The way u explain books plots, paints such a clear picture and gives so much understanding while not actually spoiling anything, is amazing. U just explain good loll which I appreciate bc I'm so dyslexic and comprehending can be hard sometimes
Can you imagine if she actually came back two years from now and was like “The fact that I didn’t give Credence five stars was clownish, it was carnival behavior.” 😂 I would DIE. Just watching her read that book stressed me tf out bc I can’t believe that’s actually a thing that was written by a real person and that people actually liked. Just the quotes she read in the vlog have traumatized me for the last several months. So if she changed her rating on that one to a 5, I would absolutely lose my mind
Legendborn reignited my love for YA and Bloodmarked had me gasping each chapter. It was a rollercoaster and i need to reread it. I absolutely loved how Tracy used the reluctant chosen trope with Bree.
Completely agree with your comments about reading YA as an adult. I am 37 and absolutely love the reading experience that YA provides. I always peruse the YA shelves when I’m in B&N! Not sure why so many other people seem to have an issue with it…
This 100%. I always think it's weird that people think adults can't or shouldn't enjoy things made "for teens" or for kids. Do they not realize adults create that media?????
I cried twice during this video HAHA 1. Talking about What My Bones Know because as someone with CPTSD, this representation and commentary is super important. Representation in general is so so important. The quote KILLED me. 2. Babel, that's all I gotta say
"..first of all shut up...okay let me cook. let me do what i need to survive. " pop off! a good chunk of what i've been reading is ya and sometimes we need to scratch that inner child itch and when its done well ~chefs kiss
i GASPED when you mentioned circe and i gasped even louder when you read the two quotes because those are genuinely two of my favorites from that book!! i’ve read that book maybe 5 times, it’s such a well-crafted story of self-discovery, grief, and genuine feminine power and divinity that is so so cool to see especially in a mythological backdrop. circe is one of my favorite books for good reason!! so well written and so impactful 🤎
I just finished Project Hail Mary a few days ago because you recommended it in a previous video and OH MY GOD it's so good. I really really hope it becomes a movie as well. It single handedly put me back on a sci-fi kick and now I NEED to go back and reread The Martian!!
legendborn and bloodmarked are my favorite books ever written so knowing it’s one of of my favorite book tubers favorite series makes me so unbelievably happy
Love the diversity of books in your list! You always give such good recommendations, and describe the books so well without spoiling them. Can’t wait to add these to my TBR!
i almost sobbed during your summary of betty because my mother is also half cherokee, whose light in her difficult life was her father (a man i also adored growing up). definitely my next must-read.
you are the queen of youtube book reviews. No one else comes close. I spend far too much time listening to you and adding your recommendations to my good reads 'want to read' list! looking forward to the next video
I called Bloodmarked the Empire strikes back of books. Expanded the world, developed its themes, introduced great new characters and left off on a banger of a twist. It was so damn good
I love the diversity of your list. Babel and the Legendborn series were already on my TBR for this year. You've convinced me to read Circe and Betty-they sound fantastic!
Just finished this new, original collection of fairy tales, entitled 'Sillies, Fancies, and Trifles' - it was phenomenal and just perfect for the season. What's everyone else reading, I want some more recommendations to add to the lovely ones here. Keep up the beautiful videos :)
first of all i adore your content. you have the most beautiful way of explaining stories. second it’s killing me that uncle jake has been added to your wall collage
I would love a template for your notion book page! I'm getting super into Notion this year and have decided to organize my entire life on it lol. I love to see what people do with their notion
I've read many many books in my life and Circe is one of my top 5. I discovered your channel recently and have loved your reviews, your descriptions are always so well communicated and lovely! I can't wait to give all of these other books a try. Thank you!
literally finished listening to Beartown today and it was so intriguing like the switching between povs, the writing, the setting, the plot, the characters,,, i feel a strong urge to reread it bc i loved it sm
reading project hail mary right now due to your recommendation and am FLYING through it it’s so good!!! i also thought the dude-ish language was going to get annoying after reading the first few pages but the novelty wore off it ended up being part of the charm
Beartown is one of those books that you just want everyone to read. The characters were so 3 dimensional and the storyline when you describe it to someone sounds so simplistic but it had so much emotional depth. I read both of the sequels and although I enjoyed them both, the 3rd book brought me to tears at one point so be prepared, the 1st book still stands out in my brain a year and a half after reading it. Also congrats on your great videos, I'm a new subscriber.
