It is dangerous to watch videos like this. My tbr is getting so long, because the way you describe these books make them sound so good. I will definitely be reading Severance. My library has the audiobook available so i can barely wait!
"Why are we here" an absolutely legendary way to start a video 😂 I haven't read almost anything this year but hearing you talk about The Housekeeper and the Professor makes me want to pick it up, like, immediately
Where have you been all my life!? I have been scouring Booktube for a fan of literary fiction and avoidant of YA (not that YA is wrong, just not my cup of tea) and here you are, gorgeous and articulate and silly! Love your channel already, subscribed.
It's ok not to care for YA, we all have preferences. Me being 25 I don't read much YA at all (it's almost like I've grown out of it), but it takes a lot for me to like them or find one that resonates with me if I do read one.
Spot on re Girl, Woman, Other. Fantastic read and even though the structure is slightly experimental I think it's hugely accessible and well paced. Totally worthy of 5 stars.
It's so funny how many of these I had already added to my tbr because of when you talked about right after reading! I swear, my tbr list ALWAYS gets longer when I watch your videos 😂
5 star reads so far this year: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs, This Is How You Lose the Time War, The Outrun by Amy Liptrot, The Priory of the Orange Tree, A Clockwork Orange, A Memory Called Empire, The Glass Hotel, Writers & Lovers, The Test, Network Effect by Martha Wells and The City Born Great by N. K. Jemisin :)
I’ve read most of these and also gave them all five stars! The Glass Hotel was my favorite!! Two that I haven’t read are Girl, Woman, Other and The Hearts Invisible Furies and I just requested both out from the library! Super excited
@@ambitiousreader4710 I have been trying to work on how to easily describe this book and never thought about contemporary fantasy but that is perfect!! Love it.
Talking about How to Disappear: you don't realize how much you have to give up, how many relationships you have to severe... Me: sounds like my ideal life. Where do I sign up?! I wouldn't mind starting everything from scratch while being protected.
My 5-star reads this year have been (from the one I’ve read most recently to the one I’ve read closer to the beginning of the year): - “A Woman is No Man” - absolutely recommended! - “Stay With Me” - “Evidence of the Affair” - “If Cats Disappeared From the World” - “The Cuckoo’s Calling” - “Where the Crawdads Sing”
I recently read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and gave it 5 stars. I was honestly a bit surprised. I'm stingy with my 5 stars too :) Other 5 stars for me from this year: The Secret History by Donna Tartt (a reread) Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie Space Struck by Paige Lewis (poetry) Bone Map by Sara Eliza Johson (poetry, a reread, my favorite book of all time ever :D )
Oh yeah that was a five star for me when I read it a few years ago too! Ooh and The Secret history was too :) I haven't read the others yet so looks like I should!
My 5 star reads since January All the Lives We Never Lived by Arundati Roy A Woman is No Man The Death of Noah Glass The Other Half of Augusta Hope The Good People by Hannah Kent The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison The Old Drift Rules of Civility by Amor Towles Say Nothing (non fiction)
So far I've read 66 books and had 9 five star reads. But 4 of them are Dutch and not translated to English so I'm only going to leave my English five star reads here: Patsy - Nicole Dennis-Benn Wolf - Mo Hayder (Last book in the Jack Caffery series) Lanny - Max Porter The southern book club's guide to slaying vampires - Grady Hendrix The million pieces of Neena Gill - Emma Smith Barton
I think I’m one of the only people that didn’t love Americanah. My issue with it is that it has an ongoing situation in the later part of the book that I absolutely cannot stand so that really impacted my enjoyment and thoughts on the book.
Drinking By My Shelf I don’t know if it would be considered a spoiler, but, um, vaguely... it’s the relationship aspect once they are both back in Nigeria. Especially how it was handled so flippant.
The Glass Hotel is one of my few five star reads this year as well. I gotta say though, it's important not to read the back of the book / Goodreads synopsis because it really spoils the story.
