🤩 These are the best books I read in 2023 | ⭐5 star books!⭐
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- Опубліковано 7 чер 2024
- Hello, bookworm! 📚🐛 I'm thrilled to share with you these 11 incredible books from my 2023 reads that shook me to my core. Have you read any of them? Or are you planning to read any of them? Do let me know in the comments so we can exchange views and swap recommendations. Happy reading!
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Chapters:
00:00 Hello, bookworm
00:46 classic fantasy
02:26 meditative novella
04:07 moving memoir
05:09 comedic horror
06:27 perilous fiction
08:08 Your thoughts?
08:20 Greek myth retelling
09:36 feminist thriller
11:14 classic in the making
13:05 Prepare your TBR
13:17 stellar sci-fi
14:22 historical fiction
16:38 southern Gothic
18:51 Happy reading!
#hellobookworm #bookworm #books #booktube #bookish #reading #amreading #bookcommunity #bestbooks #topreads #bestoftheyear #orbital #motherthing #spare #demoncopperhead #thevasterwilds #bookcommunity #reading #kingofelflandsdaughter #thebanditqueens #stoneblind #thesummerthatmeltedeverything #tiffanymcdaniel #projecthailmary #mustreads #allthelightwecannotsee - Розваги
I intentionally poke fun at the presence of a certain **cough** memoir on this list because I know it could ruffle some feathers, and what does UA-cam do but select to feature it in the video's preview. 😭😭😭 May the book gods forgive me for wanting to talk about how painfully relatable it is for me to read about being estranged from one's family. 🥺🙏📚
I am obsessed with the fact that Andy Weir can write such complex science fiction but still make it super compelling and understandable to almost anyone. It's incredible!
I wholeheartedly agree!
The ending was not great, could of been better
@@armincoric2529 Sounds like it was a miss for you. How unfortunate! But I hope you've moved on to a new book (or books!) that you find more satisfying. Happy reading!
Anthony Doerr's newer book, Cloud Cuckoo Land, is also terrific. You might say, it "melted" me.
🐛Ooh, you're the second person to mention that book. I was curious about it before, but now I'm especially keen to find it. I've been looking for anything by Doerr when I venture out to the used bookstore but haven't found anything but All the Light. Hopefully, I'll find a copy of this one soon. 😏📚
So enjoy listening to your channel. Your descriptions of these books caused me to add a few to my booklist…and some I probably would not otherwise have considered.
I'm so happy to hear that, Judy. I hope you enjoy the books you chose to add to your TBR. Do pop back and let me know when you've read them. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Happy reading!☺
Great list! And delighted to see you back on book tube.
Thank you 🥰
So glad to see you're back!! Yay!!!🥳
Thank you! 🥰
Your amazing video melted my heart. I’m afraid I love listening to ppl gush about excellent books-so much so that I have a library in my house. 📚📚
Happy New Year!
🐛Well, there's nothing wrong with having lots of great reads to look forward to. Happy New Year! 🥳
I love the diversity of your recommendations. You could say I melted 😊
🐛I'm so glad to hear that, Mark! ☺
Beautiful descriptions. Many of.these I read and felt the same about.
Adding The Summer That Melted Everything to my TBR .
That's wonderful news, Julie. I hope you'll come back and share your thoughts on the book with me once you've read it. Any top reads from 2023 that you'd recommend I check out?
Melted! I have so enjoyed the descriptions of your favorite reads and the beautiful hardback copies of those books. Looking forward to following you this year because you are new to me! ( and yes, I enjoyed Spare…there is truth in those pages, media certainly enjoys a voyeur view but this book expressed such pain but also a joy in finding a path to endure.)
🐛What a lovely comment, Jeanette! Welcome, and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Spare. Happy reading!
Your description of "Motherthing" made me so intrigued! I'll definitely read it soon!
I'm so glad to hear that! Do come back and let me know your thoughts on the book once you finish reading it. Cheers!
Hannah, it's so wonderful to see a review video from you again! I loved Groff's story collection Delicate, Edible Birds. I still can't get over the fact that The Bandit Queens was a debut. I didn't read all the other books on the list, but I agree, it should have been on the short list. I read All the Light We Cannot See a few years ago and was surprised how much I loved it--I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the hype. Putting Orbital, Mothering, Project Hail Mary, and The Summer That Melted Everything on my TBR. Melted!
🐛Thank you, Priscilla! So many wonderful reads await you. I hope you'll share your thoughts on the books with me once you get around to reading them. Cheers!
I forgot to ask: Did you watch the Netflix adaptation of All the Light We Cannot See? I did, and I have thoughts I chose not to share in this video. lol
I melted seeing a video from you pop up.
I added Elfland, Orbital and Motherthing to my list.
A rec I can give you is my current read: Remarkably Bright Creatures. All I'll say is a widow and an Octopus. I'm deeply entrenched right now.
🐛Oh my goodness, Roxy, you have absolutely piqued my interest with that book tease. I'm going to look it up right now (thank you so much for the recommendation)!
Do you have a top read from last year you want to share?
The Women's Prize Longlist had so many good reads last year, I loved Bandit Queens and Stone Blind too. I've read and enjoyed Goldeline so I've added The Vaster Wilds to my TBR! (oh and melted!)
