Here's how I'll always remember Jennifer with bright eyes open and ferociously fluent and attractively dressed. Sharing her intensity yet in last bright months. She was so genuine and vibrant about her faves. I liked her intensity in recommending and thank God we have these lovely videos. I always marveled how easily and rapidly though clearly she spoke. So articulate and passionate about her likes. I' d often hasten to Library to check them out or buy around block.
"What's the plot here? Who cares?" 😂I loved hearing your passion for these books. Now I want to sit back and think about my own favorites. And I agree about revisiting your favorites list every year. I need to start doing that, too.
Jane Eyre is my absolute favorite of all time. Ah, Interview!! I remember discovering it at the library and devouring it! I was about 12/13 at the time. Definitely time for a reread!
I’m really bad at picking favourites this year let alone favourites of all time. If I base it on books I reread a lot (in double digits) then I’m looking at books such as Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan saga including highlights like Memory and Komarr; anything by Jane Austen including the under rated joy that is Northanger Abbey; A gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles; To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis; The infernal Devices and The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare; the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde. I could go on, but won’t, because there are so many books I regularly return to because I crave the comfort of a story, characters and writing that resonates with my brain. Thank you for sharing your favourites with us.
Off the top of my head here are my top The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough and Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
I read Daughter of the Forest for the first time this summer, and I still think about it! All the characters are so memorable and heartbreaking in their trajectory. The way her relationship with her brothers changes throughout the book was so satisfying because everyone is transformed by the events of the book. Ugh!!!!! It was so good!! LOL
Some really solid choices you have mentioned although i have only read 6 of these. The one exception for me was Booth. It just landed with a thud for me and I feel Karen Joy Fowler lost her way about midway through. The Wolf Hall Trilogy is brilliant as well as all of Bernard Cornwell. His Sharpe series is my favourite just slightly ahead of the Last Kingdom perhaps because I prefer the Napoleonic era and it reminds me of the other great series by Patrick O'Brian, the Aubrey/Maturin books.
Loved seeing your top faves! I’ve been wanting to reread Interview. I read it as a teen also and it just became my persona for a while. 😂 Loved loved loved MBFE!! The ending always makes me cry. *totally agree- Blood, Sweat and Tears is BTSs best song.
Great video. I have loved many of these books, including Interview With the Vampire which was my favorite book for yours. Every time you speak about Demian, you convince me I need to pick it up. I’m a sucker for gorgeous prose.
I recently reread "Interview with the Vampire" and forgot what an amazing book it was! Your description of "Demian" sounds really interesting; I'll definitely be checking that out next time I'm book shopping. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh I love Daughter of the Forest so much, there's just something about that original trilogy that is just 💕! That is one book from your list that would also make a top 10 for me if I had to make one right now! I've eyed Tana French for a long time but haven't ever picked one up. Wolf Hall, too!
Some of my favorites include: As You Wish by Cary Elwes, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, The Field of Blood by Joanne Freeman, Revolutionary Backlash by Rosemarie Zagarri, Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes DuMez, They Were Her Property by Stephanie Jones-Rodgers, The Soul of An Octopus by Sy Montgomery, Floating Coast by Bathsheba Demuth, The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Sons of the Waves by Stephen Taylor, On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross, Here if You Need Me by Kate Braestrup, Red Notice by Bill Browder, Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe, Hero of Two Worlds by Mike Duncan, The Russian Affair by David Walsh, Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen, and Games Without Rules The Often Interrupted History of Afghanistan by Tamim Ansary.
I don't think I've seen a better video from you...or anyone else to be honest! Ok there are so many books on your list of favs that I already own or have on my tbr. I needed the nudge to bump them back up, I forget so often about how much I wanted to read certain books because I chase squirrels all the time when it comes to reading ...THANK you so much. I read the first Interview with a Vampire never read the others now I did LOVE her The Witching Hour its in my top 10 of all times
There are so many on your list that's on my TBR...this gives me extra incentive to finally read them! Thanks! Daughter of the Forest is a truly unforgettable story. I read it years ago and was CAPTIVATED by it. The entire series is great but that first book, ugh, it hits hard and so beautifully done. Terrific video. Love hearing how you describe your reading experiences. Superb.
Im with you on Uhtred 😍💔 but i only watched the series.. (which i loved). Sooo many i would like to read here, inc Booth & Interview (despite the movie not making a huge impression in my 20s).. the audio sounds really good actually! Hesse's N&Goldmun is on my shelf 🤞🤓😊
Jennifer! I've been catching up on your videos and I just have to let you know again how enjoyable they are! I don't always comment but just know I always watch (even if I'm a bit late) ☺ Though you say it's easier to talk about things you don't like and to critique them than it is to talk about things you love (I agree), you really are good at talking about books and their concepts overall! Just enough detail and said in an intriguing way. Also little interjections and comments you make are so funny! "My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix- please don't click off; I would find myself thinking about Sorcha for months afterwards like, I wonder how she's doing, I should check in with her- like she's real!; My mom told me, 'You know that's a book?' 'What? A book?!'"
My favorite book of all time are Master and Margarita from Bulgakov. Love interview with a vampire and there is an actual vampire at Bulgakov, but in a small role. Rearly reading series but Mantel I will. Maybe it could be.nice to make some movie adaptation of Earthsee from Le Gvin.
I also love the Grady Hendrix. I heard that he raided his wife's journals from that age to get that authenticity. Do you think the Marillier would be okay for 12/13 yo girl? Spicy at all? We aren't worried about gore haha. I probably should get to it first myself but she's into the fantasy right now.
Siddhartha is brilliant Jennifer..i read it after Demian and i only read that coz of your vlog. I actually cried at the end of Siddhartha. Btw did you watch the new TV adaptation of Interview with the Vampire with Grey worm drom Game of thrones? So so good!
Hi, congratulations for your reviews. I was really struck by the beauty of "Motion Detection", a thriller book that I found by chance on Amz while looking for a new book. The cover intrigued me, it's an unusual book with a spectacular ending, I highly recommend it!
The Infernal Devices was the first series in the Shadowhunters books that I read, and having then read all the other books, I’m really happy these three were my introduction to the world. Of the various series within the overall series, my ranking is currently - The Infernal Devices (3 books), The Last hours (3 books), The Dark Artifices (3 books), Tales of the Shadowmarket(short stories focussed around one of the characters from Infernal Devices), The Mortal Instruments (6 books, 2 trilogies), various other stand alones and short story collections.
It's odd how being forced to read a great book at the wrong age can put you off an author for life, isn't it? I think only Shakespeare survived that for me. We did MacBeth for O Grade English (I was 15) and Hamlet for our Higher English (I was 16), and I loved Shakespeare ever after, but It took me years to revisit Arthur Miller, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, and the others. And my loathing of DH Lawrence has remained with me for a lifetime! I read Interview With A Vampire in my late teens (around 1981) and enjoyed it. I then read The Hunger a couple of years later, and I don't think I read a vampire story again 😄😄 Now there's a book that REALLY deals with eternal "life", love and exploitation. Definitely no sparkly vampires there!
Here's how I'll always remember Jennifer with bright eyes open and ferociously fluent and attractively dressed. Sharing her intensity yet in last bright months. She was so genuine and vibrant about her faves. I liked her intensity in recommending and thank God we have these lovely videos. I always marveled how easily and rapidly though clearly she spoke. So articulate and passionate about her likes. I' d often hasten to Library to check them out or buy around block.
I miss her vibrant and intelligent personality so much. She is still my go to when I need a bookish pick me up.
“I think about this series once a day. This is my Roman Empire” 😂😂
"What's the plot here? Who cares?" 😂I loved hearing your passion for these books. Now I want to sit back and think about my own favorites. And I agree about revisiting your favorites list every year. I need to start doing that, too.
Uhtred lives!
Hands down my favorite character ever. Cornwell found the magic for this series.
Jane Eyre is my absolute favorite of all time. Ah, Interview!! I remember discovering it at the library and devouring it! I was about 12/13 at the time. Definitely time for a reread!
