the worst books i read in 2023🫠📖

[@slayyteeez]

I really love how you talked about how YOU thought The books were but still being respectful

[@bookswithellen]

i’ve been so scared that i’ve offended people so hearing this has defo been a relief haha!! i’m glad it came across well

[@shafashau]

i started watching you like a couple of days ago and i'm kind picky with the booktubers i watch so i'm super happy to have found you (through your 'reading dark romances for a week' video) cuz now i can binge all your past videos lol

[@bookswithellen]

thank u so much for being here🥹 i’m so glad u like my videos !!

[@squidwardtentacles7144]

I honestly enjoy how respectful you are when reviewing, but also aren't afraid to give your honest opinion if you really didn't like something. You explained how I felt about "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" perfectly. I excelled in English lit. so I can appreciate the flowery writing, however, like you said I enjoy clear-cut comprehension in my books. I don't like having to infer things with every line I read. And yes to what you said about "God of Malice". I've personally never read it and based on your review I'm not going to. That's my main qualm with dark romance. I've been trying to find books in that genre where the themes are just dark and the male main character actually LIKES the female main character, you know the little things.😅 Here are my top 5 favorite: The Last Housewife by Ashly Winstead (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5) Out On A Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5) The House in the Curelean Sea by TJ Klune (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5) Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5) The Girl He Used To Know by Tracet Garvis Graves(⭐⭐⭐⭐.75/5) Here are my top worst: Bright Side by Kim Holden (⭐/5) Carrie by Stephen king (⭐⭐/5) The Good Lie by A.R. Torre (⭐⭐/5) How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie (⭐⭐.25/5) Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie (⭐⭐.5/5) Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine (⭐⭐.75/5) The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon (⭐⭐.75/5)

[@bookswithellen]

thank you so much - i have been sat overthinking all afternoon as im scared ive upset some people🥲 so im glad you enjoy the way i review. i’m also so glad you agree about ‘on earth we’re briefly gorgeous’! it was so beautifully written but was just far too hard for me to comprehend, made it a slog to get through. i really wanna read out on a limb so i’m even more excited for it now i know you loved it!! thank you for sharing🫶🏻

[@squidwardtentacles7144]

@@bookswithellen Oh girl don't even worry about it! The people are subscribed to you are here because we value you and your opinions. You're honesty is everything and we appreciate it! Hope you enjoy "Out On A Limb"! I absolutely ADORED it!🥰

[@alyssaskurzewski2018]

i have binged every single video of yours and i am convinced you are the loml😭❤️

[@bookswithellen]

omg you’ll make me cry😭 i love u

[@chadreadsrom]

Just starting this one, scared to see which ones you didn't like but also want the tea 👀 😅 loving the change of background your living room looks so cozy ❤

[@zyahwaluh]

best way to start my day!!🫶🏼 watching this while drinking my morning matcha ☺️

[@bookswithellen]

good morning! i hope you enjoy🥰

[@coffeeeandskies]

you are one of my comfort booktuber as of now💌 can't wait to watch more videos from you

[@bookswithellen]

thank u so much for being here🥹 i’m so glad you like them!!

[@charlottekatz5241]

I just want to say that I found your channel in December and have been obsessed and watching all your vids. I’ve not heard good things about the first book in the knockement out series and I don’t think I’ll read them because of how thick they are for romances and the stuff I’ve heard about Knox. You have also convinced me to add the bodyguard and behind the net to my tbr. I’m excited to read them.

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you like my videos🥹🫶🏻 the knockemout books are SO LONG!! it always baffles me. really hope you love the bodyguard and behind the net, they’re phenomenal

[@charlottekatz5241]

@@bookswithellen I want to ask you your opinion about something. So I want to start the throne of glass series but I’m unsure whether to start with The assassin’s blade or throne of glass. I would love to know your opinion on which one to start with.

[@ccamelots]

watching this while organizing my tbr shelf! soo cozy and good

[@bookswithellen]

i hope you enjoy it!

[@daphne.readsnl]

You explained yourself so well!! Very interesting to hear your thoughts on these books. My controversial opion of 2023 is that I didn't like the ending/plottwist of the Ballad of Never After 🙈

[@bookswithellen]

everyone seems to love that book too!!

[@mycrypticthoughts]

i love that you care so much about offending your subs but lemme tell you that we wouldn't be here if we didn't love your honest breath of fresh air opinion. Love your vids soo much always make my day ❤❤

[@bookswithellen]

this means so much thank you🥹🫶🏻

[@mycrypticthoughts]

@@bookswithellen you're welcome ❤️

[@emi8176]

I felt the same way about OABH. I read it around the time it came out, before some of the hype, and I've been so confused at the love for it. I'm glad it's found it's audience, but it wasn't for me.

[@bookswithellen]

in so glad you agree with me!! always feel like i’m in the minority with my thoughts on it hahaha

[@shirshendumondal1678]

Another night with ELLEN 🛐

[@bookswithellen]

🤍🥰

[@shafashau]

i know in your reading vlog for god of malice that you said you wouldn't be reading anymore books from the series but PLEASE read god of fury. its mm grumpxsunshine (done in the cutest way like the character you think might be the grump is the sunshine and towards the end of the book he comes across as so endearing) i knew of the legacy of god series but never was super motivated to read any books from it, i only read my first book from the series when god of fury came out and absolutely fell in love. i loved it so much that i was upset that i didn't read the rest of the series first since apparently it makes for a better experience. although i've heard some bad reviews from select books so idk if i'll eventually read the rest. anyway yeah idk you might not end up liking it lol but i'd still really love to see a reading vlog from you about it

[@shafashau]

there is a slightly weird and controversial part in the beginning (nowhere near as traumatizing as god of malice lmao more like.. idk some goodreads review talk about it but it's legit just a blip compared to the rest of the book)

[@bookswithellen]

ohhh okay, you’re the second person to say that! am i okay to read that book without having read the rest of them?

