I actually would absolutely love to see some video game content from your channel. It’s extremely hard to find anyone who loves both gaming and books, and no one appreciates all the literary connections I can spot when playing things like jurassic world 2. I feel like you’d quickly spot similar connections in other games.
Honestly, Rachel, I just enjoy hearing you talk about books so the length of the videos doesn't matter to me and if you choose to do stand-alone reviews, series reviews, shorter videos, longer videos, share thoughts on books you've read in the past (rather than recently), etc. I'm on board for all of it. You should definitely make sure this channel is fun for you!
Really important to remember this youtube thing is supposed to be fun for the creator. 300 books is immense, I thought I was doing well with 140ish. Best of luck with your plans for 2025 Rachel, happy new year! Jon.
As someone who is watching this while playing video games, I say go for it. I would love to get a booktuber's view on games, maybe treating them more like books and focusing on the narrative?
Thank you for being vulnerable and so happy for you finding balance and happiness in a crazy world. I always love your content and particularly your videos on books that aren't heavily featured on other channels. Everyone is doing the biggest books, but I love how you find so many hidden gems. I hope you have a wonderful new year.
Love your videos! I'm a 70 yr old woman who loves books and...video games! I would love video game content. I've gotten great book recs from you and would love watching you play or even just talk about games. Happy New Year.
Bearer of unpopular opinions, but I really enjoy stand alone reviews. That said I'll enjoy whatever content you would like to share, at whatever quantity, and whatever frequency. Take care of yourself and your family, and happy reading !❤
Take care of yourself and family! I'm here for whatever you choose to put on TH-cam. I do like book reccs in all the genres you cover so whatever you choose to do, I'll be keeping up with you.
I love long videos so I would love to hear you rant about a single book. In general I just enjoy listening to you talk about books. The only videos I skip from you are the fantasy focused ones but it's just because I'm not a fantasy reader. I think many would agree with me when I say that I just want you to be happy, healthy and to enjoy your reading. Do what you gotta do.
Take care of yourself. This is YOUR channel, so run it the way you want and take breaks when you want. Keep it fun for yourself. I like your channel because you give quality reviews and are more in depth in a way that I can't explain but that I really like. I'm a quality over quantity person myself and I also like stand alone book reviews. And book related videos. And video games. Whatever you post, I'll watch. Happy New Year.
I think especially horror fans search out all things horror. So I watch creatives who discuss horror books, movies and then I watch horror game play throughs because I suck at actually playing. Anyway point is I would be interested in any of that content. I even watched a horror based perfume video 😅 I think there is room for you to do what you enjoy here
Don’t worry about us. We have similar tastes so I will watch whatever you put on. Enjoy reading what you like at your pace. Don’t ruin reading or family or hobbies to make content.
In my (more limited) experience it's really hard to judge which vids will do well and which won't, just gotta put them out there. But on a rhythm you can sustain, and you're totally right to give yourself permission to skip a video as needed. 👍
Love your reviews across all genres! I also like video games, so if you ever decide to do a video on that I will watch it! Thanks for all the awesome content
I have to say, before you said it out loud, it never crossed my mind that you (and probably most of the other creators I watch) don't allow yourself to take breaks from content creation. As soon as you said it, it seemed really obvious and something I should have realized long ago. Take a break! I know it's harder said than done, but you deserve it. All of your ideas for next year sounded great to me, and I'm on board for all of it.
I have a plan to start playing games this year again - both table top and video games. I would love to know which games you enjoy, which are "safe" to play online, etc. but I'm sure most don't care about that here ☺️I have a longer TBR because I have been doing a similar thing spending more time connecting more with my adopted family and friends. If you have a few less videos so you enjoy yourself even more you have support in that 🥰 Lots of love from the Pacific Northwest 🧡
FWIW, my ideal video length for "I'm gonna sit down and talk about something" videos is 12.5 minutes. Any shorter and there's not enough depth to be interesting, any longer and the signal:noise ratio starts dropping. Regardless of whatever nonsense YT is doing with their algorithm, quality will always bubble up to the top. You're by far my fave booktuber. Do whatever you need to do for yourself - I like your taste and analysis, I'm here for it. Do what you need to do to keep yourself sane and happy!
You are doing amazing work! Please take care of yourself first and foremost and we will be here whenever you have the time and/or energy to create content.
Definitely take care of yourself! Personally, I feel you are sharing your reading journey with your subscribers. That’s a privilege for us, and we’re not owed a thing. You asked what brings us to you. I come to your channel to see what books you are excited about. For me, the genres of science fiction and horror are important, as I haven’t found a lot of other channels that I like that cover them. It doesn’t matter a ton to me if it’s a review, top 10, or preview. I like them all. Anyway, thanks for all of your effort over the years. Hope you have an awesome 2025!
I've been a lurker on the channel for years, but I just wanted to come on here to say how much I appreciate all the hard work you have put into the content over the time. I can't thank you enough for all the hours and hours of entertainment and all the amazing recs! Totally support you taking a step back and finding a healthier balance, go live life!! Happy New Year 🥰
Thank you for all you have done to make the world a little brighter! I so look forward to your programs and I enjoy going back and looking at your older presentations as well. Yes, take care of yourself and your inner circle of family and friends. Your adoring public will anxiously await whatever you decide to share with us at your convenience. Sending you warm New Year wishes from N.E. Ohio, USA!!!
