Also, it is so heartwarming to hear that you are in the “opposite of a reading slump” currently❤ yay! I’m sending you all the happiness that is derived from books and life moments for you!
i definitely want to read Any Man now. from the description, it sounds like it taps into a topic i'm really invested in - as a gay guy, i think some people don't fully understand that, despite the amount of privilege men have, being rejected from masculinity has serious consequences, mostly a huge risk of violence. plenty of men will be hostile or even physically violent towards a man not meeting masculinity standards, and not a lot of people are going to come to the victim's defense. it's the same reason that growing up as a gay boy was pretty terrifying for me. i'm just really curious to see how the book portrays that experience. especially because the concept of being rejected by masculinity /because/ of the worst trauma they went through is just a really sad thought to me. i know the feeling of being so scared that other guys are going to find out how you've "failed" masculinity standards, and i'm just thinking of having that fear about them finding out you were a victim, and it's sad :(
Growing up is realizing that things people did to you when were younger that made you uncomfortable at the time but brushed off were, in fact, abuse. ❤ I’m going through this journey too. It’s hard and I’m grieving the childhood I thought I had.
I've wanted to read The Magic Fish for a while now. I really love artstyles that have a prominent lineart and this one looks wonderful ❤ I'm glad you talked about this graphic novel.
i relate so hard to the spotify wrapped stereotype thing. my #1 song on wrapped was the olivia rodrigo song from the Hunger Games movie, and my #1 artist was taylor swift. i might as well write "dramatic gay" on my forehead in permanent marker
already commenting to mention that i'm super pleased to know you've read The Magic Fish! Literally a book I gift to everyone when I get the chance, I've been a huge fan of Trung Le Nguyen's work for so long hahaha your likes often crossover with my taste, so i'm pretty stoked to put your recs on my list! previous books i've read from your recs that I rly enjoyed are Chanel Miller's Know My Name, Heather Fawcett's Emily Wilde series, and Kate Goldbeck's You, Again. I hope you have a great holiday, Cindy, and I always look forward to your other videos 💝
Omg I LOVE The Magic Fish! The art is gorgeous. And the STORY?? One of my favorite graphic novels ever, so I’m really happy to hear someone else talking about it.
I really found myself enjoying the sunbearer duology by aiden thomas! it was SO much fun and quick to read, and it gave me the same type of feelings that percy jackson used to give me years ago. I feel like that duology is some of the best ya I have ever read
I love The Magic Fish, one of my favorite graphic novels of all time!! The creator actually also made a tarot deck called Star Spinner Tarot with the same kind of art style and it's so gorgeous 😭
So sorry you experienced that 😔 I hope that the book is healing for you! Also understandable if it becomes too triggering though. Pls take care of yourself ❤️
omggg the magic fish! i recently read it for one of my classes and i really ended up loving it. i keep recommending it to everyone so i'm very happy to see you talk about it! :-)
I’m addicted to the “Space Boy” graphic novel series. BEAUTIFUL artwork. Cinematic. Multilayered story. U got your sci fI, u got your action, u got your teen besties romance. I also enjoyed a couple light young adult rom coms: “Slow Coach” and “Some Like it Cold”. The first is queer friendly and a genuine feel good read-in-an-afternoon book; the second is neurodivergent friendly.
in terms of book recs, i really really enjoyed the burning kingdoms trilogy by tasha suri!!! the final book came out last month and i’m still getting over it it’s queer south asian fantasy (specifically the main two are lesbians) !!!!
