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The Preppy Book Princess' Favorite Reads of 2023: 2023 Reading Wrap #3

 Happy Friday Bookish Friends :)

I pray today finds you all doing well, and I'm so thankful you've taken the time to drop on by The Preppy Book Princess today!

I'm Kirby, and I'm thrilled to welcome you on over to my little corner of the internet.

The last little while, I've been sharing my 2023 Reading Wrap Ups with you all, and today I'm here to finish these off for another year.

First, I shared My Most Anticipated 2024 Releases, and then I shared My Most Disappointing Reads of 2023. Now it's time to focus on the positive, and share with you all My Favorite Reads of 2023.


I don't want this post to end up being as long as a book, so I won't be going into too much detail about each title but just sharing some basic information about why I enjoyed it as much as I did. As well, if I posted a review of it on my blog, I'll include the link so you can check out my full review if you would like to do so.

Also, I don't typically include rereads in my yearly wrap ups as obviously that would make them even longer. 

Now let's go ahead and dive right in to my favorite reads of 2023!


In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel:



A beautiful story full of family secrets that have spanned many generations, Rachel Scott McDaniel is truly a master at the dual timeline type of story.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Cairo Curse by Pepper D. Basham:



I adore Pepper Basham. At this point I'd probably read her grocery list if she so chose to publish it, and this fun, historical fiction mystery series is everything I ever could have wanted or hoped for.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz:



Laura Frantz is a wonderful storyteller with a beautiful gift of prose, and I always look forward to her new book releases. This one was both charming and heart wrenching, and left me thinking about it long after finishing it.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel:



Jennifer Deibel has become one of my favorite authors, and this might have just been my favorite of any of her stories yet. A beautiful and heartwarming read with unexpected plot twists, I can't recommend it enough.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Story Girl, The Golden Road, Chronicles of Avonlea and Further Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery:







I'm so thankful that 2023 was the year I chose to dive into more of L.M. Montgomery's beautiful works. I gave each of these titles five stars, and I hope to read more of her stories this year.


I'll be sharing a review of each of these titles in the days to come.


New York, New Year, New You by Rachael Bloome:



This was a wonderful story that was truly unlike anything this author has written before. I loved it, and I hope to read more of Rachael's books in 2024 too!

Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


Memory Lane by Becky Wade:



I didn't like that the faith element wasn't present in this one, but otherwise, I loved the romance, the characters, the setting, and the mystery.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


Love, Lies and Valentines by D.E. Malone:



Probably my favorite title in this entire series, this romance was adorable, and I loved the history behind the Valentines.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:



One of the only truly great YA books I read all year, this book was amazing and I could barely bring myself to want to put it down. 

Final Rating: 5/5.

I'll be sharing a review in the weeks to come.


Breaking New Ground by Amy Clipston:



I adore Amy Clipston's Amish fiction titles, and this new series by her has been one of my favorites.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


To Enchant a Lady's Heart by Robin Lee Hatcher:



A beautiful historical romance that drew me right into the story and made me want to read the next book immediately after finishing it. Such a wonderful story!

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


Better Together, The Other Side, Forever After All, and Dreaming About Forever by Mandi Blake:







Mandi's 2023 releases were all fantastic, and were truly some of her best books to date. 2023 also saw the conclusion of one of my favorite series by her, Wolf Creek Ranch. I gave each of these titles five stars, and you can check out my reviews here, here, here and here.


Hopefully Ever After by Beth Wiseman:



A sweet Amish romance that was truly unlike anything I'd ever read before within this genre.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep:



A wonderful story that was truly unlike any other Christian fiction title I've ever read. The romance was wonderful, the setting was spot on, and I loved how there was a whole sinister element that overlayed the whole story.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Review: Here


The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh:



Sweet, heartwarming and heart wrenching, I adored this title and it was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I only wish it had had a bit more a present faith element.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano:



I loved how the entirety of this story kind of gave off Phantom of the Opera vibes, and I always enjoy this author's beautiful prose.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I'll have a review to come in the weeks ahead.


In the Shadow of the River by Ann H. Gabhart:



Mystery, Romance, and a riverboat setting, what else could you possibly want in a Christian historical fiction title?

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


The Juliet Code by Pepper D. Basham:




The Freddie and Grace Mystery series is one of my all time favorites, and this book was definitely one of the ones competing for top spot for the entire year. If you have not read this series, I cannot recommend enough that you do so.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


Truly Madly Sheeply by Heather Vogel Frederick:



One of my favorite middle grade series came to a conclusion in 2023, and it was truly wrapped up beautifully. I especially enjoyed the mystery, and the fact that this particular title is set during the fall.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I'll be sharing a full review on my blog in the weeks to come.


Autumn by the Sea by Melissa Tagg:



I'd been looking forward to reading this one ever since it released, and it definitely did not disappoint. Another one of the absolute best books I read all year, and my husband ended up giving me the second book for Christmas which I can't wait to dive right into!

Final Rating: 5/5.

I'll be sharing a full review with you all in the hopefully near future.


The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie:




2023 finally saw me read my first Agatha Christie novel, and I'm only sorry it took me this long to get around to doing so. I can't wait to carry on with reading more of her books.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I'll be sharing a full review with you all in the weeks to come.


The Promises in Poppies by Rachael Bloome:



2023 saw the conclusion of another one of my favorite series, and this was also a wonderful wrap up to a heartwarming collection of books.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here


In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer:



This series combines two of my favorite things: Christian fiction and time travel, and it is every bit as amazing as I initially expected. This follow up was just as wonderful as the first book, and the third book is definitely one of my most anticipated releases for 2024.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I'll be sharing a full review in the weeks to come


And lastly, 

Now the rest of this post was honestly in no particular order, but now it is time to name my absolute favorite read of 2023!


Positively, Penelope by Pepper Basham:


Oh my goodness you guys! Words can barely even describe how much I adored this title. It was every bit as wonderful as the first novel was, even though I didn't think that could have possibly been so. Pepper Basham has an amazing capability for storytelling, and I would love to live inside the pages of her book. I can't recommend this wonderful story enough, and I'm literally on the edge of my seat waiting for book three.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Review: Here



And that does it guys! While I read quite a few other lovely books as well, these are the ones I narrowed it down to out of the 153 books I read last year.

I thank you guys all for sticking with me for this incredibly long post, and I'd love it if you would leave me a comment below telling me what your favorite book or books of 2023 was/were!

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day!

This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Some of these titles I was gifted complimentary copies to read and review, and all of those details are included in the individual book review links linked below those titles. The photos do not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners. 

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