WORST to BEST books I read this year so far (2023)
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
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let's do a quick review on every book i read so far this year, and rank them from worst to best!
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🌺 a b o u t m e
Hi! My name is Leonie and I am a 25 year old girl from the Netherlands who loves talking about books! From YA to non-fiction to classics, I read it all (although fantasy will always be my fave).
🌹 m u s i c
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🌼 ↓↓ my more in depth reviews for every book i mention ↓↓ 🌼
- hell bent ua-cam.com/video/U-WOGQs0ryU/v-deo.html
- the demon in the wood ua-cam.com/video/U-WOGQs0ryU/v-deo.html
- the queen of nothing ua-cam.com/video/U-WOGQs0ryU/v-deo.html
- cultish ua-cam.com/video/MFM4LRsDRds/v-deo.html
- the stolen heir ua-cam.com/video/U-WOGQs0ryU/v-deo.html
- come as you are ua-cam.com/video/MFM4LRsDRds/v-deo.html
- letters to a young poet ua-cam.com/video/MFM4LRsDRds/v-deo.html
- legends & lattes ua-cam.com/video/nC9pR7CR-VM/v-deo.html
- manipulatie ua-cam.com/video/3V81TCjZ4z8/v-deo.html
- the very secret society of irregular witches ua-cam.com/video/nC9pR7CR-VM/v-deo.html
- the house in the cerulean sea ua-cam.com/video/nC9pR7CR-VM/v-deo.html
- the last tale of the flower bride ua-cam.com/video/3V81TCjZ4z8/v-deo.html
- serious concerns ua-cam.com/video/3V81TCjZ4z8/v-deo.html
- period power ua-cam.com/video/3V81TCjZ4z8/v-deo.html
- a room of one’s own ua-cam.com/video/3V81TCjZ4z8/v-deo.html
- heroes and villains ua-cam.com/video/pMc0B51TYMw/v-deo.html
- juniper and thorn ua-cam.com/video/pMc0B51TYMw/v-deo.html
- amina al-sirafi ua-cam.com/video/pMc0B51TYMw/v-deo.html
- misfit ua-cam.com/video/ugJ9RiA0zCM/v-deo.html
- the serpent and the wings of night ua-cam.com/video/ne4jU3zBx0k/v-deo.html
- divine rivals ua-cam.com/video/ne4jU3zBx0k/v-deo.html
- bitterthorn ua-cam.com/video/ne4jU3zBx0k/v-deo.html
- the bell jar ua-cam.com/video/pMc0B51TYMw/v-deo.html
(chronological order)
ua-cam.com/video/wFISH9cPpn0/v-deo.html
You know someone is a good reviewer when you have given a book the inverse rating and still agree with what they are saying
😊😊
@MarlonMorenoPayes 10:52 😊😊😊😊
Yes!
Hey guys I am here because I am looking for help for an exam which is coming up in a week which is based on a novel that we (the students do not know). However, my university professor spilled some information on the text, mainly that the novel or a certain chapter of the novel is set to play in a house/appartment on 89/Lamberton (street), which seems to be a very specific type of information if you ask me. If anyone out there happens to have read a novel which included this address I would be thankful if you could leave a short reply under this comment, stating the title and author of the novel. Thanks a lot in advance and have a nice weekend 😊 and to those who are also in the midst of writing exams: Good luck 👍
“imagine six of crows but all the characters have the right age to fit their skill level” PREACH!! omg I just read six of crows last month and I just kept imagining that they were my age bc why tf are they 17?!?
I think Bardugo imagined them in their twenties but got boxed in by the Grishaverse being YA
I also definitely imagine them in their mid 20ies but I think there's an argument to be made that all six of them had to grow up way too fast due to their upbringing and heavy trauma
tbh if you renamed your channel *the curious coven of highly cozy readers* i would be even more obsessed than i am now 😅
I somehow had this picture in my mind of the dead poet's society and their secret place in the woods
Categories:
0:35 Not in my garden
4:47 Hits & Misses
7:05 Consider me entertained
10:46 Non-fiction slaps, stop sleeping on it
13:33 Fantasy to fill the void
17:51 Cream of the crop
ily thank uuuuu
Thank you so much
"Stuck up drunk prince with a cow's tail" is exactly why I watch your reviews.