🐛I'm tempted to declare that last year's Women's Prize longlist is the best they've ever had. So, so, so many good books. I had quite a few four star reads from that. And there were a few that didn't work for me, but they nonetheless stirred elicited a strong reaction from me, and for that I was grateful.
I'm so excited for you to read The Vaster Wilds. Please let me know your thoughts on it the book once you get a chance to read it.
Are there any top books from your 2023 reading that you'd recommend?
I always find at least one book on the Women's Prize Longlist that I wouldn't have picked up if not for the list and I'm so glad I did. Nearly all the books I read in 2023 that I would recommend are on the WP longlist! But I finally got around to Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and that was another hit for me. I love his writing so much. @@hellobookworm
This list melted my TBR 🫠📚
🐛Which book will you pick up first? Any best reads from your 2023 reading that you would recommend?
MELTED! 🙂Wow -- great video; I'm so glad you're back on UA-cam!! My favorites from 2023 were Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson and Island Magic by Elizabeth Goudge. I also discovered the joy of rereading in 2023. All the Lights We Cannot See is now pushed way up on my TBR. Thank you!
🐛Thank you, Michael. I'm so glad to hear All the Light got bumped up your TBR. Please pop back once you've read it and let me know your thoughts on the book. Cheers!
Melted!
Hi, Hannah! Another great video! I hope you are adjusting to your first Midwest winter. We are expecting single-digit temps here in the Saint Louis area this weekend, so we've got our hot cocoa, blankets, and Netflix on standby.
I have not yet read any of the books you covered, but as usual, you've forced me to add to my long list of TBR. They all sound amazing. The best books I read (listened to) last year were The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Lone Women by Victor LaValle, and Legion by Brandon Sanderson. I also listened to King's It, which I've read in print twice, and The Dead Zone, once, which were even better in audio.
I'm looking forward to the next video. Ciao!
🐛Many thanks for those kind words! ☺ Sounds like you'll be nice and cozy for the single digit weather. I'm currently snowed in with several feet on the ground and singled digits on the horizon as well (starting on Sunday, the nightly low is forecasted to be negative temperatures for a week straight).
I'm so glad you found books on this list that intrigued you. When you get time to read them, I hope you'll pop back and share your thoughts on them with me. In the meantime, stay warm!
Motherthing is one of my favourites of the year too! So glad to hear someone else talk about; her new book Normal Women is going to be my next read and I can't wait. I'm very interested in The King of Elfland's Daughter now, and I'm not normally a fantasy reader (but I'm a Robin Hobb gunkie tho), so do you think someone like me would get along with it?
I've seen and loved Leena Norm's Spare video, but how you talked about it has actually made me want to read it myself; I think we can all especially use some TLC after the holidays.
Reading an author's books in chronological order is one of my favourite projects to do as a reader 😅 All the Light we Cannot See and The Summer That 'Melted' Everything have definitely been moved up on my TBR list 😊
🐛Hmm... I haven't read Robin Hobb, but my impression of those books is that they're more commercial than Lord Dunsany's work (Elfland was published in 1924, and it shows in the writing style). I would suggest perusing the opening pages of Elfland before committing.
I'm happy to hear that my take on Harry's book sparked some intrigue. I was hesitant to include it in this video, but it truly was one of the most moving books of my 2023 reads. I think a lot of people are struggling with being estranged from their family these days, and I appreciate how Spare brings all the inner turmoil related to that experience into the limelight for a broad audience to consider.
Are there any authors whose work you've read in order that you'd leap to recommend? (Should I presume Robin Hobb is one of them? 😉)
Please let me know if you read All the Light or The Summer That Melted. I'd love to know your thoughts on the books. 🤗📚
Happy New Year! I just purchased Lauren Groff's "The Vaster Wilds" on your recommendation. Cheers!
What wonderful news! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Do let me know what you think of it after you've finished exploring its pages. Happy New Year, and happy reading!
@@hellobookworm To be honest I absolutely loved it. without your recommendation it wouldn't have been on my radar at all. Thank you!
@@Naamtok Oh my goodness, that is amazing to hear! I'm absolutely delighted that you loved The Vaster Wilds. Thank you so much for coming back to share your thoughts with me. ☺
Hannah, I could honestly listen to you describe just about anything! You could get me to read the phone book. What a fantastic tippy-top list! I'll be adding most of these to my TBR. I'm reading The Vaster Wilds at the moment. Speaking of Summer That Melted Everything, I've started reading this several times and had trouble getting into it, but it sounds so much like something I'd love. I'm going to take this as my sign to give it another go.
My runners-up for fave book of the year were I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid, What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, and Bunny and Rouge by Mona Away (so your description of Mother Thing was very compelling!). I was so surprised that Mona Awad wasn't my tippy-top fave, but I had to give that to Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield. It was just so stunning and incredible to me.
This comment made me smile and laugh; thanks for that! I completely understand where you're coming from with Summer That Melted. In fact, it took me about four chapters to be hooked by it (I really wish I'd mentioned that in my video). It starts a smidge slow, but McDaniels proceeds to weave increasingly complex layers into the story, crafting a rich narrative tapestry. It really is an incredible book. And that ending. Whew!
