ten before the end (my last reads of 2023)

i’m delusional enough to think that there’s a chance i can still hit my reading goal for the year, which is worrying. so here’s my big ten before the end - the final ten books that i want to read in december and over christmas. they’re a suitably festive, jolly bunch, as i’m sure you’ll agree.
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📸 INSTAGRAM: / lucyjanewood
📚 GOOD READS: / lucy-wood
📖 STORYGRAPH: app.thestorygraph.com/profile...
🐤 TWITTER: / lucyjanewood
🌻 STUFF MENTIONED
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(affiliate links below)
All Girls: www.stylink.it/94GgPf0Jrl
Girl In Pieces: www.stylink.it/XlVDdt6bvp
The Night Circus: www.stylink.it/2bpmdTYGd0
My Roommate is a Vampire: www.stylink.it/OMm2OsGdmM
Boy Parts: www.stylink.it/dpVk4T6gq4
Brutes: www.stylink.it/mnVjztb2AM
Mrs Dalloway: www.stylink.it/anVjpta3Ow
Rouge: www.stylink.it/j4V3ef72DJ
Orpheus Builds A Girl: www.stylink.it/PMaQwsny77
The Wishing Game: www.stylink.it/pPVmkhXJQJ
🌼 WEARING
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Eyeshadow: bit.ly/3GPcmWq
🌚 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.

[@12missmolly]

Can’t wait to go into shops and see Lucy Jane woods book in the shelves 😜 xxxx

[@12missmolly]

This girl is gonna make the best author xxx

[@emmaclaire17]

The serotonin when there's a new book video!

[@nou9902]

Lucy be like "hey I just recced a bunch of stuff for all of you book nerds in the last vid, but here we go with more actual books! treat yourself! once again!" You don't want to know how many books I've got on my amazon wishlist and I fear watching this is only going to make it worse. Top of the list right now are "Yellowface" and "Verity", which I think you recced last year or the year before. Also happy holidays! 🎄

[@laurenmiller149]

I completely agree with your thoughts on The Night Circus! It has to be one of the most imaginative and vivid books I've ever read. I remember reading it for the first time and thinking, "How in the world has someone come up with this!? And put it into words, no less!?!?" It was one of the most dynamic reading experiences I've ever had and I feel like I'll be chasing that magic for years to come...

[@larossi85]

The way you describe books makes me want to read them all!

[@geehall8631]

I love The Night Cirus - so glad you enjoyed it! I've not heard of The Wishing Game before, but it sounds good and I'd love to hear what you think of it ☺

[@mirriadel]

The Night Circus is stunning, it was so easy to visualise all of the tents and the magic in them. Plus, all the time-jumping and the ending was just perfect. ❤

[@moemay98]

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern is somehow even more magical (imo) than The Night Circus, and I don’t know how she does it! Would highly recommend the read- it’s one of my favorites 😊

[@mirriadel]

I loved the Night Circus, I’m going to add Starless Sea to my reading list for 2024 cause I loved the other book so much. Glad I spotted this comment, love a good recommendation ❤

[@hayleym9208]

Lucy’s book videos are back. Your books recommendations are my absolute favourite. I’ve missed them. Really looking forward to more next year ❤

[@berrrnice]

My goal was 5 😭😭😭😂 I managed 8 though!! (Hopefully 9 after we finish for Christmas 🤞🏻)

[@lauracumins1329]

So excited whenever I see a Lucy book video!

[@puffmaggie]

youre so good at describing books and make it all sound so casual!! its been one of the type of videos ive missed the most from you this year, just really vibe with your book recs! your storygraph log of Piglet was absolutely that feeling of "ok im convinced i'm reading this" so i totally get what you mean 😊

[@dashakopulsky4690]

The perfect cozy video ☺️ my favorite sort of content!

[@lisalilley9747]

Merry Christmas Lucy, I do hope you’ve written a book😊 love your book videos, some lovely ideas here thank you x

[@thepeachbutton7410]

Merry Christmas Lucy! This video added two new books to my tbr , not too bad lol. Xxx

[@jesstucker7511]

Love the sound of these! I’ve had The Night Circus on my tbr for the longest time, I think that’ll be one for the new year ☺️ merry Christmas! 🎄

[@ellenroberts2885]

So excited to watch this. I love your recommendations ❤️

[@jennagoldsmith6394]

The way you described your feelings reading The Night Circus is exactly how I felt! Now I’m inspired to pick it up again. You HAVE to read The Starless Sea in 2024

[@clairedodson7706]

The wishing game is so cutie and pure and it’s a really fast read. I finished it in one sitting!

