Cari Have you heard of Star Vs The Forces Of Evil? It’s a Disney Channel cartoon. There is an episode that I think has a similar theme to The Spirit Bears It’s Teeth.
Cari: "We know how he ends up so I wasn't hoping for a redemption story" me, every time I watch the star wars prequels: "Anakin is so hot I hope he doesn't become Darth Vader this time"
Yess exactly I love how Suzanne Collins talks about important topics by inserting them in the story but not in an info dumping way but in a way that makes the reader really think. I finished TBOSAS last week and tbh it was a solid prequel that did its purpose of telling us a villain origin story, also I loved the mystery-type ending, it makes the reader keep thinking even after finishing the book!! Suzanne Collins is honestly a genius!
Girl. I FELT you about those DNFs. College Finals plus all my library rentals finally becoming available, equals a LOT of DNFs. Regardless, loved this video!
so i have learned that my roommate is a vampire is apparently a reylo fanfic? the fact that i have unintentionally read reylo more than once is actually astounding
I saw the Hunger Games movie for fun last Friday night and then immediately went to the Target down the street and bought the LAST COPY of the book in store. The satisfaction.
I do this all the time. If I love a movie I will go and look up if there is a book that the movie was based off of and I will go and find that book to read 😂
Don't even talk to me about it... CS Pacat is evil, and I love her/him with all my heart. I wish the series was 'adult' instead of 'ya', to allow CS Pacat to showcase her full potential but that doesn't matter that much anyway because he's an awesome writer, and I can't wait for more from him!
I physically reacted to the ending of Dark Heir. It rarely happens, but this book made me recoil and gasp. The whole last chapter was nothing but hurt and "oh no, no, no, no,no" but the last few sentences just obliterated me alongside these twinks.
I felt Dark Rise was very meh, so I totally get DNFing it. The worldbuilding is cool but the plot just doesn't hook you imo. BUT DARK HEIR-- boi. different story
Please try Dark Rise again!! The ending and the twist of the book gets SO GOOD. I almost put it down so many times but it is so so worth it for the ending of the book and the sequel is fantastic and so interesting. It takes all these somewhat overdone YA fantasy tropes and completely turns them on their heads.
Another T. Kingfisher I read this year was 'A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking', it's a young adult book about a young girl who can weave magic into bread. I thought it would just be a cute cozy time, but it's actually quite emotional and has a great plot.
I’m surprised that everyone thinks that dark rise was slow it really didn’t feel that way to me at all😭. I suppose the entire book does feel like a build up for what’s coming next but the ending literally makes the book and raises the stakes so high for the second one that was one of my best reads of the year. Also it probably had the best enemies to lovers plot i have ever read, while at the same time being soo devastating. Would totally recommend giving it a third (?) try!
c.s. pacat is definitely a slow burner which is why i haven’t finished dark rise yet. i’m going to wait until the series is done. BUT. her best work and personally my favorite series of all time is her Captive Prince series. it’s a slow burner but the world is so intriguing and the characters are deeply interesting and complex. i would definitely recommend it over Dark Rise
so cool that you read the berry pickers! the author of that book actually lives close to where I do and she actually did a signing at the bookstore I work at, so she's signed a bunch of the copies and they all have little "local author" stickers on them! I haven't read it yet but this video has convinced me i think :)
i've seen the movie, foe, as an avid lover of anything paul mescal and saorise ronan are in, and i genuinely loved it to pieces, it's slow in places but i found it incredibly devastating and a fantastic film all around, i would definitely recommend watching it!! love your videos always cari
I just watched the movie Foe a few days ago and I really enjoyed it! As you said about the book, the world building is not very strong, the focus in the movie really lies on the relationship between the two protagonists. But in my opinion they delivered the twist very good and thats mainly because of the great performance of the actors.
i also loved a ballad of songbirds and snakes. the ending for me felt a bit rushed and didn’t hold up to the rest of the book, but the rest was super interesting to read! i must go see the movie soon 😆
The way I instantly knew what book you were talking about in the beginning of the video 😭 But actually i'm so grateful to you for recommending Paladin's Grace in the october's wrap-up!! I had a veeery long trip that month where I was on a palne, then in a train and then in a car for almost 14 hours and I managed to read this book through my motion sickness. And I'm so glad! Now it's my favorite book of the whole year and I have already read Paladin's Strength and I'm on my way to download the third book in the series. I agree that the first book was better than the second but i still enjoyed it. Paladin's Strength was longer than Paladin's Grace and maybe those extra pages weren't really necessary. At 65-75 per cent i felt kind of drawn out of the plot cause it got a little repetative and lengthy but once I got through it I didn't put the book down till i finished it.
I absolutely ADORE both The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and Hell Followed With Us (you remembered the title correctly)! As a trans person, the main character’s pain is so real and visceral to me, so I hardcore connected to both Silas and Benji. And yes, AJW’s world building ability is so incredible! I love the Victorian, ghostly world of SBIT, and the post-apocalyptic, religious trauma world of HFWU. Anyone is interested in these books, they are very, very good (imo), but DEFINITELY heed the content warnings! Lots of body horror, transphobia, queerphobia, sexism, SA. These books are HEAVY.
