I totally agree on the Three Body Problem trilogy. Character work is very weak, but you have to give the man credit for his wild ideas. I come from a physics background and recommended it to another physicist friend of mine. We spent a lot of time discussing the various concepts the author delved into here. It’s an extremely unique story. It literally doesn’t get bigger than this story.
Hey Emily, at work we were lucky enough to have Matt Haig as a guest speaker for a wellness conference this week. I never would have attended without you bringing him to my attention and he was honestly such an amazing, sincere, genuine and endearing speaker which I would have exposes myself to without you. So happy to see him in this list 🥰. E x
I definitely agree with your comment on the characters in The Three Body Problem. It took me a few tries to get into it at all because there wasn’t any character development, and that’s usually what I’m drawn to. I think this might be a common writing style with eastern fiction, though. I know personally, I’m used to a certain writing style with western fiction that focuses on individual characters, but that’s also a reflection of our society which praises individual achievements. According to friends that have read more translated Chinese and Japanese fiction, this just isn’t common in many of those books. I don’t think we can expect the same things we’re used to, because the culture the author comes from is very different. That might also explain some of the sexism and other themes we think are problematic. A lot of the scenes were flashbacks to the cultural revolution, when those attitudes might have been completely normal. They might still be- I’m not sure. Not having those problematic attitudes though would be like having an American fantasy novel with a flashback to the 1920’s and not having threads of sexism and racism. That said, Liu certainly doesn’t even make it obvious that he knows it’s sexist, it’s just there. It did make me roll my eyes at times, but I’m trying to remind myself that Liu comes from a country very different than mine and his writing will reflect that. There also are probably a lot of things lost in translation that make the characters seem flat to me (Da Shi was the only one with an actual personality). I had a roommate who was from China and she explained that a lot of ideas were hard for her to translate because there just isn’t an exact term for the same thing.
Thanks for pointing out the differences in our cultures that may explain some of these criticisms. But I’m genuinely curious why you (and Emily) think Liu is “sexist.” Maybe because I’m a guy, but I didn’t pick up on that at all. The female characters seemed very real and powerful. Some of the male characters were sexist, but how does that reflect on the author?
You introduced me to Becky Chambers and I went on to read all her books and loved them so much and can't wait for her two books coming out next year. Thank you!
I loved the Three Body trilogy as well! I totally recommend Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan as another book you might enjoy in that realm. It’s also translated by Ken Liu. Super interesting concepts and I find it has better characterization than Three Body.
Woah, that is a high-calibre best of list! I'm def going to read all of them! My faves for 2020 are The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, the Rage of Dragons by Evan Winters, Children of Time (but not CoR), and of course the Poppy War series. I JUST finished TDR and it was amazing, and I am eagerly awaiting TBG in the mail which I am pre-rating 5 stars too. Ooooh I just checked and I also read the 2nd and 3rd books in the Broken Earth trilogy, they were the best way to start the year!
Skyward & Starsight were my absolute all time favorite books I have ever read so far. I am SO EXCITED for the 3rd book to come out hopefully in spring!! I plan on reading The Midnight Library and the Three-Body Problem in the next month so now I am even more excited to get to those since they're both your favorites this year!!! :)
Can’t wait to read finally Skyward and Starsight in 2021, since then it will be translated in my language.. you hyped it up quite hard so I hope it will live up to the hype...😌
I am so glad you mentioned To be taught if fortunate! :) I absolutely adored this book! I was going through a hard time when I started reading it and it kind of played little part in reminding me of my love for science... (important, since I am a scientist :D)
I just finished the burning god and you are absolutely correct, best one of the three. Will read anything by RF KUANG from now on! Adding a few of the others to my to read as well
Lies of Locke Lamora, Red Seas Under Red Skies, A Deadly Education, Nevernight and Croocked Kingdom are my favourite reads of this year, with the most likely addition of Rhythm of War when I am finally able to read it (I have no doubts I'll love it and so happy to see Way of Kings here, the Stormlight Archive is my favourite series of all times^^) And the Poppy War trilogy is in my tbr for next year, so excited to read it!
