My Best Reads of 2023 (So Far)

All my five star reads this year.

Dear Reader,

Can you believe we’re halfway through 2023 already? And just like everyone who writes about books, I’m posting my best reads of 2023 (so far) too! Without further adieu, here they are.

1. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

   A family saga that tells the story of seven generations of the Buendia family whose patriarch, Jose Aureliano, founded the town of Macondo. Each member of the Buendia family tells the story of human nature, of our hopes, tragedies, and our inner want of solitude. Macondo represents the world in general and the Buendia family as, us, humans. This book has become one of my best books of all time and I can’t wait to read it again. For more recommendations of family sagas, read here.

2. Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan

   This book is often cited as the first Filipino crime novel. But it is so much more than that. It shows us the systematic corruption of the Philippine government, the church, and the rich. And how the minority are just pawns in their game. At one point, I threw this book across the sofa while reading because I just got so angry. This is so on point. Read more Philippine fiction books here.

3. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

   I listened to this as an audiobook and Neil Gaiman’s narration is just wonderful. He transports you. This book is a signature “Gaiman” - beautiful, haunting, nostalgic. It’s a story about a middle-aged man who returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Being back at his childhood home, he is drawn to a farm at the end of the road where an old friend used to live. Then, the strange unremembered past came flooding back in.

4. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

   What else can one say about this book other than heart breaking? And what else can I write here that hasn’t been all over the internet? A book worthy of its Tiktok and Bookstagram hype, it tells the love story of Patroclus and Achilles - the best of all the Greeks. It tells us the human side of Achilles, warrior and demigod. His flaws, insecurities, and tenderness. Because honestly he was just a kid who got thrown into a war by men with bruised egos.

5. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

   The Good Earth tells the ups and downs of an honest farmer and his selfless wife. It's a book about the cyclical nature of human life. The beauty of this book is in its simplicity and universality. No wonder its a classic. The writing is so simple but lyrical and it gripped me from the first page to the last. Read my full review here.

6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

   I still give out a hopeful sigh every time I think about this masterpiece. It’s just so beautifully crafted, it’s one of those unique works of art. Cloud Atlas are six connected stories, each with a distinct writing style and voice. Each of these stories on their own is a typical good vs evil, beginning vs destruction, love vs tragedy story. But together, it's a story about how our moral choices affect others. Maybe not now, but it another time or place. Read my full review here.

7. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

   A butler goes on a road trip and reminisces his past. Very little happens in this book plot-wise, but we get to know Stevens more as he meditates on his professional life and, unavoidably, his personal life through journaling. This book is about regrets and what really matters in life.

   What I loved most about this book is its distinct tone of voice. Our narrator's voice is written in a restrained and somewhat formal tone that befits his profession as a butler - indicating that he only ever looks at himself professionally. I love it when authors nails a character’s personality to the tone of writing. Read my full review here.

8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

   A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a classic coming of age story that’s so nuanced that only a person who has lived through the main character’s experience can write about it. It's one of those quiet books where no single climax stands out. Rather, we go through the ups and downs of a little girl called Francie. This book is a gem full of life lessons, quotable quotes, and words to live by. Full review coming next week. Stay tuned!

The past six months have been a good reading year and I’m so excited to read the books in my TBR pile like The House in Mango Street, Happy Hour, Tender is the Flesh, and more. I’ve also been rereading some of my old books which I normally do at the beginning of the year. I found a new love for Station Eleven which I declared to be a part of my all-time favorites now. I think I will read Circe every year so that I can bask in its poetic glory.

How’s your reading been so far? Tell me about it in the comments section below!