Your videos are just so comforting to watch. I always appreciate your insights and totally trust your book opinions. Thank you for the time you dedicate to the channel. ❤
It’s like when a publisher puts an illustration of a cat on the cover of a book about a bookshop yet no cat ever appears in the story. Publishers know that they can reel in suckers like me by putting a cat on the cover. 😼
I read some real bangers in January. I read an Indigenous Horror anthology for the 🐍 prompt, and a duology by Mindy McGinnis - The Initial Insult & The Last Laugh. It's a story about a girl living with her crazy grandfather bc she lost her parents in an accident years before. Her bestie at the time was in the car, and she's convinced she knows more than she's saying, so she decides to kidnap her and walling her in in the basement of an abandoned house. Edgar Allen Poe references abound. Literally could not put them down!
I had never realised before but I found the lack of stars really peaceful 😅 I think your explanations are clear enough to allow people to make decisions about whether they want to read a book without shoehorning your feelings into a rating system. Maybe just me.
Yes to star ratings! I know they’re very individual but they’re useful for me. Excited to read The Things We Do To Our Friends and of course, After You’d Gone ☺️
100% with you on I Who Have Never Known Men. I read it last year and thought it was fantastic. And After You'd Gone remains my favourite Maggie O'F novel.
Great to hear Local Fires and Pity are both great. Would love to get to them soon. And enjoyed the little vignettes at the end. I’m doing 1 Second Everyday this year, and it reminded me of that!
I was doing 1 Second Everyday but it seems to cost you to export it or make it (and wasn't in landscape for TH-cam) so gave it up as thought 'sod this, I can do it myself' hahaha. Hope you enjoy Pity and Local Fires if you get to them!
I needed this video today! My January was also a strong one for reading, although I think February won’t be quite as good. I Who Have Never Known Men for the win. Pity is on my TBR, please make a video about it if you can. Also read Clear in January, which I cannot stop thinking about. The snapshots at the end were such a treat! Hoping for more of those!
Hi Simon jst finished and goodteads-reviewed the excellent Yellowface so dashed to library 4 the Darwent book but seemed quite nasty and not in the mood 4 that (tho prob v good) so got and re-entered the world of HMRC with The Shadow Cabinet . So far, so brill. Ah Barnsley ee lad used ter go there for't Xmas turkey! Great video! Hi Chris.
Oooh the Darwent does have some nasty moments though so did Yellowface, though I wasn’t a fan of that book. Hope you enjoy The Shadow Cabinet. I love Juno and her books!
Ohh I enjoy stars and travel snippets! The Things We Do To Our Friends sounds right up my alley 📝 I think the book I enjoyed the most in January was Joanna Cannon's A Tidy Ending. I just loved Linda! I also really enjoyed Rebecca Netley's The Whistling. That was good gothic horror. I'm currently reading her second novel The Black Feathers. 👻
I just wanted to thank you for The Spy Coast recommendation. I've just finished it and had a great time with it. I had a similar experience with Tess Gerritsen where her earlier books (inc The Surgeon) were my entry into reading thrillers but I hadn't read any of her books for a long time so it was nice to go back to her. I have a few more books to add to my TBR now too 🙂
I read I Who Have Never Known Men last year and loved it. I need a copy for my bookshelf. Pity and Brother and Sister Enter the Forest sound amazing- I too loved A Little Life.😊
I’m halfway through Ttwdtof based on your previous mention and really enjoying it. Had read Essex serpent for the reading challenge but this one is suiting me more.
Sooooo pleased that you are enjoying TTWDTOF, it is such a twisty romp isn't it? Whilst also having so many layers. I looooooooved The Essex Serpent, was my favourite book of the year the year it came out.
Predictions video will be out on Tuesday, with Mum making a special appearance. Then, also featuring mum, the fiction longest unboxing the following Tuesday!
The things we do to our friends reminded me of the film promising young women too, I gave it 4 stars I love Edinburgh so loved the gothic descriptions. I thought it started off really good I couldn’t put it down but did find it dragged a bit 🙈 but overall 4 stars 📚
I Who Have Never Known Men, wow fab book. I would never have read this without your recommendation. My Cornish library even had a copy. My goal this year is to read out of my comfort zone and this was definitely one. Thanks Simon. Will you be doing your Women’s Prize fiction predictions?❤
I’m so pleased you enjoyed IWNKM and that I pointed you in the direction of it. Tomorrow will be my Women’s Prize for Fiction predictions, with a very special guest!
