As an author, the last thing that I want to do is piss off Amazon. But as a fierce advocate for the indie bookstores I know Amazon competes with, I have to say that I was thrilled to discover an independent, ad-free alternative to Amazon-owned Goodreads this year: The Storygraph.
The Storygraph
Let me be clear: this is not an ad. It’s more like a public service announcement because I wish I’d known this woman-owned-and-operated platform existed sooner. I created my account in 2023, imported all of my reading data from Goodreads, downloaded the app on my phone, and haven’t looked back since.
I suspect that the magic of The Storygraph begins and ends with the simple fact that the small-but-mighty team behind it is comprised of true book lovers. Every feature of the platform, therefore, is designed with readers in mind—including thoughtful, intentional features like:
A clean, simple, user-friendly design both on web and in-app (Goodreads users: you know why I’m bringing this up) with built-in options for “Owned” and “Did Not Finish”
Options for custom tags (I sometimes tag mine “queer travel” or “adhd-friendly”) as well as custom lists that you can share with others (like “possible book club picks”)
A reading journal where you can record private notes about the book you’re reading alongside your progress updates (this helps me remember what I did and didn’t like about a book when recommending it to someone else)
Content warnings so you can choose reads that won’t contain content that’s triggering for you (which thankfully means I don’t accidentally end up reading a book in which a dog dies after unexpectedly losing our own dog IRL)
In addition to a “To Be Read” pile, an “Up Next” section where you can queue up your next five reads (so I don’t spend hours scrolling through my TBR after each book I finish, trying to figure out what I want to read next)
Then there’s the “Reading Preferences” section, aka the place where The Storygraph’s book recommendations are born, where you can fill out:
Your favorite genres
Characteristics you appreciate most in books right now (with the option to update anytime)
Genres you don't like or aren't interested in reading at the moment (again, can be changed whenever)
Things that most turn you off a book, and the types of books you're rarely in the mood for
Content you never want to read about (this is where the content warnings come in!)
The kind of books you like to read, with guidance on how to figure that out if you’re not sure
But perhaps my favorite part of this platform—where the “graph” part of The Storygraph comes in—is the simple tracking and the wide range of charts and graphs that track your reading habits.
These are some of the stats from my 2023 in books—and it’s been so cool to be able to see how my reading has developed over the year (and to use that to help me pick books I enjoy more).
Okay, okay, I’m done waxing poetic about The Storygraph. Let’s move on to what you’re really here for.
23 books I read and loved in 2023
Admittedly, not all of these were published in 2023, but I read them all this year. Each image (screenshot from The Storygraph) offers insights about the pub date, genre, moods, page count, and more.
You can click to visit Bookshop.org for more information and/or to order from a local, independent bookstore near you. In some cases, you’ll be directed to Amazon if the book isn’t available on Bookshop—but I encourage you to check if your local bookstore has it in stock first!
Travel books I read and loved in 2023
Neurodivergent books I read and loved in 2023
Queer books I read and loved in 2023
More books I read and loved in 2023
What were your top reads of 2023?
I’m always looking for book recommendations, and I’d love to add yours to my TBR. And hey, if you decide to join The Storygraph party, find me at @aliciavalenski and let’s be book buddies in 2024!