best 12 books of 2023 in 12 minutes or less

best 12 books of 2023 in 12 minutes or less
#bestbooks #booktube #top10
I have been so excited to make this Top 12 Books of 2023 video. These type of videos were what made me create my channel in the first place and become familiar with booktube. It was an amazing year of reading for me and picking the top 12 book of 2023 was no easy task. I think I did an alright job of it :-) Let me know what you think down below!
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[@davidslone2937]

Using the stack of books provided suspense and acted as a real-time marker of our place in the video-a really good decision, Jimmy! Also, what a cute cat! Happy reading and new year!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you for that feedback 🙏

[@merphynapierreviews]

Always here for some Kindred love! And very excited to get into China Mieville this year. Great video Jimmy!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

If you hate it just lie to me 😂

[@Danny_Matson]

Jimmy really stepping it up with the production values! Loving it 😀

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I’m trying hahaha

[@elizeyt]

so quick but I didn’t feel rushed at all, thanku!!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you!

[@adamcrawford6421]

Always great to see my guys Mieville and GGK getting some love on Booktube. Two of my favourites

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Two of the very best

[@joshramirez7]

Books on a weathered table, cant beat that look. Aesthetics and camera work on point! Kindred is amazing.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thanks so much!

[@joshramirez7]

​@thefantasynuttwork BTW, Do you have a Flacco jersey yet?! Haha

[@thefantasynuttwork]

@@joshramirez7 it’ll be here tomorrow lol

[@ReadBecca]

I was sure that big chunky tome was going to be epic fantasy! Such a list, wow! Reading from Mieville, Butler and Mitchell this year is already one of my official goals, but you've certainly affirmed its a good one! 😸 I've also got the get to Deaths End at some point this year.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Deaths End hurt my brain hahah

[@MaedBetweenthePages]

So The Scar did end up taking it in the end! You’ve definitely sold me on the series :)

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I hope you like it!

[@toastytowns]

you just added so many books to my tbr!! great video

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Glad to hear it bro!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Great list, Jimmy! Arbonne and Killer Angel’s are all time favorites for me. Happy New Year!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Happy new year Josh!

[@Jay_Mike]

Great video man. I like the style of editing and quick hitting summaries.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Glad you liked it!

[@The_Tauri]

Have a Happy year Jimmy! All best wishes.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Happy new year!

[@bookswithnate]

Great video! Appreciated you being concise. Really looking forward to some Glen Cook once I finish up with Malazan.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

You’ll see the Cook influence on Malazan almost instantly haha

[@Thxlbx]

Shadows Linger is great. Love The Black Company!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Same!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Loved the vid and what a tremendous reading year filled with so much variety! I loved the 12 minute format and the shots of the stack of books with the spine reveals -- probably my favorite formatted top-list on Booktube I've ever seen. I love getting hyped for authors I haven't tried yet like GGK, Mieville, Butler, Dickinson, and Wolfe! And glad to see some of my favorites of all time also connected with you in Killer Angels and Disgrace. Here's to hopefully another great reading year ahead for us both!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I really appreciate that compliment

[@emilykay8382]

Love the range of recommendations. So well spoken! One of my favorite booktubers! Always great to see a video from you Jimmy.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you!!!

[@johnpolidan3892]

Good to see you Jimmy. Happy new year.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

happy new year!

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

Absolutely agree about The Scar. That book was so insane for me back when I read it that it actually made me stop reading fantasy for about 4 or 5 years . . . Nothing being published at the time could really do it for me anymore 😂

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Hahah wow!

[@TheBeeesKnees]

Love the editing style you did for this 🥰 and such a fun way to do a year end list. A silent goal of mine is to slowly become a more varied reader genre-wise so your top books are very inspirational in that way! 🥹 definitely gonna be checking out the bone clocks at some point 👀

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I hope you love Bone Clocks! And thanks my friend!

[@thefantasythinker]

Really stunning list! I like the quick list contrasted with the slow stack reveal.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you so much!