To be honest, I’m happy with whatever you want to film and as often as you want to. Most of the creators I follow put out one video a week and they often skip a week when things are busy in their lives. I’d rather watch someone less frequently who is enjoying what they are doing. This is your channel and you have every right to make it fit into your life and do what you enjoy. Happy New Year!
First of all, do what you want to keep this fun for you and don’t worry about taking a break for holidays, birthdays, vacations, and definitely if you are sick! I love your book reviews and I prefer shorter videos over longer ones. I love horror and thrillers, so those are the videos that I watch. I do watch your other videos, like discussions, book hauls, new books, etc, but I don’t usually watch the science fiction or fantasy videos because I’m not typically interested.
i rarely play video games but i would appreciate your curation though so i could focus on diving into some good ones. like there are so many and i dont really want to do the research and experimentation myself.
Thank you and happy new year! Big up yourself on maintaining that balance! FWIW, I would watch a certain amount of video game content of your experience. I play Skyrim and management games on the iPad to de-stress. Thank you for all of your work!
First of all, I appreciate you being so open about how it affects you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking breaks or posting shorter videos. It doesn't matter if the video is 5 or 15 minutes long. You should post the way you are comfortable with, and if people can't accept that, it's their problem really. TH-cam should be fun! I think we can all relate to losing the spark once in a while. Still, I hope you won't give up on TH-cam altogether. IDK how many of your viewers would be into video games. But I would be interested to see what kind of game content you would post, if you decide to. I've loved books my entire life and video games since I was about 10, they are my main hobbies. (I play Nintendo by the way). When I was younger, I read more than I played games, now it's the opposite. Neither is superior to the other, nor are they mutually exclusive. Again, I would be interested to check it out if you ever post about games.
Please take care of yourself. This is supposed to be fun! I like weekly or monthly wrap ups and deep dives into interesting book or reading related topics
I would love some more individual reviews! Like a spoiler free and a spoiler section. I love getting a heads up on a book and then coming back to the spoiler part after I’ve read it!
🎮 Video games! Yeah!! I too struggle to find the time and have been having fun this 🎄 playing more. This year I’ve felt more of a need to ‘read 50-100 pages’ each day, which is really hard for me - I read just 44 books (plus a lot of v.short stuff) this year 🫣 - so I get some of the feelings of stress, albeit to a different level. It’s mainly been BookTube Readalongs that I can’t keep up with, and Readathons that I’d like to join in on but then stress out about, so I’m quitting them for 2025, I think.
It's going to be OK. I'm excited that you are going to cover shorter books. I haven't been into great big novels since having kids. There are so many shorter, scary books out there.
First, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! As a follower of the channel I fully understand and support all your decisions. I love the reviews and I discovered so many good books because of your work here. That said, please take care of yourself, spend more time with your family and press yourself that much! Life is too short to have so many worries in your head! So I support you doing things that makes you happy! Take care, enjoy the holidays!😊🇧🇷
I really love seeing your reviews, you're a great presenter. As for content I prefer to see, I will watch anything you put out. I just want to be introduced to all the books out there and your channel is a great way for me to get that. I appreciate honest reviews, and I've always felt you told things honestly. Please take care of yourself, breaks mean a better you! ❤❤❤ And Happy New Year!!!
If you do add video game content, I'd be thrilled to watch. Video games and reading are two of my hobbies that I spend my free time doing most often. I'm glad you are working on finding balance, Rachel- love that you are giving yourself permission to do Booktube in your way that brings you both joy and fulfillment! I am definitely one of those readers that has been ignoring books that I think will be 5 stars, I was thinking about my goals for the New Year and realized just how silly that was so one of my biggest goals is to read books I already own that I think will not only be 5 stars but could also be new all time favorites! :) Happy New Year- I hope you have a great year ahead!!
I love the deeper dives in books and series - especially since I don't have time to read it all 😭 To be honest, I just found you this year and watch all of your videos. I have been out of reading for a few years and you motivate me to get back into the library. 🧡
I would love to know what video games you are playing and your thoughts on them. I agree it may not resonate with all your audience but maybe if you fit it into the end of videos or video on if you like this video game try reading this book. After playing games like Fallout, Horizon Zero Dawn, Last of Us it left me with an itch to scratch but it was difficult to finding books with a similar theme and story. My favorite content on this channel are when you go over several books you have read, give a brief summary and explain what you liked it or what it compares too. Added so many books to my list from this.
Thanks for sharing - it’s good to get an understanding of what’s going on behind the camera! I find it hard sometimes to process all the books you review in one video, so fewer books per video would be good, and I enjoy single review videos of books you care about.
I know it might now get as many views, but I really like single book reviews. One of my favorite things to do is watch a spoiler review immediately after I finish a book. I guess that is my way of feeling like I am in a book club lol. I like non-spoiler reviews for when I am trying to decide which book to read.
I think all of your goals sound great for you and us! I am to the point now that if you and Mike from Mike’s book reviews recommend a book I’m going to read it. So it’s always a little disheartening when I hear you describe a book and then at the end say you didn’t really like it cause it’s automatically off of my tbr most of the time lol. So I feel this will lead us all to, the good fun reads that we all want. Love your channel keep it up.
I haven’t seen this done before (it probably has I just haven’t seen it) but I would love a “series” of videos with a spoiler free/spoiler format where the first half is a spoiler free review of a book and the second half is the review with spoilers. I always think after I read a book that I would love to hear what my Booktuber channels think without worrying about spoilers!
