Motivation recieved. Was already using Murakami to get out of a slump, currently halfway through A Wild Sheep Chase. His books read like summer and end like Sundays, it always gives me this floaty end of a school year kind of feeling.
Beautiful words! “floaty end of a school year type feeling” - best and worst feeling ever. The day that you could never quite believe would ever come has arrived. And with it a certain salient pause.
Dance Dance Dance shook me the first time I read it. It’s really tender, details friendship, loss, and the darkness that underlies modern day Tokyo, while being refreshingly funny. It’s one of the few Murakami books that I re-read and enjoyed as much the second time. Thanks for sharing your enjoyment of the book with your audience!
Hi, Emma! I’m Brazilian and I’m so glad that you like Clarice Lispector. In my opinion, Clarice and Machado de Assis are the best authors we’ve ever had in Brazil. I really don’t know how it must be to read a translated version of her books because her writing is so dense… but I truly hope the translators could capture the full essence of her intense thoughts. Clarice was a fascinating woman and writer. And since you’ve already read Agua Viva and The Hour of the Star, I highly recommend “The Passion According to G.H.“ and The Complete Collection of her short stories as next reads for you. I also recommend you to read Dom Casmurro by Machado de Assis, since I know you’ve already read The Alienist and Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas.
If you loved "Blindness", then "Seeing" is definitely a must read. I think of it as more of a companion piece than a necessary sequel, but it is brilliant. You don't see any characters from "Blindness" for a while. Another rough, but brilliant book Saramago was amazing! (I also highly recommend "All the Names")
I am so happy you liked Catcher in the Rye. I said it before and I'll say it again: It's been one of my favorites since I picked it up at 15. I mean - I suffered all through David Copperfield so I could enjoy your live show on Catcher. And also - 17 books in one month? WOW. That is my total of books I read this year so far. 😂
Witch Hat Atelier is a good Manga - it's magical and wholesome. My daughter and I are reading it now. Im giving you a book recommendation since you have given me soooooo many great ones.
I really liked The Catcher in the Rye. I agree that the hate this book gets is unfair, and also, they miss the point. You're supposed to think you know guys like Holden, just for him to surprise you and make you realize that YOU assumed the worst in him because YOU have lost that innocence that he so desperately tries to hold on to, which is the whole point of the book. It's genius work really.
This book was his way of coming to terms with transitioning to adulthood and all the scariness that comes with it (all the “phoniness” and unjustness he sees in adults), partially spurred by his trauma from the death of his brother. The entire book you can tell how confused he is. It’s actually a really sad book imo. He tries to hold on to the last bits of innocence he can.
The mark of a good person is whether or not they have empathy for Holden Caulfield. It's like whether or not a dog or a cat likes someone. It says everything you need to know about a person
Whenever I’m inevitably stressed in life from trying to do too much at once, your videos just bring me back to the solid ground of what feels like home and what makes sense. Such good vibes, thank you!
if you want a wholesome yet dynamic and gorgeous manga like Aria i totally recommend Witch Hat Atelier (if you haven't dipped your toes in already) also thank you for all your reviews and around the world challenge! i've found so many favorites from you ❤
I think you would really love Tower by Bae Myung-hoon. It’s about people living in a skyscraper apartment/hotel building that is an entire country itself. It really has those hotel vibes.
I cannot express how glad I am you loved Catcher in the Rye! I feel like so many people hate Holden and obviously reading is subjective but I could never for the life of me understand why. Even if you don't find him likeable, he is not supposed to be a likeable person but an honest portrait of a teenager and reading the book as one of those back in high school I had never read anything more relatable in my life. I feel like at least some of that hate comes from people who don't like Holden indirectly calling them out lol
I didn’t find him relatable in the slightest. Holden’s teenage experience was nothing like mine, and I’ve liked books with unlikeable characters in the past. But Catcher in the Rye just wasn’t for me. I’ve tried reading some of the author’s other works and they weren’t for me. While you say you understand that reading is subjective, you go on to invalidate people’s feelings about the book. I’m sure there are books you dislike that other people absolutely love.
What I found interesting in Catcher in the rye is that in my opinion, Holden is ironically just as fake and "phony" as he calls everyone. There is a clear distinction with his internal monologue and the way he actually interacts with people. The best example of that is that scene at the bar with the women. I think that makes it even more realistic, the saying " Why do you see the splinter in someone else's eye and never notice the log in your own?" is true for a reason lol
So glad ypu liked Catcher in the Rye! It is a book a reread every 5 years or so and it brings me different meaning each time. I feel like it gets so much hate now!
