The spookiness of this popping up just as I was uploading my own video. Although admittedly for the whole year. And not really that spooky when it's January and we're all thinking about 2024 releases 😂 We've got some overlaps, but some on your list that I am definitely interested in: Blessings seems great, and I didn't know The House of Broken Bricks was in vignettes so now much more interested! Thanks as ever for a fab video.
I did umm and ahh about doing one for the year but I know loads more will get announced and I do love holding up the books (as I’m lazy with picture overlaps ha) and so I thought ‘oooh maybe every few months could be nice. Looking forward to watching yours in the morning. BookTube is banned in this house after 6.30pm. Imagine! No, it is not my regime lol.
It’s such a brilliant book isn’t it. I kind of wish it had been my first book or 2024. It would certainly be my favourite… actually no, one book I’ve read this month trumps it.
“A reader’s journal” combined with your monthly wrap-ups sounds ace. Congrats on continuing the sleeve - the tattoos look great! Absolutely love and appreciate all the tangents and your utter excitement by books 🤩 - I like the addition of honourable/dishonourable mentions btw.
I know this doesn't help with your content calendar, but I would like you to come tell me about your anticipated reads, when they pile up and you feel like you want to talk about them. If that is quarterly, okay. If its twice in the same week, okay. If it only happens once in 2024, that's fine too. I don't know about the rest of us, but I don't keep a schedule of what you are talking to me about. I just listen, sometimes jot down a title, and find inspiration in your enthusiasm. I wouldn't scramble to pull a list together to keep to a schedule. I think what makes them interesting is that you seem genuinely interested and committed to reading these books. I like hearing your honorable mentions.
Hahaha. It didn’t really help but it was a lovely comment 😉 I wasn’t suggesting people hold me to a specific day, it’s just interesting to hear back from people who watch the channel and see what they think.
Very intrigued about these books. I'd love the anticipated books videos. Rather with the (dis)honourable mentions. Maybe around every two/three months? Very much looking forward to it ❤
Woke to a storm so I am going to start The Storm we made Thanks so much I loved this Simon I love detective novels but have never read Tess Geritsen I shall start after your great heads up You are such an inspiration Thank for being such an inspiration
Enjoyed this very much, Thanks Simon. Coincidently I'm currently reading a Carys Davies book The Mission House for a buddy read and really enjoying it. I shall be dipping into some of these book and thanks for recommending The storm we made another great read. So far Jan has been a really great reading month.📚📚📚
She’s such a good writer. One of my favourites. Maybe I should do an author spotlight on her at some point. Or start a favourite authors series. Or something. Ha.
I think quarterly is good for anticipated books. That way they're not too far off and are probably available to pre-order/reserve at the library. I like the honorable mentions, it's nice to hear about books that might not be on everyone else's channel.
Yet another perfect Simon video to have on while I chop veggies and such and prep dinner. Makes the end of the weekend so much better. Martyr! was on the cover of today’s New York Times Book review, which gushed. I plan to read it as soon as I can get my hands on it. I think you already know that I have read and cannot stop thinking about Clear. It’s quietly so impactful. I read that Greta & Valdin is a modern day Franny and Zooey, and that Salinger novel was so pivotal to me when I was younger that now I cannot wait to read G&V. I’d love these videos quarterly, with updates, and it’s going to take me a while to get over your (dis)honorable mention.
It’s going to take me a while to get back to that book I think because of this dishonourable unmentionables. Hahaha. Really looking forward to Clear. I need to stop putting it off.
I have very recently come across your channel, and was really happy to see 'The House of Broken Bricks' which I picked in Waterstones yesterday, it seems written in a lyrical way which I think I will enjoy very much (that one for me, Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief for my son, and The Explorer by Katherine Rundell for my daughter 😊) I'm also reading Super Infinite by Katherine Rundell, and her Impossible Creatures to my son, both wonderful! Really enjoying both you and Louise's video's this weekend, Thank you!
Welcome to the channel, sorry for the slow reply I have been away with work! I am really looking forward to getting to The House of Broken Bricks soon. I meant to read it this month but also don't want to squeeze a book in, so maybe next month. I really need to read Impossible Creatures, I treated myself to that before Christmas.
Love the tattoos Simon. I’d love to get some rose tattoos on my left arm, but I wouldn’t know where to go! I’ll have to research some parlours in Liverpool. I’m going to put the new Kerry Hudson on my list, loved her last one. Best Wishes 💕
Gentleman George in Liverpool is where I got these roses and my 'bear', they are great. I need to book in some more. I also need to read the new Kerry Hudson.
Loved the house of broken bricks and the Lagos wife hope you do I will definitely get the storm we made and I will have to go back And find the other you mentioned!😊
"The Storm We Made" was indeed exceptional. I will be reading "Clear" soon; I think it comes out in American on April 2nd. And you definitely look like an Uncle Sugar Bear. Neontastic!🙂
Rizzzio by Denise Mina, the crime novelist is a very short historical fiction account of the murder of Mary, Queen of Scotts' private secretary. AMAZING!!!
Looking forward to your review of Greta and Valdin. It has been a huge hit in New Zealand. As well as being a queer book, the book says a lot about the experience of Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) in contemporary New Zealand.
Loved this, would be good to see whether you were correct with the books you hadn’t read yet, even if that was just 5 mins at the beginning of the next video. Added several of these to my wish list.
I kept waiting for you to mention James by Percival Everett, which I have already preordered and cannot wait to read. That’s my number 1 most anticipated book for the year, but I did a whole long list on SupposedlyFun’s most anticipated video last week. I’m happy to see so many exciting books coming out this year! Update: Just saw that James is out in March over here, but not until April in the UK.
I might read it. I didn’t love The Trees as much as everyone else, including Louise, did to be honest. I have another of his on the shelves I’ll probably get to first though not in a rush.
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen is in my tbr, I've read some of her Rizzoli books and enjoyed the television show. Can't remember how to spell Ayles/Iyles or other.😊
I think it’s Isles. Lol. They’re great aren’t they. I loved the books and the shows. Though Isles turned up in another show recently and I got so confused. Ha.
Curious to see what you think of The Spy Coast when you're done. I was really hooked in the beginning too but it ended up being a disappointment in the end. I have high hopes the next in the series will work better for me.
Eek. Thats put a bit of a dampener on my current read. Serves me right for not saying my usual mantra of ‘if you didn’t love any of these don’t tell me till I’ve read it, then we can discuss it all you like.
Off-topic but I’d like to thank you for raving about “Cereus Blooms at Night” by Shani Mootoo. I listened to it on audio and thought it was fab. I’m keeping track of the nationality of each author I read so I can see the countries that come up most frequently in my reading, and where I might in future expand my reading to authors from other areas of the world. This is easy if the author was born, raised, and lived all their life in one country; for example, Jane Austen is clearly an English author. How do I designate someone who was born and/or raised in one country and now lives in a different country? For example, Shani Mootoo was born in Dublin, raised in Trinidad, and moved to Canada as an adult. I welcome your opinion.
Blimey I can’t really help on that front. I think maybe you have to see if they’ve a preferred nationality on their website or something. I have to say I like that it’s complicated. Shows how international we can all be and how diverse we all are. Glad you loved the book.
Thanks, Simon. Good suggestion about checking their websites. Armistead Maupin is another example. I would call him an American author (born there, raised there, and lived much of his life there.) However, he's been living for several years in England, as far as I know.@@SavidgeReads
I loved Greta and Valdin but got confused about who was who in the extended family (a challenge I have with many books, so not particular to this one). I've got the Storm we Made on my tbr.
Also Hagstone by Sinead Gleeson & List of suspicious things.And a Danish translation of Tresspasses. And that’s all the books I am allowed to buy in 2024. Wish me luck!
I’m not counting books this year. I think the whole numbers thing is a bit off putting for people who don’t read much. Plus puts pressure on and makes everything feel like a race. I’m embracing a slower reading pace in 2024.
The spookiness of this popping up just as I was uploading my own video. Although admittedly for the whole year. And not really that spooky when it's January and we're all thinking about 2024 releases 😂
We've got some overlaps, but some on your list that I am definitely interested in: Blessings seems great, and I didn't know The House of Broken Bricks was in vignettes so now much more interested!
