Thanks you for kind message Scott. I'm so glad you enjoyed I Who Have Never Known Men. It's so rare to see a Belgian novel to have such a wide audience.
Thank you for your support. 😊 It is wonderful to see such a cool book come out of Belgium. I only wish it didn't take so long for it to gain popularity.
I bought Forbidden Notebook on the Booktubers meet up in London so glad to hear it was a success for you. I am much intrigued by I Who Have Never Known Men. I loved Penance but have been hesitant about Boy Parts. Thanks as ever for your frank reviews.
I think Forbidden Notebook is a very safe Ros book, I'm almost surprised you haven't read it already. Also, you will love I Who Have Never Known Men, it's just a fact, it pokes at all the interesting things in your brain. Boy Parts is a weird one, because I can see you both loving and hating parts of the book, I suspect that again you would love it because you've already read some of her gruesome writing in Penance and that didn't put you off, but it's definitely taking a big swing and really anything could be the result.
Stone Yard Devotional sounds so interesting, won't lie! You had SUCH a good way to bring out a point I totally forgot in my review of "the Berry pickers" I loved that it addressed those who were left behind as so many of the stories that are coming out about those travesties are from those who were placed in residential schools or taken away, not the other half. And if it is a half it's usually focused on a singular mother or grandmother when part of the tragedy is the familial and communal bonds destroyed. Very sad to hear that "The Things We Didn't Know" was just okay. My ears always pick up when I hear PR and I've seen the aspect of being too American for PR and too latino for america explored before but I'm always curious as there are so many sub identities in both places. And I hadn't been aware of the trans relative aspect. Definitely still interested but will tamper expectations. The irony of me buying "I who have never known men" even though I couldn't join the group? Never got it XD Got an email from seller. there was a warehouse error. got refund, but totally forgot to go get another copy. thanks for the reminder.
Forbidden Notebook was my favourite classic of last year and I remember thinking I hoped you picked it because I thought you would enjoy the layers and depth.
Oh no!! I loved such a fun age so much and was so excited for come and get it :( it's waiting for me on my shelf but I am... less excited now. I skipped the opportunity to get a copy for family meal and I think I made the right choice as I don't have time for medicore reads anymore. I dnfed the beekeeper of aleppo and also unhauled the book of fire unread because it just looked medicore and I would read it and forget it. And again, don't really have time for that in my reading life unfortunately :/ Sugar baby is one I have on my kindle and as someone who didn't like luster at all, I'm hoping that I would be able to enjoy sugar baby more. It sounds like it is trying to highlight the multi-faceted elements to our personalities that people like to simplify due to a person's circumstance. I who have never known men is on my list of books to get to at some point. I have not heard a single thing against it, and praise from you as well! I have penance so I am going to read that first. But if I like it, then I will go on to read boy parts next.
I’m glad I’m not crazy about Come & Get It. It did evoke flashbacks of dorm life, but that stopped being interesting after a few pages. I really disliked it, but finished because I wanted to know if she got her house 😂Simon Savidge also adored I Who Have Never Known Men. I really liked Sugar, Baby but agree the tension play was strange. I’m looking forward to more of her work, and I’m also in the “love it” camp considering Luster by Leilani. I’m so glad to be here, you deserve a ton of patrons 😊❤
Thank you. 😊💙 💛 I'm really looking forward to seeing what Celine Saint Claire writes next. There's the potential for a very good writer in there, she just needs to find the books her skills are best suited to write.
I felt exactly the same about Family Meal. I thought based on the premise it would for sure be a favourite of the year but like you said it fell a bit flat. I would still try more from Washington as I enjoyed Memorial much more. I couldn’t click completely with Close to Home and the way you talked about it have made me realised why. So thank you. I would called that you would have loved Boy parts. I wouldn’t be one for me as I don’t like bodily fluids etc in books but pleased you loved it 😊
I think Bryan Washington, like a few authors in this wrap up, is clearly very talented, but I don't know if it was rushed it, or kept writing a book that wasn't working for them, but it just wasn't as good as it could be. Boy Parts is definitely love it or hate it. Totally understand you looking at it and passing.
