Great list! You've reminded me that I need to get back to Saga, am about 4 volumes in and need to source the next few! Wonderful story and artwork. You have convinced me that I need to give Discworld another go -- I read one when I was about fourteen and didn't get on with it. It was The Colour of Magic though, so that might have been why! I have now been and watched your 'where to start with Discworld' video, as instructed 😉-- that was really useful, thank you! I think I might start with Small Gods, as that premise really intrigues me. Reminds me of elements of City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky, that I read recently and absolutely loved. If you've not read that, I highly recommend it -- might be up your street. Beans on toast - yes! Total comfort food. For an extra level of decadence (not that beans on toast isn't decadent enough on it's own), may I recommend grilling a slice of Mexicana cheese onto the toast before whacking the beans on top... 👌
I’ve been really fortunate that I found all the volumes of Saga on Libby recently and they were available so I am now on volume seven! Glad to convince you to give Discworld another go - even Terry Pratchett himself has said that you shouldn’t start with the Colour of Magic. Small gods is excellent and I really hope you enjoy it if you get to it. Thank you for the recommendation. I really do need to read some Adrian Tchaikovsky! And thank you for the recommendation for beans on toast that actually sounds brilliant. My decadent beans on toast involves adding a layer of marmite on the toast as well as cheese on top. As if you couldn’t get more salty then just marmite on its own!😂
What a great list! Cloud Cuckoo Land was my favorite in the year that I read it and it's been high on my reread list ever since. Thanks for the reminder.....it's time!
So I picked up Cloud Cuckoo Land just recently at a thrift store and it is on my TBR for this year, you have me more excited for it now! I read about half way through Shogun before watching the series on Hulu with my husband and it took all the steam out of me finishing it... everyone that has read it raves so maybe I will give it another go! Loved the video😊
So pleased you enjoyed the video! I do hope you enjoy Shogun if you go back to it. Though I am all too familiar with the difficulties of returning to a big book one you lose momentum with it! CCL is great - enjoy!
@spreadbookjoy you are a food genius! A life ambition now is that we meet to read Middlegrade and Pratchett together and co-create a video explaining to our US frirnds the correct way to eat marmite so it is enjoyable lol 😆💜📚
This is such a lovely video, Jack. I love that your top book of the year was Cloud Cuckoo Land, one of Alice's favorite books. What a wonderful tribute to her as well.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 thanks Pat - it was such a wonderful end to my reading year to finish with one of Alice‘s favourite books and to love it so much.
What a lovely bunch of coconuts… er, books! Thanks for sharing your faves. El Deafo and A Suitable Boy are both so good! I have a request in at the library for Cloud Cuckoo Land; definitely looking forward to that.
I'm glad you enjoyed the Highate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro, there is a fourth book in the Tate and Bell series due for publication in February, I have the Net Galley ARC (Murder at the Orpheus Theatre), I've enjoyed every book in the series so far.
@spreadbookjoy I am glad you liked it. I love the two protagonists and I like how the author shows the struggle for nurses returning from the Crimean War when they return to London society.
@@crystaljordan7318 it was my first one of hers but it’s a been on my TBR for a few years now so not a recent one. Definitely want to read more by her! Do you have a favourite?
@spreadbookjoy I read The Secret of Nightingale Wood first and quickly followed up with Our Castle By the Sea. Both were 4 star reads for me. A couple years later I read the Ghost of Gossamer Lake. It was not as compelling in my opinion, but still a good story. I have not read the one you shared. I will have to check to see if my library has added any more. Thanks!
I love the way you’ve structured this! All of the kids books I am adding to my TBR! Shogun was so close to my top spot, any other year and it would have been a winner. Yay for Saga 🎉 I can’t believe I still haven’t read Mrs M Hurst, I really need to remedy that!
@@GemofBooks every single kids book on this list is a winner for me. Saga has been so great, thank you for sending me that for Christmas. Yes, you definitely need to read Katie’s book!
I finished Whisperwicks, thanks for the recommendation 😊 The highgate cemetery murder i put on my list a couple of days ago, great to hear its a good one :) Omg! I just made a video saying i want to get to the Montgomery hurst book 😮😅 We miss Alice presence in Christiefest too😢
Alice has left a really big hole in lots of people’s lives. Really glad you enjoyed The Whisperwicks! I think you’re going to love the Highgate Cemetery Murder as well. Happy reading, Julie!
