So glad you loved Greta and Valdin. Shawn put me onto it when it was first released in NZ but then he thought it was average while i adored it 😂😂 Still im grateful he put it on my radar. Great reviews all round 👍
Fab reviews. I've not read any of these and had only heard of Headshot and The Great Divide. Great comment on the role of an editor. I've been feeling that way with a few books lately.
So cool that you got to meet up with Josh! I was momentarily shocked that there is more you dnf that we don't get to see, but then I remembered I unhaul a lot more than I ever do in videos because I sometimes just give books away when friends come over, and it balanced me somewhat lol. Someone at work was talking about how good headshot was and how uniquely structured it is. And now I am curious enough after your review as well, so I am going to look into that one. I love the UK cover of piglet because it is a pile of doughnuts. Would you say piglet is a Olivia-Savannah book? I have heard it is good, but that it can be a bit forgettable? But with my sisters weddings coming up it sounds like a really interesting read for me at the moment... just having a little trouble deciding. Another friend at work has been reading and enjoying greta and valadin a lot too!
I loved meeting Josh, he's only the 2nd Booktuber I've met up with face to face. A lot of my DNFs I don't tell you about are really more trying a few pages, I DNFed The Other Valley for example, because I could see it being a good book for me and a good book for somebody else from the description, so I tried it to find out. Have doughnuts will read. Piglet is a hard one, because I don't really understand why you don't like cheating in novels and because we never find out what his secret is, it's kind of like pointing out that cheating is wrong because it's a betrayal of trust, but also, the whole time I was reading it, I had to keep reminding myself we don't know if he's cheated on Piglet... And then I know cheating in literary fiction is different for you too, but this is definitely on the commercial side of literary. There's also none of the big themes I know you love. So with that big caveat aside, I'd probably say it's going to be a 4 star read (plus or minus a star). It's not top of the list of books I would recommend you, but I would recommend it.
Great wrap up as always! Interesting to hear about After Annie. I had that on my TBR, but maybe I’ll just quietly remove it. Ahh Piglet. You’ve rated it a bit higher than I have. I liked it, but I sort of disliked that pretty much everyone treats Piglet like garbage constantly. It started to feel a bit tedious toward the last 1/4 and I really wanted her moment of vengeance to be a bit more explosive.
I probably did rate Piglet higher than you, but this is a weaker batch of books, a lot of average or just better than average. So Piglet being 2nd last isn't a glowing endorsement like it would other videos. I understand needing just a little bit more of a bang at the end.
Yay! Always good to wake up and see Scott at the top of my subscription feed! Once again you’ve touched on so many books that are very much on my radar, which is why I’m such a Scott fan girl. I read the Rose Tremain last year. In fact, I believe it arrived from the UK around the same time as Soldier Sailor and went in the Little Free Library at the same time. Soldier is long gone; Rose is still there. I liked Absolutley and Forever. I bought this book knowing nothing about it because I know Rose has won the Women’s Prize and she’s not widely published here. I could relate to Marianne so much, which I was slow to realize but after letting this one marinate for some time, I was charmed by her innocence in the beginning of this book, how she has so much faith in love being constant and enduring and how that foreverness is somehow sparked by having sex in the back seat of a teenaged boy’s car. I liked how her understanding of love and marriage grew over the course of the novel. It was very, very emotionally astute. And maybe I related more than I wish I did. 😬 Anyway, always good to see you, Boo! You’re in particularly fine form today.
Great wrap up, per usual! I couldn't make the discussion for My Men, but I was super disappointed in the overall story. I certainly could have done with more feminine rage. I also agree that the language was intentionally and nicely bombastic. I heard Mercedes talk about being interested in Headshot, but she hadn't read it yet. The premise sounds fascinating!
It's getting some good early reviews Headshot, it's always nice to see a book tackling a topic rarely discussed too. I'll love to see if Mercedes likes it.
Really enjoyed this round-up. Thanks. One thing though, speaking as a writer, when you mention The Great Divide having some exceptional scenes ... and kind of complaining that the editor should have told the writer to fill the entire book with equally exceptional scenes ... I think that's easier said than done. It's not easy to write an exceptional scene in the first place. It's not like that because an author came up with, say, 5 exceptional chapters that they should automatically be able to write 20 exceptional chapters. It doesn't work like that. The author just might not have the inspiration or even the perseverance to accomplish that.
Thank you. A bit of a clumsy explanation from me. I want the quality between those scenes improved and maybe there could have been a bit trimmed, I think it would be impossible to write an entire novel to that standard.
How can anyone dislike Do Not Say We Have Nothing so much, even if they are one of the sights of Melbourne? Mind you I am also rather keen on liquorice and cauliflowers. But as I love you dearly I was happy to hear you enjoy Rose Tremain. She is so versatile. Keep hearing good things about Greta and Valdin.
