It’s been a little while since I did 5-star predictions on the blog. In fact, I’m not even sure that I ever did, at all! I realized that there are so many books on my TBR, both from my most anticipated 2023 book list AND from my backlist TBR, that I really, really hope will be hits, for me.
You know, these kind of books I’ll end up screaming about, forever and ever until you’re all bored of it and end up reading it? (You’re welcome).
So let’s get to it! I’m writing about 10 books I really, really hope will end up on my favorites’ list by the end of this year. Let’s see by the time 2023 ends if that’s the case, shall we?
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10 Books I Hope Will Be New Favorites
The Fraud Squad, Kyla Zhao
This book has been on my most anticipated list ever since I heard about it and it didn’t even have a cover, just yet. It’s about a working-class woman infiltrating Singapore’s high society, faking who she is to reach her dream life. This sounds EXACTLY like the kind of book I’d fall for and I am SO pumped. I have my preorder copy waiting for me!
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Blackwell’s
Do I Know You? Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
I’m such a huge fan of Wibbroka’s books and… well, they’ve all been hits for me so far. I hope this new release will be no exception. This is the story of a couple, celebrating their 5th anniversary, stuck into a routine, finding themselves pretending they don’t know each other. This sounds so exciting, filled with intense chemistry and excellent characters. I can’t wait!
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Blackwell’s
Those Summer Nights, Laura Silverman
Laura Silverman is one of my favorite YA authors. I have yet to read her latest book, Those Summer Nights, about Hannah, trying to recover from a life-changing injury and distract herself with a new summer job. I can’t wait to fall for the characters, the summer vibes, the friendships and everything in between.
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When We Were Them, Laura Taylor Namey
Okay, so A Cuban Girl’s Guide shattered me, I adored it so much. I loved Laura’s debut SO much as well, obviously I have high expectations for this one. Apparently, it focuses on friendships and friendship loss, I’m 100% certain it will break my tiny little heart and, strangely, I am here for it.
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Book Lovers, Emily Henry
I read You and Me on Vacation a couple months ago and, W O W. Now that was the kind of romance I wanted to fall for. I’m obviously going to have high expectations going into any Emily Henry book, now, aerm. Book Lovers is about a literary agent and an editor, constantly bumping into each other in this small North Carolina city. It’d be cute if they didn’t despise each other, right?! I’m just so pumped for this, bookish jobs and what will probably be a sort of hate-to-love-very-slowburning romance that keeps me screaming.
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Something Certain, Maybe, Sara Barnard
Sara Barnard, oh. I love this author’s books very much, my favorite to date being A Quiet Kind of Thunder. I’m SO excited to read this one. It’s about Rosie, trying to find her place at university, while it’s nothing she expected it to be. I feel like I cruelly need more books dealing with the conflicting feelings you get while going to university for the first time. Plus, I know this will have an amazing, super relatable character and I’m here for it.
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All Alone With You, Amelia Diane Coombs
Another favorite YA author here! Amelia Diane Coombs won my heart multiple times in the last year, so I’m expecting her new book to blow me away. Eloise needs volunteer hours for her college application and suddenly finds herself having support lonely seniors: a nightmare for her anxiety. In addition to that, she’s obviously paired with Austin, the sunshine to her cloud. We got a sunshine/grumpy pair, anxiety rep, I just know I’m going to love this.
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This is Not a Personal Statement, Tracy Badua
This is Not a Personal Statement is about a teen forging her acceptance letter to the college of her dreams and just… pretending she actually got in. I first read that synopsis and was like: WHAT?! This sounds excellent, unique and I’m just so curious to see how this turns out.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Blackwell’s
Yolk, Mary H.K. Choi
I’ve had this book on my TBR for AGES and I have yet to read it. Confession time: I am absolutely terrified. I adore Mary H.K. Choi’s work, but I know this one’s going to break my heart. It’s about sisters, switching places and committing fraud insurance to save one of their lives. I just, want to read this and know it has the potential to be a favorite book of all times.
Add to Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Blackwell’s
Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity, Angela Velez
SISTERS again, yay! This one was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and I hope to read it this year. It’s about two, very different sisters embarking on a class road trip together. It’s about siblings dynamics and family expectations, it sounds so good and I love that cover okay.
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For more YA book recommendations, check out these blog posts:
- My top 10 most anticipated adult books for 2023
- 10 YA Books I Can’t Stop Thinking About
- My top 10 most anticipated adult books for 2023
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What are some books you’re eagerly anticipating, wishing, hoping, dreaming they’ll be 5-star reads? Do you have any of these books on your TBR?
Do you do any 5-star predictions? I’d LOVE to hear yours in comments!!
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Coombs is one of the few YA releases I am excited about. So far, all her books have been fantastic for me. I think Henry and Namey’s books both rated high for me (4.5 or 5), and Barnard’s books are always great. Hope they are all hits!
Same here, I adore everything Coombs writes. Can’t wait to read more. And I am so, so happy to hear you loved these, I trust your recommendations so much, I’m even MORE eager to get a copy of these now! Thank you, Sam! 🥰
I have fraud squad on TBR. I’ll be reading it next month.
Ahhh yay! Can’t wait to hear what you think of it 🙂
People seem to love or hate Book Lovers by Emly Henry. I’m guessing it’s going to be a favorite for you since you loved her other book. I hope so and same for the rest of them!
Oooh okay ahah, well I really hope it’ll end up being a new favorite for me, too! Thank you so much 🥰
I hope you adore absolutely ALL of these! Emily Henry is one of my favorite authors and People We Meet on Vacation is my all-time favorite romance books. I definitely enjoyed Book Lovers and even did a reread of Beach Read recently. I have a good feeling about that read for you 😉
AHH well we were made to meet, we both love People We Meet on Vacation so much! 🥰 I can’t wait to fall in love with Book Lovers, next!
Thank you, Stephanie!
I’m really looking forward to read When We Were Them too! I’ve nothing but great things about it.
Yay! I hope we’ll both love it!! 🙂
i can’t wait to see your thoughts on the fraud squad, it looks like such a fun book with deeper social commentary as well! i’ve yet to read mary hk choi’s books, but i think they’re the exact type of contemporary i love. i hope you love all of these books!! <3
Oh I hope you’ll try Mary H.K. Choi’s books! I’ve loved Emergency Contact and Permanent Record so, so much, I’d love to hear what you think of them 🙂
Thank you so much! <3
When We Were Them sounds like a book I would love, too. I’ll have to check that one out. And I am also very intrigued at the description for This Is Not a Personal Statement. So strange but compelling!
Here’s to hoping we’ll both love these books! 🙂
Book Lovers is so good!! I hope you enjoy it as well 🥰 I really need to check out more Sara Barnard books this year, as I loved A Quiet Kind of Thunder so much last year 😊 All Alone with You and This Is Not a Personal Statement are 2023 releases I have such high hopes for 💖
Ahh I can’t wait to read it, so happy you enjoyed it! 🥰 Let’s hope we’ll love these books! <3
Oh, this is a great list, full of books I haven’t heard about before! The Fraud Squad sounds totally up my street! Definitely adding that to my wishlist!
Thank you so, so much! I hope you’ll love The Fraud Squad! 😀
I thoroughly enjoyed book lovers- hope you do too!
Thank you so much! 🙂
I hope all these books are 5 stars for you!
Thank you so much!
I listened to Book Lovers the year it was published and I really liked it. Emily Henry is wonderful and I hope it lives up to your exepctations and hopes this year.
Ohhh that’s good to hear! I can’t wait to read it 🙂