And my TBR has grown again :) My faves of the year were: - first law trilogy - jurassic Park - the deep - final empire - flowers of algernon - Guns of the dawn - the gentleman thief
In 2020 I amazed myself. Read way more books than normal, thanks to ongoing pandamic. My top reads Jade city The rage of dragons & the fires of vengeance World War Z Martian Anxious people All systems red The egg Traitor's blade Mr. Mercedes Unbroken The troop Becoming The Rise and fall of third reich Paradox Illuminae The choices Hyperbole and a Half Gone girl Homegoing The stand Edit: didn't realise the list went on and on, I'm too indecisive
I' ve almost finished 'Why we sleep?' Since you've recomended so much. As a psychoterapist, neuroscience fan and a person with insomnia; thank you!!!! I'm loving it!!!! Hugs from Argentina!!
Some of the best books I read are Mistborn Trilogy, The Way of Kings and Jurassic Park. Michael Crichton's books are full of scientific details that are mind blowing, so far he's my favorite sci-fi author.
My completely random guess is that 2 more videos will come out this month in which you mention To be Taught 🤞 and in both occasions you'll read out the first sentence like you always do 😄
We read so many if the same books this year that we loved!! Once they hit the camera part in The Three Body Problem, I was hooked. Have you read Seveneves? Excellent hard sci fi with strong badass female characters.
You’re making me so excited to read The Poppy War!! I was waiting for the series to be completed to start reading it 🤩 Edit: fine 🙄 you’ve convinced me to read the three body problem lmao
For some reason I thought this would be the last video in the end of the year series! I was not ready for it, but yeah, everything in here I have either read or is in my close TBR because of you. I'm so glad to see that it was a good reading year for you despite everything!
I feel the exact same way about The Poppy War trilogy, I keep getting recommended Jade City and The Bone Shard Daughter, both first books to fantasy series that apparently appeal to people who loved The Poppy War Trilogy. I plan on starting both next year!
Great to get your informed suggestions. The first video I watched of yours you recommended both Madeline Miller's Circe and Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens/Homo Deus which are some of my modern favourites, so I'm going to trust your taste and keep following to get more suggestions as well as your delightfully uplifting smile :-)
I think I'll be skipping The Midnight Library 😅 I read The Humans because you raved about it, but I truly hated his style and preachiness. I did order To Be Taught if Fortunate though! If I like it, I'm definitely trying her other work! (Also I read Children of Time and OMG did I love it!!)
Midnight Library! I totally ignored your warning (I picked up the book after watching your video) and started reading it after work at around 9 PM :) Didn't regret it at all. Also, yes. I heard that RF Kuang released a short story that she sent out to those who pre-ordered the third book. I think she has it up on the web.
I already want to reread To Be Taught if Fortunate and I just read it for the first time on your review this summer! Your recs have led to some real wins for me (including finally trying Brandon Sanderson!)
You vould try de selection of Chinese sf translated by Ken Liu "Invisible planets" really good, and there is a second part "Broken planets" which I just got for my Kindle. The latest fauvrites were the Slovakian horrors by Josef Karika, great atmosphere building but I don't know if they got translated into English or French, I'm Polish so I got Polish versions, and urban fantasy series based in Hong Kong which is in French so You could read it if you like. I really enjoyed the settings, the kung fu fights, badass Buddhists nun and using Chinese mythologies. Cool stuff. There were some of your recommendations like "Six wakes" and "Sudden appearance of Hope Arden" by Claire North ( I think I just gave English retranslation of the French title). I got the "Trail of Lightning" in progress but as I find it good, I'm so tired I end up reading lighter stuff, so my brain won't overlod, (moving to a different town), but also intresting part it uses Native American myths, which is a huge plus for me. There were also both Molly Southborn stories by Tade Thompson and "Who fears death" by Nnedi Okorafor. Last but not least heavy and depressing read but a very good one "An unkindness of ghosts" by Rivers Solomon,
You made me want to read "to be taught" so much : my next read has been decided! My favorite books of the year : Strange the dreamer (the two books), The Nevernight Chronicles trilogy, Graceling, Daisy Jones and the six, Wings of fire (the entire series), Deadly education, Heartstopper, the prince and the dressmaker, Beartown (the two books), Lightning-struck heart, the Illuminae files trilogy, The blade itself trilogy, Carry on, The silent patient, and Howl's moving castle (it was a great reading year!)