I heard nothing about My Roommate is a Vampire outside of a picture of it and requested it from my library. Honestly you are the first person I have seen mention it! I thought It was cute and had a lot of potential but yeah the end was resolved too fast. I wanted more relationship development and it wasn't a long book so adding another 30 pages wouldn't have been a problem. I think I'm giving it leeway because it was the author's debut and it was such an odd ball premise. I'd give the author another shot based off this.
Yesss dark rise is so fucking slow. But the last seventy pages or so are fucking cathartic lmao. And the next book is extremely fast paced. It’s genuinely one of the best books I’ve read
I did think the Third Act Crisis in My Roommate is a Vampire happened too quickly, but I also appreciated that it didn’t feel like the stereotypical third act crisis that can often happen in romance books in my experience
truly, thank you for recommending Throne in the Dark. I am not even halfway through but I am already obsessed with this book. It is absurdist comedy at it's finest. And you are so right, it is exactly like Despicable Me.
You described the ballad of songbirds and snakes perfectly. That was exactly how I felt reading the book too because I am a sucker for a happy ending and knew that wouldn’t be the case
I’m finally able to watch your videos. My first semester of college just ended so I now have free time and I’m no longer completely exhausted after 5pm.
Dark rise is definitely a tough one. I feel like a real trooper for sticking it through till the end when you, the queen who read the zodiac academy couldn't 😭😭😭 I don't blame you, I almost dnfed it like three times. The only reason I got through it is because I wanted to read it so badly and I wasn't gonna let a slow storyline stop me 😭
I just wanted to say that I love your videos, I love your energy! I just got into reading and I love fantasy and I love getting to hear your take on things. I’ve seen little thieves and I’m really excited to read it soon! Anyways I love your long videos, I can watch them forever!
Cari, I felt the same way about My Roommate is a Vampire. I was so excited for a cute and cozy vampy romcom, and was even willing to overlook some of the cringe/unbelievable parts in it. But then the ending was just so anticlimactic that I felt like I'd been lied to the entire book about what was being set up?
Going to try the paladin's books, thanks for the rec! I've been between books lately lol. If anyone is in a reading slump: I started tress of the emerald sea and i highly recommend it already, its very cozy and atmospheric.the main character collects tea cups and her male best friend sends her cups when he's traveling until he gets sent to this sea goddess who takes him as hostage and she sets off to save him knowing nothing of the world but the little rock island she grew up on.
My roommate is a vampire was genuinely funny I mean it might just be that my humour is broken but i cackled out loud throughout the book and it was so fun and fast paced. Just a silly little read. You just have to go in with the right expectation.
Cari! You NEED to read Unraveller by Frances Hardinge. I just read it last month and it’s my favorite read of 2023. It’s YA (both protagonists are 15 and they feel like 15 year olds). It gave me kind of Series of Unfortunate Events vibes at points. A little bit whimsy, a little bit absurdist humor, a little bit fantastical like a Ghibli movie. I already want to read it again someday.
So glad to hear your thoughts on 'my roommate is a vampire', I thought I was missing something because I didn't get the certain something... I felt like the premise was so great but it just didn't do it for me :/
If you haven't read it before, I really suggest the Red Rising series! Great sci-fi vibes and the first book has hunger games vibes but it has some very intense gore descriptions so definitely proceed with content warnings in mind.
Yes pls pls read this!! My favorite series. I enjoyed the first book but it really hits its stride in the second and third. (And yes the gore gets increasingly more intense each book lol)
i read foe this summer, also in preparation for the movie, and the end got me so bad! i was really frustrated with most of it and almost didn't finish it but pulled through because there was only an hour left on the audio book. omg. my jaw was on the floor, i really was not ready for that. all the frustration and limitation of first major bit of the book just started making sense. what an unexpected treasure. i haven't watched the movie yet either but i imagine it would be hard to translate the feelings you get while reading the book on screen.
I saw God of Endings in my bookstore when it came out the beginning of this year (I think?) and it's a book that I've come to appreciate moreso after I read it. It's one of those books when you describe what it's about, you'd expect more from it-- or more specifically, more to have happened, more conflict. But it's actually something that can be told in like, half the pages lol. That 'something that's gonna happen' that you were waiting for Cari never really does until the very very end. I won't spoil it, but when it happens, it happens quickly and the ending is just as soft and philosophical as the rest of the book.
i've dnf'd books that eventually ended up being some of my all time favorites!! so i definitely agree with what you said about books coming to you at a right time :')
A good winter stand alone book is one I stumbled upon a few years ago. It’s called Winterspell, by Claire Legrand, (also has a novella ebook). A retelling of the Nutcracker Prince, with a steampunk vibe. I recommend reading this one around Christmas/winter. It is very much a winter story.
oh i thought what you are looking for is in the library was so sweet!! i love the theme throughout the stories that it's never too late to start over :')) the fourth story actually made me tear up and also that part in the third story i think, where the librarian explains that whenever something good happens to her she thinks to herself "now wasn't that worth all the effort of being born?" so heartwarming & lovely
I’m glad to hear that The It Girl was good! I’ve had an equal number of hits and misses with Ruth Ware, and I haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my shelf and it sounds like something I would like!
I watched your skillshare class and it inspired me so much that I finally made a little travel video literally just so when all my family asked how the trip was, I could send them a link to the video and they could feel like they were there with me!