I read Our Wives Under the Sea in 2023 and it was such a memorable reading experience for me. It's one of those books that has stayed on my mind since I finished it, and I can see myself reading it again, more slowly, at some future date. And oh how I love Bunny by Mona Awad! That book is a trip!
I haven't heard of the other two books you mentioned, so I'll look them up. Thanks for sharing your top reads!
Lovin’ the cat condo.😸
Thanks! Nothing but the best for my queens.
😸😸
I’m going to read your no.1! If it’s just as good as your previous recommendation (Strange, the Dreamer), then I’ll have a great read!
How thrilling, Leo! I'd venture to say it's just as memorable as Strange and deeply impactful too, though tonally it's a whole different ballgame. I'd absolutely love to know what you think of it after you finish the book. Happy reading!
This video was absolutely EVERYTHING. I had missed you here.
I have been looking forward to read Matrix by Lauren Groff, so I was so happy to see another book by her here! Also, you 100% convinced me to go read The bandit queens, so thank you for that :D
I have yet to upload by best books of 2023 video BUT at the top I have Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson and - coincidentally - I think it's a fantasy book you'd love!
It's so exciting that you have a channel! I just subscribed. 🤩I'm thrilled that you're going to read The Bandit Queens (it's so, so good). Please come back and let me know your thoughts once you finish it.
Tress of the Emerald Sea does sound amazing (Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy is one of my all time favorites).
I'm looking forward to your Best Books of 2023 video. Cheers!
I believe you have sold me on a few titles in this video. I would love to read The Summer That Melted Everything and Project Hail Mary. I also have Demon Copperhead on audio, that I plan to begin this weekend. So happy you read so many hits! Melted 💚
🐛Oh my goodness, you have so many great reads on the horizon. I hope you'll come back and share your thoughts once you've finished exploring their pages. Happy reading, bookworm!
I am pushing all of these up on my TBR! So wonderful hearing back from you! I'm Kristine, writing from Boston MA! @@hellobookworm
@@kaortega1120 Very nice to meet you, Kristine! Thank you so much for sharing your bookish journey with me. It's such fun to share something I love with like-minded people. Cheers!
I've been watching and enjoying your videos. I came over on Shelly's recommendation. Subscribed. 😊❤📚 Loved The Vaster Wilds!! I just grabbed Demon Copperhead on Libby, thanks!!
Shelly's a sweetheart! Thank you for stopping by and for subscribing. 🥰
Melted! Added several of these to my TBR. The only one that I have already read is Demon Copperhead, and that was my favourite read of 2023.
🐛Amazing! It's great to meet another fan of Demon Copperhead. ☺
I hope you enjoy the books you added to your TBR. Please pop back and share your thoughts once you read them; I'd love to know which ones are a hit.
I so appreciate your presentation of Hail Mary and the idea that some books are best approached knowing very little and not bringing expectations. I felt that way about a book called Adrift by Brideau (my FAVE book of 2023) - it's kind of climate fiction, but it blends a bunch of genres and does some unexpected things and... I just loved it and think it's best enjoyed if you don't go in thinking it fits into any publishing box. (melted!) ♥
🐛Ooh, I haven't heard of Adrift. I just took a look at the first sentence of the blurb and was instantly intrigued. I won't ready any more about it for now (I want to be surprised!). I'll be keeping an eye out for it next time I peruse my favorites used bookstores. Thanks for the recommendation!
Oh I hope you find a copy & enjoy it!! ❤❤@@hellobookworm
I loved Bandit Queens too! So good ☺️
I found your channel yesterday and subscribed. I'm enjoying the videos so far. I'll pass on Harry's memoir, but I've added a couple of these books to my TBR.
Two of my favorites from last year are At Swim Two Birds and The Third Policeman. Both by Flann O'Brien. I admit they won't be everyone's cup of tea, though.
P.S. Melted.
🐛Thank you for subscribing! I'm so glad you found some books to add to your TBR.
I've never heard of Flann O'Brien but will take a look at their books. Thanks for sharing some of your favorites from last year. Happy reading!
I just can’t get over how well spoken you are! You make me want to pick up a dictionary and learn some new words 😁
Needless to say, you’ve convinced me to read all of these! Project Hail Mary has been on my list of a while, but if you think it’s comparable to Dark Matter I know I need to bump it up!
I absolutely loved All the Light We Cannot See when I read it a few years back. I think I need to revisit it soon. And if you think The Summer That *Melted* Everything is even better… I MUST read it!
🐛What a flattering comment. Thank you so much! 💚 I'm so excited for you to experience Project Hail Mary (go for the audiobook if you can!), and I can't wait for you to read The Summer That Melted Everything. Please let me know your thoughts on the books once you've finished them. Happy reading!
@@hellobookworm I absolutely will!
Hi! I’m slowly catching up with your videos. I’m being very picky with the books I add to my TBR. I already ordered The Bondswoman’s Narrative, so I was determined not to add any, but then you talked about Project Hail Mary, and it got me curious, so I added it. Then you talked about All the light we cannot see, which I already had in my TBR, but I was not so sure so now I just confirmed my order, and then I added The Summer that everything MELTED, because it sounds so interesting!
My favorite books of 2023 are Momo by Michael Ende (reread with my kids) and Cronopios and Famas by Julio Cortázar ( I wouldn’t know if the English translation is really good, but it’s a great book)
Thanks for the recommendations!
