Thanks for all the recs. I didn't realise Kim Jiyoung was so short. I added a library hold as I watched, and the same with When Among Crows, which sounds like an intriguing premise. I really liked Small Things Like These. As you said, the author shows how to be a good person without telling, making it easier to relate and more impactful. The little details bring the time and place to life and I learned quite a bit about the Magdalene Laundries. I prefer it to Foster (which I also liked) because the MC here goes against the grain to do the right thing but the couple in Foster do what I'd expect caring parents to do. Time War was a mixed bag for me. The science behind the leaving of messages was very clever and the ending was satisfying, but the romance became too soppy and I didn't really buy into why it started. I wasn't sold on the relationship in the first story in Before the Coffee gets Cold, but the next three were poignant and heart-warming and I ended up enjoying them a lot. The play-like structure worked really well. A few short books that might interest you are Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky (fantasy, 159p), The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson (mystery, 96p), I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (thought-provoking spec fic, 198p), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (clever mystery, 214p) and Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (very dark but thought-provoking spec fic, 224p).
Glad to be of service! Same with me, I actually had no idea about the Magdalene Laundries so it was very enlightening as well as being an enjoyable book fiction-wise! That's a great way of putting it I think, I'm still keen for Foster but at least I know what kind of dynamics to expect. I honestly think I will have the same problem with Time War then, if I'm not sold on a relationship (especially if it doesn't feel earned or developed well enough) then that entire part of the premise falls flat for me, I'm sure I will still like the science-driven elements and how the time aspects are conceived, but I think I will now go in with LOW expectations for the romance! And actually I agree completely with Before The Coffee Gets Cold, as well! I'm adding all of those to my list! I actually started reading I Who Have Never Known Men a couple of weeks ago but I was too busy at the time to appreciate it so I think I will jump back into it now (i just know i'm going to love it!), and I hear great things about Tender Is the Flesh! I hadn't heard of the first two before, but I actually own (and have never read yet) a bunch of the old Agatha Christie books I picked up from a thrift store, and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is in there, but I was always very intimidated by there being so many different recommended reading orders and lists, etc. so i might just dive into this one, lists be damned! Thanks for the recommendations!!
so many great books!! i've had 'what you are looking for is in the library' on my shelf for way too long!! i really needed someone to convince me to read it ☺
you HAVE IT!??? girl screw finals, this is more important!!! hahah nah but i really do recommend it especially for the very end/beginning of the year so ill be looking forward to seeing your thoughts!!! 💖💖💖
oooh thornhedge sounds soo fun!! I haven't read any of t kingfisher's books but I'd like to get into them they all sound so good. Small things like these also looks pretty good especially for a winter read! When among crows sounds so good too!! I absolutely LOVED This is How You Lose the Time War, I read it in one day 😂 and omg aww I think what you are looking for is in the library is a book I could really use right now. Thank you for these, I didn't know about almost all of them!! 😍
honestly you can't go wrong with t. kingfisher books! thornhedge was actually SO good but the Saint of Steel series is all fun easy reads too (albeit a bit longer)! when among crows was also such a nice surprise so I recommend that also!! That is VERY promising to hear that makes me want to read it even more now!!! RIGHT!? honestly I took it off ny shelf today to make sure I start a re-read of it because BOY do i need this book right now 🫠🥹💖
So many good picks!! 🙃 clip corruptions will be my greatest enemy (RIP my original bookshelf tour). I love Before The Coffee Gets Cold. Definitely moving, and surprised me with how emotional it made me. I cannot recommend the series enough!
literallyyyy like i was just like "OH!" and sat there staring blankly at my screen, hoping if i just clicked the file enough times it would mystically work again AHAHAHA alas it did not oooh this makes me want to read the sequel books ASAP then!!