I also got pulled into reading ABOSAS when the movie came out, and I read it so quick, rewatched THG and then saw the movie. I thought the book and movie pair so well together. You don’t need one to enjoy the other, but they have different strengths. Glad I finally read ABOSAS bc it did not sound interesting to me when it came out but wow! So good. Got me out of my reading slump in a big way!
Your reading wrap ups make my commute to work so much better! Treating myself to a Cari video is self care on the subway! I recommend the Thursday murder club! Cozy mysteries and I honestly love every side character as much as the main crew! Great bad weather read.
thank god i actually got a notification for this because ive now realized youtube hasn't showed me ANY of your videos (new or old) in at least a month! hate it when that happens. but loveeee you!
Hey Cari! Have you tried reading any discworld? I feel like it might be your type of fantasy (there’s a lot of books but i would recommend starting with the witches or nights watch novels)
hey Cari! just hearing your review of Winter in Sokcho and I wanted to recommend a lovely book called "Like Water for Chocolate". It was published in 1989 and tells the story of this Mexican girl who has a crush on a guy that must be kept secret, so she conveys her love by preparing traditional Mexican dishes. Each chapter opens with a new recipe and from what I can remember it was really funny and romantic. If you like reading about food preparations you'll love this book! :)
I read My Roommate is a Vampire for a book club I just joined and I both acknowledge that it’s lacking and enjoyed it for its simpleness. I had just been reading a lot of nonfiction and heavier books, so it was a nice pallet cleanser, but I definitely wanted more. The author brought up so many things that could have been great, really build up this version of Chicago that has vampires (for example: tell me more about these vampire hunters), but instead opted to just move on. I do agree it ended and was resolved way too fast. Myself and everyone in my book club loved the vampire. His fish out of water, gentleman, stumbling with technology, his odd power, him at the party… all of it great, and I think that’s what everyone loves about it. His notes and texts are funny and/or cute and he’s a charming character.
There's actually going to be 7 books total in the paladin series (I believe). The fourth one literally JUST came out, like on Dec 5th. T. Kingfisher also just got a trad publishing deal for all the books in this world (as they have all been self published previously).
OMG I also read a lot of T. Kingfisher last November!! I binged the Temple of the White Rat world books plus Nettle and Bone. Personally, I had a blast reading the Paladin books, The Clockwork Boys duology was okay, and I did not like Swordheart. So excited to read the fourth Paladin book this December!
Hi! I also loved Paladin’s Grace and felt similarly to Paladin’s Strength. There are actually 4 books in this series now!! 10/10 recommend books 3&4! Good to know that The Clockwork Boys is part of the same world! Put them on hold at my library. 😊
Felt the exact same way as you towards Paladin's Strength! Paladin's Grace has been my favorite. Also, T. Kingfisher announced a fourth book in the series! ❤. T. Kingfisher has also put me in a stranglehold this year (in the best way!)
I read "my roommate is a vampire" a week or so ago and I loved it! I do agree with your comments : about the crisis being resolved so simply. But still I thourougly enjoyed it. I loved how naive it was. Like.... It was specifically mentioned multiple times that his heart doesn't beat and his blood does not move in his veins... And then BUM : erection out of the blue. And we do not get ANY explanation about that. so yeah... I really loved that it did not explore the classical "I'm a monster" theme. because it's boring. this book, on the other hand was hilarious and naive and cute
The Last Language sounds a lot like the stubbenfield case that happened sometime around 2015? It was basically involving a professor who used facilitated communication(a controversial and almost completely disproven communication) to “provide language” to a nonverbal autistic adult. She was also the only one who the method ever worked for and their situation ended in her sleeping with her him, her claiming the whole time that it was a consensual decision. The implications along with the spotty at best reputation of FC lead to a lot of ethics debates and ended up with the woman in jail It’s an interesting concept to write a book about and i think it makes a topic and (unfortunately common) event more accessible to people who don’t exist in the spheres of any kind of accessibility or disability research
I love these monthly recaps! I hadn't picked up a book in years, and then read the ACOTAR series this March and fell in love with reading all over again🤍i've read 23 books this year! i found your channel first with your ACOTAR recap videos, and have been binging everything! Thank you for everything you do. I owe a lot of my boost back into reading to you🤍
Please look into the Monstromologist series! It's so good and interesting, monster horror with a scientific approach and it has stuck with me for years. It focuses on a boy whose parents die in a fire, and he's left to be taken care of by this scientist of "aberrant biology" and it does something to my soul. It's not a perfect book or series but it's so worth the experience. Please look into it, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I also read My Roommate is a Vampire. I didn’t dislike it as much as you, but as far as romances go, I thought it was fine. Perhaps it’s because my SIL made me read Flock just before this, and anything compared to that is the best book ever written. But Vampire was like a 3.5 for me. Their chemistry didn’t go deep enough for me, but I didn’t think they were toxic for each other so that’s win haha. There were parts I found so hilarious, like what was behind the closet door, and the “do you eat sauce” conversation. It’s a good “brain off” book for those who can easily subvert reality. There were several things that kept me from loving it, like how she accepted the Vampire thing so fast, but I don’t think it was too bad. I agree that there was no 3rd act conflict. I think it was an intentional choice, but the risk is that the relationship doesn’t get challenged in any way. Also, I had a personal connection to Cassie’s art journey. So it got me there.
dark rise is honestly a pretty boring and bland book until the last couple chapters which hit HARD. made me extremely excited about the sequel and i even got the audiobook, even though i had been uninterested 90% of the book. and by god, the sequel did not let me down. i recommend you try one more time. the ending is where it gets good.
