I love best-of lists and reading wrap-ups. As 2023 comes to a close, it's time to sit, think, and write such a post. I always do it with pleasure. 

It was a rather good year. I've read a lot and discovered some excellent reads. Contrary to previous years, my 2023 wrap-up is dominated by fun, pulpy, and entertaining, with just a few "serious" works thrown in the mix. 

I guess it's because the year has been intense and I simply gravitated toward easier, more accessible books. I've rediscovered my love for thrillers and mysteries but I won't list them because it's a fantasy website, after all. That said, some of my most thrilling reads this year were all thrillers. I'll mention a few standouts here, in case someone here is interested: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, False Witness by Karin Slaughter, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, and The Traitor by Ava Glass.

I hope some of you will find inspiration here and maybe discover something worth attention :)

Book links: Amazon, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carissa Orlando has a doctorate in clinical-community psychology and specializes in work with children and adolescents. In her “day job,” Carissa works to improve the quality of and access to mental health care for children and their families. Prior to her career in psychology, Carissa studied creative writing in college and has written creatively in some form since she was a child. It was only a matter of time before Carissa, an avid horror fan for much of her life, merged her understanding of the human psyche and deep love for storytelling into a piece of fiction.

Publisher: Berkley (Sep 05, 2023) Length: 352 pages Formats: ebook, audiobook, paperback