2023 has been all about the books, y’all.

I was excited back in 2022 when I read 90 books for the first time. 2023 blew that out of the water, marking the first time I’ve ever read over 100 books in a year. In all, I read 110 books last year, and I found a few new all-time favorites that I can’t wait to share with you!

Cue the fangirling! Let’s get started on this mile-long post. Here are all my five star reads of 2023.

Note: These books are listed by date read, not preference. I’ll reveal my top three near the end of the post. For times sake, I will also be excluding rereads this year.

 A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, #1) by Holly Jackson

Some of these have already been mentioned in my recent post about series starters, but A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder started 2023’s reading year out with a bang. As my first read of the year, I had hoped it would be a five-star read, but I wasn’t even ready for how addicting the mystery in this book would be. When I had to set the book down to do other things, I was still trying to figure out who the culprit was in my head, and I don’t often do that with mysteries.

The Naturals (The Naturals, #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Though I normally try to only read one mystery per month, I also read The Naturals in January when I asked my husband to choose my next read. Josh nailed it! To be honest, I ended up liking it more than A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder because it was a lot cleaner, but both are top tier secular YA mysteries. If anyone is wondering, I’m Team Dean. XD

A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers, #2) & A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

Commander Grey, y’all. He’s the first character to ever get me to love a fantasy series. That’s all you need to know. XD

These are the second and third books in a trilogy, so I’m not sure how I can explain the plot without spoiling it. If you’d like to read my thoughts on book one, try this post. I really liked A Curse So Dark and Lonely, but I rated both of the sequels five stars when I read them in February.

The Purple Book: Biblical Foundations for Building Strong Disciples by Rice Broocks, Steve Murrell, and Ed Stetzer

Technically, I read most of this in 2022, but finished it out in March 2023. My husband and I went through it in a Sunday School class at church that was started to help disciple new believers in the church. Though I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was a kid, I took the class with my husband who accepted Jesus and got baptized in early 2022. We both found the book to be life changing and an insightful resource for how Christians are supposed to live as disciples of Christ and then go on to disciple others. I cannot recommend this book enough.

The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I first read The Inheritance Games in 2022 and rated it 4 stars, but upon my reread in 2023 before reading The Hawthorne Legacy, I realized it was a 5 star read. The Hawthorne Legacy ended up being one as well.

I had so many incorrect theories in this book and several of my reading notes are in all caps. The reveals in this are everything! If you like YA mysteries with awesome characters, give this series a try. There is some negative content, but for a secular YA mystery series, it doesn’t have as much content or language as others I’ve read.

Unshakable Hope: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God by Max Lucado

I think this Christian nonfiction book is one of the reasons why my anxiety levels have dropped over the course of 2023 despite it being one of the worst years of my life. This book opened my eyes to how important it is to speak biblical truths while we’re dealing with spiritual warfare. This is one that I need to revisit in the future.

All That Really Matters (McKenzie Family Romance, #1) by Nicole Deese

This was my first Nicole Deese book and it won’t be my last! Molly and Silas have stuck with me throughout the year ever since I read All That Really Matters back in April. I hadn’t read a ton of adult Christian contemporary romance before this, but this put a craving on me to read more. This author knows how to craft a Christian story that is both edgy and edifying, and I can’t wait to read more by her.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

I had heard so many great things about this book before reading it, and it lived up to the hype! Flipped quickly became my favorite middle grade book of all-time through the POVs of two amazing characters, Juli and Bryce. If you enjoy quick, character-driven stories that will melt your heart, you need to add this to your 2024 TBR.

Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again by Lysa Terkeurst

Such a tough read. I struggle with holding grudges, especially when someone has done me wrong and refuses to apologize, and the biblical truths Terkeurst mentions in this book concerning forgiveness hit me right between the eyes. It helped me deal with my struggle to forgive others even if they’re not sorry and convicted me to ask for forgiveness from others who I’ve wronged. I’m sure I will be rereading it at some point in the future. If you struggle with forgiveness, I highly recommend picking this one up. Lysa Terkeurst has become one of my favorite Christian nonfiction authors and I can’t wait to read more from her.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

This is one hyped-up BookTok/Bookstagram/BookTube book that I’ve wholeheartedly enjoyed. Through the POV of the daughter of a convicted serial killer, A Flicker in the Dark follows Chloe Davis twenty years after her father’s conviction as copycat killings begin to take place in her town. Though there was some language and content in this, it didn’t distract me too much from the actual mystery, which had me so hooked that I read this 375 page book in two days. XD

Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: A Memoir of Learning to Believe You’re Gonna Be Okay by Sean Dietrich

I had never heard of this author before my Daddy said he had bought this book for me when he and Momma stopped at Ollie’s one day, so I didn’t know what to expect going in. This ended up being a hidden gem! Despite his traumatic past, Sean writes with southern sass and humor and shows the reader how God has helped him survive his tough childhood. I plan to read Sean’s fiction works in the future, though they are not on my 2024 TBR.

The Cul-de-sac War by Melissa Ferguson

On a whim one day, I decided to read the lowest-rated book on my TBR to see what I thought of it, and it ended up being this clean romcom. Honestly, I have no idea why this book was rated the lowest, because I absolutely adored it! Coming from someone who has very meh feelings about the majority of romcoms I read, that’s saying something. I’ll forever credit this book for making me realize that, yes, there are amazing, clean romcoms out there that are actually funny, have adorable romances, and do not focus solely on the characters’ appearances. I have two more books by Melissa Ferguson on my 2024 TBR and can’t wait to read them!

If I Run (If I Run, #1) by Terri Blackstock

I had heard amazing things about this Christian mystery/thriller book for years, and finally read it in 2023. Y’all, this book gives secular thrillers a run for their money! In If I Run, we get to read about not just one mystery, but two, though there is closure for one at the end. I really loved the characters in this, especially how one of the main characters still showed kindness and fought for justice on the behalf of others when she was in danger herself. Though I don’t yet own the other two books in the trilogy, I can’t wait to continue reading them. I do own another Terri Blackstock book on my Kindle though, so hopefully I will get to it this year.

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

This is a nonfiction theology book that every Christian should read at least once in their life. While it is heavy in historical information and takes a good amount of time to digest, it is very much worth the read. It definitely gave me a better understanding of how impactful Jesus’s death on the cross was when one of the interviewees explained it from a medical perspective. The Case for Christ demonstrates why we should all be eternally grateful that Jesus made the sacrifice He did for us and why we should never take Him for granted. ❤

The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi

When I originally bought this book on my Kindle, I thought it was a nonfiction book geared toward creatives, but I soon found out it’s a book about productivity. Thankfully, I still enjoyed it! Many of the tips Adachi offers in this book are insightful, and though I found that I had already implemented some before reading it, there were several others I would like to adopt.

This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof

Before reading this, I had heard two main things about this Christian historical YA novella: 1) That it was a recommended read similar to my own book, The Crush, and 2) It’s a tearjerker.

Even knowing this information, I WAS NOT READY FOR ALL THAT when I read the novella. Woo, y’all. I was not okay in the slightest after reading this. This is the closest book to A Walk to Remember that I know of, so yeah. If you haven’t already, read it. Now.

The Book of Signs: 31 Undeniable Prophecies of the Apocalypse by Dr. David Jeremiah

Another meaty Christian nonfiction book, The Book of Signs focuses on the end times and the return of Jesus. I really liked that Dr. Jeremiah went over some of the behavioral signs of the end times as well as the usual end times content as described in the book of Revelation. Overall, it was very thorough and I highly recommend it if you would like to deep-dive into the end times.