Wanted to say the same. The beginning (hahaha, for me it was about 70%) is really weird and seems to drag. Mostly because you think you know where the story is going because of common tropes and you don't care for them much. But once the author starts twisting the tropes and goes into totally unexpected directions, it gets wild. And the ending broke me. Can't wait to read the sequel later this month.
So the plot summary is A Court of Frost and Starlight, right? It’ll complete the series of Cari’s ACOTAR plot summaries and it’s a Christmas special in book form so it fits!
I think it was you that recommended Hell Follows With Us and The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea. I absolutely loved both those books. 5 stars for both. They definitely some of my favorite books of the year. Thank you so much for the recs ❤ I'm reading the great alone currently, I've been taking it slow because I feel like it's going to wreck me later lol I'm really enjoying the writing, I think it's beautiful but her family is so toxic.. one of the most toxic families I have read about and I read dark romances 😅
Definitely felt you on the Clockwork universe fatigue and needing to space things out for T. Kingfisher's books. The Kingfisher-isms are fun in moderation, but after the 4th book in a row it starts to grate on you. Especially since all the brooding big boys tend to follow similar "how could possibly she love me? Also, I am honor-bound not to be horny to her" romantic arcs.
I feel like I have to mention that The Saints of steel by T. Kingfisher just recently got a fourth book and is going to actually be more like a seven book series! Also I totally share your opinion on liking Paladins Grace more than Paladins Strenght lol
Out of the three books out so far, Grace is still strongest overall for me. Strength felt 30 pages too long in terms of relationship build-up, whereas Hope felt 30 pages too short.
i've had the same experience with t kingfisher this year. i read nettle and bone at the beginning of the year and it just didn't really hit for me. it was ok but meh. luckily, i gave her another chance since the descriptions of her books sounded SO good. i read the twisted ones, the hollow places, (both amazing), a house with good bones, and thornhedge all within the last 2 months. the hollow places and thornhedge were both 5 stars for me.
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Here's my winter in Sokcho vlog :)
th-cam.com/video/zDNB-9PcPx0/w-d-xo.html
😮
Cari Have you heard of Star Vs The Forces Of Evil? It’s a Disney Channel cartoon. There is an episode that I think has a similar theme to The Spirit Bears It’s Teeth.
Cari: "We know how he ends up so I wasn't hoping for a redemption story"
me, every time I watch the star wars prequels: "Anakin is so hot I hope he doesn't become Darth Vader this time"
HAHAHAH EVERY. TIME 😭
The intro was a jump scare 😂
LOL! and ironically a book i loved!
Jumps scares are … scary. This is cute.
Yess exactly I love how Suzanne Collins talks about important topics by inserting them in the story but not in an info dumping way but in a way that makes the reader really think.
I finished TBOSAS last week and tbh it was a solid prequel that did its purpose of telling us a villain origin story, also I loved the mystery-type ending, it makes the reader keep thinking even after finishing the book!! Suzanne Collins is honestly a genius!
Girl. I FELT you about those DNFs. College Finals plus all my library rentals finally becoming available, equals a LOT of DNFs. Regardless, loved this video!
its the worst feeling but so necessary sometimes!! and good luck with exams!
an hour long Cari content is just what I need to get me through the end of the week 💗
💗💗💗
Yepp
so i have learned that my roommate is a vampire is apparently a reylo fanfic? the fact that i have unintentionally read reylo more than once is actually astounding
I saw the Hunger Games movie for fun last Friday night and then immediately went to the Target down the street and bought the LAST COPY of the book in store. The satisfaction.
I do this all the time. If I love a movie I will go and look up if there is a book that the movie was based off of and I will go and find that book to read 😂
A 57 minute video? I've been blessed ✨
❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you for doing monthly wrap ups!! I wish all my favorite booktubers would do these
they're my favorite!!
Omg dark rise & dark heir !!!! THE ENDINGS KILLED ME. DESTROYED ME! I hope the last book in the series hits me as hard.
SAMEE. I was shaking after that last fucking line. I cannot wait for two more years 😭😭
Don't even talk to me about it... CS Pacat is evil, and I love her/him with all my heart. I wish the series was 'adult' instead of 'ya', to allow CS Pacat to showcase her full potential but that doesn't matter that much anyway because he's an awesome writer, and I can't wait for more from him!
I physically reacted to the ending of Dark Heir. It rarely happens, but this book made me recoil and gasp. The whole last chapter was nothing but hurt and "oh no, no, no, no,no" but the last few sentences just obliterated me alongside these twinks.
I felt Dark Rise was very meh, so I totally get DNFing it. The worldbuilding is cool but the plot just doesn't hook you imo. BUT DARK HEIR-- boi. different story
@@avacairen right?? Dark heir broke me haha
Please try Dark Rise again!! The ending and the twist of the book gets SO GOOD. I almost put it down so many times but it is so so worth it for the ending of the book and the sequel is fantastic and so interesting. It takes all these somewhat overdone YA fantasy tropes and completely turns them on their heads.