I also loved Annie Bot! Other books I loved this year: Four Squares by Bobby Finger, The Shining by Stephen King, and The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Magic Fish was already in my TBR to get from my library, but thank you for giving it your stamp of approvals. Ive read so many queer graphic novels this year but i always want MOAR
Krystal Sutherland was already in my TBR but I will definitely check out the others! My favorite books I’ve read this year is To Shape A Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (think steampunk fantasy set in alternate universe 19th century USA featuring a queer Indigenous female protagonist and DRAGONS) and The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (I’m not even going to pretend to know how to describe this one). Happy holidays and looking forward to your next video 🧡
I’ve been really struggling to read for a long time and I’m slowly getting my way back into it (partly with the help of audiobooks bc one of my issues is that I struggle with restlessness when I try to just sit down and read, which wasn’t always the case, so listening while keeping my hands busy is really helpful rn). So the two audiobooks I finished recently and tremendously enjoyed are: Pax by Sara Pennypacker: this one was on my tbr for years, I even bought the physical book years ago after hearing so many good things about it. It’s a middle grade book and I thought I’d ease my way back into reading with it and didn’t even look at the blurb again (all I remembered was that it’s about a friendship between a boy and a fox). Come to find out it wasn’t simply a lighthearted story about friendship 😅 it’s dual POV (the boy and the fox) and handles various heavy themes/thoughts pretty effortlessly. At the beginning of the book the boy (around 12 y/o) and his fox get separated and the boy is brought to his grandfather to live with while his father joins the ongoing war. The fox grew up in the care of the boy and is a half tamed animal that never had to survive in nature on his own. The book then follows the journey the boy takes to get his fox back. Themes in the book: parental loss, grief, relationship between nature (and animals) & humans (and how estranged most adult humans are from nature specifically in the west), anti war commentary, growing up, losing your childish innocence & the pressure to conform against your nature, various trauma (including childhood neglect & abuse), healing, friendship, found family, loyalty. By nature of it being middle grade & the tone it uses, it strikes a good balance of showing just enough for emotional impact but not overwhelming you too much, so it’s a bit easier to digest. For children it’s a great book to introduce them to these themes, or to have a story to help digest their experiences if they’re unfortunately too familiar with some of the themes already. For me as an adult with unprocessed baggage around my childhood/growing up and other themes of the book it helped me revisit them and process them a bit more. My only criticism is that the ending felt very sudden bc it basically ended in a climax and after the emotional journey I’d have simply preferred another chapter or two for cool-down. I’m just mentioning this bc maybe it’ll help anyone who wants to give this little book a go to be a bit more prepared for the suddenness than I was 😅 The other book I read was Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, a gothic romance taking place mostly in 1920/30 (?) England. I loved how atmospheric it was, and the genre typical simmering unease of a darker mystery. The protagonist is a young adult woman from a lower class, and with no family left she works for a woman of a higher social class. As the companion of that woman, she meets a good-looking, older widower of higher social standing and befriends him. She doesn’t understand why he seeks her company; for all she knows he’s just recently lost the wife he was devoted to so it’s a complete shock when he ends up proposing to her. I found the book to be elegantly executed in the way it set the mystery up and let it unfold, how it portrayed the main character and her very understandable insecurities around class and her new social standing that she can’t seem to fit into. I’m not someone who seeks out 1st person pov, but I always love when I can enjoy a book that uses that pov to full effect. I really don’t think this story would go as hard in a 3rd person POV. I had this book on my TBR bc a while ago I watched the video about the mystery of the failed broadway transfer of the Austrian musical based on the book (the video is by wait in the wings, a great watch) and since finishing the book I’ve been listening to the musical recording repeatedly & am a bit obsessed with it (it might help that my native language is German, so I can get the most out of listening to the recording).
I was in a reading slump for a couple of months and left books unfinished. Now am trying to read as much as I can before the year ends; I feel good about it!! Always love watching your reviews if only my tbr could handle more weight lollllll
Every time you talk about annie bot it gets higher and higher up my tbr 😂 i think my favourite book i read this year was the sign for home by blair fell, it's about a deaf blind man and his interpreter. It was well written and made me think about a whole community i've never really considered before
“The Magic Fish” was one of my 5 star reads this year. It also got me out of a reading slump! I also plan to read “House of Hollow” by Krystal Sutherland for one of my 2025 Storygraph reading challenges and now I have to add in “The Invocations” somehow lol.