i just read babel because you recommended it in another video and it was so excruciatingly painful and beautiful to read through. i could not put the book down, thank you lexi for the experience 😭😭
I so agree with your take on project hail mary! i love love love that book, and gave it as a gift to my brother for christmas this year. I also gifted my sister Legendborn and we are co-reading it now! Love ur takes, thank you so much for the joy you spread.
i loooved project hail mary so much and i went in with high expectations because the martian has been a top book of mine for years! definitely one of those books you don’t wanna put down
lexi I love you so much. my country rn is not going through the best time and i am so scared all the time 😀 but your videos help me forget it all and just think about good books, bless you!
i adore how you explain books. your recommendations are some of the only ones i regularly take because you can tell how much you love the books you talk about. i borrowed project hail mary from the library a couple weeks ago because you recommended it and i’ve been loving it, it’s also made me realize that i love sci-fi that’s rooted in reality. as for my favorites from 2023, i really loved when the angels left the old country, which is about a jewish angel and demon who leave their tiny village in search of a girl from said village. i listened to it on audiobook and loved it.
rip my tbr… the way you talk about books just truly convinces me that they must be worth reading immediately. Also between this and the dark academia blog you have convinced me to finally read babel!
The constellation quote! That was also one of my favourite circe quotes (if not my favourite one) and it's def the one that's stuck with me longest I love it
im currently reading beartown and taking my sweet time with it (its taking me weeeks) but im loving it. every moment it rips my heart out and stomps on it and i thank frekerick
I love watching videos like this, makes me wanna read more, and write like mini book reports on why I like my favourites. Also, I’m obsessed with that green sweater at the beginning, the embroidery is so pretty
Just wanted to thank you for the lead on using Notion. I've been searching a few years for something to collect my thoughts in and hadn't found anything that felt encompassing enough. Checked it out after watching your video and I think I'm hooked. Also, as a fellow Wisconsinite, hoping everything is survivable right now, with the immense amount of snow and brutal chill that is ravaging the landscape. Also a quick thank you for reading that travesty of a novel so that I don't have to.
Just discovered your channel and I'm super greatful! Not only had I not heard of any of these books before, but all of them I found on Libby and most even had an audiobook option! Can't wait to dive in on all of em!
betty absolutely ripped me to shreds and put me back together. i decided to read it as a plane read & not only was i sad about returning from seeing my family but also the last couple of chapters, I WAS A MESS. i read it through libby but i went out and bought a physical copy for my shelf bc it was just such a beautiful heart wrenching read :') will be picking up circe & what my bones know for sure!!! babel is already on my TBR, and you again is still on my bookshelf! loveeee all your recommendations
All your videos are so fun and just bring me such comfort!❤️ I love reading and I haven't in a loooong while and now I'm so excited to read all your recs!
Loved that you had Juniper & Thorn on the list. Ava Reid has 2 other books out that are so amazing and she’s coming out with a Lady Macbeth retelling this year! One of my new favorite authors for sure.
Soo excited to see Juniper and Thorn on this list - it's one of my all time favourites and totally agree its not a perfect book but the perfect for very particular reads! I hope it reaches more people.
I would LOVE to hear more about your tracking system!! My grandmom tracked her books for the last 20+ years of her life so i started at a young age, and a few years ago created my database with airtable (which i Love) but im always looking for upgrades. I also am getting back into reading rn in my mid 20s and your vids are magnificent and chock full of motivation😎👍
NO WAY I've had Betty on my physical tbr for so long and I've never heard anyone mention it. I've just known from the cover that I will LOVE it and that for some reason made me put it off lol. But after this, I HAVE to read it next.
I would love to hear more about books you know may not be great, but still have a real love for! Mine is The Spooks Apprentice/ Wardstone Chronicles, just because my younger self loved to read them in a day and no one else I know agrees.
