These Are the 25 Best Books of 2023
It’s been a great year for books and we’re excited for you to discover your next great read, or two, or three. We found the best releases of 2023 across five categories: non-fiction, mystery/thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, and self-help. All of them have a rating of no less than 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads at the time of writing. Our reading stack has gotten considerably taller in the making.
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Why You Should Trust Me
I’m a book-obsessed reviewer, collector, and novelist with an MFA in creative writing from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. I’ve been reviewing everything from mountain memoirs to epic fantasy for more than 15 years. I also created Adventum, a literary journal with a focus on outdoor adventure writing. Recently, I’ve been riding the waves of new releases to write book lists for publications like Greatist and Healthline. When I’m not reading or spending time outdoors, I’m scrolling and posting on bookstagram.
Related: The 54 Greatest Adventure Books
Best Non-Fiction Book of 2023: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann 
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder
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In 1742, a patched-together ship washed up on the shore of Brazil, carrying 30 men who were barely alive. This wasn’t the ship the men set off from England in 2 years earlier on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. They were welcomed ashore as heroes–but 6 months later, three more castaways from their crew appeared and told a very different story. A life-and-death court martial ensued between the two parties. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder is their harrowing story, in the hands of a very skilled storyteller. The fact that we had to keep checking to make sure it wasn’t fiction makes this one our favorite non-fiction read of the year.
For the Reader Who: Loves true crime stories and tall tales.
Other Top Non-Fiction Books of the Year
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If you love travel writing with a touch of humor, consider adding Abroad in Japan to your next itinerary. The author, an Englishman with no knowledge of the Japanese language when arriving, chronicles a decade of living in Japan and his travels to all 47 prefectures. Chris Broad is also a filmmaker and the founder of the Abroad in Japan YouTube channel with over 2.5 million subscribers. Armchair travel at its finest!
For the Reader Who: Would love to see the world without getting on a plane.
A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains by Graham Zimmerman 
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Many great adventurers have been swept up in the summit-at-all-costs mindset, which carries it’s own sense of danger. But in A Fine Line, alpinist Graham Zimmerman examines how to balance the call to climb with social responsibility. This worthwhile coming-of-age read is full of adventure and reflections on being a husband, climate advocate, and community leader.
For the Reader Who: Finds solace in the outdoors and adventure (and who’s probably wearing Patagonia right now).
Ride Free: A Memoir by Willie G. Davidson 
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A culture, an icon, a legend. The Harley-Davidson name is all those and more. Whether you ride one of the “rolling sculptures” or are just a fan, you’ll enjoy Ride Free: A Memoir. It’s a story of the Harley-Davidson Company and Wille G. Davidson himself–a grandson of one of the company’s founders. His passion for art, design, and motorcycles is expressed through his tales of family, unforgettable rides around the world, and much more.
For the Reader Who: Loves the open road and good stories behind iconic brands.
Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future by Gloria Dickie 
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A finalist in the Banff Mountain Book Awards 2023, Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future explores the eight remaining species of bears–most of which are threatened with extinction. Journalist Gloria Dickie’s ursine odyssey around the world to explore our often-hazardous relationship with these legendary creatures illuminates both the sad and fascinating facts of our entwined existence.
For the Reader Who: Is fascinated by or feels a kinship with wildlife.
Best Mystery/Thriller Book of 2023: An Honest Man by Michael Koryta 
An Honest Man
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Set on an isolated island off the coast of Maine, many reviewers say this is Koryta’s best book since The Prophet. An Honest Man tells the story of Israel Pike, who was convicted of murdering his father and is now a prime suspect in the murder of seven powerful men found on a yacht. With emotionally compelling characters and a plot that doesn’t let up, this thriller earned our nod for best of the year.
For the Reader Who: Loves a weather-heavy, atmospheric thriller.
Other Top Mystery/Thriller Books of the Year
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S.A. Cosby’s latest, All the Sinners Bleed is a small-town, southern crime novel with a fantastic narrator. It follows Titus, a former FBI agent and the first Black sheriff in his Virginia county. It’s a place founded in bloodshed, where tragedies are reoccurring, and a trail of secrets leads Titus down a perilous path. Bestselling author Roxane Gay says it’s, “An excellent, gritty novel about how eventually, all sins must be reckoned with, one way or another.”
For the Reader Who: Wants to tag along on an action-packed hunt for the killer.