I had a bad reading year but I did enjoy a few. My favorites were The Lost World by James Conan Doyle. Everything I never told you by Celeste Ng The Whisper Man by Alex North Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera Also I only gave this book 3 stars but if you like sci-fi and fantasy you might enjoy it more but the book is The Postmortal by Drew Magary. It's not the type of book I normally read. I was surprised by how much I did like it.
I’ve read 65 books this year so far and honestly wasn’t obsessed with any of them. I really LIKED The Ten Thousand Doors of January and Good Morning, Midnight, but nothing really excited me beyond those two. I think I have a bad habit of wanting to get through books I have low expectations for first, before picking up ones I’m excited for. It’s so dumb 🙃 Ive definitely got a New Years resolution in the making!
I loved Skyward when I read it last year, and I'm super excited to read Starsight! One series that I just started this year was the Lies of Locke Lamora and I'm excited to keep reading ❤️
I 100% agree with everything you said about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It's so freaking good. I still need to check out The Way of Kings, The Poppy War, The Midnight Library, Skyward and To Be Taught If Fortunate. Hopefully I'll get to them in 2021 lol.
I started the Stormlight Archives this year and I have to say, they are all favorites of mine as well! I really liked Skyward and Starsight as well! I am very excited for the 3rd ook next year!
Best books I read in 2020 1.Ghost story 2.Different seasons 3.The lion,the witch,the wardrobe 4.Godfather 5.Elantris 6.Equal rites (I also loved Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children)
I just started reading To be taught if fortunate today thanks to you lol! My best books of this year were Behind her eyes, The troop and I’m thinking of ending things!
About something similar to The Three Body Problem, just last month a short story collection by the same author was published in English, it's called To Hold Up The Sky. I haven't read this trilogy, but I'm currently reading the collection and I'm enjoying it so far.
I read To Be Taught If Fortunate just because of you and damn girl, definitely one of my favourites of the year, it made me wept and connect to the characters and like h o w 'cause it's so short. It is really really good, thank you 😭😭😭
The Way of Kings ALL THE WAYYYYY YAAAAAS I LOOOOOOOVED IT ❤️ Unfortunately I really hated The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.... but that’s okay. Different taste is important and I’ve found sooooo many favourites thanks to your channel 🙌🏻
The Burning God was a ride 😱😭 Rin’s words “fix it” at the end still haunt me. It’s hard to pick a favorite but I think In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom are in my top three faves
I read "Skyward" and it was a five star read for me. I'm reading "Way of Kings" and enjoying it a lot, it will probably be a five star book too. "To Be Taught, If Fortunate" was lacking in development and the ending was not believable imo. And the others I'll check out eventually.
Emily I was thinking that for your first contact with aliens video you should read "Dawn" by Octavia Butler, it's really good although a bit disturbing. Well for the part 2 of that video haha
Wow, a really great selection of Best Of 2020. I have heard so many good things about The three-body problem I'm going to pick up all three books and devour them ;-) I'd say my top 5 books of the year would be children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Magician by Raymond E. Feist, The Grey and True Bastards by Jonathan French, and Ship Of Magic by Robin Hobb.
The Stormlight Archive books are better to read after Warbreaker and Mistborn as they tie in later. I hate YA books but looooved Skyward and Starsight. They were so rad. Addie LaRue blew my mind.
I totally agree with you about the Three Body Problem, I loved the concepts I'm them but man all the sexism really took away from my enjoyment. It was so so so bad.
My favourites: - "A Closed and Common Orbit" by Becky Chambers - "The Wonder Down-Under" by Nina Brochmann & Ellen Støkken Dahl (non-fiction that I think you'll enjoy) - "The Hero of Ages" by Brandon Sanderson - "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan :D
When it comes to hard sci-fi I cannot recommend enough "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. It's a contact story and it's absolutely mind-blowing, one of the best books I've ever read. Watts is Canadian btw.