[@annak_reads]

Great video and really nicely edited! I liked the book stack and revealing each book as the video went on. Really interested in Demon Copperhead now.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you for that feedback!

[@yetanotheremily2317]

Awesome video as always! I’m currently waiting on Perdido from the library, and want to read more of The Black Company this year. Thanks for the great content Jimmy!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

My pleasure 😇

[@MimiWhimsy]

Wow! You definitely packed a lot in these 12 minutes! Love the variety, and now have many new books to add to my TBR list! Loved the way you revealed the list...and such a cute kitty!!!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you!

[@lucaswilliams2218]

I really enjoyed the format you did for this video. I usually skip through a lot of them to just see what people put in their list but this was well paced. Really enjoy the content you’ve put out over the past several months

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you man, I’ve been trying to do quality over quantity so this feedback helps a lot

[@ColinsCornerYT]

The best B-roll on the block. I love how diversified your reading has become, especially the last 2 years or so. It's been so cool watching you branch out and expand your reading palette. I can't wait to try some CM. Happy New Year my man, all love.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

All the love dude, I appreciate it!

[@sy.kepler]

Excellent video. I appreciate you chose 12 books for this list and not just 10, as it gives a clearer idea of the stories that resonated most with you this year. Although I was aware of Mieville, sharing your appreciation for his work this year made me push him up on my priority TBR. Thank you, Jimmy, for all you do in this booktube community, and I wish you good health and a happy new year.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thanks so much for being here! Happy new year

[@fable_9611]

I love your longform content Jimmy but I've gotta say, this was really well done! I think the tighter format works well, particularly with the visual aspect of gradually revealing the stack

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Awesome, thank you!

[@timothyburbage]

Really top editing here with showing the book stack and them sliding in with your voice over the top. Nice one!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you!!

[@mariaounamagi2937]

You absolutely made me want to read these, my poor TBR list - so many books so little time :)

[@thefantasynuttwork]

We need more reading time in our schedules haha

[@hugowrathall5105]

R u going to do another tier list of all the books u read again? I loved that video for ur 2022 reads

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Most likely

[@angiethebookaholic]

Lisbeth Salander is my favourite female character ,she is kicks ass! Kindred is heart breaking and sometimes difficult to read sometimes because it felt so real!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Kindred wax extremely tough to get through but so so good

[@zeallygreen]

Refreshing list of diverse reads. Thx for sharing! 💚 Also, bonus, kitty 🐱 💚

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Denver stole the show

[@Talking_Story]

What an amazing, eclectic list! Wonderful!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you!

[@CNavo.TheNextChapter]

Some interesting sounding reads here to add. I think I got a list of 12 too. Now I just need to take your lead and not ramble like I normally do in my videos when I record it. Happy New Year Jimmy! Excited to see what you have planned for 2024.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Being brief is definitely a challenge hahaha happy new year my friend

[@TomOrange]

Great list! Im not sure I will like it but you have really got me wanting to read The Traitor Baru Cormorant

[@thefantasynuttwork]

It’s a boring book to a lot of people but I loved it

[@andrewhanson405]

Great list! Your reading taste in books seems to be evolving from what you were reading when the channel started. China Miéville is such a great writer. I hope more people start jumping on his bandwagon so that we keep getting fiction books from him....hope you have a great 2024!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you so much!

[@MattonBooks]

I love the glut of top lists at this time of year, and the best are like yours: packed with books I haven’t read. Other than Wolfe & Mieville, these are all new to me. It’s a good thing My TBR’s almost empty. Hah! 😆 Here’s to more awesomeness in 2024!

[@MattonBooks]

Also, kudos on the b-roll. Always a great way to give a video some rhythm. 🙂👌🏻

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you my friend!

[@BookishChas]

Awesome stuff Jimmy! Great job sticking to your time limit too lol. So glad to see Girl With the Dragon Tattoo on here. I really need to read the other two Cixin Liu books.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thanks Chas! Happy new year

[@SarahJ70]

A strong female protagonist like Dana from kindred who’s not a warrior but still a total badass while being compassionate even to those who don’t deserve such kindness? Then you’re going to love Phedre from Kushiels dart. I freaking love Phedre. She goes through so much yet never loses her resilience. Great first person POV as well, one of those distinct voices that people either love or hate but I personally loved

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I gotta read that!!