@@BookishAdventuresInWellbeing it’s such a pleasurable thing to do. Barbara Pym is such a great writer - I hope you enjoy her books if you get to them!
Shogun might have to go on my TBR. Thankful for Lindy for taking on A Suitable Boy. Will get back to it one day. How to Say Babylon is on my radar. Alice would approve of your fave! 😊💙
I'm from Hawaii and have never heard of beans on toast, but you inspired me to try it!!! 😄 I'm going to look up some recipes to make it. All of the books that you shared sound so intriguing! I'm going to add them all to my tbr 📚 thanks for a great video!
@@beyondtherequiredreading beans on toast is classic British comfort food! I like to put grated cheese on top and (even more British) I like Marmite on the toast. I’m glad you found some books that you’re interested in as I definitely found some on your channel. Thanks for stopping by and watching!
Such a wonderful read - hope you get to it soon! A Suitable Boy is truly one of the great 20th century novels. I hope he gets around to publishing A Suitable Girl at some point!
Hello dear Jack, I so enjoyed your 2024 best of video. You know I’m terrified of big books, but you have convinced me to finally read a suitable boy possibly an audio. I’m also interested, of course in your mystery book. I love detective dark mysteries. The sweet Dove died was also in my best of 2024 and I loved reading it with you. I’ve read all of her books and yes, I’m obsessed. I’m also interested in how to say Babylon, and a few others you mentioned. I’m making a great list of all of my favorite creators. Best of 2024. Yes, sorry, being on toast sounds on appealing but beans on rice if it’s made Puerto Rican style is one of my favorite comfort foods although I don’t eat it that much anymore. However, tea and toast with jam sounds fantastic. I’ll even try a scone. Happy new year, my dear friend. Aloha
@@MarilynMayaMendoza tea and toast with jam it’s such a treat. Glad you enjoyed the video Marilyn. You should definitely try a suitable boy on audio. It’s a huge 60 hour book but if you think of it as a radio show or play, which is how I like to think of it when I was listening to it, then it is such a fun, engaging audiobook. The way that Vikram Seth writes characters is something that I definitely appreciated as an Austen and Barbara Pym fan. All of these best of 2024 videos have increased my wish list!
Hi Jack - yea Canada 🇨🇦 I have yet to read Terry Pratchett. I read LOTR decades ago, seen the movies several times, do a marathon day. May read the books again this year, if I can squeeze them in. Glad you had such wonderful reads this past year. Wishing you all the best in 2025 💖
Now I realise how good a choice I made when I picked Guards Guards as my answer for your prompt on my tag 😆The Fellowship of The Ring is my favourite too, and I'm also halfway through the Andy Serkis audiobook of Two Towers, which I haven't read for years and am loving his narration. I'm making my way through Barbara Pym's books but i don't have that one yet, so one to look forward to!
@@AaronReadABook you really picked a great choice! I am blown away by Andy Circus’s performance on those audiobooks. I have two more Barbara Pym books on my TBR and I’m really looking forward to getting to them. Such a talented writer.
A great list, very much looking forward to getting to many if the ones I haven't read on your list. My.line manager has been raving about podkin the one earlier for years as his kids loved the series. I ended up getting it for at least one of my nieces and plan to get it for mine when he's a little older. I have just watched shogun and definitely want to get to it this year if I can. I'm also planning on listening to fellowship of the ring and getting to the two towers this year for my shame read on ben reads good as I lost the will to continue with the tom bombadil sections, I now feel prepared to it to be the same, so thanks for mentioning it. Strong female character is soon good, it was a favourite of last year for me and all of the things you said.
@@jillybeanh67 Podkin and the next two books in that series were such pleasurable reads for me. If I’d read them as a child, they would have been all time favourites. Can’t blame you on giving up on Tom Bombadil - it’s such a slog and never gets better for me. Even Andy Serkis couldn’t make it enjoyable! Get through that and the endless songs (I am not a fan of those either and they aren’t necessary for the plot so I just skip them) and the rest is a joy!
