At LJ, we consider best books on many fronts, but mostly we are searching for titles that stop us in our tracks for more reasons than we could possibly articulate. Because that is what great reads do. They overwhelm any criteria we can list and reduce us to “Yes, that, and that too, and even more.” Listed here are books we stayed up all night reading and started the day wanting to discuss. Books we read and re-read, together and apart, books that some of us are already re-reading again. We hope you find treasures among these lists and that they make you, and the readers you help every day, stop and say, “Yes, that.”
Highly recommended, especially for fans of stories of generational relations and the connections between women. The tender, tough, funny, and heartbreaking voices of the characters will seep into readers’ souls.
This commendable compilation could be considered an octogenarian writer’s valedictory gift to the literary community, who will revel in its thematic originality and stylistic bravura.
Bookended by the events of March 2020, when the world went into pandemic lockdown, the novel lands lightly on the major happenings of British life, from the queen’s coronation to Diana’s funeral and the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Coe (Middle England) deftly encapsulates 80 years of British history in this tender portrait of a woman, based on his mother, who lived through it all.
A real nail-biter, this impeccably written debut from journalist Adegoke (coauthor of Slay in Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible) keeps audiences wondering until the end. Boasting cinematic qualities that will ease its jump to the screen, this book has already been sold for a TV series.
A fast-paced mystery, propelled by a fascinating cast of characters, that builds to a profoundly moving and deeply romantic climax. Absolutely not to be missed.
Subitzky’s uninhibited imagination and penchant for absurd humor create a thrillingly revelatory collection, with contributions by cartoonist Mark Newgarden.
Harkness delivers one of the best releases of 2023 in this exhilarating, heartbreaking, and often humorous memoir. Add it to the collection right away.
This totally unique depiction of Sherlock Holmes and Watson is likely to be embraced by fans of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories and also by those who enjoy abstract or experimental comic art.
Romance fans will delight in the story, the addition of sweet bakery treats, and the showdown between the judgmental town, the snooty Buenaventuras, and the pull of the love that got away.