I am a fairly new sub from the U S . How I would have loved to have you as a teacher. The way you describe the books you read is so erudite and beautiful. Now I must confess I have not heard of many of them. You have become a go to for me for quality literature. I wish I could highlight parts of all your reviews. I could listen to your thoughtful descriptions of books all day. I subbed to your son also because I love the challenges presented in both your reviews. Thank you, Louise, it was my pleasure listening to you today. Be well.
Wonderful to hear your book reviews I totally loved Brotherless nights - one of the best books I read last year. I look forward to reading other books you recommend. You look fabulous in your pink jumper and lipstick - Happy New Year to you and I look forward to watching your fab book review this year.
New subscriber! Just started getting into literary fiction so I can have something calmer on the side while I can still read my thrillers! Excited to read more literary and historical fiction this year!!
My favourite backlist novel I read in 2024 was The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - breathtaking! My favourite new novel was Clean by Alia Trabucco Zerán - I think you'd really like it, Louise! Narrated from a jail cell by a housekeeper/nanny, telling her life's story - we know from the beginning that a child is dead, but not how or why. This is not a crime novel, it's literary fiction and it's a heartbreaking tale of loneliness, grief and the enslavement of poverty and work. Poetically narrated in a way that slowly nibbles away at your soul...deeply moving. This is a gem of a novel! Thank you for always bringing books to my attention that I don't hear others talk about! 📖📚💚
Our tastes are so similar! I've either read, or have most of these books on my tbr 😊 brilliant choices. My number one book of the year was Boudica, which you recommended, and I can't thank you enough!
Thank you soooo much for sharing your favourite books from your reading last year. Have read quite a few myself and thank you for recommending The Twin, Benjamin Myres, Catherine Chidgey and House of Names.I shall be giving these a read this year. Enjoy Sri Lanka
Thank you for a great video of some great books that have impacted you in 2024. I totally agree on the backlisted books, its not all about the new ones that are coming out although they are to be read too of course, but reading books before these as some authors potentially have been influenced by them to be a writer 😊 a few that will be going on my tbr for sure.
You do a fantastic book recap! I share your enthusiasm for several of these books, including Prophet Song & Glorious Exploits! I'm currently engrossed in The Safekeep, and have The Axeman's Carnival on hold at my library. Excited for your further recommendations! 🎉
Happy 2025 Louise. Could not agree more about Ordinary Human Failings. It was a marvelous read. Brotherless Night and the Safe Keep are on my 2025 to read list. Very much try to read older fiction as well, I believe you may have recommended Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Naslan which I just got a copy of and am anxious to read. Currently listening to This Green and Pleasant Land from Ayisha Malik and just think it’s wonderful. Love your reading suggestions and your insights.
What a fantastic list. I've read many of them and agree with your thoughts. I adored the Goldfinch-Theo has my heart. I will need to add Clear and England is Mine to my TBR. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the nonfiction you read last year. The WP gave me so much reading joy.
On your recommendation, I am reading The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker, translated by David Colmer. I LOVE IT!! I had to buy it, as my local library system didn't have a copy. I am also interested in Gerbrand Bakker's new book (not yet published in the US) also transl. by David Colmer called The Hairdresser's Son. I read the summary and it seems to have a quite similar story set-up as The Twin (father/son/family business/ isolation). Not sure if I'm going to order it yet, but it's on my radar. Happy Reading!
What a fantastic year of reading and such a great selection? Looking forward to more great videos in 2025 and Happy New Year!! What do you plan to read for this year's Savage Prompts?
What a beautiful year of reading you had last year Louise & I hope 2025 is mo exception. Having been thrown a curveball healthwise & suffering a nasty accident I suddenly have even more time for reading. I just finished an amazing historical fiction book, A Bakery In Paris by Aimie K. Runyan, if you haven read it I would really recommend it as I couldn't put it down.
Loved how you did these in groups/categories. Sooooo pleased to see The Incarnations on your favourites list, I am about to start her new novel tonight! Also delighted to see a Myers on the list, you have some absolute treats ahead with his works. I loved The Glass Maker and Brotherless Night very much too this year, as you know. Phew, Clear was on there... and Ferdia Lennon!! Ooh I wasn't expecting that number one!
The Glassmaker was my top book for last year. I am looking forward to continuing the fabulous Louise Penny series this year with book number 3. Happy 2024 reading!
Bird nerd here so forgive my pedantry -the Australian Magpie which has been introduced into New Zealand is actually in the Butcherbird family and is not closely related to European Magpies which are in the Crow family. Settlers and explorers in Australia named a number of our native birds after European birds which they resemble but are not related to at all. Hence we have a large number of Robin species completed unrelated to European Robins but are Flycatchers, Fairywrens, Scrubwrens, Grasswrens, Emuwrens, Heathwrens and Fieldwrens unrelated the European Wren. Colonialism huh! I loved Pet so am very keen to read The Axeman's Carnival. The Safekeep, The Glassmaker, Brotherless Night are all on my TBR too. You and Simon have convinced me to read Clear and Glorious Exploits. I was waiting for Stone Yard Devotional...
I’m partial to a spot of pedantry and found your comments very interesting- so typically unsubtle of colonists to march in and make such wild assumptions! Thanks for putting the record straight. Happy reading in 2025. 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Dear Louise, you are a delight. Thank you for reminding me of how much i LOVE the Goldfinch. I am overdue for a re-read of this one, and I think its a book that I'll get more out of on the second time. So happy you loved it too.