I’ve read Pity and Local fires and I agree they are both brilliant reads . I only discovered Local Fires because it’s been long listed for the Dylan Thomas prize. I listened to the Tess Gerristen book on audio and I enjoyed it but it had the worst English accents I have ever heard 😀
Ha, this is one of the many reasons that I don't do fiction on audio, if the accents or narration is the slightest bit off then it is ruined for me. I wouldn't have heard of Local Fires without the Dylan Thomas Prize longest I don't think.
I Who Have Never Known Men. I have it. I’ve picked it up several times. I’m struggling (to put it mildly) with a 54 page first chapter. I expect I’ll get over that and actually read it. Smirk. But seriously, 54 pages. Grrrrr. So funny about star ratings. And I’d be happy for you to keep doing them (and DNFs). But three stars for me is completely mediocre, just average. I equate them to grades, A, B, C, D, F, and C is not a grade to brag about for me. I tend to be generous with my star ratings. You have to seriously piss me off to get less than three stars. But three for me is not a book I would generally recommend to anyone. I will be reading After You’d Gone either next or the book after that. I’m actually hoping to be at book club this month! First time! Whoa! Pity and the Joshua Jones are books I definitely want to read!
If a book isn't for you, don't force it. We don't all have the same tastes and a book I may love you may loathe. But you may love some too, and have I think... I hope. I think mediocre is a 2/2.5 and I did say my 3* was a book that I didn't love but I didn't hate which I guess is solid/mediocre. Ha! Hope to see you at book club!
@@SavidgeReads No forcing happening with I Who Have… I literally haven’t tried to read it because I’m so annoyed the first chapter is 54 pages long. Again, smirk. The things that annoy me can be pretty amusing sometimes. I do expect to read it in the coming months. And I have my #1 book of the year thanks to you, My Government Means to Kill Me, and so many others I’ve loved over the years.
My best books this month The Caretaker byRon Rash Hello Beautiful Greta & Valdin Ordinary Human Failings Currently listening to Fayne Have you already read Fayne? I’m only 20 chapters in. How’s your March TBR looking? 🇮🇪👋📚☘️📕🍀☕️📖
My March TBR will be mostly the Women’s Prize longlist books. I’m starting them on Friday. If not possibly Thursday. But also have some big travels in March and not much space for books… maybe just one big one.
Your videos are just so comforting to watch. I always appreciate your insights and totally trust your book opinions. Thank you for the time you dedicate to the channel. ❤
Awwww. Thank you so much. That’s such a lovely comment to get. I really appreciate it.
As ever, much appreciated and WELL DONE YOU!!!❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
I say if you’re going to put a jackdaw on the cover of a book, you’d better DELIVER a jackdaw as more than a bit player.
Hahaha, I am so pleased I am not alone.
It’s like when a publisher puts an illustration of a cat on the cover of a book about a bookshop yet no cat ever appears in the story. Publishers know that they can reel in suckers like me by putting a cat on the cover. 😼
Love the snapshots! As well as Joanna Lumley! Added I who have never known men to my TBR! Starting the Bandit Queens today💕
Oooh you’ve two absolute treats with those two titles ahead. Glad you enjoyed the snapshots.
Thanks Simon, love the snapshots! Added a few more books to my TBR. Your snapshots inspire me to travel more!
So pleased you enjoyed the new snapshots. Something fun and a bit of a change.
I read some real bangers in January. I read an Indigenous Horror anthology for the 🐍 prompt, and a duology by Mindy McGinnis - The Initial Insult & The Last Laugh. It's a story about a girl living with her crazy grandfather bc she lost her parents in an accident years before. Her bestie at the time was in the car, and she's convinced she knows more than she's saying, so she decides to kidnap her and walling her in in the basement of an abandoned house. Edgar Allen Poe references abound. Literally could not put them down!
Sounds like some corkers indeed.
Yes please - keep up the star ratings.
I think I most probably will!
I had never realised before but I found the lack of stars really peaceful 😅 I think your explanations are clear enough to allow people to make decisions about whether they want to read a book without shoehorning your feelings into a rating system. Maybe just me.
