I mentioned in my top non-fictions reads post that I sometimes have a hard time rating fiction higher than 4 stars, and usually have more trouble recommending a fiction read to someone else (I do not have this problem with non-fiction reads!). So when I review my books of the year, making the top fiction reads list is challenging! But without too much overthinking, here are the fiction books that I read this year that I rated the highest!
The Sweet Spot
I just loved this book- the cast of characters were so quirky and fun, and they seemed like real-life people. The plot was unlike anything I had ever read before, and I loved how the focus wasn’t just a new romantic relationship, but also friendship, and marriage and parenting. This was just a delight for me.
By Any Other Name
I think that 2023 taught me that I have a reading “type”- and I need to learn to embrace it! My fiction type is quick and fun/light clean romance that actually has some substance, or something that the characters are working through- and this one fits that bill perfectly! It’s about an editor who finds out that her favorite books are actually written by a ghostwriter, not the idol she has always thought was the author. Of course, this “ghostwriter” happens to be a man…and as with any romance novel, the ending is predictable!
Things You Save in a Fire
Katherine Center books are consistently my favorite! I had two of her books in my top review this year, but this one was my favorite! The genre of this book would be classified as romance, but the story itself goes so much deeper and deals with grief, love and humanity at its best (and worst).
The One and Only Ivan
I have been working through the Newberry Medal award winners, and the kids and I listened to this one together. I mean, how could it not be in my top books of the year? It’s about animals and found friendship and rescuing one another. This one was loved by all!
The Magician’s Nephew & The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
We read through the entire Chronicles of Narnia series this year, and these are my favorite two books of the series. I loved the Magician’s Nephew because it gave so much more context to the land of Narnia, and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader was so fun with all the adventures. Of course, we loved the whole series and I am so proud of our accomplishment of reading them all!
Drowning
Theo and I listened to this on audio together on a long road trip, and we both loved it! The suspense was intense, but I wasn’t scared. I loved the topics of family and love and what the meaning of life really is. Such a great book!
Pineapple Street
This one hit a bunch of top ten lists this summer, and then it started to get some pushback from people who didn’t see the hype. Honestly, I don’t remember much of the details what it was about, but I remember closing the book and feeling so satisfied. Basically, this was about rich people behaving badly and one normal person who is thrown into the family through marriage. Think Crazy Rich Asians, but in a calm upscale NYC setting instead. I don’t know why I loved it, but I sure did!
A Likely Story
I find that I often rate fast paced, plot driven books higher than slow, character driven novels, but this one was the exception to my pattern. In this story, a young writer deals with writers block and an incredibly wealthy egotistical father who gets away with basically anything. As she wrestles with resentment and dislike toward her father, she is met in her life with a decision that would propel her to fame- but also make her just like her father. I loved the way that the characters were both the hero AND the villain, which reflects reality much more accurately than the typical hero/villain characterization of books and movies.
What was on your top fiction reads of the year? I would love to know what types of books you are loving and reading lately!