tier ranking all 50 books i read in 2023
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- (yep, it's a reupload) grab a notepad, pen and some form of delicious snack because we're about to take whirlwind ride at breakneck speed, through every single brilliant book i read last year. here's my official tier ranking for how much i loved them, and a round-up of my absolute best books of 2023. all books are listed below for clarity.
i'm really sorry if you find this one a bit all over the place and not my best work, i really tried to find the balance between informative and quick to sum up fifty books in half an hour, but seem to have created a monster as a result. i never want to share sub-par content, so I hope the re-edit has made things a bit clearer, and i will go back to my usual style of videos next time.
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🌻 STUFF MENTIONED
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'personalised and embossed'
piranesi by susanna clarke
clytemnestra by costanza casati
the virgin suicides by jeffrey eugenides
rebecca by daphne du maurier
piglet by lottie hazell
boy parts by eliza clark
yellowface by r. f. kuang
rouge by mona awad
firefly lane by kristin hannah
the other side of mrs wood by lucy barker
my best friend's exorcism by grady hendrix
weyward by emilia hart
the night circus by erin morgenstern
I'm glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy
tomorrow x3 by gabrielle zevin
'lil embroidered creation'
nightcrawling by leila mottley
i capture the castle by dodie smith
the vanishing half by brit bennett
our wives under the sea by julia armfield
mrs s by k. patrick
girl in pieces by kathleen glasgow
six of crows by leigh bardugo
flaneuse by lauren elkin
lessons in chemistry by bonnie garmus
all girls by emily layden
the things we do to our friends by heather darwent
the skeleton key by erin kelly
the school for good mothers by jessamine chan
really good actually by monia heisey
free love by tessa hadley
'cutie paper freebie'
mrs dalloway by virginia woolf
apples never fall by liane moriarty
my roommate is a vampire by jenna levine
magnolia parks by jessa hastinngs
things we never got over by lucy score
a court of thorns and roses by sarah j maas
the atlas six by olivie blake
get a life chloe brown by talia hibbert
preloved by lauren bravo
daisy haites by jessa hastings
lapvona by ottessa moshfegh
the picture of dorian grey by oscar wilde
careering by daisy buchanan
the cloisters by katy hays
heartburn by nora ephron
'chocolate bar wrapper'
brutes by dizz tate
the hedge witch by cari thomas
belladonna by adalyn grace
how to kill your family by bella mackie
'someone else's folded corners'
life by pi by yann martel
things we hide from the light by lucy score (dnf)
🌼 WEARING
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shirt: www.stylink.it...
🌚 DISCLAIMER
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All opinions and views are my own. This video is not sponsored. Some of the above links may be affiliate links.
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I absolutely adore how your taste in literature reflects how much you love women and the diverse spectrum of womanhood!
Awh that’s such a lovely thing to notice! It’s definitely one of my goals to diversify a bit more this year x
Lucy I saw your instagram story about overthinking how well received your content will be, and just wanted to say I have always had notifications on for your new TH-cam videos and your chatty booktube videos are literally my favourite on the internet. I’m 34 with 5 children (which I’m aware will have you questioning my sanity but stick with me) and don’t have time to do much for myself, but I ALWAYS make time to watch these and they feel like sitting down for a coffee with a fellow bookish chum, so thank you ❤
Well thank you for making me cry hahaha. Honestly, that's so kind. Thank you, and VERY delighted to hang out with you in any rare moments of calm 😂
it might sound cheesy but your passion for books and reading and stories rekindled my lost love for reading. i still struggle with my attention but i just love watching you tell us about all the stories you read and loved. thank you
That's such a lovely thingn to hear! Hopefully you find a gem which properly captures you 🥰
Okay, you HAVE to keep going with ACOTAR til book 2! Trust me, it gets so much better and is so worth it. I’m now on the last book and not sure how I’m going to cope without this series in my life 😅
Everyone says this! It must be true 😂
@@LucyJaneWoodit is not 😂
@@LucyJaneWoodit is!!!!
I didn't get into it after book 2 either 😉
You haven't even met Cassian yet at the end of Book 1!
Piranesi is such a special book. I honestly don’t know anyone who didn’t read it and adore it!
The way you ranked these is so smart and actually made me want to read books I previously wasn’t interested in😂
Oh no way! Which ones?!
@@LucyJaneWood Clytemnestra, Boy Parts and, Firefly Lane and Night Circus. I also love that so few of your books are the stereotypical “Book Tok” books. Because do not get me wrong, Book Tok has not steered me wrong often but when they’re wrong they’re SO WRONG. Things we never got over??? I didn’t even try to read the sequel because I got the ick so hard but I just couldn’t DNF it. Was like a train wreck
Girl we love all your content regardless of editing! Do not sweat it❤ loved this vid!
