So in 2023 I absolutely sucked at keeping up this website. I think I posted once, but amidst the chaos of life, I forgot to keep up with it. So, this post is going to be a short review of each book I read (or that I remember reading) last year in order from my least favorite to my favorite.

I hate how it’s 9 and not 10, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. By the way, I did read more than 10 books; some of these are series’.

9. The Frugal Wizard’s Guide to Surviving Medieval England

I did not love this book. The main character sort of grew on me, but he was a little boring. The storyline was an interesting concept, but it wasn’t Sanderson’s best work.  It was supposed to be different from his other books, since it was scifi, but it ended up having a very Cosmere ending.

8. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

This was another Year of Sanderson book. It was interesting, but still not my favorite. I liked the main characters, but towards the end things got very weird and complicated. To the point that Hoid (who is telling the story) actually says several times, “Let me backtrack to explain what was happening.” If the narrator needs to explain that many times, it wasn’t written clearly enough the first time.

7. The Wheel of Time (14 book series)

*Disclaimer: I did not read all 14 in 2023. I think it was just the last 4.* This was certainly an epic series. Robert Jordan created an incredible world with a ridiculously complex plot and compelling characters. However, lot of the series dragged and a lot of the characters were absolutely infuriating. I also felt like the resolution at the end of the last book was a little underwhelming after all we’d been through. The characters deserved more of a sendoff and the readers deserved a better goodbye. Overall, amazing series, but not my favorite.

6. Tress of the Emerald Sea

I very much enjoyed this book! It was the first Year of Sanderson book and was my favorite one. I did a complete review on the book here.

5. Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods

It was so fun to jump back into Percy Jackson after so long! Somehow it felt the same, and it was like coming home. This was the fifth Percy Jackson book and takes place after the Heroes of Olympus. He has to do quests to get into college, and while the stakes are smaller than in previous books, Percy rises to the occasion and impresses us all with his huge heart and willingness to fight for what is right.

4. The Lunar Chronicles (4 book series)

These fractured scifi fairy tales were a surprising whirlwind! I loved each new character that was added to the gang with each book. They were an amazing ensamble to a story that had me hooked. So many twists and turns. I enjoyed seeing the ways the original fairy tales were creatively worked into one cohesive story. Definitely recommend!

3. The Dead Romantics

While the premise of this book is definately something I’ve seen in a romcom, it was still very unique. There was so much heart in it, and I was cheering on the main character the whole time. She was relatable because she was a mess that felt like a failure, and that is me all the time. While it was a romance, and I’m obsessed with the fully fleshed out love interest, I loved the focus on family and how we can grow and change while still depending on those we love.

2. The Seven Year Slip

This book gave me the biggest book hangover of the year. I went back several times after finishing the book just to reread my favorite moments. I love Iwan! At first I did not relate to the main character at all, because she’s apparently perfect at everything, but I loved the concept of her making a change in life even if things are fine. We don’t have to settle for fine. We can shoot for happy! The interaction between Iwan and Charlotte was beautiful, and I loved watching them navigate a tricky situation. This book teaches us how we can change and evolve while still holding on to the core of what makes us who we are.

1. The Simon Snow Trilogy

I loved these books! They may have started off as a purposefully cliche fanfiction of Harry Potter, but by the end, the characters take the reins and turn it into something completely unique. I’m obsessed with Simon and Baz! Their character arcs are incredible and I want more! I also loved how much deeper their relationship gets with each book, to the point that sometimes it their interactions are so real and vulnerable, you feel uncomfortable. And yet, you root for them the whole time!