I’ve added many of your recommendations to my TBR for this year! Can’t wait to read them. Your energy, spirit, and narrative detail are intoxicatingly entertaining! Love your channel 💕
I read both You, Again and Babel from earlier videos and can't thank you enough for adding those to my tbr!! I also just finished The Office of Historical Corrections at your reccomendation and was blown away. Really excited for another year of your content and recs! For some sci-fi recs: The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: very cozy vibes about a space crew of various species on a very long journey. It sorta felt like a sitcom to me where each chapter would introduce conflict but resolve it by the end and return to the status quo. It's fun to see how vastly different species learn to live and love together. The rest of the series explores side characters introduced in this one which makes for a very fun fleshed out universe. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky: One of my all time favorite books about a species of sentient spiders that accidentally evolved from the Terraforming antics of a turbulent far-future humanity. The writing is really beautiful, there's a paragraph about ants that I still think about years later, and reading about the evolution of this spider society is incredibly fun and interesting. The rest of the series is also quite good. Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang: a short story collection that includes the story that was adapted into the movie Arrival and was also the book that pulled me out of a multi-year reading slump. Ted Chiang explores concepts to their logical conclusion, like say the mechanics described in the Bible or how we as a species perceive time, in really fascinating ways. His other collection Exhalation is also amazing. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler: I read this one in February 2020 and it all felt very prescient. It's about a near future America (written in the early 90s so it's about the 2020s) ravaged by a pandemic, climate change, and ran by conservatives. It's about a girl who simply wants to protect her community and ultimately full of hope for what humanity can be. Really incredible writing and the sequel is also quite good.
hey! so 2 things. 1. can we have a tour of your book journal?? i am always looking for inspo and we are the same kind of chaotic. 2. how dare you make me cry twice in a book with just quotes. *aggressively adds to tbr*
Juniper and Thorn had me GAGGED!!!!!!! i have always been very partial to any fairy tale retellings and weird fucked up creepy shit and this NAILED it for me. I think about it constantly. Ava Reid is a master and I CANNOT wait for Lady Macbeth!!
Love your recs Lexi!! I read Babel per your recommendation and it literally changed me as a person. I'm reading Circe now with a friend and I ADORE Circe as a character so far. She's so wholesome and she must be protected at all costs 😭😭
Since you mentioned science fiction recs... i HAVE to plug Children of Time. Feels like the perfect use of sci-fi as a vehicle to reflect on timeless questions about humanity and also it made me cry over giant spiders.
I just finished Book Lovers based on your rec and LOVED it. Never felt more seen from a romance novel. Truly one for the “rough around the edges” girlies
Lexi - I can’t thank you enough for bringing What My Bones Know to my attention. My therapist recently brought up CPTSD to me and I hadn’t even thought to look for memoirs about it. I just happen to also watch your videos and for you to bring it up. I’ve never connected with a book more. Thank you so much for sharing it!
girl, when you were describing "You, Again" and "Act your Age, Eve Brown" I was SCREAMING at you to read Alone with You in the Ether by Olivie Blake!!!! It's the SAME vibes of imperfect unlikeable main characters, and it was my #1 favorite book this year
I’m not as much of a talented quick reader as you but I read Where the Crawdads Sing in the summer of 23 and I really enjoyed it. It’s beautifully written and you get very involved in the characters!
I’d never heard of Betty before seeing you talk about it, and I just read it. OH MY GOD. I sobbed and broke entirely. This book is so beautiful and heartbreaking and wowwowowow 5 stars. Landon’s character and soul is one of the most special I’ve ever read about. Thank you for introducing this book to me :’)
The way every review of Babel you said single handedly had me putting it on my wish list at the speed of light is insane. I started rewatching this video for the nth time last night, and my friend literally gifted Babel to me for Christmas today before I finished this video today! Thank you always for your bomb book reviews (and videos in general) as well as your fantastic book tastes! 🫶
The trust I have in your taste is incredible. The way over half of these were already on my TBR list because of your videos 😭😭 Babel and Tomorrow^3 are next on my list after I finish the poppy war trilogy (all of which I bought because of you). Keep up the great content I literally would not know what books to read if not for your tasteful opinions.
never had an inclination to read a memoir but GOD when you read that quote from What My Bones Know it hit my like a TRUCK. adding it to cart as we speak
you should make a video about how you made your notion spreadsheet !! i am obsessed with data and stats and i would love to be able to track my reads the way you do
No because the way that I also use reading to dissociate from thinking real thoughts. I love your channel dude, I shamelessly refreshed my subscribed list daily. Keep up the great content. ❤ Also I fucking LOVED juniper and thorn and I read it because of another one of your videos. Thank you!
