I own a few of these books, so now I feel I should bump them up on my priority list! And you've put a bunch of new books on my radar. Always a delight to watch your videos
@ I didn’t want it to end either. The writing style created a really comfortable place for me as a reader that I didn’t want to leave even though some times what Fosse was writing about was disturbing.
Hi, Anna here. I am thrilled to have discovered your channel this past year. I never knew much about indie and nonprofit presses and you have opened a whole new world to me😊 Some of my favorite books from this past year have been your recommendations. Thank you again and a very happy new year to you and your family. Love your helper❤
I adore your videos with your Monkey and his assistants! Monkey’s comment about being number 2 and how sad for the book that it was “so close” made my heart melt ❤ Thank you for featuring your favorite reads this past year. I do have 7 of those (between the top 10 and honorable mentions) on my TBR shelf and have moved them up for prioritizing in 2025. Thanks again!
Your kindness, support, and generosity has meant SO SO much to me this year. Thank you, thank you. I truly cannot express how much joy it brings me to see your comments specifically. Wishing you the happiest 2025, and again, thank you. 🥰🥰
Love this list! My Death is one that I’ve seen a few people mention but I think this is the first time I have actually heard what it is about, and it sounds great. I have a copy of The Pages of the Sea that I need to get around to. And somewhat surprised to see Hot Springs Drive, just because it seems quite different from the rest, but always on the lookout for a genuinely good thriller. P.S. Love that your kids are so engaged with (and dare I say fans of) your channel ❤
The Pages of the Sea is quietly beautiful - I loved it! My Death is so quirky and the ending is crazy cool. Thanks so much for stopping by - I love your channel and am delightedly reading my "Ann-uary" book right now! (its a short story anthology, but the editor is Ann ;) ) My kiddo keeps asking me when I'll get my first play button. LOL - I don't have the heart to tell him "not in your lifetime, kid!"
@@eyesonindie so glad you're enjoying your Ann-uary pick! I still need to decide mine 😅 And maybe we should get 200 of us to club together or something and share a play button. RUclips will let us do that, right?! 😂
Thanks for sharing your favs. I loved Hot Springs Drive. It made me cry. (I picked it up b/c of you - thanks!) I'm patiently waiting for my Two Dollar Radio order. Your son is so cute! Happy New Year!
great list with thoughtful reviews, thank you! i read 'my death' last month due to your review of it and really enjoyed the read. always meant to read lisa tuttle, too, so that was a satisfying check off the never-ending author list!
Incredibly delightful. I liked the assist from your son. I loved the very thoughtful list of books. I certainly enjoy these kind of books. I just picked up today Edwin Frank's The Red Thread which has excerpts from NYRB classics. Zadie Smith;s "Changing My Mind" too. Very apt as books do change your mind and that is why novel reading is so important because it allows you to inhabit another mind or body and through this develop critical skills and learn empathy. As to Tom Jones, It is episodic and is a real gallop of a book despite its length. It is great fun. One of the fight scenes is set at The White Lion Inn at Upton-upon-Severn which is down the road from where I currently live. I can see the Malvern Hills too where the narrator of William Langland's Piers Plowman the alliterative poem had his dream vision. I have been on the very hills. It is good to read and "experience" literature. Love your vlogs.
Love your comment about experiencing literature - I was JUST writing up a script for another video and mentioned the same thing. I obviously need to move Tom Jones up on my list to read soon! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words. Happy new year!
Sarah I think the more 'nonsense' the better! Love Monkey assistant as always. (Pengy & Penguino how adorable naming!) As for the list, Gravedigger's guild sounds fun but it's quite longer than I normally read but you pushed me to put My Death as my next read 👍 Thank you for a year of entertaining indie bookish contents - you don't know how much I appreciate your channel 💕
I love your videos with your assistant!!! 😂 And I love how much he knows about the books you read! It shows that you talk about them with your family 🤓 We always talk about the books we’re reading too 🥰 Also, why is fishwish from Wisconsin? Did he buy him there, or is that type of fish from there? His introduction was so funny.
Haha, yes, I definitely talk about books with my family, whether they like it or not!! And Fishwish was indeed purchased from Wisconsin. From a beautiful lighthouse on a peninsula called Door County. A magical place!
Happy New Year, Sarah! Thank you for bringing these and other novels to my attention this year. Some of these would have been in my favorites too, if I could find a way of narrowing books down. (I’d feel so guilty excluding all the other excellent reads though, I don’t know how people do it!) I’ve noticed that as I’ve been reading more and more indie books over the past 2-3 years I’ve found more books that just blow me away with their inventiveness, and teach me what novels can be and how they can make me feel. Thank you for your channel and newsletter, your recommendations have truly enriched my life!
Oh, the narrowing down is SO HARD!! I just had to make a decision in the end. Thanks for everything - your support, comments, and good will!! I'm so grateful to you! Happy New Year!
That ending 😍 Your monkey assistant has a better memory than I do! I was so intrigued by what you would make of Herscht 07769 with the one long sentence thing so how wonderful it was in the top ten- that gives me hope to try it! Such a wonderful list Sarah and no titles that I’ve seen on anyone else’s list! Wishing you and the family a fabulous 2025!
LOL! Yes, I'm always shocked at how much he remembers from what I share about my books. He's a goofball, but keeps me on my toes (which is a great thing). Thanks so much for your kind words and your encouragement and support!! Happy New Year to you!!
A terrific list! Your promotion of small-press publishing is a truly valuable contribution to the book commentary on RUclips. I don't know if you've ever watched Marc Nash's videos but he has a roughly similar taste in books although the only overlap between your ten and his is The Long Form. I'm going to order a couple of the books you mentioned. Would you say that the Rene Gladman book you mentioned is her best or would you suggest starting with another of her books?
I LOVE Marc's channel. I actually saw his review of Herscht 07769 before I read it. He didn't like it. So when I started reading it and loved it, I thought, "uh oh. Marc is SO much smarter than me...I must not be understanding this book fully!!!" But, I decided if I loved it, I loved it. Can't change that =) I actually haven't read any other Renee Gladman books yet - I plan to very soon! So, stay tuned!!! I am glad I started with this one, because it gave me a little preview of the others. I think I'll understand them a little better now. Thank you so much for stopping by and for the thoughtful comment. Happy new year!
Happy New Year to you, Sarah and to Monkey too. I laughed out loud when he said, "That's a lot of Baltimore"! You're judging well in not showing him but it was enjoyable to hear his comments. Regarding Herscht 07769, I've read several of László Krasznahorkai's novels so it did seem to have some familiar elements but it's a good one to start with. We all bring our own perspective to reading and yours is always interesting.
(In Spanish, a C-Section is called cesárea, which is pronounced like the title of the book. Caesaria. Now I want to google if she was the first woman who had one and that’s why it’s called that).
HA! He'll be glad to hear that, LOL. He's a goofy, delightful kid. I'm always shocked at how well he remembers the things I tell him about the books I'm reading. Because most of the time, he doesn't seem to listen to me at all!
Letting your kid be a kid while you avoid getting all stressed out about making a "perfect" video is a brilliant decision. Well done.
I think this is the best comment I've ever gotten. Thank you so much, and thanks also for stopping by!! Happy New Year!!
completely agree! I was thinking the same from the beginning of the video ❤
I own a few of these books, so now I feel I should bump them up on my priority list! And you've put a bunch of new books on my radar. Always a delight to watch your videos
Someone from Wisconsin!
Great List!
Delightful video.
Hurray for The Long Form.
Glad you are enjoying The Septology
Ha! Thank you! I'm reading Septology SOOO slowly it's not even funny. But I love it soooo much. I kind of don't want it to end.
@ I didn’t want it to end either. The writing style created a really comfortable place for me as a reader that I didn’t want to leave even though some times what Fosse was writing about was disturbing.
