Knowing me I probably won't read most of these books but I still like to hear you talk about them. Your passion is very refreshing and uplifting! Have you ever read 100 years of solitude? It's one of my favourite books ever, so beautiful and funny and sad and magical. Highly recommend!
I've grown to love this seasonal angle you focus on with books (and TV shows etc.). It's a way of immersing oneself in what they're reading that I hadn't thought of before. I must've had a bit of this in me already, because I remember choosing to watch The Talented Mr. Ripley with family on Christmas a couple years back because its balmy Italian setting fit with the Australian summer Christmas we were in (also it turned out to actually BE a Christmas movie, albeit briefly, which was the cherry on top of the damn cake). I'm going to be picking things based on this a lot more from now on though!
I was introduced to the last unicorn via the 80's movie when I was a child, but only this past year was I able to read the book. The movie is definitely one of my comfort movies (next to meet the robinsons and spirit stallion of the cirramon) and was made by the people of studio ghibli before they were studio ghibli. They did cut out a lot of the stuff from the book but they did keep a lot of lines word for word in the movie. I'm obsessed with anything to do with Peter S. Beagle, I'm going to get his new book I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons on alibris and the movie has definitely led into an interest in studio ghibli movies.
I love book vlogs so muchhhh 😍😍 Funny story, I’m currently reading The Lost Story (my July BOTM I’m very behind lol) and also another book on my kindle at the same time. I just realized that the two authors of the books are married to each other. What are the odds!! Another coincidence as I continue to watch the vlog 😂 I picked up A Most Agreeable Murder on a whim while I was on vacation this summer! I haven’t made it to it yet, but it looks super fun
Your book recs are always great; I cannot wait to read some of these! I’ve just finished ‘Just for the Summer’, which you recommended a while back, and I could not put it down! I’ve also been enjoying novellas lately. Sometimes, with how busy life is, it can be hard to pick up a book, but short stories have totally got me back into reading. I think my favourite book this past month or so was ‘What you are looking for is in the library’ by Michiko Aoyama. It was a simple plot but charming and full of little life lessons. I would definitely recommend
I read one Barbara Kingsolver book a year ago and she has quickly evolved into one of my favorite authors. I love how she writes so wonderfully about the power of community!
I just want to say, I read all of the Books of Bayern, (The Goose Girl series) and, if I remember right, the companion death from the first book is the only event of that kind that happens in the series. The next book in the series was my favorite, and I would definitely recommend the rest of them if you have any interest in them.
Yes!! The Books of Bayern are so near and dear to my heart. I remember the series as such a thoughtful and enchanting fantasy tale… I hope anyone who enjoys fantasy takes a chance on them!
I've finally gotten into the LOTR books this summer! I've been such a big fan of the movies forever but the books just seemed so dense and it really scared me😬, but Audible has the series narrated by Andy Serkis and it is such a treat! I can't believe it's taken me so long! Happy reading/ listening to everyone else!
I love seeing what you’re reading and your summaries/reactions! Your reading volume is unmatched! And I admire your seasonal book planning. How do you decide which books to read with your eyeballs vs listening on audio? Audio is my favorite format these days. My attention span is very bad, so I’ll craft while I listen to stories.
Oooo good question!!! Sometimes the ones with the cute covers are ones I get physical copies of. Or if they're part of a series that I'm collecting I'll get them. Or if I can get them from Book of the Month I'll get physical copies! Then I'll do the rest on audio! Or if it's one I want to read with Brian we will do audio!
Yay, I freaking love your reading vlogs! The only problem is how big my TBR gets after watching them😅But I still need to finish what I´m currently reading before getting more books. This vlog was great, Meredith.💜💜💜
im part of a college book club and i love watching ur videos to get book recs to bring to them!!! also good girls guide to murder slaps its so good!! one of my fav murder mysteries
While I didn't read quite as much as you the past couple months, I also have had a great streak. Favorites included Funny Story by Emily Henry (this is now solidly second place behind Beach Read for me) and Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell. I also really enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Fairies (starting the sequel tonight- the first would be good for winter) and My Lady Jane, which was very funny. I kind of fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to my TBR, but this fall I plan to finally read Interview with the Vampire (obsessed with the show). I LOVE Ninth House, that's one of the books that got me writing for fun. It can be very dark, especially if you're familiar with the author's other stuff as this one is definitely a departure in tone (but I loved it even more for that). I will recommend a four-book YA series (the other that got me into writing), The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. It's magical, full of really interesting characters and dynamics, and it fills me like it's a love letter to a place I adore (the Shenandoah valley). One last comment, I've read most of Katherine Center's other books (I like Happiness for Beginners and Things you Save in a Fire best), and they're good books for when you need something lighter but still want it to have some substance- I was interested to hear your review and now I'm really curious about what happened!