I have to say THANK YOU for putting more good word of Aria out there in the world. It's still amazing how Aria is so underrated. I watched the full anime at least 3 times, I just recently bought the Full set of Aria masterpiece manga set. It's beautiful! If you're looking for Vol 2,3,4 im selling them actually! but Yes Aria. Beautiful. One of my favorite series.
oh my god i'm so glad you asked my favorite read of april was the picture of dorian gray. i'm literally speechless holy crap-- it's now one of my favorite books ever. love you sm emma💙💙📚
EMMA !!! I never comment but it made me so happy to hear you loved the Catcher in the Rye! I've never understood how people can't seem to recognize the deep trauma and confusion informing Holden's actions, I'm so glad you saw that and loved the book. Also, Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy has some amazing cold/icy imagery and tells an amazing story and it made me think of you. Just google the cover and look at how icy it is :D
i never read plays but i recently found a copy of "an inspector calls" by Priestley in a little free library and decided to try it and I absolutely loved it. Despite it being a play with several characters it was a very smooth read and the topics were very modern and are still important i think. Great Find! My other favorite book of april was "Small world, big ideas" which is an essay collection by different environmental activists about their story and their work. It explores a lot of different ways of activism that I have never even thought of, for example slow food. It was so interesting, I read in in like two days even tho i had to study a lot.
so glad you enjoyed the catcher in the rye. his reputation is pretty heartbreaking considering how relatable he was (and sometimes still is). holden caulfield defense team!
📘 anything from Emma makes me happy but my gosh, the gushing over favorite books makes me smile so much! Emma, I was so excited to see initial thoughts on Catcher in the Rye. I’m so on board with you on this book. Can’t wait for the live show 😊
im glad you liked Aria. its one of my favorite anime lol. if you want a chill manga with fantasy too, theres one called Magus of the Library, great art too
I just finished Blindness last night. I picked it up the first time I heard you mention it because it sounded so interesting. The book was long, but I devoured it in less than a week! What a ride, _definitely not for the faint of heart._ If there are topics some readers can't tolerate, I recommend they view the *content warnings* on *The Storygraph* because this book was graphic and very disturbing. I like to know next to nothing when going into a story, but there were times I kept thinking, "what have I gotten myself into?" Still, it was such a gripping read that I'll probably be thinking about this book for a long time. But wow, I didn't know there was a sequel! I'll add it to my tbr, although it might be a while before I pick it up lol
You're super amazing! 17 books in April?? Daang. I'm in the midst of a reading binge but can't match that! Nice work, Emma! Have a good week!📗My favorite book in April was probably the biography of antislavery leader Thaddeus Stevens.
Manga wise I would recomend Bungo Stray Dogs ! I found it quite intresting, though a bit boring at first. It is a detective manga whose characters are named all after real life classic authors and that have powers referencing their books. It's great for people who want to get into japanese literature and mangas that balance humour with darker topics
watching you bring more indegienous content into your vidoes has been such a joy. especially when you read stuff i have lol. If you need a recommendation, Indian Horse, and Starlight Tours.
So glad you liked The Hour of the Star and The Catcher in the Rye! In April, i read Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Othello, by Shakespeare, and The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton.
📚 So for manga recommendations: * Cardcaptor Sakura is one of the cutest series ever. It's older, but still in print and has a sequel series Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card releasing now. * Shuna's Journey - You love Studio Ghibli, and this is an old, watercolor manga by Miyazaki based on a Tibetan folktale. Reminds me of Mononokehime. It got a recent english release. * Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - Miyazaki's super long manga the first Ghibli movie on the same name is based on. It's 7 volumes total, and the movie did the first 2 volumes. It's a dystopian, postapocalyptic story, and Miyazaki took so long to write it (over 10 yrs) that you can see both his ideology and art style change over it. The ending'll blow your socks off. I think it's still pretty easy to find. And that's it for the recs; I want to be mindful of not inundating your tbr. This is supposed to be fun, not stressful 😉
Girl! You are rocking it! I'm Brazilian an I always get a bit ashamed when you mention a book from here that I know I should at least have started at some point but I didn't. In this case it was Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector.
That was a lot! You've reminded me that I want to tackle "Seeing" - I read "Blindness" a couple years back and only recently realized there was a follow-up. I'm glad someone else finds Lispector challenging. I've only read Hour of the Star so far, but am up for another at some point. But not easy reading for me! On your hotel thesis - are you looking for any more literature centered on hotels? If you're looking for an older one, Vicki Baum's Grand Hotel, set in 1920s Berlin, is a classic - I think there were a couple of film versions made too. I love your thesis idea!
