The Biggest Surprises of 2023 | 8 Sci-fi & Fantasy Reads

[@haley5803]

Four of my biggest surprises were: - The Justice of Kings - I loved it so much that it made me fall back in love with reading fantasy as an adult! - The Tyranny of Faith - how is it just as good as the first book?! Definitely some details that I didn't care for, but it was still a 5/5 for me! - Interview with the Vampire - I had the total opposite experience to you, Tori. I absolutely hated this book and thought I would love it. I DNF'd before I got to the halfway point. - Childhood's End - I can't believe a book this old enthralled me so much! It made me realize that I do love sci-fi, especially classic sci-fi.

[@shaaronego8227]

GIRL I LOVE UR VIDEOS HEPS A LOT IN THIS STRESSFUL LIFE 😫 ❤🎉

[@ToriMorrow]

Aww I’m so happy to know they’re helpful! That means a lot to me ❤️🥹

[@sochiazuh]

Anne Rice is (was) an amazing writer of sensual prose. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I can’t shake the memory of the word “unbeknownst” in those early pages. Thanks for sharing.

[@tintenschreiberin4362]

The Stars undying is such an underrated book. I'm glad you mentioned it. My biggest surprise of 2023 was The Children of Gods and Fighting Men and its sequel. These were phenomenal.

[@mikouf9691]

My 2 happy surprises of 2023 were : 1) Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow. The humor, the characters, the world building and the magic all worked so well for me. And though it's middle grade, it was still enjoyable to an adult like me. I thought I would like it, but I loved it. 2) Fourth Wing. I know about all the polarized opinions, but I just had a lot of fun reading this. ETA: I read the Count of Monte Cristo this past summer and I loved it SO much! It's long and has many twists and turns, but it was everything I could have wanted: humor. action, revenge, romance, pirates. And for such a long book (1200+ pages) it flew by. On the unhappy side of things: 1) Witch King by Martha Wells is my biggest disappointment of 2023 -- and of the past 3 years, to be honest. I love Murderbot and the Books of the Raksura. I was so excited for another fantasy book from Wells. Alas, I could write an essay about how it was unnecessarily convoluted, left loose threads and felt incomplete while still feeling too long. 2) In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune. I shouldn't have been surprised because I have DNF'd and/or disliked several of his books. But I was still basking in my unexpected enjoyment of The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door. Unfortunately, ItLoP shares a similar sense of humor with many of Klune's other books: juvenile and way overdone. I'm just glad that I borrowed Witch King and In... Puppets from the library.

[@booksgurrsandpurrs]

I've watched IWTV twice already and I'm impatiently awaiting the second season. I'm so ecstatic that you enjoyed the first book in the series.

[@mikayla5949]

I just finished These Burning Stars and it surprised me too!! I am obsessed, had no idea I would love it so much

[@arlissbunny]

Thanks for including Never Die. I’ve been wavering on purchasing that series and you have convinced me. My biggest surprise of the year was Clytemnestra. The book was well written and the prose were just right but the surprise was how much the author flipped my view of Clytemnestra herself. Really amazing.

[@ThatsSoPoe]

You've made me curious about The Jinn-bot of Shantiport. I've read some of Samit Basu's short fiction before and it wasn't so much my style, but I like the way you describe their novel. Two surprises for me this year that I think you might also enjoy: - Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed - Translated fantasy graphic novel collection of three stories set in an alternate Egypt where djinn and wishes really do exist. - Drinking from Graveyard Wells by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu - Short story SFF collection about Zimbabwean society, culture, and myth/tech.

[@SereneDancer]

Definitely adding a lot of these to my TBR

[@ToriMorrow]

Excited for you!

[@avrorawhite9763]

The best and the most surprising was "Under the Northen Sky" trilogy by Leo Carew , loved it !! also, accidently discovered Maeve Binchy books and they are great.

[@arlissbunny]

The Last Unicorn is really a classic now and I’m so glad when I hear people discover the great Peter S. Beagle.

[@booksandteatime2197]

i totally agree about Hell Bent I cannot believe it won best fantasy on goodreads!

