Semifinals Results - Finals Pairings

BookTube Prize Channel
Welcome to the 2022 Semifinals Results and Finals Pairings video.
The Finals take place over August and September.
The winners announcement video will air on Saturday, October 8.
For a downloadable checklist with all of the group pairings, and for a page with all the group graphics for you to use in your own social media, please visit our website homepage, linked below.
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#BookTubePrize #SemifinalsResults #FinalsPairings #BookTube

[@CourtneyFerriter]

Thanks, Robert! I'm not surprised that Empire of Pain and How the Word Is Passed advanced to the final round, but I am surprised that Crying in H Mart didn't make it, since that one seems to be quite the Booktube darling. Looking forward to seeing everyone's judging vlogs! 🙂

[@BookTubePrize]

H Mart was really close. I almost think the NF division is stronger than the other two this year. So many tight decisions.

[@illustratorsam]

I’m SHOCKED. Incredibly shocked! Especially what’s moving on in fiction! 😳

[@BookTubePrize]

Details, details??? What surprised you the most? 😂

[@illustratorsam]

@@BookTubePrize they knocked out the Booker prize winning book?! WHAT?!!! I’m thrilled Brickmakers made it onto the finals, but I’m disappointed by the other two books moving on from my group TF B

[@BookTubePrize]

@@illustratorsam 😂😂😂 I can't possibly comment on another Prize. 🤐

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

Agree, I was shocked Promise, Unsettled Ground and One Armed Sister all dropped out.

[@neilturner2368]

Great - thanks Robert! Surprised not to see ‘How the one armed sister sweeps her house’ progress, which I thought was brilliantly written although harrowing. Looking forward to the final round with just two to read.

[@BookTubePrize]

That's one of the two semifinalists I haven't read yet. I just think it was in one of those stacked sections with so many strong titles.

[@browngirlreading]

Glad to see How Beautiful We Were made it through. That's a wonderful book more people should read.

[@BookTubePrize]

And it survived "the group of death" where the difference between 2nd place and 5th place was razor thin.

[@sabinelipinska8614]

Happy that How the Word is passed an The Love Songs made it!

[@e.abebooks]

Last round! There are some good books in the finals!

[@seriela]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ My favorites MADE IT! YAY! (The music is lovely, too.)

[@BookTubePrize]

I have to get started reading the NF. I'm behind!

[@getbookish]

Thanks, Robert! American Baby was #1 of my rankings, but I’m not surprised it didn’t move on. I was just very interested in it to begin with. Curious to see how the finals work out! -Becks

[@JyotsnaS]

SO GLAD THE FIVE WOUNDS IS MOVING TO THE FINALS! That's my best read so far this year in fiction, thanks to the booktube prize 😁

[@BookTubePrize]

I'm so glad! I enjoyed that one recently, too.

[@PurposefulPursuits]

I’m soo surprised by great circle moving forward. I could not enjoy that book. I was lost and confused all the way through so I’m looking forward to hearing others thoughts. Some of my faves made it and then some of them were dropped. Looking forward to seeing the finals award.

[@BookTubePrize]

On that one I loved the historical story. Didn’t care much about the Hollywood story. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@beautynscience2010]

Interesting results. I'm surprised Facing the Mountain (NF) made it and The Magician (F) didn't. Happy that Love Songs and Disquiet made it!!!! Fantastic job as always Robert👏🏼👏🏼

[@BookTubePrize]

That section with The Magician could have gone any way. With one ballot to go, just 2 points separated second place from fifth place. Razor tight margins for two-thirds of that section.

[@janethansen9612]

I think the results indicate the majority of judges may be American? Sad to see Crying in H Mart didn't make the cut, and surprisingly I've only read 3 of the fiction finalists. However it is what it is and I'll be looking forward to seeing who wins and adding to my TBR.

[@BookTubePrize]

I don't have an exact breakdown handy, but yes, there are more American judges than from any other country, but overall, Americans represent about 55% of the judge pool.

[@jorgem71962]

My choices made it. I am disappointed that The Magician did not make it. I am surprised that The Lincoln Highway got through!

[@BookTubePrize]

That fiction group was amazingly close, right to the final ballot.