Ooooh interesting as most people are saying they like the stars. Let’s see which I randomly do or don’t do for next month. Or even this month. Hahaha.
Yes to star ratings! I know they’re very individual but they’re useful for me. Excited to read The Things We Do To Our Friends and of course, After You’d Gone ☺️
I think the stars are looking like they are staying lol.
100% with you on I Who Have Never Known Men. I read it last year and thought it was fantastic. And After You'd Gone remains my favourite Maggie O'F novel.
I’m very much looking forward to reading that for book club!
Yes please to stars!!!! I find it so helpful to comparstivrly understand how much you did or didn't enjoy a book. 😘😘
Oooh I hadn’t thought about that before, makes a lot of sense how stars can do that. I’ll keep at it then!
Great to hear Local Fires and Pity are both great. Would love to get to them soon.
And enjoyed the little vignettes at the end. I’m doing 1 Second Everyday this year, and it reminded me of that!
I was doing 1 Second Everyday but it seems to cost you to export it or make it (and wasn't in landscape for TH-cam) so gave it up as thought 'sod this, I can do it myself' hahaha. Hope you enjoy Pity and Local Fires if you get to them!
loved the napshots! also loved that the theme for january was creepy beginnings! i'm all for them!
Oooh it was a kind of theme. I hadn’t spotted that. Well Pity was an eye opening opener. That might be a better description 👀
I needed this video today! My January was also a strong one for reading, although I think February won’t be quite as good. I Who Have Never Known Men for the win. Pity is on my TBR, please make a video about it if you can. Also read Clear in January, which I cannot stop thinking about. The snapshots at the end were such a treat! Hoping for more of those!
I think Feb could be a milder reading month, that’s the term I’ll use hahaha. Clear being one of the exceptions because it’s utterly fab!
Always makes Sunday night more comforting! And I’ve popped a few more books on my TBR. Adore the snapshots! ❤🎉
So pleased you enjoyed it, cannot believe it took until almost March for me to wrap up January though, shame on me, hahaha.
Loved The Things We Do To Our Friends too!😍 the snapshots
So pleased you like the snapshots.
Hi Simon jst finished and goodteads-reviewed the excellent Yellowface so dashed to library 4 the Darwent book but seemed quite nasty and not in the mood 4 that (tho prob v good) so got and re-entered the world of HMRC with The Shadow Cabinet . So far, so brill. Ah Barnsley ee lad used ter go there for't Xmas turkey! Great video! Hi Chris.
Oooh the Darwent does have some nasty moments though so did Yellowface, though I wasn’t a fan of that book. Hope you enjoy The Shadow Cabinet. I love Juno and her books!
I’m really enjoying your travel and reading vlogs ❤
Awww thanks Claire. That’s really lovely to hear.
Ohh I enjoy stars and travel snippets! The Things We Do To Our Friends sounds right up my alley 📝 I think the book I enjoyed the most in January was Joanna Cannon's A Tidy Ending. I just loved Linda! I also really enjoyed Rebecca Netley's The Whistling. That was good gothic horror. I'm currently reading her second novel The Black Feathers. 👻
I loooooooove Joanna Cannon’s writing and yes Linda is such a great character. What a fabulous book, all her books are really.
I just wanted to thank you for The Spy Coast recommendation. I've just finished it and had a great time with it. I had a similar experience with Tess Gerritsen where her earlier books (inc The Surgeon) were my entry into reading thrillers but I hadn't read any of her books for a long time so it was nice to go back to her. I have a few more books to add to my TBR now too 🙂
Sooooo pleased you enjoyed it. I need to get back to my thrillers and my favourite thriller writers (and find new ones) this year.
I read I Who Have Never Known Men last year and loved it. I need a copy for my bookshelf. Pity and Brother and Sister Enter the Forest sound amazing- I too loved A Little Life.😊
I think if you liked A Little Life you would definitely get a lot from Brother & Sister Enter the Forest! Pity is ace.
Love the snapshots. Love the star ratings. Thanks for another great video. ❤
Awwww thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I’m halfway through Ttwdtof based on your previous mention and really enjoying it. Had read Essex serpent for the reading challenge but this one is suiting me more.
Sooooo pleased that you are enjoying TTWDTOF, it is such a twisty romp isn't it? Whilst also having so many layers. I looooooooved The Essex Serpent, was my favourite book of the year the year it came out.