Does anyone else watch these videos and wish so desperately that they had Leonie's wardrobe?
her fashion is impeccable 👌
yes literally- also her earring collection!!! immaculate
Also her book collection!
I was just struggling to find my next book to read after i finished Fourth Wing and was super disappointed with it... and there you are, uploading a new best of video 9 minutes ago, saving my day. Thank you ❤
hope you found a new book to read!
@@TheBookLeohi leonie! how are u?
If you haven’t read Gideon the Ninth, I have been obsessed with that series for an embarrassingly long period…
THE LAST TALE OF THE FLOWER BRIDE is incredible, I'm happy you liked it!
You have incredible insights. We will always support you.
petition for leonie to read emily wilde’s encyclopedia of faeries!! it’s got a lot of aspects you’ve mentioned loving about the fae in the folk of the series but the story itself is a bit more lighthearted and whimsical.
I sign this petition.
I just started reading this and am already invested, very cozy!
I just absolutely adore your aesthetic and your room from what I've seen of it through your videos and I'd like to request a room tour if possible, it's just so cozy and beautiful.
Very intrigued by Come as You Are, Cultish and The Last Flower Bride, thanks for the recs! Also, I so admire your self awareness of what you like to read. I def still find myself feeling like I need to read or finish books even if I’m not loving them!
Leonie! I ordered The Folk of the Air trilogy, and it just came in today. I am so excited to start it. The way you explained Holly Black’s description of the fae in The Cruel Prince really made me interested.
Also those elven ears really look cute on you!
Omg I hope you loved it the cruel prince is a fucking Masterpiece
Oh my god I literally ordered the box set last night after binge reading The Cruel Prince
I love your videos Leonie ! 🤎 your review of every book is always on point
thank you so much!
I DIED with the "Boom! Out of left field, pseudo science!" ... Great video!!!!
You're so comforting! Thank you for your videos!
Divine Rivals was my favorite read of the year so far. My husband and I started our relationship writing letters back and forth so I connected to it on a personal level.
I been hearing a lot of mixed reviews for the Fourth Wing, and what I’m getting is that people who love romance stories but don’t usually read fantasy stories are more inclined to like it. As a person who reads mostly fantasy and hate most romance books cause of tropes, I could already tell I wouldn’t like it😭
Im a huge fantasy fan and loved this. It really subverts usual tropes and the world building is so authentic. The thoughts of the main character genuinely permeated me soul. Yes, there’s enemies to lovers, but it’s more about the protagonist letting go of all she knows to be true rather than just ‘falling for a guy’. I can’t remember life before Fourth Wing.
i read mainly fantasy and but I also love romance subplots IN fantasy books so fourth wing was simply perfect to me because the plot was amazing!! and so was the romance imo
I did get it, and I also am in the camp of “nope! Not it!”. But I think that’s primarily because of my personal tastes, age, etc.
I think you can read a solid chunck of the beginning in the preview-feature Amazon has, so if you are actually interested, I would (and have) suggested to go over there and read it a bit.
That book was soo freaking bad
I loved Fourth Wing, but yes if you hate romance you’ll hate it.
You might be the best booktuber because we have entirely opposite tastes and I still vastly enjoy every video you make😂💀
I'm currently reading "Ink Blood Sister Scribe" and think it'll end up being one of my favorites of the year. I think you'd like it too - a book-based magic system, very atmospheric, well fleshed out characters, and an air of mystery with urban fantasy vibes!!
Your videos are so calming keep it up
Yeah Reading is not just enough". Take the action!
Put your newfound knowledge to use. I read for a long time but Action made my life change in no time ( generally and mostly financially)
That's my two cents on this
I agree with 100%
Action makes it work, no matter how little start and see the results come by.
I struggle to follow through, especially financially. I earn quite enough but hardly have a saving. Rent, bills, debt, expenses take it all away. It almost feels like I leave paycheck to paycheck
Live below your means, Adjust your lifestyle, be frugal in spending don't buy unnecessary stuff, Budget your spending and your debts, Save, Invest it's a better way to grow wealth, get a financial expert to help you.
