was in its Hunger Games phase - let's face it, not many of us ever left it.
I could go on and on about how the Hunger Games trilogy still holds up really well and, now more than ever, the political commentary and statements that it makes are wildly relevant to our own world. One thing I love about Suzanne Collins is that she doesn't write for the sake of writing. There are a hundred different spin-offs she could have done in this world but TBOSAS didn't feel like a money grab at all. It was a deep and fascinating look into the inner workings of the Hunger Games and how Snow rose to power.
It was so interesting to see how different the first Hunger Games were and how they have developed over the years to become the performative and extravagant games we see in their 74th and 75th renditions. Collins is a phenomenal writer and has a mastery of foreshadowing.
What were your favourite reads of 2023?
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