Yay!! I've read some of these recs and have others on my TBR as well!! I read Happiness for Beginners last year and had the same issue- I loved it and then suddenly there was a shocking/horrible moment that ruined the book for me! (The dog in the cooler...) but I did like her other book "The Bodyguard" and it didn't shock me with something horrible like the other 2. Haha! I'm so sensitive!
Ooooh so excited for you to get to The Lighthouse Witches, I loooved that one. C.J. Cooke has a new book coming out soon that's also gonna be witchy and I'm so excited. I just finished the audiobook for The Dutch House and I loved it so much I put a copy of Tom Lake on hold at my job to buy soon cause I need to read more Ann Patchett. I'm not a big audiobook person but I was at a cottage this long weekend in Ithaca, NY and it was so cozy and nice and my friend and I did three puzzles while we listened.
I'm so excited for Lighthouse Witches!! Omg we loved Tom Hanks reading Dutch House. He's the best!! I think you'll like Meryl Streep reading Tom Lake too- she's so incredible!
If you want to give books based in Oxford another try, as well as some puzzle solving mystery vibes then I’d recommend ‘Guilty by Definition’ by Susie Dent who is a well known lexicographer here in the UK :) Also completely agree with your feelings about the ‘What the River Knows’ ending!! Will have to see how it continues in the sequel in November!
i looovee the original howl's moving castle book! it's my favorite movie, so of course i had to read the original. the ending is very different, but i still adore it. i once read that it feels like the movie is the story being told through howl's point of view, very fantastical and artsy, whereas the book is the story through sophie's more realistic eye. i love both version!
Meredith, you make me want to get back into reading with these kinds of videos! I'm currently working through Warrior Girl Unearthed (the sequel of Firekeeper's Daughter), and I'm planning on starting Circe by Madeline Miller next :) I'm definitely gonna check out God of the Woods too when my library gets it! Thank you for the vlog!
I don’t know how easy they are to find outside Sweden, but the Engelsfors trilogy by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren is a great YA series I think you would like. The three books are called The Circle, Fire, and The Key (they also made a film of The Circle but it’s not as good as the book). It’s told through pretty much all seasons in a small Swedish town and it’s about teenage witches in the early 2000’s
I enjoyed Diana Wynne Jones' fantasy series a lot as a kid, but I was always irritated by the character Howl. Now the Ghibli film is brilliant, of course, and I remember myself observing, Huh, Maestro Miyazaki made that awful dude so likeable! I don't know, maybe I would feel differently if I re-read them as an adult. Also, thenk you for sharing your reads. I have booked two of them from the public library right away.
i love love love the summer book! (and moomin haha.) i've been trying to get back into reading, and it's been hard so i appreciate these recommendations! if you want some cute, super short and kind of silly mystery books, i recommend the shady hollow series by juneau black.
I just got The Lost Story in on Libby today! Hopefully I like the audiobook. I find that I'm particular as heck about many things. Idk if you like kdramas, but a GORGEOUS cozy one is Hometown Cha Cha Cha. It's definitely a summer one, so it might be too late seasonally to watch, but it's SUCH a delight.
I got sucked in to Starling House so bad when I first read it-I could not put it down. I hope you like it! I finally got around to reading Piranesi because you recommended it. I loved it! It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I loved how different and immersive it was.
I've read The Last Unicorn, and listened to the audio book of Howl's Moving Castle. I liked both, and was surprised at the places where the Ghibli movie differed from the book. I knew it was going to happen, as is the nature of movie vs book, but it made me take a step back and wonder why some of the changes were made. I only read one new book this summer, and it was the new book by Peter S. Beagle (who wrote The Last Unicorn) called "I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons". I thought it was good. There were some parts where I felt like I had missed something, but I enjoyed the characters and was able to sit down and read the whole thing in a couple of days. Right now my oldest nephew is borrowing it.