[@onfaerystories]

I've yet to read Kindred because none of my local libraries have Octavia Butler's works (I know 💀). I love when novels are both impactful and original. I'm also interested in Disgrace (though I'm scared), Baru Cormorant, and The Book of the New Sun. I'm glad you put them on my radar! ☺️

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I hope you like them when you get to them! Disgrace is really really heavy, but so well done

[@benjamincrowhurst5998]

Goddamn that was concise, silenced every doubter ❤ hope next year’s even better mate

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you my friend!

[@jakebishop7822]

Not a comment about the books, but just want to say this is really nicely edited. Out of the way, and subtle, but clearly took work to get right, and it came out really well.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I really appreciate it, I put extra work into this one to have it stand out so I’m glad to hear people enjoying this

[@fantasyfanatic6038]

I want the director's cut with Bobby B's New Year story at the brothel. Happy New Year, Jimmy!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Hahahaha

[@Sadene]

Highly recommend the chinese adaptation of the Three body problem!!! 😊🤩I watched it earlier this year and absolutely loved it 🙂

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I need to check that one out

[@e.matthews]

Will try Arbonne post-haste, thanks Jimmy! GGK's Brightness Long Ago was my book of the year so I think I'm in for a treat! (I'm cheating, as it tied with Vandermeer's wonderfully playful City of Saints and Madmen) And here's hoping 2024 is the year I learn to love Miéville! All the best

[@thefantasynuttwork]

All the best!

[@mariareadsssf]

Thank you for all the great recommendations. Here is my top 10 of 2023: 🥇"Speaking Bones" - Ken Liu 🥈"Blood Over Bright Haven" - M. L. Wang 🥉"The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" - Shannon Chakraborty "The Book That Wouldn't Burn" - Mark Lawrence "Spinning Silver" - Naomi Novik "Perdido Street Station" - China Mieville "Bloodchild and Other Stories" - Octavia E. Butler "Lone Women" - Victor LaValle "Talonsister" - Jen Williams "Godkiller" - Hannah Kaner

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Godkiller sounds interesting 👀

[@mariareadsssf]

@@thefantasynuttwork clasic themes with modern takes, adventure and lore. A nice easier reading experience

[@JamesI88]

Deaths end was more horrific to me than every horror every I've ever read

[@thefantasynuttwork]

It is terrifying

[@JLchevz]

I like that you read many genres!!!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I just love great stories!

[@JLchevz]

@@thefantasynuttwork excellent me too

[@o_display6656]

I'm ready

[@thefantasynuttwork]

me too haha

[@irishknight6893]

I see that you read historical fiction as well,you should try Shogun by James Clavell doing a read a long with mikes book reviews,(we just started the read a long today) about a 50 pages in and damn I’m enjoying it already! Also heard the Scar has pirates so I’m interested!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

One day I’ll definitely get to Shogun!

[@irishknight6893]

@@thefantasynuttwork what better time then now?! With the amazing looking FX adaptation of it coming out at the end of February,check out the trailer,it’s what caused me to finally read it and Mike was having a read a long,sold !!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

@@irishknight6893 I definitely can’t fit it in soon, but one day! The trailer looks amazing

[@michaeljdauben]

I read Shogun many years ago and loved it. I recently picked up a new copy for a reread.

[@darthandy6161]

Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing your fantastic list. Here is mine. 1. Golden Fool 2. Children of Time 3. An Autumn War 4. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter 5. The Mountain in the Sea 6. Yellowface 7. The Shadow of the Wind 8. The Heroes 9. Swan Song 10. Proven Guilty 11. The Book That Wouldn’t Burn 12. Spare

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I love that you enjoyed golden fool So much

[@Gaz_the_lock]

i am but a simple man: i see a book i haven't read in Jimmy's top, i add it to my tbr

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I hope you enjoy them haha!