Thank you! Weird collection I've built up from various places over time - including one I stole from my friend after she left it at my house and I still haven't given it back 😂
Yay! All the five stars makes me so happy! Severance by Ling Ma sounds so cool because zombies DD: I actually really like zombie books but struggle to find good ones from time to time. I just started Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo today!! And I have The Test by Sylvain Neuvel on my tbr because if anything gets compared to a black mirror episode that's where it goes. It was definitely disappointing to find that out about John Boyne and now I am not sure if I will read that book in the end or not :( It was originally on my tbr. So happy you adored Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie so much
Severance is also one of my top books I’ve read so far this year! I also really loved Bunny by Mona Awad... I felt like they had a similar vibe. Have you read that one?
If you dont like zombie novels, but are open to good ones. I suggest Warm Bodies. The protagonist is actually a zombie himself and the zombies are used more as a metaphor for depression,capitalism, etc. I think youd really like it.
This pandemic is REALLY starting to feel like an apocolypse to me. I've been OK but lately it has really been getting to me. I'd love to read Severance but I feel it would really get to me in my current mindset. Yum yum yum white wine! Yass. That helps. The Test sounds really good. I need to watch Black Mirror!! OK though I NEED to read How To Disappear. Just got it on Audible. Thanks Emma! Busy reading Sarah Pinborough's new book and so far it's pretty mundane to be honest! Have you read it yet??
88 books is so good! You know how much I love Atwood but she should never have been a ‘co-winner’ of the Booker, that whole thing was ridiculous. I really want to read Girl, Woman, Other and How To Disappear!
Totally agree with your that The Testaments shouldn’t have won. 👍🏻 John Boyne has been disappointing for a number of reasons, The Holocaust Museum has details on why they don’t recommend The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and then there was My Brother’s Name is Jessica debacle. So his support of she-who-must-not-be-named doesn’t surprise me. 😕
@@DrinkingByMyShelf The whole enjoying the art while not liking the artist is a constant debate. The Hearts Invisible Furies sounds like he's writing to all his strengths though so I wouldn't feel bad about enjoying it, especially as you only found on about the author after the fact!
Don’t let your feelings about John Boyne stop you reading A Ladder To The Sky It’s a brilliant book with a main character you’ll love to hate. You’ll keep reading to see him finally get karma. 👋☘️📚📖
Ok I have to ask this because I am SO confused and genuinely feel like I’m missing something about this author. So please educate me. But Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche made borderline TERF-y comments back in 2017-2018. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot because she hasn’t gone as far as JK Rowling, but stuck by the ideas on privilege based in biological sex. And I looked it up and she hasn’t really apologized or addressed it, that I can find, in years. But during this time of deserved disappointment for JK and cancelling, I’m seeing multiple booktubers raving about Americanah. So I am confused. Am I missing something?
Ooh that's interesting, I had genuinely completely forgotten that but do remember now. You're right, it's something that should still be addressed. I guess my feelings on the JK Rowling thing are more about quite how much power and influence she has, and to use it in such a dangerous way. That's what really upset me from JK Rowling, more so than just expressing an opinion I disagree with. Which isn't to say that Adichie's comments weren't also hurtful, and it would be nice to see her publicly withdraw them or apologise for them, but I think that's the difference for me there. I don't condemn books by all people who hold differences of opinion from me, but I don't want to support people I think are actively spreading harm. Does that make sense? I don't actually know if I have the right attitude on this so am very open to more conversation about it!
Drinking By My Shelf I totally get that! And agree, about JK. I think for me, I’m in agreement that we don’t have to condemn all books by opinions I don’t agree with, however I don’t feel comfortable financially contributing to someone who made her stance years ago and is not now speaking a different perspective. I think right now a lot of people are talking about what silence means these days, and for me, I kept hoping she would speak up against JK’s ideas or at least acknowledge the improper use of power, because she has had that controversy in the past. That controversy broke my heart at the time because I LOVED her. I think she is brilliant. And it is her prerogative to speak about things when she wants to. But trans people need more vocal allies than ever, (as well as many other marginalized groups) so the silence continues to make me uncomfortable.
I agree, I would love to see her speak up now! And I know what you mean, it's very difficult deciding what to financially contribute to. Aaah I feel like I need to think/read way more about this!
Drinking By My Shelf thank you so much for talking to me about this and being so kind. I’m very new to watching Booktube, so when I say 3-4 booktubers raving about Americanah without mentioning her past, I was like what am I missing. I don’t know everyone’s reasoning, but I’m relieved to know I am not just losing my mind. 💕
“Why are we born and put on this earth?” Lol Emma coming in hot with the existentialism
It is dangerous to watch videos like this. My tbr is getting so long, because the way you describe these books make them sound so good. I will definitely be reading Severance. My library has the audiobook available so i can barely wait!
I just bought The Test as I am watching this lol
"Why are we here" an absolutely legendary way to start a video 😂 I haven't read almost anything this year but hearing you talk about The Housekeeper and the Professor makes me want to pick it up, like, immediately
Where have you been all my life!? I have been scouring Booktube for a fan of literary fiction and avoidant of YA (not that YA is wrong, just not my cup of tea) and here you are, gorgeous and articulate and silly! Love your channel already, subscribed.
It's ok not to care for YA, we all have preferences. Me being 25 I don't read much YA at all (it's almost like I've grown out of it), but it takes a lot for me to like them or find one that resonates with me if I do read one.
I LOVED Severance as well - the way it discussed this monotonous lifestyle that we live day in and day out in the name of productivity - phew
Spot on re Girl, Woman, Other. Fantastic read and even though the structure is slightly experimental I think it's hugely accessible and well paced. Totally worthy of 5 stars.
Your make up looks so good today! I love that blue shelve thing! I am getting one to help organize my tbr and my make video books lol
You look so beautiful !! You’re literally glowing!! 🌞
Thank you! Forever a little bit sweaty 😂
How to disappear sounds so good! Definitely adding it to my tbr list! 💕
I just finished reading Americanah as well! Had the same experience; I wanted to keep reading it for ever and ever and ever. Five stars.
severance sounds absolutely interesting! thanks for the recs!
Really looking forward to How to Disappear. Fingers crossed I get it for my birthday 🤞🏻
It's so funny how many of these I had already added to my tbr because of when you talked about right after reading! I swear, my tbr list ALWAYS gets longer when I watch your videos 😂
I just bought Girl woman other this weekend!! I’m so so happy I have it and can’t wait to dive in.
Aah I hope you love it after all the hype!
Ooo I have an ARC of The Heart’s Invisible Furies since it was released and haven’t read it yet 🥺
I’m at 58 books so far this year, and in true 2020 fashion, I have 0 5 star books 😂
I give literally every book I read 5 stars and it's an issue
🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
I have two books on my shelf that were mentioned here. Definitely going to pick them up next!!
5 star reads so far this year: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs, This Is How You Lose the Time War, The Outrun by Amy Liptrot, The Priory of the Orange Tree, A Clockwork Orange, A Memory Called Empire, The Glass Hotel, Writers & Lovers, The Test, Network Effect by Martha Wells and The City Born Great by N. K. Jemisin :)
A few of those are really high on my TBR!
@@DrinkingByMyShelf I hope you enjoy them! 😊
I’ve read most of these and also gave them all five stars! The Glass Hotel was my favorite!! Two that I haven’t read are Girl, Woman, Other and The Hearts Invisible Furies and I just requested both out from the library! Super excited
Aah I hope you love them too!
So many of these are on my TBR! Putting them to the top now
Ooooh Severance sounds really interesting!!! I definitely want to give that a go
I liked Station Eleven okay, but I picked up The Glass Hotel after I heard to you talking about it and I can't wait to get to it!!
I hope you love it!
New books to my TBR!!, I want yo read: the test, the glass hotel and how yo dissappear
My most recent 5 star read was The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. I've been recommending it to everyone
That has been the best book I've read this year! Why aren't there more contemporary fantasy books?
@@ambitiousreader4710 I have been trying to work on how to easily describe this book and never thought about contemporary fantasy but that is perfect!! Love it.
Talking about How to Disappear: you don't realize how much you have to give up, how many relationships you have to severe...
Me: sounds like my ideal life. Where do I sign up?! I wouldn't mind starting everything from scratch while being protected.
My 5-star reads this year have been (from the one I’ve read most recently to the one I’ve read closer to the beginning of the year):
- “A Woman is No Man” - absolutely recommended!