Thank you!! I am but a grandma trying to keep up with it all 😂
Omg it's back! I am so excited to finish the video😂❤
Hahaha i always return eventually 🥲
Thanks for the re-upload. 😃
But i thought it was clear already in the last video😊😉
Awh glad to hear it! Hopefully even clearer this time 😊
what changed in the re-upload? i watched the original video im just slightly confused hahha
@@juliakoczor she put the cover of the books shes talking about in the videos. So you see, what books shes talking about.
Omg I thought I was going crazy trying to find this again after seeing a preview - excited to watch!
Haha sorry love! Back in business 😊
Just wanted to say I love these videos. I instantly buy or add to my reading list everything you pop in the top. I’ve only just started reading again after many many years and after reading Clytemnestra, Babel and Circe from your recommendations, I can confidently say they are the best books I’ve ever read.
Read the second ACOTAR book! Please, for the love, read it!! I will stake my entire bibliophile reputation on the promise that the second book makes the first one absolutely worth it! 😂💛
Okay I trust your opinion 100% 🫡 this settles it
Oh I’m so glad you said that about life of Pi, I started it this month but have put it down halfway through. Honestly not sure I can pick it up and finish it. I rarely give up on a book, but honestly I’m finding it so tedious. Glad I’m not the only one who wasn’t sure about it.
Loving the video!!!
Right! It always makes me feel like an idiot if I don’t enjoy a big famous one like Life of Pi 😂 like what am I missing here
Having never read the book, I saw the stage show and it was visually stunning and so moving! Would definitely recommend seeing the theatre adaptation if you get the chance
Yay, evening plan sorted 😊 looking forward to chilling with a cuppa and the cat tonight watching Lucy x
Well that’s just the dream setup really 😍
Thank you, you describe books the way that I want them described to get me to read them. A couple of these are definitely going on my want to read list!
Strong King Theoden energy in my 30s. The amount of times I now say “My body is broken” a la Battle of Pelennor Fields to myself increases in frequency month on month.
Loooool he’s inspiration to us all
LUCY POSTEDDDDD!!!! Tis a good day
Bless you my child 😇
Glad to see The Virgin Suicides ranked so highly, it's my absolute favourite! My copy is 20 years old and each time I read it I get something new from it. I'll definitely be taking some recommendations from the top row. I love how you talk about books, looking forward to more book content 💜
Definitely feels like a book I will read again! Thanks so much 🥰
@@LucyJaneWood If you've not watched the film I recommend it, it's one of the only film adaptations that perfectly captures the feeling in the book ✨
Love that you are taking your channel is a more bookish direction. Can’t wait to see what big announcement’s gonna be 😉😉
So good to hear that! Pahaha I will see you second week of Feb 👀
I'm leaving a comment again, now you've reuploaded, saying how cool it is to see so many of my favourites, especially Daphne du Maurier in your top category! I hope you'll read more Daphne, (and 40s horror!) she was a fascinating person. In my original comment I think I also missed that you put my other favourite Eugenides in your top books. Very very different to The Virgin Suicides but I think you'll really like his book The Marriage Plot. It's got that collegiate east coast feel (it's set at Brown University in Rhode Island), it's cozy but sad, and about love and reading and relationships.
I didn’t see it first time round but I loved this and your ranking. No book video by you is ever sub par! Personalised and foiled in my opinion!
🥺🥺🥺 so lovely, thank you my friend
I absolutely love the books you read!! *adds every single one to my wish list*
They should keep you quiet for a while 😂
Thanks for reuploading, Lucy! Much better this time 😊 I capture the castle is one of my favourite books 🤍
Oh great stuff! Thanks for rewatching 😘
Literally writing down the top tier books right now to get from the library 😂 I love your book review videos!
I love your book review videos. I wish I’d seen the original. I’m sure it was stellar. All your content is amazing. Keep being you!!
I’ve added several of these on my TBR and just purchased two! Thank you.
Loved this, gave me lots of titles to add to my tbr 😊
This is very helpful. A friend of mine posted a few weeks ago asking if anyone knew of any book clubs in the local area. I joked 'maybe you need to start one?' And loads of people loved the idea so she has done and our first meet up is next month. So exciting! Haha. Mind you, it's really encouraged me to read again which I'm not unhappy with! X
That's so cool! A big slay to start your own book club 👏🏻
Yes- please read the second ACOTAR book! I’m so curious about your thoughts. I would also really love to hear your opinion about Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. Gotta say that even though I thought your original upload was great….good job on the re-edit!