Love that you have been Re-reading and sharing with us. I need to read that Pratchett Biography. Yes re-read Trouble Mrs M Hurst. You have me very excited to read Cloud Cuckoo Land, which i recently acquired due to Alice. The fact you and Gem loved it so much too and it topped your list, is very exciting. Will be watchung your live afterwards. Waterstones have gorgeous postcards for free with Whisperwicks quotes! So excited. I loved Sisters of the Lost Marsh and read her latest release, historical gothic thriller adventures she clearly excells at. I loved Keedie. I am also late to the Podkin party, booktubefriend Stacy and her daughter having been loving the series! Be more hedgehog caught my eye sounds like that and El-Deafo will be great for Spoonies 💜📚
I had to talk about the rereading this year because it’s been so enjoyable for me. As it is every year, I rarely talk about it in my best of videos. You will love Cloud Cuckoo Land. I have no doubt. Didn’t realise Waterstone’s had some postcards for The Whisperwicks so I will have to try and get some next time I’m there. All of the middle grade ones I mentioned in this video were just outstanding. Podkin series is one that will just get inside your heart.
Thanks Ros. I really wanted to include them this year as I have really needed comforting, easy, entertaining books as well as the five star ones that will stay with me. They really aren't comparable so felt they need a category!
@@BookishTexan I really hope you enjoy Shogun if you do manage to get a copy. Katie‘s book seems to have been on quite a lot of ‘best of 2024’ lists. And rightly so!
🐛It's so touching how you speak of Alice in this video. I have a copy of Cloud Cuckoo Land that remains unread. You've encouraged me to bump it up the list this year. I love how eclectic your list of favorites is. I've had The Whisperwicks on my wish list for a while; very glad to see it get a rave review. And I'm not at all surprised to see How to Say Babylon on your list of favorites. That was such a powerful, moving read. Wishing you a joy-filled reading year in 2025!
@@hellobookworm thank you so much! I really do hope you enjoy Cloud Cuckoo Land when you get to it. I’m such an eclectic reader that I often think it probably hinders my channel as I don’t really have that much of a niche, aside from children’s books. However, reading widely is such a joy. I wish you a happy reading in 2025 as well!
@@spreadbookjoy 🐛I'm the same way. I read widely and don't specialize in a niche, but I can't help it. There are just too many wonderful books being written for various age groups and types of reader that I can't help but sample them all. I used to manage and do the buying for an indie bookstore that specialized in children's literature. Middle-grade fiction was always my sweet spot. So even as a childfree adult, I still love to read it. 🥰 For your next middle-grade read, I highly recommend Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas. It's one of my all-time favorites; one of those books I read again and again.
I just started How to Be More Hedgehog! I liked Fern Brady’s memoir as well. I work in psychology, and we need more voices like Brady’s to talk about autism in females. Definitely miss Alice’s smiling face on booktube. ❤️ I need to get to Cloud Cuckoo Land.
@@Michelelynnreads I’m so pleased to hear someone reading how to be more hedgehog - what a lovely book and a great awareness for stammering. Fern Brady‘s book was so honest and informative. I think it should be required reading for anyone working with young people!
Shogun was my favourite book of 2023. And A Suitable Boy my one of my favourites of 2025. I also adored Cloud Cuckoo Land, it was the first book I finished this year, for FOMO bookclub. So if you like all those books, and I like al those books, then maybe I should give LOTR a go... Nice list. And I hope you will find many new favourites this year. :)
@@-ParisTexas- if you enjoy fantasy and adventure and if you liked the films, you should definitely give it a go. Some people find it a little slow and there are some sections that I’m not fond of (Tolkien loves to get his characters singing songs!) but it is a classic for a good reason. I find it gets better each time I read it!
@ Adventure yes, fantasy is not my gem. And I only ever attempted to watch one of the movies... I fell asleep in the first 10 minutes 😴😂 But we definitely have overlapping taste in other books, so who knows. I should at least give it a chance.
Love lists classified by genre. 🎉
CCL being number one... 😭🧡
Thank you - it was very emotional for me as well!❤
Great list! You've reminded me that I need to get back to Saga, am about 4 volumes in and need to source the next few! Wonderful story and artwork.