Lu
🐛Thank you for sharing your book journey with me, Lu. This comment made me smile multiple times. I love discovering books to be excited about, and you've chosen so many good ones. I can't wait to hear what you think of them! Any idea which book you'll pick up and read first?
@@hellobookworm yes! The Bondwoman’s Narrative will arrive in 3 weeks, so I’ll start with that one!
I just found your channel and you are the first book tuber that I have seen talk about The Summer That Melted Everything! I loved that so book so much and can’t believe more people aren’t reading it. Tiffany McDaniel is an incredible writer, have you read her novel Betty? It’s powerful and haunting. I highly recommend it! I have her latest book On the Savage Side which I plan to get to soon.
Hi, Cathy! It's nice to meet another Tiffany McDaniel fan. I too am surprised that book hasn't garnered more attention. And why did I never see it nominated for any prizes? Astounding.
As it happens, I just finished reading Betty last night and found myself, yet again, completely shaken. On the Savage Side is currently in my to-read pile, but I think I may wait to pick that up because I'm not ready to be without another McDaniel's book to read.
If you can recommend any authors whose writing is similar to McDaniel's please let me know.
@@hellobookworm I wondered too why it wasn’t nominated for any prizes? I also don’t know why Betty isn’t talked about much at all in the Booktube community. I have been stalling to read On the Savage Side for the same reason as you because I won’t have any more of her books to read although I plan on rereading all her books in the future. I have yet to come across any authors who compare to Tiffany McDaniel but am always on the look out so you will be the first to know 😊
I had read a book of short stories by Dunsany, but nothing else as far as I can remember, so I went ahead of got an ebook of The King of Elfland's Daughter. I also added All the Light We Cannot See to my TBR. And... uh... oh I got it: I sure do hope that snow outside has melted. 🙂🏖
🐛In fact, I woke this morning to discover a world blanketed in white. Hah! Perhaps in a few days it will have melted. 😉I'm so, so happy to hear that you snagged Dunsany's book. I'd love to know your thoughts on it once you get a chance to read it.
Should I assume that you enjoyed Dunsany's short stories? I've got my eye on some of his other works...
Todd here. Just discovered your channel. Happy New Year! That King of Elfland's Daughter is on my to be read list.
Happy New Year, Todd! I hope you enjoy Dunsany's book. 😏📚
I have suddenly been hearing about Orbital on numerous channels and it sounds like my kind of book. I loved Demon Copperhead. I liked All the Light We Cannot See but Cloud Cuckoo Land by Doerr is one of my all time favorites. I am quite intrigued about The Summer That Melted Everything. Have you read Our Wives Under the Sea? Based on these reviews I think you might love it.
I'm pleased to hear you liked Cloud Cuckoo Land, because I'm interested in reading more by Doerr and I've been wondering about that one. I keep hoping I'll find some of his books at the used bookstore.
I really hope you'll get a chance to read Tiffany McDaniel's book and that you'll pop back to let me know your thoughts when you finish.
As it happens, I read Our Wives Under the Sea in 2023 (picked it up during the whole Oceangate/Titanic debacle). I found it very strange and surreal, which I enjoyed! I could tell it's one of those books I'll want to revisit again someday and read even more slowly (on that first read, I think I was racing to the end to learn what happened, and wow I did not see that ending coming).
I read The Vaster Wilds. I will never forget this masterpiece! I want to read it again and again. I ordered another book by this same author immediately ! The Vaster Wilds is on my top ten favorite reads ever and I’m an older lifelong avid reader!
Oh, that's wonderful news! I'm so glad to hear you read it and loved it! Which of Groff's other books did you order? My next read by her will be Fates and Furies. I'm so looking forward to it! 😍📚
Added several to my tbr. Orbital and Melted first up.
Oh, that's fantastic! I hope you enjoy them, Stephen. ☺
Melted! You are a great orator! You made me want to read them all! Haha
🐛That's so kind, Allison! If you do read any of them, please come back and share your thoughts on them with me. Happy reading!
Wow, you are so well spoken and descriptive ❤ I have to disagree with you about Project Hail Mary though! Wasn’t the writing so elementary?? I felt like I was reading a children’s book… and I REALLY wanted to like it.
My top reads of 2023, that melted my heart, were:
1. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
2. Beartown by Fredrik Backman
3. The Whisper Man by Alex North
🐛Thank you for those kind words! And thank you for sharing your thoughts on Project Hail Mary. I understand where you're coming from. I'm inclined to call the writing accessible, making the book approachable for a broad audience. It also fits the character because he teaches young people, so he's accustomed to taking complex science and explaining it in simple terms. That's also why he refrains from cussing (as someone who once worked among children, I found that very relatable).
I've only read one Backman book (A Man Called Ove), and it was immediately clear that he's an exceptionally talented author. So it comes as no surprise that two of his books made it to the top of your list.
I hope you enjoy a marvelous reading year in 2024. Cheers!
I am struggling through the Savage Side and hoping to read McDaniels backlist once I’m done
Oh no. Is it a good struggle, as in, her book is tearing at your heart (as her other two books did with mine)? Or is the book just not a good fit?
I'm really looking forward to picking that one up, but since I've read her other two published books, it's the only one of hers I have left to read. I'm not ready to be without another McDaniel's book, so I'm saving it to read later this year.