- “Stay With Me”
- “Evidence of the Affair”
- “If Cats Disappeared From the World”
- “The Cuckoo’s Calling”
- “Where the Crawdads Sing”
Ooh some amazing ones on this list!
You have a new fan from Spain!! ;)
Added the housekeeper and the professor, and the test to my list 🙂 already read and enjoyed Americanah.
Girl, Woman, Other is so so high up on my tbr! I have SO MANY of these on my tbr it's honestly ridiculous
Thanks for fattening up my TBR. I recently read & gave 5 stars to Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson and Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Oh I loved Stay With Me! That was a five star for me too
I thought i was impressive. Around feb i decided to dare myself to read as many books as i could this year. Ive read 15. 😂😂😂
I recently read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and gave it 5 stars. I was honestly a bit surprised. I'm stingy with my 5 stars too :)
Other 5 stars for me from this year:
The Secret History by Donna Tartt (a reread)
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Space Struck by Paige Lewis (poetry)
Bone Map by Sara Eliza Johson (poetry, a reread, my favorite book of all time ever :D )
Oh yeah that was a five star for me when I read it a few years ago too! Ooh and The Secret history was too :) I haven't read the others yet so looks like I should!
@@DrinkingByMyShelf if you do let me know what you think!
My 5 star reads since January
All the Lives We Never Lived by Arundati Roy
A Woman is No Man
The Death of Noah Glass
The Other Half of Augusta Hope
The Good People by Hannah Kent
The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison
The Old Drift
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Say Nothing (non fiction)
Ooh I haven't read ANY of those so I better get on it!
So far I've read 66 books and had 9 five star reads. But 4 of them are Dutch and not translated to English so I'm only going to leave my English five star reads here:
Patsy - Nicole Dennis-Benn
Wolf - Mo Hayder (Last book in the Jack Caffery series)
Lanny - Max Porter
The southern book club's guide to slaying vampires - Grady Hendrix
The million pieces of Neena Gill - Emma Smith Barton
Aaah I’m so keen to read Patsy!
@@DrinkingByMyShelf Definitely read it! :D
I think I’m one of the only people that didn’t love Americanah. My issue with it is that it has an ongoing situation in the later part of the book that I absolutely cannot stand so that really impacted my enjoyment and thoughts on the book.
Ooh which situation was that?
Drinking By My Shelf I don’t know if it would be considered a spoiler, but, um, vaguely... it’s the relationship aspect once they are both back in Nigeria. Especially how it was handled so flippant.
Monday morning?! Yet she is drinking... she has style 😍
The Glass Hotel is one of my few five star reads this year as well. I gotta say though, it's important not to read the back of the book / Goodreads synopsis because it really spoils the story.
You probably get this all the time, but I love your rings, they suit you so well.
Thank you! Weird collection I've built up from various places over time - including one I stole from my friend after she left it at my house and I still haven't given it back 😂
Yay! All the five stars makes me so happy! Severance by Ling Ma
sounds so cool because zombies DD: I actually really like zombie books but struggle to find good ones from time to time. I just started Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo today!! And I have The Test by Sylvain Neuvel on my tbr because if anything gets compared to a black mirror episode that's where it goes. It was definitely disappointing to find that out about John Boyne and now I am not sure if I will read that book in the end or not :( It was originally on my tbr. So happy you adored Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie so much
“Why are we born and put on this earth?”lmaoo
Severance is also one of my top books I’ve read so far this year! I also really loved Bunny by Mona Awad... I felt like they had a similar vibe. Have you read that one?
Ooh I haven't but do have it on my virtual TBR!
I'm either having a great year or I give my approval a bit early with 28/86 5 star reads
I'm disappointed I didn't really like Americanah as much as I thought I would, but her book Half of a Yellow Sun is amazing!
I really want to read that next!
If you dont like zombie novels, but are open to good ones. I suggest Warm Bodies. The protagonist is actually a zombie himself and the zombies are used more as a metaphor for depression,capitalism, etc. I think youd really like it.
Ooh will give it a go!
@@DrinkingByMyShelf yay and if you like it. It's part of a series.
The Heart’s Invisible Furies … one of my favourites of all time. So sorry to hear that disappointing info about John Boyne 🙁
I have read and loved Pet by Akwaeke Emezi! It might be up your alley cause it is more contemporary with some magical elements.