Maybe push it a bit closer to the front then. "Blindsight" is really beautifully written although it also can be demanding at times. On the other hand re-reading it is a pure joy. Remember to not skip the author's appendices at the end of the book, they are essential. Also don't pay attention that it's marked as the first book in the "Firefly" cycle. It's a standalone and to me it's better than the second one which also tells completely different story.
pretty sure the Midnight Library is going to be in my faves too. I also devoured it and kind of want to cry every time I think about it now??? also I was so curious if your worried spoiler was the same as mine....and it totally was HAHAHA. I was like NO PLEASE but thankfully we didn't go that route, PHEW
The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis! I have been fighting and failing to read with any consistency and find stories I love since I started college (and I graduated from grad school a year and a half ago, so yikes, almost 8 years). This was the first recommendation StoryGraph threw at me when I started an account, and I fell in love with it. It's not perfect and will likely not work for everyone (and it might be too romance heavy for Emily, lol!), but the series has potential and I am very excited to continue once the other books come out.
What are the best books you've read this year??
Tess of thr D'Ubervilles, The humans
The bell jar, Metamorphosis
This Is How You Lose the Time War,
words of radiance by brandon sanderson, our dreams at dusk series by yuhki kamatani, rock by anyta sunday
Words of Radiance, A Man Called Ove, Beach Read, Take a Hint, Dani Brown, A Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet & To Be Taught if Fortunate.
Entering the video and I'm like "HeyEveryoneItsEmilyFox"
If I change it up everyone will be confused XD
I love how she is the only youtuber who says “addie larue” in french. A little hello from a friend from Quebec!
The crown in your hair is so pretty! ❤👑❄
Thank you
Yes! You look like Snowwhite. Whith the red lips and all 🤩
@@mizoompaloompa170 yep
I totally agree on the Three Body Problem trilogy. Character work is very weak, but you have to give the man credit for his wild ideas. I come from a physics background and recommended it to another physicist friend of mine. We spent a lot of time discussing the various concepts the author delved into here. It’s an extremely unique story. It literally doesn’t get bigger than this story.
The Midnight Library looks fascinating. I need to read the Poppy War trilogy, too.
Read the first Poppy War, it was pretty good
Hey Emily, at work we were lucky enough to have Matt Haig as a guest speaker for a wellness conference this week. I never would have attended without you bringing him to my attention and he was honestly such an amazing, sincere, genuine and endearing speaker which I would have exposes myself to without you. So happy to see him in this list 🥰. E x
I definitely agree with your comment on the characters in The Three Body Problem. It took me a few tries to get into it at all because there wasn’t any character development, and that’s usually what I’m drawn to. I think this might be a common writing style with eastern fiction, though. I know personally, I’m used to a certain writing style with western fiction that focuses on individual characters, but that’s also a reflection of our society which praises individual achievements. According to friends that have read more translated Chinese and Japanese fiction, this just isn’t common in many of those books. I don’t think we can expect the same things we’re used to, because the culture the author comes from is very different.
That might also explain some of the sexism and other themes we think are problematic. A lot of the scenes were flashbacks to the cultural revolution, when those attitudes might have been completely normal. They might still be- I’m not sure. Not having those problematic attitudes though would be like having an American fantasy novel with a flashback to the 1920’s and not having threads of sexism and racism. That said, Liu certainly doesn’t even make it obvious that he knows it’s sexist, it’s just there. It did make me roll my eyes at times, but I’m trying to remind myself that Liu comes from a country very different than mine and his writing will reflect that. There also are probably a lot of things lost in translation that make the characters seem flat to me (Da Shi was the only one with an actual personality). I had a roommate who was from China and she explained that a lot of ideas were hard for her to translate because there just isn’t an exact term for the same thing.
Thanks for pointing out the differences in our cultures that may explain some of these criticisms. But I’m genuinely curious why you (and Emily) think Liu is “sexist.”
Maybe because I’m a guy, but I didn’t pick up on that at all. The female characters seemed very real and powerful. Some of the male characters were sexist, but how does that reflect on the author?