Hi, Anna here. I am thrilled to have discovered your channel this past year. I never knew much about indie and nonprofit presses and you have opened a whole new world to me😊 Some of my favorite books from this past year have been your recommendations. Thank you again and a very happy new year to you and your family. Love your helper❤
I'm so thrilled you stopped by! Thanks so much for your very kind words, and Happy New Year!
I adore your videos with your Monkey and his assistants! Monkey’s comment about being number 2 and how sad for the book that it was “so close” made my heart melt ❤
Thank you for featuring your favorite reads this past year.
I do have 7 of those (between the top 10 and honorable mentions) on my TBR shelf and have moved them up for prioritizing in 2025.
Thanks again!
Your kindness, support, and generosity has meant SO SO much to me this year. Thank you, thank you. I truly cannot express how much joy it brings me to see your comments specifically. Wishing you the happiest 2025, and again, thank you. 🥰🥰
@ You are most welcome! See you out there!
Love this list! My Death is one that I’ve seen a few people mention but I think this is the first time I have actually heard what it is about, and it sounds great. I have a copy of The Pages of the Sea that I need to get around to. And somewhat surprised to see Hot Springs Drive, just because it seems quite different from the rest, but always on the lookout for a genuinely good thriller.
P.S. Love that your kids are so engaged with (and dare I say fans of) your channel ❤
The Pages of the Sea is quietly beautiful - I loved it! My Death is so quirky and the ending is crazy cool. Thanks so much for stopping by - I love your channel and am delightedly reading my "Ann-uary" book right now! (its a short story anthology, but the editor is Ann ;) ) My kiddo keeps asking me when I'll get my first play button. LOL - I don't have the heart to tell him "not in your lifetime, kid!"
@@eyesonindie so glad you're enjoying your Ann-uary pick! I still need to decide mine 😅
And maybe we should get 200 of us to club together or something and share a play button. RUclips will let us do that, right?! 😂
@@benreadsgood LOL!! There you go - that's a good plan!!
Thanks for sharing your favs. I loved Hot Springs Drive. It made me cry. (I picked it up b/c of you - thanks!) I'm patiently waiting for my Two Dollar Radio order. Your son is so cute! Happy New Year!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!! Happy New Year!
great list with thoughtful reviews, thank you! i read 'my death' last month due to your review of it and really enjoyed the read. always meant to read lisa tuttle, too, so that was a satisfying check off the never-ending author list!
oh wow!! That means so much to hear that. I am so intrigued by Lisa Tuttle but wasn't at all aware of her until NYRB published this little book!
Incredibly delightful. I liked the assist from your son. I loved the very thoughtful list of books. I certainly enjoy these kind of books. I just picked up today Edwin Frank's The Red Thread which has excerpts from NYRB classics. Zadie Smith;s "Changing My Mind" too. Very apt as books do change your mind and that is why novel reading is so important because it allows you to inhabit another mind or body and through this develop critical skills and learn empathy. As to Tom Jones, It is episodic and is a real gallop of a book despite its length. It is great fun. One of the fight scenes is set at The White Lion Inn at Upton-upon-Severn which is down the road from where I currently live. I can see the Malvern Hills too where the narrator of William Langland's Piers Plowman the alliterative poem had his dream vision. I have been on the very hills. It is good to read and "experience" literature. Love your vlogs.
Love your comment about experiencing literature - I was JUST writing up a script for another video and mentioned the same thing. I obviously need to move Tom Jones up on my list to read soon! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words. Happy new year!
Sarah I think the more 'nonsense' the better! Love Monkey assistant as always. (Pengy & Penguino how adorable naming!) As for the list, Gravedigger's guild sounds fun but it's quite longer than I normally read but you pushed me to put My Death as my next read 👍
Thank you for a year of entertaining indie bookish contents - you don't know how much I appreciate your channel 💕
Haha! I agree - nonsense is where its at! Thanks so much for stopping by - I hope you enjoy My Death. It's so quirky!!
I love your videos with your assistant!!! 😂 And I love how much he knows about the books you read! It shows that you talk about them with your family 🤓 We always talk about the books we’re reading too 🥰
Also, why is fishwish from Wisconsin? Did he buy him there, or is that type of fish from there? His introduction was so funny.