That weird character comedy where they don't fit in but carry on, that's in Valdin and Greta - but I feel if you go in expecting it and not seeing it as a delightful bonus, then you're not getting the book you expecting. It's funny, but Schitts Creek is just too specific, I feel like it has broader appeal.
I confess to being really into liquorice these days. However, I will NEVER support the existence of the horrid cauliflower 🤢 Totally agree on the book covers.
I was interested in hearing your review of Do Not Say We Have Nothing, and to hear you would have DNF’d it. I started reading it, but just couldn’t figure out what in the heck was going on, so switched to audiobook, listened to the first 100 pages twice and when I was still lost, gave up. There were just so many characters and such a confusing plot. I’m oddly happy to hear you didn’t like it either.
ooh a patreon mention... MUM LOOK I'M FAMOUS (also made me realise I can finally remove the name in brackets because I changed the YT name...) Piglet and Greta & Valdin immediately went on my wishlist!
I listened to Broughtupsy audiobook and two weeks later, thought I DNFed it until I saw my own review. 😅 you are right to DNF this book. Not a bad idea but utterly forgettable (and forgotten in just two weeks). Thank you for your honesty as always ❤
Oh, I really liked her. That's very interesting that something I so often think is about the authors skill level seems to be more about liking or disliking different characteristics.
I watched this 3x - thank youuu once again for a 🔥 video 📖🪱💚
Loved hearing a bit about your International prize thoughts, I've missed your input this year!
Yeah, it got jettisoned in a combination of madness and poor time organisation.
So glad you enjoyed Greta and Valdin - its been a hit here in New Zealand for years and Im so pleased its getting international attention.
So pleased you enjoyed Greta & Valdin. Hope it helps put NZ lit on the map.
It's a great book and NZ lit is slowly growing I think, Eleanor Catton, Catherine Chidgey, Meg Mason, there's a few quality authors around.
Thank you for validating my feelings about Do Not Say We Have Nothing! 😂
Saw 'headshot' but didn't read it. Think I'll go back to it. Thanks!
I have The Great Divide on my Read Around the World list. Good to hear your thoughts on it. Interesting selection of books. Thanks
So glad you loved Greta and Valdin. Shawn put me onto it when it was first released in NZ but then he thought it was average while i adored it 😂😂 Still im grateful he put it on my radar. Great reviews all round 👍
Shawn didn't like it? Sometimes I wonder about time. Thank you. :)
Great reviews as always! I am adding Piglet to my TBR right now.
Enjoy
Fab reviews. I've not read any of these and had only heard of Headshot and The Great Divide.
Great comment on the role of an editor. I've been feeling that way with a few books lately.
So cool that you got to meet up with Josh! I was momentarily shocked that there is more you dnf that we don't get to see, but then I remembered I unhaul a lot more than I ever do in videos because I sometimes just give books away when friends come over, and it balanced me somewhat lol. Someone at work was talking about how good headshot was and how uniquely structured it is. And now I am curious enough after your review as well, so I am going to look into that one. I love the UK cover of piglet because it is a pile of doughnuts. Would you say piglet is a Olivia-Savannah book? I have heard it is good, but that it can be a bit forgettable? But with my sisters weddings coming up it sounds like a really interesting read for me at the moment... just having a little trouble deciding. Another friend at work has been reading and enjoying greta and valadin a lot too!
I loved meeting Josh, he's only the 2nd Booktuber I've met up with face to face.
A lot of my DNFs I don't tell you about are really more trying a few pages, I DNFed The Other Valley for example, because I could see it being a good book for me and a good book for somebody else from the description, so I tried it to find out.
Have doughnuts will read. Piglet is a hard one, because I don't really understand why you don't like cheating in novels and because we never find out what his secret is, it's kind of like pointing out that cheating is wrong because it's a betrayal of trust, but also, the whole time I was reading it, I had to keep reminding myself we don't know if he's cheated on Piglet... And then I know cheating in literary fiction is different for you too, but this is definitely on the commercial side of literary. There's also none of the big themes I know you love. So with that big caveat aside, I'd probably say it's going to be a 4 star read (plus or minus a star). It's not top of the list of books I would recommend you, but I would recommend it.
Great wrap up as always! Interesting to hear about After Annie. I had that on my TBR, but maybe I’ll just quietly remove it. Ahh Piglet. You’ve rated it a bit higher than I have. I liked it, but I sort of disliked that pretty much everyone treats Piglet like garbage constantly. It started to feel a bit tedious toward the last 1/4 and I really wanted her moment of vengeance to be a bit more explosive.
I probably did rate Piglet higher than you, but this is a weaker batch of books, a lot of average or just better than average. So Piglet being 2nd last isn't a glowing endorsement like it would other videos. I understand needing just a little bit more of a bang at the end.
Yay! Always good to wake up and see Scott at the top of my subscription feed! Once again you’ve touched on so many books that are very much on my radar, which is why I’m such a Scott fan girl.