Thanks for sharing your plans for the channel in 2025. Of course, I love your videos and look forward to all new content. I don't think there is anything wrong with taking breaks where needed to avoid stress or burnout. Your reviews are so well done and would love to see more in-depth ones. You know I'd watch any video game content. And I eagerly await your flossing goals for the year. 😃
Yay more horror! Also, I wish you all the best with the new goals for your work/life balance. I’ll be here for whatever content and however much you get to put out. 🤍👍🏽
I'm new to watching Booktube this year and I'm so glad I found your channel. I much prefer quality videos and if that means less time on the video length or even just less videos overall I feel it is better. Maybe because I'm a 52 year old woman and in my no fuxs to give stage of my life I say give yourself permission to do what is best for you mentally. If that means filming less or taking breaks or playing video games instead of reading or whatever. Do it! Whatever you do I'm sticking around because as I said I'm really enjoying your content and am looking forward to what you're going to do next year. Happy New Year to you and your family Rachel.
It sounds like you are adjusting to keep TH-cam enjoyable and reading fun in your life👏👏! I found your channel as a sci-fi and nonfiction reader. I'll keep watching regardless of genre as I enjoy your perspective on the books you've read and I've found some good reads because of them. Who knows, maybe I'll expand my genres and try a game or two along the way 😃. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year🎉 You were the first book-tuber that I subscribed to. I have been a fan of you channel for a while now. You have helped me find a lot of new books. My reading goal for 2025 is 200 books. Most of them are going to be audiobooks unfortunately because I work a lot. It keeps my mind busy while doing monotonous tasks and it makes the time fly by. My favorite video game is fallout.
Your videos got me into the Booktube world a couple of months ago, and I certainly thank you for that. Do what you gotta do to be the best and healtiest you. We'll be here to watch when you can post!
Honestly I don’t understand how anyone can read 300 books in a year and still have a life that includes (job, child, partner and friends). I will enjoy your content going forward however you decide to make it. Slow down and enjoy your life. We will be here for you 😊😊.
Echoing others in support of you taking care of yourself. We will be here is you take time off! I like a variety of your videos including focusing on topics, such as why you like dark fiction. But do what interests you and I’ll likely be interested too.
Here for all of the things, though I know that's not helpful. I specifically love videos that point me in the direction of hidden gems that people who are reading a higher volume than I and getting ARCs come across in the fantasy and sci-fi genres.
300 a year! lol - and here I was impressed by my 22. Enjoy your life, do what makes sense to you. My goals all involve writing and being more social, and also more video games. All the best for 2025!
Happy New Year! Types of videos that I really like are your honest wrap ups, and if it's "only" 5 books, and a shorter video, that would actually be my preference; sometimes when there is a 30min video waiting for me I don't watch it immediately, but I have to wait until I find the time. I also like themed videos, such as 4 books with a certain trope. And, I think it would be really interesting to hear about your rereads as well! You are one of the few people that I know reread a lot, and I am very curious what new experience you get from rereads, or if your thoughts have changed about books.
Wow didn’t know you had a kid. Like I said, I like your reviews 🤷🏾♂️. I’m reading old man war right now because of your recommendation. Also bought the first three books in the wheel of time series on the strength of your recommendation so yeah. Of all of the different types of content I watch on TH-cam, your channel of one of the only ones I have notifications turned on for. Look forward to more reviews in the new year.
I enjoy wrapups more, when I don't care too much enough about the books. But with your reading tastes, I would watch individual reviews surely, given some exceptions.
Happy New Year Rachel, I'm a new-ish booktuber (only been doing it for around a year) and I'm already burned out by trying to read a book a week for a video. I'm not a fast reader and I knew going in that it wouldn't be sustainable, I managed to burn myself out at the end of October. I tried to come back at the start of december, and I did a tag video as well, but I'm still feeling anxious about getting back in front of the camera.
🥳 Happy New Year What ever YOU choose to due with your channel content 📕 I will watch . My sister tells me to chilax lol Please due the same for you’re self!!! A will continue to be a fan👍🏻💀👻🛸👽
Five SF reviews would be great! It seems you could go much deeper into the critique. Ten reviews have always seemed to me to be a bit much. I’m always jumping from your channel to Amazon to list an interesting read on my Wishlist then back. A great pain the neck. Reading books of as much as three hundred pages or less sounds great as well. I’ve spent 2024 reading SF series. Some have been so loooong I fumed that the author was taking so much time to end the story. Your goals of reading, reviewing books of three hundred pages and critiquing five books per video is refreshing. Thanks and good luck with your new job.
❤❤ i will always support your habits in any way u choose! 😊 love the way you did this vid. Your job is so stressful! I thinking taking breaks is ok! I come to your channel to see what is new and also to cover books nobody else is talking about. So even if u do a showing of books u got from a publisher without having reviewed them all…. I would still watch. And as i said before you earned breaks. We should make a booktubers week off!! Summer is always a low time so take a whole week off or more! We will watch when u come back!! I totally relate to that end of the year content struggle… its so easy to say “youtube should b fun” when consistently putting out videos for YEARS means it is often not fun. We all appreciate your dedication, but its okay to skip!
I appreciate your introspection. My suggestion is to start a different channel for video gaming. Whatever you do just make sure you're taking care of yourself
I'd certainly prefer 10ish minute video with a couple of books over a long list. But whatever you decide, I'm grateful that you try out so many different kinds of books and provide a good recommendation.
You have permission to actually enjoy your vacations ;) We're not going to all unsubscribe because you "missed" a video :D Good luck with the new year.