I’m really bad at picking favourites this year let alone favourites of all time. If I base it on books I reread a lot (in double digits) then I’m looking at books such as Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan saga including highlights like Memory and Komarr; anything by Jane Austen including the under rated joy that is Northanger Abbey; A gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles; To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis; The infernal Devices and The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare; the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde. I could go on, but won’t, because there are so many books I regularly return to because I crave the comfort of a story, characters and writing that resonates with my brain. Thank you for sharing your favourites with us.
Off the top of my head here are my top The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough and Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
I read Daughter of the Forest for the first time this summer, and I still think about it! All the characters are so memorable and heartbreaking in their trajectory. The way her relationship with her brothers changes throughout the book was so satisfying because everyone is transformed by the events of the book. Ugh!!!!! It was so good!! LOL
Some really solid choices you have mentioned although i have only read 6 of these. The one exception for me was Booth. It just landed with a thud for me and I feel Karen Joy Fowler lost her way about midway through. The Wolf Hall Trilogy is brilliant as well as all of Bernard Cornwell. His Sharpe series is my favourite just slightly ahead of the Last Kingdom perhaps because I prefer the Napoleonic era and it reminds me of the other great series by Patrick O'Brian, the Aubrey/Maturin books.
Loved seeing your top faves! I’ve been wanting to reread Interview. I read it as a teen also and it just became my persona for a while. 😂 Loved loved loved MBFE!! The ending always makes me cry.
*totally agree- Blood, Sweat and Tears is BTSs best song.
I want to reread Interview, because I read years ago, but barely remember it.
Great video. I have loved many of these books, including Interview With the Vampire which was my favorite book for yours. Every time you speak about Demian, you convince me I need to pick it up. I’m a sucker for gorgeous prose.
I love how early your videos post, as I watch/ listen to them as I’m getting read for work. It’s always a great start to the day 🤎
Same. Gives me ideas!!!
Well, this is an instant "must-see" video! 😊
I recently reread "Interview with the Vampire" and forgot what an amazing book it was! Your description of "Demian" sounds really interesting; I'll definitely be checking that out next time I'm book shopping. Thanks for sharing!
Time flies! Can’t believe the last time you covered this topic was 2019 🙈
What a great topic for a video 😊
Oh my gosh I love Daughter of the Forest so much, there's just something about that original trilogy that is just 💕! That is one book from your list that would also make a top 10 for me if I had to make one right now! I've eyed Tana French for a long time but haven't ever picked one up. Wolf Hall, too!
Some of my favorites include: As You Wish by Cary Elwes, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, The Field of Blood by Joanne Freeman, Revolutionary Backlash by Rosemarie Zagarri, Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes DuMez, They Were Her Property by Stephanie Jones-Rodgers, The Soul of An Octopus by Sy Montgomery, Floating Coast by Bathsheba Demuth, The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Sons of the Waves by Stephen Taylor, On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross, Here if You Need Me by Kate Braestrup, Red Notice by Bill Browder, Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe, Hero of Two Worlds by Mike Duncan, The Russian Affair by David Walsh, Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen, and Games Without Rules The Often Interrupted History of Afghanistan by Tamim Ansary.
I don't think I've seen a better video from you...or anyone else to be honest!
Ok there are so many books on your list of favs that I already own or have on my tbr. I needed the nudge to bump them back up, I forget so often about how much I wanted to read certain books because I chase squirrels all the time when it comes to reading ...THANK you so much. I read the first Interview with a Vampire never read the others now I did LOVE her The Witching Hour its in my top 10 of all times
There are so many on your list that's on my TBR...this gives me extra incentive to finally read them! Thanks!
Daughter of the Forest is a truly unforgettable story. I read it years ago and was CAPTIVATED by it. The entire series is great but that first book, ugh, it hits hard and so beautifully done.
Terrific video. Love hearing how you describe your reading experiences. Superb.
Love this! Interview with the Vampire is one of my favourite books ever. People always look at me like i'm weird when I say that but I don't care.
Yes, I loved the whole series!