Thanks
I hear hiring a financial coach is quite expensive but I will have a look at it.
I fully believe in Roshani Chokshi supremacy. The last tale of the flower bride is the best book I've ever read.....I read it 3 times and listened to the audiobook once 😂 I also loved yellowface and immortal Longings this year!!
The Priory of the Orange tree is my favourite book so far this year - what a beautiful, long, rich fantasy with just the right amount of tear-shedding romance.
Didn't expect The Serpent and the Wings of Night to be in your top 5! It was also the one that took me out of my reading slump and I unironically enjoyed every single bit of it, it's one of my favorite fantasy reads in years
It's funny because I hated the book. I just don't like her writing style and I really want to.
@@sakurablossoms94 understandable, and i think that's the fun of reading, hearing so many different opinions about the same book! :D
is it a slow burn? i need to get out of this slump
u know it’s a good day when leonie post 😊
i’m so glad you read the bell jar! it’s my favorite book and the way you explained it is exactly how i felt after i read it. my favorite part of the book was when esther spent three pages talking about different kinds of tubs she’d been in over the years and how taking a bath is therapeutic for her. :)
My favourite book of the year so far was The cruel prince 🥺Other 5 stars were Babel, Daisy Jones and the Six and Beach Read!
I really love your reviews, so honest and particular lovely, thank you so much for sharing! 💜
Seeing Legends and Lattes so low hurt a little bit, although I understand why it is not everyone's cup of tea (or in this case, coffee). For me the book was just what I needed tho
The Book of Night by Holly Black is my hands-down fave so far this year. I appreciate your perspective on her Fae books, as well. She's great with flawed main characters without going overboard. Thanks for your reviews. ❤ (I just realized it's a 2022 book, but still my fave I read this year)
I read "Come as you are" in my late twenties and it was a truly life-changing moment. Glad to see that you enjoyed it too!
The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi sounds perfect from your description, super excited to read it now
14:04 a moment to quote Kanye Wests surprisingly fitting line “shoot for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud”. Very accurately describes a lot of fantasy books I’ve read actually
So happy for this new video ❤❤❤
My favourite book of the year so far was actually Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, which is taking me by surprise because I have also had a great reading year so far and normally don't love 'classics' that much but this one just was so good. It's like a slightly gothic comedy..? And it is so fun, highly recommend!
One of my goals in life is to read at least half of the books that you have read. 🎉 They all sound so nice and cool and my taste 😊😊😊
My favourite books so far this year were Come as Your Are (picked it up because of you!) and Spinning silver, it's been a good book year for me and I think some of these in your list will be a good addition!
Your videos are so good thank you! 😄
My favorite books so far this year are Babel by R.F. Kuang and The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa. I’m currently reading Misery by Stephen King and I can already tell it’s going to to be one of my favorites.
Congrats on the sponsorship!!!! Love your vids, I love laughing w you
I ❤your unique take on everything…magical! Go ahead, write us a story!
The last scene from The Stolen Heir is still haunting me. And I’m also obsessed with fae now. I started with The Cruel Prince and have read everything I could find with horrible fae vibes. And I also, almost, bought myself fae/ elf ears for fun. But they were sold out. Lol!
can u tell me about stolen heir please as i can't bring myself to read it becaue i'm obsessed w the trilogy and NO ONE can replace jurdan and to think they won't be in the book is dissapointing😞
@@ritika9958I think they're going to be in the sequel to The Stolen Heir though, so might be worth reading at that!
@@cmm5542 in that case, i should read it, when does the sequel come out btw?
@@ritika9958 Honestly I felt the same, but it was comforting to know that the book was in the same universe and that even though there were new characters, and familiar ones, the story grabbed me just the same as the trilogy. While Jurdan is mentioned in this book, the characters in The Stolen Heir are just as interesting but have a new relationship dynamic to delve into. This is more Fae focused and less human, but I found myself quickly falling for the characters and seeing myself in them regardless. It may not have Jurdan, but it is a continuation of the Elfhame story and is well worth the read. Oak is in it, and he’s in the prior trilogy so there’s still a comfortable familiarity about it. It’s really very good. And I have a feeling that Jurdan will make an appearance in the sequel- don’t quote me on that, but it would make sense.