I read 94 books this year (not including the many DNFs) and these are my favorite new reads:
📕'Piranesi' by Suzanna Clark and
📗'The Last House on Needless Street' by Catriona Ward.
📘'The Reformatory' by Tananarive Due.
These books made my brain explode 🤯 and left me shook.
Hi, Erin! Reading 94 books in a year is no easy feat. Well done! I've read two of your tops (Pranesi and Last House). I can understand why those are favorites. And I've had my eye on The Reformatory (I'm glad to hear from another person who was wowed by that book).
Thank you so much for sharing your 2023 reading journey with me. I look forward to hearing about your 2024 bookish journeys as well. Cheers!
I’m guilty of having « All the light we cannot see » sitting on a shelf for years at this point… I’m putting it in the queue right away. I have been wanting to read that Andy Weir book for a long time too. Greenwood by Michael Christie was my top read in 2023. 💚
I'm so excited for you to read All The Light We Cannot See. Please come back and share your thoughts on the book once you finish reading it. Same goes for Project Hail Mary (again, highly recommend the audiobook for this one).
I took a look at Greenwood and--WOW--does it sound like an amazing book. Adding it to my TBR with intent to buy it once I've read a greater percentage of my recently purchased books. Thanks so much for the recommendation! Bonne lecture!
📚🥰
@@hellobookworm ☺️ Merci!
I haven’t yet read Natalie Haynes “Stone Blind” but I’m currently reading (on audio) her “Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth. I recommend it.
p.s. Melted!
🐛I'm curious if Divine Might will get recommended for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction longlist this year. Haynes is such a talented writer, it seems like a strong possibility. 📚👀
I also read Project Hail Mary in 2023! And I also went into it without any prior knowledge or reviews. My husband had read it, and he said not to know anything going into it, and he was right. And, like you, I loved every minute of finding out what was going on. I completely agree that just diving into Project Hail Mary is the way to go. Reflecting back on my 2023 reading year, Project Hail Mary is easily a favorite, and easily one of the best book endings of the year for me.
I will definitely be adding The Summer That Melted Everything to my TBR.
Some of the books I read in 2023 that I would recommend to you, because I *think* you might like them, are The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, Ordinary Grace, These Silent Woods, and Narrowboat Summer.
Oooh, thank you for the recommendations, Heather! I'll give them a look. 📚👀
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed Project Hail Mary. And I'm excited for you to read The Summer That Melted Everything. I hope you'll return after you've read it and let me know your thoughts on the book. Happy reading!
Hi again! I have returned. I hope you see this reply :) I finished The Summer That Melted Everything this morning. I completely agree that this book is one to savor, and one that will leave a lasting impression. Thank you so much for recommending it as it has never crossed my path until your video. The concept was truly unique. The character study in this one is complex and layered. The author brings us Sal in order to shine a bright light on what makes us human. Well done.
I have not read McDaniel's other well known work, Betty, but I've heard it's very good as well. I will make a point to seek it out.
Happy reading!
@@icantswim222 Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so glad you got to read it and that you enjoyed it. It truly feels like a singular reading experience.
As it happens, I recently read Betty, and it did not disappoint (fun fact, McDaniels wrote Betty first, but it was The Summer That Melted Everything that got her published). She also released a third book recently (On the Savage Side), which I have a copy of but am not picking up right away because I'm not ready to be without another McDaniel's book to read.
Please pop by and share your thoughts when you've had a chance to read Betty, as it's definitely worth seeking out. Happy reading!
📚👀
There's no way I'd read a Natalie Haynes book and not listen to her read it with me. She's so much fun!
I've only listened to one of her books, but I agree 100%. Which of her other books have you loved that you'd recommend?
Yes! I never hear anyone talk about The Summer That Melted Everything, which is one of my all time favorite books. Tiffany McDaniel is an amazing author. I highly recommend Betty by her. It is beautiful and absolutely devastating.
Ooh yes, I read Betty in January and it was stunning (fun fact: Betty was the first book she wrote, but The Summer That Melted Everything was her first book to be published). McDaniel has a new book out too (On the Savage Side) that I have a copy of, but I'm waiting to read it because I'm not ready to be without another of her books to read. Great to meet another McDaniels fan! If you can recommend any writers who have a similar style please let me know. Cheers!
I see you went down the same rabbit hole that I did. 😁 I have read all of her books and read/watched several interviews with her. I haven’t found anyone who writes quite like McDaniel. I have found echoes of her writing in the Strange the Dreamer duology by Laini Taylor, which I loved. Also I’d recommend Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell which was enchanting and beautifully written. If you’re up for a book that is mostly vibes then The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern has incredibly lush and lyrical writing.
@@SarahAsYouWish Okay, we are definitely kindred book spirits because I have read all of those books. Strange the Dreamer is one of my all time favorites! 🥰 I guess we'll both have to continue the search for a writer who compares to McDaniel.
this is me, marie. i see that graff has written his and our answers. i'm not much for sharing on the internet so this will be short. i love the content that you are making and we will both be watching and hopefully helping this community grow. my reading is usually fairly private but i would like to encourage you to cotinue to share. we are truly thankful that we found your channel. i will think about my favorite books of last year and get back to you. thank you for caring.