Lexi, you made me want to read Circe when I swore I never would. As someone who was raised in Greece and grew up being taught greek mythology from a very young age in school I've never felt the need to read any retellings about it. They never interest me cause I know how the story goes yet your description of the book completely changed my mind.
awh i hope you love it! i would be interested to hear how your experience reading it is different than mine as someone who is more familiar with the original stories than i was. either way madeline really does put a lot of modern flair into the story so i think you will still get a lot out of it :)
@@newlynova I promise to come back to this video and let you know my thoughts (hopefully sometime this year). This will be my first retelling so it will be an interesting experience nonetheless :)
Girl, I'm so glad I found you! I've been binge watching your videos for the past week - I love your sense of humor and the passion with which you walk us through each book. I can't wait for your least favourite books video, I know I'm gonna laugh my ass off with that one.
I have to move Betty up my TBR immediately because you were so right with these top 10! I finished the Beartown trilogy early 2023, and I haven't stopped thinking about it. I've said it a million times to my sister and my book club, but it's just so absolutely true: Fredrik Backman understands humans better than anyone else on earth. He just does, he understands humans and human emotion in a way that I can't totally comprehend.
I always look forward to your videos and love how you talk about books. I picked up Beartown, What My Bones Know, and Betty from the library and am looking forward to reading them.
The way u explain books plots, paints such a clear picture and gives so much understanding while not actually spoiling anything, is amazing. U just explain good loll which I appreciate bc I'm so dyslexic and comprehending can be hard sometimes
♥️♥️♥️ thank you bestie
Yes! She’s really the best at what she does 📚
There's an author I started reading Susan Markloff who writes YA fantasy and does dyslexic versions of her books!
I have added almost everything she’s recommended to my tbr on goodreads because she is so convincing 😂
Bro believe me, you are not native english speaker but learned english by reading books, right?
Can't wait to see what number Credence is on the list!
Or Twisted Love ☠️
it’s #1 💀💀💀
of worst books maybe 💀@@balladofahomeschooledsongbird
@@UrRandomKiwi fr💀💀
Can you imagine if she actually came back two years from now and was like “The fact that I didn’t give Credence five stars was clownish, it was carnival behavior.” 😂 I would DIE.
Just watching her read that book stressed me tf out bc I can’t believe that’s actually a thing that was written by a real person and that people actually liked. Just the quotes she read in the vlog have traumatized me for the last several months. So if she changed her rating on that one to a 5, I would absolutely lose my mind
I LOVE how you describe books. I need to get my hands on Circe asap.
Yes! Circe was in my top 3 of last year
Your recap of Credence was TOTALLY worth not reaching your 2023 goal. It was EVERYTHING! Happy New Year!
the days lexi posts are the best days
girl thank you i've been obsessed with your channel and just have had your past videos on loop in the background while i do my silly little tasks
i relate to this and am honored to be your background noise 😭
Oh my gosh where is your cardigan/jumper from
@@newlynova oh my god... you have been my background noises too everytime i eat when i am not in the mood to call anyone
when you mentioned palestine my love for you instantly multiplied ... and Babel is my fav book for 2023
Babel was in my 5 star reads of this year as well!
I recommend it to help people understand discrimination.
I just unsubscribed. You do you.
@@56anniebwhy did you unsubscribe
Legendborn reignited my love for YA and Bloodmarked had me gasping each chapter. It was a rollercoaster and i need to reread it. I absolutely loved how Tracy used the reluctant chosen trope with Bree.
Completely agree with your comments about reading YA as an adult. I am 37 and absolutely love the reading experience that YA provides.
I always peruse the YA shelves when I’m in B&N! Not sure why so many other people seem to have an issue with it…
This 100%. I always think it's weird that people think adults can't or shouldn't enjoy things made "for teens" or for kids. Do they not realize adults create that media?????
