Doing my usual where I'll likely be writing multiple comments but WOW you're the only person I know who has read Pumpkin Spice Cafe and doesn't really like it. I've been debating picking it up because as we both know romance isn't reallllly my thing but this looks so gosh darn cute and seasonal (as do all the sequels!) also LOVE your earrings, you're such a Regency forest themed heroine here (or obviously channeling a magical zoo!) I totally get your complaints about The Phoenix Keeper though I really loved it and liked the more slow paced and slice of life elements, but it was a CHONKER of a book. I read it quite fast for a buddy read in like 2 days so I think I didn't notice the pacing issues as much. and yes omg the villain was SO predictable and that part was definitely very silly. You've confirmed for me I DEFINITELY need to pick up Lady Macbeth now as I've adored both of the other Ava Reid books I've read now. The Night Circus is my favourite book of all time (thus far) and I didn't love The Starless Sea quite as much but I DID adore it (and got to go to a cool author event at a big library for its release)... do I sense this is going to be in your top 10 books of the year???
I too fell in love with the Starless Sea so much so that I went on Etsy and got a custom Sprayed edges version of the book and I just adored it so much.
Ohhhh, I bet it's just stunning! I definitely hunted down a few special editions, I simply HAD to! I've just never read anything else quite like it and I loved it so much that it was the hardest review to put into words-- I felt a little silly filming it because WHO REVIEWS A BOOK LIKE THAT but I couldn't help myself. Honestly, I'm STILL thinking about it-- my TBR is ridiculous and yet I cannot stop trying to figure out when I'm going to fit in a reread!
Congratulations on completing Week One of the Magical Readathon!! What you are attempting is no small feat! I am kicking my feet with excitement about The Starless Sea now OMG it sounds right up my alley!! I am starting it today! I don't care that I am already in the middle of seven books LOL (I have a problem). We should start a book club 🤔 It sounds like there are folks commenting on your videos (including me) who might be down! Of course, only when you are feeling well enough and have capacity 💖
It's so weird because the videos are always at least two weeks behind where I am in real life when it comes to reading, and now it's more like a month behind! Thank goodness I take notes or I'd never be able to film reviews, but its so funny keeping three timelines in my head: real life, filming, and then where I'm at with what's been posted. Don't worry, with books I'm well into Spookopoly, it's just a filming backup! And YES, I'm totally the same-- I always have at least four books going at once. Occasionally a book will snatch me up and I'll read it straight through in the midst of others, but I like to be able to switch it up. It makes my husband crazy that there are always half-finished books everywhere and I always know exactly where they are, but I can't keep track of my phone to save my life. BUT I hope you LOVE The Starless Sea, I'm going to be so crushed when anyone doesn't now, it's like...a problem. It DOES sound like people might be interested in a book club at some point, and I'm going to have to figure that one out. Most BookTubers do it through Patreon but I don't really want to set it up with a paywall, and I LOATHE discord, so I'm not sure how I'd set it up. I'm definitely not ready quite yet, but it's something I'm starting to think about...which is WILD, I still can't quite wrap my head around it, honestly.
Ok. I need to read the Starless Sea once I'm done with all my spooky gothic horror this month. I'm still looking for that book, when people ask me what my favorite book is, that I can firmly without a doubt give them my answer because it changed my life.
Ohhh, I hope you love it as much as I did! I could have NEVER picked a favorite book before reading this one-- I would have stammered and been like: from what month? From which year? At least give me a genre and subgenre! But now I really do have that one perfect book in which I cannot name a flaw, or even find the right words to describe it, and I REALLY hope you find your book too! I don't know if it changed my life, but it made me feel so...seen? So perfectly encapsulated in a book? I almost felt like the book kept whispering my name back to me, and, you know, I think it sounded a little different at the end of the book than it did at the beginning (that makes absolutely no sense but it's the best way I can describe it).
I love seeing how much you loved The Starless Sea, and as someone who has read both books I can tell you they're both good. They are however, good in different ways: I do not think you'll enjoy The Night Circus as much but I do think you'll enjoy it. Wren in the Holly Library has me feeling bummed. I got it as a gift but I'm unsure if it's even worth the read. Thank you for sharing your reviews, and I will add Beautiful Beasts to my TBR and see if I can ease myself into a new genre.