Aaaand that’s several more books going into my shopping cart. Also! Can’t remember if I recommend this yet cus I’ve been yapping about it nonstop- “Don’t Let The Forest In” by CG Drews. Ace and Bi rep nestled in a YA botanical horror with beautiful writing and soul crushing twists. It’s probably my favorite book of 2024 and what kicked off my seasonal depression.
My favourite book this year was Long Live Evil by Sarah Brees Brennan. It's an isekai fantasy about a girl with terminal cancer who's transported into the body of a minor about-to-be executed villainess of her favourite grimdark fantasy book series. So obviously she has to blag her way out of it and try to keep the plot on track while constantly accidentally fucking it up. I feel like you'd appreciate her rage and quippiness. Plus the writing's very funny with lots of social commentary, meta and trope deconstruction. I highly recommend this author! Oh, and the MC's love interest is the ultimate simp for her, just peak devotion, which I know you enjoy, lol. I screamed at the ending, can't wait for the sequel!
13:09 that's a thing that's happened to me too, i guess since that period of time was unpleasant/traumatic to me, my brain just decided it'll be better to forget
Okay you have mentioned Annie Bot a lot this year, and as a girl who has been in an emotionally abusive relationship... girl you might have convinced me, message heard loud and clear! Have a good Christmas.
That first quote from Not That Bad…. Ahahahsdffg that reminds me of how my ex used to say he was a “consumer” of my body, and I was his “stress ball” 💀😂
I've been listening to a lot of nonfiction books lately. Some recs: "There is no ethan" by Anna Akbari (tw manipulation) "Womb" by Leah Hazard (tw miscarriage) "Men who hate women" by Laura Bates (heavy tw misogyny, violence speech and action towards women, SA)
also i read What My Bones Know because it was it in your faves a few years ago and it changed me. i'm definitely gonna prioritize Not That Bad since i have a physical copy
usually i try to say something semi witty in the comments but like that second quote from the invocations altered my brain chemistry especially with the misandry discourse everywhere
Of course Cindy got me again with that title; love how high quality the audiobook productions sounds, I previously loved The Two Princes podcast and have been looking for my audio stories with full voice acting and audio
Just read Some Desperate Glory. I almost didn't read it because the description sounded pretty generic, but wow! It was great! And an honest look at people raised in a "cult" and internalized misogyny.
Me at the start of the video: Oh boy I can't wait to make a joke about whatever wild stuff she 's reading Me at the end of the video: Oh I can't make a joke about that In all seriousness these books sound incredible. I've always loved your picks as they really show a correlation with quality/rawness and marketability and these books really illustrate that the best. I'm half so wanting to read this and half TERRIFIED because of sad, angry, and powerless I'd feel - which honestly makes it even more necessary. Some of these books - Anniebot & Any Man legit should be in required readings for high schools imho, with the lack of media literacy being taught, the casual disregard of people, and the kind of sterile environment kids are subjected to to avoid being 'corrupted', these books can really stir up that righteous rage and teach empathy towards people they're told to shy away from or accept
Not me immediately clocking amber tamblyn’s name as an actress from sisterhood of the traveling pants despite having not thought of the movie in like 20 years 😂 I had no idea she was a published author. Sounds like an interesting book!
Aww getting the notification for this video is such a treat after finishing my final final (lol hopefully that's so unfunny that it's mildly funny) 🥹 anyways thank you for the upload!!
My standout book of the year was tell me I’m worthless by Alison rumfitt, it’s transgressive horror focussing on trauma and Englishness (it is sensitively handled but there are big trigger warnings for transphobia and antisemitism). I also loooved Saga (epic space opera/fantasy graphic novel with the most gorgeous art and great themes), a little luck (Claudia pineiro is an instant yes for me and this is great, though I’d start with Elena Knows), confessions of a mask, the library at mount char, and the sun bearer trials / celestial monsters (though not finished the latter yet).
Also, it is so heartwarming to hear that you are in the “opposite of a reading slump” currently❤ yay! I’m sending you all the happiness that is derived from books and life moments for you!
Sending you all the love back!! 🥰🥰
@ Aw thank you hehe😊😊
Gurl, your conversational transitions to the sponsor always take me out 😂😂 like yas get that bag babe!!