Part 2! I know you’re not, but it’s always a shame when a BookTuber does call time. However, I can totally understand the strain. FWIW I prefer shorter length episodes to the longer ones which are more likely to hit the Watch Later queue. They then disappear into the void since I mainly watch from my active and current Subscriptions page. The other bit that surprised me was keeping your regular pace. Uhhh, in my style of viewing I wouldn’t even notice if you dropped episodes or took a week off, simply because I watch what comes out in chronological order. So you pop into my Subscriptions feed as and when, I watch as suits, hence do not pay any attention to regularity or frequency. I watch regularly, but at irregular intervals, IYSWIM.
Don’t kill yourself just because of TH-cam especially since you have another job. I’m looking forward to the next year which I think will be even more exciting than this one though maybe not always in a good way haha. But HNY! (And slow down)⚛❤
It's clear you care a lot and put in a lot of effort, thanks for putting in so much energy for the benefit of bookish strangers. For what it's worth, no matter how much you burn yourself out and ignore your family and sacrifice your free time to read and review books for youtube, there will always be someone posting a shitty comment about how you're not doing 'enough'. There is no amount of your time and energy that will be sufficient to stop entitled dickheads being entitled dickheads, so you might as well look after yourself. Your health and happiness are paramount. In answer to your question, personally I like recommendation videos around a theme (cold horror, space horror, space opera) and I'm unlikely to click things like unpopular opinions. Thanks for all the time and effort you put in... I'm a pretty new sci fi reader and your recs have been hugely valuable in finding books I love :)
Well…. First and foremost, YOU come first. I can’t imagine the work of having a family, job and a TH-cam channel, not to mention finding the time to read (300+?! 🤯) books to support the content. I would be burnt out within a month. I watch every video you post, but favorites are more likely to be wrap ups of what you have read - helps me decide what to pick up! Also upcoming releases that sound good to you. Pace yourself and give yourself time off from this part time job! We can’t afford to have you get burnt out! 😂
I love your videos. My TBR is basically the most interesting (to me) of your reviews. Quality over quantity sounds fine. Take care of yourself! Looking forward to this channel in 2025!
I started out with some of those channels with 100k+ subscribers. Then I found yours and kitty g's channel, for example,...and have never looked back. Kitty g does not post content nearly as much as she used to. Shes is busy with a small child, family, work from what little I know. Her subscriber base is still there. Trilogies and longer series can be done as one total wrap-up(with fewer wrap-ups of course). Horror, thriller and most sci-fi actually lends itself best as stand-alone. Never forget..youtube/booktube is supposed to be fun!👍👍👍📚🤖🚀🐲 Oh, and I play video games too! 🎮
I’m gonna look crazy because I started commenting before I watched the whole video buttt To expand on my previous comment and ones I’ve left before. People stay for you so I think if you make it fun for yourself people are just gonna stay to hang out with you. Maybe a hot take but I don’t think any one hobby should be your entire personality, it’s okay to do other stuff and take us along with you
Thanks for sharing! I love goals videos and appreciate that you will be reading more thrillers in the next year as well as taking the time and steps you need to keep this fun and enjoyable for yourself. Appreciate all your posts and btw i would totally watch your gaming content!
I actually would absolutely love to see some video game content from your channel. It’s extremely hard to find anyone who loves both gaming and books, and no one appreciates all the literary connections I can spot when playing things like jurassic world 2. I feel like you’d quickly spot similar connections in other games.
Honestly, Rachel, I just enjoy hearing you talk about books so the length of the videos doesn't matter to me and if you choose to do stand-alone reviews, series reviews, shorter videos, longer videos, share thoughts on books you've read in the past (rather than recently), etc. I'm on board for all of it.
You should definitely make sure this channel is fun for you!
Appreciate this. Thanks
Really important to remember this youtube thing is supposed to be fun for the creator. 300 books is immense, I thought I was doing well with 140ish. Best of luck with your plans for 2025 Rachel, happy new year! Jon.
I’m proud of my 73 lol
63 🙋♀️😂
You're so right. Thank you
As someone who is watching this while playing video games, I say go for it. I would love to get a booktuber's view on games, maybe treating them more like books and focusing on the narrative?
Thank you for being vulnerable and so happy for you finding balance and happiness in a crazy world. I always love your content and particularly your videos on books that aren't heavily featured on other channels. Everyone is doing the biggest books, but I love how you find so many hidden gems. I hope you have a wonderful new year.
Thanks
Would love to hear your thoughts on the games that you're playing!
Me too
Same!! My main two hobbies are reading and videogames
Love your videos! I'm a 70 yr old woman who loves books and...video games! I would love video game content. I've gotten great book recs from you and would love watching you play or even just talk about games. Happy New Year.
Happy New Years
Bearer of unpopular opinions, but I really enjoy stand alone reviews. That said I'll enjoy whatever content you would like to share, at whatever quantity, and whatever frequency. Take care of yourself and your family, and happy reading !❤
Hey I appreciate that unpopular opinion
Same...I also prefer shorter videos under 10 mins...I do make an exception for your content because it's great
Take care of yourself and family! I'm here for whatever you choose to put on TH-cam. I do like book reccs in all the genres you cover so whatever you choose to do, I'll be keeping up with you.
Thank you
Thanks for all the great tips! (Plus, I care about video games!)
I think it is important to have different hobbies. If I had to read all day, I would go nuts. Happy New Year.