[@ToriMorrow]

Yeah I wanted so much more from it! I had a feeling either that or Tress would win though. LB’s popularity is so high right now 😄

[@victoria9663]

Love it! My biggest negative surprise was Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow...my biggest positive surprise was Piranesi 😍😍. Random book store pick-up that ended up in #2 of the year for me!

[@nia356]

Piranesi was the same for me too, I randomly borrowed it from the library and it has been one of my favourite reading experiences this year!

[@ToriMorrow]

That’s amazing about Piranesi! I’m glad you enjoyed it so much 🥰

[@OkamiRose]

I hope you get to continue the Rook & Rose series soon! Don’t sleep on it now that it’s completed! Thanks ❤ The book that surprised me the most was The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth and A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (Becky and Veronica were both new authors for me and blew me away with both books I read from them)

[@ToriMorrow]

I definitely will! Book 2 has slipped into my January tbr now 😭

[@OkamiRose]

@@ToriMorrow Bet! I’ll watch the heck out of the wrap up video that includes it 😂

[@fishbowlwoman]

I've been curious about The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport! My biggest surprise of 2023 was World Running Down by Al Hess, which is a cozy post-apocalyptic (!) story with a strong (LGBTQ) romance element. I never thought I would like either the post-apocalyptic part or the romance (I'm not a romance person!), but it ended up being one of my favorite books of the year.

[@ToddsBookTube91]

Nice video Tori! Happy Holidays to you and your family!

[@ToriMorrow]

Thanks, Todd! Same to you and yours ❤️🎄

[@blairwjones]

I read the first 3 books of the Vampire Chronicles this year and you should definitely read the second book, The Vampire Lestat. To me it was my favorite, it is very long and wordy but even more beautifully written.

[@KSoGoode]

I really didn't have any high expectations for my reads... thou I will say Justice of Kings you hyped up and it delivered! But I usually just pick up books that look good and that my favorite YTs recommend. Now I will say that you got me wanting to read some Sci-fi. I love your vids, you always have me add to my 600+ TBR.. yeah I have a problem, feel free to judge 😂😂😂

[@ToriMorrow]

Yay!! I’m so happy you loved Justice! And we have a similar tbr problem, so I’m right there with you 🤣

[@bookinhand_]

Fine.... I'll add these all to my TBR 😂 I've had my eye on The Scorge Between Stars since I saw your TikTok about it ! ❤

[@ToriMorrow]

Ahh I hope you love scourge! It’s a wild ride for sure 😄

[@therealjojo6139]

I feel so seen about Murderbot! I also did not get on with those books I don't really get why so many people love it

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

I just got The Scourge Between Stars and hope to read it soon - and now just ordered These Burning Stars... sounds so good thanks for the rec! gimme all the stars! 🌌✨

[@ToriMorrow]

I really hope you love both!! Burning stars is incredible 🙌🏽

[@imperfected6513]

My biggest negative surprise was A memory called Empire. It's beloved by so many, but I couldn't even finish it. Biggest positive surprise was The Will of the Many. I read this because Goodreads suggested it to me and I had no expectations but it blew me out of the water. Can't stop thinking about this book!

[@ToriMorrow]

Oh no, that’s such a bummer about A Memory Called Empire 😭 I love that book lol! That’s great about TWotM! It’s high on my tbr for the new year 🙌🏽

[@AvidMari23]

I’m so glad you liked Interview w/the Vampire. I read all of Anne Rice’s vampire books. Tale of the Body Thief was memorable for me. My surprise this year was Joe Abercrombies First Law series. Read the first one and totally loved Glotka. ❤❤. Love your videos ❤

[@TiffReadsBooks]

Louis is my favorite melancholy boy so I'm happy to see you say The Scourge Between Stars was good. I had it recommended to me by someone with questionable preferences so I wasnt sure lol. I'm looking forward to it now!

[@ToriMorrow]

I just lol’d at ‘questionable preferences’ 💀 it can be hit or miss for sure, but I love it and hope you do too!