There are some book on your tbr that I have been thinking of reading or have read other books by the author, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you think about them. I'm not sure if you've read them yet, but I feel like you would enjoy the Thursday Murder Club books. They are about a group of people in a retirement community that keep getting themselves involved in murder investigations. I've read the first three, and I love them so far! For an end of summer rec I would suggest The Pairing. It's a spicy queer romance that is about exes going on a European food and wine tour. I just really loved the development of the characters throughout the book. Also, I just read Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar and it was so good! It is kind of an odd book, but it is about addiction/sobriety and martyrdom and figuring out how to have your life mean something. The author gave a talk at my library and this book just seems like a really good representation of how he was in person, very engaging but somewhat prone to tangents. It's kind of meandering and doesn't have a ton of plot, but it just sucked me in!
I haven't read the rom commers but i really enjoyed katherine center's last book; hello stranger, which is about a girl who has temporary face blindness and all the romance hijinks that ensue from that. Maybe try it if you liked her other book apart from that annoying part at the end? Also I just read the Phoenix Keeper by SA MacLean and loved it so much and I think it would be really up your alley! It's basically a cozy fantasy about a girl who works in a magical zoo and is, you guessed it, the phoenix keeper there.
I haven't read Hello Stranger but I've read 2 other Katherine Center books- I liked "The Bodyguard"! I had a similar issue with "Happiness for Beginners"- there was a shocking moment toward the end that ruined the book for me! Haha I dunno.. she throws in curve balls! Ooo can't wait to check out Phoenix Keeper! Thank you!!
I have Salem's Lot on my TBR for October as well! I tend to read darker stories but love hearing about all of the cozy things you've read! Have you heard of the Shady Hollow series? It gives big Meredith vibes.
Hey Meredith, love your cosy blogs. Just wanted to suggest a book you might like - Hubble Bubble by Christina Jones. Cosy, magical, funny and a bit of romance thrown in - set in fictional English villages in late Autumn/Fall, has a brilliant heroine and there's several more books in the series, with different main characters.
I know the Moomins (my parents went on a cruise and brought me back Moomin bandaids), the music from the recent show is beautiful and I am waiting for the gameSnufkin: Melody of Moominvalley to hopefully go on sale. Where the Dark Stands Still was surprisingly my best read this year and it was hard to find something to read next.
Omg I've been hearing such great things about Where the Dark Stands Still since I put this vlog out- I'm so glad it sounds like it'll be as good as its cover!
I've read Hera and really enjoyed it, especially since I just did an Olympus uni course right before it, although I thought there would be more to Aeneas and the founding of Rome (to be fair, that's rather for the Roman version Iuno). However, I'm not sure how someone who is not into Greek myth lore would like it, tbh, so I'm excited what y'all will make of it!
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers (though I havent read it) reminded me of The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. (less the puzzle aspect but with maps) and the uncovering of a parent's secret society and all that goes along with it. Its also a mystery with a bit of fantasy. Also do you have a goodreads or storygraph or some list of all the books you like?
I don't know whether it's available in the US, but the BBC did make a TV series of The Magpie Murders a couple of years ago & it's worth a watch if you can find it. I've been getting through my own TBR this year - a lot slower than I'd like to, but I'm getting there! It's so hard to read the things I've had on shelves for years when new books keep coming out! Have you read any books by Lex Croucher? They're a (mostly YA) author - their most recent book is a YA continuation of Robin Hood (Not For the Faint of Heart - it's on my TBR) , but their first novel was an Austen era inspired one called Reputation. I've v much enjoyed all their books so far - lots of queer rep in them which is always a bonus!
Haven’t read any of these, but do have some more recomendations! ☺️ I’m currently reading Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid, i’m about halfway through but loving it so far and thought you might like it! (but plz look up content warnings first if you do decide to read!). Perfect read for october I feel! 🍁 Also! Tv recomendation! : Midsumer murders. British long running murder mystery show, first 10ish season are very cozy (and a bit silly and spooky)!
I want to thank you because A.) I've been looking for lighthouse themed books, and you just alerted me to "The Lighthouse Witches" and B.) you've taught me the correct pronunciation of "Samhain," which I've just been pronouncing Sam-Hayne like the idiot I am for 42 years. Yay knowledge! 💚💚💚💚💚
My friend and I started the heaven and earth grocery store while driving to rehearsal but had to dnf it bc neither of us could pay attention enough to remember anything that was happening haha
I've heard SO many people speak highly of The God of the Woods. I think I might have to keep an eye out for it at my local used bookstore. I just wrapped up Janice Hallett's latest book "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels." It's a mixed-media mystery book told through WhatsApp conversations, emails, interview transcripts, and other notes/paraphernalia. I FLEW though it in no time and think you would dig it!
God of the Woods is a universally enjoyable book in my opinion!! As long as you're cool with child disappearance! Also that Janice Hallett book sounds so creative and fun!