Dark Rise was my favorite book of 2022! I love it so much
My fav part of Ballad and Songbirds and Snakes was all the symbolism of birds and conformity and control, so I really enjoyed it
I love the way you described Suzanne Collins' writing, I completely agree!
Another T. Kingfisher I read this year was 'A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking', it's a young adult book about a young girl who can weave magic into bread. I thought it would just be a cute cozy time, but it's actually quite emotional and has a great plot.
I listened to the audio book in September and it was so so great! Made me think of Ghibli movies.
Omg Magic and Bakeries? I'm in!
Yes!! That book was one of my best discoveries of 2023, it was so good!
god I couldn’t STAND this one! I didn’t see it as cute or cozy when they’re talking about murdering an entire minority group…
Same here a cozy yet engaging surprise - now i want to read more like this : any suggestions ?
I've been in a reading slump for months now and watching Cari talk about enjoying books is infectious, I'm picking one up! (after the video obvs)
I’m surprised that everyone thinks that dark rise was slow it really didn’t feel that way to me at all😭. I suppose the entire book does feel like a build up for what’s coming next but the ending literally makes the book and raises the stakes so high for the second one that was one of my best reads of the year. Also it probably had the best enemies to lovers plot i have ever read, while at the same time being soo devastating. Would totally recommend giving it a third (?) try!
c.s. pacat is definitely a slow burner which is why i haven’t finished dark rise yet. i’m going to wait until the series is done. BUT. her best work and personally my favorite series of all time is her Captive Prince series. it’s a slow burner but the world is so intriguing and the characters are deeply interesting and complex. i would definitely recommend it over Dark Rise
It definitely gets better and Dark Heir is much better paced.
so cool that you read the berry pickers! the author of that book actually lives close to where I do and she actually did a signing at the bookstore I work at, so she's signed a bunch of the copies and they all have little "local author" stickers on them! I haven't read it yet but this video has convinced me i think :)
i've seen the movie, foe, as an avid lover of anything paul mescal and saorise ronan are in, and i genuinely loved it to pieces, it's slow in places but i found it incredibly devastating and a fantastic film all around, i would definitely recommend watching it!! love your videos always cari
I felt the exact same about My Roommate Is A Vampire, but then I found out it was a Reylo fanfiction and it all made sense!
I just watched the movie Foe a few days ago and I really enjoyed it! As you said about the book, the world building is not very strong, the focus in the movie really lies on the relationship between the two protagonists. But in my opinion they delivered the twist very good and thats mainly because of the great performance of the actors.
when i saw the 22% or whatever on rotten tomatoes i was SHOCKED! definitely going to try to watch it myself :')
i also loved a ballad of songbirds and snakes. the ending for me felt a bit rushed and didn’t hold up to the rest of the book, but the rest was super interesting to read! i must go see the movie soon 😆
picked up paladin’s grace because of you and im loving it!!!! thank you thank you thank you
yessssss!
The way I instantly knew what book you were talking about in the beginning of the video 😭
But actually i'm so grateful to you for recommending Paladin's Grace in the october's wrap-up!! I had a veeery long trip that month where I was on a palne, then in a train and then in a car for almost 14 hours and I managed to read this book through my motion sickness. And I'm so glad! Now it's my favorite book of the whole year and I have already read Paladin's Strength and I'm on my way to download the third book in the series.
I agree that the first book was better than the second but i still enjoyed it. Paladin's Strength was longer than Paladin's Grace and maybe those extra pages weren't really necessary. At 65-75 per cent i felt kind of drawn out of the plot cause it got a little repetative and lengthy but once I got through it I didn't put the book down till i finished it.
I absolutely ADORE both The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and Hell Followed With Us (you remembered the title correctly)! As a trans person, the main character’s pain is so real and visceral to me, so I hardcore connected to both Silas and Benji. And yes, AJW’s world building ability is so incredible! I love the Victorian, ghostly world of SBIT, and the post-apocalyptic, religious trauma world of HFWU.
Anyone is interested in these books, they are very, very good (imo), but DEFINITELY heed the content warnings! Lots of body horror, transphobia, queerphobia, sexism, SA. These books are HEAVY.
hell followed with us was the first book of body horror i had read in a long time and it was ROUGH hahha
I'm sick in bed, so an hour long video of you talking about books is just what I needed. Love your monthly wrap ups. 💜
I heard nothing about My Roommate is a Vampire outside of a picture of it and requested it from my library. Honestly you are the first person I have seen mention it! I thought It was cute and had a lot of potential but yeah the end was resolved too fast. I wanted more relationship development and it wasn't a long book so adding another 30 pages wouldn't have been a problem. I think I'm giving it leeway because it was the author's debut and it was such an odd ball premise. I'd give the author another shot based off this.
Yesss dark rise is so fucking slow. But the last seventy pages or so are fucking cathartic lmao. And the next book is extremely fast paced. It’s genuinely one of the best books I’ve read
I did think the Third Act Crisis in My Roommate is a Vampire happened too quickly, but I also appreciated that it didn’t feel like the stereotypical third act crisis that can often happen in romance books in my experience
truly, thank you for recommending Throne in the Dark. I am not even halfway through but I am already obsessed with this book. It is absurdist comedy at it's finest. And you are so right, it is exactly like Despicable Me.
You described the ballad of songbirds and snakes perfectly. That was exactly how I felt reading the book too because I am a sucker for a happy ending and knew that wouldn’t be the case
THAT exact scene in Little Thieves is what made me fall in love.