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

Wow! The finals already. The fiction category has the most books I thought would go through. I’m judging TF and there’s a couple of strong contenders, I think. 😊💙

[@BookTubePrize]

I still have several of those to read myself.

[@seriela]

Sorry to have missed the live broadcast. Now to listen to the results.

[@BookTubePrize]

Alba, are you taking a well-deserved rest in finals? I didn't see an RSVP from you this time. It's not a worry. We always have enough judges for Finals.

[@seriela]

@@BookTubePrize Yes. I figured there would be enough judges and my tbr "roll overs" are piling up! 🤣 I want to read them. But, thanks so much for the opportunity to read some newly beloved nonfiction books, Robert. Can't wait to see which one is selected.

[@sabineflury7153]

Very happy about the nonfiction results. For fiction, I would have exchanged The Five Wounds for The Magician. But I understand: The Five Wounds family is much more sympathetic than the elitist Manns. For a European somewhat familiar with the Manns' times and work, however, Colm Tóibín's brilliantly written and researched biographical novel was a favorite.

[@BookTubePrize]

That fiction section was the tightest of them all. The difference between 2nd place and 5th place going into the final days was razor thin.

[@catdancerskaleidoscopeofbo8496]

I am quite surprised at some of these results. I did not guess most of them. I really thought Crying in H Mart would make it, but perhaps it was too melodramatic for some people. I also thought How the One Armed... would make it as it is a fan favorite, but perhaps it was too harsh dealing with triggering topics. I am not surprised Empire of Pain made it to the finals. Very glad Love Songs... made it to the finals, we are determined as Booktubers for this novel to win one prize or the other and we are still championing it. I hope it wins.

[@BookTubePrize]

I think once we reach the top 12 like this, it's often impossible to predict. I was surprised by a couple of decisions, but it's probably because judges have to choose between several books they liked.

[@RachelB.BookReferences]

I'm surprised Cring In H Mart didn't make it, as I've only heard people rave about it.

[@BookTubePrize]

If I remember, it was 4th in that group and very close. Lots of good choices in one group.

[@CharlesHeathcote]

Alas, the book that was in my number one spot for this round and the previous is out. Still, there's some good titles in that final round.

[@BookTubePrize]

I was surprised just how close some of the groups were. A couple of ranking points separated half the group.

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

Wow, I just disagree with the judges this year, so many good books dropped out of each round of fiction, only to be left with this group, which in my opinion (having not read 2 of the books), is weaker than most group in the opening round. I feel like a bitter sports fan. Thank you for your work and effort in creating this, it's always interesting even if I don't like the result.

[@BookTubePrize]

I've found it true in every round in every season that a book that is somebody's #1 will be someone else's #6. But it happens with preferential balloting, especially with large judge pools. I almost never agree with the winning title in most literary prizes (often even this one) but I learn from and enjoy the process nevertheless. Now about that defense... what was the coach thinking?

[@judybrown1624]

I still cannot believe Still Life didn't make it through. 😪

[@BookTubePrize]

I think about that one often. I'm a fan.

[@louisep3518]

I'm not upset the Sarah Winman didn't make it through (not a fan) but I am very happy both The Island of Missing Trees and The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois did, I loved them both. Very happy Empire of Pain moves on too.

[@BookTubePrize]

I really liked the Winman but seeing how close that group's scores were, I can see that at least one really good book wasn't going to advance.

[@sabineflury7153]

Oh, and one question for any statisticians in the crowd: Robert mentioned how tight the rankings had become this year. Isn't there some law that would predict this when the number of judges increases?

[@BookTubePrize]

I don't know that, but it's also the nature of the later rounds, where the titles theoretically are the very best. Fun to see.

[@MrAppelvink]

Shouldn't Disquiet be disqualified because it is no longer a translation but another version. See Remembered Reads from Jen from today aug 1?

[@BookTubePrize]

I haven't seen her comment yet. I'll go look, but it's unlikely we'd DQ a book this late in the event.

[@BookTubePrize]

Listening to Jen's review now. Those are elements of the translation, though. It's perfectly acceptable to judge the book based on those, but the book is published under Livaneli's name, and presumably with his acceptance or approval, so I can't find any grounds to DQ it. That said, Jen raises some excellent questions and points out one of the inherent problems in reading anything in translation.