Once again, we’ve managed to sneak in a few good books this year! Here are our favorite books we read in 2023 (regardless of publication year. Long live backlist titles!)

Footnotes: Boston Globe’s Best Books of 2023 (featuring Renata’s picks for middle grade and YA!)

Coming up next: A January hiatus. Happy New Year! We’ll see you in February!

5.) Under the Eye of Power by Colin Dickey

4.) Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

3.) The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall

2.) Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

1.) A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Bonus star: A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll

Bonus star: For Never and Always by Helena Greer

5.) Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurriqib

4.) Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

3.) America the Beautiful? One Woman in a Borrowed Prius on the Road Most Traveled by Blythe Roberson

2.) Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

1.) To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

Bonus Star: Murderbot series by Martha Wells

Bonus Star: Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson