WORST books of 2023 + DNFs 🫣🥱

In this video I talk about all the books I hard DNFed in 2023 (me and dark romance are not getting along). Then I talk about the books I read all the way through and still did not like.. which includes some that I know are very well loved. The books are in no particular order. I don't discourage anyone from reading any of these books, these are just ones that I didn't personally connect to.
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~ Get to know me ~
Birthday: October 30 ♏
Reader of: horror, fantasy, and romance (but make it toxic or tragic) ✨🗡️
Timestamps:
DNFs:
A ship of bones and teeth - 1:54
Captive of the pirate king - 3:55
Haunting adeline - 7:19
Lost souls - 11:17
Worst (completed) reads:
Cackle - 14:51
Daisy Haites - 17:58
Dark matter - 22:30
Edenville - 23:07
A house at the bottom of a lake - 26:20
The lady of the lake - 28:13

[@Lenaandthepages]

Came for the tea, stayed for the hot takes. I love how articulate you are about why you didn’t like each of these… also, my experience with Cackle was identical and it still makes me so sad. I just couldn’t understand how it could keep going with this girl having the most unhealthy boundaries and lack of self-trust without her coming out of that. When I realized she wasn’t going to experience the growth she so desperately needed I was like “but wait! Why are we here then?!” 💔

[@WickedScorpio]

I appreciate that! I don't always feel that way so that's nice to hear 🤗🩷 Literally asked "what was the point" at the end of cackle too. You nailed it by adding unhealthy boundaries and lack of self-trust. She felt like a much younger, more immature person in regards to that and I wanted her to get past all of that!

[@hoodys]

first video of yours i’ve seen and your frankness (without being super rant-y/being overdone for dramatics) in reviewing these dark romances has really drawn me in. feel like I’m listening to reviews from a friend i actually trust. will be watching more, subscribed!

[@WickedScorpio]

Thank you so much! That's so nice of you, that's exactly what i hope for with my channel. So happy to have you!

[@carriegarlock9194]

Thank you for your honesty. I am not a big horror fan but your videos last year helped me find books I would like without giving up on horror all together

[@WickedScorpio]

I appreciate that so much! 🫶 I'm definitely leaning more into fantasy and other genres in 2024. I'll still sprinkle in horror of course, but I want to branch out 😊 here's to a year of balance 🙌

[@Ms.SpookyNerd]

Always great to see and hear honest reviews. 📚☕❄️⛄

[@WickedScorpio]

Thank you!!

[@kerisbookishcorner2864]

I totally agree about the Magnolia Parks Universe cover changes. I cannot understand why they’d go to such basic boring covers from the creative and beautiful ones they started with. I still ordered the original cover style for the most recent book and hope they keep making those as well.

[@WickedScorpio]

Right!? The original covers are soooo much better

[@BooksToAshes]

I’ve definitely become a more critical reader over the years, it’s kind of rough because it feels like books don’t have that spark anymore (or it’s just harder to find). Here’s to hoping we find some amazing books in the next few weeks or months 🤞

[@WickedScorpio]

So true!! Definitely harder to find, but then when you find a good one, it hits so much harder! When I feel like that, I will genre jump a lot, and never read the same genre two times in a row until I find what my reading soul needed bc as much as I am a mood reader, sometimes I have no idea what my mood is 😂😂. Manifesting finding new all time favs this year!! 🖤✨️🙌

[@midnight-tomes]

So the only one on this list I've read is Haunting Adeline. The second one is SO much darker and I wasn't expecting it. It was almost funny to read despite the dark topics? Like it was so interesting (psychologically?) to try to understand the author's intention with mixing such dark topics with such immature language and decision-making.

[@WickedScorpio]

I heard the second gets super dark. You would think I dnfed based on the dark subject, but nope 😂 I'm glad you found entertainment out of it!! Idk if the author even really had intentions tbh 😅

[@HarleyyyDean]

Finally someone talked about how awful the new Magnolia Parks covers are lol, I was scrambling to get the original covers cause who's idea was it to not only change the covers but to change them to like weird leg motif?