Little Free Library! We have one right in front of our house that I love curating. 🥰 Or if it's a book that's not my style but I think a friend would like it, I give it away!
I’m new to your channel so idk if you’ve read this before but i think you would love the ex hex by erin sterling. it’s a really fun witchy romance novel.
I have a weird question... I´ve had a song , or a snippet of a song stuck on my brain for a few days and I can not find it! I´m sure its a song you used in a few vlogs a while back, I´ve tried to click and scroll around to find it but, alas! :D its a high pitched tenor singing about a decision, decision!!! Help! :') (I sung the Benny Andersson song "nu mår jag mycket bättre" in a concert last weekend, and there is some harmony that flips some kind of switch in my brain, BUT I CANNOT FIND THE SONG :'D) And also, a book that sort of kinda picks up on the vibes of the summer book by Janson, but with more of an autumnal yearning is Astrid Lindgrens Mio, My Son. Not necessarily set during autumn, but very scandinavian pastoral childrens fantasy. I think you would like that :)
I have recs! I dont know whether youll ever read them but i think they're sort of the same feel as some books that youve read. First, and the one I've kept meaning to recommend but i just keep forgetting is 'Pride and Prejudice and in Pittsburgh' by Rachael Lippincott. Its sort of gives outlander vibes while having a jane austen feel! Its a ya queer romance and just so incredible! And it has time travel Sixteen Souls by rosie talbot is a spooky ghosty story set in york, england which is absolutely incredible! It has a second book called twelve bones too which is also good! It also features a queer romance I have more but dont want this comment to be so long!
Knowing me I probably won't read most of these books but I still like to hear you talk about them. Your passion is very refreshing and uplifting! Have you ever read 100 years of solitude? It's one of my favourite books ever, so beautiful and funny and sad and magical. Highly recommend!
Thank you!! Ooo no I haven't read that! I will look it up!!
Not me watching this with my libby app open so i can put things on hold as you mention them 😂
Hehehe good idea!!
Yep! Gotta pull up the Goodreads and Libby tabs whenever it's a book video!
hurrah for Tomek's music!
🥰
Where the Dark Stands Still is BEAUTIFUL!
Ok good to know that it's not just a cute cover!!!
I love these book vlogs so much, I am so excited for the fall/halloween season and reading so many good books!!
Yay!! So soon!! 🎃
The Lost Story sounds fun. (I added it to my tbr)
Also I love the Ninth House. It's definitely a fall book.
Yay! I plan to read it in November!! Once I'm done with all my spooky witch content hehe
I've grown to love this seasonal angle you focus on with books (and TV shows etc.). It's a way of immersing oneself in what they're reading that I hadn't thought of before. I must've had a bit of this in me already, because I remember choosing to watch The Talented Mr. Ripley with family on Christmas a couple years back because its balmy Italian setting fit with the Australian summer Christmas we were in (also it turned out to actually BE a Christmas movie, albeit briefly, which was the cherry on top of the damn cake). I'm going to be picking things based on this a lot more from now on though!
I love surrounding myself with seasonal stuff to help me embrace the seasons more!!
I was introduced to the last unicorn via the 80's movie when I was a child, but only this past year was I able to read the book. The movie is definitely one of my comfort movies (next to meet the robinsons and spirit stallion of the cirramon) and was made by the people of studio ghibli before they were studio ghibli. They did cut out a lot of the stuff from the book but they did keep a lot of lines word for word in the movie. I'm obsessed with anything to do with Peter S. Beagle, I'm going to get his new book I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons on alibris and the movie has definitely led into an interest in studio ghibli movies.
Someone else in the comments just read his newest book too!! So fun!!
I love book vlogs so muchhhh 😍😍 Funny story, I’m currently reading The Lost Story (my July BOTM I’m very behind lol) and also another book on my kindle at the same time. I just realized that the two authors of the books are married to each other. What are the odds!!
Another coincidence as I continue to watch the vlog 😂 I picked up A Most Agreeable Murder on a whim while I was on vacation this summer! I haven’t made it to it yet, but it looks super fun
Omg!! That's so fun about the married authors!! What a fun house that must be!
Your book recs are always great; I cannot wait to read some of these! I’ve just finished ‘Just for the Summer’, which you recommended a while back, and I could not put it down!