“How can you write a book about Georgia without Georgia in it”. 😂 The Berry Pickers is one I want to check out. I Who Have Never Known is waiting for me. I cannot wait to get to it. 😊💙
I who never known men was so intriguing. One of my best books of the year so far. I have just finished Penance by Eliza Clark and should have been on the Women’s Prize in my opinion.
My husband is golf mad. It happened about 2 years ago and it's just started happening to me. This week I signed up for a block of golf lessons (I KNOW!!) so your golf joke had me laughing! I have only read (and loved) The Forbidden Notebook. I found it quite engrossing. Lots of other great recs here. I am only hearing amazing things about I Who Have Never Known Men and I know I would probably enjoy it but for some reason the premise just doesn't excite me. Think I need to be in the right mood for it. Thanks again, Scott!
I am so sorry for you in advance for your golf lessons. Golf is legitimately the most frustrating activity I've done. I hope he's cooking dinner for a year to make up for it or something.
yes please do a full review of women who have never known men..i didn't find eileen too tame so maybe body parts will have to wait a bit before and if i'm ready for it.
I liked that there is a character named Lindy in Berry Pickers… but I found Peters’ writing style irritating. Example: “The room was too small for all the people in it. It smelled slightly of mould, the kind that comes with old houses, houses that hold happiness and grief in the walls. Houses where laughter has been absorbed into the cracks in the plaster and tears have washed the floors many times over.” [There were probably mice in that house too. 😉]
You grossly overestimated the speed at which I can read a cereal box. Now I have the unfortunate imagine of Dan Brown having a wank on a book while reading Sherlock Holmes in my head. Thanks a lot Scott. Sorry to hear about the he Bryan Washington. Sorry about the mice/rats. I feel the same about lizards/geckos. Hey, we agree about Luster. I didn’t know that. Brilliant review of I Who Have Never Known Men. Not sure I’m a big a fan of darkness to enjoy Boy Parts as much as you.
The two books I’ve read on the list Close To Home Stone Yard Devotional I’d recommend both. April was in the past #aussieapril run by Jacklyn @sixminutesforme. I still read Aussie books in April. Video idea? Best Aussie literature in past 25yrs? The Berry Pickers & I Who Never Known Men are on my TBR
That's not a bad idea for a video at all. But, I'll let you know Bodies of Light by Jennifer Downs and Honeybee by Craig Silvey would be my top 2 of recent years, closely followed by Echolalia by Briohny Doyle. Anita Heiss and Tony Birch for indigenous fiction. Just if you're looking for recommendations for next month. 😜
I'm full of feminist rage, too. :) I've always viewed sexuality as a social construct. I can't wait to read that book. Thanks for bringing those last two to my attention. We have such similar tastes. Or rather, we tend to gravitate toward the same books even if our reactions might be different. I'm grateful for your Patreon. I love how it opens my eyes to things I may not have considered previously. And I'm going to read Blue Cobalt even if it doesn't win.
I am very grateful to have you as a Patreon. I feel that same way about a few Booktubers I watch, Charlotte Molloy is a great example. I agree with her about 2/3 of the time, but I'm interested in 99/100 books she reads.
I was waiting to see what you were going to do with Come and Get It. It was awful. I read the whole thing and it did not get any better. Very disappointing because I really enjoyed Such A Fun Age. Perhaps this is the result of pressure to publish a second novel?
I feel bad for Kiley Reid. That response to her first book would put unbearable pressure on anyone. She’s not very old, either. I don’t think I could manage with that pressure now, let alone at her age. And Come and Get It was getting buzz here months before it was published. It’s unfortunate she likely fell victim to a demanding publisher. I loved her first book. The ending was brilliant.
I had a feeling Kiley Reid would be on the bottom of your list. I’ve soft DNFd for now. I love her dialogue and character work but this one is a bit of a slog. I’m hoping it comes together at the end.