Hahaha thank u 😎
It’s a masterclass
i definitely want to read Any Man now. from the description, it sounds like it taps into a topic i'm really invested in - as a gay guy, i think some people don't fully understand that, despite the amount of privilege men have, being rejected from masculinity has serious consequences, mostly a huge risk of violence. plenty of men will be hostile or even physically violent towards a man not meeting masculinity standards, and not a lot of people are going to come to the victim's defense. it's the same reason that growing up as a gay boy was pretty terrifying for me.
i'm just really curious to see how the book portrays that experience. especially because the concept of being rejected by masculinity /because/ of the worst trauma they went through is just a really sad thought to me. i know the feeling of being so scared that other guys are going to find out how you've "failed" masculinity standards, and i'm just thinking of having that fear about them finding out you were a victim, and it's sad :(
It's a really nuanced and powerful book! I hope you get to check it out ❤️
Growing up is realizing that things people did to you when were younger that made you uncomfortable at the time but brushed off were, in fact, abuse. ❤ I’m going through this journey too. It’s hard and I’m grieving the childhood I thought I had.
Sending u love ❤️❤️
I'm sorry your going through that I hope you find a way to heal
not really about the video but you are looking so great as of late (i love your sweater) and i hope you keep taking care of yourself
Thank you so much! 💕
I've wanted to read The Magic Fish for a while now. I really love artstyles that have a prominent lineart and this one looks wonderful ❤
I'm glad you talked about this graphic novel.
Aww I hope u get to check it out! The art is lovely
i relate so hard to the spotify wrapped stereotype thing. my #1 song on wrapped was the olivia rodrigo song from the Hunger Games movie, and my #1 artist was taylor swift. i might as well write "dramatic gay" on my forehead in permanent marker
Omg I loved Olivia's song, it was so perfect for the hunger games
already commenting to mention that i'm super pleased to know you've read The Magic Fish! Literally a book I gift to everyone when I get the chance, I've been a huge fan of Trung Le Nguyen's work for so long hahaha
your likes often crossover with my taste, so i'm pretty stoked to put your recs on my list! previous books i've read from your recs that I rly enjoyed are Chanel Miller's Know My Name, Heather Fawcett's Emily Wilde series, and Kate Goldbeck's You, Again. I hope you have a great holiday, Cindy, and I always look forward to your other videos 💝
It really is a special book! 🥰 And Chanel Miller will forever be that gurl
Annie Bot was 3 stars for me. I am adding Any Man and Magic Fish to my ever growing TBR. Happy Holidays Cindy!❤
Happy Holidays to you too!
Omg I LOVE The Magic Fish! The art is gorgeous. And the STORY?? One of my favorite graphic novels ever, so I’m really happy to hear someone else talking about it.
I know right?? It's so good! 😍
you're just in time again Cindy. thank you. that Spotify Wrapped list is 1000000% relatable!
Gotta love that playlist
it's really crazy how nobody is talking about the book the elite society's money manifestation
This better be a clickbait Cindy. Men? Really?? In 2024???
Shocking, I know!
I really found myself enjoying the sunbearer duology by aiden thomas! it was SO much fun and quick to read, and it gave me the same type of feelings that percy jackson used to give me years ago. I feel like that duology is some of the best ya I have ever read
Aww I heard good things about Aiden Thomas books! Thanks for the rec
Your vids are my company. Love from Korea
Aw that’s so sweet 🥺
The Magic Fish was also in my top books this year, it absolutely took me out and was so gorgeous
yay glad we both enjoyed it!!
The Magic Fish looks so good! Definitely adding it to my tbr!
I hope you enjoy it!
Ooo I been waitin for this one
Enjoyyyy
Thank you so much for the recs! They all sound like great reads.
You’re so welcome! 💕
I always look forward to this video; I always end up picking up so many good books because of you. Thank you!! 💕💕💕
You are so welcome!
tbr list in hand cindy dropped a recommendation video!!!!!
I have heard such mixed things about annie bot. You sold me on reading it soon tho; I love a book we can actually enjoy and engage with
I hope u enjoy it!