I cried twice during this video HAHA 1. Talking about What My Bones Know because as someone with CPTSD, this representation and commentary is super important. Representation in general is so so important. The quote KILLED me. 2. Babel, that's all I gotta say
both of those books just absolutely cleaved me in two 😭 no shame in crying
Ma’am… WHY IS UNCLE JAKE STILL ON YOUR WALL😭😭😭😭😭
LOL STOPPPPP 😂😂😂
"..first of all shut up...okay let me cook. let me do what i need to survive. " pop off! a good chunk of what i've been reading is ya and sometimes we need to scratch that inner child itch and when its done well ~chefs kiss
i GASPED when you mentioned circe and i gasped even louder when you read the two quotes because those are genuinely two of my favorites from that book!! i’ve read that book maybe 5 times, it’s such a well-crafted story of self-discovery, grief, and genuine feminine power and divinity that is so so cool to see especially in a mythological backdrop. circe is one of my favorite books for good reason!! so well written and so impactful 🤎
I just finished Project Hail Mary a few days ago because you recommended it in a previous video and OH MY GOD it's so good. I really really hope it becomes a movie as well. It single handedly put me back on a sci-fi kick and now I NEED to go back and reread The Martian!!
I’ve been putting off buying this book, but now I’m dying to read it
Immediately clicks and immediately adds all these books to my TBR : I trust lexis recommendations wholeheartedly ❤
legendborn and bloodmarked are my favorite books ever written so knowing it’s one of of my favorite book tubers favorite series makes me so unbelievably happy
"I ranked them because I'm not a coward" i SCREAMED 😭🤌🏼
Love the diversity of books in your list! You always give such good recommendations, and describe the books so well without spoiling them. Can’t wait to add these to my TBR!
i almost sobbed during your summary of betty because my mother is also half cherokee, whose light in her difficult life was her father (a man i also adored growing up). definitely my next must-read.
you are the queen of youtube book reviews. No one else comes close. I spend far too much time listening to you and adding your recommendations to my good reads 'want to read' list! looking forward to the next video
I called Bloodmarked the Empire strikes back of books. Expanded the world, developed its themes, introduced great new characters and left off on a banger of a twist. It was so damn good
I love the diversity of your list. Babel and the Legendborn series were already on my TBR for this year. You've convinced me to read Circe and Betty-they sound fantastic!
Just finished this new, original collection of fairy tales, entitled 'Sillies, Fancies, and Trifles' - it was phenomenal and just perfect for the season. What's everyone else reading, I want some more recommendations to add to the lovely ones here. Keep up the beautiful videos :)
first of all i adore your content. you have the most beautiful way of explaining stories. second it’s killing me that uncle jake has been added to your wall collage
AHHH reading Betty now because of your rec and .... WOW. I love it so much. How have I not heard more about this book?!?!?
I would love a template for your notion book page! I'm getting super into Notion this year and have decided to organize my entire life on it lol. I love to see what people do with their notion
Wake up, Lexi posted a new video!!!
U inspire me to get back into reading! And your recommendations/ recap of books are everything
I've read many many books in my life and Circe is one of my top 5. I discovered your channel recently and have loved your reviews, your descriptions are always so well communicated and lovely! I can't wait to give all of these other books a try. Thank you!
literally finished listening to Beartown today and it was so intriguing like the switching between povs, the writing, the setting, the plot, the characters,,, i feel a strong urge to reread it bc i loved it sm
reading project hail mary right now due to your recommendation and am FLYING through it it’s so good!!! i also thought the dude-ish language was going to get annoying after reading the first few pages but the novelty wore off it ended up being part of the charm
yesss i am so glad you are loving it!!
Beartown is one of those books that you just want everyone to read. The characters were so 3 dimensional and the storyline when you describe it to someone sounds so simplistic but it had so much emotional depth. I read both of the sequels and although I enjoyed them both, the 3rd book brought me to tears at one point so be prepared, the 1st book still stands out in my brain a year and a half after reading it.
Also congrats on your great videos, I'm a new subscriber.