Thanks as ever for a fab video.
I did umm and ahh about doing one for the year but I know loads more will get announced and I do love holding up the books (as I’m lazy with picture overlaps ha) and so I thought ‘oooh maybe every few months could be nice. Looking forward to watching yours in the morning. BookTube is banned in this house after 6.30pm. Imagine! No, it is not my regime lol.
the cover to Butter is looking absolutely scrumptious! can't wait to pick it up!
It’s great isn’t. Proper catches the eye.
Absolutely loved The storm we made. Just brilliant so thanks so so much for the recommendation. Love the new tattoos xx
It’s such a brilliant book isn’t it. I kind of wish it had been my first book or 2024. It would certainly be my favourite… actually no, one book I’ve read this month trumps it.
Keep filming these updates they are brilliant
I will, thank you!
“A reader’s journal” combined with your monthly wrap-ups sounds ace. Congrats on continuing the sleeve - the tattoos look great!
Absolutely love and appreciate all the tangents and your utter excitement by books 🤩
- I like the addition of honourable/dishonourable mentions btw.
I know this doesn't help with your content calendar, but I would like you to come tell me about your anticipated reads, when they pile up and you feel like you want to talk about them. If that is quarterly, okay. If its twice in the same week, okay. If it only happens once in 2024, that's fine too. I don't know about the rest of us, but I don't keep a schedule of what you are talking to me about. I just listen, sometimes jot down a title, and find inspiration in your enthusiasm. I wouldn't scramble to pull a list together to keep to a schedule. I think what makes them interesting is that you seem genuinely interested and committed to reading these books. I like hearing your honorable mentions.
Hahaha. It didn’t really help but it was a lovely comment 😉 I wasn’t suggesting people hold me to a specific day, it’s just interesting to hear back from people who watch the channel and see what they think.
Always love your videos!! Once a season would be lovely for this kind of thing!! ❤
Yes, I think I’ll do it every two or three months which is almost seasonally. Though also sort of not. But sort of. Hahaha.
Very intrigued about these books. I'd love the anticipated books videos. Rather with the (dis)honourable mentions. Maybe around every two/three months? Very much looking forward to it ❤
Do you mean you do/don’t want the honourable mentions, I’m a bit confused. Easily done 🥴
More of this type of video sounds marvelous 😃
Request noted 😉
Love these type of videos . They’re up there w you and your ma’s women’s prize videos 📖😭💚
Awww thank you. Not long till the womens prize videos return. About two months or so I would say.
Woke to a storm so I am going to start The Storm we made Thanks so much I loved this Simon I love detective novels but have never read Tess Geritsen I shall start after your great heads up You are such an inspiration Thank for being such an inspiration
Awwwww thank you Enid. Hope you get to Tess’ books at some point they’re corkers.
I'm very excited about Mona of the Manor 💜
Me too! I love Armistead and the characters he’s created so much.
Enjoyed this very much, Thanks Simon. Coincidently I'm currently reading a Carys Davies book The Mission House for a buddy read and really enjoying it. I shall be dipping into some of these book and thanks for recommending The storm we made another great read. So far Jan has been a really great reading month.📚📚📚
She’s such a good writer. One of my favourites. Maybe I should do an author spotlight on her at some point. Or start a favourite authors series. Or something. Ha.
Favourite writers sounds good as does a focus on Carys.
I think quarterly is good for anticipated books. That way they're not too far off and are probably available to pre-order/reserve at the library. I like the honorable mentions, it's nice to hear about books that might not be on everyone else's channel.
Yes I think quarterly might work, maybe a little more regularly when the publishing boom dates happen in summer and November.
Yet another perfect Simon video to have on while I chop veggies and such and prep dinner. Makes the end of the weekend so much better. Martyr! was on the cover of today’s New York Times Book review, which gushed. I plan to read it as soon as I can get my hands on it. I think you already know that I have read and cannot stop thinking about Clear. It’s quietly so impactful. I read that Greta & Valdin is a modern day Franny and Zooey, and that Salinger novel was so pivotal to me when I was younger that now I cannot wait to read G&V. I’d love these videos quarterly, with updates, and it’s going to take me a while to get over your (dis)honorable mention.