[@WickedScorpio]

I can't stand them 🥴

[@maggiesbooksandstuff]

I hope you are feeling better! I DNF's Ship of Bones and Teeth as well, it just was not holding my attention at all! OMG the cleanliness thing....that seems to be in all fantasy romance books about pirates, its incredibly distracting. Like yeah its nice, but I don't need that. If the pirate is the love interest, I don't automatically think they are dirty. Have you read Butcher & Blackbird by Brynn Weaver? I think you might like that one...its crazy given that they are serial killers BUT simultaneously really cute and sweet. Its crazy how the author can play with your emotions like that. Make your jaw drop in shock, make you laugh, and then give you butterflies!

[@WickedScorpio]

Thank you, I am feeling better 🥹 Right?? I think they overcompensate too much since they're pirates. But I've read historically set romances and never thought they were dirty or needed clarification, despite the fact that they prob didn't have the same hygiene regiment as most people do now 😂 I have not read it, but I keep seeing it everywhere! I had no idea what the premise was, but im intrigued now. I'll have to see if my library has it! Thanks for the rec 🤗🫶

[@happyhauntslibrary]

I am not a dark romance person so I would not have liked any of those that you DNFed. 😂 I have been VERY on top of DNFing this year so far. I prepped myself at the end of last year to start reflecting if the book will be higher than a 3 star. So I’ve been saving my time these days! 😂 I couldn’t agree more with you about Cackle. It’s a total “womp womp womp” read for me. I would love for you to read The Return or Bad Dolls, two of my faves from RH! I tried giving Edenville a shot but ended up DNFing it a little over 20% in 😂 I really liked A House At the Bottom of A Lake for its analogy and atmosphere. I don’t remember the splooge parts 😂 I am wishing you five stars in 2024!!!!

[@WickedScorpio]

I'm staring to think I'm not a dark romance person either 😅😂 "Womp womp" is the perfect way to describe the end of cackle lmao. Yess I need to get to those!! I promise I will eventually. I just have no idea when, but I think it should be able to sometime thus year hahaha. It'll be a goal of mine to complete her backlist. Im jealous you dnfed edenville 😆 i am permanently scarred by that book and not in a good way. You need to reread house at the bottom of a lake just to find the splooge parts 😂

[@TheUnhingedWomanBookClub]

I came for the no-nonsense book reviews, stayed for the "unhinged women" in your bio!! YAY!! New subscriber here!!

[@WickedScorpio]

Thank you!! So happy to have you 🤗💕

[@samantha.donovan]

the nail hair combo is incredible i'm obsessed! i've been stuck 50 pages into haunting adeline for a year now because the quirky humor that felt childish was so off putting i've just not picked it back up.. edenville disappointed me i didn't feel anything about the story and characters.

[@WickedScorpio]

Thank you so much!! 🫶 yesss so childish! Same for me with edenville. If I don't care about the characters, it's going to be a miracle to get me to care about the story.

[@earthtoelya]

Agree with what you said about the Malerman! I seem to only hear good things so it's refreshing to know I'm not alone 💀

[@WickedScorpio]

SAME!! I own birdbox, so I will give him one more chance, but it will make or break my opinion on his works 👀

[@katrinabrown]

I'm so nervous about Lost Souls now 😂 but Exquisite Corpse was so disturbing as well haha

[@WickedScorpio]

I'm crossing my fingers that you still love lost souls!! There was some very compelling writing, and I loved the one character named ghost in it. Im so curious where his story goes. Maybe once you read it, you can let me know if the creepy s*xual moments stop, and I'll pick it back up 🤷‍♀️

[@astoldbymaddie]

I'm totally the same as you. I rarely ever give 1 star unless there's something really wrong with the book. ahhh everything you said about cackle sounds like I also wont like it! It's so well loved so I will probably still read it, but going in skeptical 👀 OMG the cover redo for daisy haites?!?!?! the audacity!!! wow. I love the original copies. glad you have physical copies lol

[@WickedScorpio]

I feel so mean even with 2 stars sometimes 😂. Yes def still read cackle! Like I said I'm way in the minority, so I hope it still works for you 🫶 vlog it!! I wanna see 😂 Right!? The new ones aren't like the worst I've seen, but so much worse than the originals. And who decided they all needed feet? Quentin taratino!?

