I read 140+ books this year, and I typically do an end-of-year recap of my favorites. Due to the incredibly high number of books I read this year, I’m separating my posts into horror and non-horror. None of these books are listed in any particular order.

ALL’S WELL by MONA AWAD

Out of all the books I read this year, this is the one that personally touched me the most. All’s Well is about Miranda, a former-actress-turned-theatre-professor who suffers from chronic pain after an on-stage accident during her prime. As her theatre class becomes determined to perform Shakespeare’s Macbeth instead of All’s Well That Ends Well, Miranda meets 3 mysterious benefactors that promise to help fix her life…but at a cost.

All’s Well is full of commentary on women’s pain. It explores how we often are misdiagnosed & overlooked by doctors, strangers, and loved ones. It explores how we are expected to grin and bear it, putting on a show for those around us so they cannot see the pain that tortures us every day. It also really captures how existence for those who live with chronic pain can be painful in itself, as our bodies turn into our own personal battlefields. I personally was so impacted by this book because I struggle with chronic pain. This year has been one of the most difficult years of my life; I began the year getting my gallbladder removed (after 6 months of doctors ignoring my symptoms) and ended the year receiving treatment for fibromyalgia. At the time that I read this book, I had just begun physical therapy to help ease my chronic back and hip pain. I really needed this story at that moment, because it made me feel less alone. For the time that I was reading this book, I knew I could open the book and see the character dealing with very similar struggles that I was facing. Chronic pain is incredibly debilitating, and Mona Awad perfectly captured how immeasurable both the physical and mental toll of being chronically ill can be. This honestly was one of my favorite books I read all year, because it felt so validating to be able to relate to a character on such a deeply personal level. Representation matters, people!!

AND I DON‘T WANT TO LIVE THIS LIFE: A MOTHER’S STORY OF HER DAUGHTER’S MURDER by DEBORAH SPUNGEN

I already posted a very detailed review of this book, so I won’t get too deep into this one here. This is a memoir written by the mother of Nancy Spungen, the infamous girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Both Nancy and Sid died tragically young and were turned into a pop culture moment, but in reality, Nancy’s life story was one full of tragedy and pain. I had never really known or thought that much about Nancy Spungen, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her or her family in the days after I finished reading this book. It was heartbreaking learning about the difficulties Nancy faced from the time she was born and knowing that the media either vilified her or romanticized her abusive relationship and untimely death just destroyed me. This is one of the most raw and honest memoirs I’ve ever read.

INTO THE FOREST AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH by CYNTHIA PELAYO

Into the Forest and All the Way Through is probably one of the most important books I’ve ever read. This is a poetry collection dedicated to telling the story of over 100 missing or murdered women and children. The concept of combining poetry and true crime is incredibly unique, and I was hesitant to check it out at first (if you’ve been around, you know I’m very critical of true crime mediums), but I am so glad I decided to pick this collection up. Some of the stories featured were familiar, but Pelayo mainly focused on the unsolved cases of women and children who are not as well known. Historically, the media has always shone a spotlight on missing white women while overlooking missing or murdered BIPOC women; I really appreciated that Pelayo gave these women a voice, as they often are silenced and forgotten. Oftentimes, true crime media likes to focus on the scandalous and gory details of these cases, which results in the human at the center of these stories being overlooked for the more sensational facts of the case. Pelayo’s poems focus solely on who these women were, and the devastation that their absence has caused to those who love them. At the end of each poem, Pelayo also features demographics about the woman in question (age, race, where she went missing, etc), and also the phone number for the agency that is handling the investigation; I thought this was an incredibly genius idea, because I agree with the sentiment that she drives home in the beginning of the book…”somebody knows something”. Obviously, this was a very heavy poetry collection to digest, but the most impactful story featured was that of Melody McKoy, a little girl who went missing less than 3 miles from where I grew up in Baltimore. I had never heard of her case prior to reading this book, and she was all I could think about in the weeks after I finished it. I cannot recommend this poetry collection enough. It will be the most important and devastating book you will read all year.

HELL BENT by LEIGH BARDUGO

I read Hell Bent and its predecessor Ninth House this year, however I enjoyed Hell Bent the most between the two books. I felt as though Ninth House was establishing the world and setting everything up for the bigger story that takes place in Hell Bent. The stakes felt so much higher the second time around, and the story in general was much grander. It is a really fun story that is full of adventure, courage, and destiny!