[@khaosreads1785]

I read both Ninth House and Hell Bent this year and gave Ninth House 3 stars and Hell Bent 2 stars.I was not a big fan with how she handled some of those darker themes and topics. I've only seemed to enjoy the Six of Crows duology by her, everything else I don't like. I'm not sure what that says about me, but she might not be the author for me. Oooh, I'm looking forward to These Burning Stars. I need to get more into sci-fi, so thanks for the rec. You are the only person I've heard talk about The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport. Added it to my tbr, it looks good and sounds even better. Another sci-fi for the list. The Stars Undying sounds so cool. The focus on political machinations is one thing that makes me enjoy fantasy so much, so this sounds like it's right up my alley. I've heard rumblings about Interview With The Vampire, and not a lot of them have been good. This is the first video that kind of sold me on trying it out. The only thing is that I don't like Jay Kristoff's prose, so I hope Anne Rice's writing style is more to my liking. I found your channel this year, and I am so glad that I did. You have quickly become one of my favorites this year.

[@jennychasteen]

That's an all-star cast of cover art--especially Never Die! Wow! One of my biggest positive surprises this year was The Last Unicorn. After seeing the animated movie, I had high expectations. But the prose of the book took it to a whole new level of depth and maturity and emotional resonance. Just excellent. My biggest negative surprise was probably Empire of Silence...I'm sorry! But the slow pace and the main character just did not work for me in that one.

[@ToriMorrow]

Ikr! Those covers are stunning 🤩 And I appreciate seeing a different opinion about EoS. I put the book down temporarily but I defintely want to get back to it in the new year

[@jennychasteen]

@@ToriMorrow That's fair--I might try it again at a better time myself. :)

[@mariareadsssf]

My biggest positive surprises: "Goodkiller" - Hannah Kaner, "Talonsister" - Jen Williams, "Lone Women - Victor LaValle, "Bloodchild and Other Stories" - Octavia E. Butler and "Perdido Street Station" - China Mieville.

[@ToriMorrow]

I love that for you! That’s an amazing lineup 🙌🏽

[@chelleybee1016]

I’ve loved Anne Rice since i first read this series in 1993

[@LeeReads]

Every time I watch your videos I add so many to my trb! Did you read The Blighted Stars? Its sf with a tinge or horror and you might enjoy! One of kf my favs from last year.

[@aharrold653]

If you want a nice edition of Never Die, The Broken Binding will be doing a special edition of it in January 😊

[@ToriMorrow]

Omg, thank you for the heads up!

[@aharrold653]

@@ToriMorrowyou're welcome 🤗

[@LiteratureScienceAlliance]

Hell Bent was a surprise for me but in a more positive way 😅

[@ToriMorrow]

I love that for you! 🤣

[@LauraW6]

If you enjoyed Interview with the vampire, you may like other books by the same author. She explored different topics thru all her writing works. Some more than others of course. My biggest surprise of 2023 was an indie debut series - The Riverfall Chronicles by Jacquelyn Hagen. Her first book The Wickwire watch is a finalist in SPFBO competition. It is so magical and well writen. It is diffcult to define so I will just tell you that is has a mystery, a flying city and a conspirancy. I will leave it there😍

[@ToriMorrow]

I’ll definitely continue on with the series eventually! And The Riverfall Chronicles sounds really interesting. I’ll have to look into it!

[@angelinapendleton4293]

I hope you read the Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice it’s just as amazing as Interview with the Vampire!

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

I've had my eyes on The Stars Undying. Is this one a smidge dark?

[@ToriMorrow]

It’s got some violent moments here and there but I wouldn’t say the tone of the story is that dark

[@JohnSeney]

Always informed by your videos. My biggest pleasant surprise of 2024 will be if you finally read "The Living Dead" and give your opinion! 😸😁

[@ToriMorrow]

Omg 😭😭 Okay, I swear I’ll read it in the new year! If it hasn’t happened by March, you can call me out again lol!

[@JohnSeney]

@@ToriMorrow That's a deal! 👍