[@ashleighbix2764]

A book video from Lucy? Day immediately gets 1000x better!

[@izzysieveking3977]

Thank you for this video Lucy, it really lifted my spirits! I always enjoy your videos, but your book discussions are the perfect balance of seriousness, comedy and insight. I read 35 books last year, 3 being 5 stars. Orpheus Builds a Girl was one of them. So creepy but heartfelt too (not the doctor lol, her sister). I hope you enjoy it too. xx

[@kylieweitz]

Girl, I get it! I read TONS of audiobooks while working. But my goal is to physically read a book a month. But I’m in a massive slump and I’m probably going to end with 10 physical for the year. I mean 100+ audiobooks but still darn you slumps!!!!

[@sweetForgiveness]

My goal was 100 books and i really need to push through these last days, too. Last year i read 75 and thought i could do 100 books just so i can say i did that once in my life. I can report that i'm NEVER doing that again!! Reading became (as you said) more a thing i HAD to do the last 2 month. I always had the thoughts i couldnt DNF a book cause it would have been wasted time in my reading goal so i read way to many books i didnt really enjoy. I will reach my goal of 100 read books but i wouldnt recommend setting such a high goal.

[@Charlotte-P]

I was so excited when I saw that you had picked up The Virgin Suicides by chance in a charity shop. It's one of my favourite books of all time and I had a feeling that you would love it too. I also picked it up by chance at a charity shop, I've had my charity shop copy for 15ish years now and it is so dog eared and tatty from the amount of times that I've read it. I'm going to replace it with the beautiful Collins Modern Classics one, I couldn't picture my bookshelf without it being there!

[@Charlotte-P]

Also recommend You'd Be Home By Now by Kathleen Glasgow, fantastic book and hearing your thoughts on Girl In Pieces has influenced me to finally grab that from my bookshelf for my next read.

[@sarahsearle9598]

Oh Lucy! Enjoyed this, will be adding some to my TBR. I think that last one sounds very intriguing! :-)

[@12missmolly]

Yesssssss just what I needed xxxx

[@Linaker22]

I read veeeerry slowly! I reckon I’ve done 3 books this year, all on holiday! But I’ll be setting a goal for 2024 of 1 book 😉😉😉

[@hannahmariebrankley]

Oh my gosh, I loved The Wishing Game 🥰 one of my favourites of the year!

[@cubalibre828]

Merry Christmas 🎄

[@clarenewport8812]

Loved bunny 🐇 read that this year after watching your last end of year video. Girl in pieces is still in my pile to read and my in-laws bought me Rouge for Christmas 😊. Thank you for your awesome content, you've really inspired me to read more this year.

[@passionspotatoes9182]

Yay been eagerly awaiting this book video!

[@sanhay4197]

Our library has a rack where people can leave their old books for someone else to take home and i picked up the night circus just based on the name not knowing if it was any good. I might need to pick it up and start reading on my holiday.

[@amybyn]

PSA! Pop the kettle on and hover the stickers on your book covers in the steam when it boils! They come straight off 🥳 another gorgeous cosy vid, happy Christmas Lucy xx

[@MoominAlanna]

I agree with you on night circus, took me years to get through the first 3rd of the book then I zoomed through the rest in a couple of days

[@NickellesNook]

immediately adds all recs to never ending TBR 🙃🙃

[@farihachoudhury1333]

Watched a video where someone said having cheesy romances on your bookshelf is like having paracetamol in your cupboard and it’s so true! Sometimes you need something ridiculous as a little pick me up

[@jessicasmith701]

I missed your book content so much

[@HollieLChappell21]

So happy you liked the night circus!!!!!! Favourite book and the one my now husband proposed with so many fab memories ❤ Also 50 is a massive goal... thought 30 was pushing the boat out lol

[@laurafairman13]

I loved this video! Added a lot more books to my TBR. Manifesting a Waterstones sale

[@gr33neyes1000]

Hope yo get a chance to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year, wishing you all the best 😀

[@whitneylaurenjones]

I absolutely love this video, I can’t wait to read some of your recommendations, I’ve wrote them on my book list notes on my phone. Hope you had an amazing Christmas and I’m wishing you,adam and flo all the best for 2024, hope it’s kind to you 🤍

[@missfunkster]

Some more books to buy and sit in a pile for the day I am not busy 🤗

[@valarieloiseau5562]

The night circus is one of my favorites!

[@SavidgeReads]

I am also super late to the Boy Parts party (which sounds quite the time, if a little wrong) but want to get to both her books next year. Brutes is brilliant, bonkersly brilliant. Can’t wait for your thoughts on it. Willy Wonka for book lovers. Sounds a winner.

