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Well done for venturing into the classic's world! Modern classics are sometimes easier to read, for example Agatha Christie is a safe bet. I always get motivated by a play or movie I want to see and then read the book first. Not sure if you are near London, but for a long time they have been showing a play "Witness for the Prosecution" and are still showing "Mousetrap". Also her books tend to be not too long which helps as it gives you the sense of success! I also devoured Gabriel Garcia Marquez in my teens. Some complain that there is a lot of names to remember (similar to War and Peace) but I have never found it an issue. However, his other works such as "Love in Time of Cholera" are also fantastic novels and very easy to digest, especially if you enjoy a bit of magical realism. If you would prefer older classics, then I would highly recommend "The Lady of the Camellias". It is a tragic romance written by Dumas after his more famous "Count of Monte Christo" (which I is super long!) which means his writing was extra polished by then. The movie "Moulin Rouge" is said to be inspired by the novel, as is the opera "La Traviata" - it might be fun to see those after the book. If you would prefer older classics then I would recommend Austen - such fun to read! I will be talking about "Pride and Prejudice" in my video next Friday so stay tuned. Also, I have not read these two yet but most say "Great Gatsby" and "Rebecca" are easy to read too. I am sure our lovely community will jump in and give great advise too! Let me know how you get on - you have got this :)

Oh, how intriguing that you preferred My Cousin Rachel considering the common popularity of Rebecca. You have now made me super excited to read it :) Thank you!

Hi Tina, Happy New Year! I plan to start on War and Peace around February as I want to make sure I read The Driver's Seat and Scaffolding first. It might be fun to read War and Peace together... but no pressure ;) I will definitely do a separate vlog/video on that. Also I have scheduled the video you requested on my bookshelf organisation for 24 February. Stay tuned :)

@ I’ll follow along for now and looking forward to your review of War and Peace. Also excited about your book organization/bookshelves tour video. I recently reorganized my books too and bought new bookshelves from IKEA. My books bring me a lot of joy but I also realize how much books I’ve collected over the years I have not read yet. Looking forward to your new videos!!

Reading on a plane is the best - zero interruptions! Enjoy.

That is a great suggestion Melissa, thank you. I don't know why I have not thought of the Oxford edition in paperback. I just looked it up and it has a beautiful cover, plus the translation will be the same as their hardcover (I think Penguin's is a different translation). Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to read it? I am bracing myself... :)

@Paulina-Maria I tried doing it over the course of a year first, but I found I had more trouble remembering all the names and such. (I did Les Miserables over a year and loved it). I restarted it the beginning of November and it took me until Christmas. It's whatever pace works for you. I would just choose a pace that is quick enough that you don't have time to forger as much, but slow enough to savor and appreciate Tolstoy's writing.

Hi Tina, Thank you for your lovely comment! I hope you and your family are all set for a wonderful Christmas 😊 I absolutely loved Pachinko! I read it in just a week-I could not put it down. The writing was so succinct and yet so impactful. It was right up there with Brotherless Night for me, but alas, only one could take the top spot! Small Things Like These is on my list too-I just need to brace myself for the tears... Thank you for mentioning The Driver’s Seat. Say “dark book,” and I’m in! 😅 I have also heard about Orbital. Its setting is not my usual pick, but since you recommend the book, I will definitely add it to my list. Thank you for the suggestion! So many incredible books to dive into in 2025! P.S. I am so happy you will read Girl A - finally I will have someone I can talk to about this book! Just be warned - it is very, very dark-definitely not one for Christmas cheer. Think Lars von Tier's movies and similar exposing of the inherent darkness within humans. Maybe save it for after the New Year! 😉

@ will do! Thanks Paulina! Wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season and a great year ahead! 💕

Hi Tina, I hope you had an amazing Christmas. Just a quick note to say that a copy of "The Driver's Seat" has arrived through my letterbox and I am very excited to read it! I will be including it in my 25 Classics to Read in 2025 video which will come out next Friday 3 Jan. Thank you again for the recommendation. Today I am releasing a video on 25 Fiction Books to Read in 2025. Hope you enjoy it.

Hello to Canada from the UK! Thank you so much for your kind words and for being one of my first subscribers-it really means a lot to me! 💛 I love hearing that you are a fellow book lover, especially as mum with two young kids. Life must be so busy for you! Is reading not the best form of self-care? 😉 I absolutely love your suggestion for a bookshelf tour and the topic of organising and deciding what books to keep! I will definitely add this idea to my list for a video in the New Year. It is great timing because I have to re-organize all my bookshelves anyway. For most of my life, space and budget for owning books have been limited and I have only recently started a collection but it has grown surprisingly quickly... I do have some rules around prioritising the purchase list, and I almost never buy new books. There is something about giving a book a second life that makes me super happy 😊 Thanks again for your thoughtful comment-as the first comment ever received it will forever be special to me! 💛 PS. I have a Canadian husband so Canada has a big place in my heart and I visit it every year. Is it not amazing how books can bring us all together, no matter where we are in life or the world!

Thank you Paulina! I’m excited to learn more about your ideas on how to organize our fave books and when/where to buy books and when to share them. I think it’s a great topic as not everyone has the space or the budget to buy all the books. And I totally agree with you! I love physical books for that reason as with physical books I can share the books to others more easily - lend my favorite books to family and friends or donate them at my local thrift store or a free library! Also love the Canadian connection. I’m proud to be Canadian but I also love everything British! Kazuo Ishiguro is one of my favourite authors and many classic English writers like C.S. Lewis, Dickens! Thank you again for sharing your love of reading on RUclips! So excited to watch more of your videos! 🥰