Hi, Marie! It's nice to meet you. I completely understand your desire to keep your reading private. I'm just happy to have you here, and I'll be looking forward to updates from Graff (and you when you're comfortable).
I really appreciate your kind comments about my content. This channel is absolutely a labor of love driven by a genuine passion for books and a desire to connect with other readers. It's so uplifting to hear that other bookworms will be joining me on this journey. 🤗
Thank you for the book recommendations. I look forward to exploring them.
My favorite reads of 2023:
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Kawaguchi
The Changeling by LaValle
Good Night Irene by Urrea
The Sum of Us by McGee
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Chakraborty
Bea Wolf by Weinersmith
I was happy to share them, Jason. I appreciate you sharing your favorites too. I'll take a closer look at them. Cheers!
As I said before, i LOVE how accesible literature IS in my country Nicaragua, i just found a book ( It costo me just a quarter of a Dollar) called " the sisters Grimm" which fills me with curiosity ... It says " tales from the hood " i Will start reading It tonight. Hello Anna , i Hope you are doing fine . Greetings anda blessings ❤
That's wonderful! I hope you enjoy the book.
From this list I read Demon Copperhead, Project Hail Mary, and The Vaster wilds, and loved them all. How you do not have a bigger following I do not understand. Please keep the recommendations coming, and I'll keep reading them. Cheers.
Confession - I have a 1yr old daughter and mental schedule so all my reading is "audiobook" these days. The only reason I haven't read T. McDaniel's The summer that melted everything - is that there isn't an audiobook available on audible yet!
Three amazing books! I'm so glad you got the chance to read them and that you loved them. 🥳
Your kind comment warms my heart. It makes me so happy to share books with others, and I love the idea of increasing my community to reach even more bookworms. Sharing my channel with others is a great way to help it grow. 🥰
Hearing how much you enjoyed my recommendations definitely encourages me to keep reading and sharing, so thank you!
@@Naamtok Oh, what a shame. I didn't realize there was no audiobook. Well, perhaps you'll get a chance to read McDaniel's book eventually. In the meantime, the audiobook of Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton is great for a laugh, or you might try the audiobook of Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor if you're in the mood for some fantasy. Happy listening!
@@hellobookworm Cheers! I added you on Goodreads (KJ Clarke) Cheers!
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🐛Thanks for you watching, Melissa!
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"The summmer that melt everything" what a wonderfull title .. i knew something i wanted to ask you " do you cry over a story ?" .... That happwn also to me even when i am listening to the Music . I really enjoyed this video , Anna 😢 i feel bad becausse allí i can recommend you IS literature in spanish, .... Well .. i would recommend you the metamorfosis from Franz Kafka, steppen Wolf from Herman Hess and The Aleph , by Jorge Luis Borges . Once again thanks from your video , Anna , such a lovely voice fron such a lovely , elegant, inteligent , sensitive and nice Young Lady ❤, and also a gorgeous lady . Thanks for teaching me English I learn English through your channel and book recommendations , now I am not just a muscician but an interpreter as well . Thank you
Hi Hannah! Glad to read you in 2024! Today it’s Christmas in Russia, so your video is like a present 😃
First of all Happy New Year! Wish you to be happy, healthy and loved!❤
About books. I was surprised when you started with the first one as only yesterday I added Lord Dunsany into my list for 2024 together with Ana María Matute and her Olvidado rey Gudú (amazing fantasy book).
Now I have also added “Orbital”. Of course, we don’t have this book in Russian, but I’ve found it in English. It will be a good practice for our reading club.
Barbara Kingsolver is a new author for me, I decided to start with The Poisonwood Bible (in Russian) to understand if it’s my author or not. I also ordered Andy Weir, I’m not a big fan of sci-fi, but there are so many controversial reviews for this novel, that I decided to make up my own opinion.:-)
I find very excited that we read so different books)))) My best reading for 2023 were Eyvind Johnson “Return to Ithaca”, Laura Esquivel “Malinche” and Anna Burns “Milkman”, but not sure you would like this ones 🙂
Happy New Year to you, too! I hope 2024 proves to be an exhilarating reading year for you.
What serendipitous timing about Lord Dunsany. And how exciting that you'll be exploring Barbara Kingsolver's work for the first time. I'm so excited for you to explore Orbital and Project Hail Mary. Do pop back and let me know your thoughts on the books once you read them. I'd also love to hear how your reading club feels about Orbital in general.
Thank you for sharing recommendations. I confess that Milkman defeated me, but it's one of those books that I think of often and will perhaps revisit in the future. I haven't heard of the other two books, so I'll look those up.
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Update: I just looked up those books and Malinche sounds so, so good. I am adding that to my TBR. Thanks again for bringing it to my attention. Cheers!
@@hellobookworm
Hi Hannah!
I’m coming back with feedback as we’ve finished both books. 😊
First of all “Orbital”. It was very interesting experience, because there is no translation of this book into Russian, so all the feelings and thoughts were..I don’t know how to say..my own. There is nobody between the original text and me.I guess it was very important for this particular book, because there are so many details, creating the atmosphere. When I try to describe the story I don’t ask myself what I think about, but what I feel about. The main word or the main feeling I had, reading this book is claustrophobia. Looks like every adjective used by author tries to make the walls in my room move towards each other, squeezing the space around me. And this is good I guess 😉 Also I do like the part about “Las Meninas”, it’s a good metaphor of a spaceship: it’s hard to explain what you see, what the most important as it always depends on the point of view.