What a wonderful year of reading you had Louise, there’s some wonderful books on your list. My top three from 2024 were There Are Rivers in the Sky, Clear and Stone Yard Devotional.
Wow I have just started The Incarnations. This is amazing but your right there is some parts I'm not too sure. But it's going to be good. Thanks again 😊
My favourite book of 2024 was Brotherless Night. But im so pleased I read "The Gallows Pole" upon your recommendation because its definitely in my top 5.
Hi Louise. My favourites for 2024 were Enlightenment and Brotherless Night. I’m not equally as enthused for The Goldfinch having paused on it to celebrate Christmas but my curiosity is enough to cause me to want to finish it along with a few other reads I started during Christmas break. Really like your top ten-ish and have a few on my ever building tbr. Looking forward to all that’s bookish brings to you/us in 2025 📚 😊
I'm finally reading Pachinko, historical fiction, I'll add The Incarnations to the tbr and The Glass Maker, spent my 40th wedding anniversary in Venice, 15 years ago, magical. I bought Clear, not sure when I'll get to it. I remember the hype on Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, "Harry Potter for adults," first edition released in jackets of two different colors, white and gray, both shrink wrapped, book collectors started arguing right away about which one was the true first. I opened and read the white jacketed one, left the gray shrink wrapped, finally opened it and the cover had been put on the book backwards, gave that one to Friends of the Library sale. I have Brotherless Night, my husband has read it, same with The Prophets, he enjoyed them both and I'll get to them eventually. Loved The Goldfinch several years ago. Thank you and yes, it is a great smile you have there to brighten our days.
@@louisesavidgemuses4135Not too thoughtful, should have looked up the title of Prophet Song, which is the one that I have in the stack, but The Prophets sounds good too.
I loved watching this so much. So many titles I want to get to, great to hear all your wonderfully glowing reviews. I really loved what you said about reading backlisted fiction. I totally agree with you. I also adored so many of your top novels of the year, The Goldfinch, The Safe Keep, Glorious Exploits, Ordinary Human Failings, Brotheless Night. I highly recommend The Offing by Benjamin Myers, I absolutely loved it and think you will too. Thank you for all the bookish joy in 2024 Louise 🩷
Oh so many of your favourites of 2024 are also on my list Prophet Song was a stand out book for me but also loved Glorious Exploits, Safe Keep and the House of Names. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is a long time favorite of mine. I have Cuddy by Benjamin Myers onmy TBR and hope to get to it very soon. Happy Reading in 2025 and hope you find some gems
Hi, Louise. Thank you for your wonderful video -- lots to inspire and get excited about. I read 'Clear' and 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' and enjoyed them both. My favourite fiction read last year, though, was 'Piranesi' by Susanna Clarke -- a book about memory and how we remember, learning and how we learn, manipulation, reality (whatever that might be) and adjusting to reality, loneliness, trust and innocence. I found it very moving. I read it before 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' and caught glimpses of Piranesi's world in the King's Roads that Jonathan Strange explored. (BTW, I really enjoyed the footnotes in JS&MN and fully expected to find a bibliography at the end of the book!) 💐 Carol
I am just over halfway through JS and Mr Norrell and loving it. I picked it up after hearing you say how much you enjoyed it, so thank you❤ Your list is full of lots of ones I have read and thought were excellent too. There are still a few I need to get to like Glorious Exploits & England is Mine. Prophet Song is such an amazing book I completely agree. Thank you for sharing your faves list with us ❤
I've read The Safekeep, Clear, and The Axeman's Carnival. Loved them all, but Clear and The Axeman's Carnival will stay in my personal library (well, at least until I lend them out, which happens to all my favorites!!). Thanks for a great video, and happy reading.
Many of your top books have some of my favorites as well. Prophet Song, Clear were top books for me in 2024. I read Chidney’s Pet a few months ago and have The Axeman’s and Remote Sympathy on my shelf to read this year. Now, it a Magpie was my favorite animal, I could stick that in one or the reading prompts, right?
I have Brotherless Night ready to collect from the library, it sounds a very powerful read. I tried to read The Goldfinch some time ago but gave up on it, maybe I will try again as definitely believe that there are different life seasons of reading.
I also (at long last) read my first Benjamin Myers last year with The Offing and will be reading Cuddy next - I think you’d love both of these. I fully agree that his writing is beautiful. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed so many stories this year, Louise! I only “predicted” four of your top ones though, haha: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, The Axeman’s Carnival, Glorious Exploits and England is Mine. (Should have remembered House of Names and Prophet Song tbh 😅) I have read Megan Nolan’s first book and am very keen to read OHF soon. - Have a great time in Sri Lanka! Looking forward to following (however you choose to share it) your journey with the women’s prize longlist for non-fiction 🥰
I I loved the Twin which I read years ago but have remembered it to this day as a book which was a real pleasure. I was staying very near where the book was set one holiday and it is just pitch perfect and you say. I loved Clear too. What a book. Great list thanks for sharing.