I’m finally able to watch your videos. My first semester of college just ended so I now have free time and I’m no longer completely exhausted after 5pm.
Dark rise is definitely a tough one. I feel like a real trooper for sticking it through till the end when you, the queen who read the zodiac academy couldn't 😭😭😭 I don't blame you, I almost dnfed it like three times. The only reason I got through it is because I wanted to read it so badly and I wasn't gonna let a slow storyline stop me 😭
I just wanted to say that I love your videos, I love your energy! I just got into reading and I love fantasy and I love getting to hear your take on things. I’ve seen little thieves and I’m really excited to read it soon! Anyways I love your long videos, I can watch them forever!
Cari, I felt the same way about My Roommate is a Vampire. I was so excited for a cute and cozy vampy romcom, and was even willing to overlook some of the cringe/unbelievable parts in it. But then the ending was just so anticlimactic that I felt like I'd been lied to the entire book about what was being set up?
Going to try the paladin's books, thanks for the rec! I've been between books lately lol.
If anyone is in a reading slump: I started tress of the emerald sea and i highly recommend it already, its very cozy and atmospheric.the main character collects tea cups and her male best friend sends her cups when he's traveling until he gets sent to this sea goddess who takes him as hostage and she sets off to save him knowing nothing of the world but the little rock island she grew up on.
yes! read that right when it came out and loved it!
Yes!! Reading Tress now based on Cari’s rec and I’m in love with it.
My roommate is a vampire was genuinely funny I mean it might just be that my humour is broken but i cackled out loud throughout the book and it was so fun and fast paced. Just a silly little read. You just have to go in with the right expectation.
Cari! You NEED to read Unraveller by Frances Hardinge. I just read it last month and it’s my favorite read of 2023. It’s YA (both protagonists are 15 and they feel like 15 year olds). It gave me kind of Series of Unfortunate Events vibes at points. A little bit whimsy, a little bit absurdist humor, a little bit fantastical like a Ghibli movie. I already want to read it again someday.
So glad to hear your thoughts on 'my roommate is a vampire', I thought I was missing something because I didn't get the certain something... I felt like the premise was so great but it just didn't do it for me :/
If you haven't read it before, I really suggest the Red Rising series! Great sci-fi vibes and the first book has hunger games vibes but it has some very intense gore descriptions so definitely proceed with content warnings in mind.
i've heard this talked about so much!!
Red rising is so so so good ! great rec :)
Yes pls pls read this!! My favorite series. I enjoyed the first book but it really hits its stride in the second and third. (And yes the gore gets increasingly more intense each book lol)
Pleeeeeease yes! Best trilogy I’ve read in a long time!
the post-trilogy books are even better than the first imho. some of the best writing i’ve ever read
I'm patiently waiting for a Throne of Glass series breakdown video 😭
i read foe this summer, also in preparation for the movie, and the end got me so bad! i was really frustrated with most of it and almost didn't finish it but pulled through because there was only an hour left on the audio book. omg. my jaw was on the floor, i really was not ready for that. all the frustration and limitation of first major bit of the book just started making sense. what an unexpected treasure.
i haven't watched the movie yet either but i imagine it would be hard to translate the feelings you get while reading the book on screen.
Yes!! I thought the writing was so bland in the beginning and then i didnt even notice the change until 👀 and i was floored!
Cari you HAVE to read What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez it is so enchanting and wonderful, I think you’d really like it!!
the hour long videos are what get me through the week! i always love your content cari!! ❤❤
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I saw God of Endings in my bookstore when it came out the beginning of this year (I think?) and it's a book that I've come to appreciate moreso after I read it. It's one of those books when you describe what it's about, you'd expect more from it-- or more specifically, more to have happened, more conflict. But it's actually something that can be told in like, half the pages lol. That 'something that's gonna happen' that you were waiting for Cari never really does until the very very end. I won't spoil it, but when it happens, it happens quickly and the ending is just as soft and philosophical as the rest of the book.
I was so scared that you wouldn’t like the spirit bares it’s teeth ! Obsessed with that author and I’m so happy you liked it !
i've dnf'd books that eventually ended up being some of my all time favorites!! so i definitely agree with what you said about books coming to you at a right time :')
Currently reading The Great Alone and I totally agree about the descriptions.❤
A good winter stand alone book is one I stumbled upon a few years ago. It’s called Winterspell, by Claire Legrand, (also has a novella ebook).
A retelling of the Nutcracker Prince, with a steampunk vibe. I recommend reading this one around Christmas/winter. It is very much a winter story.
oh i thought what you are looking for is in the library was so sweet!! i love the theme throughout the stories that it's never too late to start over :')) the fourth story actually made me tear up and also that part in the third story i think, where the librarian explains that whenever something good happens to her she thinks to herself "now wasn't that worth all the effort of being born?" so heartwarming & lovely
I’m glad to hear that The It Girl was good! I’ve had an equal number of hits and misses with Ruth Ware, and I haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my shelf and it sounds like something I would like!
Read the Villains and virtue series on your recommendation and it brought back so much fun Percy Jackson nostalgia with the writing style. I loved it
omg that makes me so happy!!!