“Project Hail Mary”..well I’m not a big fan of sci-fi now, although when I was a child I was reading Asimov, Simak and all classic sci-fi books I could find. Maybe this is the reason why I had some kind of déjà vu, reading Andy Weir. The plot was so familiar as like I’ve already read this book before. I do like the story and will recommend it to my husband and friends. Definitely. Good book for traveling. Time fly very fast when you read it. But I will not come back to read it again. Anyway thank you for this recommendation! For winter Russian evenings it’s perfect.
Another one thing I have to say..Olesya Ilyukhina. Well she is like a hybrid of Gadget Hackwrench from Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and Lev Andropov from movie Armageddon. It’s very funny)))))))
@@user-yq6vy2no2e It's marvelous to hear your thoughts on these books! I like your adjective for Orbital. There's definitely a sense of walls moving inward, of closeness, whereas the world outside feels so vast.
And I'm so glad you gave Project Hail Mary a try. I agree that time flies when you're reading that book (I experienced the same feeling. I really cared about the characters and felt like the story ended so soon; I wanted to spend more time with them, especially Rocky).
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers was one of my favorite shows as a kid (and of course I adored Gadget). I haven't thought about Rescue Rangers in years, but remembering that show made me smile, so thanks for mentioning it. 🥰
I hope your next reads prove enlightening and engaging. Cheers!
@@hellobookworm I'm waiting for your new video to add some new books for my February list to read 😃
@@user-yq6vy2no2e That's so sweet! I have several books I'm excited to share in my February and March videos, and I'll soon be showcasing some of my February reading plans on Instagram. So many wonderful books on the horizon! I hope you find some that you'll enjoy reading. 📚👀🥰
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Hi. Don't want to make this too long but I would like to offer some book suggestions to you. First, I also read Spare and I thought it was O.K. I was sympathetic to Prince Harry but until he got to the part with Meghan it was a pretty slow read for me. My 2 favorite books I read in 2023 were A Little Life by Hanna Yanagihara and The Dollmaker by Harriet Arnow. Some of my favorite books though are Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly, Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, Anya by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer and Blackbird by Jennifer Lauck. Enjoyed your video. I would like to read All the Light We Cannot See sometime but I have a huge stockpile of books I'm trying to get through.
Hi, Betsy! Thank you for sharing so many recommendations. The only book you mentioned that I've read is Rebecca. I've been wanting to read A Little Life for ages and am always keeping an eye out for a used copy but never seem to find one. That makes me think the book is so good that people hold onto their copies, which bodes well. I'll take a closer look at your other recs and see if anything catches my eye. Thank you for commenting, and happy reading!
Thank you for your reply. Happy reading!💗
I've missed these Hannah
My Goodreads list is overflowing thanks to these vids
TBR ads
Elfland Kings Daughter
Motherthing
🐛Thank you 💚! Those are great picks for your TBR. I'd love to know your thoughts on the books once you read them. Cheers!
So far, the only book that we've read out of your list...was Spare by Prince Harry. Like you, we both were moved by this book. We like to read AND listen (when possible), also using our local libraries to the best of our ability. This book was sad, but also inspiring. We are not royalists, either...and stay away from the poplular media...and the rumour mills, but had been touched by their decision to leave England and go it on their own...for safety.
Thank you for all these great books that you've brought up. Thanks. We will look into them and possibly pick them up.
Demon Copperfield. The Lord Dunsany book, and
Oh, yes...we loved Project: Hail Mary by Andy Weir. We also loved Andy Weir's first book, too...The Martian. We also like to
Yes, indeed. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer is amazing. Have you read any of Ruta Sepetys' books. We've The Fountains of Silence, Between Shades of Grey and Salt to the Sea. We both have been reading through her catalog.
My favourites of 2023 were all the books that Baptiste Pinson Wu wrote. I read his Historical Fiction series set in 2nd/3rd Century China...called The Three Kingdom Chronicles (the first three of the series Yellow Sky Revolt, Heroes of Chaos and Dynasty Disasters...and my favourite book of all last year (out of 289 books) was a HUGE surprise. I got an eArc of his novel that was just published, called Undead Samurai. It is so good. A wonderful standalone SciFi novel by one of my favourite Indie authors, J.S. Dewes...called Rubicon. Here first two books that she published were last year's favourites...The Last Watch and The Exiled Fleet (The Divide Series...with more books to come). Robert Galbraith's latest thriller with the protagonists, Cormoran Strike and Robin Elicott in The Running Grave was magnificent. I reread one of my favourite Brandon Sanderson novels...Mistborn: The Final Empire...which was a blast. I need to keep going...so that I can finally read the last in the series The Lost Metal (fourth book in the Era Two portion). I found Daniel Suarez as an author...that writes smart Science Fiction. He was a find. Bonnie Garmus' Lessons in Chemistry was really smart, too. Taffu Drpdesser-Akner's Fleishman is in trouble was a surprise, too. I also read most all of Philip Kerrs' novels about Bernie Gunther (Historical Fiction about a police inspector, before, during and after WW II...while he was posted in Berlin, Germany). Not always politically correct, but he did his best to fight the fascist government, do the right thing and survive). Really well written. Read Lonesome Dove and that sparked by love of Westerns, again...and it reminds me that I need to finish that four book series this year. Kai Bird's American Promethius about J. Robert Oppenheimer was incredible. Interesting times (then and now). I found Mike Chen's books a couple of years ago...and have been loving EVERYTHING that he writes, but especially last year's Star Wars: Brotherhood...about Obi-Wan Kenobit and the young padawan, Anakin Skywalker. A true 5 Star book. Brilliantly written and immersive. And, the first two books that I read last year, Brandon Sanderson's first Secret Project book, Tress of the Emerald Sea and James Clavell's Shogun. Powerful stories and the extreme ends of the spectrum. So, yes...and ecclectic grouping of books, but some amazing stories.
