everything i read in september + october 🍂

[@maddy-zzz]

Heads up! Bryan Stevenson is the head of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Alabama, not the Innocence Project. I definitely suggest folks visit the Legacy Museum and the Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery that were created by the EJI.

[@alvafairchild13]

That makes more sense i googled it after this and was so confused

[@newlynova]

@@maddy-zzz shoot this is true and completely my b!! i think i must have gotten them mixed up because the innocence project was in the news around when i read just mercy and they have similar missions so my brain combined the two - thank you for the comment ♥️

[@onemin8729]

Oh that's a relief, bc I have some opinions on the innocent project..

[@theotherveronica]

glad you said this because i was going to make the same clarification!

[@ladyemberash]

Man the universe knew i needed some serotonin

[@iseabra84]

Same!!!

[@bloopityboop8434]

Right there with you, dawg ❤

[@dopex89]

The universe that is Lexi 💖

[@jakequirk2859]

That “hope you’re taking care of yourself” really get me taking care of myself

[@wrenchliketendencies]

The Legend and Lattes roast is so true though, the main reason why that book is so treasured to me is because I read both it and the prequel after finishing The Poppy War trilogy and I NEEDED something that would be low stakes and I could get emotionally invested into the characters without worry. It did just that lol

[@stitchedscorpio]

omfg i also read these back to back and it was the reprise i needed after poppy war destroyed me

[@indiethebindi]

Agree that the experience with this book is highly dependent on what you have just read 😅

[@lolothesilly]

L&L pulled me out of a decade long reading slump it is perfect if you need just a cozy time with no stakes

[@TheDenverOmelette]

Oh my god it was also one of my Poppy War recovery books

[@maddy-zzz]

Yes! I love reading cozy books right after a very dense one. Helps my brain reset lol

[@foxhedgehog1027]

i read shark heart over the summer & it basically got me back into reading. i would go after my (horrible) job every day to sit on the beach & watch the sunset & read it. cried my eyes out in public, at the beach, while the sun went down as it finally ended. which was fitting but also heartbreaking.

[@ch33rtila]

The shame of not reading that much leaves my body as soon as Lexi says that it’s been hard for her too. Thanks, I feel seen.

[@soupguy5243]

omg same we’re in this 2gether … hope you find something soon that brings you immense joyyy 🫶🫶🫶 also omg childe pfp

[@megship]

i’m 1:25 into this video, but I just wanted to say: I always appreciate your darker humor and self-deprecating sarcasm, but I also imagine there’s a lot of difficulty behind it. I’ve dealt with a lot of depression and ruminating and rotting the last few years. I’m really glad to hear you’ve been experiencing more book excitement lately, and I hope you’re doing better overall 🤍

[@newlynova]

[@badmiracle]

i read bunny recently, too, and the last quarter or so made me sob hysterically. like samantha’s loneliness is just so pervasive it literally felt like it had crawled inside my bones. it’s so relatable and made me so, so sad. (it’s also just a really cool book with some really fun ideas, but man, i wasn’t expecting the level of emotional investment lmfao.) mona awad’s writing style is definitely hit or miss for people but if you liked it here i think you’d really enjoy her other novel, rouge! it’s also super weird and creepy AND it’s a mother-daughter story AND it ALSO made me blubber like a baby.

[@lily-wv6in]

i must admit, the longer i read the more i started to laugh because it was just soo absurd and after the swan scene i felt so deeply sorry for her and had to cry as well, like when did that happen??

[@judemm1729]

Seconded! Rouge is phenomenal. A lot of amazing recent books dealing with the beauty industry, particularly from a racial perspective and through surrealism or body horror, but I think Rouge is a standout within that genre and, like Bunny, also made me cry.

[@EssenceEtienne]

The way you described the Freida McFadden book was absolutely incredible 😭😭😭 thinking while reading drops the ratings down exponentially even the writing is reminiscent of a first draft

[@alvafairchild13]

Upvotes for bunny getting its own video!

[@newlynova]

hahaha we will seeeee

[@kel1477]

You explaining that Legends and Lattes was just a cozy game play loop shed so much light on why I found it to be so lovely and comforting lol

[@mouwwie]

you are the first person i see with a correct opinion on bunny. thank you SO MUCH because it's my favourite book of all time and it's physically painful to see people trash it while completely missing the point

[@MalloryJPage]

You get me!!! I feel the exact same and it hurts me when people don’t get it at all

[@kassiemckay30]

Completely agree 💖💖 thanks for understanding the brilliance, Bunny 🐰

[@joemama8595]

I think Jack Edwards and Haley Pham had pretty good reactions to it, they both rated it 4 stars.