[@astoldbymaddie]

@@WickedScorpio LMAO Sarah I'm cackling at the Quentin Tarantino comment 😭🤣

[@vitareads]

I DNF'd Haunting Adeline so fast 😂 Rachel Harrison is high on my list of authors to try - 100% plan to start with Such Sharp Teeth instead of Cackle. I've also gone into the new year reading more critically. I've already DNF'd like 4 books and have given a lot of low star ratings. We're just getting them out of the way to find our 5 stars though! 👏

[@WickedScorpio]

I think that's the one I read the least of 😂 DEFINITELY start with such Sharp Teeth. I still need to read the return from her and then ill be caught up with her books. Except dolls but I may just pretend that doesn't exist 😅 Yess that's exactly what we are doing 🙌🙌

[@xlunadxll]

The only pirate book that has worked for me was Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin. It was very immersive and used pirate dialect which was something new for me. Also I hope you read Daisy Haites The Great Undoing. That book is stunning. Julian was the star of it. If the footnote bothers you, I actually read through my kindle and I would just click the footnote and a window popped up for it. It was easier to read that way for me or you could just not read them if you like 😅 but I truly hope you read it! SO GOOD !!

[@WickedScorpio]

Oooo okay sea of ruin is in my wish list. I will definitely give that one a shot, crossing my fingers because I really want a good pirate one. Okok I am interested in following Julian more, and since i own it, i will give it a shot. The kindle tip is much appreciated 🙏 my neck was breaking 😂😂

[@tiffanyjessee]

i’ve been afraid to read haunting adeline because so many people like it. i love the narrator tho….so i’ve been debating it on audio. I don’t know tho how that i’ve heard your take. i recently read crave the chase by syn black rose. it’s a dark stalker without the redemption. i loved it so I don’t know if haunting adeline would work for me.

[@WickedScorpio]

I am not a huge dark romance reader so I don't have the best gauge for the genre, but I didn't even get to the actual relationship forming before I gave up 🙈 but I say if you like the narrator at least give the audio a shot and I feel like you'll be able to tell pretty quickly if it's for you or not 😊

[@olgaarellano7930]

Love your teacup. Can I know where you got it?

[@WickedScorpio]

Homegoods :)

[@Alicia-606]

Malerman really lost me with the splooge in the water as well 😂

[@WickedScorpio]

RIGHT!? 😂😂😂 I didn't hear anyone bring it up before in reviews of it, and as soon as I read it, I was like, "Hello???🤢 why is no one talking about this"

[@BecxReadz]

Oh God I hated Cackle. I also dnfed Haunting Adeline like 5 chapters in. I did enjoy ASOBAT though.

[@WickedScorpio]

I'm so glad I'm not alone in those two. They are so popular. And I'm so happy you did enjoy ASOBAT! I know a few people that really enjoyed that one 🫶 have you read a lot of Karina halle's other works? I had a fun time with blood orange by her. I still need to read the sequel, though

[@demeldapenkitty7937]

Cackle has put me off Rachel Harrison at the moment but I might try again at some point.

[@WickedScorpio]

Totally fair. If I started with cackle Idk how quickly I would seek out her other works, so im glad I started with such Sharp Teeth. It's still my fave 🖤✨️

[@wendyvilla2904]

💚🖤

[@WickedScorpio]

🩷✨️

[@serendipity1237]

Hygienic pirates 😂😂

[@user-pk4gy9ic6c]

I just hate how daisy and magnolia are so intertwined in my opinion

[@WickedScorpio]

So true! All the reminders and revisited moments involving magnolia did not give daisy the characterization or attention she deserved. Justice for daisy