Thank you. Richly rewarding as always. I haven't worked out my list for 2025 yet but I've got a lot with which to start. After I finish a list of diverse books on hold at the library (including Glorious Exploits and The Axeman's Carnival), I'm determined to read 3 massives that have been waiting patiently for me on my shelves for some time: The Complete Essays of Michel De Montaigne (1592CE), The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton (1621CE)--there will be reading around these-- and The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow (2021CE). That's only a total of 2,227 pages if I don't get immersed in the end notes and references, but the tomes look like around a million pages. When I surface, who knows? (Lately I'm thinking of rereading the 3 Donna Tartt books.) All the best to you and yours in the new year!
What a wonderful and broad ranging list of great books! I’ve read most and there is not a bad note in the bunch. My own favorites of the year are Time of the Child, Niall Williams’ wonderful follow-up to his amazing novel This Is Happiness, and Sarah Perry’s new novel Enlightenment. I also adored the new David Nicholls’ novel You Are Here, Clear, Stone Yard Devotional and James (of course).
I truly liked the grouping of favorite books into these categories, Louise. Here a is one favorite of mine for each category from this past year. *Historical fiction: Caleb’s Crossing - Geraldine Brooks *Book for lingering: The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven - Nathaniel Miller *Page turner: Send Down the Rain - Charles Martin *Beautiful writing: Foster - Claire Keegan *Debut: Rebecca, Not Becky - Christine Platt & Catherine Greene Clear was a moving story beautifully told for me too. Most of the others on the list I have already put on my “want to read”lists.
Great choices. The Glassmaker was excellent. I have just read Clear with my reading group and we all thought it was fabulous. The Mission House by Carys Bray is also a great read. The Goldfinch is a masterpiece I will never forget it. Lots of books to add to my list thank you x
No not silly at all that you don't read hype books, I'm the same. It kind of puts me off because I feel then the hype places the book at too high an expectation. I love historical books so I'm absolutely subscribed from here on out.❤
Five on your list made it to my books of the year Clear Brotherless Night Ordinary Human Failings The Safekeep Prophet Song My problem for my 2024 list? I gave 30 books 5 stars. I’ve now been unable to whittle it down to 10/12/15? There was only one nonfiction book Strong Female Character by Fern Brady ☘️👋🍀☕️📖📚📕
Loved Clear, and Brotherless Night two of my favourites of the year. But the outstanding read for me was Margaret Mazzantini's Don't Move. What incredible writing and what a story.
I loved Clear and Ordinary Human Failings and The Axeman's Carnival is on my TBR. My favourite Book of 2024 was All The Colours Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker I still think about the main character Patch every day 🥰 xx
My favourite read in 2024 was Medusa by Jessie Burton. I am now reading A many splendored thing by Han Suyin (older book) and if you haven’t read The Blessing Stone by Barbara Wood (older book) think you might enjoy it.
“The Coast Road” by Alan Murrin was my fave of 2024, closely followed by “Clear” by Carys Davies. Top marks to “The Glassmaker” by Tracy Chevalier, and so many more. 2025 will be the year that I finally read “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.”😀
Piranesi, The Last House on Needless Street,Sipsworth, Death Valley, The God of the Woods, Sweet Bean Paste, Sweet Lamb of Heaven by Lydia Millet, Convenience Store Woman, Ghost Lights by My Lydia Millet, and The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng, were all 5 stars for me. It would be hard to pick my favorite. But The Garden of Evening Mists is a true masterpiece !
My favourite reads of 2024 were Solar Storms by Linda Hogan, Our share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker. I also adore (from your list) Brotherless Night and House of Names. The Axeman's Carnival I dnf'd at half point. I found the plot predictable and couldn't stand the one dimensional side characters (bad Rob, narcisstic mother, gullible sister...), though I loved the writing and the depiction of a sheep farmer's life. Maybe I will try one of her other books this year.
My top five books of 2024: Denison Avenue by Christina Wong, Going to Beautiful by Anthony Bidulka, One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley, Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau and Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian.
I dont think avoiding a hyped book is a bad thing, i have often found myself disappointed by a book that everyone else loved and i wonder if i had read it without hearing loads about it would i have felt differently
Oh lovely, I have made a list so I will check out your recommendations. I really enjoyed The Offing by Benjamin Myers, that was very poetic but then he does write poetry too so I must also look into that.