@ it’s so jarring! I found a way to restore it but tbh it isn’t worth converting lol. It’s so good! Each story gets sadder but in a good way! I swear!!
coming back to let you know queen I watched this video as soon as it came out lmfao Where Thornhedge be Sleeping beauty or Rapunzel, I need to read it. This is How You Lose the Time War was one of the first book I read when getting back into reading! I loved it! Such beautiful writing and unique story 23:53 first of all, that cover is so cute!!! Second, the title is giving Lemony Snicket
literally me watching your videos immediately and not commenting for days 🥹😭 YESS i highly recommend thornhedge and even if you didn't like it at least that short amount if pages makes it not a waste of time! OOOH that has me SO excited for TIHYLTTW now, I trust your judgement implicitly!!! HAHAHAH you are very right, Lemony Snicket fr
Do I need to hit the reading goal? Absolutely not. 🙅♀ But do I need more recommendations especially shorter reads to get through the next year? YES. I am mad that your software decided to corrupt all your footage because I just want to hear you yap 😩 I'm one of those who haven't really read Divergent so I wouldn't be able to compare -- but I always love hearing about how an author grow and improve in their writing. I think it's so amazing! And I love that authors are growing + maybe accept criticism to improve their work. HTOLATW is a book I've seen on and off. I actually took it off because Ellen didn't like it so much since there's too much confusion dialogue 🥲I am pretty interested to see how you feel about the book!! Before The Coffee Gets Cold is a book I NEED to read early 2025 -- for some reason I'm just hearing more and more about it in the past month, and I'm just reminded about how heartwarming it could be 🧡 I love hearing how much you love your libraries because SAME 🥹 Maybe I'll start my new year with What You Are Looking [...] Library. The appreciation I have for the library is the same as you! So you've sold your purpose for this video. But I'll read anything you hand me. LOL
AHAHAH trust me my software was probably doing you a favour (though i wouldn't object to hours long videos of you just yapping so i wholeheartedly understand the sentiment!) I only remember reading the first Divergent vaguely but after watching a few read-through youtube videos of people breaking it down, i now remember it was NOT GREAT (i was a hunger games girlie anyway hahah) but absolutely i was blown away seeing her writing in this and im definitely going to read her other work going forward! Honestly that's what im worried about too, but im kind of curious to see what its even ABOUT after so many people rave about it (we shall see!) honestly could be a good way to start the year! but on that note, YESSSS mwahahaha if you read WYALFIITL (god i wish english had better short forms like japanese and korean have for light/web novels) my purpose in life will have been fulfilled! I want to read it again in january of 2025 to start off my year strong again! and it just made my heart so full for libraries like I LOVE BOOKS AHHHH 🧡🧡🧡
Best wishes with what you choose to read in 2025. I hope you get some great books with fantastic stories. Happy reading!
Right back at you!! :D
Thanks for all the recs. I didn't realise Kim Jiyoung was so short. I added a library hold as I watched, and the same with When Among Crows, which sounds like an intriguing premise.
I really liked Small Things Like These. As you said, the author shows how to be a good person without telling, making it easier to relate and more impactful. The little details bring the time and place to life and I learned quite a bit about the Magdalene Laundries. I prefer it to Foster (which I also liked) because the MC here goes against the grain to do the right thing but the couple in Foster do what I'd expect caring parents to do. Time War was a mixed bag for me. The science behind the leaving of messages was very clever and the ending was satisfying, but the romance became too soppy and I didn't really buy into why it started. I wasn't sold on the relationship in the first story in Before the Coffee gets Cold, but the next three were poignant and heart-warming and I ended up enjoying them a lot. The play-like structure worked really well.
A few short books that might interest you are Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky (fantasy, 159p), The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson (mystery, 96p), I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (thought-provoking spec fic, 198p), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (clever mystery, 214p) and Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (very dark but thought-provoking spec fic, 224p).
Glad to be of service!
Same with me, I actually had no idea about the Magdalene Laundries so it was very enlightening as well as being an enjoyable book fiction-wise! That's a great way of putting it I think, I'm still keen for Foster but at least I know what kind of dynamics to expect. I honestly think I will have the same problem with Time War then, if I'm not sold on a relationship (especially if it doesn't feel earned or developed well enough) then that entire part of the premise falls flat for me, I'm sure I will still like the science-driven elements and how the time aspects are conceived, but I think I will now go in with LOW expectations for the romance! And actually I agree completely with Before The Coffee Gets Cold, as well!