[@acthulhuspawn]

Thanks for the cat!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Anytime!

[@osoisko1933]

A lot of great reads. I really need to continue with Bas Lag and will get to it when I save up some more money. I also have The Bone Clocks and The Traitor Baru ready to go.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I hope you love those two as much as I do!

[@awholeiolabooks8256]

Have the popcorn ready

[@thefantasynuttwork]

i love me some popcorn lol

[@dragonrambles]

I've already forgotten your top 12, or if you asked us any questions - all I can remember is the adorable cat 😸 I'm always impressed that people can come up with lists like this - I don't even try. I have trouble picking my favourite books of the year, let alone ranking them. If I exclude my rereading of WOLAS, I can come up with 3 books that were 5 star reads for me: The Dawnhounds by Sascha Stronach, Wulfsyarn by Phillip Mann, and The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. I'm stingy with my 5 stars, so the fact that I gave one to each of these is, in my opinion, a ringing endorsement 🙂

[@thefantasynuttwork]

It’s hard to pick them that’s for sure

[@sw3dge]

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s audiobook is one of my favorites.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Simon Vance does a great job

[@mattkean1128]

Going off of Disgrace, you may like Javier Marias.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I’ll check it out

[@angelaholmes8888]

Here's my picks Spare by prince harry Delilah green doesn't care Reminders of him by colleen hoover The mind series by s.t abby Tell me everything by minka Kelly memoir Someday maybe The woman in me by britney spears memoir The fiancee farce by Alexandra belfour What my bones know by Stephenie foo memoir Lucky me by sachi parker memoir Blood sugar by sacha Rothschild

[@Johanna_reads]

I can attest that Kindred, A Song for Arbonne, and Disgrace are brilliant books! I need to read all the other ones now. Excellent list and adorable kitty! 😻

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Denver is the real star of the show!

[@WillSlone]

While presenting yourself to the public as “fantasy” Jimmy, I think you have surreptitiously morphed into “well-read” Jimmy, but know that I am on to you and your covert schemes, and I refuse to be pulled into your cult of literati, with its fancy Nobel and Booker prizes. 😉 Seriously though, I love how varied your list is this year. Looking forward to another year of Chatting with Nutts, insightful book reviews, and whatever else you throw our way. Happy New Year!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Hahaha this was awesome

[@danielgwynne7266]

I thought I might recommend you a sci-fi anime called legend of the galactic heroes that aired between 1988-97 and to this day I think is the best sci-fi epic ever aired. It’s a show about a conflict between 2 empires one democratic and 1 authoritarian and it really began the trend of the 2 protagonists in conflict in anime which you see in shows like code geass or death note as it follows 2 people in the opposing militaries on each side of the conflict. I think you will know if you will like it after just watching the 2 prequel movies (it does get better as it goes but I don’t think it would change anyone’s mind) which are suggested to be watched first in my conquest is a sea of stars and overture to a new war (the second one being an improved version of ep 1 and 2 so you don’t need to watch them). This series is an adaptation of the novels but you will definitely like the show more as the novels is more just a history books of events. It is actually quite similar to asoiaf but without magic, focus on fewer characters I would say and all the other things which you could probably infer already.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Thank you for the recommendation!

[@MacScarfield]