You have convinced me that I need to give Discworld another go -- I read one when I was about fourteen and didn't get on with it. It was The Colour of Magic though, so that might have been why! I have now been and watched your 'where to start with Discworld' video, as instructed 😉-- that was really useful, thank you! I think I might start with Small Gods, as that premise really intrigues me. Reminds me of elements of City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky, that I read recently and absolutely loved. If you've not read that, I highly recommend it -- might be up your street.
Beans on toast - yes! Total comfort food. For an extra level of decadence (not that beans on toast isn't decadent enough on it's own), may I recommend grilling a slice of Mexicana cheese onto the toast before whacking the beans on top... 👌
I’ve been really fortunate that I found all the volumes of Saga on Libby recently and they were available so I am now on volume seven! Glad to convince you to give Discworld another go - even Terry Pratchett himself has said that you shouldn’t start with the Colour of Magic. Small gods is excellent and I really hope you enjoy it if you get to it. Thank you for the recommendation. I really do need to read some Adrian Tchaikovsky! And thank you for the recommendation for beans on toast that actually sounds brilliant. My decadent beans on toast involves adding a layer of marmite on the toast as well as cheese on top. As if you couldn’t get more salty then just marmite on its own!😂
This was an absolute delight, loved hearing your thoughts on those epic chunksters in the middle all the way through to yours & Alice's fave. 💞🥰
Thanks, Melissa! I really couldn’t leave out those re-read books because they brought me so much joy this year and really were among my top books.
What a great list! Cloud Cuckoo Land was my favorite in the year that I read it and it's been high on my reread list ever since. Thanks for the reminder.....it's time!
It's so good! Hope you enjoy it!
So I picked up Cloud Cuckoo Land just recently at a thrift store and it is on my TBR for this year, you have me more excited for it now!
I read about half way through Shogun before watching the series on Hulu with my husband and it took all the steam out of me finishing it... everyone that has read it raves so maybe I will give it another go! Loved the video😊
So pleased you enjoyed the video! I do hope you enjoy Shogun if you go back to it. Though I am all too familiar with the difficulties of returning to a big book one you lose momentum with it! CCL is great - enjoy!
18:33 - if someone said a book i wrote was like Beans on toast, i would feel like i had done something right! 💜📚
Don't forget the butter!
@@ChattieTheMadChatter oh good! 😅 Always butter and I am also partial to marmite with it as well 😂
@spreadbookjoy you are a food genius!
A life ambition now is that we meet to read Middlegrade and Pratchett together and co-create a video explaining to our US frirnds the correct way to eat marmite so it is enjoyable lol 😆💜📚
This is such a lovely video, Jack. I love that your top book of the year was Cloud Cuckoo Land, one of Alice's favorite books. What a wonderful tribute to her as well.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 thanks Pat - it was such a wonderful end to my reading year to finish with one of Alice‘s favourite books and to love it so much.
I love El Deafo. Such a special book. ❤ your number one melted my heart. Definitely want to read it soon.
@@Shellyish I really hope you do get to Cloud Cuckoo Land soon Shelly - it’s great! El Deafo was an amazing book and so glad that I read it.
What a lovely bunch of coconuts… er, books! Thanks for sharing your faves. El Deafo and A Suitable Boy are both so good! I have a request in at the library for Cloud Cuckoo Land; definitely looking forward to that.
@@lindysmagpiereads thank you so much for hosting the read along! It was one of the highlights of my year!
Great video Jack 😊 Now i really want beans on toast 😂
I'm glad you enjoyed the Highate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro, there is a fourth book in the Tate and Bell series due for publication in February, I have the Net Galley ARC (Murder at the Orpheus Theatre), I've enjoyed every book in the series so far.
Couldn’t put it down and really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Thanks so much for sharing them!
@spreadbookjoy I am glad you liked it. I love the two protagonists and I like how the author shows the struggle for nurses returning from the Crimean War when they return to London society.
Myriad of contents on books. I think this is going to be fav channel for bibliotaphs like me.
Wonderful! Glad to have you here!
omg 2 of these a must read for me!
Ooo - which ones?
