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So nice to see you again! 😊 Happy Reading

Really enjoyed the fur babies (no fighting!) along with the books. Because of you, I got the short story advent calendar and am thoroughly enjoying it. Happy holidays!🎄📚

That advent calendar sounds like so much fun! I wish we had something like that in Chile (I hope you enjoy Zambra)

The BookTuber consensus seems to be that the Booker committee made a very bad choice. I was surprised at how many BTers HATED Orbital, and almost everyone thought the James was the best of the lot.

My favorites were Orbital and Stone Yard Devotional. I also loved James ( Pulitzer please !!! ) and The Safekeep 📖🪱💚

I am sad that James did not win

I was happy Creation Lake didn't win.😅 I didn't care about any of the characters either. Overall, I thought 2024 was a great long and short list.

My ratings were similar to yours although my favorite nominated book this year was My Friends. Shocked by the winner as well.

Thank you so much for sharing! We are putting together a video highlighting reactions to this year’s Booker Prize and would love to include this video. All footage will of course be credited. Please can you respond to let me know if we have your permission for use?

Hi, I've watched most of your videos. I'm so much impressed by the quality of your contents. I think, you deserve more engagements.

I've finished the book just now and I need to say it was an amazing, touching, wonderful read. Deserves to be read several times. Tom Kettle will stay with me for a long time....

I totally agree about the disappointment of the ending. But overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book.

Wild Houses dropped in from the library and it wasn't long so i read it. I actually enjoyed it. I didnt have high expectations but was drawn to Nicky and Dev - struggling to find a path forward from tragedy and loss. There were some very powerful scenes. Including some violent, uncomfortable ones. I'm rooting for Nicky!

Loved that u gave your pics and then the reaction. But I don't think your dog really like the Richard Powers book as much as you did.

I’ve only read Orbital, James , and Wandering Stars, but loved them all and wanted to see them all on there, as well as Playground ( bc Bewilderment was my top 2022 read and I’m biased ) . 📖 🪱 💚

Loved "if you're a writer and you breathe in Canada we're pretty much going to claim you as our own". 🤣

Fabulous! I am happy about this list as well, and I see most of the books were either on your favorite list or your predictions list. Fabulous!

I loved Held, but so many I know did not. I'm glad you enjoyed it, too. I have Wandering Stars sitting here but may go to Stone Yard Devtional since it made the short list. SYD is the only short list book I haven't read yet. Thanks for the reminder about what the judges are looking for vs what we want to win.

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER hello, im at chapter 6 and Tom's daughter Winnie has come to visit his father. And i was like what? wasnt she dead?? Tom's memories are unreliable. So far i liked this book so much, its a slop burn tho.

I have this book from the library, but haven't heard good things about it. I may pass on it. I am currently reading My Friends and like it so much! Will you be coming up with your own short list?

Nice opening! Thanks for your tips on this one. I haven't got to it yet. Currently I'm reading Creation Lake and am not sure about it yet. Congrats on the new addition!!

Orbital is beautiful. 🌎

This year's Booker longlist is really exciting to me this year! I've not yet read any of the books on the list yet, but I've had my eye on The Safekeep for a while now, so I'm excited to get to that. 😁

I've read 4, most of the others are on reserve at the local library (they've preordered Playground and I've put myself on the reserve list already). Held is already on hold 🙂waiting for me at the library so that's my next booker read. Happy Reading 🙂

I haven’t read any of these books on the list. I’m so looking forward to taking the journey. I’ve purchased my ticket. Let the eavesdropping begin! 😊❤

I was absolutely bowled over by this book. Imelda specifically tore at my heart, her chapters leaving me reduced to tears on multiple occasions. Im from a rural irish town, and the feeling of her never achieving the escape, never feeling the security, never having time to rest and just utterly riddled with anxiety....god I had to look away from the page! Incredible book, and gorgeous video, thank you!

I know what’s on the list because it’s July 30 but I won’t spoil. Just say maybe surprises are in store.