Yeah, «A Song For Arbonne»! 😄 My Top 10 reads of 2023 My Top Favorite Read of 2023, is a tie between «Under Heaven» by Guy Gavriel Kay & «The Veiled Throne» by Ken Liu: «Under Heaven» should be teached next to «War & Peace» and «Le Miserables» for GGK’s prose and Ken Liu’s Character Work has few if any rivals! A character that has only one scene in «TVT» (though a series veteran in «The Dandelion Dynasty»), earned with that scene alone my favorite character of 2023: Cogo Yelu! Next is another tie between «The Retreat to Avalon» by Sean Poage & «The Winter King» by Bernard Cornwell: Poage has written my favorite take on «A Historical King Arthur» and the Seige of Yves Trebon/St. Michel in «TWK» shows why Cornwell might be the best at writing battles! The next are unsorted: «The Way of Edan» by Philip Chase «Bold Ascension» by Vaughn Roycroft «The Winter Road» by Adrian Selby «Salammbo» by Gustave Flaubert «The Farthest Shore» by Ursula K. Le Guin «Brigantia» by Adrian Goldsworthy Honourable Mentions «The Little Emperors»/«The Conscience of the King» by Alfred Duggan (Love very dry British humor on ambitions, politics and bureaucracy (so many great quotes!), and excellent descriptions of how (possibly) Roman Britain fell!) «Tortilla Flat» by John Steinbeck (my biggest laughs this year, Great Feelgood Read if you don’t mind some tragedy too!)

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I’m so intrigued by the winter road, just recently bought it and hope to read it soon

[@MacScarfield]

@@thefantasynuttwork Yeah, Teyr is on my shortlist for «Favorite Main Character» of 2023 and her romance with Aude is the same for «Best Romance of 2023»! But Kheise & his White Boys is the clear winner of my «Most Dreaded Antagonist/Villain» of last year (and this is a year where I read the final two novels in the «Dandelion Dynasty», where the Lyucu could easily steal the Dothraki’s lunch money!): Imagine the unholy lovechild of the KKK and Fast Zombies and the psycho controlling them!

[@esmayrosalyne]

As someone who can't stop rambling on when it comes to books, I have mad respect for how you nailed these rapid-fire reviews hahah. What a list!! And I feel like you've done a pretty good job of screaming about your faves last year because I can't say I am truly surprised by any of these. Can't wait to get to Mieville's works soon! Cheers!

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I feel like I’m tired of hearing my own voice at this point 😂

[@esmayrosalyne]

@@thefantasynuttworkFair, but we're not 🤣

[@adampollack5774]

Did you ever end up reading the 4/5 books of Sun eater?

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Yep! I read both

[@playermartin286]

For the love of god read "Foster" by Claire Keegan. It's only 100 pages. It will break your heart. Cheers

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Will do!

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

2023 the year of deep Jimmy

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Rollin in the deeeeeeep

[@deanryanmartin]

I have guessed your Number 1 right. Haha.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

😂

[@jetm7698]

Do you train Jiu-jitsu by any chance?

[@thefantasynuttwork]

Yep! Purple belt haha

[@jetm7698]

@@thefantasynuttwork Cool! Where do you train?

[@thefantasynuttwork]

@@jetm7698 I trained many years with max gimenis and now training at a school that branched off the Gracie lineage

[@jetm7698]

@@thefantasynuttwork Thanks for sharing! I was already a fan of the channel. This tid bit of info just made the channel little bit more interesting haha

[@Cremling_1996]

You do meditation, Jimmy?

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I do not, my meditation would be lifting weights while listening to extremely aggressive music 😂

[@feverfiori5887]

Very sexy list, got dudes like China n Wolfe hanging there, n gals like Butler n Barbara. Caliente indeed. Except for that horndawg Garviel, he yucks it up too much. My list sorta kinda goes 1. Confessions of a Mask 2. Thousandfold Thought 3. Judging Eye 4. No Longer Human 5. Warrior Prophet 6. On Photography 7. Grrl Scouts: Stone Ghost 8. Blood Meridian 9. Reapers Gale 10. Marathon very Bakkon heavy, so like idk what I be doing in condoning yo choice of Garviel tbh.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I just bought No Longer Human, I saw it in the book store and remembered you enjoyed it a lot. I’m hopeful I’ll love it

[@ConnorM44]

Best 1 Booktube Channel in 1 Comment - goes to the Fantasy Nuttwork

[@thefantasynuttwork]

I’d like to thank myself

[@demidrek-heyward]

lfg

[@thefantasynuttwork]

LFGGGGG

[@NebraskaMenify]

Omg those arms 😍🤤😍

[@thefantasynuttwork]

😅😂

[@SwipeSide19]

Please, continue being long winded!