So looking forward to the woman’s prize are you going to do a predictions video xx
Predictions video will be out on Tuesday, with Mum making a special appearance. Then, also featuring mum, the fiction longest unboxing the following Tuesday!
The bin men are back. Bring on the snapshots.
Hahahahaha. I’m so pleased someone spotted they’d returned.
IWHNKM is amazing! Intrigued to read Pity now. Love the snapshots at the end!
So pleased you liked IWHNKM and the snapshots, woohoo! Definitely recommend Pity.
❤ will have to check it out!
The things we do to our friends reminded me of the film promising young women too, I gave it 4 stars I love Edinburgh so loved the gothic descriptions. I thought it started off really good I couldn’t put it down but did find it dragged a bit 🙈 but overall 4 stars 📚
Oooh I didn’t find it dragged but I practically inhaled it. Ha.
Loving the snapshots!
Awwww I am so pleased, thought it would be something nice to add.
@@SavidgeReadsEspecially like the snap of you and your cat around 35:48. Teehee.
I Who Have Never Known Men, wow fab book. I would never have read this without your recommendation. My Cornish library even had a copy. My goal this year is to read out of my comfort zone and this was definitely one. Thanks Simon. Will you be doing your Women’s Prize fiction predictions?❤
I’m so pleased you enjoyed IWNKM and that I pointed you in the direction of it. Tomorrow will be my Women’s Prize for Fiction predictions, with a very special guest!
@@SavidgeReads oooh lovely
I so enjoy your videos.
Awww I’m glad, thank you for letting me know.
A Little Life is a Fantasy Novel
Is it? Why’s that?
I love the ratings!
Okey doke. I’ll keep doing those.
I’ve read Pity and Local fires and I agree they are both brilliant reads . I only discovered Local Fires because it’s been long listed for the Dylan Thomas prize. I listened to the Tess Gerristen book on audio and I enjoyed it but it had the worst English accents I have ever heard 😀
Ha, this is one of the many reasons that I don't do fiction on audio, if the accents or narration is the slightest bit off then it is ruined for me. I wouldn't have heard of Local Fires without the Dylan Thomas Prize longest I don't think.
I do like stars Please carry on
Okey doke. Noted.
I Who Have Never Known Men. I have it. I’ve picked it up several times. I’m struggling (to put it mildly) with a 54 page first chapter. I expect I’ll get over that and actually read it. Smirk. But seriously, 54 pages. Grrrrr.
So funny about star ratings. And I’d be happy for you to keep doing them (and DNFs). But three stars for me is completely mediocre, just average. I equate them to grades, A, B, C, D, F, and C is not a grade to brag about for me. I tend to be generous with my star ratings. You have to seriously piss me off to get less than three stars. But three for me is not a book I would generally recommend to anyone.
I will be reading After You’d Gone either next or the book after that. I’m actually hoping to be at book club this month! First time!
Whoa! Pity and the Joshua Jones are books I definitely want to read!
If a book isn't for you, don't force it. We don't all have the same tastes and a book I may love you may loathe. But you may love some too, and have I think... I hope. I think mediocre is a 2/2.5 and I did say my 3* was a book that I didn't love but I didn't hate which I guess is solid/mediocre. Ha! Hope to see you at book club!
@@SavidgeReads No forcing happening with I Who Have… I literally haven’t tried to read it because I’m so annoyed the first chapter is 54 pages long. Again, smirk. The things that annoy me can be pretty amusing sometimes. I do expect to read it in the coming months. And I have my #1 book of the year thanks to you, My Government Means to Kill Me, and so many others I’ve loved over the years.
My best books this month
The Caretaker byRon Rash
Hello Beautiful
Greta & Valdin
Ordinary Human Failings
Currently listening to
Fayne
Have you already read Fayne? I’m only 20 chapters in.
How’s your March TBR looking?
🇮🇪👋📚☘️📕🍀☕️📖
My March TBR will be mostly the Women’s Prize longlist books. I’m starting them on Friday. If not possibly Thursday. But also have some big travels in March and not much space for books… maybe just one big one.
Any updates on George? 🐱
He may get his own video, depends on if he’s chipped and not someone else’s. That could be a video that ends in tears.
Well hopefully if he IS already taken his owners live nearby so you can share custody 😊