The books I’ve read and recommended The Mercies Remote Sympathy The Coast Road Some other recommendations The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire Falling Animals by Sheila Armstrong Wild Houses by Colin Barrett
if you can get ahold of it in the UK, the real ones audiobook is fantastic. there’s lots of dialogue and the narrators (including vermette) do all the back and forth between the characters brilliantly!
I was just thinking the other day how much I enjoyed reading The Break in the fall of 2022, and then binging The Strangers and The Circle last year's fall and how I wished there was one more book in the series and lo and behold, a new Vermette book that sounds amazing! Thank you for introducing me to this series, she's become one of the authors that I will read absolutely everything from. I feel like the word "cozy" has been very overused lately to describe books and I tend to not respond well to ones where the authors are purposefully trying to create a cozy atmosphere but I find that KV is so gifted when it comes to this, the way she portrays the quiet domesticity of people who fought tooth and nail to carve it out of their often grim realities of the past is to me the definition of what a cozy book is. Love immersing myself in someone's little private safety.
How to be more Hedgehog is the perfect Autumn title!! 🍁🍂The Twelve also sounds amazing. So many brilliant sounding books. Thank you for sharing your TBR list with us. Can’t wait to get the blankets out, put the candles on and snuggle up to do some reading. 🍁🍂❤
Hi, Mercy! I just found you and subscribed and I’m so glad I did! Like you, I love autumn and start it late Aug! Thanks to you I have added several titles to my TBR and I’m sure I’ll add more!
Love, love, love how many recommendations I always get from your videos! I always turn to Kate Morton books around this time (houses full of secrets, dual timelines, gothic)
Just on Jon McGregor, I read both Reservoir 13 & If Nobody Speaks Of Remarkable Things last year, both beautiful - McGregor instantly added to my excited to see new books list!
A room without books is like a body without a soul.//Books are for people or lighthouses are for ships.//Poetry is the soul of books, the beating heart of the words that make them live.
Hey. I just found a Jacqueline Wilson book! I have never read her books before and I saw you talk about them in your previous video. Thank you for your recommendations.
Mad how quickly it has gotten cold, isn’t it 🥶 Thirst sounds really intriguing! I hadn’t been super interested in Remote Sympathy, but after reading Pet I’m very interested in reading more Chidgey. The Coast Road is soooo good!!! And The Borrowed Hills is also great. Fire Exit is a day one purchase I’m planning. Super excited for it.
Yes, I was loving it but it's been a bit warmer this past week so I want the cold back, haha. I just finished listening to The Coast Road and I loved it!
I loved this video, thank you. There are so many brilliant books mentioned and it made me think about my own childhood reading. One of my favourite childhood reads was Walkabout by James Vance Marshall, I was given this as a school prize for reading when I was 10 and this inspired my lifelong love of literature featuring stories of indigenous life and community across the world. I absolutely loved The Break and The Strangers and have The Circle by Katherine Vermette on my shelves but don’t want to read it yet as I am not ready for their story to be over. Happy reading📚
Exceptional list - I want to read so many of these! I have read The Coast Road and absolutely loved it. Thank you for your insight and for putting these on my radar!
Starve Acre wasn’t my favourite Hurley book, but he is a master of building a tense atmosphere. I didn’t know there was a film, thanks for the heads up.
So many great-sounding books! I was in the library this morning for my book club and The Burial Plot was on the display so I picked it up. I blame you entirely (even though it was already one I was kind of interested in) 😉
I have watched Emma Donoghue discuss Haven with Colm Toibin on his podcast, so interesting. She is brilliant in dissecting people 's emotions and understanding what drives them. Love her, loved that discussion on the podcast, love your TBR. Hope you enjoy all of these books!
Loved this! I've added quite a few to my tbr but may need to wait a while to get them in Canada. Just purchased The Valley At The Centre of the World based on your recommendation and can't wait to read it!