It’s going to take me a while to get back to that book I think because of this dishonourable unmentionables. Hahaha. Really looking forward to Clear. I need to stop putting it off.
Clear was brilliant .Butter on my tbr ,Lagos Wife so good.Really enjoyed this blog.Happy New Year.🥂
Awwwww thanks so much. Seems I’ve some treats ahead.
I have very recently come across your channel, and was really happy to see 'The House of Broken Bricks' which I picked in Waterstones yesterday, it seems written in a lyrical way which I think I will enjoy very much (that one for me, Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief for my son, and The Explorer by Katherine Rundell for my daughter 😊) I'm also reading Super Infinite by Katherine Rundell, and her Impossible Creatures to my son, both wonderful! Really enjoying both you and Louise's video's this weekend, Thank you!
Welcome to the channel, sorry for the slow reply I have been away with work! I am really looking forward to getting to The House of Broken Bricks soon. I meant to read it this month but also don't want to squeeze a book in, so maybe next month. I really need to read Impossible Creatures, I treated myself to that before Christmas.
Love the tattoos Simon. I’d love to get some rose tattoos on my left arm, but I wouldn’t know where to go! I’ll have to research some parlours in Liverpool. I’m going to put the new Kerry Hudson on my list, loved her last one. Best Wishes 💕
Gentleman George in Liverpool is where I got these roses and my 'bear', they are great. I need to book in some more. I also need to read the new Kerry Hudson.
Loved the house of broken bricks and the Lagos wife hope you do I will definitely get the storm we made and I will have to go back
And find the other you mentioned!😊
Ooh good to hear you enjoyed those too. Hopefully I do too. I seem to be having a thriller phase at the moment out of nowhere.
"The Storm We Made" was indeed exceptional. I will be reading "Clear" soon; I think it comes out in American on April 2nd.
And you definitely look like an Uncle Sugar Bear. Neontastic!🙂
Hahaha. My arms are slowly getting more and more neon… and there’s more to come.
😂 I'm intreagued about The House Woman now....
Me too though all the 🧀 talk 🤮🤮🤮
Same!! I don’t know what it is about writers who write things that really shouldn’t be written about, but they hook me every time 🤣🤣
Hot Spring Drives is 99p on Kindle right now. Thank you, Simon, need something like this to kick off my 2024 reading.
I wouldn’t know about Kindle and don’t really promote it but glad you found a bargain! Just hope the author gets a good percentage 💸
Rizzzio by Denise Mina, the crime novelist is a very short historical fiction account of the murder of Mary, Queen of Scotts' private secretary. AMAZING!!!
It’s brilliant isn’t it. I read it while in Edinburgh a couple of years ago and actually went to the murder spot. Quite the reading experience.
80 mile an hour winds here tonight. I have The Storm We Made on pre order. Also really want to read Greta & Valdin.
Oh your winds need to get some speed. We’ve 95mph ones here!!!
My fav: Historical fiction. Jean Plaidy, Alison Weir, Susan Higgonbottom.
I’ve read some of the first two, love the surname of the third.
I read Clear via Netgalley pre publication & absolutely adored it.
Ooh that sounds very promising.
Looking forward to your review of Greta and Valdin. It has been a huge hit in New Zealand. As well as being a queer book, the book says a lot about the experience of Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) in contemporary New Zealand.
Oooh that’s made all the more keen to read it.
These are all very exciting. I have to admit that I did a little squeal when I found out that Tess Gerritsen has a new one out 👍
Me too. And *whispers* guess who I am having dinner with tonight 😱
Loved this, would be good to see whether you were correct with the books you hadn’t read yet, even if that was just 5 mins at the beginning of the next video. Added several of these to my wish list.
Ooh I have only read one and a bit of these so would be quite an update potentially 🤣🤣🤣
Also currently reading Martyr via Netgalley & can't put it down, feels like he's talking directly to you.
I’m looking forward to experiencing that.
I put Butter on my TBR thanks! I see a character in the book Loot has the same name as my last name! Good reason to read it LOL😊
Ooooh, that is 😉
Greta and Valdin is at the very top of my most anticipated list - heard lots of good stuff, particularly on Litsy.