I love The Magic Fish, one of my favorite graphic novels of all time!! The creator actually also made a tarot deck called Star Spinner Tarot with the same kind of art style and it's so gorgeous 😭
I'm obsessed with their art style! 😍
I'm gonna check out 'Any Man'. I'm a male victim of SA and I've never heard of a book like that, sounds interesting.
So sorry you experienced that 😔 I hope that the book is healing for you! Also understandable if it becomes too triggering though. Pls take care of yourself ❤️
I'm reading (listening to) Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun now so maybe I'll try Annie Bot next. Thx : )
i saw theres gonna be an adaptation of klara and the sun starring jenna ortega!
omggg the magic fish! i recently read it for one of my classes and i really ended up loving it. i keep recommending it to everyone so i'm very happy to see you talk about it! :-)
It really is a special book!
Every year I watch your best book videos and tell myself to read them in 2025 but then December exams kick my ass and I forget about them lmao
It's ok bb u can always pick it up when ur ready ❣️
Love the Invocations. It is one of my favourites of the year too.
yesss its so fun
Vengo a agregar màs libros a mi larga lista de lecturas pendientes 🎉
Happy reading!
Your hair looks so nice!!
Thank you! 💖
I’m addicted to the “Space Boy” graphic novel series. BEAUTIFUL artwork. Cinematic. Multilayered story. U got your sci fI, u got your action, u got your teen besties romance. I also enjoyed a couple light young adult rom coms: “Slow Coach” and “Some Like it Cold”. The first is queer friendly and a genuine feel good read-in-an-afternoon book; the second is neurodivergent friendly.
I've been following space boy for ages it's really one of a kind
ooh thanks for the rec!!
I love space boy too
The Magic Fish was a favorite of mine too!
It's so good
I love the invocations!
Yessss it's so fun
As I was about to buy more books BUT also personal recs from me - I just finished reading the gearbreakers duology and I rlly enjoyed it !!
I haven't read that yet but good to know!!
haven’t watched the full video yet but i love the magic fish!! i read it a few years back and it made me cry :’)
in terms of book recs, i really really enjoyed the burning kingdoms trilogy by tasha suri!!! the final book came out last month and i’m still getting over it
it’s queer south asian fantasy (specifically the main two are lesbians) !!!!
thank u for the recs and glad u also loved the magic fish
Added to the TBR pile thank you
You’re so welcome! I hope you enjoy it 💕
The perfect video to watch whilst I am eating my lunch❤ you are such an icon!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! 🍔
@ Aw yes, it’s true! I really admire your introspective view on the books you read/review, whether they are portrayed in a funny or learned way! 🫶🫶
I'll put the magic fish on my tbr list. The other books are outside my usual read genres but I might try Any Man because you recommend it.
Hope u enjoy magic fish!
hi cindy! your channel is my go to comfort channel. you’re so funny and real. i love it lmaoooo
Thank you so much! 💖
I also loved Annie Bot!
Other books I loved this year: Four Squares by Bobby Finger, The Shining by Stephen King, and The Secret History by Donna Tartt
ooh thanks for the recs!
The Magic Fish was already in my TBR to get from my library, but thank you for giving it your stamp of approvals. Ive read so many queer graphic novels this year but i always want MOAR
I hope you love it!
i would like to apologise to all men for the face i made while reading the title
Understandable
Krystal Sutherland was already in my TBR but I will definitely check out the others! My favorite books I’ve read this year is To Shape A Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (think steampunk fantasy set in alternate universe 19th century USA featuring a queer Indigenous female protagonist and DRAGONS) and The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (I’m not even going to pretend to know how to describe this one). Happy holidays and looking forward to your next video 🧡
To Shape A Dragon’s Breath sounds incredible!!