Demian is one of my favorite books too! I think you should try Siddhartha again - I read it for the first time after Demian and loved it as well
Ooh just added Demian to my tbr! I remember enjoying Siddhartha and always meant to go back and read more Hesse
Really interesting selection of books. I haven’t read any of these yet.
How about Octavia Randolph's Circle of Ceridwin saga? I haven't heard you mention that viking series. It's a favorite of mine.
Im with you on Uhtred 😍💔 but i only watched the series.. (which i loved). Sooo many i would like to read here, inc Booth & Interview (despite the movie not making a huge impression in my 20s).. the audio sounds really good actually! Hesse's N&Goldmun is on my shelf 🤞🤓😊
Jennifer! I've been catching up on your videos and I just have to let you know again how enjoyable they are! I don't always comment but just know I always watch (even if I'm a bit late) ☺ Though you say it's easier to talk about things you don't like and to critique them than it is to talk about things you love (I agree), you really are good at talking about books and their concepts overall! Just enough detail and said in an intriguing way. Also little interjections and comments you make are so funny! "My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix- please don't click off; I would find myself thinking about Sorcha for months afterwards like, I wonder how she's doing, I should check in with her- like she's real!; My mom told me, 'You know that's a book?' 'What? A book?!'"
Thank you Jennifer!
2nd! You're awesome, Jennifer!
Raiding the video from the Notification Fyrd!
Can Wolf Hall stand alone or do you have to read all three?
Loved this! ❤
I also love Uhtred and the "Vikings" TV series.
My favorite book of all time are Master and Margarita from Bulgakov. Love interview with a vampire and there is an actual vampire at Bulgakov, but in a small role. Rearly reading series but Mantel I will. Maybe it could be.nice to make some movie adaptation of Earthsee from Le Gvin.
Just picked up Demian!
While I love Interview with the Vampire The Witching Hour is my favorite!
the darkling is my roman empire tbh 😩
I also love the Grady Hendrix. I heard that he raided his wife's journals from that age to get that authenticity. Do you think the Marillier would be okay for 12/13 yo girl? Spicy at all? We aren't worried about gore haha. I probably should get to it first myself but she's into the fantasy right now.
Siddhartha is brilliant Jennifer..i read it after Demian and i only read that coz of your vlog. I actually cried at the end of Siddhartha.
Btw did you watch the new TV adaptation of Interview with the Vampire with Grey worm drom Game of thrones? So so good!
Hi, congratulations for your reviews. I was really struck by the beauty of "Motion Detection", a thriller book that I found by chance on Amz while looking for a new book. The cover intrigued me, it's an unusual book with a spectacular ending, I highly recommend it!
Speaking of vampires, have you read Justin Cronin's post-apocalyptic/horror trilogy "The Passage"? Great review, btw!🧡
😊
Do I need to read the other shadowhunters books to read the Infernal Devices?
The Infernal Devices was the first series in the Shadowhunters books that I read, and having then read all the other books, I’m really happy these three were my introduction to the world. Of the various series within the overall series, my ranking is currently - The Infernal Devices (3 books), The Last hours (3 books), The Dark Artifices (3 books), Tales of the Shadowmarket(short stories focussed around one of the characters from Infernal Devices), The Mortal Instruments (6 books, 2 trilogies), various other stand alones and short story collections.
no, you don't! they're the rare series of hers that stands alone. if you love that trilogy, you can move onto her other series!
Did you continue the Juliet Marillier series? I've heard mixed things on the other books.
It's odd how being forced to read a great book at the wrong age can put you off an author for life, isn't it? I think only Shakespeare survived that for me. We did MacBeth for O Grade English (I was 15) and Hamlet for our Higher English (I was 16), and I loved Shakespeare ever after, but It took me years to revisit Arthur Miller, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, and the others. And my loathing of DH Lawrence has remained with me for a lifetime!
I read Interview With A Vampire in my late teens (around 1981) and enjoyed it. I then read The Hunger a couple of years later, and I don't think I read a vampire story again 😄😄 Now there's a book that REALLY deals with eternal "life", love and exploitation. Definitely no sparkly vampires there!
You are so gorgeous