Yeah, so glad The Midnight Library made your list!
You introduced me to Becky Chambers and I went on to read all her books and loved them so much and can't wait for her two books coming out next year. Thank you!
I loved the Three Body trilogy as well! I totally recommend Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan as another book you might enjoy in that realm. It’s also translated by Ken Liu. Super interesting concepts and I find it has better characterization than Three Body.
Your french popping while naming Addie was so cuuuute!
Woah, that is a high-calibre best of list! I'm def going to read all of them!
My faves for 2020 are The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, the Rage of Dragons by Evan Winters, Children of Time (but not CoR), and of course the Poppy War series. I JUST finished TDR and it was amazing, and I am eagerly awaiting TBG in the mail which I am pre-rating 5 stars too. Ooooh I just checked and I also read the 2nd and 3rd books in the Broken Earth trilogy, they were the best way to start the year!
Adding everything to my shopping list, thank you next
The season for my favourite videos of the year is now open!!
Sidenote : your headband is sooooo lovely!
Thank you!!! I looooove end of the year videos :D
Skyward & Starsight were my absolute all time favorite books I have ever read so far. I am SO EXCITED for the 3rd book to come out hopefully in spring!! I plan on reading The Midnight Library and the Three-Body Problem in the next month so now I am even more excited to get to those since they're both your favorites this year!!! :)
yayyyyyyyyy! my Saturday is made
i love the crown (you should get a matching one for snowglobe Emily)
Yass to The Midnight Library! One of my favorites of the year as well.
Can’t wait to read finally Skyward and Starsight in 2021, since then it will be translated in my language.. you hyped it up quite hard so I hope it will live up to the hype...😌
I hope you'll enjoy them!
Their audiobooks are awesome ... Give them a try... Won't regret it.. I promise :)
I am so glad you mentioned To be taught if fortunate! :) I absolutely adored this book! I was going through a hard time when I started reading it and it kind of played little part in reminding me of my love for science... (important, since I am a scientist :D)
I just finished the burning god and you are absolutely correct, best one of the three. Will read anything by RF KUANG from now on! Adding a few of the others to my to read as well
Lies of Locke Lamora, Red Seas Under Red Skies, A Deadly Education, Nevernight and Croocked Kingdom are my favourite reads of this year, with the most likely addition of Rhythm of War when I am finally able to read it (I have no doubts I'll love it and so happy to see Way of Kings here, the Stormlight Archive is my favourite series of all times^^)
And the Poppy War trilogy is in my tbr for next year, so excited to read it!
My best 2020 books: My Dark Vanessa, The Long Way to... (thanks to you!!!), The Vanishing Half, Mythos, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Midnight Library!
😱 My Dark Vanessa. That book still haunts me...
@@Morfeusm I still think about it sometimes!
One of the best things of my year was finding your channel. Thank you for all the recs.
And my TBR has grown again :)
My faves of the year were:
- first law trilogy
- jurassic Park
- the deep
- final empire
- flowers of algernon
- Guns of the dawn
- the gentleman thief
you are the only reason why i bought The Midnight Library, I can't wait to read it!
Hope you'll love it!
The Midnight Library sounds intriguing 🤔
Bless you for linking your head band!
In 2020 I amazed myself. Read way more books than normal, thanks to ongoing pandamic.
My top reads
Jade city
The rage of dragons & the fires of vengeance
World War Z
Martian
Anxious people
All systems red
The egg
Traitor's blade
Mr. Mercedes
Unbroken
The troop
Becoming
The Rise and fall of third reich
Paradox
Illuminae
The choices
Hyperbole and a Half
Gone girl
Homegoing
The stand
Edit: didn't realise the list went on and on, I'm too indecisive
Addie LaRue all the way! ✨
I read skyward and definitely it was on my top books of 2020, also i loved the Midnight Library(LOVED) and want to read the humans in 2021
I' ve almost finished 'Why we sleep?' Since you've recomended so much. As a psychoterapist, neuroscience fan and a person with insomnia; thank you!!!! I'm loving it!!!! Hugs from Argentina!!