[@orynredford2080]

I think you would like Daughters of Sparta - gold foiling, Greek mythological, female leads

[@isobellacampopiano5724]

Such a lovely video lucy! You’ve inspired me to download these apps. Im intrigued at what the difference is between storygraph and goodreads? Is it necessary to have both? 🤔 I’m currently in the process of setting up a book club for my old uni mates so these books recs will be a great place to start! Happy Christmas xx

[@danimike1006]

Book stickers tip - a quick waft over them with the hairdryer and they peel right off 🎉

[@jacquidyck3855]

One of my favorite books from this year was "The Humans" by Matt Haig. I would love to hear your review of it. Merry Christmas Lucy!

[@jarsofc555]

I enjoyed The Night Circus (and so did my husband) and My Roommate is a Vampire was fun, but The Wishing Game was not quite what I expected after reading the description. I enjoyed it, but it’s pretty far from being Wonka level magical. I’m curious what you’ll think about it. I found the main character to actually be pretty frustrating, but it was still a good read. I’m looking forward to hearing your opinions on the rest of your choices!

[@honestlyholly7657]

somehow read 104 books in 2023, whilst writing a dissertation and a million other assignments, working part-time and visiting home every weekend, not sure how I did it????

[@tw7625]

I’ve just finished Isaac and The Egg and it’s incredible. I think you’d love it.

[@KathyDubs]

Depending on how papery your book covers are, you can use olive oil or cooking oil on the residue and it should come off. Magic erasers also can work. Tends to work with glossy covers though, you might ruin a paper cover.

[@lalalalalalalala8111]

Legends and Lattes is super cute and not super long. I think you would like💖

[@lebagal]

Night circus is my favourite book and my partner proposed using a second hand copy as the ring box! I also used to have a small shop where I made night circus pins! I’d love to send you some treats all night circus themed let me know if that interests you! ( No charge as I have a lot of extra stock after having to close the shop!) xx

[@Lifeonasofa]

I got into a massive slump this year so I may have snuck in a handful of graphic novels to boost me 😂 I hate feeling guilty about reading goals

[@LynnetteReads]

Apologies if I am repeating anyone else's comment, but Lucy, I have a new acronym for your vocabulary. NFN = not for now Use for books you want to read but it was just not the right time when you first picked it up xx Good luck with completing your 50 books but don't stress if you don't get there xx

[@Curraaaan]

The night circus is currently 99p for Kindle!

[@TheSianizzle]

I actually listened to the audiobook of Boy Parts when my baby was smaller and it was great, the accent really added to it! But overall a great book, very dark

[@sarakhod]

Hi Lucy! Have you considered reading ACOTAR? Or anything in that... realm of books?

[@juliets.4115]

the night circus is my favourite book to this very day! the starless sea by Erin Morgenstern is also incredible

[@ClairebTaysom07]

If you haven’t read it yet, I feel like you would enjoy reading fairy tale by Stephen king. I’ve just read it and loved it so much ❤

[@kylieweitz]

I struggled through My Roommate is a Vampire & Rouge. I do want to try another Mona Awad book. I DNFed Brutes I think 50% in.

[@jmk1962]

My best reading record was 65 books one year. I never managed to beat it since.

[@jocummings3202]

You need to read The Starless Sea! (same author as Night Circus)

[@emejotadel20]

Hii! Please uf you accept suggestions, when you’re done re-reading Mrs Dalloway, please do consider reading 'The hours’ by Michael Cunningham. I don’t think you’ll regret it!

[@arieldawson4358]

If Patrick Rothfuss did ‘the wishing game’ I’d be unhinged (and win…)

[@Likeneonlove]

This has nothing to do with books lol, but to get sticky residue off things, use orange oil! Truly a life saver. Have a wonderful Christmas, Lucy! ✨ Absolutely love your videos!

[@rachelspencer9456]

🧡📚🧡📚🧡📚🧡

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚📚❤️

[@Mad.E]

oh my gosh did you delete your new video?? 🙊 I - and I bet the other commenters feel the same - didn't mean to make you beat yourself up about it! After all, we come to your videos because we love **listening** to you above all!! That's also why I was trying to offer constructive criticism; so that in the future you have that added info and all your effort translates that tiny bit more to the viewing experience

[@javabeanstudio]

What were people criticizing? I only just had time to go watch it and it was already gone-- I never even had a chance! I thought maybe there was a sponsor issue and it would be back soon maybe?

[@Mad.E]

@@javabeanstudio I think just the look of it, that book titles were fairly small and hard to read

[@charlenehills]

If you enjoyed the night circus, the stephanie garber series is great. Starts off with Caraval x