[@slayyteeez]

I‘ve read things we never got over around 3 months ago and I really was fighting to finish it. I mean It’s not „bad Bad“ but I really don’t know If I should continue the series

[@bookswithellen]

in all honesty i think the second book is miles better, so i think it’s worth a go!

[@jaja231]

I knew god of malice would be on your list, but i would honestly love to hear your thoughts on god of fury! It is the best received book from the series and the only one that doesn't feel like carbon copy of the story from the other books in that series

[@bookswithellen]

oooh okay, i might have to give it a go!

[@joziekumm1347]

A series I didn’t enjoy last year was Caraval by Stephenie Garber. You summed up my thoughts on that series with once upon a broken heart! I am so glad I’m not alone in this thinking process. Thank you for sharing!

[@bookswithellen]

i didn’t like caraval back when i read it either!! i’m glad you agree🤭

[@louisejames9064]

I remember watching your video of once upon a broken heart and wondering if I had made a mistake of buying it a couple of days before 😂 I'm going to give it a go this year but maybe not at the beginning of the year

[@bookswithellen]

hahaha i’m sure you’ll like it!! feel like i’m in the 1% who didn’t🤣 i have faith!!

[@MichaelaChristineReads]

not at all surprised to see Pestilence on here after seeing your vlog with it haha

[@bookswithellen]

honestly that series is the bane of my life

[@ThatChristianGirl16]

Love the video! These are some of my least favorite reads of the year: - If He Had Been With Me (sooo disappointing.) - The One (last book in the Selection series.) - Keeper of the Lost Cities: Flashback - Keeper of the Lost Cities: Legacy

[@bookswithellen]

ooooh i read the selection series when it came out years ago and i also was disappointed by ‘the one’!!

[@squidwardtentacles7144]

I totally agree with "if he has been with me". I read it in 2022, and it was such a letdown.

[@llararivas]

i think you would love the first three books of the Royal elite series of rina kent, try then i love them so much!

[@readingtillnight4604]

Oh no girl,now I'm scared,both of these books oubh and things we never got over,are on my book shelf and I haven't read them yet😅😱

[@bookswithellen]

honestly i think im one of the only people who didnt like them!! i would say 90% of people that ive seen have given these 5 stars so i bet you’ll love them🥰

[@readingtillnight4604]

@@bookswithellen hopefully yes😊

[@levinasbooks]

I removed things we never got over from my wishlist because I keep hearing bad things about it and I can’t bare to be disappointed

[@bookswithellen]

everyone seems to adore it but i just really couldn’t get on board😭

[@BooksStarringMissy]

oh I completely agree with the assault thing i can’t root for them if they do that either removing god of malice off my TBR

[@bookswithellen]

literally it was so shocking to me

[@giuliabricot]

I hope I will like the caraval and the ouabh series since I’ve bought the entire series 🫢

[@bookswithellen]

i really think you will!! i actually really enjoyed caraval a few years ago when i read it, and everyone seems to love ouabh🥰

[@Heatherknitcole]

Have you read the shatter me series yet? I thought it might not be for me because its YA ...but girllll that series is amazing.

[@bookswithellen]

i read a few of them about 4 years ago and wasn’t a fan🥲

[@bookswithsoph1]

I love the OUABH and things we never got over hate LOL I felt like the only one who didn't like them :')

[@bookswithellen]

OMG IM SO GLAD YOU AGREE

[@drpepperfanatic44]

both ouuabh and twngo are good imo, but I completely get why people don't like them, the criticisms are completely valid!

[@chadreadsrom]

I didn't like things we never got over either, Knox was obnoxious 😂 I own the other two and heard better things luckily 🙌🏻

[@bookswithellen]

literally so obnoxious!!! i have read the second book and enjoyed it a lot more, gave it 4 stars, so i hope you end up liking it too!

[@lauragiles2868]

Hi Ellen! I've just discovered your channel this year, and I'm so happy to find a Booktuber from the UK!! It would appear that you and I have the same tastes! I also end up hating literary fiction when I read it. I too am coming to the point where I'm just going to stop buying literary fiction because I always think they are BAD. It's nothing to do with your 'tiny brain', I think it is to do with taste. I wouldn't consider myself to be a stupid person, but I feel stupid when I read LF and don't get the hype. Ultimately, people have different tastes, and you have to go with what you love. Bring on the fluffy romances and fantasy!! 🙂 xx

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you agree with me about literary fiction!! i just never get along with it, always feels like a drag to get through. also love that we have the same tastes!! 🫶🏻

[@RunningRlust96]

flock was no good

[@furroy]

what happened to your ig account?

[@bookswithellen]

hey! what do you mean?

[@furroy]

@@bookswithellen i get an "account not available" error

[@bookswithellen]

@@furroy so strange! maybe try searching my instagram handle instead: @ellencatherinebooks