First-time watcher here. Just craving Booker predictions. Yeah, James could certainly get the Demon Copperhead treatment. Really hoping that's not the case, b/c James is a masterpiece. The list will be diminished by snubbing it. I'm of the mind that excluding the heavy-hitters for debuts is misguided, since the Booker mandate is supposedly all about honoring the best in English-language literature from across the world. I don't personally need the Booker to give me book recommendations. I tried reading Pearl, for example, and it was almost unreadable. Placing it on a longlist instead of DC was a decision! Juries are subjective, I realize, but including one book over the other says to the reader that one is better than the other, whether that's intentional or not. Anyways, I'll look forward to seeing your reactions tomorrow! I'll be online looking for reactions all day long. Christmas in July, indeed! Also, just curious about the costume you're wearing. Are you playing a character or something? I might be missing an inside joke. Fun though, if your character is supposed to be a "harlot"!

I like what you're saying about James. I loved that book, but for one, you can never be certain with a longlist; there is never a guarantee for a nomination when you have a jury with its own subjective preferences. There is also not that objective legitimation for any book, not James, and also last year not Demon Copperhead or Birnham Wood (I didn't like either of them, by the way). Plus, as you say, it may not be the typical Booker book. I think James will win prizes, but the National Book Award and especially the Pulitzer may feel more likely.

I have reservations about another E Strout nomination. The panel will want to see something different and we know with ES that you get excellent writing but kind of the same. Not branching out, experimenting, doing it a bit differently/ unexpected.

James will be there. It has so many original literary devices going on that makes it a contender. Good about Chigozie Obioma and 'Choice' both predictions. I saw all three in person on their book tours 👍👍👍

I'm halfway thru Orbital and enjoying it. A unique to me storyline. I recently finished James. Loved it. Thanks for introducing books I haven't heard of yet. And I like the list to be full of new books also. P.S. I was too late to the knitting advent sign up. I loved that concept and didn't know it existed until I saw it on your channel. Hope to get in on the short story advent set.

I'll be reading with you! I LOVE your video!

I've been thinking that Orbital by Samantha Harvey could be on it, I've almost finished it on audiobook. It has an interesting premise and is pretty well delivered. Scott at Gunpowder and Plot has said it's one on the leaked list, who knows? Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright is one that I really want to be on the list, it's Booker winning material IMHO but the leaks are saying it didn't make the list... again, who knows if the leaks are right? I guess we'll find out. Another one that is really worth reading is My Friends by Hisham Matar, it's a brilliant book, one of the best books I've read this year. It should have lots of recognition, it' just that good, even if it doesn't make the booker list.

I agree with you. I always prefer to have a list of unknown books (to me) so I canexperience new books.

I thought I would love The Wren, The Wren… but for some reason it just wasn’t for me. 🤷‍♀️ Looking forward to reading Brotherless Night!

My list differed a bit from yours, but I was thrilled that my favorite of the list won.

Well done Kim!🎉 I appreciate your perspective. And I want to meet Sashie - better read the book.

Enjoyed this video and your reaction. I have Crooked Plow on my TBR and look forward to reading it after hearing your thoughts. 🙂

I agree with most of your thoughts on the WP books, except for Hangman (maybe because I read a physical copy). I know I'm in the minority, but I really enjoyed it and plan to reread it once I've completed the fiction and nonfiction lists. I did not care for Restless Dolly Maunder, but I will take your advice and try another of Kate Grenville's books.

I DNF’d Hangman too. It was too absurd. Also, just wondering if you ‘read’ most of your books on audio?

I bailed on The Maiden halfway. It felt superficial as in silly. 😉

Love the show, I think your knitting is beautiful. Please show more. ❤

I hated The Wren! Slow, convoluted and too much time spent on the daughter’s sex life which was boring.

Crooked Plow was my favorite too! Disappointed it didn’t win…

I should add I finally read A Little Luck by Pineiro. 😊 Not quite as good as Elena Knows IMO with regard to pacing, but worth reading for sure.

Kairos is not calling me, so I think I’ll skip it. But I did really enjoy Visitation by Erpenbeck. The the lovely thing about prize lists is discovering new books and backlists!

I still love Crooked Plow.

I'm addicted to your videos ❤️ I haven't read shortlist yet because in my country India these books release very slowly but this time all the six books looks interesting super excited to read them all.

Thank you