I was so nervous to post that review, that thing got cut down from 25 minutes of rambling (okay, gushing), but The Starless Sea was SO special. I will dutifully temper my expectations for The Night Circus, but I'm glad to hear you think I'll still enjoy it-- honestly, I cannot imagine anything competing with The Starless Sea, but I also can't imagine Erin Morgentstern's writing not being beautiful, so I'll take it! (Seriously...one book every like 8 years, is that what we're getting? I mean, it's art, I get it but...I'm gonna need MORE.) I'm so sorry about Wren, but I am DEFINITELY in the minority with my opinion, so maybe give it a shot. I'm still going to continue with the series because I loved the ending the direction I think it's going, so that definitely says something. I've just read SO MUCH fantasy a lot of it is starting to feel...really similar, you know? But most people LOVED IT, and I've had a pretty tough few months-- maybe I would have loved it if I'd been feeling better when I read it, I always worry about that. My word is NOT the end all, be all. trust me! And Why Choose is SO MUCH fun, but not everyone loves the genre-- you have to REALLY like smut. Like, a lot. Beautiful Beast was uniquely fantasy heavy, but the fantasy was...more like paranormal romance on further reflection, and it's not Devyn Sinclair's best. I should really do a Why Choose and Omegaverse for beginners video, that would be SO fun and has sort of been in my mind for ages...argh, I need more hours in the day!
Ohhhhhh, I hadn't even thought of that! Could I even HANDLE it is the question...well, I guess I'll be crying either way, won't I? I'm going to HAVE to give it a try, I'm already dying for a reread anyway. Thank you so much for the recommendation!
I read The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and I thought it was insta love, basically fade to black boredom. Some of it was ok but it was not the knicker dropper that everyone makes it out to be.
@@cleg78 Awww, thanks so much, I always have so much fun making videos-- I honestly wish I had the time to make more (or, you know, my immune system would occasionally do its job)! And I am SO glad someone else feels the same way I do about that book, I finished it and just was a little mystified as to how it was THE book of the fall. I'm so glad so many people are LOVING it but...maybe these are readers who haven't read a ton of smut yet? As long as people are, ahem FALLing for it, I won't yuck their yum and I'm all for anything that brings people joy, but by standards it was just SO tame.
Doing my usual where I'll likely be writing multiple comments but WOW you're the only person I know who has read Pumpkin Spice Cafe and doesn't really like it. I've been debating picking it up because as we both know romance isn't reallllly my thing but this looks so gosh darn cute and seasonal (as do all the sequels!)
also LOVE your earrings, you're such a Regency forest themed heroine here (or obviously channeling a magical zoo!)
I totally get your complaints about The Phoenix Keeper though I really loved it and liked the more slow paced and slice of life elements, but it was a CHONKER of a book. I read it quite fast for a buddy read in like 2 days so I think I didn't notice the pacing issues as much. and yes omg the villain was SO predictable and that part was definitely very silly.
You've confirmed for me I DEFINITELY need to pick up Lady Macbeth now as I've adored both of the other Ava Reid books I've read now.
The Night Circus is my favourite book of all time (thus far) and I didn't love The Starless Sea quite as much but I DID adore it (and got to go to a cool author event at a big library for its release)... do I sense this is going to be in your top 10 books of the year???
I too fell in love with the Starless Sea so much so that I went on Etsy and got a custom Sprayed edges version of the book and I just adored it so much.
Ohhhh, I bet it's just stunning! I definitely hunted down a few special editions, I simply HAD to! I've just never read anything else quite like it and I loved it so much that it was the hardest review to put into words-- I felt a little silly filming it because WHO REVIEWS A BOOK LIKE THAT but I couldn't help myself. Honestly, I'm STILL thinking about it-- my TBR is ridiculous and yet I cannot stop trying to figure out when I'm going to fit in a reread!
Congratulations on completing Week One of the Magical Readathon!! What you are attempting is no small feat! I am kicking my feet with excitement about The Starless Sea now OMG it sounds right up my alley!! I am starting it today! I don't care that I am already in the middle of seven books LOL (I have a problem). We should start a book club 🤔 It sounds like there are folks commenting on your videos (including me) who might be down! Of course, only when you are feeling well enough and have capacity 💖
It's so weird because the videos are always at least two weeks behind where I am in real life when it comes to reading, and now it's more like a month behind! Thank goodness I take notes or I'd never be able to film reviews, but its so funny keeping three timelines in my head: real life, filming, and then where I'm at with what's been posted. Don't worry, with books I'm well into Spookopoly, it's just a filming backup!