Thank you so much for this video, I’ve added quite a few to my ever growing list. I’ve read The Coast Road and really loved it. My Autumn reads lined up so far are: Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors The Silence In Between by Josie Ferguson Sandwich by Catherine Newman Scaffolding by Lauren Elkin A Flat Place by Noreen Masud
The Plot of Starve Acre sounds almost exactly like a UK horror film i saw years ago called Wake Wood which surprises me with the mention of the Matt Smith film that's coming out. I wonder if critics will draw parallels when reviewing.
Have you read The Guest List by Lucy Foley? One of my favourites, it's set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland if you haven't read it already, great book for this time of year
I LOVED the first Waubgeshig Rice book, but I'm so nervous to read the second one. Currently it's in hardcover in the US, but I have the first one in paperback so I'm kind of waiting to get copies that match. I'm NOT good with body horror, but like more psychological horror or dark literary fiction type books. Have you read The Safekeep?!! What about Reservoir by Livi Michaels?!! Grey Dog- I am SO in!!! I'm outdoorsy and a teacher so this feels perfect
I always want matching copies too! Same - I love dark literary but am pretty squeamish and have a tendency to faint so I may not do well with the body horror, haha. I've read The Safekeep and loved it but hadn't heard of Reservoir. It sounds interesting. I'm glad you've found a few book to add to your tbr :) I've heard great things about The Last Thing You Surrender but haven't read it. You've convinced me that I need to pick it up though! I hope you're having a great start to your autumn reading too!
Great list. I love Andrew Miller. I have been inspired to make my own Autumn TBR. Old Babes in the wood Margaret Atwood The Haunting Season (short story collection) Harvest Jim Crace North woods Daniel Maso House of last Resort Christopher Golden The Burnt=out Town of Miracles Roy Jacobsen Who was changed and who was dead Barbara Comyns The Corner That held Them Sylvia Townsend Warner
I hated The Burial Plot. The premise was great but the execution poor, and nowhere near as good as Fingersmith. The relentless references to disgusting/horrific bodily fluids plus the graphic description of the slaughter of a sow (which I found totally unnecessary - and I'm not a vegan), aren't a substite for a story, atmosphere and fleshed out characters. I read a physical copy of this book and also listened on Audible and the narrator only added to my irritation. This is my first Elizabeth Macneal novel, I own at least one other, but this has really put me off reading any more by her. I recommend The Square of Sevens if you've not already read it (perhaps a tad overlong if I'm being picky, but a corker of a story nevertheless!), also The Shadow Key and Turnglass.
That's a shame! I hate bodily fluids being mentioned lots so we'll see how I get on with that! Thanks for the recommendations :) I'll have a look into them.
I love the orange couch!
Bless your Mom for keeping magic alive!
I love your fall list every year. Thank you for including children's/middle grade as well!
Hi. All books you described are alright. Above all, your pure British accent is most welcome. Many thanks ❤
The books I’ve read and recommended
The Mercies
Remote Sympathy
The Coast Road
Some other recommendations
The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes
Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire
Falling Animals by Sheila Armstrong
Wild Houses by Colin Barrett
Looking forward to your thoughts on so many of these! Thank you for putting them on my radar 😇
if you can get ahold of it in the UK, the real ones audiobook is fantastic. there’s lots of dialogue and the narrators (including vermette) do all the back and forth between the characters brilliantly!
That couch is amazing! Butter and Thirst sound very interesting, definitely moving them to my TBR
The Mercies is definitely a fantastic winter read! Super atmospheric
Thank you, Mercedes. Some of these sound fantastic! Have added a few to my tbr. Happy autumnal reading 📚 🍃 🍂 🍁
I was just thinking the other day how much I enjoyed reading The Break in the fall of 2022, and then binging The Strangers and The Circle last year's fall and how I wished there was one more book in the series and lo and behold, a new Vermette book that sounds amazing! Thank you for introducing me to this series, she's become one of the authors that I will read absolutely everything from. I feel like the word "cozy" has been very overused lately to describe books and I tend to not respond well to ones where the authors are purposefully trying to create a cozy atmosphere but I find that KV is so gifted when it comes to this, the way she portrays the quiet domesticity of people who fought tooth and nail to carve it out of their often grim realities of the past is to me the definition of what a cozy book is. Love immersing myself in someone's little private safety.