So many great books ❤Your top book especially was a wonderful choice and I completely agree ❤❤❤❤
@@CharlieBrookReads thank you Charlie 🤍
I love Lucy Strange books! Glad to see she has a new one. 😊
@@crystaljordan7318 it was my first one of hers but it’s a been on my TBR for a few years now so not a recent one. Definitely want to read more by her! Do you have a favourite?
@spreadbookjoy I read The Secret of Nightingale Wood first and quickly followed up with Our Castle By the Sea. Both were 4 star reads for me. A couple years later I read the Ghost of Gossamer Lake. It was not as compelling in my opinion, but still a good story.
I have not read the one you shared. I will have to check to see if my library has added any more. Thanks!
@@crystaljordan7318 thank you for sharing!
I love the way you’ve structured this! All of the kids books I am adding to my TBR!
Shogun was so close to my top spot, any other year and it would have been a winner.
Yay for Saga 🎉
I can’t believe I still haven’t read Mrs M Hurst, I really need to remedy that!
@@GemofBooks every single kids book on this list is a winner for me. Saga has been so great, thank you for sending me that for Christmas. Yes, you definitely need to read Katie’s book!
I finished Whisperwicks, thanks for the recommendation 😊
The highgate cemetery murder i put on my list a couple of days ago, great to hear its a good one :)
Omg! I just made a video saying i want to get to the Montgomery hurst book 😮😅
We miss Alice presence in Christiefest too😢
Alice has left a really big hole in lots of people’s lives. Really glad you enjoyed The Whisperwicks! I think you’re going to love the Highgate Cemetery Murder as well. Happy reading, Julie!
@@spreadbookjoy She has indeed. Thanks Jaq, you too!
What a collection! Love that you reread so much. There’s a lot of comfort in that. I need to try Barbara Pym, I’m sure I’ll like her books.
@@BookishAdventuresInWellbeing it’s such a pleasurable thing to do. Barbara Pym is such a great writer - I hope you enjoy her books if you get to them!
Shogun might have to go on my TBR. Thankful for Lindy for taking on A Suitable Boy. Will get back to it one day. How to Say Babylon is on my radar. Alice would approve of your fave! 😊💙
@@BookwormAdventureGirl Shogun is one of those books I recommend to everyone and I’ve never had anyone not love it.
I'm from Hawaii and have never heard of beans on toast, but you inspired me to try it!!! 😄 I'm going to look up some recipes to make it. All of the books that you shared sound so intriguing! I'm going to add them all to my tbr 📚 thanks for a great video!
@@beyondtherequiredreading beans on toast is classic British comfort food! I like to put grated cheese on top and (even more British) I like Marmite on the toast. I’m glad you found some books that you’re interested in as I definitely found some on your channel. Thanks for stopping by and watching!
💕😀xx thanks so much. New subscriber to your channel🥰
@@suenicholls5446 welcome- lovely to have you here!
I’ve had Cloud Cuckoo Land on my shelf for ages, must get round to reading it. I love A Suitable Boy too😊
Such a wonderful read - hope you get to it soon! A Suitable Boy is truly one of the great 20th century novels. I hope he gets around to publishing A Suitable Girl at some point!
Hello dear Jack, I so enjoyed your 2024 best of video. You know I’m terrified of big books, but you have convinced me to finally read a suitable boy possibly an audio. I’m also interested, of course in your mystery book. I love detective dark mysteries.
The sweet Dove died was also in my best of 2024 and I loved reading it with you. I’ve read all of her books and yes, I’m obsessed.
I’m also interested in how to say Babylon, and a few others you mentioned. I’m making a great list of all of my favorite creators. Best of 2024.
Yes, sorry, being on toast sounds on appealing but beans on rice if it’s made Puerto Rican style is one of my favorite comfort foods although I don’t eat it that much anymore. However, tea and toast with jam sounds fantastic. I’ll even try a scone. Happy new year, my dear friend. Aloha
@@MarilynMayaMendoza tea and toast with jam it’s such a treat. Glad you enjoyed the video Marilyn. You should definitely try a suitable boy on audio. It’s a huge 60 hour book but if you think of it as a radio show or play, which is how I like to think of it when I was listening to it, then it is such a fun, engaging audiobook. The way that Vikram Seth writes characters is something that I definitely appreciated as an Austen and Barbara Pym fan. All of these best of 2024 videos have increased my wish list!
