In a list that reflects the community’s interest in a wide range of genres, the Greater Victoria Public Library top titles for 2023 ranges from royal memoirs to mystery novels and books that tackle complex topics.
This was the year of the celebrity memoir, with Spare by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, the most checked-out nonfiction book in all formats. Matthew Perry, Britney Spears, and Michelle Obama, also have titles in the most borrowed nonfiction category, according to Rachel Rogers, the GVPL collections and technical services coordinator.
READ ALSO: Directions home from a Drake concert tops B.C.’s 911 nuisance calls for 2023
“The release of Spare was highly anticipated. It was the most popular title across all genres in 2023, which is unusual for a nonfiction book. I think people were excited to get a glimpse into the life of a royal figure navigating challenges and responsibilities. Memoirs are always incredibly popular with our community, and a title like this one, where the audiobook features the author reading their own words, is extra compelling,” Rogers said in a statement announcing the most borrowed books of 2023.
The 2023 most popular List includes titles in all formats – including print, ebooks, large print, and audiobooks – borrowed from GVPL’s 12 library branches and www.gvpl.ca.
READ ALSO: Sidney author-illustrator turns 4,000-word poem into family favourite book
“Compiling this list is always a lot of fun for us. We know our community looks forward to reviewing the list each year. Checking off those titles they’ve read, debating omissions, and getting inspiration for their must-read lists,” GVPL CEO Maureen Sawa said.
“The most borrowed titles of 2023 list is an interesting mix of novels and memoirs. Like 2022, television and movie adaptations are influencing our community’s reading preferences, with titles like Lessons in Chemistry, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and The Summer I Turned Pretty captivating our library users. The demand for digital formats – eBooks and eAudiobooks – is continuing to grow.”
READ ALSO: Zoo staffer elevates Victoria #bugsoftiktok with Taylor Swift kitty trend
BookTok, a book and literature subcommunity on TikTok, continues to impact borrowing trends.
“One of the year’s surprises was Fourth Wing, propelled due to its popularity on BookTok. This title has even popularized a new genre term – romantasy; a mash-up of the words romance and fantasy,” Rogers said.
Staff were also excited to see Mindful of Murder by local author Susan Juby on the list. It was the inaugural One Book, One Community program title – a partnership with other B.C. libraries.
“It proved to be a hit with Greater Victoria readers,” Rogers said.
Adult Fiction
1. Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
2. The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros
5. A World of Curiosities, by Louise Penny
6. Mindful of Murder, by Susan Juby
7. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
8. Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett
9. Happy Place, by Emily Henry
10. Desert Star, by Michael Connelly
Nonfiction
1. Spare, by Prince Harry
2. The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, by Gabor Maté
3. Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results, by James Clear
4. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, by Matthew Perry
5. I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy
6. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, by Peter Attia
7. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, by Kate Beaton
8. The Woman in Me, by Britney Spears
9. The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, by Michelle Obama
10. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk
Teen
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas
2. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins
3. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
4. Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas
5. The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han
6. The Inheritance Games, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
7. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, by Holly Jackson
8. Five Survive, by Holly Jackson
9. The Stolen Heir, by Holly Black
10. Divine Rivals, by Rebecca Ross
Kids
1. Release the Hounds!, and others in the Big Nate series, by Lincoln Peirce
2. Diper överlöde, and others in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, by Jeff Kinney
3. The Thank you Book, and others in the Elephant and Piggie series, by Mo Willems
4. Mary Anne’s Bad Luck Mystery, and others in the Baby-Sitters Club graphic adaptations series, by Cynthia Yuan Cheng and others
5. Garfield Nutty as a Fruitcake, and others in the Garfield series, by Jim Davis
6. Last Ride at Luna Park, and others in the Geronimo Stilton series, by Geronimo Stilton
7. Moon Rising, and others in the Wings of Fire graphic adaptations series, by Tui Sutherland/Barry Deutsch
8. The Bad Guys in the others?!, and others in the Bad Guys series, by Aaron Blabey
9. Crayons Rock!, and others in the Pete the Cat series, by Kim Dean
10. Supercat, and others in the Bad Kitty series, by Nick Bruel