Oh it's one of my next reads!
@@BookswithEmilyFox oh!! In that case l hope you enjoy it!! I'm taking sooo many notes!! ❤
Some of the best books I read are Mistborn Trilogy, The Way of Kings and Jurassic Park. Michael Crichton's books are full of scientific details that are mind blowing, so far he's my favorite sci-fi author.
My completely random guess is that 2 more videos will come out this month in which you mention To be Taught 🤞 and in both occasions you'll read out the first sentence like you always do 😄
I'm so thankful for her doing so 😭😭 it's funny and it's the reason I read it and damn it's sooooo good
One of the best books I read this year was “The Rage of Dragons” by Evan Winter
Ahhh I just got the entire storm light archives and I need to read it 🥺
We read so many if the same books this year that we loved!! Once they hit the camera part in The Three Body Problem, I was hooked.
Have you read Seveneves? Excellent hard sci fi with strong badass female characters.
Every time i see the becky chambers book, i hear your voice in my head reading the first sentence 😅 great video as always 😊
You’re making me so excited to read The Poppy War!! I was waiting for the series to be completed to start reading it 🤩
Edit: fine 🙄 you’ve convinced me to read the three body problem lmao
I had my Libby open fully prepared to put all these on hold...only to realize that I’ve either read them or have them checked out already 😂😂
The House in the Cerulean Sea- TJ Klune
Fable- Adrienne Young
House of Earth and Blood- Maas
Tender is the Flesh- Bazterrica
Poppy war- R.F. Kuang
OMG! I love you headband!
YES!!!!!!!! Addie Larue and the Midnight Library are both on my top books of 2020 list.
For some reason I thought this would be the last video in the end of the year series! I was not ready for it, but yeah, everything in here I have either read or is in my close TBR because of you. I'm so glad to see that it was a good reading year for you despite everything!
Absolutely agree with your point about "Remembrance of Earth's Past"! Great work! Great!
I think The Poppy War trilogy might be my new favorite series of all time- is that crazy? What do I read next?
I feel the exact same way about The Poppy War trilogy, I keep getting recommended Jade City and The Bone Shard Daughter, both first books to fantasy series that apparently appeal to people who loved The Poppy War Trilogy. I plan on starting both next year!
@@herbivorehaunts amazing! Those are both on my goodreads TBR so I will have to prioritize those!
Great to get your informed suggestions. The first video I watched of yours you recommended both Madeline Miller's Circe and Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens/Homo Deus which are some of my modern favourites, so I'm going to trust your taste and keep following to get more suggestions as well as your delightfully uplifting smile :-)
OMG THAT HEADBAND IS INCREDIBLE
I think I'll be skipping The Midnight Library 😅 I read The Humans because you raved about it, but I truly hated his style and preachiness. I did order To Be Taught if Fortunate though! If I like it, I'm definitely trying her other work! (Also I read Children of Time and OMG did I love it!!)
My favourite was definitely The Song of Achilles, even though I cried so much during the end. 😭
It was my favorite tooooo
I loved the three body problem. Eager to read the next two books. I felt so stupid reading it though lol
The last book was... humbling lol
Midnight Library! I totally ignored your warning (I picked up the book after watching your video) and started reading it after work at around 9 PM :)
Didn't regret it at all.
Also, yes. I heard that RF Kuang released a short story that she sent out to those who pre-ordered the third book. I think she has it up on the web.
I already want to reread To Be Taught if Fortunate and I just read it for the first time on your review this summer! Your recs have led to some real wins for me (including finally trying Brandon Sanderson!)
Oooh never been so early!