I'm adding all of those to my list! I actually started reading I Who Have Never Known Men a couple of weeks ago but I was too busy at the time to appreciate it so I think I will jump back into it now (i just know i'm going to love it!), and I hear great things about Tender Is the Flesh! I hadn't heard of the first two before, but I actually own (and have never read yet) a bunch of the old Agatha Christie books I picked up from a thrift store, and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is in there, but I was always very intimidated by there being so many different recommended reading orders and lists, etc. so i might just dive into this one, lists be damned! Thanks for the recommendations!!
so many great books!! i've had 'what you are looking for is in the library' on my shelf for way too long!! i really needed someone to convince me to read it ☺
you HAVE IT!??? girl screw finals, this is more important!!! hahah nah but i really do recommend it especially for the very end/beginning of the year so ill be looking forward to seeing your thoughts!!! 💖💖💖
oooh thornhedge sounds soo fun!! I haven't read any of t kingfisher's books but I'd like to get into them they all sound so good. Small things like these also looks pretty good especially for a winter read! When among crows sounds so good too!! I absolutely LOVED This is How You Lose the Time War, I read it in one day 😂 and omg aww I think what you are looking for is in the library is a book I could really use right now. Thank you for these, I didn't know about almost all of them!! 😍
honestly you can't go wrong with t. kingfisher books! thornhedge was actually SO good but the Saint of Steel series is all fun easy reads too (albeit a bit longer)! when among crows was also such a nice surprise so I recommend that also!!
That is VERY promising to hear that makes me want to read it even more now!!!
RIGHT!? honestly I took it off ny shelf today to make sure I start a re-read of it because BOY do i need this book right now 🫠🥹💖
@ good to know! Might have to get back into reading a series :)
So many good picks!!
🙃 clip corruptions will be my greatest enemy (RIP my original bookshelf tour). I love Before The Coffee Gets Cold. Definitely moving, and surprised me with how emotional it made me. I cannot recommend the series enough!
literallyyyy like i was just like "OH!" and sat there staring blankly at my screen, hoping if i just clicked the file enough times it would mystically work again AHAHAHA alas it did not
oooh this makes me want to read the sequel books ASAP then!!
@ it’s so jarring! I found a way to restore it but tbh it isn’t worth converting lol. It’s so good! Each story gets sadder but in a good way! I swear!!
Saving this list for later! 😊
it's a pleasure to be of service!🫡😝
coming back to let you know queen I watched this video as soon as it came out lmfao
Where Thornhedge be Sleeping beauty or Rapunzel, I need to read it.
This is How You Lose the Time War was one of the first book I read when getting back into reading! I loved it! Such beautiful writing and unique story
23:53 first of all, that cover is so cute!!! Second, the title is giving Lemony Snicket
literally me watching your videos immediately and not commenting for days 🥹😭
YESS i highly recommend thornhedge and even if you didn't like it at least that short amount if pages makes it not a waste of time!
OOOH that has me SO excited for TIHYLTTW now, I trust your judgement implicitly!!!
HAHAHAH you are very right, Lemony Snicket fr
Do I need to hit the reading goal? Absolutely not. 🙅♀ But do I need more recommendations especially shorter reads to get through the next year? YES. I am mad that your software decided to corrupt all your footage because I just want to hear you yap 😩 I'm one of those who haven't really read Divergent so I wouldn't be able to compare -- but I always love hearing about how an author grow and improve in their writing. I think it's so amazing! And I love that authors are growing + maybe accept criticism to improve their work.
HTOLATW is a book I've seen on and off. I actually took it off because Ellen didn't like it so much since there's too much confusion dialogue 🥲I am pretty interested to see how you feel about the book!! Before The Coffee Gets Cold is a book I NEED to read early 2025 -- for some reason I'm just hearing more and more about it in the past month, and I'm just reminded about how heartwarming it could be 🧡
I love hearing how much you love your libraries because SAME 🥹 Maybe I'll start my new year with What You Are Looking [...] Library. The appreciation I have for the library is the same as you! So you've sold your purpose for this video. But I'll read anything you hand me. LOL
AHAHAH trust me my software was probably doing you a favour (though i wouldn't object to hours long videos of you just yapping so i wholeheartedly understand the sentiment!) I only remember reading the first Divergent vaguely but after watching a few read-through youtube videos of people breaking it down, i now remember it was NOT GREAT (i was a hunger games girlie anyway hahah) but absolutely i was blown away seeing her writing in this and im definitely going to read her other work going forward!
Honestly that's what im worried about too, but im kind of curious to see what its even ABOUT after so many people rave about it (we shall see!) honestly could be a good way to start the year!
but on that note, YESSSS mwahahaha if you read WYALFIITL (god i wish english had better short forms like japanese and korean have for light/web novels) my purpose in life will have been fulfilled! I want to read it again in january of 2025 to start off my year strong again! and it just made my heart so full for libraries like I LOVE BOOKS AHHHH 🧡🧡🧡