I’ve been really struggling to read for a long time and I’m slowly getting my way back into it (partly with the help of audiobooks bc one of my issues is that I struggle with restlessness when I try to just sit down and read, which wasn’t always the case, so listening while keeping my hands busy is really helpful rn). So the two audiobooks I finished recently and tremendously enjoyed are:
Pax by Sara Pennypacker: this one was on my tbr for years, I even bought the physical book years ago after hearing so many good things about it. It’s a middle grade book and I thought I’d ease my way back into reading with it and didn’t even look at the blurb again (all I remembered was that it’s about a friendship between a boy and a fox). Come to find out it wasn’t simply a lighthearted story about friendship 😅 it’s dual POV (the boy and the fox) and handles various heavy themes/thoughts pretty effortlessly. At the beginning of the book the boy (around 12 y/o) and his fox get separated and the boy is brought to his grandfather to live with while his father joins the ongoing war. The fox grew up in the care of the boy and is a half tamed animal that never had to survive in nature on his own. The book then follows the journey the boy takes to get his fox back.
Themes in the book: parental loss, grief, relationship between nature (and animals) & humans (and how estranged most adult humans are from nature specifically in the west), anti war commentary, growing up, losing your childish innocence & the pressure to conform against your nature, various trauma (including childhood neglect & abuse), healing, friendship, found family, loyalty.
By nature of it being middle grade & the tone it uses, it strikes a good balance of showing just enough for emotional impact but not overwhelming you too much, so it’s a bit easier to digest. For children it’s a great book to introduce them to these themes, or to have a story to help digest their experiences if they’re unfortunately too familiar with some of the themes already. For me as an adult with unprocessed baggage around my childhood/growing up and other themes of the book it helped me revisit them and process them a bit more.
My only criticism is that the ending felt very sudden bc it basically ended in a climax and after the emotional journey I’d have simply preferred another chapter or two for cool-down. I’m just mentioning this bc maybe it’ll help anyone who wants to give this little book a go to be a bit more prepared for the suddenness than I was 😅
The other book I read was Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, a gothic romance taking place mostly in 1920/30 (?) England. I loved how atmospheric it was, and the genre typical simmering unease of a darker mystery. The protagonist is a young adult woman from a lower class, and with no family left she works for a woman of a higher social class. As the companion of that woman, she meets a good-looking, older widower of higher social standing and befriends him. She doesn’t understand why he seeks her company; for all she knows he’s just recently lost the wife he was devoted to so it’s a complete shock when he ends up proposing to her.
I found the book to be elegantly executed in the way it set the mystery up and let it unfold, how it portrayed the main character and her very understandable insecurities around class and her new social standing that she can’t seem to fit into. I’m not someone who seeks out 1st person pov, but I always love when I can enjoy a book that uses that pov to full effect. I really don’t think this story would go as hard in a 3rd person POV.
I had this book on my TBR bc a while ago I watched the video about the mystery of the failed broadway transfer of the Austrian musical based on the book (the video is by wait in the wings, a great watch) and since finishing the book I’ve been listening to the musical recording repeatedly & am a bit obsessed with it (it might help that my native language is German, so I can get the most out of listening to the recording).
oooh thank you for the recs! im glad you found books that you enjoyed this year :)
I was in a reading slump for a couple of months and left books unfinished. Now am trying to read as much as I can before the year ends; I feel good about it!! Always love watching your reviews if only my tbr could handle more weight lollllll
You got this!
Every time you talk about annie bot it gets higher and higher up my tbr 😂 i think my favourite book i read this year was the sign for home by blair fell, it's about a deaf blind man and his interpreter. It was well written and made me think about a whole community i've never really considered before
Ooo sounds good!! Thx for the rec
And that sweater is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Perfect fricking timing, finished my exams and need to clean my disaster of my room. This makes it bearable:)
Omg same, my room is a total disaster zone
Annie Bot is my fav book of 2024. It surprised me as well. It had me fearful and emotional for Annie. V powerful in execution imo
Glad u agree!! I was so surprised at how much I empathized with her
Heck yes, Any Man was my #1 favorite book that I read last year. That book is so powerful and brutal, but so well written and thought provoking. 🤯
Totally agree!! 💯
my favorite books that i read this year were legendborn and bloodmarked! i will definitely check out these books.
