These are times when many turn to populism, that can never be trusted - read Jo Walton's Small Change for where it can lead. Though books are always a refuge, this is not a time to withdraw but rather to do all we can as individuals to create a better world around us.

Yet books can provide a balance, and hope in dark times. Here are BookLoons' picks from the year's reading harvest. These are mainly hardcovers - find rave reads most likely published in paperback in 2023 in our Recommended Reads 2022.

Contemporary	Fantasy	Historical
Las Madres Lucky Girl Under the Tamarind Tree	All the Seas of the World The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England The Warden	The Last Masterpiece The Other Princess The Trackers
Mystery	Mystery-Cozy	Mystery-Historical
Deep Fake Her Too Just Another Missing Person	Devil's Delight Flop Dead Gorgeous Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!	Ashes in the Snow Better the Blood The White Lady
Mystery-International	Mystery-Thriller	SF
A Death in Denmark Killing Moon The Spider	Code 6 Going Zero What Have We Done	Antimatter Blues Furious Heaven Starter Villain
Non-Fiction	YA Fiction	Books for WeeLoons
Walking With Gorillas The Wonderful World of James Herriott	Promises Stronger Than Darkness Secrets Never Die Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame	I Am a Meadow Mermaid Three Little Mittens What Does Little Crocodile Say At the Beach?
Find more book gift suggestions in our many previous Holiday Columns.
All of us at BookLoons wish you and your loved ones better and safer times, the happiest of holidays, and a peaceful, prosperous, joyous and healthy 2024!!