I got about a third of the way in before I called it. So if you go back to it, I hope it works itself out after that point. I still think she's a very talented author and will read her 3rd novel.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 76 | คู่เอก "ผึ้งหลวง vs สมิงดำ"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9SBshmGQOIM/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks you for kind message Scott. I'm so glad you enjoyed I Who Have Never Known Men. It's so rare to see a Belgian novel to have such a wide audience.
Thank you for your support. 😊
It is wonderful to see such a cool book come out of Belgium. I only wish it didn't take so long for it to gain popularity.
I was very interested to hear your take on The Berry Pickers. I am intrigued by that one. Fantastic reviews as always.
Golf!😱 Quinn sounds really interesting. Penance was one of my best reads last year, so I should read Boy Parts especially after such high praise!
Yeah, golf exists in hell. 😉
I bought Forbidden Notebook on the Booktubers meet up in London so glad to hear it was a success for you. I am much intrigued by I Who Have Never Known Men. I loved Penance but have been hesitant about Boy Parts. Thanks as ever for your frank reviews.
I think Forbidden Notebook is a very safe Ros book, I'm almost surprised you haven't read it already. Also, you will love I Who Have Never Known Men, it's just a fact, it pokes at all the interesting things in your brain. Boy Parts is a weird one, because I can see you both loving and hating parts of the book, I suspect that again you would love it because you've already read some of her gruesome writing in Penance and that didn't put you off, but it's definitely taking a big swing and really anything could be the result.
Based on your recommendation, I just finished The Berry Pickers and it was a beautiful read. Thank you!
I'm so glad you enjoyed The Berry Pickers. :)
I have had I Who Have Never Known Men on my TBR for a while now but I am going to move it up the list! Great reviews
It's a sure thing. You will definitely like it.
Stone Yard Devotional sounds so interesting, won't lie! You had SUCH a good way to bring out a point I totally forgot in my review of "the Berry pickers" I loved that it addressed those who were left behind as so many of the stories that are coming out about those travesties are from those who were placed in residential schools or taken away, not the other half. And if it is a half it's usually focused on a singular mother or grandmother when part of the tragedy is the familial and communal bonds destroyed.
Very sad to hear that "The Things We Didn't Know" was just okay. My ears always pick up when I hear PR and I've seen the aspect of being too American for PR and too latino for america explored before but I'm always curious as there are so many sub identities in both places. And I hadn't been aware of the trans relative aspect. Definitely still interested but will tamper expectations.
The irony of me buying "I who have never known men" even though I couldn't join the group? Never got it XD Got an email from seller. there was a warehouse error. got refund, but totally forgot to go get another copy. thanks for the reminder.
So glad to hear you loving I Who Have Never Known Men. It has so much. Love this book!
Such a good book.
Forbidden Notebook was my favourite classic of last year and I remember thinking I hoped you picked it because I thought you would enjoy the layers and depth.
Oh no!! I loved such a fun age so much and was so excited for come and get it :( it's waiting for me on my shelf but I am... less excited now. I skipped the opportunity to get a copy for family meal and I think I made the right choice as I don't have time for medicore reads anymore. I dnfed the beekeeper of aleppo and also unhauled the book of fire unread because it just looked medicore and I would read it and forget it. And again, don't really have time for that in my reading life unfortunately :/ Sugar baby is one I have on my kindle and as someone who didn't like luster at all, I'm hoping that I would be able to enjoy sugar baby more. It sounds like it is trying to highlight the multi-faceted elements to our personalities that people like to simplify due to a person's circumstance. I who have never known men is on my list of books to get to at some point. I have not heard a single thing against it, and praise from you as well! I have penance so I am going to read that first. But if I like it, then I will go on to read boy parts next.
Loved the DNF rants! I absolutely lost it when you said doofus!!!! 😂 and of course, I immediately added the good books to my TBR. Great video!
Yes. Plz make a full video on I Who Have Never Known Men.
I quite enjoyed The Berry Pickers!
I just bought Hard by a Great Forest before seeing your scathing review...
Fingers crossed you disagree with me
@@GunpowderFictionPlot I don't mind a bit of Dan Brown.... altough I have only read Da Vinci Code....
I’m glad I’m not crazy about Come & Get It. It did evoke flashbacks of dorm life, but that stopped being interesting after a few pages. I really disliked it, but finished because I wanted to know if she got her house 😂Simon Savidge also adored I Who Have Never Known Men. I really liked Sugar, Baby but agree the tension play was strange. I’m looking forward to more of her work, and I’m also in the “love it” camp considering Luster by Leilani. I’m so glad to be here, you deserve a ton of patrons 😊❤
Thank you. 😊💙 💛
I'm really looking forward to seeing what Celine Saint Claire writes next. There's the potential for a very good writer in there, she just needs to find the books her skills are best suited to write.
I felt exactly the same about Family Meal. I thought based on the premise it would for sure be a favourite of the year but like you said it fell a bit flat. I would still try more from Washington as I enjoyed Memorial much more.
I couldn’t click completely with Close to Home and the way you talked about it have made me realised why. So thank you.
I would called that you would have loved Boy parts. I wouldn’t be one for me as I don’t like bodily fluids etc in books but pleased you loved it 😊
I think Bryan Washington, like a few authors in this wrap up, is clearly very talented, but I don't know if it was rushed it, or kept writing a book that wasn't working for them, but it just wasn't as good as it could be.
Boy Parts is definitely love it or hate it. Totally understand you looking at it and passing.
Completely agree about Hard by a Great Forest. So much potential that I was looking forward to but ultimately just very underwhelmed.
It just never got off the ground. I'm seeing a few people didn't enjoy it in the comments, so it might be a love it or hate it book.
“How can you write a book about Georgia without Georgia in it”. 😂 The Berry Pickers is one I want to check out. I Who Have Never Known is waiting for me. I cannot wait to get to it. 😊💙
You're going to love I Who Have Never Known Men!
I who never known men was so intriguing. One of my best books of the year so far. I have just finished Penance by Eliza Clark and should have been on the Women’s Prize in my opinion.
Boy Parts is much better than Penance. Not taking anything away from that novel, I would have longlisted it too, but I loved Boy Parts that much.
My husband is golf mad. It happened about 2 years ago and it's just started happening to me. This week I signed up for a block of golf lessons (I KNOW!!) so your golf joke had me laughing! I have only read (and loved) The Forbidden Notebook. I found it quite engrossing. Lots of other great recs here. I am only hearing amazing things about I Who Have Never Known Men and I know I would probably enjoy it but for some reason the premise just doesn't excite me. Think I need to be in the right mood for it.
Thanks again, Scott!
I am so sorry for you in advance for your golf lessons. Golf is legitimately the most frustrating activity I've done. I hope he's cooking dinner for a year to make up for it or something.
Haha well I'm hoping for a golf trip somewhere nice and sunny...@@GunpowderFictionPlot
“I think Dan Brown is more accurate” that’s a zinger 😂😂😂
😁
yes please do a full review of women who have never known men..i didn't find eileen too tame so maybe body parts will have to wait a bit before and if i'm ready for it.
I liked that there is a character named Lindy in Berry Pickers… but I found Peters’ writing style irritating. Example:
“The room was too small for all the people in it. It smelled slightly of mould, the kind that comes with old houses, houses that hold happiness and grief in the walls. Houses where laughter has been absorbed into the cracks in the plaster and tears have washed the floors many times over.” [There were probably mice in that house too. 😉]
Now that you bring it back to mice, I'm all with you. Disgusting writing. 😜
I also ended up dnfing hard by a great forest despite being a book I thought I'd love
It was one I was really anticipating reading too. Pity it didn't work.
Hard by a Great Forest brings Tbilisi and its people alive for the reader. I wish you liked it more.
Quite a few reviews disagree with me, so maybe it's a me thing or a me vs the writing style. Delighted you had that experience, wish I did too.
You grossly overestimated the speed at which I can read a cereal box. Now I have the unfortunate imagine of Dan Brown having a wank on a book while reading Sherlock Holmes in my head. Thanks a lot Scott. Sorry to hear about the he Bryan Washington. Sorry about the mice/rats. I feel the same about lizards/geckos. Hey, we agree about Luster. I didn’t know that. Brilliant review of I Who Have Never Known Men. Not sure I’m a big a fan of darkness to enjoy Boy Parts as much as you.
This is a legitimate risk watching my channel, so you think I should include a content warning at the start of my videos?
The two books I’ve read on the list
Close To Home
Stone Yard Devotional
I’d recommend both.
April was in the past #aussieapril run by Jacklyn @sixminutesforme. I still read Aussie books in April.
Video idea? Best Aussie literature in past 25yrs?
The Berry Pickers &
I Who Never Known Men
are on my TBR
That's not a bad idea for a video at all. But, I'll let you know Bodies of Light by Jennifer Downs and Honeybee by Craig Silvey would be my top 2 of recent years, closely followed by Echolalia by Briohny Doyle. Anita Heiss and Tony Birch for indigenous fiction. Just if you're looking for recommendations for next month. 😜
@@GunpowderFictionPlot I’m trying to remember the tile of the book you said was your funniest read of 2023. It was an Australian book
No Hard feelings by Genovive novak
I felt the same way about Stone Yard Devotional - it was good but not as great as I thought it might be.
Yeah, talented author, but the book was close but not quite there. Still a good read.
We’ve fallen into our old habits once again. I’ve read Boy Parts and…
Oh no! But I can definitely see that book dividing opinions.
I plan on reading more fictitious dystopian stories about our possible future, but then I decide to switch off the news! Best wishes.
Hahahaha, yeah it really is like that these days.
I’m a Fien for your content 😂
Thank you 💙💛
I love your comments they're always so nice and uplifting.
I'm full of feminist rage, too. :)
I've always viewed sexuality as a social construct. I can't wait to read that book.
Thanks for bringing those last two to my attention. We have such similar tastes. Or rather, we tend to gravitate toward the same books even if our reactions might be different.
I'm grateful for your Patreon. I love how it opens my eyes to things I may not have considered previously. And I'm going to read Blue Cobalt even if it doesn't win.
I am very grateful to have you as a Patreon.
I feel that same way about a few Booktubers I watch, Charlotte Molloy is a great example. I agree with her about 2/3 of the time, but I'm interested in 99/100 books she reads.
@@GunpowderFictionPlotLove Charlotte! She turned me on to Selva Almada even before the International Booker nomination.
I was waiting to see what you were going to do with Come and Get It. It was awful. I read the whole thing and it did not get any better. Very disappointing because I really enjoyed Such A Fun Age. Perhaps this is the result of pressure to publish a second novel?
I like your theory, I definitely think the rush to get a book out that wasn't working while she had a high profile could explain this disappointment.
I feel bad for Kiley Reid. That response to her first book would put unbearable pressure on anyone. She’s not very old, either. I don’t think I could manage with that pressure now, let alone at her age. And Come and Get It was getting buzz here months before it was published. It’s unfortunate she likely fell victim to a demanding publisher. I loved her first book. The ending was brilliant.
I will be interested to see if her next book will be better. I hope so.@@StephanieP1901
Had you not liked I Who Have Never Known Men, I would have seriously questioned all of your bookish opinions. 😉 It’s such a great book.
Same!! I would like a stand alone review.
It is very hard to see anybody not loving that book isn't it. I think a stand alone review might come once I finish a couple of assignments. 😊
I had a feeling Kiley Reid would be on the bottom of your list. I’ve soft DNFd for now. I love her dialogue and character work but this one is a bit of a slog. I’m hoping it comes together at the end.
I got about a third of the way in before I called it. So if you go back to it, I hope it works itself out after that point. I still think she's a very talented author and will read her 3rd novel.