Ooo I've heard good things about those books!
“The Magic Fish” was one of my 5 star reads this year. It also got me out of a reading slump!
I also plan to read “House of Hollow” by Krystal Sutherland for one of my 2025 Storygraph reading challenges and now I have to add in “The Invocations” somehow lol.
I liked House of hollow best! Which one do you think you will start first?
Aaaand that’s several more books going into my shopping cart. Also! Can’t remember if I recommend this yet cus I’ve been yapping about it nonstop- “Don’t Let The Forest In” by CG Drews. Ace and Bi rep nestled in a YA botanical horror with beautiful writing and soul crushing twists. It’s probably my favorite book of 2024 and what kicked off my seasonal depression.
I've heard so many good things about that one! Sounds like my kind of book.
Enjoy your opposite of reading slump, Cindy 🥰 My favourite books are the A Gathering of Shadows trilogy! Have you read them?
Not yet!
@@withcindy I also love Memory Theater by Tidbeck, dark fantasy with a folktale flair, we stan non-binary butch authors in this house
A Book to help me with my efforts about decentring men? Count me in!!
Let's do this!
My favourite book this year was Long Live Evil by Sarah Brees Brennan. It's an isekai fantasy about a girl with terminal cancer who's transported into the body of a minor about-to-be executed villainess of her favourite grimdark fantasy book series. So obviously she has to blag her way out of it and try to keep the plot on track while constantly accidentally fucking it up. I feel like you'd appreciate her rage and quippiness. Plus the writing's very funny with lots of social commentary, meta and trope deconstruction. I highly recommend this author! Oh, and the MC's love interest is the ultimate simp for her, just peak devotion, which I know you enjoy, lol. I screamed at the ending, can't wait for the sequel!
Ooo sounds rly good!!
Any Man is my #1 this year. Such a good book and great writing.
Yesss glad u agree 💯
13:09 that's a thing that's happened to me too, i guess since that period of time was unpleasant/traumatic to me, my brain just decided it'll be better to forget
Oof big mood
charli xcx made my top 5 too! along with nct the kpop group which has been consistently there since 2020
Love her brat album!
Okay you have mentioned Annie Bot a lot this year, and as a girl who has been in an emotionally abusive relationship... girl you might have convinced me, message heard loud and clear! Have a good Christmas.
OOF this may hit hard for u then
That first quote from Not That Bad…. Ahahahsdffg that reminds me of how my ex used to say he was a “consumer” of my body, and I was his “stress ball” 💀😂
Omg nooooooooo
mother is here to save my dinner time again except it's just bread n jam so more like dinner snack!
Bread and jam is a mood 🍞
Honestly, forget the books. You are glowing girl.
Aww thank u 😊
23 seconds ago I AM SEATED
And ur first!!
CINDY YOU READ MANY MEN CINDY OH CINDY HOW I LOVE YOU
It was soooo good
I've been listening to a lot of nonfiction books lately. Some recs:
"There is no ethan" by Anna Akbari (tw manipulation)
"Womb" by Leah Hazard (tw miscarriage)
"Men who hate women" by Laura Bates (heavy tw misogyny, violence speech and action towards women, SA)
thank u for the recs!!
13:39 cindy is in queer media (also the magic fish is my favorite graphic novel of all time omg glad you loved it)
also i read What My Bones Know because it was it in your faves a few years ago and it changed me. i'm definitely gonna prioritize Not That Bad since i have a physical copy
HAHAHAHA
nobody talks about the ebook Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, but it’ll flip how you see everything
trusting this over the ebook Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki? no wonder the same cycles keep happening
My top artists on Spotify was a FICTIONAL band in a show that got cancelled 😭I hyper fixated on them and forgot abt it
JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS???
