April Reading Wrap-Up
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You should definitely continue in Shades of Magic. The first book is all set up. Books 2 and 3 are SO much fun.
Did I ever think I would hear Kayla saying she thought a book would be better with steam? No, but I am here for it😂
Since you loved The Writing Retreat, I highly recommend The Plot and Who is Maud Dixon? for more fun writerly shenanigans! Also The Villa kinda fits that vibe and it was really fun
So excited for you to read the rest of the darker shade of magic series! The second one has a magical competition if you’re interested :). The last one is definitely my fave because of Holland but honestly I haven’t read it in a few years so you have reminded me to reread it this summer thank you!
I understand completely what you are saying about romances that feel like they are just about the main character's journey, rather than as a romance between two characters. I think the reason this trend is happening is because romance is having a moment as such a mainstream genre and publishers are capitalizing on this trend. I read two "romances" this month that felt very much as if they were only about the main character, Kiss Her Once for Me by Allison Cochrun and If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy. As a side note, I'm hoping you find more romance you like as I like hearing you talk about them! Quite a while ago I read The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle which takes place in British Columbia. It's about a school teacher that falls in love with a bodyguard for Meghan and Harry-type royals that are camped out in B.C. away from the press. It was pretty fun if I recall and thought you might enjoy the B.C. setting. I also want you to read a Jasmine Guillory, not necessarily because I feel like you would like it, but I want to hear your thoughts! They are typically low plot, relaxing contemporary romances (not really rom-coms) and I wonder if you've tried out the low plot, just vibes romances and what you have thought about them. Thanks for your videos! I've recently read several of your recommendations that I wouldn't have picked up otherwise and I have not been disappointed!
It’s interesting because until recently romance was considered like the lesser genre, and so often romance would come packaged as women’s lit to get people to read it, and now it seems like it’s the other way around.
I do personally think a story can focus on one main character and their journey, and still be a romance, because for me I like the variety and sometimes want to dive deeply into one character instead of just read about romance.
@@taylorgayhart9497 So true about women's fiction or as it was previously known "chick lit." One example I can think of from the early 2000s that was more marketed as women's fiction was Bet Me. I have certainly liked some of these that fit more in the women's fiction category but are marketed now as romance, such as One to Watch. However, romance has such a clear formula and romance readers (like myself) go into a romance with clear expectations for the book, that sometimes I end up disappointed when the book does not deliver on fully developing the romance between two characters. This often happens when the book is single POV instead of dual POV.
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone Is my top book so far this year. Absolutely loved everything about it.
"Love you... as a friend" made me giggle
I Loved the writing retreat SO MUCH! Probably my fav book I've read this year
I LOVED Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. If you liked that one, you might like This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us by Edgar Cantero. It's similar to the writing style and a mystery the writer turns on its head. Just a fun roller coaster of entertainment and silliness.
The day has come when we fully agree on a book outside of both of our wheelhouses lol. Half a Soul was just a freaking delight
Thank you for sharing your April reading wrap up with us! Your passion for books is truly infectious, and I always come away from your videos feeling inspired to read more. Your review of 'Half a Soul' by Olivia Atwater was particularly compelling - I had never heard of the book before, but after hearing your thoughts on it, I immediately added it to my to-read list. Your insights into the characters and themes were spot on, and I can't wait for your next video! 🥰✨
my favorite part of every month 🥳
YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! You said the thing! Thank you!
I'm so glad you loved Indian Horse :) one of the most impactful books I've ever read. I bawled at the end. I'd definitely recommend Medicine Walk too if you haven't read that one before. I'm slowly making my way through all of his books, but taking my time because we only have so many published.
Seeing a new video upload from you always makes my day! ❤
I've also only read the first book in the Shades of Magic series, glad to know I'm not the only one with these thoughts!
None of the sequels to "Hitchikers..." are nearly as good as the first one.
I love seeing your tbrs and wrap ups as they help me plot my own tbrs of books that I hadn't gotten to yet. 🥰
“….and they kiss a lot”. Lol - best comment about a book ever. At least you owned that you chose to read it. 😂❤
Yay, another one of kayla's legendary wrap ups!!
This way of organizing the books was so fun! Loved the video, as usal 🥰
(And Kaikeyi has been added directly to my tbr)
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone made me think of you, I'm so glad you liked it too! It was so good
Highly recommend The Plot and The Last Word since you liked The Writing Retreat! Similar vibes
Also highly recommend How to Murder your Employer if you liked Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone. Silly vibes, characters you love, smart/witty jokes/dialogue/prose, etc.
I really enjoyed "A Darker Shade of Magic," but didn't care for the sequels because I liked Kell and the remaining books pivoted toward Lila.
Same!!! Lila was a lil rough lol
I think The Guide is meant to be read after Peter Heller's other novel The River. It's not a sequel exactly, but Jack is one of the main characters in The River also, and I think you would have been a lot more invested in him and his emotions and thoughts if you've read the previous book. I haven't read The Guide yet but since I loved the other book I think I'll get a lot out of it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
i have heard so many good things about half a soul! it looks very good
shades of magic book 1 is definitely just the beginning, book 2 and 3 are SO INTENSE AND FUN
Yay new video and yay Writing Retreat love 😊
Yes. I loved it (except for the story within the story), but so many people have said they didn’t like it.