Thanks... happy new years
I love long videos so I would love to hear you rant about a single book. In general I just enjoy listening to you talk about books. The only videos I skip from you are the fantasy focused ones but it's just because I'm not a fantasy reader. I think many would agree with me when I say that I just want you to be happy, healthy and to enjoy your reading. Do what you gotta do.
Thank you
Take care of yourself. This is YOUR channel, so run it the way you want and take breaks when you want. Keep it fun for yourself. I like your channel because you give quality reviews and are more in depth in a way that I can't explain but that I really like. I'm a quality over quantity person myself and I also like stand alone book reviews. And book related videos. And video games. Whatever you post, I'll watch. Happy New Year.
Thank you. Happy new years
Heck yeah! Gaming is a great alternative to add in your hobbies.
I think especially horror fans search out all things horror. So I watch creatives who discuss horror books, movies and then I watch horror game play throughs because I suck at actually playing. Anyway point is I would be interested in any of that content.
I even watched a horror based perfume video 😅
I think there is room for you to do what you enjoy here
Don’t worry about us. We have similar tastes so I will watch whatever you put on. Enjoy reading what you like at your pace. Don’t ruin reading or family or hobbies to make content.
Thanks
Our tastes don't always align but the reach you have is really unmatched. I come for the genre books nobody else is talking about! Love your channel
Thank you
In my (more limited) experience it's really hard to judge which vids will do well and which won't, just gotta put them out there. But on a rhythm you can sustain, and you're totally right to give yourself permission to skip a video as needed. 👍
Very true. It's been hard for me to judge
Love your reviews across all genres! I also like video games, so if you ever decide to do a video on that I will watch it! Thanks for all the awesome content
Thanks
I have to say, before you said it out loud, it never crossed my mind that you (and probably most of the other creators I watch) don't allow yourself to take breaks from content creation. As soon as you said it, it seemed really obvious and something I should have realized long ago. Take a break! I know it's harder said than done, but you deserve it. All of your ideas for next year sounded great to me, and I'm on board for all of it.
I love books but I also enjoy video games, so I'd enjoy content on the games you play. 😊
I have a plan to start playing games this year again - both table top and video games. I would love to know which games you enjoy, which are "safe" to play online, etc. but I'm sure most don't care about that here ☺️I have a longer TBR because I have been doing a similar thing spending more time connecting more with my adopted family and friends. If you have a few less videos so you enjoy yourself even more you have support in that 🥰 Lots of love from the Pacific Northwest 🧡
Thanks. Happy new years
You've done an amazing Job in 2024 looking forward to the 2025 selections !!
FWIW, my ideal video length for "I'm gonna sit down and talk about something" videos is 12.5 minutes. Any shorter and there's not enough depth to be interesting, any longer and the signal:noise ratio starts dropping. Regardless of whatever nonsense YT is doing with their algorithm, quality will always bubble up to the top.
You're by far my fave booktuber. Do whatever you need to do for yourself - I like your taste and analysis, I'm here for it. Do what you need to do to keep yourself sane and happy!
You're kind. Thank you. Appreciate you weighing in
You are doing amazing work! Please take care of yourself first and foremost and we will be here whenever you have the time and/or energy to create content.
Thanks
Definitely take care of yourself! Personally, I feel you are sharing your reading journey with your subscribers. That’s a privilege for us, and we’re not owed a thing.
You asked what brings us to you. I come to your channel to see what books you are excited about. For me, the genres of science fiction and horror are important, as I haven’t found a lot of other channels that I like that cover them. It doesn’t matter a ton to me if it’s a review, top 10, or preview. I like them all.
Anyway, thanks for all of your effort over the years. Hope you have an awesome 2025!
Thank you
I've been a lurker on the channel for years, but I just wanted to come on here to say how much I appreciate all the hard work you have put into the content over the time. I can't thank you enough for all the hours and hours of entertainment and all the amazing recs! Totally support you taking a step back and finding a healthier balance, go live life!! Happy New Year 🥰
Thank you. Happy new year
People forget how narrative video games can be. My spouse prefers those to books.
Thank you for all you have done to make the world a little brighter! I so look forward to your programs and I enjoy going back and looking at your older presentations as well. Yes, take care of yourself and your inner circle of family and friends. Your adoring public will anxiously await whatever you decide to share with us at your convenience. Sending you warm New Year wishes from N.E. Ohio, USA!!!
Thank you... happy new years
To be honest, I’m happy with whatever you want to film and as often as you want to. Most of the creators I follow put out one video a week and they often skip a week when things are busy in their lives. I’d rather watch someone less frequently who is enjoying what they are doing. This is your channel and you have every right to make it fit into your life and do what you enjoy. Happy New Year!
Thanks I appreciate the feedback
First of all, do what you want to keep this fun for you and don’t worry about taking a break for holidays, birthdays, vacations, and definitely if you are sick! I love your book reviews and I prefer shorter videos over longer ones. I love horror and thrillers, so those are the videos that I watch. I do watch your other videos, like discussions, book hauls, new books, etc, but I don’t usually watch the science fiction or fantasy videos because I’m not typically interested.
Thank you
I personally prefer videos under 20 minutes. So short is good with me!
I love your channel and I’ll watch anything you upload. 😊
Thanks. Appreciate it
i rarely play video games but i would appreciate your curation though so i could focus on diving into some good ones.
like there are so many and i dont really want to do the research and experimentation myself.
