We are thrilled to share that an incredible 26 Penguin Random House titles have made the list this year.
Better Reading has announced Australia’s top 100 books of 2023, and we’re proud to share that twenty-six Penguin Random House books have been voted onto the list this year.
The annual Better Reading Top 100 is a celebration and true reflection of what Australians read, featuring a mix of crime, women’s general fiction, literary fiction, and of course, the classics. Bookstores across the nation will be highlighting the Top 100, and we can’t wait to see these books on Better Reading shelves and displays in the coming months.
Scroll on to see what made the list.
Books on Better Reading’s Top 100 Books list, as voted by Australian readers
Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus
#2
'The most charming, life-enhancing novel I've read in ages. Strongly recommend.' – India Knight
To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee
#4
'There is humour as well as tragedy in this book, besides its faint note of hope for human nature; and it is delightfully written in the now familiar Southern tradition.' – Sunday Times
Cloudstreet Tim Winton
#14
‘This is that rare book, a novel of both heart and intellect. It pulses with a sense of wonder and shines with the clear light of truth.’ – Robert Drewe
The Godmothers Monica McInerney
#18
'An absolutely beautiful book ... intriguing and uplifting.' – Marian Keyes
A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles
#36
'[A] supremely uplifting novel ... It's elegant, witty and delightful - much like the Count himself.' – Mail on Sunday
Me Before You Jojo Moyes
#42
'This life-affirming tearjerker more than deserves its recognition as one of the most memorable books of the last decade.' – Woman & Home
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone Benjamin Stevenson
#53
'An ingenious and hilarious meta-murder mystery.’ – The Sunday Times
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë
#59
A passionate portrayal of a woman struggling to make a life for herself in a cruel and indifferent world.
The Heart's Invisible Furies John Boyne
#60
'An epic novel…. Worthy of the great master of the Irish comic novel, Flann O’Brien. The Heart’s Invisible Furies proves that John is not just one of Ireland’s best living novelists but also one of the best novelists of Ireland.' – Sunday Express
Daisy Jones and The Six Taylor Jenkins Reid
#61
'I devoured this in a day, falling head over heels for Daisy and the band.' – Reese Witherspoon
The Night Circus Erin Morgenstern
#65
'The only response to this novel is simply: wow. It is a breathtaking feat of imagination, a flight of fancy that pulls you in and wraps you up in its spell.' – The Times
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Gabrielle Zevin
#67
'Utterly brilliant. In this sweeping, gorgeously written novel, Gabrielle Zevin charts the beauty, tenacity, and fragility of human love and creativity.' – John Green
The Secret History Donna Tartt
#71
'The Secret History succeeds magnificently ... A remarkably powerful novel [and] a ferociously well-paced entertainment ... Forceful, cerebral, and impeccably controlled.' – New York Times
No Plan B Lee Child, Andrew Child
#75
'No Plan B is not to be missed. A perfectly plotted, fast paced thriller, with bigger twists than ever before. It's no wonder Jack Reacher is everyone's favourite rebel hero.' – Karin Slaughter
The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood
#79
'Out of a narrative shadowed by terror, gleam sharp perceptions, brilliant intense images and sardonic wit.' – Independent
Persuasion Jane Austen
#83
A timeless story about learning to find the courage to follow your heart.
Killing Floor Lee Child
#90
'If Rolls-Royce wrote thrillers they would look a lot like the work of Child. This was the first Jack Reacher novel and with its lean, spare prose it has one of the most intriguing heroes of our times and displays a gift for explosive drama.' – Daily Express
Again, Rachel Marian Keyes
#94
'Magnificently messy lives, brilliantly untangled. Funny, tender and completely absorbing!' – Graham Norton
Khaki Town Judy Nunn
#97
'Rattles along at a cracking pace with an engaging cast of characters.' – Sydney Morning Herlad
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