@@ritika9958 I think the sequel comes out early next year.
I love this list! I am so excited for Forest Bride
This is what I needed to see for my journey from work to home! ❤
Leonie love the candel looks dangerous wiggling in that holder.. hahah thank you fornyour reviewns love them!!!
Wooow loved to see my name theree 🤓❤ my favorite book this year was ninth house, but currently reading babel and loving it so much. I went to Amsterdam on June and bought The last tale of the flower bride because you recommended it so much!
Faves of the year:
Isles of the Gods- YA fantasy on a ship! ❤
Anne of Green Gables
So glad to hear a recommendation for a ~readable~ pirate fantasy!! I fell in love with that genre after reading the Liveship Trilogy by Robin Hobb.
My top five so far: "A woman is no men" by Etaf Rum, "Clytemnestra" by Constanza Casati, "Beartown" by Frederick Backman, "The gardan party" by Katherine Mansfield and "Small worlds" by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Your description of Amina Al-Sirafi was pretty spot-on. I loved it so much even with its flaws.
I was looking at my Goodreads account to see my 5 star reads and there were a lot. I wonder if I'm giving them out too easily, but if finish a book with a smile or a cozy feeling, or just emotional that's what I want in a book. Great video-loved the ears ☺
I also give 5s away too easily and later when I think about the book it has more of a 3 or 4 in my mind and am surprised to see how high I had graded it
I had to pause this video to go read Come as you are and I'm already 30 pages in! Such an interesting book
I like how brutally honest she is cause I don’t bull reviews and end up getting a book that’s actually not that good and was over hyped 😂
ah yesss, this was everything I needed!!
My library hold's list is getting so long!! My 5-star reads this year were both nonfiction: Unapologetic Eating by Alissa Rumsey and The Wellness Trap by Christy Harrison. My top fiction reads that I haven't decided on a rating for yet are Babel, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Arsenic & Adobo, and Standard Deviation.
my 5 star books of this year so far are: As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, Gideon the Ninth, Babel, Kaikeyi, His Dark Materials: Northern Lights, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow :)
The story about the darkling should have pictures of Ben Barnes in it 😂😅❤
lmao i would love that
He did the audiobook 😍
I’m not sure if you read “under the whispering door” by the author of “the house in the cerulean sea” but overall for me it was so emotionally impactful, and was probably my favorite book of the year.
L💗ove the thumbnail so much. Great video
I can't wait to hear your thoughts on The Left Hand of Darkness!! I literally dropped it after the first chapter the first time I tried it, but decided to give it a second chance. It became /my favorite book ever/. It always makes me shed a little tear at the end. Take your time to get into it and understand the set-up, and hope y'all enjoy!
I love the Howl's moving castle earrings omg!
I really loved Babel, Yellowface, and Red White and Royal Blue.
As long as Jude and Cardan get a mention, you know I'm gonna be here for it!
(Literally the only one I've read 😁)
Your videos are so good! I just started a book tube/outdoor channel. My first videos are pretty cringe… but excited to keep growing!
Your sense of humour is just everything 😂
I loveee when you do this videos 😍
Just ordered Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. After your review, I can’t wait to read it!
It's so good! Super cozy and gave me all the warm fuzzies.
The ending about the animals 😂😂😂😂😂
Manacled (which I read bc of you ❤️) and Piranesi are my 5 star reads so far this year!!!!
The list is missing Tentacle entanglement! I need to know where do you rank it 🤣
I've just finished the Ninth House and loved it, so thank you for the recommendation! I love your energy, the vibes of this video are immaculate
Just recently subscribed and currently binging. I'm really liking The Gilded Ones so far
I love this animated funny/sarcastic Leoni!
Recently started reading and found your channel fascinating. Subbed ! 💞💞
my favorite book of the year was Divine Rivals! i have never found characters who understood me on that level
As a cishet man who just read it in the past 2 months, EVERYBODY should read "Come as You Are"
Every video you make instantly becomes a favorite
my favorite book this year, and probably the best book I’ve ever read-is Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. it’s brilliantly human. I recommend everyone read it !
one of my favorite books this year so far is gideon the ninth!! i feel like you would really love it as well :) gideon is one of my favorite main characters to ever exist
soooo many good recs! i love poetary, on iction and fantasy, most of there are on my tbr now hahaha
Favourite book of the year so far was Project Hail Mary. This was closely followed by Lonely Castle in the Mirror
What a coincidence! Mine too. It was the first book I read this year and none can match it so far.