Thank you and happy new year! Big up yourself on maintaining that balance! FWIW, I would watch a certain amount of video game content of your experience. I play Skyrim and management games on the iPad to de-stress. Thank you for all of your work!
❤❤❤❤❤ Take good care of yourself ❤❤❤❤❤
First of all, I appreciate you being so open about how it affects you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking breaks or posting shorter videos. It doesn't matter if the video is 5 or 15 minutes long. You should post the way you are comfortable with, and if people can't accept that, it's their problem really. TH-cam should be fun! I think we can all relate to losing the spark once in a while. Still, I hope you won't give up on TH-cam altogether.
IDK how many of your viewers would be into video games. But I would be interested to see what kind of game content you would post, if you decide to. I've loved books my entire life and video games since I was about 10, they are my main hobbies. (I play Nintendo by the way). When I was younger, I read more than I played games, now it's the opposite. Neither is superior to the other, nor are they mutually exclusive. Again, I would be interested to check it out if you ever post about games.
Thank you
Please take care of yourself. This is supposed to be fun! I like weekly or monthly wrap ups and deep dives into interesting book or reading related topics
Thank you
I'm excited to see you implement all these goals and changes. Have a fun and fantastic 2025.
Thanks
I would love some more individual reviews! Like a spoiler free and a spoiler section. I love getting a heads up on a book and then coming back to the spoiler part after I’ve read it!
Sounds good
First like 😊. Happy New Year’s Eve and I love your reviews.
🎮 Video games! Yeah!! I too struggle to find the time and have been having fun this 🎄 playing more.
This year I’ve felt more of a need to ‘read 50-100 pages’ each day, which is really hard for me - I read just 44 books (plus a lot of v.short stuff) this year 🫣 - so I get some of the feelings of stress, albeit to a different level.
It’s mainly been BookTube Readalongs that I can’t keep up with, and Readathons that I’d like to join in on but then stress out about, so I’m quitting them for 2025, I think.
Appreciate all the content you make. Take breaks and take care of yourself.
Thank you
Doing booktube videos should always just be fun, I think. Happy New Year’s, Rachel!
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It's going to be OK. I'm excited that you are going to cover shorter books. I haven't been into great big novels since having kids. There are so many shorter, scary books out there.
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First, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
As a follower of the channel I fully understand and support all your decisions. I love the reviews and I discovered so many good books because of your work here. That said, please take care of yourself, spend more time with your family and press yourself that much! Life is too short to have so many worries in your head! So I support you doing things that makes you happy! Take care, enjoy the holidays!😊🇧🇷
Thank you. Happy New Years
Here I was scrambling to get to my 50 book goal this year 😅
I really love seeing your reviews, you're a great presenter. As for content I prefer to see, I will watch anything you put out. I just want to be introduced to all the books out there and your channel is a great way for me to get that.
I appreciate honest reviews, and I've always felt you told things honestly. Please take care of yourself, breaks mean a better you! ❤❤❤
And Happy New Year!!!
Thank you
If you do add video game content, I'd be thrilled to watch. Video games and reading are two of my hobbies that I spend my free time doing most often. I'm glad you are working on finding balance, Rachel- love that you are giving yourself permission to do Booktube in your way that brings you both joy and fulfillment! I am definitely one of those readers that has been ignoring books that I think will be 5 stars, I was thinking about my goals for the New Year and realized just how silly that was so one of my biggest goals is to read books I already own that I think will not only be 5 stars but could also be new all time favorites! :) Happy New Year- I hope you have a great year ahead!!
Thanks. Happy New Years
I love the deeper dives in books and series - especially since I don't have time to read it all 😭 To be honest, I just found you this year and watch all of your videos. I have been out of reading for a few years and you motivate me to get back into the library. 🧡
Thanks
I would love to know what video games you are playing and your thoughts on them. I agree it may not resonate with all your audience but maybe if you fit it into the end of videos or video on if you like this video game try reading this book. After playing games like Fallout, Horizon Zero Dawn, Last of Us it left me with an itch to scratch but it was difficult to finding books with a similar theme and story.
My favorite content on this channel are when you go over several books you have read, give a brief summary and explain what you liked it or what it compares too. Added so many books to my list from this.
Thank you
Flossing is important. Enjoy your New Year!
Omg I would love to watch you play games!!
You're so funny and I love watching games
🖤love the video! and I love gaming especially horror/scfi/fantasy so I think videos on that would be fun 🎮👾🛸
Thanks for sharing - it’s good to get an understanding of what’s going on behind the camera! I find it hard sometimes to process all the books you review in one video, so fewer books per video would be good, and I enjoy single review videos of books you care about.
Appreciate it
I know it might now get as many views, but I really like single book reviews. One of my favorite things to do is watch a spoiler review immediately after I finish a book. I guess that is my way of feeling like I am in a book club lol. I like non-spoiler reviews for when I am trying to decide which book to read.
Appreciate the feedback
I think all of your goals sound great for you and us! I am to the point now that if you and Mike from Mike’s book reviews recommend a book I’m going to read it. So it’s always a little disheartening when I hear you describe a book and then at the end say you didn’t really like it cause it’s automatically off of my tbr most of the time lol. So I feel this will lead us all to, the good fun reads that we all want. Love your channel keep it up.
Thank you
🎆Happy New Year everyone 📚
I haven’t seen this done before (it probably has I just haven’t seen it) but I would love a “series” of videos with a spoiler free/spoiler format where the first half is a spoiler free review of a book and the second half is the review with spoilers. I always think after I read a book that I would love to hear what my Booktuber channels think without worrying about spoilers!
