Top Ten 2023 Reads & a Giveaway
It’s really hard to choose my favorites from the 75+ books I read in 2023, but I’ve narrowed my list to my top ten. I included the Amazon link with each book cover so you can learn more about the story and its author.
Those who comment below by Tuesday, January 2, will have a chance to win your choice of my faves!
Check out this post of top 2023 #ChristianFiction reads and comment by Jan. 2 for a chance to win your choice of those listed. (US only) #amreading #giveaway
Join the conversation. Do you track the books you read each year? What was your favorite 2023 Christian Fiction read? Which of my favorites have you read? Which would you like to win?
Comment below by January 2 for a chance to win your choice of my favorites. To check out all my 2023 reads and reviews, visit my Goodreads profile or my reading challenge page, where I tracked the books I read or listened to this year.
Deena Adams
As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and is a multi-award-winning writer, an active ACFW member, and ACFW Virginia president. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
106 Comments
Teresa A Moyer
Do you track the books you read each year?
Yup I use goodreads to track what books I have read. I also set a reading goal. My 2023 goal was to read 40 books BUT my number is 57 books read. Woo Hoo!
What was your favorite 2023 Christian Fiction read?
Hands down He Should Have Told The Bees!
Which of my favorites have you read?
Only He Should Have Told The Bees!
Which would you like to win?
Appalachian Song
Deena Adams
Hi, Teresa. 57 books read is great! Way to go!
Faith Cox
I would LOVE to read APPALACHIAN SONG to begin my book reading in 2024! I haven’t read as much as I would like in 2023 due to some writing deadlines, but I plan to organize a bit better to fit in more reading time. Thanks for the opportunity to win a book, Deena! I hope you have a very blessed year!!
Deena Adams
Appalachain Song would be a great start to your new year of reading, Faith. It’s amazing! I’m only able to get through so many books because of listening to audiobooks. I check out five per month through the Hoopla app. I hope you have a blessed year, too!
Susann Greenwood
Deena, I would love to pick a book from your top 10!! They definitely have to be good! I have tried to find some of these in my local library. My library doesn’t carry many Christian authors, I’m sad to say…
Deena Adams
That is sad, Susann. Do you have the Hoopla and Libby library apps? Hoopla usually has lots of good options.
Patty Rude
I didn’t say which book I would like a copy of if I win, that would be Hope Beyond the Waves!
Deena Adams
Hope Beyond the Waves is extraordinary. Such a deep read.
Patty Rude
I find Goodreads is a great way to track the books I have read, and also to keep track of books I have copies of on my bookshelf already, so I don’t accidently buy them again!
I’ve read five of the 10 books on your list, and Appalachian Song was one of my favorites.
Deena Adams
I love Goodreads for that reason, too. I had finished this post with my top nine reads and when I finished Appalachain Song a few days ago, I had to redo my graphic and update this post to include it. I LOVED IT! Might be my favorite of the year.
Amy L Harden
I would love to read any of these books. This year was so busy my reading has fallen short. 2024, I am going to get back into the habit.
Deena Adams
You’ve definitely had a busy year, Amy! I hope things have settled down for you and you can spend time reading and writing.
Perrianne Askew
I do track my reading on Goodreads but I realize at the end of this year that I need something to track my ratings for next year. I’d have a tough time telling you my favorite for the entire year but right now The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz is my favorite, but technically a 2024 release. Currently I have 80 books read for the year but I’ll finish reading my yearly Bible and possibly two more by the close of the year.
5 stars – 30
4 stars – 42
3 stars – 6
2 stars -2
I’ve read 5 of your favorites:
Indigo Isle by T.I. Lowe
Hope Beyond the Wave by Heidi Chiavaroli
Authentically Izzy by Pepper Basham
He Should have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold
Some of my top favorites:
On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni
The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright
The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky
Ladies of the Lake by Cathy Gohlke
A Shadow in Moscow by Catherine Reay
Letters from my Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse
Better Watch Out by Natalie Walters (top Christmas book)
Of your picks, I’d like to read Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch
(for some reason hers are hard to get from the library)
Thank you for the fun reading list!
Deena Adams
Thanks for the recommendations, Perrianne. I haven’t read any of the books on your list. I need to add some of them to my want to read list!
Marilyn Brandon
I’ve been wanting to read several of these. I’ve heard amazing things about The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kips!
As a writer of Appalachian fiction, I’m eager to read Appalachian Song, too!
Deena Adams
Those are two great ones, Marilyn! I hope you get to read them soon. Enjoy!
Cyndi Clevear
I read The extraordinary deaths of Mrs. Kip. I’m currently reading He Should Have Told the Bees. Very good.
75 books. Wow. I may have reached my goal of finishing 12 books this year.
Deena Adams
Hi, Cyndi. The only way I’m able to read so many is because of audiobooks. I check out five per month through my library Hoopla app.
Zoe Ann Barnette
Thank you for sharing your top 10! I KNOW that they will be good reads if you have shared them! I will add them to my to read on Goodreads. I also track what I read and have recently just started back to reading regularly. I had fallen into binge-watching far too much TV! I read “A Simple Amish Christmas” by Vannetta Chapman recently, and it was a nice, wholesome book. ❤ From your list, I’d start with The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip.
Deena Adams
Glad to hear you’re back to reading again, Zoe! I hope you enjoy some amazing books in 2024.
Vickie Waters
I track my books by how many ARCS I’ve read. The vast majority of books I read are ARCS and I enjoy a variety of genres. All the books you have pictured are fantastic choices. I think I’d like to read He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox. I’ve heard it’s so good.