@@DoubleA-ou7pj I didn't mind the story within the story. The only part I didn't like was the ending but I've just rewritten that mentally haha
I really have to say I just looove watching your wrap-ups after an exhausting day 💜
The 2nd book in the Darker Shade of Magic involves a competition..
I read Everyone in my Family and loved it! Seriously, I can't wait for the next one.
k bye love you... as a friend. 🥲
I'm so glad you finally read Indian Horse and that you loved it!
Ken Liu who wrote The Hidden Girl in the Book of Swords has written multiple of his own anthologies! One of which is titled The Hidden Girl and other stories, I don't know if it's the same story because i haven't read either book, but just wanted to put this information here in case you found it helpful 🤗
Yes! Also The Paper Menagerie which is incredible
Indian Horse is a amazing and honest story, I watched the movie.
I read The Love Hypothesis, and I work in academia, and the academia mistakes kept pulling me out of the story and bugging me (to be fair I hated a lot of stuff about that book). So I understand your issues with your job being misrepresented. It's just incredibly annoying and it makes it hard for me to focus on the plot and characters. I always love your videos, and how many different things you read.
Yeah, I dnf'd Love On The Brain because of how much she was getting wrong about NASA. It just made it annoying instead of fun.
Love your hair in this vid!! Lush!! Xx
Can you next oder which cast members (of tastmaster Australia) will love those books?
‼️ Picked Up The Writing Retreat 😭 I Needed a Cheesy Mystery can’t wait to read, Thanks Kayla
Listen, I totally agree about The Guide by Peter Heller, but try his other book The River! 😆 It is Canadian Wilderness. Way better. ❤
Can you do a wrap organised by what you like and dislike in books in terms of rating, if that makes sense. So maybe put into the categories of books you thought you'd love because it includes something you enjoy but in order of rating.
“Love you…As a friend”. 😂😂
Personally, I’m not sure if Before I Let Go should be classified as a romance because I feel like it diminishes so much of what Kennedy Ryan did. I absolutely loved it though. The Black mental health rep and discussion of grief is so important to the Black community and I appreciate and love the conversations it has brought since its release.
Yes!!! 5 stars plus some for Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Clever, quick, and even surprising through the epilogue!! Oh, and We've Got To Do Somtething was very good and surprising, I definitely felt it was sinister..eeeek!
I gave Half A Soul 4 stars I really enjoyed it.
OMG!!!! I was just trying to remember that book “The Chocolate Touch “ last week. I loved it as a child but hadn’t thought about it until last week and couldn’t think of the name. Weird.
You might not have cared about Jack so much in The Guide because it's actually a sequel to The River, which introduces the character. He goes through something in that that largely informs his actions in The Guide. But I would recommend The Dog Stars by Peter Heller most of all, especially since you like non-urgent apocalypse stories.
Love you too 😘
I read K.J. Parker and Daniel Abraham. I think you would like The Last Witness by Parker (novella). You might also really like the Long Price Quartet by Abraham. It's hard to find but there are copies on pango books. Some are books 1/2 and 3/4 in 2 books.
Also Academic Exercises short story collection by Parker
And Ebay
The end 🤣
The Guide had promise but the entire last part of the book went off the rails! I loved his writing about nature though - I know he writes some nonfiction and wouldn't mind checking that out. I also LOVED Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone! Really different and funny!
❤hello from British Columbia Canada ❤❤❤❤
💜💜
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Yay!
I love the color of your hair 🤗
YES I LOVED EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE it was so shockingly amazing
the second book in the Set on You series is much better if u want to give that one a go…
ayeeeee
If this makes sense, you could organize books based on mood of the book.
I never seemed before I let go described that way 😂😂 I read the arc and loved it, but then other people's reviews ruined it for me kinda lll
Half a Soul FTW
Unfortunately I DNFed the writing retreat. Glad you enjoyed it though
🤩
Based on the fact you liked K.J Parker and Abrahams, you might like Stoner by John Williams
We need to do something sounds interesting! 👀
Is the VE Schwartz book YA?
The Plot and Who is Maud Dixon? sound maybe adjacent to the writing retreat
Kayla, you’re so coolio 💛
I wanna read Everyone in my family has killed someone!
I thought The Writing Retreat was a mess. The dates were all over the place, no one fact checked anything. Really took me out of the reading flow
Exactly! Mom born in a concentration camp.....what? That's just one of many....ugh
@@doridoo5715 yes thank you! It was so clearly for the plot only and no one bothered to check if that made any sense
It was one of the worst books I've ever read. Normally me and Kayla have such similar tastes and ratings, so I was STUNNED that she gave it a 5!! No shade whatsoever, we all have different tastes... but man I loathed that book lol. I could not get passed the plot errors and problematicness...
I agree, it was so bad. I can't even count the ways in which it irritated me. I can't understand how it gets such rave reviews. It's so bad that I don't even want to donate the book and pass it on to someone else for free.
I didn’t like it that much either. It definitely had problematic elements, like something about a Nazi. I think it had the potential to be good, but it wasn’t.
i hated the writing retreat. characters unlikable, plot became boring, hated the inserts of the story the main girl was writing, and as a gay girlie myself i am sick and tired of the "lesbians are predatory" trope or using queerness as a plot twist.
ratings should be subjective! books hit different for everyone! idk about everyone else but I’m here to hear what YOU have to say about books, so don’t worry so much about what a five star “should” or “shouldn’t” be 🤠🫶