Thanks for sharing your plans for the channel in 2025. Of course, I love your videos and look forward to all new content. I don't think there is anything wrong with taking breaks where needed to avoid stress or burnout. Your reviews are so well done and would love to see more in-depth ones. You know I'd watch any video game content. And I eagerly await your flossing goals for the year. 😃
Yay more horror! Also, I wish you all the best with the new goals for your work/life balance. I’ll be here for whatever content and however much you get to put out. 🤍👍🏽
Thanks
Take care of yourself first... We will be here. 📔📖📘📚
I'm new to watching Booktube this year and I'm so glad I found your channel. I much prefer quality videos and if that means less time on the video length or even just less videos overall I feel it is better.
Maybe because I'm a 52 year old woman and in my no fuxs to give stage of my life I say give yourself permission to do what is best for you mentally. If that means filming less or taking breaks or playing video games instead of reading or whatever. Do it! Whatever you do I'm sticking around because as I said I'm really enjoying your content and am looking forward to what you're going to do next year.
Happy New Year to you and your family Rachel.
Thank you
It sounds like you are adjusting to keep TH-cam enjoyable and reading fun in your life👏👏! I found your channel as a sci-fi and nonfiction reader. I'll keep watching regardless of genre as I enjoy your perspective on the books you've read and I've found some good reads because of them. Who knows, maybe I'll expand my genres and try a game or two along the way 😃. Happy New Year!
Thanks
Happy New Year and remember reading is fun!!
Happy New Year🎉
You were the first book-tuber that I subscribed to. I have been a fan of you channel for a while now. You have helped me find a lot of new books. My reading goal for 2025 is 200 books. Most of them are going to be audiobooks unfortunately because I work a lot. It keeps my mind busy while doing monotonous tasks and it makes the time fly by. My favorite video game is fallout.
Thank you... happy new years
Your videos got me into the Booktube world a couple of months ago, and I certainly thank you for that. Do what you gotta do to be the best and healtiest you. We'll be here to watch when you can post!
Thanks
Have fun and I really appreciate your videos. 👍🏽
Honestly I don’t understand how anyone can read 300 books in a year and still have a life that includes (job, child, partner and friends). I will enjoy your content going forward however you decide to make it. Slow down and enjoy your life. We will be here for you 😊😊.
Echoing others in support of you taking care of yourself. We will be here is you take time off! I like a variety of your videos including focusing on topics, such as why you like dark fiction. But do what interests you and I’ll likely be interested too.
Thank you
Here for all of the things, though I know that's not helpful. I specifically love videos that point me in the direction of hidden gems that people who are reading a higher volume than I and getting ARCs come across in the fantasy and sci-fi genres.
300 a year! lol - and here I was impressed by my 22. Enjoy your life, do what makes sense to you. My goals all involve writing and being more social, and also more video games. All the best for 2025!
Hey that's valid. I read some short fiction that helps that number
Happy New Year! Types of videos that I really like are your honest wrap ups, and if it's "only" 5 books, and a shorter video, that would actually be my preference; sometimes when there is a 30min video waiting for me I don't watch it immediately, but I have to wait until I find the time. I also like themed videos, such as 4 books with a certain trope. And, I think it would be really interesting to hear about your rereads as well! You are one of the few people that I know reread a lot, and I am very curious what new experience you get from rereads, or if your thoughts have changed about books.
Thanks I appreciate the feedback
Wow didn’t know you had a kid. Like I said, I like your reviews 🤷🏾♂️. I’m reading old man war right now because of your recommendation. Also bought the first three books in the wheel of time series on the strength of your recommendation so yeah. Of all of the different types of content I watch on TH-cam, your channel of one of the only ones I have notifications turned on for. Look forward to more reviews in the new year.
Thanks
Your approach sounds great! Enjoy your content very much! Looking forward to what you do in 2025. Thanks much
Thank you
I enjoy wrapups more, when I don't care too much enough about the books. But with your reading tastes, I would watch individual reviews surely, given some exceptions.
Makes sense
Happy New Year Rachel, I'm a new-ish booktuber (only been doing it for around a year) and I'm already burned out by trying to read a book a week for a video. I'm not a fast reader and I knew going in that it wouldn't be sustainable, I managed to burn myself out at the end of October. I tried to come back at the start of december, and I did a tag video as well, but I'm still feeling anxious about getting back in front of the camera.
Sorry you've been burning out. I'd recommend picking video topics (like discussions, tbrs) that don't require always reading
🥳 Happy New Year
What ever YOU choose to due with your channel content 📕 I will watch .
My sister tells me to chilax lol Please due the same for you’re self!!! A will continue to be a fan👍🏻💀👻🛸👽
Thanks
I'd love to see you do a Let's Play of the game Limbo. Or other creepy stuff.
That'd be fun
I would like to hear about the video games you are playing 😊
Five SF reviews would be great! It seems you could go much deeper into the critique. Ten reviews have always seemed to me to be a bit much. I’m always jumping from your channel to Amazon to list an interesting read on my Wishlist then back. A great pain the neck. Reading books of as much as three hundred pages or less sounds great as well. I’ve spent 2024 reading SF series. Some have been so loooong I fumed that the author was taking so much time to end the story. Your goals of reading, reviewing books of three hundred pages and critiquing five books per video is refreshing. Thanks and good luck with your new job.