I wish we could all go back in time so lexi could be our high school english teacher 🥹
i just read babel because you recommended it in another video and it was so excruciatingly painful and beautiful to read through. i could not put the book down, thank you lexi for the experience 😭😭
I so agree with your take on project hail mary! i love love love that book, and gave it as a gift to my brother for christmas this year. I also gifted my sister Legendborn and we are co-reading it now! Love ur takes, thank you so much for the joy you spread.
i loooved project hail mary so much and i went in with high expectations because the martian has been a top book of mine for years! definitely one of those books you don’t wanna put down
why is there a divorce tier list in the back? help
Lol ik that this is ten months late, but it's from her TikTok page if you're still curious
lexi I love you so much. my country rn is not going through the best time and i am so scared all the time 😀 but your videos help me forget it all and just think about good books, bless you!
🫶
i adore how you explain books. your recommendations are some of the only ones i regularly take because you can tell how much you love the books you talk about. i borrowed project hail mary from the library a couple weeks ago because you recommended it and i’ve been loving it, it’s also made me realize that i love sci-fi that’s rooted in reality. as for my favorites from 2023, i really loved when the angels left the old country, which is about a jewish angel and demon who leave their tiny village in search of a girl from said village. i listened to it on audiobook and loved it.
You do such a good job hyping up books! Feeling very motivated for some of these on this years tbr. Thank you!
rip my tbr… the way you talk about books just truly convinces me that they must be worth reading immediately. Also between this and the dark academia blog you have convinced me to finally read babel!
Circe was one of my faves of 2023 and made my GOAT list!! Loooove the way you summarized it!!
The constellation quote! That was also one of my favourite circe quotes (if not my favourite one) and it's def the one that's stuck with me longest I love it
Yessss I've been waiting for Lexi's favorite books of 2023!!! TYSM for this!! 😆🥰🥰
im currently reading beartown and taking my sweet time with it (its taking me weeeks) but im loving it. every moment it rips my heart out and stomps on it and i thank frekerick
I love watching videos like this, makes me wanna read more, and write like mini book reports on why I like my favourites. Also, I’m obsessed with that green sweater at the beginning, the embroidery is so pretty
Circe and Legendborn are both sitting on my bookshelf currently and this video single-handedly convinced me to add them to my TBR for this year 😅❤
Just wanted to thank you for the lead on using Notion. I've been searching a few years for something to collect my thoughts in and hadn't found anything that felt encompassing enough. Checked it out after watching your video and I think I'm hooked. Also, as a fellow Wisconsinite, hoping everything is survivable right now, with the immense amount of snow and brutal chill that is ravaging the landscape.
Also a quick thank you for reading that travesty of a novel so that I don't have to.
The way I popped up my head and sat a bit straighter when you said "Swedish man"😂 I'm happy I am able to read Beartown in Swedish, Björnstad
Just discovered your channel and I'm super greatful! Not only had I not heard of any of these books before, but all of them I found on Libby and most even had an audiobook option! Can't wait to dive in on all of em!
betty absolutely ripped me to shreds and put me back together. i decided to read it as a plane read & not only was i sad about returning from seeing my family but also the last couple of chapters, I WAS A MESS. i read it through libby but i went out and bought a physical copy for my shelf bc it was just such a beautiful heart wrenching read :') will be picking up circe & what my bones know for sure!!! babel is already on my TBR, and you again is still on my bookshelf! loveeee all your recommendations
So glad I found your channel, your reviews are so spot on for my reading taste. You explain the books so well without giving them away!
All your videos are so fun and just bring me such comfort!❤️ I love reading and I haven't in a loooong while and now I'm so excited to read all your recs!
Loved that you had Juniper & Thorn on the list. Ava Reid has 2 other books out that are so amazing and she’s coming out with a Lady Macbeth retelling this year! One of my new favorite authors for sure.
Soo excited to see Juniper and Thorn on this list - it's one of my all time favourites and totally agree its not a perfect book but the perfect for very particular reads! I hope it reaches more people.
I would LOVE to hear more about your tracking system!! My grandmom tracked her books for the last 20+ years of her life so i started at a young age, and a few years ago created my database with airtable (which i Love) but im always looking for upgrades. I also am getting back into reading rn in my mid 20s and your vids are magnificent and chock full of motivation😎👍
I’m so happy you loved You, Again. They were messy but I loved them so much!!!! us bi girls needed that
fr 🔥 life! is! messy!