[@wildpuddle]

I read bunny earlier this year and I LOVED it. When I saw Lexi was going to talk about it I was hoping she would have enjoyed it too. So glad she did 😂

[@meengga]

Also the book leo loves that book so much, all her rexs are so good​@@joemama8595

[@katephelan2020]

right in the middle of midterms THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED

[@RugayaBorrins]

Same exam season is killing me😭😭Lexi knows how to cheer us up🫶

[@soupguy5243]

BEST OF LUCK Y’AAAAAALL

[@katephelan2020]

@ THANK YOUUU

[@Tanaswrld]

No literally 😂

[@newlynova]

[@Staticpulse29]

As a person who also struggles with "depression rotting", seeing you drag yourself back into your love of reading inspires me to get back to my 66+book tbr that is constantly staring me in the face. Also as a black qoman i dont think i could read Just Mercy and not become a shell of a person, so thank you for giving me the play-by-play for my mental health if nothing else

[@honorbound1337]

Damn that line about not finding your crucial identity-founded hobby enjoyable sometimes is so true

[@nicolehex]

lexi!! i do a lot of work in forensic psychology and have used the innocence project in my theses for a long time and so its so cool to hear how passionate you also are for the rights of the incarcerated and being so vocally anti death penalty!! i hadnt heard of just mercy till now but now im very excited to read it thx queen :)

[@newlynova]

@@nicolehex just an fyi another commenter corrected me and i got my nonprofits mixed up - it’s actually the equal justice initiative that he founded!! but extremely similar missions hence the gaffe - i hope you love the book as much as i did ♥️

[@samj16731]

“staggeringly variable quality” is how I really should describe my reading selections…and maybe my personality.

[@lauramichelle6976]

Shark heart is my best book of 2023. I read it shortly after losing someone to alcoholism and it hit so fucking hard. Watching how that changed her, and ultimately took her made this book reach my soul. I’m obsessed with it and I love watching people connect with it. ❤❤❤

[@busyizzyyyy]

im sorry that happened to you and your loved one :( sending love

[@andrea-vb8ls]

you are so good as summarizing the book in a way that really gives the vibe but actually spoils nothing! wow. in awe

[@livana2144]

I read bunny WHILE UNWELL with a temperature and let me tell you , it makes it 100% even more of a trip . Not sure I would recommend

[@zenracha]

WAKE UP LEXI POSTED!!!

[@elenanicoleta5127]

Your description of complicated female friendships and wanting to be a part of a clique but not really but still doing it reminded me so much of the musical Heathers! It's one of my favourites, so now I'm even more intrigued about Bunny😮

[@newlynova]

i want to put out there that heathers is like, SO MUCH more mainstream and mass consumable than bunny LMFAO bunny is a weird weird weird book.... .. . but thematically yes they are similar, and i think that people who like bunny are a smaller circle inside of people who like heathers

[@pippycat2842]

Just Mercy reminds me of this video I saw years ago that’s never left me. It was someone interviewing a death row executioner and asking him about the toll the job takes on him, and I just remember him saying he knows that statistically he has executed at least one innocent person and it weighs on him endlessly till he quit the job. I was already anti death penalty at the time but it just solidified my stance and I remember it whenever the death penalty is brought up

[@alvafairchild13]

Do you by chance remember anything about it it sounds interesting

[@aimes2011]

I found and started reading Babel because of your reviews on it. I’m only 30% into the audiobook but I am obsessed! It scratches my brain like no book has ever done. I read a lot of YA, so the intellectual bump-up is nice. It’s so heavy and stressful but I’m in love. It will be my favorite book this year.

[@newlynova]

yesssss i am SO GLAD YOU LOVE IT!!!! that is one of my favorite books to recommend hahaha

[@Blushgrub]

I swear your videos are the reason I began reading one book a month this year. It’s really helped my mental health. The way you describe things just makes me want to read so badly. Love your channel!

[@juliachamberlain1277]

bunny rocked my world in a major way. unsettling but major.

[@MegHanSolo1138]

AGREED about Legends and Lattes. I felt semi-gaslit over how well loved that book is.