I’ve also been enjoying novellas lately. Sometimes, with how busy life is, it can be hard to pick up a book, but short stories have totally got me back into reading. I think my favourite book this past month or so was ‘What you are looking for is in the library’ by Michiko Aoyama. It was a simple plot but charming and full of little life lessons. I would definitely recommend
That's on my TBR!! It looks so cozy!
Under a dancing star is such a great book, I was rereading it this summer before an Italy trip and it’s just so cute
Omg so fun you got to read it before going to Italy!
My whole soul just relaxed in the first 30 seconds of watching this video ☺️
Aww yay!! Thank you!
I read one Barbara Kingsolver book a year ago and she has quickly evolved into one of my favorite authors. I love how she writes so wonderfully about the power of community!
Yes!!!!
would totally welcome more book videos !
Ok yay! Thank you for saying that!
I just want to say, I read all of the Books of Bayern, (The Goose Girl series) and, if I remember right, the companion death from the first book is the only event of that kind that happens in the series. The next book in the series was my favorite, and I would definitely recommend the rest of them if you have any interest in them.
Yes!! The Books of Bayern are so near and dear to my heart. I remember the series as such a thoughtful and enchanting fantasy tale… I hope anyone who enjoys fantasy takes a chance on them!
Omg ok good go know!! Cuz I really did love it except for that traumatic experience with the horse!!!!
y'all are convincing me!!
Does horse come back somehow?
Yayyy so many books to add to my 200+ tbr LOLOL
Hehhehe I know what you mean!!
I've finally gotten into the LOTR books this summer! I've been such a big fan of the movies forever but the books just seemed so dense and it really scared me😬, but Audible has the series narrated by Andy Serkis and it is such a treat! I can't believe it's taken me so long! Happy reading/ listening to everyone else!
Yay! Brian is doing the same thing!! Are you watching Rings of Power? We are!
@MerediddyS Not yet! (not sure if I ever will based on what the fans are saying)... oops!
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is so much fun!!! I'm waiting to read the third one bc I want to savour the fun for a long time
We just finished it yesterday!!! We struggled a little with the main character's motivation and her choices, but overall we had a blast!
Obsessed with your 4th outfit, the like corset laced top and white flowy shirt. Also I am intrigued by the Hacienda… will be adding to my tbr!
Yay! Thank you! Yeah I wanna wear that outfit every day!
I love seeing what you’re reading and your summaries/reactions! Your reading volume is unmatched! And I admire your seasonal book planning. How do you decide which books to read with your eyeballs vs listening on audio? Audio is my favorite format these days. My attention span is very bad, so I’ll craft while I listen to stories.
Oooo good question!!! Sometimes the ones with the cute covers are ones I get physical copies of. Or if they're part of a series that I'm collecting I'll get them. Or if I can get them from Book of the Month I'll get physical copies! Then I'll do the rest on audio! Or if it's one I want to read with Brian we will do audio!
Yay, I freaking love your reading vlogs! The only problem is how big my TBR gets after watching them😅But I still need to finish what I´m currently reading before getting more books. This vlog was great, Meredith.💜💜💜
Hehehe yeah my TBR really does grow too big after I watch a reading vlog!
im part of a college book club and i love watching ur videos to get book recs to bring to them!!! also good girls guide to murder slaps its so good!! one of my fav murder mysteries
We just finished yesterday!!!! We have mixed feelings about some of the main character's choices but overall were very sucked into the mystery!!
While I didn't read quite as much as you the past couple months, I also have had a great streak. Favorites included Funny Story by Emily Henry (this is now solidly second place behind Beach Read for me) and Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell. I also really enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Fairies (starting the sequel tonight- the first would be good for winter) and My Lady Jane, which was very funny. I kind of fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to my TBR, but this fall I plan to finally read Interview with the Vampire (obsessed with the show). I LOVE Ninth House, that's one of the books that got me writing for fun. It can be very dark, especially if you're familiar with the author's other stuff as this one is definitely a departure in tone (but I loved it even more for that). I will recommend a four-book YA series (the other that got me into writing), The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. It's magical, full of really interesting characters and dynamics, and it fills me like it's a love letter to a place I adore (the Shenandoah valley). One last comment, I've read most of Katherine Center's other books (I like Happiness for Beginners and Things you Save in a Fire best), and they're good books for when you need something lighter but still want it to have some substance- I was interested to hear your review and now I'm really curious about what happened!
Yay!! I've read some of these recs and have others on my TBR as well!! I read Happiness for Beginners last year and had the same issue- I loved it and then suddenly there was a shocking/horrible moment that ruined the book for me! (The dog in the cooler...) but I did like her other book "The Bodyguard" and it didn't shock me with something horrible like the other 2. Haha! I'm so sensitive!