I felt the same way about the Goldfinch (which made me cry at some odd moment of discussing the art, I don't know why it made it cry, maybe it was just beautiful?) and I loved the main character that kid stuck in my heart. I hope one day I reread it! I also felt similarly about Prophet Song! I read that the year that it won the Booker (23?) and it hit me so hard and made me so dead against any right wing regime but here I am in the U.S. just hoping that someone's big mouth is just fear tactics! Ugh!!! But it truly scared me; I'm a literal nail biter so I'm lucky I still have fingers!!! That book was so brilliant. I also loved Brotherless Night and I got choked up in at least three spots but that one scene of the starving? I could not hack it! I was revolting - I could never - would never - allow a friend to do that - I think I would've come to blows with that person before I watched all that go down!!! 😢 such a powerful story! I have Glorious Exploits on my shelf at home and will be reading it this year!! Other impactful and frightening reads for me were the reread of 1984 (nothing scarier should be labeled horror in my mind!!) and Julia1984 both read back to back at the start or so of 2024. Also impactful was Chain Gang All Stars - of which I was late to the party but the ending made me cry and hug the book 😅 Some really amazing poetry as well such as by Mary Oliver (new to me), Andrea Gibson (Lord of the Butterflies - which made me laugh and cry sometimes in the same poem) ... and the Night Library of Sternendach - by Jessica Levai (an entire beautiful vampire opera told in verse) - I highly recommend it !! And of course Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane was amazing as well. I had a pretty awesome reading year in 2024 and read a bunch of Booker prize shortlist - absolutely loved The Safekeep and Stone Yard Devotional!!! How do people live life without reading? It boggles my brain!! Btw you are GLOWING in pink in this video it does not look gloomy not one bit & you look lovely! Happy New Year from across the pond! I will be checking out some of these that you've told us about today 😊
Thank you so much for taking the time to explore your responses, I really appreciate it. I haven’t yet read Chain Gang but it’s certainly on my radar. I bought a Mary Oliver recently but haven’t started it yet. Best wishes for a wonderful reading year 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Please no rambling on and on about things that make no sense for us to know. Also introduction are short not first a couple of minutes before you start. It really isn’t fun to watch this way
Clear is also on my list of favorites of 2024. I very much enjoyed The Safekeep, but it didn’t make my list. I have struggled with Glorious Exploits, starting and stopping a few times, but I am determined to finish it early this year. I can’t remember exactly why, but Ordinary Human Failings was an almost instant DNF for me. I’m thinking it reminded me of another book I didn’t like and that’s why I took it back to the library right away. There are a couple others on your list that I want to read, particularly The Gallows Pole. It’s a great list of books! Here’s my baker’s dozen. They are mostly in order, but the order gets squishy towards the bottom of the list. There are several I think you’d enjoy, Blizzard, Three Fires (on audio!), and Another Brooklyn. Nightwatching - Tracy Sierra My Government Means To Kill Me - Rasheed Newson Blizzard - Marie Vingtras tr. Strangers - Taichi Yamada tr. Three Fires - Denise Mina The Examiner - Janice Hallett Lie With Me - Philippe Besson tr. Clear - Carys Davies Eastbound - Maylis de Kerangal tr. Over My Dead Body - Maz Evans Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson The Reformatory - Tananarive Due The Warm Hands of Ghosts - Katherine Arden
@ Yes, I meant to recommend that book to Louise as well. Luckily for me, a non-fantasy reader, the fantasy was light enough to deal with. It’s such a gorgeous book!
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“Every fiction book was contemporary in its time” such an important point!
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I am a fairly new sub from the U S . How I would have loved to have you as a teacher. The way you describe the books you read is so erudite and beautiful. Now I must confess I have not heard of many of them. You have become a go to for me for quality literature. I wish I could highlight parts of all your reviews. I could listen to your thoughtful descriptions of books all day. I subbed to your son also because I love the challenges presented in both your reviews. Thank you, Louise, it was my pleasure listening to you today. Be well.
Thank you for your reviews recommendations, and joy with reading for us all. Wishing you another book loving year ahead 😊
Wonderful to hear your book reviews I totally loved Brotherless nights - one of the best books I read last year. I look forward to reading other books you recommend. You look fabulous in your pink jumper and lipstick - Happy New Year to you and I look forward to watching your fab book review this year.
New subscriber! Just started getting into literary fiction so I can have something calmer on the side while I can still read my thrillers! Excited to read more literary and historical fiction this year!!
My favourite backlist novel I read in 2024 was The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - breathtaking!
My favourite new novel was Clean by Alia Trabucco Zerán - I think you'd really like it, Louise! Narrated from a jail cell by a housekeeper/nanny, telling her life's story - we know from the beginning that a child is dead, but not how or why. This is not a crime novel, it's literary fiction and it's a heartbreaking tale of loneliness, grief and the enslavement of poverty and work. Poetically narrated in a way that slowly nibbles away at your soul...deeply moving. This is a gem of a novel!
Thank you for always bringing books to my attention that I don't hear others talk about! 📖📚💚
Wow 🤩 You’ve really sold Clean. Have added to my Storygraph TBR 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Our tastes are so similar! I've either read, or have most of these books on my tbr 😊 brilliant choices.
My number one book of the year was Boudica, which you recommended, and I can't thank you enough!
Thank you soooo much for sharing your favourite books from your reading last year. Have read quite a few myself and thank you for recommending The Twin, Benjamin Myres, Catherine Chidgey and House of Names.I shall be giving these a read this year. Enjoy Sri Lanka
Thank you for another wonderful list of books to add to my tbr’s. Happy 2025!
Goodness, I love hearing you book musings, thank you for another lovely video and Happy 2025! 🧡
Happy new year! Thank you 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
What a fabulous list, Louise 🌟 I’ll definitely be adding a lot of them to my wish list!
Great 👍 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
Thank you for a great video of some great books that have impacted you in 2024. I totally agree on the backlisted books, its not all about the new ones that are coming out although they are to be read too of course, but reading books before these as some authors potentially have been influenced by them to be a writer 😊 a few that will be going on my tbr for sure.