I was just reading about dim sum palace yesterday and wanting to read it and now I really want to!
@@novelideea it’s a gorgeous book 🥟
The Podkin books are on my list for March!
@@novelideea oh good! I finished the second and third books just before Christmas. Loved the series so far.
I just finished Strong Female Character last week. It was so good!
Such a great memoir!
Hi Jack - yea Canada 🇨🇦 I have yet to read Terry Pratchett. I read LOTR decades ago, seen the movies several times, do a marathon day. May read the books again this year, if I can squeeze them in. Glad you had such wonderful reads this past year. Wishing you all the best in 2025 💖
@@Cobaltdragon thank you so much, Elaine! I wish you lots of happy reading in 2025! 🤍
Yay for cloud cuckoo land and Katie’s book. Oh bloomin heck I will get the whisperwicks this week. Everyone keep raving about it 🎉🎉😂😂 💜💜
You will really enjoy it!
Now I realise how good a choice I made when I picked Guards Guards as my answer for your prompt on my tag 😆The Fellowship of The Ring is my favourite too, and I'm also halfway through the Andy Serkis audiobook of Two Towers, which I haven't read for years and am loving his narration. I'm making my way through Barbara Pym's books but i don't have that one yet, so one to look forward to!
@@AaronReadABook you really picked a great choice! I am blown away by Andy Circus’s performance on those audiobooks. I have two more Barbara Pym books on my TBR and I’m really looking forward to getting to them. Such a talented writer.
I really have ot get a copy of Katie's book. It sounds so good.
@@angelaluz405 it’s such a good book - I hope you enjoy it if you get it!
Whisperwicks is still on hold at the library! I have weeks still to wait for it🥺
@@novelideea it’ll be worth it. I’m looking forward to the next one which is out in March!
A great list, very much looking forward to getting to many if the ones I haven't read on your list.
My.line manager has been raving about podkin the one earlier for years as his kids loved the series. I ended up getting it for at least one of my nieces and plan to get it for mine when he's a little older.
I have just watched shogun and definitely want to get to it this year if I can.
I'm also planning on listening to fellowship of the ring and getting to the two towers this year for my shame read on ben reads good as I lost the will to continue with the tom bombadil sections, I now feel prepared to it to be the same, so thanks for mentioning it.
Strong female character is soon good, it was a favourite of last year for me and all of the things you said.
@@jillybeanh67 Podkin and the next two books in that series were such pleasurable reads for me. If I’d read them as a child, they would have been all time favourites. Can’t blame you on giving up on Tom Bombadil - it’s such a slog and never gets better for me. Even Andy Serkis couldn’t make it enjoyable! Get through that and the endless songs (I am not a fan of those either and they aren’t necessary for the plot so I just skip them) and the rest is a joy!
Love that you have been Re-reading and sharing with us. I need to read that Pratchett Biography.
Yes re-read Trouble Mrs M Hurst. You have me very excited to read Cloud Cuckoo Land, which i recently acquired due to Alice. The fact you and Gem loved it so much too and it topped your list, is very exciting. Will be watchung your live afterwards.
Waterstones have gorgeous postcards for free with Whisperwicks quotes! So excited. I loved Sisters of the Lost Marsh and read her latest release, historical gothic thriller adventures she clearly excells at. I loved Keedie.
I am also late to the Podkin party, booktubefriend Stacy and her daughter having been loving the series!
Be more hedgehog caught my eye sounds like that and El-Deafo will be great for Spoonies 💜📚
I had to talk about the rereading this year because it’s been so enjoyable for me. As it is every year, I rarely talk about it in my best of videos. You will love Cloud Cuckoo Land. I have no doubt. Didn’t realise Waterstone’s had some postcards for The Whisperwicks so I will have to try and get some next time I’m there. All of the middle grade ones I mentioned in this video were just outstanding. Podkin series is one that will just get inside your heart.
@spreadbookjoy such a great range of books - i am looking forwad to doung more re-readingbthis year😃💜📚
What a rich selection. I like the idea of picking favourite ephemeral enjoyable reads too.