[@sage7511]

I'm not writing this to argue with you about your opinion, obviously you're totally entitled to think whatever you like about the book! But just to explain what's appealing about it to me personally, I really enjoyed watching the main character move through the mundane tasks of restoring a building and opening a shop via the power of hard work and friendship. It was like the grown-up version of a magical girl anime or something lol-the world is simple and there's a thing you want to do, and you use your own two hands and your ability to be nice to other people to do it. The task is more mundane than saving the world, but it's kind of a DnD-flavored escapist/power fantasy for some of us who feel very stifled, helpless, and hopeless in the current moment. Obviously not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but that's why I liked it :)

[@AbcDory]

Living vicariously through you while deep in a reading slump and also adding yet more books to the neverending tbr

[@victoria4]

I saw you tearing up on your story about shark heart and I stared to chuckle and decided to read it for laughs… there were no laughs… only tears

[@cat.book.nook.]

I've had my first neurodivergence diagnosis meeting today, I'm burnt out after talking about all of my issues, and this video is self care I needed 💜

[@newlynova]

[@cat.book.nook.]

@newlynova thank you so much 💜 It's hard, but I feel validated already, so it's worth it. I'm having a lot of cat cuddles as a self reward

[@amandawinterland8199]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARK HEART. I never in a million years would have picked this book up and now it lives inside my soul forever. It's so goddamn good

[@christinamarietaylor]

I’ve had Shark Heart on my tbr for ages but that first quote you read pushed me to finally buy it, because wow

[@ellie3.14]

Bunny is one of my all time favorites, but I can never really articulate why I love it or even what it’s about. It’s one of those books that if you get it, you GET it

[@amyg8176]

The way you described the internet’s reaction to Bunny is how I feel about the reaction to Gideon the ninth. I think it’s just a case of “this isn’t being spelled out for me immediately as it happens and so I will deem it a confusing read” which to me is code for “I only read young adult or romance novels,” which is fine, but those are definitely genres where things tend to be spoon fed to the audience and maybe it would be helpful to branch out a bit

[@kaylahaas]

12:41 one of my childhood friends was the victim of a literal cannibal & I have struggled for years with the fact that his killer gets to just continue living when Kevin doesn’t. I’m gonna pick up Just Mercy & hope I come out the other side with a different perspective. Fingers crossed.

[@LighthouseAndTheKraken]

Hi, I don't know who you are and am not sure you want to hear this, but it is okay to feel angry about something like that and feel like he/you didn't get justice that you feel was deserved. It is very personal and emotional issue which not a lot of people deal with. I hope you find something in this book that gives you peace, but if not that is okay

[@newlynova]

yes 100% agree with the other commenter - you are dealing with an extremely personal, difficult situation. you are not a bad person for having those feelings. i still recommend the book and hope it can help (notes on an execution might be ? even better? but i have no idea truly) but seriously, however you are able to cope, you are doing your best in an impossible situation

[@foxhedgehog1027]

god i am not typically a re-reader but you reading the shark heart quotes just made me tear up at work so idk man

[@scremmy_draws]

NEW LEXI VIDEO MY DEPRESSION IS CURED

[@theawsomeone007]

I just finished bunny last night, so I was SO excited to see your video. I love a crazy pretentious weirdo book, so bunny was right up my alley. Thank you for always being so real and making such comforting videos!

[@thisishome111]

lexi youre my fav booktuber i force all my friends to watch you

[@amy-ld4pe]

Freaking out because I’m obsessed with just mercy and I can’t believe you also read it AND YOU GAVE IT FIVE STARS OMG

[@charlyeeohair5777]

I am not kidding when I say you are the best KZbinr. I've watched all your videos twice or three times, I'm eagerly anticipating the next. They're perfect to put on in the background for everything I want to do, you talk fast to keep my brain engaged but your also very clear and enunciate well, so my ears can actually pick everything up. I'm truly lucky to have stumbled across your channel. I hope you're doing well 😊

[@soupguy5243]

“just mercy” sounds like exactly the kinda book i wanna read … and it relates to one of my favorite characters omg thank you for giving me a book to lose my mind to and better understand one of my favs …

[@Laurie_Chin]

I love watching your videos because it can be so hard to find a book reviewer on KZbin (or TikTok) that isn't just regurgitating all the top 100 books but also loves the "angsty, cerebral, rip out my heart so I can put it back together and make me FEEL something, like life is worth living because I understand at a nuanced level this particular human experience" books. I always end up saving 2-3 books from you recs :) You do a great job expressing yourself while also preserving your authenticity and it feels like you're listening to a friend talk about her passions :)

[@katiegordie5183]

Knowing you loved shark heart is so validating 😭

[@RebelSnowWhite]

I hope you’re doing okay out there❤️ praying you’re staying happy and healthy

[@zoopdora101]

The amount of happiness I get from watching your videos should be illegal! Thank you for being my favorite KZbinr/content creator!!