I read the Rose Tremain last year. In fact, I believe it arrived from the UK around the same time as Soldier Sailor and went in the Little Free Library at the same time. Soldier is long gone; Rose is still there. I liked Absolutley and Forever. I bought this book knowing nothing about it because I know Rose has won the Women’s Prize and she’s not widely published here. I could relate to Marianne so much, which I was slow to realize but after letting this one marinate for some time, I was charmed by her innocence in the beginning of this book, how she has so much faith in love being constant and enduring and how that foreverness is somehow sparked by having sex in the back seat of a teenaged boy’s car. I liked how her understanding of love and marriage grew over the course of the novel. It was very, very emotionally astute. And maybe I related more than I wish I did. 😬
Anyway, always good to see you, Boo! You’re in particularly fine form today.
Great wrap up, per usual! I couldn't make the discussion for My Men, but I was super disappointed in the overall story. I certainly could have done with more feminine rage. I also agree that the language was intentionally and nicely bombastic. I heard Mercedes talk about being interested in Headshot, but she hadn't read it yet. The premise sounds fascinating!
It's getting some good early reviews Headshot, it's always nice to see a book tackling a topic rarely discussed too. I'll love to see if Mercedes likes it.
Body Friend was brilliant. Piglet was a fun read with serious undertones.
Thank you! I’m always puzzled by the people who think those plain blue covers a good choice 😮
Yeah, it's weird. Book cover is actually a way I quickly judge a book and see if I should read more, so what am I meant to do with a blue cover?
Really enjoyed this round-up. Thanks. One thing though, speaking as a writer, when you mention The Great Divide having some exceptional scenes ... and kind of complaining that the editor should have told the writer to fill the entire book with equally exceptional scenes ... I think that's easier said than done. It's not easy to write an exceptional scene in the first place. It's not like that because an author came up with, say, 5 exceptional chapters that they should automatically be able to write 20 exceptional chapters. It doesn't work like that. The author just might not have the inspiration or even the perseverance to accomplish that.
Thank you.
A bit of a clumsy explanation from me. I want the quality between those scenes improved and maybe there could have been a bit trimmed, I think it would be impossible to write an entire novel to that standard.
Love your reviews. I Love in London but am Australian. The bookshops are incredible.
I'm very jealous!
How can anyone dislike Do Not Say We Have Nothing so much, even if they are one of the sights of Melbourne? Mind you I am also rather keen on liquorice and cauliflowers. But as I love you dearly I was happy to hear you enjoy Rose Tremain. She is so versatile. Keep hearing good things about Greta and Valdin.
like the blue and white covers and cauliflower but i'm with you on licorice...which part of the blurb is correct as i also love schitt's creek?
That weird character comedy where they don't fit in but carry on, that's in Valdin and Greta - but I feel if you go in expecting it and not seeing it as a delightful bonus, then you're not getting the book you expecting. It's funny, but Schitts Creek is just too specific, I feel like it has broader appeal.
@@GunpowderFictionPlot ah...thanks..
I confess to being really into liquorice these days. However, I will NEVER support the existence of the horrid cauliflower 🤢 Totally agree on the book covers.
Yes! Cauliflower is terrible, I am so disgusted by this trend of cauliflower on every menu, it's not a valid life choice!
yay for cauliflower and liquorice.
I feel like this is a troll comment. :p
@@GunpowderFictionPlot I only resemble Grendel on bad hair days. 🤣
Greta & Valden on my list now.
Enjoy!
I like the Fitzcarraldo Editions covers but I love Charco Press covers.
I love Charco too! That is definitely the winner, branding while allowing the books personality to influence the cover.
The only two on your list that I’ve read are
Do Not Say We Have Nothing ( which I DNFD)
Greta & Valdin ( which I loved)
We agree!
I was interested in hearing your review of Do Not Say We Have Nothing, and to hear you would have DNF’d it. I started reading it, but just couldn’t figure out what in the heck was going on, so switched to audiobook, listened to the first 100 pages twice and when I was still lost, gave up. There were just so many characters and such a confusing plot. I’m oddly happy to hear you didn’t like it either.
I think your view was pretty universal at the book club meeting too. It wasn't a popular pick unfortunately.
ooh a patreon mention... MUM LOOK I'M FAMOUS (also made me realise I can finally remove the name in brackets because I changed the YT name...)
Piglet and Greta & Valdin immediately went on my wishlist!
You are famous! :)
I listened to Broughtupsy audiobook and two weeks later, thought I DNFed it until I saw my own review. 😅 you are right to DNF this book. Not a bad idea but utterly forgettable (and forgotten in just two weeks). Thank you for your honesty as always ❤
Thank you for that review. Forgettable is almost worse than bad, bad at least means it evoked emotion.
I was looking forward to Piglet, but I found her to be such an (unintentional) unlikeable character that I struggled to finish it.
Oh, I really liked her. That's very interesting that something I so often think is about the authors skill level seems to be more about liking or disliking different characteristics.
I feel better about DNFing Do Not Say We Have Nothing.
I think it was a good call. :)