Marie has gone to bed, so it was just me enjoying this video. She'll watch it in the morning. Thank you for sharing your love for books and the unique books that were your favourites of last year.
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Oh my goodness, almost 300 books read last year? That's marvelous!
I absolutely love the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. It's one of my all time favorites, so I'm glad to hear that you enjoy it too.
I haven't read any books by Ruta Sepetys but will take a look at your suggestions.
I agree that Lessons in Chemistry was a smart romp, and clearly I was moved by Harry's memoir. I find it surprisingly relatable, which I didn't expect given that he's a wealthy celebrity figure and I'm just, well, me. Hah!
Thank you for sharing your bookish adventures from last year. I look forward to hearing about Marie's year too. Cheers!
Hi Hannah, hope your transition back into American life is going okay. I love seeing what books speak to different readers. (And speaking of Tolkien, this is the year I finally tackle The Lord of the Rings.)
Thank you, Robert. I'm finally sleeping through the night and waking up at a semi-decent time, so I'd say things are improving. The world was blanketed in white today, and I found it very calming and well suited to chatting with bookworms online and sitting now and then with a book.
I'm so overdue for another journey through LotR and can't say for sure if I'll make time for it this year. I envy you setting off on this journey and hope that you enjoy every page.
@@hellobookworm It took me four false starts to get into The Hobbit, but ended up loving it. So I'm ready.
@@Robert.Sheard I completely understand this. The Hobbit was a DNF for me the first time I picked it up as a young reader. I think I gave it three stars when I finally finished it on a second try, and my adoration of it has only increased with every reread ever since. Now it's a favorite. I love it when that happens.
@@hellobookworm It'll be the last three months of 2024 for me, but I'm already looking forward to it. Wish we weren't thousands of miles apart. I can imagine so many great coffee and book conversations.
@@Robert.Sheard That would be such fun! I agree; If only... 📚☕
Enjoyed the video.
It's all well and good, these stories. But they don't really interest me. I approach my reading sharply - and I do not much bend towards fantasy, science fiction, or modern literary fiction. To me, most of these things are simple glimpses into reality, at best they're reflections; but I don't always trust the reflection. That's the thing, we get invested into the stories, the characters, all without seeing the truth of the matter. Characters are flashy, sparkly, and often self gratifying to us (the same with the plot), but I find that they often distract us from the actual substance of what it is we must consider. And, to be frank, I find most writers overtly indulgent in their themes and narratives. I don't trust them, I don't trust what they're trying to showcase through their words, whether those words be poorly constructed or masterfully done. And maybe that makes me closed-minded; but I don't ask for anyone else's hypocrisy.
But tangent aside, I hope this year goes well for you, and I hope you get lots of reading did!
Fair enough. ☺ There's ample room for us to have differing opinions on books. I find your take very observant and, in many cases, accurate. I would, however, venture to suggest that the themes explored in the top two books featured in this video are handled masterfully and are painfully topical. If more people would explore their pages, they might view our world and the people living in it through more understanding and sympathetic eyes, and I think we could all benefit from that.
Given your interest in philosophy, I'm curious if there are any books you'd recommend to readers interested in an introduction to the subject. Any recommendations that leap to mind?
Many thanks for sharing your thoughts and for the well wishes. I hope your 2024 reading is equally gratifying!
@@hellobookworm One thing I've learned is that it takes more than a book to develop one's abilities to truly understand another - we can't merely treat literature as self help that will solve all our problems and make us a better person. It's a continual effort, but even a million books will not necessarily help a conflicted mind; and in my case they can make it worse. And in some of the more irritating cases books can often make people pompous (but I don't want to discuss them, lol).
Recommendations for philosophy? Well, the most accessible I can think of are Bertrand Russell's "A History of Western Philosophy" (this is just an overview of western thought throughout the ages); and if you want a more primary source, I'd go with Plato's "Apology". Anything by Plato is really your best bet outside of the secondary sources and articles. But, keep in mind, that it's okay to not understand all of it at once (I still don't understand all or most of it, even the greatest philosophers don't understand all of Plato - there is always growing interpretation and so on). I'd recommend with the basics of reading a page, thinking about it, maybe writing a little, and then going on at a rather quick pace.
Philosophy helps centralize our thoughts. Things like science - eh, well, I won't open that can of worms of that which materializes everything. And literature, well, I'm sure you have more your own thoughts about that.