The Books I Read in 2024 Ranked From 🥰 to 🙂‍↔️ | The Book Castle | 2025

[@JenniferRosebruce]

"....and the books on the shelves grew silent as they all vied for a top spot on Alice's list, and comforted the friends who fell further down the list". 😊❤.

[@paintbrushpuke]

Lmao I totally agree on the 🙂 emoji being very much "putting on a smile" vibes. No thoughts. Head empty. But gotta smile to be polite

[@TheBookCastle]

Exactly!! 😂

[@maevajesse]

So much 😂 I call it the sarcastic smile because you’re smiling, but deep inside you’re more like 😒

[@elize3137]

lmao it looks passive aggressive to me

[@maevajesse]

@ yes, also 😂

[@giuliakenway6500]

I don't feel as strongly about the emoji but I've started using it in a sarcastic way too because my friends and so many others see it that way 😂

[@icedorangemilk]

We love a tier list

[@РоманПаляниця-к5э]

Your new video at the beginning of the new year is a gift for me! It was very interesting to watch how you strictly identify books and form their rating. I want to say once again that I am very pleased to celebrate the first days of the new year with you. Thank you and greetings from indomitable and unconquered Ukraine!

[@TheBookCastle]

❤️❤️❤️

[@r.d.machinery3749]

Slava Ukraine!

[@РоманПаляниця-к5э]

@@r.d.machinery3749 Героям слава!

[@GelaMarie83]

I love this rating system! I often give out decently high ratings but for different reasons. I kinda hate the 5 star scale. Might have to try emojis.

[@munglejoela]

There's a new Thursday Murder Club book coming in September! God of the Woods was one of my favourites of 2024 too.

[@TheBookCastle]

Aaaah I didn’t know that! Exciting 😃

[@julieaulava9567]

Very creative categorization. Loved it.

[@catsandbats77]

I think I'm definitely an outlier on God of the Woods. I didn't love it the way others did. I am one of the lovers of Addie LaRue. I also adore T Kingfisher and Nettle and Bone is also my favorite of her books.

[@irhonda31]

Wow, you read a lot! I’m impressed with the variety of genres! This was a clever way to rate your reads. 😊

[@TheBookCastle]

Thank you! 🥰❤️

[@bookowlie4376]

"The lights are on, but nobody's home" made me chuckle😂. I feel like that's the perfect way to describe that emoji😆

[@TheBookCastle]

Hahahah I’m glad you agree!! 😂

[@heatherdorsey4770]

What a creative way to look back at your reading. 😊

[@TheBookCastle]

❤️🥰

[@sandyokey7728]

I love this ranking system!🥰

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰❤️

[@BookReviewsWithBecky]

Happy New Year! 🎉 I want to read the next Vera Wong book too!

[@TheBookCastle]

Happy new year! 🥰

[@stuartgriffin1001]

The only 2 books on your ranking that I read were A Psalm For the Wild Built and The God of the Woods. I liked both a lot

[@TheBookCastle]

Love it! 😍

[@Molly-s6u]

I really liked Madam as well

[@chigangrel]

I think I confused the Morisaki Bookshop with Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, which I'm halfway through right now (it's just ok atm imo). Of yours that I read, I only dnf-ed one, The Magpie Murders. I could not get into it and I even got the audiobook which usually helps... maybe I'll give it another shot next year but I remember just finding it so boring lol I'm hoping to get to Weyward this Jan - I read this author's newest book, The Sirens, and it was SO GOOD. I got the audiobook arc from the publisher and was so impressed with it that I'm excited to check out more by her. Also looking forward to ready Emily Wilde and The Broken Girls this year! I mainly read horror but I'm trying to branch out... of the 100ish books I read in 2024 year, over 60 were horror lol I just put in an order on thriftbooks though, with a lot of new cute graphic novels like Mooncakes and Unfamiliar, which were recommended as similar to Garlic and the Witch and the Tea Dragon Society, so I'm looking forward to them! Also hoping to read T Kingfisher for the first time this year!

[@TheBookCastle]

Wow, you read loads, that’s amazing! 😍 and definitely try Kingfisher, she’s amazing (and lots of her books are horror-ish) ❤️

[@chigangrel]

@@TheBookCastle I have so many books by her on my TBR, I'm sure I'll love her lol Maybe she'll become the third in my top 3 favorite authors! So far have Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Alix E Harrow, so I have a spare spot lolol

[@andrewcrow1031]

Hi Alice, greetings again from Toronto 🇨🇦. I hope that you are well and that you had a wonderful Christmas. Happy New Year! Thanks for the video. So many titles for my TBR notebook. The only one I have read is 84 Charing Cross Road, which I adored; loved the movie, too! Good reading to you in 2025.