Oh I really wanna read Ninth House! I keep seeing great things about it 👀
Hey! Just an FYI the Hedge Witch novella by Cari Thomas is a spin off from her main series called Threadneedle (which is excellent!!) but may explain why it didn’t quite hit if you’ve not read Threadneedle first.
The sequel Shadowstitch comes out this year 😊
What a fab video Lucy. Watched the original posting, and watchihg again now..🎉 happy reading x
That’s so kind, thank you!!
Appreciate the reupload! Looking forward to hearing all your thoughts ☺️
Hopefully it’s slightly improved! Thanks for hanging out with me 😊
This was wonderful, I loved it so much and can't wait for your announcement!
Yes, read book 2 of ACOTAR!! I was the same way. I truly did not enjoy the first book, but it's now overall one of my favorite series ever. And I was not a fantasy reader before this!
So happy to see this, I get so much inspiration from what you read!
That’s such a compliment! Thanks love 🥰
Oh thank you youtube for showing me this video!! I’ve been looking for a creator like you for ages, I was so excited to see we have very similar taste! I’ve added a lot of books for my 2024 tbr so thank you for that and for the passion that you put in this video. I can’t wait to discover more of your content :) By the way I will only read the second book of acotar if you do too soo no pressure. Have a lovely day, Juliette
You make my heart smile! Just love your positive energy
Loved watching this, Lucy! I read Clytemnestra this year because you mentioned it- I loved it. I ordered Piranesi a week ago from a local book store and am excited to dive in once it arrives. Also, I felt the same way about the magic in the Atlas Six.
Haha we’re cosy magic girlies over here
Thank you so much for all of the book videos you have done over the past year since I discovered your channel ❤️ I’ve read A LOT 😂 of books in my life, but who knew that as a 50 something, dark academia would become my new favourite genre 🤷♀️ Just binged Piranesi as a library ebook and going to start Clytemnestra, which has been on my TBR shelf since you recommended it last year. You are inspiring to a lot of people and I look forward to hearing about your exciting news 😍 xx
Please keep going with the ACOTAR series! The second blew me away. I haven't felt his way about a series in a long time.
Lucy you're the best! I love this video, deffo got lots of reading inspiration. And 50 books is an amazing achievement wow 🤗💕
Awh that’s ace! Hope you enjoy the ones you noted down 🤩
Wherever you talk positives about a book i also have on my TBR, it gets an instant bump up my list. I already picked up The School for Good Mothers from my library so that'll be my next read. I've already read I'm glad my mom died, My best friends exorcism, and yellowface and loved them. I could not make it past the first few chapters of ACOTR but I really enjoy the Cresent City series.
My first watch of your channel as you popped up on my feed and I loved it, lots of shared reads and some on my TBR. Weyward was one of my top 10 last year and I capture the Castle is such a special book, looking forward to more of your videos ❤
I love your cosy videos - I trust all of your book recommendations! ❤
Great video! So glad your two favourites were part of my own favourites!
When I saw this pop up in my feed, I screamed and cheered like a man at a sports arena. I AM SO PUMPED FOR THISSS WOOOO!!! 😂🎉
Pahaha WOO WOOOO ~fist pump~ 💪🏻
Hahaha exactly that! 😂👏🏻💪🏻
Your tier ranking system is really original and cool. I'm pleased you had so many 5* star reads! If you liked the Vanishing Half, might I suggest Memphis by Tara Stringfellow? It came to mind as soon as you said "different female narratives woven together throughout history". The story begins in 1995, but is interwoven with other character's point of view throughout the 1970s and 1930s, forming a narrative that was surprisingly easy to follow. I'm curious about Piglet and The Night Circus. Our Wives Under The Sea is on my shelf, maybe I'll read it soon?
Thank you for your company, no edit required. 💗xx
Please read book 2 of ACOTAR! I wasn’t really into the first one, but I LOVED the rest of the series!
This seems to be the general consensus! Gonna have to try it 😂
I love your joyful personality!!
I capture the castle is one of my all time favourites! it’s gorgeous!
Because of you I really want to focus on reading this year, I used to be obsessed as a teenage and have dropped from 50 books per year to maybe 5 tops at age 28. So far I've read 7 books in 2024! Thank you for the encouragement and inspiration 💜 Ps. Clytemnestra is an absolute banger of a book!
Yay, I was hoping Piranesi was #1!! It’s one of my favorites. And I’m glad Clytemnestra was your second because I’m finishing up my third reading of Circe and I adore a good Greek Mythology retelling. I’ll be picking that one off my shelf soon. Jennifer Saint’s “Electra” also has Clytemnestra’s story and I rooted for that bad-ass queen. Agamemnon got what was coming to him. 🗡️
Definitely one my faves too now! I’m due another mythology read soon for sure 👀
There are about 10 books I want to read from this list.