Ooohhh that was nice foreshadowing by the magpie!😮😂
Absolutely weird! 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
You do a fantastic book recap! I share your enthusiasm for several of these books, including Prophet Song & Glorious Exploits! I'm currently engrossed in The Safekeep, and have The Axeman's Carnival on hold at my library. Excited for your further recommendations! 🎉
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
Happy 2025 Louise. Could not agree more about Ordinary Human Failings. It was a marvelous read. Brotherless Night and the Safe Keep are on my 2025 to read list. Very much try to read older fiction as well, I believe you may have recommended Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Naslan which I just got a copy of and am anxious to read.
Currently listening to This Green and Pleasant Land from Ayisha Malik and just think it’s wonderful. Love your reading suggestions and your insights.
@@Evegalewitz Thank you. Do let me know how you get on with Maps for Lost Lovers. I adore Aslam’s writing 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
What a fantastic list. I've read many of them and agree with your thoughts. I adored the Goldfinch-Theo has my heart. I will need to add Clear and England is Mine to my TBR. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the nonfiction you read last year. The WP gave me so much reading joy.
Absolutely and I’m hoping to vlog on the Longlist for nonfiction again in February 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
On your recommendation, I am reading The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker, translated by David Colmer. I LOVE IT!! I had to buy it, as my local library system didn't have a copy. I am also interested in Gerbrand Bakker's new book (not yet published in the US) also transl. by David Colmer called The Hairdresser's Son. I read the summary and it seems to have a quite similar story set-up as The Twin (father/son/family business/ isolation). Not sure if I'm going to order it yet, but it's on my radar. Happy Reading!
Beautiful list, some of the books are on my 2025 TBR. Thank you very much, Louise ! All the Best for 2025.
Thank you! You too! 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
What a fantastic year of reading and such a great selection? Looking forward to more great videos in 2025 and Happy New Year!! What do you plan to read for this year's Savage Prompts?
I’m still pondering January’s prompt and tend to consider the prompt reads as I go, rather than picking them at the start of the year 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
What a beautiful year of reading you had last year Louise & I hope 2025 is mo exception. Having been thrown a curveball healthwise & suffering a nasty accident I suddenly have even more time for reading. I just finished an amazing historical fiction book, A Bakery In Paris by Aimie K. Runyan, if you haven read it I would really recommend it as I couldn't put it down.
Loved how you did these in groups/categories. Sooooo pleased to see The Incarnations on your favourites list, I am about to start her new novel tonight! Also delighted to see a Myers on the list, you have some absolute treats ahead with his works. I loved The Glass Maker and Brotherless Night very much too this year, as you know. Phew, Clear was on there... and Ferdia Lennon!! Ooh I wasn't expecting that number one!
Glad you approve my format 😊 Let me know how you get on with the new Barker. Team Carys Davies lives on ❤️❤️❤️
The Glassmaker was my top book for last year. I am looking forward to continuing the fabulous Louise Penny series this year with book number 3. Happy 2024 reading!
I'm going to start Louise Penny's series this year!!
@@Phillybookfairy hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have
Wishing you a very happy reading year too 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
@@andrearyan816 I think I will since I read one of the recent ones and wanted to know everyone's back stories, and loved the writing and the setting!
I’ve just finished that. I loved it!
Bird nerd here so forgive my pedantry -the Australian Magpie which has been introduced into New Zealand is actually in the Butcherbird family and is not closely related to European Magpies which are in the Crow family. Settlers and explorers in Australia named a number of our native birds after European birds which they resemble but are not related to at all. Hence we have a large number of Robin species completed unrelated to European Robins but are Flycatchers, Fairywrens, Scrubwrens, Grasswrens, Emuwrens, Heathwrens and Fieldwrens unrelated the European Wren. Colonialism huh!
I loved Pet so am very keen to read The Axeman's Carnival. The Safekeep, The Glassmaker, Brotherless Night are all on my TBR too. You and Simon have convinced me to read Clear and Glorious Exploits. I was waiting for Stone Yard Devotional...
I’m partial to a spot of pedantry and found your comments very interesting- so typically unsubtle of colonists to march in and make such wild assumptions! Thanks for putting the record straight.
Happy reading in 2025. 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Dear Louise, you are a delight. Thank you for reminding me of how much i LOVE the Goldfinch. I am overdue for a re-read of this one, and I think its a book that I'll get more out of on the second time. So happy you loved it too.
Thank you for your lovely comments 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
So happy to see Gerbrand Bakker on your list!
Amazing novel. So glad you approve 🤗💜📚📚📚
@@louisesavidgemuses4135 I'm probably not entirely objective as I know Gerbrand and we share the same publisher, but I agree: amazing novel!
@brittabohlerthesecondshelf I think you’re allowed to be biased in this case 💜
@ ❤️
What a wonderful year of reading you had Louise, there’s some wonderful books on your list. My top three from 2024 were There Are Rivers in the Sky, Clear and Stone Yard Devotional.
I keep putting off starting Rivers as I feel too invested 🤷♀️🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I get that❤
😀💕xx thanks Louise. Brilliant list as always. 🥰
Wow I have just started The Incarnations. This is amazing but your right there is some parts I'm not too sure. But it's going to be good. Thanks again 😊
My favourite book of 2024 was Brotherless Night. But im so pleased I read "The Gallows Pole" upon your recommendation because its definitely in my top 5.