UNMASK ALICE: LSD, SATANIC PANIC, AND THE IMPOSTER BEHIND THE WORLD’S MOST NOTORIOUS DIARIES by RICK EMERSON

Do you remember reading either Go Ask Alice or Jay’s Journal, two books that were marketed as being the true diaries of troubled teens, in middle or high school? Would you be surprised to know that these stories were fabricated by people looking to profit off of moral panics of the 70s & 80s? I remember reading Go Ask Alice as a pre-teen and being terrified by its portrayal of drug addiction. One of my favorite podcasts You’re Wrong About did a multi-part episode debunking Go Ask Alice, and they cited Unmask Alice as the primary source of their information. The first part of the book focuses on how Go Ask Alice was completely fabricated to help push anti-drug propaganda in the midst of the war on drugs; the publication of the book further stoked the anti-drug flames, resulting in a large panic that teenagers were going to get hooked on LSD and die. The larger portion of the book discusses Jay’s Journal, which was supposedly the diary of a teenage boy who got involved in Satanism. The difference between Alice and Jay is that the latter book was actually based on a real boy…except the story published in Jay’s Journal was mostly fiction as well. Alden Barrett was a troubled teenager who ended his own life; after his passing, his mother gave his journal to Beatrice Sparks (the woman who wrote Go Ask Alice), in hopes that Sparks could use his journal entries to help other at-risk teens. What resulted was a completely fictional story of a young boy whose life spirals out of control once he is involved in the occult. Though most of the book was created by Sparks (she only used 21 out of over 200 entries in Alden’s journal as inspiration), eventually people were able to figure out that Alden was the muse for this project. This resulted in not only his reputation being tarnished and the true struggles of his short life being overlooked, but it also caused the family to receive plenty of harassment in the years after publication. They weren’t able to even grieve their son properly because of the complete circus that became of his story. At the time of publication, Satanic Panic was on the rise, and Jay’s Journal only strengthened the concerns that Satanists were going to indoctrinate your children and ruin their lives.

I never read Jay’s Journal, but I was absolutely shocked at the horrible origins of the book. Words cannot describe how tragic Alden’s death and what happened to his family afterwards was. I was horrified at how opportunistic Sparks and the publishers were and was surprised at how much impact both books had on society as a whole. I knew Alice had previously been banned, but I had no idea that it caused so many issues. If you read either of these books (or if you just enjoy debunking things), I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a fascinating and mind-blowing experience. (I also recommend checking out the podcast You’re Wrong About!!)

IN THE DREAM HOUSE by CARMEN MARIA MACHADO

In the Dream House is a memoir detailing the author’s experience in an abusive relationship. The format of the book is interesting, in that each chapter is written as if it is an essay. Machado manages to use the most beautiful prose to describe some of the most upsetting and dehumanizing things a person can do to someone they supposedly love. Their relationship, as most abusive relationships tend to progress, began idyllic and ended up being a nightmare. It felt so suffocating and claustrophobic to experience as a reader, that I cannot imagine what it was like to be in her situation firsthand. This is a powerhouse of a memoir, but I would definitely proceed with caution if you’ve been in an abusive relationship before.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING by J.R.R. TOLKIEN

There is quite literally nothing I could say about this book that hasn’t already been said. I had put off reading The Lord of the Rings because I was always so intimidated by it; the books are very long, and I don’t read fantasy much at all. However, I decided 2023 was the year to face my fears head-on and I’m so glad that I did, because reading these books was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The Fellowship of the Ring was my favorite of the three. I greatly enjoyed the way Tolkien set the stage for the grand story, and I found it so easy to get immersed in Middle Earth. I also really loved watching the Hobbits embark on their initial journey and establishing new friendships along the way. The entire story was mind-blowing, and I already want to revisit The Lord of the Rings mere months after my first trip to Mordor, however I must say that Fellowship holds a special place in my heart, as it was my first introduction to this breathtaking world.

PITY by TESSA LOUR

One of my online friends released her debut novel this year based on her own experiences growing up in the church, and let me tell you, it’s an incredible story (and I’m not just saying that!). Pity follows Alex, a young girl who turned to the church in the aftermath of her brother Dominic’s death, only to be ridiculed and abused to the point of her attempting to end her own life. She is met by her brother, who informs her that her attempt was unsuccessful. Together, they meet a number of biblical characters such as Moses, Jezebel, and Eve, who are able to finally share the truth behind their stories. As they continue to meet more characters, Alex & Dominic discover the painful ways that the church twisted these stories to cause pain.

I think the reason why this book affected me so much is because I actually grew up in the Catholic church, and as I grew older I began to feel out of place because my personal views did not align with what was being preached. Pity managed to perfectly capture so many of the feelings I felt during my time in the church…all of the anger, confusion, resentment, and heartbreak. It broke my heart knowing that the author most likely experienced a lot of the same feelings I did, but it also made me feel less alone in my experience. Pity shines a new light on the Bible stories we thought we knew so well. My favorite aspect of the book was the fact that it heavily focused on the maligned women of the Bible, as they have always been vilified and disproportionately punished for men’s sins. This book really made me reflect on and question so many of the stories I grew up hearing, and I love when a book causes me to think so deeply. This book really touched my soul; it was an adventure full of wonder, discovery, and every single emotion possible.