Ooooh so excited for you to get to The Lighthouse Witches, I loooved that one. C.J. Cooke has a new book coming out soon that's also gonna be witchy and I'm so excited. I just finished the audiobook for The Dutch House and I loved it so much I put a copy of Tom Lake on hold at my job to buy soon cause I need to read more Ann Patchett. I'm not a big audiobook person but I was at a cottage this long weekend in Ithaca, NY and it was so cozy and nice and my friend and I did three puzzles while we listened.
I'm so excited for Lighthouse Witches!! Omg we loved Tom Hanks reading Dutch House. He's the best!! I think you'll like Meryl Streep reading Tom Lake too- she's so incredible!
The God of the Woods recommendation was so strong that as you were describing it I was experiencing an internal montage of reading it myself
Hehehe everyone is loving it!!
Tagged some of these to my ”want to read” list on Libby!!!! Thank you for the recs and inspiring me to read more 😊❤
Yay!! Thanks for watching!
If you want to give books based in Oxford another try, as well as some puzzle solving mystery vibes then I’d recommend ‘Guilty by Definition’ by Susie Dent who is a well known lexicographer here in the UK :) Also completely agree with your feelings about the ‘What the River Knows’ ending!! Will have to see how it continues in the sequel in November!
Yes thank you!! I love books set in Oxford- we just happened to pick the wrong one at the wrong time... I like fun mystery vibes in Oxford- thank you!
I put God of the Woods on hold and I'm like 600th in line for it hahaha
Can't wait to read it next year!
Hahah it's so popular right now cuz it's so good! And Obama put it on his summer reading list, so that doesn't help! Haha
i looovee the original howl's moving castle book! it's my favorite movie, so of course i had to read the original. the ending is very different, but i still adore it. i once read that it feels like the movie is the story being told through howl's point of view, very fantastical and artsy, whereas the book is the story through sophie's more realistic eye. i love both version!
We paused Howl's cuz "Good Girls Guide to Murder" came in but we are back on it now and we just love it! So fun and full of playful whimsy!
Meredith, you make me want to get back into reading with these kinds of videos! I'm currently working through Warrior Girl Unearthed (the sequel of Firekeeper's Daughter), and I'm planning on starting Circe by Madeline Miller next :) I'm definitely gonna check out God of the Woods too when my library gets it! Thank you for the vlog!
Omg I didn't know Firekeeper's Daughter had a sequel!!!
Enjoy Circe! So fun!
I don’t know how easy they are to find outside Sweden, but the Engelsfors trilogy by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren is a great YA series I think you would like. The three books are called The Circle, Fire, and The Key (they also made a film of The Circle but it’s not as good as the book). It’s told through pretty much all seasons in a small Swedish town and it’s about teenage witches in the early 2000’s
Ok I'm gonna look!! Even though I already went, I'm very much in the mood to keep finding Scandinavian content!
I enjoyed Diana Wynne Jones' fantasy series a lot as a kid, but I was always irritated by the character Howl. Now the Ghibli film is brilliant, of course, and I remember myself observing, Huh, Maestro Miyazaki made that awful dude so likeable! I don't know, maybe I would feel differently if I re-read them as an adult.
Also, thenk you for sharing your reads. I have booked two of them from the public library right away.
Hehehe he's definitely a whiny lil baby in the book!
i love love love the summer book! (and moomin haha.) i've been trying to get back into reading, and it's been hard so i appreciate these recommendations! if you want some cute, super short and kind of silly mystery books, i recommend the shady hollow series by juneau black.
Someone else just recommended those!! I'll have to start adding them to my TBR!
I just got The Lost Story in on Libby today! Hopefully I like the audiobook. I find that I'm particular as heck about many things.
Idk if you like kdramas, but a GORGEOUS cozy one is Hometown Cha Cha Cha. It's definitely a summer one, so it might be too late seasonally to watch, but it's SUCH a delight.
I loved Hometown Cha Cha Cha and sobbed my eyes out watching!
I got sucked in to Starling House so bad when I first read it-I could not put it down. I hope you like it!
I finally got around to reading Piranesi because you recommended it. I loved it! It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I loved how different and immersive it was.
Yay! Piranesi was such an adventure! I'm so excited for Starling House!