That’s wonderful! I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Hi Louise. My favourites for 2024 were Enlightenment and Brotherless Night. I’m not equally as enthused for The Goldfinch having paused on it to celebrate Christmas but my curiosity is enough to cause me to want to finish it along with a few other reads I started during Christmas break. Really like your top ten-ish and have a few on my ever building tbr. Looking forward to all that’s bookish brings to you/us in 2025 📚 😊
Thank you. Have already read some great books this January 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I'm finally reading Pachinko, historical fiction, I'll add The Incarnations to the tbr and The Glass Maker, spent my 40th wedding anniversary in Venice, 15 years ago, magical. I bought Clear, not sure when I'll get to it. I remember the hype on Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, "Harry Potter for adults," first edition released in jackets of two different colors, white and gray, both shrink wrapped, book collectors started arguing right away about which one was the true first. I opened and read the white jacketed one, left the gray shrink wrapped, finally opened it and the cover had been put on the book backwards, gave that one to Friends of the Library sale. I have Brotherless Night, my husband has read it, same with The Prophets, he enjoyed them both and I'll get to them eventually. Loved The Goldfinch several years ago. Thank you and yes, it is a great smile you have there to brighten our days.
I just loved Pachinko, hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. Much appreciated 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
@@louisesavidgemuses4135Not too thoughtful, should have looked up the title of Prophet Song, which is the one that I have in the stack, but The Prophets sounds good too.
I loved watching this so much. So many titles I want to get to, great to hear all your wonderfully glowing reviews. I really loved what you said about reading backlisted fiction. I totally agree with you. I also adored so many of your top novels of the year, The Goldfinch, The Safe Keep, Glorious Exploits, Ordinary Human Failings, Brotheless Night. I highly recommend The Offing by Benjamin Myers, I absolutely loved it and think you will too. Thank you for all the bookish joy in 2024 Louise 🩷
Oh so many of your favourites of 2024 are also on my list Prophet Song was a stand out book for me but also loved Glorious Exploits, Safe Keep and the House of Names. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is a long time favorite of mine. I have Cuddy by Benjamin Myers onmy TBR and hope to get to it very soon. Happy Reading in 2025 and hope you find some gems
Thank you. Happy reading to you too 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
Hi, Louise. Thank you for your wonderful video -- lots to inspire and get excited about. I read 'Clear' and 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' and enjoyed them both. My favourite fiction read last year, though, was 'Piranesi' by Susanna Clarke -- a book about memory and how we remember, learning and how we learn, manipulation, reality (whatever that might be) and adjusting to reality, loneliness, trust and innocence. I found it very moving. I read it before 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' and caught glimpses of Piranesi's world in the King's Roads that Jonathan Strange explored. (BTW, I really enjoyed the footnotes in JS&MN and fully expected to find a bibliography at the end of the book!) 💐 Carol
Isn’t Piranesi wonderful? Those halls will stay with me long into the future 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I am just over halfway through JS and Mr Norrell and loving it. I picked it up after hearing you say how much you enjoyed it, so thank you❤ Your list is full of lots of ones I have read and thought were excellent too. There are still a few I need to get to like Glorious Exploits & England is Mine.
Prophet Song is such an amazing book I completely agree.
Thank you for sharing your faves list with us ❤
So pleased that you’re loving Strange and Norrell 🤩 Wishing you a very happy reading year 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I've read The Safekeep, Clear, and The Axeman's Carnival. Loved them all, but Clear and The Axeman's Carnival will stay in my personal library (well, at least until I lend them out, which happens to all my favorites!!). Thanks for a great video, and happy reading.
Thats why i reccomend books rather than loan them so that they stay in my Library.
Happy reading to you to 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Many of your top books have some of my favorites as well. Prophet Song, Clear were top books for me in 2024. I read Chidney’s Pet a few months ago and have The Axeman’s and Remote Sympathy on my shelf to read this year. Now, it a Magpie was my favorite animal, I could stick that in one or the reading prompts, right?
Absolutely 😂 Sadly, I don’t think there is much affection for magpies 🥲🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I have Brotherless Night ready to collect from the library, it sounds a very powerful read. I tried to read The Goldfinch some time ago but gave up on it, maybe I will try again as definitely believe that there are different life seasons of reading.
I think you’re so right about life seasons 👍🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I also (at long last) read my first Benjamin Myers last year with The Offing and will be reading Cuddy next - I think you’d love both of these. I fully agree that his writing is beautiful.
Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed so many stories this year, Louise! I only “predicted” four of your top ones though, haha: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, The Axeman’s Carnival, Glorious Exploits and England is Mine. (Should have remembered House of Names and Prophet Song tbh 😅)
I have read Megan Nolan’s first book and am very keen to read OHF soon.
- Have a great time in Sri Lanka! Looking forward to following (however you choose to share it) your journey with the women’s prize longlist for non-fiction 🥰
So pleased you’re enjoying Myers, I’m looking forward to reading more. Fully intend to attempt the non-fiction vlogs again this year… 😊🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Hi Louise looking fkrward to reading Stoneyard Devotional after your parallel read with Simon.
Forward!!! Just spotted the potential problem if i didnt correct it.
Do hope you enjoy it 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I I loved the Twin which I read years ago but have remembered it to this day as a book which was a real pleasure. I was staying very near where the book was set one holiday and it is just pitch perfect and you say. I loved Clear too. What a book. Great list thanks for sharing.
My pleasure 😇
Thank you, Louise. They all sound great.