[@dilllogan8703]

shark heart sounded silly at first, but now i actually think it would break me if i read it (i’ve already placed a hold for it on libby)

[@newlynova]

enjoy the ride :)

[@JustLetTheSunIn]

why did I start ACTUALLY full body sobbing when you read the little excerpt from shark heart?? Could not help myself I am ordering this book RIGHT NEOW

[@lisajivin7625]

hearing you give exodus 3 stars really did something to my soul in the best way possible

[@BeatriceHill-b5o]

Lexi when she sees a book about execution: Five Stars ⭐

[@newlynova]

stoppppp 😭😭

[@justwhistle]

so happy for you seeing the numerous 5 star ratings in this vid after youve been seemingly in the trenches every wrap up of the year so far

[@newlynova]

dude it has been GRIM HAHAHAHA

[@pollyjenefer]

shark heart was beautiful and had me sobbing throughout 😭 glad you loved it too!

[@sadeeliza]

coming to watch to hear you articulate so elegantly and perfectly that it genuinely cleans my brain from the trash i consume on the internet when im not reading >>>> anything else

[@amara_0501]

let it be known that doing the dishes while watching lexi is very therapeutic, thank you for feeding us but also please take care of yourself!!

[@lexxiebook]

I have just now started shark heart and stared at the first passage you read for so long because it was so beautiful. I’m so glad to see it get recognition!

[@hannahdavis6223]

The electroreception passage made me put the book down and stare into the void for a solid 5 minutes. Fantastic book!

[@PinkGhost-zl6ln]

Recently got back into reading after falling out around mid-high school, and discovered this channel while looking for recs. Ngl our tastes are really different and I don't think I'd be very interested in many of the books that receive praise here, but I've nevertheless enjoyed your reviews and hearing your thoughts on your latest reads. You have so much genuine passion for this hobby and the hunt for exceptional stories to experience, and I envy your willingness to share that passion with the world so openly. I find that watching others enjoy even the little things that this life has to offer can be a pretty good reminder of how great this life really is. So thank you, and I hope you are taking care of yourself.

[@InevitableM.]

thank god. I needed something to watch in the last few hours of work

[@cammistilwell5414]

i am SO thrilled you loved shark heart ❤❤❤ i’ve been pushing it on everyone since january

[@SophiaMorales-bo7gc]

bunny is one of my favorite books of this year, I read 75% of it in one sitting and even though i didnt understand the end until I looked it up the writing and feel of it soley made up for that

[@acetrainerbee]

Omg I'm glad I stayed to watch your spoiler section because if I had read the book and that happened, I would be infuriated xD I always love your wrapups!!

[@kellyt676]

Your explanation of never lie is spot on!! I couldn’t explain why that book bothered me so much

[@gileadsfinest3729]

I read Just Mercy as a high school years ago for a book report, and I had to stop midway to cry because it was super eye opening and heartbreaking. I highly recommend it too

[@annaann2584]

stumbled upon this video and your intro about book slump instantly sold me your channel, even before you actually started to talk about books

[@jadejeb3295]

thank you so much for introducing me to Just Mercy 🙌 also legends & lattes TRUTH, I went so far as 2 stars 💀 could barely even feel the romance (which was devastating) appreciate your videos always !♥️

[@gb-ik6mc]

ur description of bunny is so on point actually omg love that book

[@lousiegaming]

LEXI I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU

[@miriam8376]

Leaving aside the absolute brilliance of the content, can I say I love longer videos like this from Lexi? I rewatch old booktok videos when I’m falling asleep, and it takes me roughly 35-40 minutes on average. Longer videos like this are a perfect length. I don’t like auto play because ads and videos often wake me up, but Lexi (and Cari, from Cari can read) is my go-to because she has a soothing voice and no loud noises and is interesting even after several replays. So after I watch this once all the way through, it’s long enough that it can go on my playlist!