I completely agree with the way you described Vermette's writing. That's exactly it! 🧡
Don’t wait for the audio for Moon… I found a hard back copy in the UK and it is SO good.
Loved this thank you Mercy. Lots to add to my TBR now too! Just finished Butter and loved it, so different and the food writing is exquisite 👌🏻
Yay! Love your fall vibes list every year!
How to be more Hedgehog is the perfect Autumn title!! 🍁🍂The Twelve also sounds amazing. So many brilliant sounding books. Thank you for sharing your TBR list with us. Can’t wait to get the blankets out, put the candles on and snuggle up to do some reading. 🍁🍂❤
Haven is really good Mercy. I have added Remote Sympathy to my TBR.
Hi, Mercy! I just found you and subscribed and I’m so glad I did! Like you, I love autumn and start it late Aug! Thanks to you I have added several titles to my TBR and I’m sure I’ll add more!
Thank you for subscribing :) I hope you're having a great autumn so far!
Love, love, love how many recommendations I always get from your videos! I always turn to Kate Morton books around this time (houses full of secrets, dual timelines, gothic)
I still haven't read a Kate Morton book which is ridiculous as they sound right up my street!
I think you’ll love The End of Drum-Time. I did!
Just on Jon McGregor, I read both Reservoir 13 & If Nobody Speaks Of Remarkable Things last year, both beautiful - McGregor instantly added to my excited to see new books list!
A room without books is like a body without a soul.//Books are for people or lighthouses are for ships.//Poetry is the soul of books, the beating heart of the words that make them live.
You always give great recommendations not normally found in the US. Thank you as always
Loved this video! :)
Hey. I just found a Jacqueline Wilson book! I have never read her books before and I saw you talk about them in your previous video. Thank you for your recommendations.
I read 'The mercies' (in Dutch) and it is a beautiful book. I'm sure you'll love it.
Mad how quickly it has gotten cold, isn’t it 🥶
Thirst sounds really intriguing!
I hadn’t been super interested in Remote Sympathy, but after reading Pet I’m very interested in reading more Chidgey.
The Coast Road is soooo good!!! And The Borrowed Hills is also great.
Fire Exit is a day one purchase I’m planning. Super excited for it.
Ariana, what are you doing here 😂
Love your videos, too!😊
Yes, I was loving it but it's been a bit warmer this past week so I want the cold back, haha. I just finished listening to The Coast Road and I loved it!
I loved this video, thank you. There are so many brilliant books mentioned and it made me think about my own childhood reading. One of my favourite childhood reads was Walkabout by James Vance Marshall, I was given this as a school prize for reading when I was 10 and this inspired my lifelong love of literature featuring stories of indigenous life and community across the world. I absolutely loved The Break and The Strangers and have The Circle by Katherine Vermette on my shelves but don’t want to read it yet as I am not ready for their story to be over. Happy reading📚
I love when books have such an impact on us as children :) I hope you enjoy The Circle when you get to it!
Exceptional list - I want to read so many of these! I have read The Coast Road and absolutely loved it. Thank you for your insight and for putting these on my radar!
really liked this video
The Burial Plot is definitely inspired by Fingersmith, I enjoyed it but didn't love it as much 😊
Starve Acre wasn’t my favourite Hurley book, but he is a master of building a tense atmosphere. I didn’t know there was a film, thanks for the heads up.
Really enjoyed Starve Acre, very unsettling. The Mercies was very tense for me. Brilliant set of recommendations, thank you 🌻
So many great-sounding books! I was in the library this morning for my book club and The Burial Plot was on the display so I picked it up. I blame you entirely (even though it was already one I was kind of interested in) 😉
Mercy, I live in Canada and would be happy to mail you a paper copy of Moon of the Turning Leaves if you want it.
Awww, thank you. That's very kind! I'll wait until it's easier to get here to save you the hassle though :)
I have watched Emma Donoghue discuss Haven with Colm Toibin on his podcast, so interesting. She is brilliant in dissecting people 's emotions and understanding what drives them. Love her, loved that discussion on the podcast, love your TBR. Hope you enjoy all of these books!