Oooh I don’t use Listy. Good to hear you’re hearing raves too. Sooo much praise… only hope it lives up to the hype.
Definitely reading House of bricks very soon
I may have started it 😉
I kept waiting for you to mention James by Percival Everett, which I have already preordered and cannot wait to read. That’s my number 1 most anticipated book for the year, but I did a whole long list on SupposedlyFun’s most anticipated video last week. I’m happy to see so many exciting books coming out this year!
Update: Just saw that James is out in March over here, but not until April in the UK.
I might read it. I didn’t love The Trees as much as everyone else, including Louise, did to be honest. I have another of his on the shelves I’ll probably get to first though not in a rush.
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen is in my tbr, I've read some of her Rizzoli books and enjoyed the television show. Can't remember how to spell Ayles/Iyles or other.😊
I think it’s Isles. Lol. They’re great aren’t they. I loved the books and the shows. Though Isles turned up in another show recently and I got so confused. Ha.
Curious to see what you think of The Spy Coast when you're done. I was really hooked in the beginning too but it ended up being a disappointment in the end. I have high hopes the next in the series will work better for me.
Eek. Thats put a bit of a dampener on my current read. Serves me right for not saying my usual mantra of ‘if you didn’t love any of these don’t tell me till I’ve read it, then we can discuss it all you like.
OMG @@SavidgeReads my apologies! I hadn't watched videos since before the holidays and i just plain lost my mind. So sorry!
Off-topic but I’d like to thank you for raving about “Cereus Blooms at Night” by Shani Mootoo. I listened to it on audio and thought it was fab. I’m keeping track of the nationality of each author I read so I can see the countries that come up most frequently in my reading, and where I might in future expand my reading to authors from other areas of the world. This is easy if the author was born, raised, and lived all their life in one country; for example, Jane Austen is clearly an English author. How do I designate someone who was born and/or raised in one country and now lives in a different country? For example, Shani Mootoo was born in Dublin, raised in Trinidad, and moved to Canada as an adult. I welcome your opinion.
Blimey I can’t really help on that front. I think maybe you have to see if they’ve a preferred nationality on their website or something. I have to say I like that it’s complicated. Shows how international we can all be and how diverse we all are. Glad you loved the book.
Thanks, Simon. Good suggestion about checking their websites. Armistead Maupin is another example. I would call him an American author (born there, raised there, and lived much of his life there.) However, he's been living for several years in England, as far as I know.@@SavidgeReads
I loved Cereus Blooms At Night! Just a terrific read!
I loved Greta and Valdin but got confused about who was who in the extended family (a challenge I have with many books, so not particular to this one). I've got the Storm we Made on my tbr.
Ha. I think that can happen to us all. It happens to me in my own family. Hahaha.
Did you read And then he sung a lullaby? I'm reading it right now and loving it
That was the one. Yes. Keep forgetting the title of it every time I talk about it. I thought it was very good.
Best books so far this month
North Woods
Falling Animals
Tom Lake
How To Build A Boat
🍀👋☘️☕️🇮🇪📕📖📚
Wow. I couldn’t do a best books before the month is through too much pressure too soon.
I have The Tower re-ordered….and wanted to grab it from you😂
Also Hagstone by Sinead Gleeson & List of suspicious things.And a Danish translation of Tresspasses. And that’s all the books I am allowed to buy in 2024. Wish me luck!
Hagstone will be appearing in a future one of these. I almost included List of Suspicious Things which I have on my shelves too.
Let’s hope we both enjoy it!
Did you get new glasses? Maybe not. I'm just noticing them today and thinking how good they look on you.
Awwww thank you. But nope, same ones as usual. Ha.
Recommendation for a Nigerian, queer and vignette-y novel: Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde
Ooooh I have that on my shelves. Thank you for reminding me to get to it 🥳
❤😊
📚
I’ve read 10books this month but a lot of dnfs
I’m not counting books this year. I think the whole numbers thing is a bit off putting for people who don’t read much. Plus puts pressure on and makes everything feel like a race. I’m embracing a slower reading pace in 2024.
🥹💚Sugar Bear
🐻