Yellowface was interesting. I absolutely hated the main character, and yet I still wanted to know what happened. I could not put it down. It takes skill to write a book like that. I definitely want to read some of her earlier works.
I completely agree with your description of the writing in The Night Circus. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow gave me a similar feeling.
Same here! That's why I thought it was such a great book, it takes a lot to keep someone obsessed with reading if you absolutely hate the main character 😂
You must must most read a court of mist and fury! I really wasn't fussed about ACOTAR but absolutely loved the second book!! 😊
Book recommendation for this year: since January first I have read all three Finlay Donovan books plus the novella. They’re about an author whose life is a mess, her ex-husband is making everything impossible for her. While discussing her next book she gets mistaken for an assassin and everything descends into chaos. Such a fun read, I think you’d love it.
That sounds crackin! Thank you 👀
Our taste in books has as lot of crossover, I find myself adding books you rate highly to my storygraph TBR pile 😅totally agree with your assessment of How To Kill Your Family, not enough frog murders!
Piranesi is the book I still think about all the time and Rebecca is one of my favourites ever so I’m going to have to take your Clytemnestra recommendation and read that soon! Before or after Song of Achilles?!
Some great reads!
I love seeing these rankings! I agree with a lot of these 🥰
If ACOTAR isn’t your thing, don’t feel like you need to continue, there are so many books out there.
But I will say, ACOTAR was like a 2.5 star read for me and then book 2 got me well onto the hype train. So it is definitely way better.
Only clicked because I wanted to see where you ranked Piranesi, but you have a lovely personality so I'm subscribing
Top of the charts! Also thank you 🥰
Loved this video! Screenshotted the ranking for my TBR
Thanks so much for watching ✨
Oh I'm really glad you felt similarly about The Atlas Six! I know its dark academia but I think its a bit much for me havent finished reading it.
Clytemnestra is on my TBR list now ❤
Adore this video! Off to increase my tbr by at least 20 books 🥴🤩
Absolutely loved the six of crows now I'm reading the 2nd book crooked kingdom.
Okay I need to pick it up asap!
So nice to see Firefly Lane is a book! Absolutely adored the series, would strongly recommend if you’ve not seen it!
I thought the original upload was completely fine tbh
Haha I never want anyone to feel disappointed so thought it was worth trying to improve it a bit 😊
Ah Lucy you should read Threadneedle by Cari Thomas, the follow up comes out this year. I haven't read the little novella but it's on my list for this year.
Life of Pi is my folded corners 😭 it’s my favourite book of all time
I love that for you though! It's so interesting how one man's treasure is another man's less great treasure haha
How is it a YEAR since the last books of the year vid - that's flown!
Oh DONT I had this exact minor meltdown while making notes for this video 🥴
Rebecca supremacy!!!! So good, one of my favorite books, too!
TRULY! A lifelong fave I think x
There’s a young adult (or maybe even children’s) book called Witch Child by Celia Rees which I think you’d LOVE!
Oh well that sounds RIGHT up my street ✨
Furiously making notes for what I want to read next 😂
Also I didn’t love ACOTAR book 1… and I did not like ACOTAR book 2 😂 It took me soooo long to get through both, and I just can’t get into them. So I understand your struggle because I want to like the series so badly!!!! I feel like tomatoes might get thrown at me, but I just can’t go on! 😭🍅Commenters, have mercy on me please!!! I gave it my best!!!
I'm so with you, I made it to the third book but it just got so confusing and I genuinely felt like the author had lost control over her characters/plot...although I know this is not a popular opinion on booktok so I will now also be hiding 😂
@@emilymayarrowsmith YES!!! We have each other!!! I needed this solidarity lol!!! I thought it only picked up right at the end, and just couldn’t justify carrying on when my TBR pile continues to grow. I feel so seen 🥹😭
Hahaha why do I feel like this will be me
@@LucyJaneWood I just feel like I had to get this out in the open, I didn’t want you to feel bad if you didn’t want to press on!!
Oh ACOTAR gets soooo much better in book 2! You have to continue 😄
I will persevere and see how we get on 🤞🏻
Love your shirt, great video ❤ xx
Thank you! It's such a great stripey classic haha
I read Girl in Pieces after you talked about it, and how incredibly devastating and beautiful and real. Great read!
Glad you enjoyed it! It's a rollercoaster ride that one x
Life of Pi Lucy, I can't believe you've done this.
