2023 Book Releases I Still Want to Read

I currently have 378 books on my “2023 releases” shelf on Goodreads and of those I have read 35 of them. That means that I still have 343 books on my list that I could potentially get to. Obviously, I will never read all of those and there are definitely some I am no longer interested in reading, but I thought it would be fun to choose the top ten books on the shelf that I want to prioritize. My only caveat is that I will not be including sequels!

I bought The Surviving Sky on release day and have yet to crack it open! This was definitely a cover buy for me but I also have a feeling I am going to love it. It has been compared to The Fifth Season, which is one of my favourite books. That said, I do think that it is that comparison that has stopped me from picking this up. As much as I adored The Fifth Season, it is a book that you have to take your time with and I know that I missed a lot of what happened and should probably reread it. I also haven’t heard much about this book since it came out, which in a way is refreshing, but it also means it is easy for me to forget about. I do think it is something I love and I hope that I will find the time to get to it sooner rather than later.

I really thought I was going to read A Study in Drowning in October but I somehow didn’t read any of the dark academia books on my TBR. I have been hearing great things about it and I do think it is such a me book. I tend to love the YA Gothic fiction that I read, so I have no excuse for putting this book off. I don’t know why but I have all of Ava Reid’s books on my TBR but have yet to read anything by her. Of all of her books, I do think A Study in Drowning is the one I will like most. Also, I just found out that she is releasing a Macbeth retelling next year that is told from Lady Macbeth’s perspective, so I would love to finally try something by her before that comes out.

I actually read the first few chapters of The Jasad Heir and was intrigued by it but I was listening to the audiobook and just had a feeling that I would enjoy the experience more if I also had a physical copy because I felt like I was missing a lot. After speaking to some friends who have read it, they confirmed that having a physical copy would be better. I still don’t have access to a copy but this book has been on my mind lately, so hopefully I can get to it soon!

Curious Tides is another dark academia that was on my October TBR that I just didn’t get to. This is another one that I have not heard much about so I have no idea what to expect. All I am hoping for is strong world building and a unique magic system and maybe some complex characters as those are things I have come to expect from books in this genre. It also doesn’t hurt that the cover is stunning!

I have such high expectations for The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch and I am trying to adjust those before I read it just to be fair to the book! There are truly few things I love more in this world than witchy stories and anything to do with Pride and Prejudice, so if you combine those two things I should, in theory, be obsessed with it! I am so curious to see the story of Pride and Prejudice unfold through Lydia’s eyes but I am scared!

Genevieve Gornichec has blurbed so many of my favourite books and The Witch’s Heart has been recommended to me so many times that I think I have the potential to love her work. The Weaver and the Witch Queen is her 2023 release and I have not seen many people talking about it but I love the premise. I am not very familiar with Viking Age history and myths, so I am curious to see if that will help or hinder my reading experience.

So many of my friends have loved Godkiller and it has one of the most stunning covers of the year! It is something I think I will love but it just never ends up on my TBR for some reason. The sequel was just announced so ideally I will read book one before that comes out.

I have no excuse as to why I haven’t read Untethered Sky. I downloaded the audiobook on Scribd on release day and it just sitting there waiting for me. It is also a novella so I could listen to it in an afternoon. I could start it now and be done in a couple hours. I have no explanation!

I was sent a copy of The Judas Blossom from the publisher and it has been calling to me from my shelves but I just have not been in an epic fantasy mood this year. Hopefully that will change soon because I think I will really like this especially since it is more historical fantasy.

Firekeeper’s Daughter was one of my best books of last year and, for that reason, Warrior Girl Unearthed was one of my most anticipated books of 2023 and here we are in November and I haven’t picked it up! Why am I depriving myself of something I know I am going to love? I haven’t heard much about this book. It didn’t seem to get the marketing that her debut did and that is such a shame!

What is a 2023 release you still need to read?

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