NO WAY I've had Betty on my physical tbr for so long and I've never heard anyone mention it. I've just known from the cover that I will LOVE it and that for some reason made me put it off lol. But after this, I HAVE to read it next.
it is so good 😭 i wish it got more hype on socials but it is such a heavy book that i get it
That Betty quote gave me chills 28:24
I would love to hear more about books you know may not be great, but still have a real love for! Mine is The Spooks Apprentice/ Wardstone Chronicles, just because my younger self loved to read them in a day and no one else I know agrees.
the way you hit the nail on the head : eve brown, (legendborn) bloodmarked!!! i love these books and you described them perfectly
I’ve added many of your recommendations to my TBR for this year! Can’t wait to read them. Your energy, spirit, and narrative detail are intoxicatingly entertaining! Love your channel 💕
I read both You, Again and Babel from earlier videos and can't thank you enough for adding those to my tbr!! I also just finished The Office of Historical Corrections at your reccomendation and was blown away. Really excited for another year of your content and recs!
For some sci-fi recs:
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: very cozy vibes about a space crew of various species on a very long journey. It sorta felt like a sitcom to me where each chapter would introduce conflict but resolve it by the end and return to the status quo. It's fun to see how vastly different species learn to live and love together. The rest of the series explores side characters introduced in this one which makes for a very fun fleshed out universe.
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky: One of my all time favorite books about a species of sentient spiders that accidentally evolved from the Terraforming antics of a turbulent far-future humanity. The writing is really beautiful, there's a paragraph about ants that I still think about years later, and reading about the evolution of this spider society is incredibly fun and interesting. The rest of the series is also quite good.
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang: a short story collection that includes the story that was adapted into the movie Arrival and was also the book that pulled me out of a multi-year reading slump. Ted Chiang explores concepts to their logical conclusion, like say the mechanics described in the Bible or how we as a species perceive time, in really fascinating ways. His other collection Exhalation is also amazing.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler: I read this one in February 2020 and it all felt very prescient. It's about a near future America (written in the early 90s so it's about the 2020s) ravaged by a pandemic, climate change, and ran by conservatives. It's about a girl who simply wants to protect her community and ultimately full of hope for what humanity can be. Really incredible writing and the sequel is also quite good.
every time i see someone read the office of historical corrections because of me i feel like an angel gets its wings. i am SO GLAD you loved it
hey! so 2 things. 1. can we have a tour of your book journal?? i am always looking for inspo and we are the same kind of chaotic. 2. how dare you make me cry twice in a book with just quotes. *aggressively adds to tbr*
no way, i was just looking for a good book-related video to watch while eating dinner and this got uploaded just when i refreshed yt, bless!!
you just got a new subscriber! You're so fun to listen to and have thoroughly convinced me to read all of these books!
Juniper and Thorn had me GAGGED!!!!!!! i have always been very partial to any fairy tale retellings and weird fucked up creepy shit and this NAILED it for me. I think about it constantly. Ava Reid is a master and I CANNOT wait for Lady Macbeth!!
Love your recs Lexi!! I read Babel per your recommendation and it literally changed me as a person. I'm reading Circe now with a friend and I ADORE Circe as a character so far. She's so wholesome and she must be protected at all costs 😭😭
Since you mentioned science fiction recs... i HAVE to plug Children of Time. Feels like the perfect use of sci-fi as a vehicle to reflect on timeless questions about humanity and also it made me cry over giant spiders.
Our book interests don't often overlap and I probably won't read any of these but I love listening to you talk about books.
I've been trying to hype myself up to read Betty, so hearing how much you love it made me really excited!
I just finished Book Lovers based on your rec and LOVED it. Never felt more seen from a romance novel. Truly one for the “rough around the edges” girlies
Lexi - I can’t thank you enough for bringing What My Bones Know to my attention. My therapist recently brought up CPTSD to me and I hadn’t even thought to look for memoirs about it. I just happen to also watch your videos and for you to bring it up. I’ve never connected with a book more. Thank you so much for sharing it!
girl, when you were describing "You, Again" and "Act your Age, Eve Brown" I was SCREAMING at you to read Alone with You in the Ether by Olivie Blake!!!! It's the SAME vibes of imperfect unlikeable main characters, and it was my #1 favorite book this year
I read Betty because of your recommendation and Tiffany McDaniel is now my favourite author ❤
Ugh, if you love a clever book, I recommend Ella Minnow Pea. You can read it in a day and the pay off at the end is so gratifying!