@ HOW DID U KNOW ?? 😭😭
@@chacharealsmoove bc i was obsessed w them too
@ HELP,,,, its all connected 😭😭
Cindy read Project Hail Mary
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usually i try to say something semi witty in the comments but like that second quote from the invocations altered my brain chemistry especially with the misandry discourse everywhere
Yesssss the invocations is that gurl
You either die a hero or live long enough to love a book by a man
Of course Cindy got me again with that title; love how high quality the audiobook productions sounds, I previously loved The Two Princes podcast and have been looking for my audio stories with full voice acting and audio
Don't worry the book is still written by a woman !! It's not over for me yet !!
Just read Some Desperate Glory. I almost didn't read it because the description sounded pretty generic, but wow! It was great! And an honest look at people raised in a "cult" and internalized misogyny.
Ooo I'll check that one out
Hi Cindy! Did you watch "strange darling" movie? I really wonder what you think.
Not yet!
GASP PLOT TWIST
I know right??
giovanni's room didn't make the cut 😭
Nahh too literary for me
this is cool and all, but ebook Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki shows the whole picture
I apologize for intruding.. will continue to watch your reviews… hope to one day see mine… most of my main characters are females
Wow the magic fish looks kinda life changing
I want a magic fish to change my life too
You're nice and nicest friend
Aww you're so sweet!
Cindy you should check out ember in the ashes by saba tahir I just finished it it’s so refreshing🫶🏽
thanks for the rec!
if this hits for you, go read ebook Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, it’s next level
is that a haranikala art print at the back?!!
Yes it is!!
Me at the start of the video: Oh boy I can't wait to make a joke about whatever wild stuff she 's reading
Me at the end of the video: Oh I can't make a joke about that
In all seriousness these books sound incredible. I've always loved your picks as they really show a correlation with quality/rawness and marketability and these books really illustrate that the best. I'm half so wanting to read this and half TERRIFIED because of sad, angry, and powerless I'd feel - which honestly makes it even more necessary. Some of these books - Anniebot & Any Man legit should be in required readings for high schools imho, with the lack of media literacy being taught, the casual disregard of people, and the kind of sterile environment kids are subjected to to avoid being 'corrupted', these books can really stir up that righteous rage and teach empathy towards people they're told to shy away from or accept
You get it! 👏👏👏
Huh I always remember Amber Tamblyn as playing the girl I identified with in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants...I had no idea she was a writer now!
I had no idea she was in that movie!
The title is the biggest plot twist I coulda gotten well this or either a coho book being the best
coho could never
Not Cindy successfully convincing me to center men 😔
It's a slippery slope, I know...
A book I read this year is It's Not You by Dr. Ramani Durvasula, PhD
Ooo what is it about?
@withcindy it's a book that talks about identifying and healing or protecting yourself from narcissistic abuse, really opened my eyes 👀
ebook Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki shows how to break free, but most people don’t even try
Cindy pls stop, the librarian is gonna hate me when they get into work and see I’ve requested they purchase even more books
Hehehe make them werk
First!❤
Ur second! But first in my heart ❤️
Lol at Cindy going "no ❤️"
Go to RUclipsr frfr ❤
Ty bb 😊
you’re missing out if you ain’t read the ebook Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, it breaks it all down
Not me immediately clocking amber tamblyn’s name as an actress from sisterhood of the traveling pants despite having not thought of the movie in like 20 years 😂 I had no idea she was a published author. Sounds like an interesting book!
I didn't know she was in that movie! That's so cool
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Aww getting the notification for this video is such a treat after finishing my final final (lol hopefully that's so unfunny that it's mildly funny) 🥹 anyways thank you for the upload!!
congrats on finishing ur final final!!
Can agree that Not that Bad was a great book, but I admit it was a difficult read for me.
I totally understand that, it's a tough one
My standout book of the year was tell me I’m worthless by Alison rumfitt, it’s transgressive horror focussing on trauma and Englishness (it is sensitively handled but there are big trigger warnings for transphobia and antisemitism).
I also loooved Saga (epic space opera/fantasy graphic novel with the most gorgeous art and great themes), a little luck (Claudia pineiro is an instant yes for me and this is great, though I’d start with Elena Knows), confessions of a mask, the library at mount char, and the sun bearer trials / celestial monsters (though not finished the latter yet).
Ooo thanks for the recs!