Really recommend the movie adaptation of I Capture the Castle for a very young and very charming Henry Cavill!! He was my teenage celebrity crush based on that movie and it has been SO perplexing to see him become a big name.
Oh great suggestion! He is brain-meltingly gorgeous so you had good early taste 🥲
I really loved this video!
I feel like I'm the only person on the planet that did not like Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow 😭😭 I just couldn't get on board with it!!
And I was going to recommend Our Wives Under The Sea to you, so happy when I saw it pop up!!
I didn’t like it either. I’m not a reader but thought I’d give the audiobook a go and just felt like such a drag.
I got this shirt after seeing you wear it!
so many books from this that I've added to my tbr, piglet sounds so interesting especially!! have you read all's well by mona awad? i'd love to hear your thoughts on that one if you enjoyed rouge and bunny! i'd also recommend the water cure by sophie mackintosh if you haven't read that already - it's very girlhood, dystopia, feminism, spooky and dreamy reading :-)
Yes you absolutely need to read book 2 of ACOTAR (ACOMAF)! Its truly 1 of only 3 books I gave 5 stars too last year, the other 2 were Fourth Wing and Babel which I know you loved when you read it :)
Loved the life of pi. So deep 😢and Rebecca is my all time fave x
If you like Six of Crows, you should try one of Leigh Bardugo’s other books! Ninth House is the first, the second just came out recently and I think there will be 3 total. Cannot recommend enough!!
Definitely some books on here on my tbr/that I want to get!😍📚
Oooh which ones? 👀
@@LucyJaneWood Rebecca, Firefly Lane, Tomorrow x3 and Six of Crows are on my tbr. I am desperate to go buy a copy of Clytemnestra 😍 and I am becoming more tempted by Weyward👀 The Skeleton Key is also on my radar as people at work recommended it.
Can't wait to hear your news!
Begging you to try Tress of the Emerald Sea or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson this year!
Noted! Thank you 🤩
@@LucyJaneWood I can tell you like thriller vibes but if you’re wanting so fantasy I couldn’t recommend them more.
Yes, please, please, read book 2 in ACOTAR please do that! Book 1 just has to be there, but it is not the real thing
I’ve read 26 of these!!!🎉
Can’t wait for this!! 💖
Woohoo! Enjoy 🥰
These are some really great reviews and I think I’ve found some books to add to my TBR pile! I wonder whether you have heard of the book Someone Who Isn’t Me by Geoff Rickly? It’s somewhat fiction and non-fiction. One of my top books of 2023. I think you might like it!
Loved this video! Yellowface and I’m Glad My Mum Died was on my top tier as well ❤
Def try second acotar book!! First one was very mid but second is great 🤩 i also almost stopped reading them but really glad i took a chance on the second!!
also did NOT like things we hide from the light 🤣
Well consider me influenced 😂
Love your selection 😍🙏🏻 Piranesi, yeah, I loved that one but it’s super odd, indeed. I think you would enjoy „The End of Mr Y“ by Scarlett Thomas, have you read that? If not, I recommend it to you!
I haven’t heard of that! Thank you x
Loved firefly lane. Did you know there's a sequel?
Yes! I will probably pick it up one of these days, loved it so much x
I’m half way through The Night Circus atm and I just can’t get hooked and into the story! Now I don’t know if I should persevere! Please read Betty by Tiffany McDaniel this year. It was my fave of 2023 and would love to hear your thoughts ❤
I absolutely have to have my Goodreads open when I watch your videos to keep track of all your recommendations! So happy to see some love for Rebecca, such an incredible book and I think it's so overlooked next to Jamaica Inn, but Rebecca speaks to me so much more!
Haha that's a big compliment! I need to give Jamaica Inn a try now x
Rewatching this bc it saddens me that you lost the views!
🥹🥹🥹 gonna cry, thanks you legend
Oh man I love reading but I can’t do contemporary fiction anything! It’s fantasy/classics/historical fiction are my go to’s. I read tomorrow x3 and I won’t ever get that time back… no one was likeable! No one had a redemption arc! It was so miserable.
Hi Lucy! If you like stories about Greek mythology, you should read "Mythos" by Stephen Fry.😊
I agree with so so many of your book opinions - The Virgin Suicides is my fave book of all time, so glad you loved it! But omg Life of Pi? Bottom tier?! Straight to jail!
😂😂😂 I will accept my jail time
How is that half of tier-tankings I saw have "red" as best and "green" as worst? I thought it is universally ancknowledged that it's the other way around. Or is it some Disneyesque green = bad?
It’s just how the website makes the grids 😂 but I like the Disney theory better