I’m not as much of a talented quick reader as you but I read Where the Crawdads Sing in the summer of 23 and I really enjoyed it. It’s beautifully written and you get very involved in the characters!
I’d never heard of Betty before seeing you talk about it, and I just read it. OH MY GOD. I sobbed and broke entirely. This book is so beautiful and heartbreaking and wowwowowow 5 stars. Landon’s character and soul is one of the most special I’ve ever read about. Thank you for introducing this book to me :’)
🫶 this is my favorite book to hear that people read off of my recommendation - i am so glad you loved it as much as me
Love your sweater with the moon and leaves stitching
i've been in a reading slump but i ran to check out "you again" from my library. thank you!
The way every review of Babel you said single handedly had me putting it on my wish list at the speed of light is insane. I started rewatching this video for the nth time last night, and my friend literally gifted Babel to me for Christmas today before I finished this video today! Thank you always for your bomb book reviews (and videos in general) as well as your fantastic book tastes! 🫶
I have been curious about Juniper and Thorn but you have just completely sold me on it!
i just wanted to say that i've just discovered your channel and i'm obsessed!!! a queen of immaculate taste
I'm about 54% of the way through Betty right now! Put it on hold at the library largely because by your recommendation. Its hypnotic so far.
the way you describe things is so magical
i picked up legendborn in 2023 and it became one of my favourite books of the year, im so excited to pick up bloodmarked
The trust I have in your taste is incredible. The way over half of these were already on my TBR list because of your videos 😭😭 Babel and Tomorrow^3 are next on my list after I finish the poppy war trilogy (all of which I bought because of you). Keep up the great content I literally would not know what books to read if not for your tasteful opinions.
Betty was also my fave book of the year, so I’ve added ALL of the other books of your top of 2023 to my TBR ❤
never had an inclination to read a memoir but GOD when you read that quote from What My Bones Know it hit my like a TRUCK. adding it to cart as we speak
immediately subbed after i saw eve brown and legendborn. you have immaculate taste ✨
something about the way you read out quotes and explained foo’s memoirs was just so intimate and raw and AH you’re so amazing
you should make a video about how you made your notion spreadsheet !! i am obsessed with data and stats and i would love to be able to track my reads the way you do
No because the way that I also use reading to dissociate from thinking real thoughts. I love your channel dude, I shamelessly refreshed my subscribed list daily. Keep up the great content. ❤
Also I fucking LOVED juniper and thorn and I read it because of another one of your videos. Thank you!
Lexi, you made me want to read Circe when I swore I never would. As someone who was raised in Greece and grew up being taught greek mythology from a very young age in school I've never felt the need to read any retellings about it. They never interest me cause I know how the story goes yet your description of the book completely changed my mind.
awh i hope you love it! i would be interested to hear how your experience reading it is different than mine as someone who is more familiar with the original stories than i was. either way madeline really does put a lot of modern flair into the story so i think you will still get a lot out of it :)
@@newlynova I promise to come back to this video and let you know my thoughts (hopefully sometime this year). This will be my first retelling so it will be an interesting experience nonetheless :)
god hearing you talk about babel makes me want to reread it. i love that book with my whole heart 😫
Girl, I'm so glad I found you! I've been binge watching your videos for the past week - I love your sense of humor and the passion with which you walk us through each book. I can't wait for your least favourite books video, I know I'm gonna laugh my ass off with that one.
Circe will be a book I go back to again and again. It's wondrous in print, and the audio version is fantastic. Great list!
i got really into audiobooks last year, and I am obsessed with the book Thank You For Listening. I would highly recommend.
I have to move Betty up my TBR immediately because you were so right with these top 10! I finished the Beartown trilogy early 2023, and I haven't stopped thinking about it. I've said it a million times to my sister and my book club, but it's just so absolutely true: Fredrik Backman understands humans better than anyone else on earth. He just does, he understands humans and human emotion in a way that I can't totally comprehend.
I always look forward to your videos and love how you talk about books. I picked up Beartown, What My Bones Know, and Betty from the library and am looking forward to reading them.