You vould try de selection of Chinese sf translated by Ken Liu "Invisible planets" really good, and there is a second part "Broken planets" which I just got for my Kindle. The latest fauvrites were the Slovakian horrors by Josef Karika, great atmosphere building but I don't know if they got translated into English or French, I'm Polish so I got Polish versions, and urban fantasy series based in Hong Kong which is in French so You could read it if you like. I really enjoyed the settings, the kung fu fights, badass Buddhists nun and using Chinese mythologies. Cool stuff. There were some of your recommendations like "Six wakes" and "Sudden appearance of Hope Arden" by Claire North ( I think I just gave English retranslation of the French title). I got the "Trail of Lightning" in progress but as I find it good, I'm so tired I end up reading lighter stuff, so my brain won't overlod, (moving to a different town), but also intresting part it uses Native American myths, which is a huge plus for me. There were also both Molly Southborn stories by Tade Thompson and "Who fears death" by Nnedi Okorafor. Last but not least heavy and depressing read but a very good one "An unkindness of ghosts" by Rivers Solomon,
You made me want to read "to be taught" so much : my next read has been decided!
My favorite books of the year : Strange the dreamer (the two books), The Nevernight Chronicles trilogy, Graceling, Daisy Jones and the six, Wings of fire (the entire series), Deadly education, Heartstopper, the prince and the dressmaker, Beartown (the two books), Lightning-struck heart, the Illuminae files trilogy, The blade itself trilogy, Carry on, The silent patient, and Howl's moving castle (it was a great reading year!)
Hopefully you'll love it too!
I had a bad reading year but I did enjoy a few. My favorites were The Lost World by James Conan Doyle.
Everything I never told you by Celeste Ng
The Whisper Man by Alex North
Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Also I only gave this book 3 stars but if you like sci-fi and fantasy you might enjoy it more but the book is The Postmortal by Drew Magary. It's not the type of book I normally read. I was surprised by how much I did like it.
Currently reading the Three Body Problem and I was tempted to DNF it. You've definitely inspired me to restart it.
Amazing video I'm right in the middle of way of the kings right now and I'm so excited to keep going with it!
I’ve read 65 books this year so far and honestly wasn’t obsessed with any of them. I really LIKED The Ten Thousand Doors of January and Good Morning, Midnight, but nothing really excited me beyond those two. I think I have a bad habit of wanting to get through books I have low expectations for first, before picking up ones I’m excited for.
It’s so dumb 🙃 Ive definitely got a New Years resolution in the making!
My housemate gifted me the three body problem and was expecting you mentioning it. Thanks now I am excited about it.
I loved Skyward when I read it last year, and I'm super excited to read Starsight! One series that I just started this year was the Lies of Locke Lamora and I'm excited to keep reading ❤️
The Way of Kings is amazing, but Words of Radiance is a masterpiece! Can't wait for you to read it
God I was so disappointed by Addie Larue. Main characters personality and ambitions were that of a wet paper towel...
Do you stay in a specific irc channel?
I 100% agree with everything you said about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It's so freaking good. I still need to check out The Way of Kings, The Poppy War, The Midnight Library, Skyward and To Be Taught If Fortunate. Hopefully I'll get to them in 2021 lol.
Yay!!! This is my favorite video of the year!!
I started the Stormlight Archives this year and I have to say, they are all favorites of mine as well! I really liked Skyward and Starsight as well! I am very excited for the 3rd ook next year!
One flew over the cuckoo’s nest and Fight Club were my favourites.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is one of my favorite novels and Fight Club not so much.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was amazing!
Best books I read in 2020
1.Ghost story
2.Different seasons
3.The lion,the witch,the wardrobe
4.Godfather
5.Elantris
6.Equal rites
(I also loved Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children)
I think you would enjoy Jade City! Also Equal Rites yay 👍
Came for the headband, stayed for the book favorites. ❤️
I just started reading To be taught if fortunate today thanks to you lol! My best books of this year were Behind her eyes, The troop and I’m thinking of ending things!
You'll have to let me know how it goes!
About something similar to The Three Body Problem, just last month a short story collection by the same author was published in English, it's called To Hold Up The Sky. I haven't read this trilogy, but I'm currently reading the collection and I'm enjoying it so far.
I read To Be Taught If Fortunate just because of you and damn girl, definitely one of my favourites of the year, it made me wept and connect to the characters and like h o w 'cause it's so short. It is really really good, thank you 😭😭😭
So happy you loved it too!