I watched your skillshare class and it inspired me so much that I finally made a little travel video literally just so when all my family asked how the trip was, I could send them a link to the video and they could feel like they were there with me!
I also got pulled into reading ABOSAS when the movie came out, and I read it so quick, rewatched THG and then saw the movie. I thought the book and movie pair so well together. You don’t need one to enjoy the other, but they have different strengths. Glad I finally read ABOSAS bc it did not sound interesting to me when it came out but wow! So good. Got me out of my reading slump in a big way!
I just want to say thank you for repeating the book title after your thoughts on it!
Your reading wrap ups make my commute to work so much better! Treating myself to a Cari video is self care on the subway!
I recommend the Thursday murder club! Cozy mysteries and I honestly love every side character as much as the main crew! Great bad weather read.
I can hear you talk for hours and hours non stop cary, you are such a good story teller ❤
thank god i actually got a notification for this because ive now realized youtube hasn't showed me ANY of your videos (new or old) in at least a month! hate it when that happens. but loveeee you!
Hey Cari! Have you tried reading any discworld? I feel like it might be your type of fantasy (there’s a lot of books but i would recommend starting with the witches or nights watch novels)
No she hasn't. I've been asking for years.
hey Cari! just hearing your review of Winter in Sokcho and I wanted to recommend a lovely book called "Like Water for Chocolate". It was published in 1989 and tells the story of this Mexican girl who has a crush on a guy that must be kept secret, so she conveys her love by preparing traditional Mexican dishes. Each chapter opens with a new recipe and from what I can remember it was really funny and romantic. If you like reading about food preparations you'll love this book! :)
I read My Roommate is a Vampire for a book club I just joined and I both acknowledge that it’s lacking and enjoyed it for its simpleness.
I had just been reading a lot of nonfiction and heavier books, so it was a nice pallet cleanser, but I definitely wanted more. The author brought up so many things that could have been great, really build up this version of Chicago that has vampires (for example: tell me more about these vampire hunters), but instead opted to just move on. I do agree it ended and was resolved way too fast.
Myself and everyone in my book club loved the vampire. His fish out of water, gentleman, stumbling with technology, his odd power, him at the party… all of it great, and I think that’s what everyone loves about it. His notes and texts are funny and/or cute and he’s a charming character.
An hour long cari can read video is exactly what I needed! Can't wait to see the new plot summary video. :)
yeee thank you!!
There's actually going to be 7 books total in the paladin series (I believe). The fourth one literally JUST came out, like on Dec 5th. T. Kingfisher also just got a trad publishing deal for all the books in this world (as they have all been self published previously).
OMG I also read a lot of T. Kingfisher last November!! I binged the Temple of the White Rat world books plus Nettle and Bone. Personally, I had a blast reading the Paladin books, The Clockwork Boys duology was okay, and I did not like Swordheart. So excited to read the fourth Paladin book this December!
OMG I loved Foe! That was such a fascinating read. I’m excited for the movie!
I get so happy whenever I see you’ve uploaded 🥰🥰
thank you!!
literally waiting for you to post a vid!!! AHH THANK YOU CARI!❤
thank youuuuuu!
And now i have again to many books to add to my TBR! Thank you Cari !!
Ughh absolutely LOVE these long videos! That intro though hahaha 😂❤
lol thank you!!
is it bad that i immediately knew what book/series you were talking about in the intro 😭😭 t. kingfisher definitely has a type
LMAO
Hi! I also loved Paladin’s Grace and felt similarly to Paladin’s Strength. There are actually 4 books in this series now!! 10/10 recommend books 3&4! Good to know that The Clockwork Boys is part of the same world! Put them on hold at my library. 😊
That intro lmao 😂 so glad for a nearly hour-long video ❤❤❤
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There is also a standalone book that takes place in the Throne in the dark world... I really enjoyed that one 😌
ooh yessss i've been waiting for this one!!!
currently reading paladin's grace thanks to you cari
omg hope you love it!!
Sooo happy you read The Berry Pickers!! It was a surprisingly nice read for me as well, and it's about the local indigenous group in my region.
yayyy i love seeing a new upload from you when i log in
thank you! and yeah where did the year go?!
I read the spirit bares it's teeth because of this video, it was fantastic, thank you.
Finals week is kicking my ass so a Cari upload is just what I need! I cant wait for winter break so I can get back to reading lol
hope its all over soon and you feel good about all your tests!!!
Been in a reading slump for months and just re reading my favourite book now to feel better❤️
Felt the exact same way as you towards Paladin's Strength! Paladin's Grace has been my favorite. Also, T. Kingfisher announced a fourth book in the series! ❤. T. Kingfisher has also put me in a stranglehold this year (in the best way!)
I think you convinced me to read Ruth Ware again I have read 4 of her books and only like one of them. But I think It Girl will be a hit for me ❤
I read "my roommate is a vampire" a week or so ago and I loved it!
I do agree with your comments : about the crisis being resolved so simply.
But still I thourougly enjoyed it. I loved how naive it was.