And YES, I'm totally the same-- I always have at least four books going at once. Occasionally a book will snatch me up and I'll read it straight through in the midst of others, but I like to be able to switch it up. It makes my husband crazy that there are always half-finished books everywhere and I always know exactly where they are, but I can't keep track of my phone to save my life. BUT I hope you LOVE The Starless Sea, I'm going to be so crushed when anyone doesn't now, it's like...a problem.
It DOES sound like people might be interested in a book club at some point, and I'm going to have to figure that one out. Most BookTubers do it through Patreon but I don't really want to set it up with a paywall, and I LOATHE discord, so I'm not sure how I'd set it up. I'm definitely not ready quite yet, but it's something I'm starting to think about...which is WILD, I still can't quite wrap my head around it, honestly.
Ok. I need to read the Starless Sea once I'm done with all my spooky gothic horror this month. I'm still looking for that book, when people ask me what my favorite book is, that I can firmly without a doubt give them my answer because it changed my life.
Ohhh, I hope you love it as much as I did! I could have NEVER picked a favorite book before reading this one-- I would have stammered and been like: from what month? From which year? At least give me a genre and subgenre! But now I really do have that one perfect book in which I cannot name a flaw, or even find the right words to describe it, and I REALLY hope you find your book too! I don't know if it changed my life, but it made me feel so...seen? So perfectly encapsulated in a book? I almost felt like the book kept whispering my name back to me, and, you know, I think it sounded a little different at the end of the book than it did at the beginning (that makes absolutely no sense but it's the best way I can describe it).
I love seeing how much you loved The Starless Sea, and as someone who has read both books I can tell you they're both good. They are however, good in different ways: I do not think you'll enjoy The Night Circus as much but I do think you'll enjoy it.
Wren in the Holly Library has me feeling bummed. I got it as a gift but I'm unsure if it's even worth the read.
Thank you for sharing your reviews, and I will add Beautiful Beasts to my TBR and see if I can ease myself into a new genre.
I was so nervous to post that review, that thing got cut down from 25 minutes of rambling (okay, gushing), but The Starless Sea was SO special. I will dutifully temper my expectations for The Night Circus, but I'm glad to hear you think I'll still enjoy it-- honestly, I cannot imagine anything competing with The Starless Sea, but I also can't imagine Erin Morgentstern's writing not being beautiful, so I'll take it! (Seriously...one book every like 8 years, is that what we're getting? I mean, it's art, I get it but...I'm gonna need MORE.)
I'm so sorry about Wren, but I am DEFINITELY in the minority with my opinion, so maybe give it a shot. I'm still going to continue with the series because I loved the ending the direction I think it's going, so that definitely says something. I've just read SO MUCH fantasy a lot of it is starting to feel...really similar, you know? But most people LOVED IT, and I've had a pretty tough few months-- maybe I would have loved it if I'd been feeling better when I read it, I always worry about that. My word is NOT the end all, be all. trust me!
And Why Choose is SO MUCH fun, but not everyone loves the genre-- you have to REALLY like smut. Like, a lot. Beautiful Beast was uniquely fantasy heavy, but the fantasy was...more like paranormal romance on further reflection, and it's not Devyn Sinclair's best. I should really do a Why Choose and Omegaverse for beginners video, that would be SO fun and has sort of been in my mind for ages...argh, I need more hours in the day!
Try The Starless Sea as an audiobook - the voice actors are all so talented it made a *great* book even better!
Thanks for the recommendation! I am going to do just that!
Ohhhhhh, I hadn't even thought of that! Could I even HANDLE it is the question...well, I guess I'll be crying either way, won't I? I'm going to HAVE to give it a try, I'm already dying for a reread anyway. Thank you so much for the recommendation!
If you ever want to buddy read I am so here for it!📚📚📚
Ooohhh, noted! Sounds like this channel may need a Book Club at some point?
@@LitCouture Most definitely!😊
I read The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and I thought it was insta love, basically fade to black boredom. Some of it was ok but it was not the knicker dropper that everyone makes it out to be.
Great to see you back in another video btw
@@cleg78 Awww, thanks so much, I always have so much fun making videos-- I honestly wish I had the time to make more (or, you know, my immune system would occasionally do its job)! And I am SO glad someone else feels the same way I do about that book, I finished it and just was a little mystified as to how it was THE book of the fall. I'm so glad so many people are LOVING it but...maybe these are readers who haven't read a ton of smut yet? As long as people are, ahem FALLing for it, I won't yuck their yum and I'm all for anything that brings people joy, but by standards it was just SO tame.