This pandemic is REALLY starting to feel like an apocolypse to me. I've been OK but lately it has really been getting to me. I'd love to read Severance but I feel it would really get to me in my current mindset. Yum yum yum white wine! Yass. That helps. The Test sounds really good. I need to watch Black Mirror!! OK though I NEED to read How To Disappear. Just got it on Audible. Thanks Emma! Busy reading Sarah Pinborough's new book and so far it's pretty mundane to be honest! Have you read it yet??
I haven't but I hatedddd the only Sarah Pinborough book I've read so far so I'm not sure it would be for me!
I've read 23 out of my 100 a year challenge, I'm in trouble
DBMS the reading machine! :-)
88 books is so good! You know how much I love Atwood but she should never have been a ‘co-winner’ of the Booker, that whole thing was ridiculous. I really want to read Girl, Woman, Other and How To Disappear!
Totally agree with your that The Testaments shouldn’t have won. 👍🏻
John Boyne has been disappointing for a number of reasons, The Holocaust Museum has details on why they don’t recommend The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and then there was My Brother’s Name is Jessica debacle. So his support of she-who-must-not-be-named doesn’t surprise me. 😕
I only heard about this stuff after-the-fact - such a shame!
@@DrinkingByMyShelf The whole enjoying the art while not liking the artist is a constant debate. The Hearts Invisible Furies sounds like he's writing to all his strengths though so I wouldn't feel bad about enjoying it, especially as you only found on about the author after the fact!
From the meager 32 books I've read so far, there were zero 5 star books. Sad. I'm jealous now.
32 is still a lot!!
Don’t let your feelings about John Boyne stop you reading
A Ladder To The Sky
It’s a brilliant book with a main character you’ll love to hate. You’ll keep reading to see him finally get karma. 👋☘️📚📖
I've heard great things!
Ok I have to ask this because I am SO confused and genuinely feel like I’m missing something about this author. So please educate me. But Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche made borderline TERF-y comments back in 2017-2018. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot because she hasn’t gone as far as JK Rowling, but stuck by the ideas on privilege based in biological sex. And I looked it up and she hasn’t really apologized or addressed it, that I can find, in years. But during this time of deserved disappointment for JK and cancelling, I’m seeing multiple booktubers raving about Americanah. So I am confused. Am I missing something?
Ooh that's interesting, I had genuinely completely forgotten that but do remember now. You're right, it's something that should still be addressed. I guess my feelings on the JK Rowling thing are more about quite how much power and influence she has, and to use it in such a dangerous way. That's what really upset me from JK Rowling, more so than just expressing an opinion I disagree with. Which isn't to say that Adichie's comments weren't also hurtful, and it would be nice to see her publicly withdraw them or apologise for them, but I think that's the difference for me there. I don't condemn books by all people who hold differences of opinion from me, but I don't want to support people I think are actively spreading harm. Does that make sense? I don't actually know if I have the right attitude on this so am very open to more conversation about it!
Drinking By My Shelf I totally get that! And agree, about JK. I think for me, I’m in agreement that we don’t have to condemn all books by opinions I don’t agree with, however I don’t feel comfortable financially contributing to someone who made her stance years ago and is not now speaking a different perspective. I think right now a lot of people are talking about what silence means these days, and for me, I kept hoping she would speak up against JK’s ideas or at least acknowledge the improper use of power, because she has had that controversy in the past. That controversy broke my heart at the time because I LOVED her. I think she is brilliant. And it is her prerogative to speak about things when she wants to. But trans people need more vocal allies than ever, (as well as many other marginalized groups) so the silence continues to make me uncomfortable.
I agree, I would love to see her speak up now! And I know what you mean, it's very difficult deciding what to financially contribute to. Aaah I feel like I need to think/read way more about this!
Drinking By My Shelf thank you so much for talking to me about this and being so kind. I’m very new to watching Booktube, so when I say 3-4 booktubers raving about Americanah without mentioning her past, I was like what am I missing. I don’t know everyone’s reasoning, but I’m relieved to know I am not just losing my mind. 💕
When is your 24 hour readathon going to be up
Hopefully Friday! Doing my best
Ok thank you