You're welcome 😊 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Thank you. Richly rewarding as always. I haven't worked out my list for 2025 yet but I've got a lot with which to start. After I finish a list of diverse books on hold at the library (including Glorious Exploits and The Axeman's Carnival), I'm determined to read 3 massives that have been waiting patiently for me on my shelves for some time: The Complete Essays of Michel De Montaigne (1592CE), The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton (1621CE)--there will be reading around these-- and The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow (2021CE). That's only a total of 2,227 pages if I don't get immersed in the end notes and references, but the tomes look like around a million pages. When I surface, who knows? (Lately I'm thinking of rereading the 3 Donna Tartt books.) All the best to you and yours in the new year!
Wow, you have some serious reading commitments there! I’ll be interested to know how you get on. Wishing you a happy reading year 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
What a wonderful and broad ranging list of great books! I’ve read most and there is not a bad note in the bunch. My own favorites of the year are Time of the Child, Niall Williams’ wonderful follow-up to his amazing novel This Is Happiness, and Sarah Perry’s new novel Enlightenment. I also adored the new David Nicholls’ novel You Are Here, Clear, Stone Yard Devotional and James (of course).
Ok, so now I have to add Niall Williams to my TBR! 🤦🏼♀️😂🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I truly liked the grouping of favorite books into these categories, Louise. Here a is one favorite of mine for each category from this past year.
*Historical fiction: Caleb’s Crossing - Geraldine Brooks
*Book for lingering: The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven - Nathaniel Miller
*Page turner: Send Down the Rain - Charles Martin
*Beautiful writing: Foster - Claire Keegan
*Debut: Rebecca, Not Becky - Christine Platt & Catherine Greene
Clear was a moving story beautifully told for me too. Most of the others on the list I have already put on my “want to read”lists.
Glad you enjoyed the categories. Geraldine Brooks is a real favourite of mine 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
Great choices. The Glassmaker was excellent. I have just read Clear with my reading group and we all thought it was fabulous. The Mission House by Carys Bray is also a great read. The Goldfinch is a masterpiece I will never forget it. Lots of books to add to my list thank you x
My pleasure 😇 Happy reading in 2025 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
No not silly at all that you don't read hype books, I'm the same. It kind of puts me off because I feel then the hype places the book at too high an expectation. I love historical books so I'm absolutely subscribed from here on out.❤
I highly recommend "The Axman's Carnivel" - couldn't put it down. I enjoyed your comments so much.
Good to know! Thank you 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
Five on your list made it to my books of the year
Clear
Brotherless Night
Ordinary Human Failings
The Safekeep
Prophet Song
My problem for my 2024 list? I gave 30 books 5 stars. I’ve now been unable to whittle it down to 10/12/15? There was only one nonfiction book
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady
☘️👋🍀☕️📖📚📕
You must have had a wonderful reading year in 2024. How wonderful 👍 Hoping 2025 is also good 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Hi Louise my best book was There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. Soooo good.
I keep
Meaning to get to that one!!
Still haven’t got to it… but will in 2025 😊🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Loved Clear, and Brotherless Night two of my favourites of the year. But the outstanding read for me was Margaret Mazzantini's Don't Move. What incredible writing and what a story.
Ooo. I’m going to look it up 👍🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
I loved Clear and Ordinary Human Failings and The Axeman's Carnival is on my TBR. My favourite Book of 2024 was All The Colours Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker I still think about the main character Patch every day 🥰 xx
That’s the sign of a wonderful read 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
Clear and Prophet Song were 2 of my favorite reads in 2024.
👍🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
My favorite reads for 2024 was The Kingsbridge books by Ken Follett, which includes the famous ´Pillers of the Earth’ 😊
Haven’t read any Follett… yet 😊🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
My favourite read in 2024 was Medusa by Jessie Burton. I am now reading A many splendored thing by Han Suyin (older book) and if you haven’t read The Blessing Stone by Barbara Wood (older book) think you might enjoy it.
Loved Medusa too and will look out for the Wood. Happy new year of reading 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
“The Coast Road” by Alan Murrin was my fave of 2024, closely followed by “Clear” by Carys Davies. Top marks to “The Glassmaker” by Tracy Chevalier, and so many more. 2025 will be the year that I finally read “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.”😀
Brilliant 🤩 I really envy you reading Strange and Norrell from scratch. Happy reading 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Piranesi, The Last House on Needless Street,Sipsworth, Death Valley, The God of the Woods, Sweet Bean Paste, Sweet Lamb of Heaven by Lydia Millet, Convenience Store Woman, Ghost Lights by My Lydia Millet, and The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng, were all 5 stars for me. It would be hard to pick my favorite. But The Garden of Evening Mists is a true masterpiece !
Yes, I agree. Some lovely books in your list 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
The goldfinch ❤ an all time fav, Theordre decker never leaves you!
Couldn't agree more! 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
My favourite reads of 2024 were Solar Storms by Linda Hogan, Our share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker. I also adore (from your list) Brotherless Night and House of Names.
The Axeman's Carnival I dnf'd at half point. I found the plot predictable and couldn't stand the one dimensional side characters (bad Rob, narcisstic mother, gullible sister...), though I loved the writing and the depiction of a sheep farmer's life. Maybe I will try one of her other books this year.