Thank you. And yes it's hard to provide enough detail is a short review
Id like to see some games and music mixed with books.
❤❤ i will always support your habits in any way u choose! 😊 love the way you did this vid. Your job is so stressful! I thinking taking breaks is ok!
I come to your channel to see what is new and also to cover books nobody else is talking about. So even if u do a showing of books u got from a publisher without having reviewed them all…. I would still watch. And as i said before you earned breaks. We should make a booktubers week off!!
Summer is always a low time so take a whole week off or more! We will watch when u come back!! I totally relate to that end of the year content struggle… its so easy to say “youtube should b fun” when consistently putting out videos for YEARS means it is often not fun. We all appreciate your dedication, but its okay to skip!
Thanks 💕
Changes to channel: I thought we'd get "Whitney goes North to visit Pres. Rachel and peruse book stores."
@ hahaha 😂 that is possible
I come for thrillers/mystery recommendations and books in general. 200 books for me, 300 well done
Thanks
I appreciate your introspection. My suggestion is to start a different channel for video gaming. Whatever you do just make sure you're taking care of yourself
Yeah I wouldn't add it here
Books over people and family any day all day.
😄
I'd certainly prefer 10ish minute video with a couple of books over a long list. But whatever you decide, I'm grateful that you try out so many different kinds of books and provide a good recommendation.
Thanks
You have permission to actually enjoy your vacations ;) We're not going to all unsubscribe because you "missed" a video :D Good luck with the new year.
Thanks
Part 2! I know you’re not, but it’s always a shame when a BookTuber does call time. However, I can totally understand the strain. FWIW I prefer shorter length episodes to the longer ones which are more likely to hit the Watch Later queue. They then disappear into the void since I mainly watch from my active and current Subscriptions page.
The other bit that surprised me was keeping your regular pace. Uhhh, in my style of viewing I wouldn’t even notice if you dropped episodes or took a week off, simply because I watch what comes out in chronological order. So you pop into my Subscriptions feed as and when, I watch as suits, hence do not pay any attention to regularity or frequency. I watch regularly, but at irregular intervals, IYSWIM.
Thanks I have such a weird fear of everyone moving on if a miss a week or even a single video
Don’t kill yourself just because of TH-cam especially since you have another job. I’m looking forward to the next year which I think will be even more exciting than this one though maybe not always in a good way haha. But HNY! (And slow down)⚛❤
Thank you
Great video. I don't know how you do as much as you do. I couldn't do it if I didn't have a job.
Thanks
It's clear you care a lot and put in a lot of effort, thanks for putting in so much energy for the benefit of bookish strangers. For what it's worth, no matter how much you burn yourself out and ignore your family and sacrifice your free time to read and review books for youtube, there will always be someone posting a shitty comment about how you're not doing 'enough'. There is no amount of your time and energy that will be sufficient to stop entitled dickheads being entitled dickheads, so you might as well look after yourself. Your health and happiness are paramount. In answer to your question, personally I like recommendation videos around a theme (cold horror, space horror, space opera) and I'm unlikely to click things like unpopular opinions. Thanks for all the time and effort you put in... I'm a pretty new sci fi reader and your recs have been hugely valuable in finding books I love :)
Thank you. I really appreciate your comment
I'd love to find out what games you're playing. I'm a gamer, too.
Well…. First and foremost, YOU come first. I can’t imagine the work of having a family, job and a TH-cam channel, not to mention finding the time to read (300+?! 🤯) books to support the content. I would be burnt out within a month. I watch every video you post, but favorites are more likely to be wrap ups of what you have read - helps me decide what to pick up! Also upcoming releases that sound good to you. Pace yourself and give yourself time off from this part time job! We can’t afford to have you get burnt out! 😂
Thank you
I love your videos. My TBR is basically the most interesting (to me) of your reviews.
Quality over quantity sounds fine. Take care of yourself!
Looking forward to this channel in 2025!
Thanks
For me I will often watch shorter videos before longer videos since I know I can finish it quickly
Same here as a viewer
I want to see video game content! Always enjoy your videos, Happy New Year x
Happy new year!
I started out with some of those channels with 100k+ subscribers. Then I found yours and kitty g's channel, for example,...and have never looked back. Kitty g does not post content nearly as much as she used to. Shes is busy with a small child, family, work from what little I know. Her subscriber base is still there. Trilogies and longer series can be done as one total wrap-up(with fewer wrap-ups of course). Horror, thriller and most sci-fi actually lends itself best as stand-alone. Never forget..youtube/booktube is supposed to be fun!👍👍👍📚🤖🚀🐲 Oh, and I play video games too! 🎮
Thank you
@TheShadesofOrange 🥳🥳🥳
I’m gonna look crazy because I started commenting before I watched the whole video buttt
To expand on my previous comment and ones I’ve left before. People stay for you so I think if you make it fun for yourself people are just gonna stay to hang out with you. Maybe a hot take but I don’t think any one hobby should be your entire personality, it’s okay to do other stuff and take us along with you
Thank you
Thanks for sharing! I love goals videos and appreciate that you will be reading more thrillers in the next year as well as taking the time and steps you need to keep this fun and enjoyable for yourself. Appreciate all your posts and btw i would totally watch your gaming content!
Thank you
Happy New Year Rachel! I've read so many books from your reviews..Love your channel.🤙
By the way what type of video games do you play?
Cheers!
Mostly storybased stuff with easy modes like Nier Automata & Persona 5