Haha, yes, I definitely talk about books with my family, whether they like it or not!! And Fishwish was indeed purchased from Wisconsin. From a beautiful lighthouse on a peninsula called Door County. A magical place!
@@eyesonindie Haha I do the same with my family 🤓 I always subject them to my book talk.
Ah! So that's why he's from Wisconsin 🥰 That was so cute.
I’m so glad that I found your channel! The books that you’ve chosen are my EXACT choices that I would love! ❤
You made my day!!! Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Sarah! Thank you for bringing these and other novels to my attention this year. Some of these would have been in my favorites too, if I could find a way of narrowing books down. (I’d feel so guilty excluding all the other excellent reads though, I don’t know how people do it!) I’ve noticed that as I’ve been reading more and more indie books over the past 2-3 years I’ve found more books that just blow me away with their inventiveness, and teach me what novels can be and how they can make me feel. Thank you for your channel and newsletter, your recommendations have truly enriched my life!
Oh, the narrowing down is SO HARD!! I just had to make a decision in the end. Thanks for everything - your support, comments, and good will!! I'm so grateful to you! Happy New Year!
That ending 😍 Your monkey assistant has a better memory than I do! I was so intrigued by what you would make of Herscht 07769 with the one long sentence thing so how wonderful it was in the top ten- that gives me hope to try it! Such a wonderful list Sarah and no titles that I’ve seen on anyone else’s list! Wishing you and the family a fabulous 2025!
LOL! Yes, I'm always shocked at how much he remembers from what I share about my books. He's a goofball, but keeps me on my toes (which is a great thing). Thanks so much for your kind words and your encouragement and support!! Happy New Year to you!!
I am so looking forward to reading these!
Wonderful!!! Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy New Year!
Great list!! We watched each others the same day lol. I really want to get to Cesarea and The Long Form this year.
Simpatico!!!!
A terrific list! Your promotion of small-press publishing is a truly valuable contribution to the book commentary on RUclips. I don't know if you've ever watched Marc Nash's videos but he has a roughly similar taste in books although the only overlap between your ten and his is The Long Form. I'm going to order a couple of the books you mentioned. Would you say that the Rene Gladman book you mentioned is her best or would you suggest starting with another of her books?
I LOVE Marc's channel. I actually saw his review of Herscht 07769 before I read it. He didn't like it. So when I started reading it and loved it, I thought, "uh oh. Marc is SO much smarter than me...I must not be understanding this book fully!!!" But, I decided if I loved it, I loved it. Can't change that =) I actually haven't read any other Renee Gladman books yet - I plan to very soon! So, stay tuned!!! I am glad I started with this one, because it gave me a little preview of the others. I think I'll understand them a little better now. Thank you so much for stopping by and for the thoughtful comment. Happy new year!
Happy New Year to you, Sarah and to Monkey too. I laughed out loud when he said, "That's a lot of Baltimore"! You're judging well in not showing him but it was enjoyable to hear his comments. Regarding Herscht 07769, I've read several of László Krasznahorkai's novels so it did seem to have some familiar elements but it's a good one to start with. We all bring our own perspective to reading and yours is always interesting.
(In Spanish, a C-Section is called cesárea, which is pronounced like the title of the book. Caesaria. Now I want to google if she was the first woman who had one and that’s why it’s called that).
Oh interesting!!!
Excuse me but your child is brilliant!
HA! He'll be glad to hear that, LOL. He's a goofy, delightful kid. I'm always shocked at how well he remembers the things I tell him about the books I'm reading. Because most of the time, he doesn't seem to listen to me at all!
Gravediggers' Guild sounds interesting 🤔
It was very interesting! And kinda goofy!
Wow you weren't kidding about all the strange little books 😂 Happy reading for 2025!
I loved reading them! Happy New Year to you!
I have ordered 'The Long Form'.
That's wonderful! I hope you enjoy it - it's a very different kind of book, but I (obviously) loved it!