Like.... It was specifically mentioned multiple times that his heart doesn't beat and his blood does not move in his veins... And then BUM : erection out of the blue. And we do not get ANY explanation about that. so yeah... I really loved that it did not explore the classical "I'm a monster" theme. because it's boring. this book, on the other hand was hilarious and naive and cute
i agree, after reading a lot of heavy-themed books i found "my roommate is a vampire" to be a refreshing romcom
NICE... used my audible currency this month for little thieves just now, hope ill enjoy it as much as you did :D
The Last Language sounds a lot like the stubbenfield case that happened sometime around 2015? It was basically involving a professor who used facilitated communication(a controversial and almost completely disproven communication) to “provide language” to a nonverbal autistic adult. She was also the only one who the method ever worked for and their situation ended in her sleeping with her him, her claiming the whole time that it was a consensual decision. The implications along with the spotty at best reputation of FC lead to a lot of ethics debates and ended up with the woman in jail
It’s an interesting concept to write a book about and i think it makes a topic and (unfortunately common) event more accessible to people who don’t exist in the spheres of any kind of accessibility or disability research
god i hadnt heard that it happened with people - i'd only known of cases with animals like koko the gorilla most famously. thats so sad :(
I would really like to see a video or a recommandation of your top 5 or most liked thriller/mystery books. You made me want to read the IT girl!
my problem is i forget those plots sooo fast hahha so looking back at the ones i read and recommending them would be so difficult hahha
Holy shit…..can’t wait for the plot summary vid!!!
I love these monthly recaps! I hadn't picked up a book in years, and then read the ACOTAR series this March and fell in love with reading all over again🤍i've read 23 books this year! i found your channel first with your ACOTAR recap videos, and have been binging everything! Thank you for everything you do. I owe a lot of my boost back into reading to you🤍
Please look into the Monstromologist series! It's so good and interesting, monster horror with a scientific approach and it has stuck with me for years. It focuses on a boy whose parents die in a fire, and he's left to be taken care of by this scientist of "aberrant biology" and it does something to my soul. It's not a perfect book or series but it's so worth the experience. Please look into it, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I have only read one of her books : the witches guide to defensive baking - which I adored - so innovative and do fun .
I also read My Roommate is a Vampire. I didn’t dislike it as much as you, but as far as romances go, I thought it was fine. Perhaps it’s because my SIL made me read Flock just before this, and anything compared to that is the best book ever written. But Vampire was like a 3.5 for me. Their chemistry didn’t go deep enough for me, but I didn’t think they were toxic for each other so that’s win haha. There were parts I found so hilarious, like what was behind the closet door, and the “do you eat sauce” conversation. It’s a good “brain off” book for those who can easily subvert reality. There were several things that kept me from loving it, like how she accepted the Vampire thing so fast, but I don’t think it was too bad. I agree that there was no 3rd act conflict. I think it was an intentional choice, but the risk is that the relationship doesn’t get challenged in any way. Also, I had a personal connection to Cassie’s art journey. So it got me there.
Yeah the instant love and obsession from our vamp was weird and i felt like that killed any chance of genuine chemistry for them :/
dark rise is honestly a pretty boring and bland book until the last couple chapters which hit HARD. made me extremely excited about the sequel and i even got the audiobook, even though i had been uninterested 90% of the book. and by god, the sequel did not let me down.
i recommend you try one more time. the ending is where it gets good.
ughhhh maybe in a year or so hahahah
@@caricanread not the most enticing pitch ik😅 but i do really recommend it
Wanted to say the same. The beginning (hahaha, for me it was about 70%) is really weird and seems to drag. Mostly because you think you know where the story is going because of common tropes and you don't care for them much. But once the author starts twisting the tropes and goes into totally unexpected directions, it gets wild. And the ending broke me. Can't wait to read the sequel later this month.
So the plot summary is A Court of Frost and Starlight, right? It’ll complete the series of Cari’s ACOTAR plot summaries and it’s a Christmas special in book form so it fits!
That's my guess
She said its something new(on Instagram)... I think we might be getting a new series or something
WE WERE RIGHT
I think it was you that recommended Hell Follows With Us and The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea.
I absolutely loved both those books. 5 stars for both. They definitely some of my favorite books of the year.
Thank you so much for the recs ❤
I'm reading the great alone currently, I've been taking it slow because I feel like it's going to wreck me later lol
I'm really enjoying the writing, I think it's beautiful but her family is so toxic.. one of the most toxic families I have read about and I read dark romances 😅
Definitely felt you on the Clockwork universe fatigue and needing to space things out for T. Kingfisher's books. The Kingfisher-isms are fun in moderation, but after the 4th book in a row it starts to grate on you.
Especially since all the brooding big boys tend to follow similar "how could possibly she love me? Also, I am honor-bound not to be horny to her" romantic arcs.
LOVED Foe, it's from one of my favorite authors (Iain Reid) and i was so hyped for the movie and im so sad to hear it's getting bad reviews!
I feel like I have to mention that The Saints of steel by T. Kingfisher just recently got a fourth book and is going to actually be more like a seven book series! Also I totally share your opinion on liking Paladins Grace more than Paladins Strenght lol
Out of the three books out so far, Grace is still strongest overall for me. Strength felt 30 pages too long in terms of relationship build-up, whereas Hope felt 30 pages too short.
i've had the same experience with t kingfisher this year. i read nettle and bone at the beginning of the year and it just didn't really hit for me. it was ok but meh.
luckily, i gave her another chance since the descriptions of her books sounded SO good. i read the twisted ones, the hollow places, (both amazing), a house with good bones, and thornhedge all within the last 2 months. the hollow places and thornhedge were both 5 stars for me.