I've read The Last Unicorn, and listened to the audio book of Howl's Moving Castle. I liked both, and was surprised at the places where the Ghibli movie differed from the book. I knew it was going to happen, as is the nature of movie vs book, but it made me take a step back and wonder why some of the changes were made. I only read one new book this summer, and it was the new book by Peter S. Beagle (who wrote The Last Unicorn) called "I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons". I thought it was good. There were some parts where I felt like I had missed something, but I enjoyed the characters and was able to sit down and read the whole thing in a couple of days. Right now my oldest nephew is borrowing it.
Ooooo thank you for the rec!!! I didn't realize Peter S Beagle was still writing books- I liked Last Unicorn a lot!!
@@MerediddyS The book just came out this year! If you decide to pick it up, I hope you enjoy it! 😊
There are some book on your tbr that I have been thinking of reading or have read other books by the author, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you think about them.
I'm not sure if you've read them yet, but I feel like you would enjoy the Thursday Murder Club books. They are about a group of people in a retirement community that keep getting themselves involved in murder investigations. I've read the first three, and I love them so far! For an end of summer rec I would suggest The Pairing. It's a spicy queer romance that is about exes going on a European food and wine tour. I just really loved the development of the characters throughout the book. Also, I just read Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar and it was so good! It is kind of an odd book, but it is about addiction/sobriety and martyrdom and figuring out how to have your life mean something. The author gave a talk at my library and this book just seems like a really good representation of how he was in person, very engaging but somewhat prone to tangents. It's kind of meandering and doesn't have a ton of plot, but it just sucked me in!
Ooo someone else brought up the Thursday Murder Club! They sound so fun! Ok these are all great recs- thank you!
I haven't read the rom commers but i really enjoyed katherine center's last book; hello stranger, which is about a girl who has temporary face blindness and all the romance hijinks that ensue from that. Maybe try it if you liked her other book apart from that annoying part at the end?
Also I just read the Phoenix Keeper by SA MacLean and loved it so much and I think it would be really up your alley! It's basically a cozy fantasy about a girl who works in a magical zoo and is, you guessed it, the phoenix keeper there.
I haven't read Hello Stranger but I've read 2 other Katherine Center books- I liked "The Bodyguard"! I had a similar issue with "Happiness for Beginners"- there was a shocking moment toward the end that ruined the book for me! Haha I dunno.. she throws in curve balls!
Ooo can't wait to check out Phoenix Keeper! Thank you!!
I have Salem's Lot on my TBR for October as well! I tend to read darker stories but love hearing about all of the cozy things you've read! Have you heard of the Shady Hollow series? It gives big Meredith vibes.
Oooo I'll keep you updated on my Salem's Lot journey! And no I haven't read the Shady Hollow series- is it spooky cozy?
Hey Meredith, love your cosy blogs. Just wanted to suggest a book you might like - Hubble Bubble by Christina Jones. Cosy, magical, funny and a bit of romance thrown in - set in fictional English villages in late Autumn/Fall, has a brilliant heroine and there's several more books in the series, with different main characters.
Oooo sounds so cute and perfect for Fall!! Thank you!!
the Last Unicorn animated film is usually free on youtube to watch after reading it!
Oooo I have to watch!
I know the Moomins (my parents went on a cruise and brought me back Moomin bandaids), the music from the recent show is beautiful and I am waiting for the gameSnufkin: Melody of Moominvalley to hopefully go on sale. Where the Dark Stands Still was surprisingly my best read this year and it was hard to find something to read next.
Omg I've been hearing such great things about Where the Dark Stands Still since I put this vlog out- I'm so glad it sounds like it'll be as good as its cover!
I've read Hera and really enjoyed it, especially since I just did an Olympus uni course right before it, although I thought there would be more to Aeneas and the founding of Rome (to be fair, that's rather for the Roman version Iuno). However, I'm not sure how someone who is not into Greek myth lore would like it, tbh, so I'm excited what y'all will make of it!
Yay! I gotta read that one soon while it's still technically summer!! I feel like Hera is a summer book but maybe I'm wrong?
@@MerediddyS for me, personally, Hera works all year round. It's wildly fast paces in terms of time
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers (though I havent read it) reminded me of The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. (less the puzzle aspect but with maps) and the uncovering of a parent's secret society and all that goes along with it. Its also a mystery with a bit of fantasy.
Also do you have a goodreads or storygraph or some list of all the books you like?
Oh that sounds fun!!
Yes I have a goodreads! It's currently private but I might make it public!
I don't know whether it's available in the US, but the BBC did make a TV series of The Magpie Murders a couple of years ago & it's worth a watch if you can find it. I've been getting through my own TBR this year - a lot slower than I'd like to, but I'm getting there! It's so hard to read the things I've had on shelves for years when new books keep coming out!