Thanks Ros. I really wanted to include them this year as I have really needed comforting, easy, entertaining books as well as the five star ones that will stay with me. They really aren't comparable so felt they need a category!
helloooo just found you!!!! 😊❤😊
Hello! Welcome!🤗
I'm currently about halfway through Cloud Cuckoo Land and I'm enjoying it. What a great list!
@@toweringtbr thank you so much! Cloud Cuckoo Land is a very special book!
I’m visiting my mom tomorrow and if she still has Shogun on her shelves I’m going to grab it.
Huzzah for Montgomery Hurst!
@@BookishTexan I really hope you enjoy Shogun if you do manage to get a copy. Katie‘s book seems to have been on quite a lot of ‘best of 2024’ lists. And rightly so!
Some interesting books. The only ones I've read are The Lord of the Rings books and the first Saga book
@@stuartgriffin1001 I really enjoyed the range of reading I had this year. Discovered some great books!
🐛It's so touching how you speak of Alice in this video. I have a copy of Cloud Cuckoo Land that remains unread. You've encouraged me to bump it up the list this year.
I love how eclectic your list of favorites is. I've had The Whisperwicks on my wish list for a while; very glad to see it get a rave review. And I'm not at all surprised to see How to Say Babylon on your list of favorites. That was such a powerful, moving read.
Wishing you a joy-filled reading year in 2025!
@@hellobookworm thank you so much! I really do hope you enjoy Cloud Cuckoo Land when you get to it. I’m such an eclectic reader that I often think it probably hinders my channel as I don’t really have that much of a niche, aside from children’s books. However, reading widely is such a joy. I wish you a happy reading in 2025 as well!
@@spreadbookjoy 🐛I'm the same way. I read widely and don't specialize in a niche, but I can't help it. There are just too many wonderful books being written for various age groups and types of reader that I can't help but sample them all.
I used to manage and do the buying for an indie bookstore that specialized in children's literature. Middle-grade fiction was always my sweet spot. So even as a childfree adult, I still love to read it. 🥰
For your next middle-grade read, I highly recommend Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas. It's one of my all-time favorites; one of those books I read again and again.
@@hellobookworm thank you for the recommendation! There is something very special and comforting about reading middle grade books as an adult.
Thanks for the recommendations though I'm not buying books at the moment!
@@clarepotter7584 me neither! Hope that is going well for you!
@@spreadbookjoy I'd be less tempted if I wasn't watching TH-cam. 😂
@ I know - all these ‘Best of’ lists are not helpful! 😂
I just started How to Be More Hedgehog! I liked Fern Brady’s memoir as well. I work in psychology, and we need more voices like Brady’s to talk about autism in females. Definitely miss Alice’s smiling face on booktube. ❤️ I need to get to Cloud Cuckoo Land.
@@Michelelynnreads I’m so pleased to hear someone reading how to be more hedgehog - what a lovely book and a great awareness for stammering. Fern Brady‘s book was so honest and informative. I think it should be required reading for anyone working with young people!
Shogun was my favourite book of 2023. And A Suitable Boy my one of my favourites of 2025. I also adored Cloud Cuckoo Land, it was the first book I finished this year, for FOMO bookclub. So if you like all those books, and I like al those books, then maybe I should give LOTR a go... Nice list. And I hope you will find many new favourites this year. :)
@@-ParisTexas- if you enjoy fantasy and adventure and if you liked the films, you should definitely give it a go. Some people find it a little slow and there are some sections that I’m not fond of (Tolkien loves to get his characters singing songs!) but it is a classic for a good reason. I find it gets better each time I read it!
@ Adventure yes, fantasy is not my gem. And I only ever attempted to watch one of the movies... I fell asleep in the first 10 minutes 😴😂 But we definitely have overlapping taste in other books, so who knows. I should at least give it a chance.
@@-ParisTexas- fantasy is my favourite genre, so I’m biased. But you may be pleasantly surprised - nothing to lose if not! 😁
Yes! Please Pratchett is the best!
@@paolabuffa7043 ☺️🤍
The War Photographer's Heart
By Isabella Jin - my favorite recently
Thanks for sharing!