I’ll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones

I had this eBook on my Kindle since 2019 and was saving it for a rainy day because Jenny B. Jones is one of my favorite authors and I have quickly read through her backlist. I finally decided to read it in 2023 and found that, yes, it’s still top tier JBJ! I binge-read a good portion of this book in one sitting. Jenny B. Jones does an excellent job of writing both YA and adult books with humor and tough topics, and I’ll Be Yours was no exception. There was a bit more focus on the tough topics in this one, the primary focus being on family issues, but it fit well for this book. If you’ve been wanting to try Jenny B. Jones’s books but don’t want to jump headfirst into one of her series, I recommend trying this standalone YA book.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

The secular book community is obsessed with this contemporary YA romance, and it’s for valid reasons. While there was some content that was iffy for me (language and maybe some innuendos, if I remember correctly), I loved the characters. Liz reminded me a bit of Emery from my own books in The Ballad of Emery Brooks trilogy, and Wes reminded me a ton of an older Aiden from Speak Your Mind. Though I don’t read for tropes, this book is by far the best enemies-to-lovers story I’ve read. I’m not sure how the content will be in Painter’s other YA books (I’ve heard different opinions) but I plan on reading her other ones to find out for myself.

When the Day Comes (Timeless, #1) by Gabrielle Meyer

Y’all, I don’t typically seek out historical fiction. I wanted to read this solely because 1) it involves time travel, and 2) it’s Christian fiction. I was not even ready for the huge emotional reactions I’d have to Libby’s experiences in both the 1770s and the 1920s. THAT ENDING MADE ME HOLLER WITH JOY, I AM NOT KIDDING YOU. And talk about some happy tears! Woo. This easily became my second favorite book of all time, and book 2, In This Moment was my first read of 2024.

Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together by Denver Moore and Ron Hall

I watched the movie version of Same Kind of Different as Me a few years prior to reading the book and immediately added it to my TBR. I enjoyed the movie, but I didn’t realize beforehand how much I’d love the book that started it all. I enjoyed Denver’s chapters the most, and was brought to tears by all he went through in his childhood. Ron’s later chapters about his wife’s illness were difficult to read, but I loved reading about her faith and the friendship between Ron and Denver that formed from her influence.

The Nice Guy Next Door (When in Waverly, #1) by Haley Zaragoza

Like The Cul-de-Sac War, The Nice Guy Next Door is one of the first romcoms that I’ve loved! Though there were some slightly outlandish things that happened in this book, they ended up being hilarious to read about. I related a lot to Millie, and Jameson was super sweet. I’m looking forward to reading book two, The Heartbreaker I Adore, sometime this year.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The last fiction book I rated 5 stars in 2023 also ended up being my 100th read of the year! I know I said earlier that I normally don’t seek out historical fiction, but I had to make an exception for this middle grade book, as it takes place in WWII, which is a period of history that intrigues me. I read this book in under 24 hours, and found the story to be eye-opening and heartbreaking. I also learned a lot about how Jews stayed hidden from the German soldiers when they were in the midst of escaping German-occupied areas.

Daily Strength for Couples: A 365-Day Devotional – A Daily Devotional for Husbands and Wives to Flourish Together With God by Diving into Scripture to Build a Strong, Healthy Marriage by Broadstreet Publishing Group

Lastly, this was a daily devotional my husband and I picked up at our local Wal-Mart in late January and set out to read throughout the year. We ended up reading two entries a night to stay caught up, with each entry only being a page long. This devotional does a great job of focusing on maintaining a biblical marriage and keeping God as our center. While it’s not a meaty devotional by any means, I recommend it for couples who are looking for a simple devotional to do together.

My Top 3 Favorites of 2023

Now, here’s what we’ve all been waiting for!

3) The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2) This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof

1) When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

If you’re still here after all that, thank you for reading! What were your top 3 favorite books of 2023? Let me know in the comments!

I originally wanted to add my Reading Goals for 2024 at the end of this post, but I underestimated how long this post would be. However, if you’re interested, I talked about them a bit in this Instagram post.

If you haven’t already, be sure to follow me on Instagram for (mostly) daily posts @authorallysonkennedy

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