Have you read any books by Lex Croucher? They're a (mostly YA) author - their most recent book is a YA continuation of Robin Hood (Not For the Faint of Heart - it's on my TBR) , but their first novel was an Austen era inspired one called Reputation. I've v much enjoyed all their books so far - lots of queer rep in them which is always a bonus!
Omg fun!! I wonder if it's on Britbox... I haven't heard of Lex Croucher so I'll have to look them up!!
Magpie Murders didn't hook me, so I gave up on it. But I'll give it another shot based on your recommendation!
It's ok if it didn't hook you!! It took us a minute too, but it's also kinda a slow burn
Haven’t read any of these, but do have some more recomendations! ☺️
I’m currently reading Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid, i’m about halfway through but loving it so far and thought you might like it! (but plz look up content warnings first if you do decide to read!). Perfect read for october I feel! 🍁
Also! Tv recomendation! : Midsumer murders. British long running murder mystery show, first 10ish season are very cozy (and a bit silly and spooky)!
Oooo I gotta see if Midsummer Murders is on Britbox!!!
I want to thank you because A.) I've been looking for lighthouse themed books, and you just alerted me to "The Lighthouse Witches" and B.) you've taught me the correct pronunciation of "Samhain," which I've just been pronouncing Sam-Hayne like the idiot I am for 42 years.
Yay knowledge! 💚💚💚💚💚
I also just read "The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter" and really enjoyed it even though it was pretty dark/sad!!
@@MerediddyS even better - thanks!
My friend and I started the heaven and earth grocery store while driving to rehearsal but had to dnf it bc neither of us could pay attention enough to remember anything that was happening haha
Lol it's definitely a book with a lot of characters and you don't know who is important and who is a side character... for sure confusing!
I've heard SO many people speak highly of The God of the Woods. I think I might have to keep an eye out for it at my local used bookstore. I just wrapped up Janice Hallett's latest book "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels." It's a mixed-media mystery book told through WhatsApp conversations, emails, interview transcripts, and other notes/paraphernalia. I FLEW though it in no time and think you would dig it!
God of the Woods is a universally enjoyable book in my opinion!! As long as you're cool with child disappearance! Also that Janice Hallett book sounds so creative and fun!
@@MerediddyS guess what I found at my used bookstore on Sunday for $2.97?! God of the Woods is officially on the *physical* tbr now!
What do you do with all the books you read and don't like? Do you sell them or put them in the free library?
Little Free Library! We have one right in front of our house that I love curating. 🥰 Or if it's a book that's not my style but I think a friend would like it, I give it away!
“Ok I’ll wait to buy more books right now so I can save money”
*meredith uploads this video*
“….WELL SHIT”
Hehehehehehe sowwyyyy
I’m new to your channel so idk if you’ve read this before but i think you would love the ex hex by erin sterling. it’s a really fun witchy romance novel.
I've seen that all over!! I gotta read it!!
I have a weird question... I´ve had a song , or a snippet of a song stuck on my brain for a few days and I can not find it!
I´m sure its a song you used in a few vlogs a while back, I´ve tried to click and scroll around to find it but, alas! :D
its a high pitched tenor singing about a decision, decision!!!
Help! :')
(I sung the Benny Andersson song "nu mår jag mycket bättre" in a concert last weekend, and there is some harmony that flips some kind of switch in my brain, BUT I CANNOT FIND THE SONG :'D)
And also, a book that sort of kinda picks up on the vibes of the summer book by Janson, but with more of an autumnal yearning is Astrid Lindgrens Mio, My Son. Not necessarily set during autumn, but very scandinavian pastoral childrens fantasy.
I think you would like that :)
Omg!!!! A high pitched tenor makes me think it's a Theo Katzman song?? I don't remember "Decision decision" though!!
I have recs! I dont know whether youll ever read them but i think they're sort of the same feel as some books that youve read.
First, and the one I've kept meaning to recommend but i just keep forgetting is 'Pride and Prejudice and in Pittsburgh' by Rachael Lippincott. Its sort of gives outlander vibes while having a jane austen feel! Its a ya queer romance and just so incredible! And it has time travel
Sixteen Souls by rosie talbot is a spooky ghosty story set in york, england which is absolutely incredible! It has a second book called twelve bones too which is also good! It also features a queer romance
I have more but dont want this comment to be so long!
I love recs!! Keep em coming!!