My Favorite Books of 2023 Part 1: Fantasy

I) Greek and Norse Mythology Retellings / Mythology Inspired Fantasy

Ithaca (The Songs of Penelope #1) by Claire North

The characters are deep, multi-layered and something to remember. It was a pleasure listening to the narration on the POV of Hera. Outstanding writing, I surely plan on reading more by this author.

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

Beautifully written, poetic and deeply touching, with all ‘the feels’.

Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold (Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology #1) by Stephen Fry

A bit more traditional than the previous two books, this is a very entertaining audiobook to listen to.
Certainly delightful, this is a serious candidate to be listened to again. The wonderful narration by Stephen Fry makes it so.

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

I loved the characters and the writing style. This author is one of my favorites for Greek Mythology Retellings!
This story shows with success the cultural values of antiquity. We might be shocked about how those values clash with modern values, but this does not make this book less worthy.

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

This outstanding standalone was inspired by Norse Mythology, of which I certainly want to read more in 2024. Outstanding and deeply touching characters and story. I want to read more by this author!

II) Other Fantasy:

The Legends of the First Empire series by Michael J. Sullivan

This year I read from book #2 to #6. I will make a detailed post about this series, but for now all I will say is that I really liked the story world and the characters and I could not put this series down.

Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I read book #1 and #2 this year and I surely plan on continuing the series next year.

And Put Away Childish Things (Terrible Worlds: Destinations) by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The beginning of this book was a bit slow for me, but the middle and end were smart, funny and brilliant as all Adrian Tchaikovsky’s books are. (I consider this author the best contemporary SFF author presently publishing and I want to read all his books with no exception whatsoever!)
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Catwings Series (#1 to #4) by Ursula K. Le Guin, S.D. Schindler (Illustrator)

This series was so poetic and well written. I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. Serious reread and cozy, comforting material.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain (The Singing Hills Cycle #2) by Nghi Vo

I really like this author’s writing style. This started slowly, but it was quite original, surprising and interesting.

Creatures of Will and Temper (Diabolist’s Library #1) by Molly Tanzer

This is so original. I really like when characters are multi-layered and in shades instead of good or bad.
Dorina reminds me of Sandra singing Maria Magdalena (“Promise me delight!”), and Evadne reminds me of Nanashi in the webcomic Earthsong. They are both such great characters!
This is an author I want to read more from, and I surely want to continue this series!

A Sleight of Shadows (The Unseen World #2) by Kat Howard

I like the writing and profound themes of this author and this series quite a lot, and I could not give this book fewer stars than five.

The Blade Itself (The First Law #1) by Joe Abercrombie

I really liked the writing and the multi-layered characters here and I want to continue this series for sure. Such profound universal themes!

The Bartimaeus Series (#1 – #3) by Jonathan Stroud

If you follow this blog, you have heard enough about this series from my previous posts. I surely plan on reading more by this author next year.

Stay tuned for my next posts on Science Fiction and Mystery, Horror and Historical Fiction Favorites.

Best and Worst Book Series of 2023 #booktag

Today I’m doing a Booktube tag from bookslikewhoa to discuss the series I read in 2023.

1. What is the best series that you caught up with this year that is still a work in progress?

I would have a couple of options for this question, but the Skyward Series by Brandon Sanderson. This is right now is one of my favorite series by the author. I say it’s a WIP because there are books planned in a next series called Skyward Legacy.

2. What is the best work in progress series that you are still catching up with? OR What is the best completed series that you are still catching up with?

I’m catching up with the Planetfall Series by Emma Newman. I am reading the fourth book at the moment and I still want to read the short story collection: Before, After, Alone: A Planetfall Universe short story collection.

3. What was your favorite first book in a series this year?

I would also have many options to answer here, but The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus #1) by Jonathan Stroud was one of the first books that I most enjoyed and laughed with.

4. What is a first book in a series you read this year that you think should have just been a standalone, not a series?

I would say The Falconer (The Falconer #1) by Elizabeth May. It was over stretched only to become a series, but again, I am not the best audience for Young Adult.

5. What is your most over-hyped series of the year?

I have the impression that it was Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros. I DNFed the first book and consequently the series because I considered it too violent.

6. What is a series that you DNFed this year?

I DNFed more than one series this year, but among them Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera #1) by Jim Butcher. I might try more books by this author in the future, but so far his books haven’t been for me.

7. What was your favorite series’ finale of the year? OR What was your least favorite series finale of the year?

My favorite was the fourth book of the Skyward Series by Brandon Sanderson, Defiant.

My least favorite finale was Ptolemy’s Gate (Bartimaeus #3) by Jonathan Stroud because in my opinion it cut short the series way too early, there was enough story there for more books, and it was not so suitable for a Middle Grade book. Still, it was a beautiful finale nevertheless.

8. What was the biggest cliffhanger you had in a series this year?

The book Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #3) by Elle Cosimano. I am really enjoying this funny mystery series and can’t wait to continue reading.

9. What is your favorite spinoff series you read this year?

None, I rarely read spinoffs.

10. What is your most anticipated next book in a series that you read this year that will come out next year?

This would be Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Finlay Donovan #4) by Elle Cosimano.

11. What is your most anticipated series to catch up with next year based on what you read in that series this year? OR What is the series you’re most excited to stay caught up with next year based on what you read in the series this year?

I want to catch up with the Diabolist’s Library Series. I read and liked the original Creatures of Will and Temper (Diabolist’s Library #1) by Molly Tanzer a great deal.

12. What is your favorite series that you finished this year?

One of my favorite series was The Legends of the First Empire by Michael J. Sullivan.

13. What is your favorite episodic series of the year?

I’m not sure this series can be called episodic, but I liked the Catwings Series by Ursula K. Le Guin.

14. What is a series that you finally bailed on after holding onto it for a long time?

The Vagrant series by Peter Newman. I liked The Deathless Trilogy by him a lot, and I would be happy to read a continuation of the series, but The Vagrant series wasn’t for me.

15. What is the series you were most surprised that you liked this year?

The Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud because I rarely read Middle Grade, but the writing here was outstanding.

16. What is the series that you meant to catch up with or finish this year that you didn’t?

The Shadows of the Apt Series by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It’s planned for next year, though.

17. What is a series you finished this year that you think is greater than the sum of its parts? OR What is the series you caught up with this year that you think is greater than the sum of its parts?

The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. Not all books in this series are five stars for me, but some are books I want to read again for sure. The characters in this series are also unforgettable, and this makes it one of my favorite science fiction series. I wrote a blog post on all the books of this series.

Consider yourself tagged in case you want to do this booktag and post your link in the comments here.

Happy serial reading! 😉