The midnight library is a great bit of escapism. I enjoyed it 👍
I love your white pearl looking faerie crown! :)
The Way of Kings ALL THE WAYYYYY YAAAAAS I LOOOOOOOVED IT ❤️ Unfortunately I really hated The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.... but that’s okay. Different taste is important and I’ve found sooooo many favourites thanks to your channel 🙌🏻
I didn't receive any notifications about that! TH-cam trolling as usual! Always so excited to your end of the year series ☺️
I read To Be Read if Fortunate because of your recommendation and I loved it! So thank you so much for that
Yayy!!
The Burning God was a ride 😱😭 Rin’s words “fix it” at the end still haunt me.
It’s hard to pick a favorite but I think In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom are in my top three faves
Ahhh I've been putting off reading The Burning God for so long because Ik how heavy it'll be 🤧
I read "Skyward" and it was a five star read for me. I'm reading "Way of Kings" and enjoying it a lot, it will probably be a five star book too. "To Be Taught, If Fortunate" was lacking in development and the ending was not believable imo. And the others I'll check out eventually.
So many good books! Starsight needs to go on my TBR, at some point.
I am so glad I have most of these on my TBR for 2021 😍
Emily I was thinking that for your first contact with aliens video you should read "Dawn" by Octavia Butler, it's really good although a bit disturbing. Well for the part 2 of that video haha
Nice picks! all of the new ones I heard here seemed interesting for me.... Thank you:)
Wow, a really great selection of Best Of 2020. I have heard so many good things about The three-body problem I'm going to pick up all three books and devour them ;-) I'd say my top 5 books of the year would be children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Magician by Raymond E. Feist, The Grey and True Bastards by Jonathan French, and Ship Of Magic by Robin Hobb.
2021 i will be reading some Becky chambers!
Hope you'll love her books too!
Ahhhh yes The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue are going to be in my top favorites of the year too 😍❤️
They're so good!
Great list
'Skyward' was the best thing I read this year and it's thanks to you!
The Stormlight Archive books are better to read after Warbreaker and Mistborn as they tie in later.
I hate YA books but looooved Skyward and Starsight. They were so rad.
Addie LaRue blew my mind.
I totally agree with you about the Three Body Problem, I loved the concepts I'm them but man all the sexism really took away from my enjoyment. It was so so so bad.
My favourites:
- "A Closed and Common Orbit" by Becky Chambers
- "The Wonder Down-Under" by Nina Brochmann & Ellen Støkken Dahl (non-fiction that I think you'll enjoy)
- "The Hero of Ages" by Brandon Sanderson
- "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan
:D
I loved The Midnight Library too!
When it comes to hard sci-fi I cannot recommend enough "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. It's a contact story and it's absolutely mind-blowing, one of the best books I've ever read. Watts is Canadian btw.
I have it on my shelf! I've been meaning to read it for so long
Maybe push it a bit closer to the front then. "Blindsight" is really beautifully written although it also can be demanding at times. On the other hand re-reading it is a pure joy. Remember to not skip the author's appendices at the end of the book, they are essential. Also don't pay attention that it's marked as the first book in the "Firefly" cycle. It's a standalone and to me it's better than the second one which also tells completely different story.
pretty sure the Midnight Library is going to be in my faves too. I also devoured it and kind of want to cry every time I think about it now??? also I was so curious if your worried spoiler was the same as mine....and it totally was HAHAHA. I was like NO PLEASE but thankfully we didn't go that route, PHEW
We're definitely thinking about the same thing lol
The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis! I have been fighting and failing to read with any consistency and find stories I love since I started college (and I graduated from grad school a year and a half ago, so yikes, almost 8 years). This was the first recommendation StoryGraph threw at me when I started an account, and I fell in love with it. It's not perfect and will likely not work for everyone (and it might be too romance heavy for Emily, lol!), but the series has potential and I am very excited to continue once the other books come out.
added most of them to my tbr:)!! btw you look stunning, i love the crown✨🖤
That headband! You keep convincing me you're **royalty**
My favorites of this year:
LiveShip Traders by Robin Hobb
The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E Pearson
I am SO here for that crown 👑
Long bright river, such a fun age, and my dark vanessa.
Is it too emotional or depressing bc i would not like to read any over emotional books.