Worst of 2023: The Books

Posted January 22, 2024 by Casee in Features | 6 Comments

It’s that time of year (a little late) for us to share our least favorite books of 2023. Thanks for joining us this month as we reflect on our favorite (and least favorite) books!

Casee

Smoke and Steel (Wild West MC #2) by Kristen Ashley: This book was not just a big no from me, it was a hell the fuck no. I read in a review that there was domestic abuse, but I decided to read it anyway. Big mistake. I hated this book.

Hemy (Walk of Shame #2) by Victoria Ashley: I’m all for male strippers, but this just went over the top for me.

Wolf Marked (Magic Side: Wolf Bound #1) by Veronica Douglas: I read about half this one and honestly don’t remember why I DNFed it. It was that forgettable.

Pestilence (The Four Horsemen #1) by Laura Thalassa: I tried to like this one. The premise is so interesting, but I couldn’t see how the “hero” could be redeemable. Just no.

Dragon Heat (Air Dragons #1) by Charlene Hartnady: This book sounded so good, but all the exclamation points took me out of the story each time!

Holly

Loverboy (The Company #2) by Sarina Bowen: I am a huge Sarina Bowen fan usually, but this book was a hot mess. As much as I love her contemporary and sports romances, I don’t think her strength is romantic suspense.

The Dark Elf’s Surprise Baby (Secret Babies for Prothekan #2) by Celeste King: I’m actually disappointed in myself for this one. He was physically aggressive with her and acted like a controlling, jealous abuser. Do not recommend.

When He’s Ruthless (Olympus Pride #4) by Suzanne Wright: I read a lot of Wright in 2023, to include many re-reads of this series. But I had to DNF this book. The FMC was immature and acted like a child for most of the book. The pranks were immature and overall I felt very old reading it. Your mileage may vary.

Icebreaker (Maple Hills #1) by Hannah Grace: Another book with immature main characters. They blew hot and cold and, in general, acted like teenagers. I DNF’d at 30%.

Spring Breeze by Lily Alexander: I initially rated this book 3.5 out of 5, but the more I thought about it the more I realized it didn’t deserve more than 2 out of 5. The romance was boring and the rest was pretty silly. I only kept reading because I was curious what would happen with the family drama (and in the end I was disappointed in the resolution for that, too).


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6 responses to “Worst of 2023: The Books

  1. Kareni

    Sarina Bowen has a new book coming in May, The Five Year Lie. I’ll be interested to know your thoughts if you read it.

    Thanks for sharing.

  2. elonmakmalon

    This sounds like a really fun and exciting event for the Sacramento community! If you love creative block-based games and puzzles, you should definitely check out block blast. It’s a great way to bring healthy competition and creativity to a gaming gathering. I hope to see you all there!

  3. Chester McCray

    People get a sense of fulfillment and reward as they gather presents while sliding down the icy slope. Because of this, Snow Rider is not only a fun game that can make people feel better, but it is also a thrilling one.

  4. floridays

    Interesting list! While I enjoyed [mention a specific book type related to “worst books”], I agree some missed the mark. Perhaps rushed narratives or underdeveloped characters contributed? It reminds me of the disappointment when a hyped-up game like, dare I say, Snow rider fails to deliver. Any similar themes across these books?

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