PageTurners Top 10 Reads
10 Most Popular Books of 2023
As the new year unfolds, the literary world is brimming with anticipation for captivating stories, thought-provoking narratives, and engaging voices. At Page Turner Picks, we’re dedicated to curating and celebrating the top books that will define the literary landscape of 2023.
Join us on an exciting journey as we explore and evaluate the most anticipated releases, hidden gems, and celebrated works across various genres. Our team of avid readers and literary enthusiasts is diligently crafting a meticulously curated list—the definitive ranking of the year’s top 10 books.
Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
By: Rebecca Yarros
The initial installment in the Empyrean series, this book stands as the debut publication under Red Tower Books, an imprint belonging to Entangled Publishing. The narrative unfolds within the halls of Basgiath War College, situated in the fictional country of Navarre, where we follow the journey of twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail. Despite her lifelong preparation to become a scribe, a role tasked with recording history, Violet’s expectations of joining the Scribe Quadrant are disrupted by her mother—a general and the college’s commander. Contrary to Violet’s delicate physique, her mother compels her to enter the perilous Rider Quadrant, setting the stage for a narrative rich in tension and unexpected challenges.
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Biography of X
By: Catherine Lacey
The novel purports to be a 2005 biography of the musician and artist X, written by her widow, C.M. Lucca, as a response to an unauthorized and apparently inaccurate biography of her wife written after her death. The novel takes place in an alternate timeline in which the Southern states of the United States seceded in 1945 after building a wall segregating them from the rest of the country.
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Blackouts
By: Justin Torres
The narrative unfolds around Juan Gay, an elderly resident of the secluded institution, aptly named The Palace. A meaningful connection is established when the unnamed narrator, affectionately known as Nene, pays a visit to Juan. Their paths had crossed a decade earlier during a shared period of institutionalization in a mental hospital. Now, grappling with memory lapses induced by mental fugues, Nene turns to Juan for guidance and solace, trusting him as a confidant in whom he can confide his innermost thoughts.
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The Covenant of Water
By: Abraham Verghese
The novel tells the story of three generations of an Indian Christian family living in the town of Parambil, in the southwest Indian state of Kerala. The story begins with a 12-year-old girl, Mariamma, who moves to the town of Parambil to marry a 40-year-old widowed man in an arranged marriage. The marriage develops into a loving one and Mariamma eventually becomes the overseer of the 500-acre family estate and the matriarch of the family. She becomes known as Big Ammachi (Big Mother). Her son, Philipose, grows up to be a celebrated writer. Other members of the family become physicians.
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Crook Manifesto
By: Colson Whitehead
In Colson Whitehead’s novel “Crook Manifesto,” he returns to the world he previously explored in “Harlem Shuffle.” The book is not just a crime novel; rather, it serves as a lens to dissect the intricacies of a neighborhood undergoing significant change. Whitehead skillfully examines the mechanics of heists, cons, and the slow game, using the crime genre to delve into the essence of a community at a pivotal moment in history. Structured across three distinct time periods — 1971, 1973, and the bicentennial year of 1976 — “Crook Manifesto” is a satirical exploration of this world.
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
By: Suzanna Collins
Although not originally released in 2023, we’ve made an exception for this book due to our enthusiasm for its 2023 movie adaptation. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins is a compelling prequel to the immensely popular “Hunger Games” series. Set in the dystopian world of Panem, the novel takes us back to the early days of the Hunger Games and introduces us to a young Coriolanus Snow, who later becomes the infamous President Snow. As a mentor to the tributes in the 10th Hunger Games, Snow navigates the challenges of a brutal competition while wrestling with personal ambitions and societal expectations.
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Holly
By: Stephen King
Holly, a crime novel released in 2023 by acclaimed American author Stephen King and published by Scribner on September 5, follows the character Holly Gibney. Initially introduced in ‘Mr. Mercedes’ (2014) and later featured in ‘Finders Keepers’ (2015), ‘End of Watch’ (2016), and ‘The Outsider,’ Holly takes center stage in this gripping narrative. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2021, private investigator Holly Gibney, mourning the loss of her complex relationship with her mother, finds herself drawn back into work. When Penelope Dahl seeks Holly’s help in finding her missing daughter Bonnie, Holly, unable to resist the intriguing case, decides to take it on.
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Monica
By: Daniel Clowes
Monica unfolds as a series of interconnected narratives that intricately weave the life stories of its titular character. In this graphic novel, Daniel Clowes draws upon a lifetime of inspiration, crafting his most intricate and personal work to date. Brimming with visual richness, a keen ear for language, and exhilarating plot twists, Monica stands as a multilayered masterpiece in the world of comics. Clowes skillfully nods to various genres, including war, romance, horror, crime, and the supernatural, yet does so in a mysterious, uncategorizable, and quintessentially Clowesian manner that invites multiple readings.
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How To Say Babylon
By: Safiya Sinclair
Drawing parallels to the impactful narratives of “Educated” and “Born a Crime,” “How to Say Babylon” unfolds as a remarkable tale, recounting the author’s courageous journey to liberate herself from the confines of a rigid Rastafarian upbringing. Governed by her father’s stringent patriarchal perspectives and the oppressive control that defined her childhood, the author embarks on a quest to discover her own identity as a woman and poet.
Safiya Sinclair’s upbringing, shaped by her father’s dual roles as a volatile reggae musician and a staunch adherent to a strict sect of Rastafari, is marked by an intense fixation on purity. In the backdrop of their home, the threat of Babylon—a term denoting the immoral influences of the Western world—loomed large.
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Doppelganger
By: Naomi Klein
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World” is a 2023 memoir and political analysis penned by the Canadian author, social activist, and filmmaker Naomi Klein. Within its pages, Klein delves into the contemporary landscape of political polarization and conspiracy thinking, drawing a sharp contrast between her own worldview and that of Naomi Wolf—a notable distinction given the frequent confusion between the two authors.
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Dear Book Lovers,
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for stopping by and exploring our corner of the literary world. Your visit means the world to us. Whether you came seeking a new book recommendation, a literary escape, or just to share in the love of reading, we appreciate your time and presence.
Remember, a book is a journey waiting to unfold, and we’re thrilled to have you on this literary adventure with us. Stay tuned for more reviews, discussions, and stories. Your passion for books fuels our love for sharing them.
Happy Reading!