A lot of my reading is for Neon Hemlock or Baffling, and plenty is books from previous years. But here I’ll share some of my favorite books and stories published in 2023. I intended to update this as I read throughout the year, but here I am publishing this in January 2024, so no dice there.
Novels
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Thoughts: My favorite book of the year. Incredible. Feels like a spiritual successor to Dhalgren, which is my favorite novel.
The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz
Thoughts: Plotty and gripping and unexpectedly (?) horny!
Translation State by Ann Leckie
Thoughts: Continues to scratch a wonderful SF itch.
The Faithless by C.L. Clark
Thoughts: Even better than The Unbroken. I can’t wait to see where this trilogy ends.
Prophet by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché
Thoughts: This book snuck up on me. Felt sort of like KJ Charles meets X-Files. Really good.
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles
Thoughts: Delightful.
A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles
Thoughts: Even better.
Novellas
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar by Indrapramit Das
Short Stories
“The Ocean Remembers the Wave” by L Chan (Strange Horizons)