I’d certainly recommend giving Chidgey another go 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
My top five books of 2024: Denison Avenue by Christina Wong, Going to Beautiful by Anthony Bidulka, One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley, Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau and Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian.
Will look them out 👍🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
I dont think avoiding a hyped book is a bad thing, i have often found myself disappointed by a book that everyone else loved and i wonder if i had read it without hearing loads about it would i have felt differently
Yes, it’s so hard to know, isn’t it 🤔🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Loved The Axeman's Carnival and also Pet by the same author ❤
She’s a creative gem 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Yes! I read Pet and Axemans Carnival because of Louise’s channel! Loved them both! I will always be on the lookout for Chidgeys work going forward!
Oh lovely, I have made a list so I will check out your recommendations. I really enjoyed The Offing by Benjamin Myers, that was very poetic but then he does write poetry too so I must also look into that.
Yes, I need to give his poetry a look too 🙏🙏🙏💜💜💜📚📚📚
I felt the same way about the Goldfinch (which made me cry at some odd moment of discussing the art, I don't know why it made it cry, maybe it was just beautiful?) and I loved the main character that kid stuck in my heart. I hope one day I reread it!
I also felt similarly about Prophet Song! I read that the year that it won the Booker (23?) and it hit me so hard and made me so dead against any right wing regime but here I am in the U.S. just hoping that someone's big mouth is just fear tactics! Ugh!!! But it truly scared me; I'm a literal nail biter so I'm lucky I still have fingers!!! That book was so brilliant. I also loved Brotherless Night and I got choked up in at least three spots but that one scene of the starving? I could not hack it! I was revolting - I could never - would never - allow a friend to do that - I think I would've come to blows with that person before I watched all that go down!!! 😢 such a powerful story! I have Glorious Exploits on my shelf at home and will be reading it this year!! Other impactful and frightening reads for me were the reread of 1984 (nothing scarier should be labeled horror in my mind!!) and Julia1984 both read back to back at the start or so of 2024. Also impactful was Chain Gang All Stars - of which I was late to the party but the ending made me cry and hug the book 😅
Some really amazing poetry as well such as by Mary Oliver (new to me), Andrea Gibson (Lord of the Butterflies - which made me laugh and cry sometimes in the same poem) ... and the Night Library of Sternendach - by Jessica Levai (an entire beautiful vampire opera told in verse) - I highly recommend it !! And of course Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane was amazing as well. I had a pretty awesome reading year in 2024 and read a bunch of Booker prize shortlist - absolutely loved The Safekeep and Stone Yard Devotional!!! How do people live life without reading? It boggles my brain!! Btw you are GLOWING in pink in this video it does not look gloomy not one bit & you look lovely! Happy New Year from across the pond! I will be checking out some of these that you've told us about today 😊
Thank you so much for taking the time to explore your responses, I really appreciate it. I haven’t yet read Chain Gang but it’s certainly on my radar. I bought a Mary Oliver recently but haven’t started it yet. Best wishes for a wonderful reading year 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Glorious Exploits is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Totally agree 👍 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
Tama Magpie says: IT'S TWITTER, LOUISE. I TWEET. BECAUSE I'M A BIRD.
Oh Lordy! I stand corrected again! Soz Tama 🤦🏼♀️🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
@@louisesavidgemuses4135 He says he forgives you, but next time please let him in the window so he can properly videobomb your clip.
@ Will do 😂😂😂
Please no rambling on and on about things that make no sense for us to know. Also introduction are short not first a couple of minutes before you start. It really isn’t fun to watch this way
I’ve always made it clear that I ramble in my videos ( that’s why I called it musings). 🤦🏼♀️
I love the ramblings😊😊
Just find a channel you enjoy watching if it’s not this one. What’s not fun to you may be very enjoyable for others. Be kind
Her ramblings are the most enjoyable
@ Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Clear is also on my list of favorites of 2024. I very much enjoyed The Safekeep, but it didn’t make my list. I have struggled with Glorious Exploits, starting and stopping a few times, but I am determined to finish it early this year. I can’t remember exactly why, but Ordinary Human Failings was an almost instant DNF for me. I’m thinking it reminded me of another book I didn’t like and that’s why I took it back to the library right away. There are a couple others on your list that I want to read, particularly The Gallows Pole. It’s a great list of books!
Here’s my baker’s dozen. They are mostly in order, but the order gets squishy towards the bottom of the list. There are several I think you’d enjoy, Blizzard, Three Fires (on audio!), and Another Brooklyn.
Nightwatching - Tracy Sierra
My Government Means To Kill Me - Rasheed Newson
Blizzard - Marie Vingtras tr.
Strangers - Taichi Yamada tr.
Three Fires - Denise Mina
The Examiner - Janice Hallett
Lie With Me - Philippe Besson tr.
Clear - Carys Davies
Eastbound - Maylis de Kerangal tr.
Over My Dead Body - Maz Evans
Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson
The Reformatory - Tananarive Due
The Warm Hands of Ghosts - Katherine Arden
Thanks so much for this. I really appreciate your recommendations 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💜💜💜
The Warm Hands of Ghosts was such an interesting hybrid of the historical and the fantastic !
@ Yes, I meant to recommend that book to Louise as well. Luckily for me, a non-fantasy reader, the fantasy was light enough to deal with. It’s such a gorgeous book!