Every year I find it motivational, (albeit daunting because I end up pushing it off to the end of the year), to compile a list of the top books I want to read throughout the year. This year, as it is the year of 2023, I have a list of 23 books.

My TBR is incredibly long on Goodreads, currently 1,273+ long to be more accurate, and it is filled with novels, novellas, short stories and manga and such. Oddly enough though, it is somehow incredibly difficult to pick out 23 books I really want to read way ahead of time. I did manage to though after browsing through my entire TBR.

Now I say 23+ books because the + stands for anything of a graphic medium. There are tons and tons of series that I want to read in terms of manga, manhwa, manhua and webcomics. As such, it doesn't make sense for me to include both in the 23 total because I would have to cut down a lot.

I also have included a bonus section in this for titles, mainly webcomics, that I really want to read but are currently still ongoing (sadly). I have this massive spreadsheet filled with titles of a graphic medium, and the ongoing section is almost 2000 titles long so...there is plenty of stuff I want to read.

Without further ado though, here is my list of the '23 Books to Read in 2023'!

NOVELS

TENDER IS THE FLESH by Agustina Bazterrica

I have been wanting to read this book for a while now, but haven't gotten around to it because, well, it is a book you need to be in a certain mindset to read considering the content. There is also the fact that this is a rather short book, and I usually leave those for a reading challenge I do.

MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz

This is a decently chunky book, which is probably why I have been avoiding reading it. This book involves a multi-layered mystery centered around a bestselling crime writer's next manuscript, which sounds rather interesting to me.

THE LIBRARY OF THE DEAD by T.L. Huchu

This was a book that I highly anticipated in 2021 but never got around to actually reading it. I do always need some kind of fantasy book revolving around a library on this list though, and this is it for this year. This also has a character who can talk to the dead, which, yes, please.

XX by Rian Hughes

This is a big book, like a really big book. Clocking in at almost 1000 pages, it's no wonder I haven't read this yet because boy is that intimidating. The premise of this sounds very interesting though, as it revolves around a mysterious signal of extraterrestrial origin.

CURSE OF SHADOWS by A.K. Wilder

Now I know in the introduction I said I wouldn't be included continuing series but...this is an exception. This is the second book in the Amassia series which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. The reason I haven't read it yet despite that is because the publication date kept getting pushed back. In fact, it still hasn't been released yet even though it was originally slotted for February (I think). I am adding this book to the list though because I plan on rereading the first book anyway.

PAUL TREMBLAY

Our first author on this list, there are a couple of his books that I want to dive into. I haven't yet though because his books are on the shorter side and I want to leave them for a specific time of the year. I do want to get to A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World.

HIDDEN PICTURES by Jason Rekulak

This is rather highly-rated horror book I found this year that sounds amazing. You've got a little boy who starts drawing disturbing pictures which sounds like the perfect creepy premise. I will have to leave this though until October or a Halloween themes readathon comes around.

THE RAVEN BOYS Maggie Stiefvater

This I feel like is a book that pops up on every list of the top quintessential YA fantasy books you need to read. This came out a long time ago when I still wasn't reading much, though if I did I knew I probably would have read this. Even though it is a little old by now, I find that a lot of people still recommend it and am willing to give it a shot because of that.

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Shannon Messenger

This is a middle-grade series that doesn't feel like one because of the sheer size of the books. These are chunky books, with the first one being just under 500 and the largest being 850. All of the books though are at least 500 pages. There are also 9+ books in the series so far which is a lot to commit to.

THE 7 1/2 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton

I read The Devil and the Dark Water last year and rather enjoyed it, but I know that of the two this one is more popular. I don't really know much about it, but every time I see it I go 'oh yeah, I really need to read that' but then never actually do. Not this year though, I am going to finally pick it up.

IF WE WERE VILLAINS by M.L. Rio.

This is a book that falls into the dark academia category, which can be intimidating at times because those kinds of books end up being a bit pretentious. This has really good ratings and reviews though, like really good, so I thought I would give it a shot. I do want to leave this until September though because this feels like a fall book.

V.E. SCHWAB

The second author on this list, I think I have had her every single one I have done for the past couple of years. The reason I am adding her again is because I haven't had much luck with her work, and am still searching for one that will speak to me. I tried her MG series which was 'meh', and I didn't enjoy her newest book, Gallant. I also really didn't like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue so I just haven't been having good luck with her works.

I do want to try to read This Savage Song or The Archived and see if those work. I would read Viscious but for some reason, it intimidates me.

SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson

The synopsis for this book is short and to the point. One night, the stars went out resulting in what was called the Big Blackout. It doesn't tell you much, but what it does sounds fascinating.

THE FOUNDERS TRILOGY by Robert Jackson Bennett

I think I had this series on my list two years ago, but clearly, I never ended up reading it. This is another highly-rated series, and I feel like now is the perfect time to read it because the last book comes out in January, so I can binge the series.

GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir

This is another book/series that was on my list before that, again, I didn't end up reading. The catchphrase still speaks to me though, as 'lesbian necromancers in space' sounds like a great premise. I am a bit afraid that it won't end up being what I wanted it to be though.

IN THE WOODS by Tana French

I know that she is a popular mystery writer, but I have yet to read any of her books. This is an actual detective series which I appreciate because I don't like non-detective mysteries. I don't know if this series is finished though so I can binge it...