LEGENDS & LATTES by TRAVIS BALDREE

As I stated above, I typically do not read a lot of fantasy. However, after seeing many rave reviews, I decided to give Legends & Lattes a chance, and I’m so glad I did! This is a cozy, low-stakes fantasy book about an orc who decides to turn a new leaf and open a coffee shop. Along the way, she overcomes the typical obstacles of opening a new business (especially when you are a first-time business owner, and your clientele doesn’t even know what coffee is). She also makes new friends and creates a little community of her own. Like I said, this book is incredibly cozy and warm. It’s a very slice-of-life type of story that will leave your heart feeling warm & fuzzy and will have your tastebuds craving a latte.

SAVAGE APPETITES: FOUR TRUE STORIES OF WOMEN, CRIME, & OBSESSION by RACHEL MONROE

This is another book that I’ve already reviewed but couldn’t keep it off this list. Once again, I’ll keep my thoughts here short (feel free to check out the longer review I’ve linked above). Savage Appetites explores the way that interest in true crime manifests in women, from female investigators who helped pioneer certain investigative practices to fanatics who took their interest in true crime a step too far. It’s a slightly critical observation of true crime culture that I personally think should be read by anyone who calls themselves a true crime “fan”. It definitely will change the way you perceive true crime as a whole!

BRUTES by DIZZ TATE

I’ve seen Brutes described as being a combination of Bunny by Mona Awad and The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides, and those comments are 100% correct. In a nutshell, this book is about a group of teenagers in a small Florida town who are obsessed with the preacher’s daughter; their interest in her only increases after she suddenly disappears. This book explores both the wonders and tragedies of girlhood. The prose in this book is especially poetic, evoking the warm and lazy beauty of an adolescent summer. One narrative choice that I found interesting is the fact that it is never really clear who the narrator is; the narrator always refers to themselves as “we”, so we aren’t sure whose perspective we are seeing. I’ve never seen a story structured that way, but I thought it was a really creative way to capture the natural hivemind that teenage girls often fall into within their friend groups. This is a slightly strange book, as there isn’t much here in terms of plot. It is a very vibe-heavy book, but one that I really enjoyed!

THE FAMILY by S.E. GREEN

I knocked The Family out in one sitting because I just simply could not put it down (and because it was just over 100 pages). This novella is told in dual timelines and follows a mother and daughter as they reunite five years after the daughter disappeared to live with her father. The mother’s perspective takes place in the present as they work to adapt to being back in each other’s lives, while the daughter’s perspective takes place in the past and reveals what happened to her during her five-year absence. This was a very effective way to present the story, as it kept me engaged by trickling the truth out through both timelines. The dynamics of the father’s new family were both interesting and horrifying. He essentially begins a small cult, and it was easy to see how each person got trapped in “the family”. Each character’s motivations for joining and staying felt so real and plausible. This was a pretty quick read, but it will definitely keep you entertained for an afternoon.

SAVING NOAH by LUCINDA BERRY

I am a major Lucinda Berry fan, and I tend to enjoy every book of hers that I read. Saving Noah has been the most devastating story of hers I’ve read so far. This book is about a mother who learns just how far she’ll go for the people she loves when her sex-offender son returns home after finishing treatment at a residential facility. The whole family struggles to accept him back into the home, each of them impacted differently by his arrest and confinement. This book often left me feeling contemplative and wondering what I would do if I were in the mother’s shoes. She is in a very difficult position; she still loves her son so fiercely, but she struggles to come to terms with not only the crime he committed, but also the fact that others might not be as accepting of him upon his return as she is. The whole story overall is a very difficult and heavy read, but the end was a direct sucker punch to my feelings. If you’re looking for a book that will make you feel, this is the one. Just get the tissues ready and be prepared to struggle and contemplate some difficult moral situations.

THE DRAGON’S BRIDE by KATEE ROBERT

We’re just going to get this out of the way. Yes, I’m including monster romance in my top 15 list. All joking aside, this was my first foray into the genre of monster smut, and I really enjoyed it! There is plenty of ~interesting~ spice, but the romance between Briar and Sol was honestly very sweet at times…it may have even had me kicking my feet like a little girl at certain points. The world building in this book is also more nuanced than I had honestly expected. Bonus points to The Dragon’s Bride for having a stunningly beautiful cover reminiscent of 70’s-era bodice rippers.

THE WHISPERS by ASHLEY AUDRAIN

This is Ashley Audrain’s second book, and once again she is giving us another terrifying perspective of motherhood. The Whispers follows a group of women who all have different experiences with being a wife and mother. At the center of the group is Whitney, whose perfect persona is shattered after she is heard screaming at her son during a party; when her son has an accident in the following days, everyone’s lives become unraveled as secrets are revealed. If you like mommy-drama books, this will scratch that itch. However, while being full of enticing secrets and scandals, this book also does a great job of exploring the honest and uncomfortable complexities of being a wife, mom, and woman. It is incredibly tense and devastating and will leave you gasping in shock.