[@newlynova]

[@wonpilpooks]

omg this was exactly what i needed watching lexi talk is pureeee comfort 😭

[@grumpywarlock]

Lexi has single handedly got me back into reading!❤

[@andrewgarcia2018]

The way you explained shark heart is so beautiful I wanna read it yesterday

[@oliviahoffman3262]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VALIDATING MY FEELINGS ON NEVER LIE!! i feel the EXACT same way about this specific kinds of thriller plot. thank you for articulating my exact thoughts. i wasn’t sure if i was the only one 😭

[@celestialsblues]

thank you for your correct opinions on bunny. as someone who read bunny way before the online hype it has frustrated me so much to see people hate on it bc they want it to Make Sense TM or think it's pretentious

[@Asia82116]

Will of the Many is on my physical shelf now. This is proof I need to move forward and read it. Heard so many great things about it.

[@LibraryFairy762]

I think for me the imaginary emotional stakes was really integral to legends and lattes' appeal. Like its not a lifechanging book, its like someone made me a hallmark christmas movie for my dnd game

[@vaishnavisanal9094]

I was literally just thinking about when the next wrap up wouldl be! Glad to see another post from my literal favourite booktuber ❤

[@JasonStivers-g7c]

i stumbled across your channel while looking for funny bad books and i've now fallen down the rabbithole! you have gotten me back into reading!! ❤

[@lindslovely]

I feel so validated that you also liked Bunny. I feel seen

[@ryanndavis6207]

i just found ur channel and you’re easily the funniest booktuber i have watched

[@lenkerism]

i have finally gotten out of a reading slump and have been reading so much more and it’s so rejuvenating, your videos have fueled this literary happiness as well🧘🏻‍♀️

[@yoyoitsme2561]

9:06 JUST MERCY IS MY FAVORITE BOOK OMG THIS IS AN AMAZING DAY 😭😭😭🌟🌟🌟🌟❣️❣️❣️❣️

[@ivona7089]

hi lexi!! this might be random but don’t even worry about the light near the end of the video / lamp light, it gives off such cozy vibes

[@maryn3606]

Girl, I genuinely love you and your videos. Please upload more. The world is so f up we need your sarcastic dark humor and book recommendations to cope. Fr

[@SierraPilat]

thank you for the shark heart recommendation. i just finished it, and it was 5 stars for me. also, totally tangentially, i can’t seem to stop crying and i might just hate you

[@emilyvcope]

shark heart i think is my best read of the year. an absolute masterpiece in writing and storytelling. it absolutely wrecked me and I didn’t expect it at all

[@ez.reads777]

omg shark heart

[@taylorevans9467]

i read Shark Heart because of you and it shattered my heart in the best way possible.

[@evermore.18]

notes on an execution is one of my favorite reads of the year so i’m excited to check out no mercy

[@Brownie928]

WHEN LEXI POSTST YOU STOP, DROP, AND WATCH ❤️😇

[@jessannemason2949]

Hope you’re doing alright! Miss your videos but no pressure ❤️ live life

[@elizabethlucas6075]

I’m so glad you loved The Will of the Many! It was absolutely my favorite book this year

[@kattinthehatt8292]

I was JUST rewatching your Best of 2023 video to get some recommendations. This is wonderful timing.

[@lalalsm]

This is me finding out I’m in your inner circle of viewers because i actually re watch your wrap up videos while doing stuff

[@novamoreno5221]

I'd love a full video about bunny and your theories or just perspective on the weirdness, I loved it.

[@maytag_s]

I've been binging your past videos lately, and this was exactly what I've been needing.

[@emmahyson9238]

Shark Heart review for the win!! I have been waiting since you posted that IG story back in September about sobbing through it. I was a blubbering mess at the end of that book and thank God someone else on earth felt the absolute humanity this book smacked me with. The most incredible story of what love is and how different kinds of love manifest in this life and can resonate in different ways but never completely fill the holes in our hearts left by those we've lost.

[@paulamartinez3968]

Finally someone that shares my exact thoughts on legends and lattes!!!! I was sooo bored from really early on and I could not get into the coziness for the life of me! Also if you havent read Human Acts by Han Kang you absolutely NEED TO I just finished it and it has broken me in pieces and the way you spoke about shark heart I really think you would love it ❤

[@amandaandronnie]

The way you describe books is so satisfying! I can’t get enough!

[@rachelapalmieri]

Your summation on Bunny is the best I’ve heard 👌🏻

[@francescakyanda9182]

i'm finally up and moving after being absolutely stricken down by Illness, and I can read more now that my brain fog is dissipating!! it was ROUGH there for a while, I totally get your feeling of being excited to read after some life hiccups...also I came here from watching another one of your videos ✨

[@newlynova]