A LITTLE HATRED by Joe Abercrombie

I read the First Law Trilogy in 2022, so I thought I would move on to his newest series. Should I read the other books in the First Law series first, probably, but that is a separate issue.

DIGITAL FORTRESS and DECEPTION POINT by Dan Brown

I love the Robert Langdon series, it is one of my favourite series of all time. But, for some reason, I have yet to read his two other titles. Granted, that is probably because they are nothing like that series as they are more so on the mystery, action, sci-fi side of the spectrum. I am also cheating with this one because this is two books and not one...but I am counting them as two because it is the same author.

A DAY OF FALLEN KNIGHT by Samantha Shannon

Alright, I am cheating here again because this is technically part of a series, but it is the prequel to a previous standalone novel so I am counting it. I loved Priory of the Orange Tree, and I knew that the author was considering expanding the world even though the book was a standalone. I still wasn't expecting it though when I casually browsed through NetGalley and saw it on there. It hasn't come out yet, but I am going to be checking my library constantly to see if it has it.

CONFESSIONS by Kanae Minato

I have seen this book makes its rounds recently on social media, and I can see why. The premise alone grips you, as it is a revenge story following a teacher who knows her son was killed by one of her students. This a debut novel, and an award-winning one to boot, so I expect this to be completely enthralling to read.

THE WANDERING INN by pirateaba

I have said it before and I will say it again, the idea of a story that revolves around a magical inn intrigues me greatly. Like I absolutely love that concept, and I know that this series can possibly deliver that for me. This isn't actually a novel as it is a webseries, and the main reason I haven't started it yet is because, well, it is long, like really long. There are currently 9 volumes and it is still ongoing, so it is a pretty big commitment to start this.

SOLO LEVELING by Chugong

Now you might be a bit confused because, as you may have seen, I have indeed already read this. Or, to be more precise, I have read the webcomic, but not the novel. And that is exactly why this is on this list because I want to read the novel in order to get all the story that was skipped over in the webcomic.

VIOLET EVERGARDEN by Kana Akatsuki and Akiko Takase.

This should probably be in the next section but, considering this is a light novel and not a manga, I think it works here better. I absolutely adore this anime. It is one of the most stunning (and heartbreaking) animes I have watched both visually and narratively. When I found out that it isn't an original anime and has a light novel, I made a point to get to it at some point. I have never read a light novel though so I don't really know what to expect from one.

MANGA/MANHWA

HAIKYUU!! by Haruichi Furudate

After years and years of putting it off, I finally watched the anime for this in 2022 and...I loved it. The issue there though is that instead of continuing the anime properly, the company in charge of it is going to speed through it with some movies which seems like a way wrong move. So, I am going to read the entire manga instead as that seems to be the right way to go now.

MONSTER by Naoki Urasawa

I was debating between adding this or Tokyo Ghoul to the list but decided to go with the more psychological thriller instead. I have known about this series for a while but just never had the motivation to read it. This seems like the perfect fall read though.

UNHOLY BLOOD by Lina Im and Jeonghyeon Kim

This is a webtoon/manhwa that was completed recently enough that sounds really good. It is about vampires which is more than enough to get me to read this. It is also simply supposed to be a really good story.

BEWARE THE VILLAINESS! by Soda Ice, Blue Canna, and Berry

This is a fantasy(ish) webtoon/manhwa that is rather popular. After finally delving into this genre with Who Made Me a Princess, I've been looking for my next read. It is a bit difficult though because most are ongoing, but this one is complete. Or rather it is mostly complete because it is still uploading special episodes. The main story is complete though so, hopefully, by the time I read it, it will be actually complete.

HORIMIYA by Hero and Hagiwara Daisuke

Not often do I delve into stories that are strictly romance, but I watched this a bit ago now and really enjoyed it. And, since the manga is completed, I thought I would read that rather than waiting for another season of the anime to come out.

THE FABLE by Minami Katsuhisa

This is probably one of the most well-rated series I've never heard of. I only heard about it while scouring through manga recommendations, and once I looked it up I don't know how I'd never heard of it before. I don't actually know how well I will end up liking it, but I am willing to give it a shot.

MAGI by Shinobu Ohtaka

This is an incredibly popular fantasy series, and for some reason, I have yet to delve into it. I love series like Fairy Tale, and this seems like less of a commitment than starting something like One Piece, so maybe I will get around to it this year.

GANTZ by Oku Hiroya

If there is one thing I know about this series, it is that it has stunning artwork (and a lot of fanservice but hopefully I can ignore that). We've got people killing aliens, which sounds good to me.

20TH CENTURY BOYS by Urasawa Naoki

I don't actually know what this is about, and I don't plan on knowing. I feel like this is the kind of series you need to go blind into. I do know that I am in for an absolute wild ride though.

BONUS

Now onto the bonus section, which is filled with series of the graphic medium that I really want to read but are currently ongoing. I am already reading some such as Castle Swimmer and Be My Villain, which I started in a moment of weakness because it is a bit excruciating having to read this update by update when I prefer to binge.

Here are some of the series I want to delve into (but hopefully will have some self-control to not do so):

• The Beginning After the End

• Get Schooled

• Omniscient Reader

• Purple Hyacinth

• Eleceed

• Papa Wolf and the Puppy

• Sousou no Frieren

• My Dress-Up Darling

• Return of the Mount Hua Sect

• Various Viz Media manga series

• Berserk

• One Piece