Local Best Books of 2023

It's that magical time of year when we look back over the books we've read and fondly recall the ones we loved the most. We've gathered lists of favorites chosen by library staff and readers in our community, and the top checkouts from the library in a wide range of formats. Get ready to fill up your 2024 to be read list right here.

Staff Favorites

Library staff shared their picks for the most powerful nonfiction and poetry, and amazing fiction they read this year. Note: the image carousel doesn't show all the books, click "view complete list" to see all our favorites – we have many!

Here are my personal top 10 novels of the year, with notes about why I loved them. Most of my favorite reads this year are sci-fi, but there's also some mystery and romance.

Teen librarian Angie curated a list of recommended books for teen readers to help you sort through your many options.

Kids

Kids librarian Sherry Hess curated a list of the best picture books of the year for your book-hungry littles, with notes about why she recommends them.

If you're looking for middle grade titles, check out powerful reads chosen by Jacee, and a list full of fun and magic chosen by Arion.

Community Favorites

We asked our community of readers to tell us about the books they loved the most this year on Facebook, and built a fantastic list of recommendations. Email Miranda at mericsson@tscpl.org to add your favorite to the list.

Top Checkouts in Topeka & Shawnee Co

Nonfiction

Celebrity memoir and history dominated the nonfiction checkouts, with Spare by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex as the #1 most checked out nonfiction book in all formats. Shout out to Kansas author Emily Cowan, whose book Abandoned Topeka made the nonfiction print list for a second year in a row.

Fiction

Mystery and thriller really dominated the print fiction top checkouts, with C.J. Box taking the top spot for Treasure State, as well as the #3 spot with Storm Watch. This is a good time to brag that C.J. Box visited our library in 2022! David Baldacci, John Sandford, James Patterson and Danielle Steel also have multiple books on the list.

Many of the authors on the print list showed up on the top ebook fiction checkouts list, but the digital top 20 is a more eclectic and diverse list of books. Baldacci's Simply Lies took the top spot, followed by Emily Henry's Happy Place and The Longmire Defense by Craig Johnson in 3rd. Our library hosted Johnson in October 2023, and clearly our community was interested in reading his new book. Rebecca Yarros, Ann Napolitano and Tessa Bailey are a few more of the many authors you'll find in the digital top 20.

Romantasy and suspense came out on top in the digital audiobook list.

Young Adult

Fantasy, mystery and suspense are popular YA checkouts across formats, with authors such as Tracy Wolff, Holly Jackson and Jennifer Lynn Barnes appearing for multiple titles.

Kids

Characters from pop culture are popular on the kids top checkout list, with the top spot going to a Moana story All the Love On This Island by Natalie Davis.

More reading recommendations

Happy reading in 2024!