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The 30 Best Books of 2023 (So Far) You Should Pick Up on Your Next Bookstore Trip

You might need some extra shelf space….

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best books of 2022
Courtesy of Publishers/Margie Rischiotto

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Your TBR might not be empty, but let's be honest, that doesn't mean you're going to stop looking for the next great read. And yes, it happens to us too! With so many books coming out every week (and old favorites making their way onto your FYP thanks to BookTok), deciding which new releases to pick up at your local bookstore can get super overwhelming. Well, we've done some early reading and you might be surprised at some of the new titles we're completely obsessed with. From sci-fi faves to chill-inducing thrillers and heated romances, there's something here for everyone. Get cozy on your couch, because you're about to be mesmerized by these books, too.

These are the best books of 2023 (so far).

The first book in bestselling author and the book world's cutest couple, Nicola and David Yoon's, new imprint is none other than Talia Hibbert's YA debut. It's a cozy read for fans of her adult books but also a fun discovery for younger readers who haven't yet read her other hit books.

Release date: January 3, 2023

'The Stolen Heir: A Novel of Elfhame' by Holly Black
Credit: Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

The faerie queen herself, Holly Black, takes us back to Elfhame in this new duology that takes place years after the end of The Queen of Nothing for a new tale that features Oak and Suren.

Release date: January 3, 2023

Related read: Exclusive: Holly Black Announces New Elfhame Duology Series Starring Oak in ‘The Stolen Heir’

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'Token' by Beverley Kendall
Credit: Courtesy of Graydon House

Kennedy decides to start her own PR agency after getting tired of being the token Black woman in the room. But when her own ex hires her to help fix his company's reputation, complicated feelings take over in this funny and also poignant romance.

Release date: January 3, 2023

'Hell Bent' by Leigh Bardugo
Credit: Courtesy of Flatiron Books

The Alex Stern series continues to take readers through wild and twisted turns, this time while trying to save someone from hell simultaneously dealing with the dark academic backdrop of Yale and its secret societies. And yes, the cover should be a clue as to how freaked out his book will make you (but trust us, it's oh so worth it!).

Release date: January 10, 2023

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'Exes and O's' by Amy Lea
Credit: Courtesy of Berkley

Amy continues to give us all the warmth and fuzzies we expect from a romance novel in this second book in The Influencer series about the ultimate romance bookworm and the hot firefighter helping her figure out her love life.

Release date: January 10, 2023

'The Reunion' by Kayla Olson
Credit: Courtesy of Atria Books

While your head might be spinning by how old your favorite TV shows are this year, Kayla takes one of our dream scenarios—two former co-stars rediscovering their chemistry during a cast reunion— and turns it into a breezy read.

Release date: January 17, 2023

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'Please Report Your Bug Here' by Josh Riedel
Credit: Courtesy of Henry Holt & Company

A fun and inventive debut thriller, Please Report Your Bug Here allows Josh to turn his past experience working at Instagram into a compelling fictional story about the tech boom and magical glitches that can transport you anywhere.

Release date: January 17, 2023

Samantha Song is so close to her dream job of writing for one of Singapore's hottest magazines, but she has to fake it until she makes it. And now with Timothy Kingston, AKA one of the country's biggest heirs, now in her midst, all she has to do is find her way into high society. But even she might be surprised at how much of herself she's willing to give up in order to reach the top.

Release date: January 17, 2023

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'Begin Again' by Emma Lord
Credit: Courtesy of Wednesday Books

Yes, that title is totally a Taylor Swift reference, and expect more of them in Emma Lord's novel about finding your voice and accepting life's curveballs. Now get your playlist ready and be prepared to finish this in one sitting.

Release date: January 24, 2023

'Big Swiss' by Jen Beagin
Credit: Courtesy of Scribner

If the cover doesn't automatically make you want to pick this up, maybe the plot will. A transcriber for a sex therapist instantly falls in love with one of their clients. But when they hear the client's voice at a dog park one day, they end up doing anything and everything to be in her life. It's wild, it's hilarious, and it's so good that Killing Eve star Jodie Comer already has plans to star in the series adaptation.

Release date: February 7, 2023

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Just like a lot of us, Bea is out here trying to marry rich and live her best life. And when she finds filthy rich Colin Case, well, she sets her sights on getting that ring. But it's his best friend, Gale, who gets in her way. With tons of secrets in her past and Gale's cat-and-mouse game, things quickly turn dark and exciting.

Release date: February 14, 2023

Veronica Roth has already proven herself to be one of the best dystopian writers right now, but this Antigone retelling takes it all to the next level. Not only does it bring a completely new spin to a familiar story, but it's also the kind of speedy read that will kick you out of a book slump.

Release date: February 21, 2023

Related read: Exclusive: This Excerpt and Cover Reveal of Veronica Roth's 'Arch-Conspirator' Proves It's Your Next Read

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Siblings Art and Mimi live together and have gone through the unimaginable together. When Mimi decides to go to Art for love advice, the genius encourages her to use math to find her soulmate. But then she meets Frank, who doesn't fit the equation. Suddenly the close duo find themselves at odds when it comes to life, love, and everything in between.

Release date: February 28, 2023

Years after Ruthy Ramirez's disappearance, her sister spots her in a reality TV show and starts a family road trip to find her and also solve the mystery of what really happened to her.

Release date: March 7, 2023

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Mouton transforms the Black women in her life into legends in this moving, genre-bending memoir. Her way of writing will have you rereading the pages as you continue to unlock and appreciate more and more of her work. It's hard to create something unique in the book world, but Mouton does so successfully.

Release date: March 7, 2023

Jesse brings fun and heart to this zany novel about a lonely shopkeeper who decides to try to solve the murder of the man she found dead in her own teashop. It's the kind of perfect novel for those who aren't super into the true crime genre but want something cozy with a lot of mystery.

Release date: March 14, 2023

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'Y/N' by Esther Yi
Credit: Courtesy of Astra House

Y/N is an utterly brilliant, shining, and mesmerizing debut that will make you rethink everything you know about fandom, celebrity, and parasocial relationships. Get ready to even question your own relationships in fandoms as you go deeper into the narrator's world as she becomes obsessed with a K-Pop boyband member named Moon.

Release date: March 21, 2023

'Chlorine' by Jade Song
Credit: William Morrow & Company

Probably one of the darkest and most twisted books over the year, this coming-of-age story of a young Chinese swimmer and her dream of becoming of mermaid is the stuff of both dreams and nightmares.

Release date: March 28, 2023

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Before We Were Innocent is a fiction novel that feels so real, you'll be Googling to see if it's true. Ten years after two former BFFs were convicted of murder while on an overseas trip, one of them has a big decision to make as the other goes through something eerily similar.

Release date: April 4, 2023

As the title suggests, if you're a huge fan of rom-coms then this is the novel for you. With an SNL-like backdrop and a wild backstage romance, it's the kind of romance novel that will leave you laughing and reminds you why we all are still hopeful to live out a rom-com in our own lives.

Release date: April 4, 2023

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