My favourite book of the year has to be Perks of being a wallflower. I loved the way it was written in plus the story keeps you intrigued so you might find yourself at 2am still reading. Also my second most favourite book from this year is Tommorow and tomorrow and tomorrow 💜
As always, great video!! I don't exactly know why, but I think you really would enjoy the duology State of Sorrow. I swear I don't see anyone reccomend it, and I'd love to see it be more appreciated!
Its good to hear someone not liking Fourth Wing, I haven't read it yet but always feel a little bit cautious when something is hyped so much! I might enjoy it more going into it knowing it might not be the best thing in the world
The expression on your face when you said “I am getting closer to turning my room into that of an old lady” was hilarious 😂 Also, this was the first video I have watched by you… and pretty sure we are literary twins 👯♀️!!! Yay!! I agree with everything you said about books we have both read!! Thank god!!
i’m so happy The Serpent and the Wings of Night ended up so high on your list
My favorite book of this year was Weyward by Emilia Hart. I think that's a book that you'll enjoy as well! It's about three generations of witches en how they break free of the men that clipped their wings. I was stunned.
I really loved Bitterthorn, it was super atmospheric, probably a new all time favourite for me! Also the love story was subtle and intimate... true that it had a great potential with what went on in the castle, the writer could have taken just a bit more time to exploit it more.
Now I'm reading The Marquise of Darkness by Catherine Hermary-Vieille, the life-story of a french marquise from the XVII century called Marie-Madeleine d'Aubray. It is no fantasy but I really love it.
After this I was planning to read The serpent and the wings of night, I can't wait
Wernher von Braun famously aimed for the stars, but hit London.
This year I've definitely made it my mission to read more nonfiction, and as a result my top ten list thus far is flooded with it lmao. Rn my top three (subject to change) is: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (did not expect to love a thriller nearly as much as I did that book), Ghost Image by Herve Guibert, and Martin and John by Dale Peck.
Omg this video is so honest and funny I love it so much thank you 🫶🏻
If you like pirate fantasy you should check out Tress of the Emerald Sea! It’s a part of the Cosmere universe but it totally works as a standalone book.
PS: I really like your videos :)
It is funny, i am almost finished with Fourth Wing. I enjoyed it. It came into my life at the perfect time, my mom had her knee replaced end of June, and is in a PT facility. My brain has been frazzled for the past 2 weeks, i know i couldnt have read anything that really needed my "grey matter." 😅
I read The Bell Jar shortly after I read Heather Clark’s biography of Plath, Red Comet. Highly recommend Red Comet, but it is a commitment. It aims to be a definitive biography of Plath and its relation to her art. So, not only is it massive, it is also not self-contained. It helps to read selections from her Collected Poems, The Bell Jar, and some of her stories as they are discussed. Reading The Bell Jar within the context of her life made her character more interesting for me than just a witty, demented Holden Caulfield in fashionable dresses.
I lovedd the house in the cerulean sea! My five star reads this year have been lessons in chemistry and the Daughter of the pirate queen (which i think youll really like, aka its a pirate fantasy sprinkled with a slow burn romance aha)
Legends & Lattes was such a 50/50 for me. On the one hand, the cosy feeling it gave me was lovely. I read it outside drinking coffee and the vibes was immaculate. I'm glad I read it. But on the other hand, the plot was kinda dull. SPOILER:
I really wanted the whole community to come together and rebuild Viv's home, but that didn't really happen and some of the wholesomeness was lost for me. ;-;
I don’t like coffee but I loved Legends and Lattes 😭
My favorite of the year is the new book of Stuart Tuton. He is the author of the 7 death of Evelyn Hardcastle and I just loooove how he writes
I think my favorite books this year is between the Black Company series (Glen Cook) or A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Honorable mention to Wrong Place Wrong Time for having probably the most exciting premise so far.