[@JenniferRosebruce]

Stranger in the woods, rebecca, god of the woods, all favourites for me in 2024. Thank you for your time and attention. ❤😊

[@TheBookCastle]

Love it! 🥰

[@1306misty]

Truly devious is a trilogy! You need to read all of them! I really loved the ending! ❤

[@eileennielsen5165]

Very interesting Alice, thank you😊 My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE book for 2024 was, Days At The Morisaki Bookshop. I have you to thank for recommending it. I read it in April and STILL think about it. I know I will never forget it. Bought the follow up also. Just think, YOU made someone's YEAR, A girl (old lady?) in America!

[@TheBookCastle]

Love it!!! 🥰🥰🥰

[@2coolarles]

Last year I read 4 of your recs and loved all of them! My best wishes for you this year! Greetings from Mexico💗

[@TheBookCastle]

This makes me soooo happy!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@FaeryLaume]

I haven't read all these books, but I've read quite a few of them and I'd say my thoughts on them are pretty similar. EXCEPT, Truly Devious. That series is one of my favorites. There are four primary books in that series and while there's a mystery wrapped up in each of them, the larger mystery takes all four to complete. I used to be very stingy with 5 stars but my feelings about that have changed over the years, so I give more of them out, however I don't rate most of the rest of the books I read. I'd rate more if we had a ten star rating system, because it feels more nuanced. I'd love to do a chart like this or some other sort of visual, but I can't figure out how to collect all the little cover images without spending an enormous amount of time.

[@alaner1383]

Never watched one of your videos before, but I noticed in the background that we have the same statue of Hebe. Respect.

[@TheBookCastle]

❤️

[@dark.and.planty]

That was a really cool emoji rating system

[@TheBookCastle]

I’m glad you liked it 😃🥰

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚🎉 Happy New Year. Good reading year.😊

[@TheBookCastle]

Happy new year! 🥰

[@starlasell5698]

@TheBookCastle Thank you 😊

[@magda_mf]

I think the 2nd book in the Psalm for the wild built is also very nice and cosy, you should check it out!

[@TheBookCastle]

I really need to read that one as well 😍

[@Thebookforest]

Great video ❤

[@clairea7214]

New subscriber 😊 love watching your content🥰 . Happy new year to you 🎉from England

[@TheBookCastle]

Welcome to the channel! 🥰 Happy new year!

[@ImogenReeves]

Happy New Year Alice

[@TheBookCastle]

Happy new year!

[@flowerpixel]

I also loved map of the otherlands, psalm for the wild-built, and nettle and bone is my favorite kingfisher so far I didn't like the last 25% of slewfoot! I loved the beginning with the poor husband. The end was way too revenge horror and bloody.

[@TheBookCastle]

I’m so glad you liked those books too! 🥰 Also, makes sense that the ending of Slewfoot was a bit much for some 😅 It really got dark

[@tawnyachristensen7310]

We share many of your favs, I will have to try Bookshop and Fresh Water.

[@TheBookCastle]

Yessss you should! 🥰❤️

[@MrsKVee]

Oh I’m so sad about Addie LaRue! We read it for book club and I enjoyed it.

[@TheBookCastle]

I’m so sad about it too!

[@Darkpumpkinspice]

I love that you don’t give 5 stars easily because neither do I! And it’s actually fun to see you NOT liking a book 😂 I felt that way about Boy Parts! I had given it a three star rating and went back and changed it to a two star one and I feel I’m in the minority! Sorry but I wasn’t shocked, just super bored 😂😂😂

[@TheBookCastle]

Fair 😂❤️

[@elize3137]

I didn't like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue either, actually I hated it because I was expecting something but this book gave me NOTHING. I usually try to understand the hype for a book I didn't like, but for this one I don't get it. I love these kind of videos though, I hope this year is even better reading year for you!✨

[@TheBookCastle]

Exactly how I felt 🫣😅

[@bestvibepeeps]

Hmmm....a Thursday video....how unusual 😘

[@TheBookCastle]

👀❤️

[@DarkBooks_DarkWine]

In which of your videos did you review Addie la Rue? I'd like to know why it failed for you so completely. It's not a "love" for me either, but I can't imagine the reasons for such a very low rating.

[@TheBookCastle]

I don’t remember but if you go to my channel and search for it in the search bar, the monthly wrap up it’s in should appear 🥰