I see Priscilla Bettis recommends The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m sure it would be good because Kelly Irvin writes from her heart and this is based on her journey with ovarian cancer.
Deena Adams
Hi, Vickie. He Should Have Told the Bees is another great read by Amanda Cox. I hope you get to read it soon. I’ve never read anything by Kelly Irvin, but I’m adding this book to my list. My mom died from ovarian cancer two years ago, so I think I’d like to read an encouraging story about the horrific disease.
Vickie
So sorry to hear about your mom.
Deena Adams
Thank you, Vickie.
Alicia
I was looking for a new hobby in January of this year and I decided to pick up a Jane Austen novel and very quickly read all six of her major works. My hubby has always been a big reader, but never thought that was really “me”. Boy oh boy was I wrong! I am now 100% invested in reading and discovering new-to-me authors. I track books on Goodreads and have gone from reading nothing to reading 153 books in 2023! I am looking forward to the New Year and finding even more amazing Christian authors. The world of books has completely changed me in the best of ways.
I read Positively, Penelope by Pepper Basham and LOVED it. I already have Authentically, Izzy sitting on my shelves to read next, but all of these other books you have listed here have been on my radar. I have been most interested in picking up The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip and Appalachian Song. 🙂
Some of my favorites this year have been the Timeless Series by Gabrielle Meyer and the Muir Harbor Series by Melissa Tagg.
Deena Adams
Hi, Alicia. I’ve been an avid reader all my life. It’s a great hobby! I’m glad you’ve discovered how wonderful reading is. I’ve loved every book I’ve read by Pepper Basham. She’s amazing. Mrs. Kip and Appalachain Song are so good! Gabrielle Meyers first book in the Timeless series was my top favorite in 2022. The second one is definitley on my list!
Kera bell
Sorry, I would like to read 1 million little choices. Everyone is saying that’s a good book.
Sandy Avery
My Goodreads says I read 186 books this year. I read 5 From your list: Indigo Isle, Authentically Issy, He Should Have Told the Bees, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, and Million Little Choices. They are all so deserving of being at the top of my list too. I read many wonderful books but would add Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebecca Millet, The Last Exchange by Charles Martin, Wedding at Sea by Melissa Tagg, The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron, and the dozen or so current and backlist books by Sarah Sundin and Roseanna White to my years best reads. I know I have other favorites too but that’s enough for now!
Appalachian Song caught my attention and I’d love to read it soon.
Deena Adams
Hi, Sandy. You read a lot of books! That’s awesome. The Last Exchange and Wedding at Sea are on my want to read list. I need more reading time!
Roxanne C.
My favorite CF read of 2023 was The Cairo Curse (A Freddie and Grace Mystery Book 2) by Pepper Basham, so now The Juliet Code is in my TBR pile. Appalachian Song is on my wishlist, so I’d be thrilled to win that particular book in your top ten of 2023.
Deena Adams
Hi, Roxanne. I love Pepper’s books! Appalachain Song is amazing! It might be my number one this year.
Caryl Kane
I like using Goodreads to track my books. I’ve completed the Goodreads Reading Challenge with 200 books read.
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
Deena Adams
Wow, Caryl, you’ve read a lot of books!! That’s amazing. We’re going to celebrate Christmas tomorrow now that my son and his family have arrived. I’m looking forward to it!
Elizabeth Litton
I track the books I read through Goodreads, mostly. Out of your list of 10, I’ve read 5 of them, and Tamara Alexander’s book is on my TBR pile. 🙂 Indigo Isle is the one I’d love to win. T. I. Lowe is such a great author, and it was interesting to learn about the dye-making process.
Deena Adams
Hi, Elizabeth. Tamera’s book was wonderful! I love T.I. Lowe’s writing, too. She’s amazing. Indigo Isle was so unique. I loved the brooding hero!
Danielle Hull
Those are hard questions! I read a lot of Classics this year, but I’m going to go with Chosen People by Robert Whitlow as my favorite CF for the year. Honorable mention authors are Cathy Gohlke, Toni Shiloh and Cynthia Ruchti.
As for your top ten, I haven’t read any of them! A few are on my wishlist/TBR, and I had a friend say Mrs. Kip is the best book she has ever read, so I would choose it!
Deena Adams
Hi, Danielle. I’ve read lots of Robert Whitlow novels, but I don’t think I’ve read Chosen People. I hope you get a chance to read some of my top ten reads. They’re fantastic!
Priscilla Bettis
I read Appalachian Song too. Loved it! I have The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip on my TBR and would love to win it. My favorite 2023 read was The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin.
Deena Adams
I’ll have to look up The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos, Priscilla. Thanks for the recommendation!
Ali L
This looks amazing!! I track my books on goodreads, and I don’t think I’ve read any of these! I’d really love to win “Authentically, Izzy.”
Deena Adams
Hi, Ali. Authentically, Izzy was such a unique story. I’m sure you’d love it!
Dana
I love to track my reading on Goodreads. I think I’m at 115 now and maybe I’ll get a couple more in.
A few of my favorites:
The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner
The Bride Ships series by Jody Hedlund
The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel
In the Shadow of the River by Ann Gabhart
The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassan
From your list I’ve only read The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs Kip. I would love to read any of the others.
Deena Adams
You’ve read a lot of books, Dana. Good for you! The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass is on my list!
Kera bell
I would love to read 1 million little pieces everyone keeps saying that’s a really good book. I wish I could read as much as everyone else does in a year.
Deena Adams
Tamera’s book was so good. I hope you get to read it, Kera. I can only read so many books because I check out five audiobooks per month through the Hoopla librar app. I listen when I’m doing laundry, cooking, driving, etc. I listen on 1.5x speed so I can get through a lot.