Ohhh, I'll have to give that podcast episode a listen once I've read Haven. Thanks for the recommendation :)
Loved this! I've added quite a few to my tbr but may need to wait a while to get them in Canada. Just purchased The Valley At The Centre of the World based on your recommendation and can't wait to read it!
Yay! I hope you enjoy it :)
Thank you so much for this video, I’ve added quite a few to my ever growing list. I’ve read The Coast Road and really loved it. My Autumn reads lined up so far are:
Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
The Silence In Between by Josie Ferguson
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Scaffolding by Lauren Elkin
A Flat Place by Noreen Masud
I hope you find some new fav reads from your autumn tbr :)
Really enjoyed Butter and Natural Beauty, but Thirst less so. Don’t read Butter when hungry!
awesome
The Plot of Starve Acre sounds almost exactly like a UK horror film i saw years ago called Wake Wood which surprises me with the mention of the Matt Smith film that's coming out. I wonder if critics will draw parallels when reviewing.
@AthynVixen I think Starve Acre is based on a traditional folk story so maybe Wake Wood is based on the same one?
Thought you'd like to know, both Emily Itami and Nicola Dinan have books coming out next year: Kakigori Summer and Disappoint Me!
Ohhhh, I didn't know that Nicola Dinan did. Thanks for letting me know!
best!!!
Have you read The Guest List by Lucy Foley? One of my favourites, it's set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland if you haven't read it already, great book for this time of year
No, I haven't but it does sound intriguing!
I LOVED the first Waubgeshig Rice book, but I'm so nervous to read the second one. Currently it's in hardcover in the US, but I have the first one in paperback so I'm kind of waiting to get copies that match. I'm NOT good with body horror, but like more psychological horror or dark literary fiction type books. Have you read The Safekeep?!! What about Reservoir by Livi Michaels?!! Grey Dog- I am SO in!!! I'm outdoorsy and a teacher so this feels perfect
I always want matching copies too! Same - I love dark literary but am pretty squeamish and have a tendency to faint so I may not do well with the body horror, haha. I've read The Safekeep and loved it but hadn't heard of Reservoir. It sounds interesting. I'm glad you've found a few book to add to your tbr :) I've heard great things about The Last Thing You Surrender but haven't read it. You've convinced me that I need to pick it up though! I hope you're having a great start to your autumn reading too!
Great list. I love Andrew Miller. I have been inspired to make my own Autumn TBR.
Old Babes in the wood Margaret Atwood
The Haunting Season (short story collection)
Harvest Jim Crace
North woods Daniel Maso
House of last Resort Christopher Golden
The Burnt=out Town of Miracles Roy Jacobsen
Who was changed and who was dead Barbara Comyns
The Corner That held Them Sylvia Townsend Warner
Ohhh, that sounds like a great list! I really need to read some Barbara Comyns and Sylvia Townsend Warner.
Andrew Miller's writing is amazing but I'm not always interested in the subject matter of his books. This new one sounds great though.
Have you tried Katherena Vermette's graphic novel? A Girl Called Echo
No but I need too!
Hi Mercy, would you be able to let me know what Sami books you would recommend please? Thank you 💕
Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius is good and I think there's going to be a sequel and a netflix adaptation.
🤍
I hated The Burial Plot. The premise was great but the execution poor, and nowhere near as good as Fingersmith. The relentless references to disgusting/horrific bodily fluids plus the graphic description of the slaughter of a sow (which I found totally unnecessary - and I'm not a vegan), aren't a substite for a story, atmosphere and fleshed out characters. I read a physical copy of this book and also listened on Audible and the narrator only added to my irritation. This is my first Elizabeth Macneal novel, I own at least one other, but this has really put me off reading any more by her. I recommend The Square of Sevens if you've not already read it (perhaps a tad overlong if I'm being picky, but a corker of a story nevertheless!), also The Shadow Key and Turnglass.
That's a shame! I hate bodily fluids being mentioned lots so we'll see how I get on with that! Thanks for the recommendations :) I'll have a look into them.