I very much did not read a lot in April but I am back to reading a lot again now so fingers crossed for May 🤞 got seven books lined up for this month so we'll see how that goes (also thank you for the motivation 😊) 📚
i'm so glad to hear an actually positive view of catcher in the rye (without jokingly calling it a 'red flag book')--this is making me so much more interested to pick it up soon. thank you for your empathy! i look forward to seeing what i think.
I read ‘blindness’ when it first came out. I was in my 20s.(wow) now in 40s. Time to reread it i think! It was sensational in my country. But the sequal was quite disappointing. So, it is a standalone book to me❤
I read The Magus this month. I gave it 5 stars. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to read it, but also do a vlog of it. I went in knowing nothing. It was like an onion being pealed away. So much happens. I desperately want to see your reactions to each reveal. I was thinking of you the whole time I was reading it. The Greek mythology, Shakespeare, and the weird dark academia touches. I loved it. I want to see your real-time reactions to it. Go in blind. The less you know, the better. It was so much fun. 📚
Hi Emma, i just want to write this comment to thank you so much for providing me with the motivation to read. I graduated from college about a year ago and got a job 8 months ago. And because of my job, i find it harder to finish books now. But your videos and how you talk about books gives me a whole lot of motivation to read. Thank you!
Clarice Lispector is amazing! You should read Near to the wild heart. It was her first novel ever. It's soooo good, charming and easier than her other books.
my favourite book of April was Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. I underlined quite a lot in that one and I definitely want to read it again. Such a great, short, classic!
so what? be proud! I’m proud of you too. It’s absolutely fine even if you didn’t read anything at all. This is life, not a race, everyone should go on their own pace. I know you might be joking, but still, jokes can turn into reality in your mind.
3 books in a month is already great! And if you enjoyed them it's even better! :) ♥ Reading is not a race, everyone has their own pace, social media makes it all about number, but at the end of the day number is not as important as what you took from reading a book ♥
@@serafaus I too am a full time student, with exams in the way that I study hard for, and yet i read 24 book this month. It’s about prioritizing things and organizing your time.
Thank you for bringing Aria to my attention--I'm always looking for a good wholesome manga recommendation. One you might want to try is Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou--it's about an android that runs a seaside cafe during the last days of earth. I've only read the first volume, but it's so quiet and nice!
I love your videos!! Thank you for your love of classic fiction, non latest release fiction and your honesty! Thank you also for not using cuss words like most others do... you have a very likeable style of review. Thank you! 📖📚📒
I'm so excited to see Aria mentioned! I recommend A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori. It's a historical slice of life about the 19th century Middle East and the art is so detailed and enchanting. ✨️
You should definitely read Death with interruptions (as intermitências da morte) by saramago. My favorite of his books, it’s very short but packs a punch!
My fav read of April was 'Sometimes a Great Notion' by Ken Kesey. I still can't get over it and have no idea how I'm supposed to live without the characters( They are like family
It's good you've found an author you enjoy a lot - Murakami. I hope it stays with you a lifetime, tho tbh I have for the most past moved on from the authors I read ravenously 40, even 20 years ago. Nonetheless, discovering what you like and exploring that is a big part of life - Enjoy!
Catcher will always be one of my favourite books. I loved in and read it twice as a teenager and revisited this year when I taught it to my grade 12s. I found it so rewarding to read it again, and I think I appreciate it more in different way now.
I liked The Catcher in the Rye better than I did the last time I read it twenty years ago. I still don't actually enjoy the book but I appreciate how it was done and the relatable portrait of grief. With this said, I followed the Catcher with Murakami's Norwegian Wood and they complemented each other so so we'll that I was almost disappointed that these two weren't competing with each other as Coming of Age examples. I felt they flowed better than Holden and David
📚 my favorite book of the month was Neil Gaimans the Ocean at The End of the Lane which I read aloud to my oldest three kids (preteens and teens). We are a Gaiman home and we loved it
I was originally thinking how wild it is people can read so many books in one month, and then I counted on goodreads that I read 15 books. I mean, I guess if we do read at work, evenings at home, and while stuck in traffic, it’s very doable 😂 Also, I added a few books you mentioned to my list. Thank you 🙏💕
Ahh I'm so surprised that you didn't enjoy David Copperfield! I loved it when I read it but it's definitely due a re-read! So interesting that you loved Dombey and Son, I've never read it. Blindness sounds like such an interesting book, I've never heard of it before! Also the Catcher in the Rye is one of my all time favourite books!!
If you love Murakami, then you might also love "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle." It does everything Murakami is known for, except this book is the best at it. It's my second favorite book.
Emma, you've been talking so much about dance dance dance that I actually bought it. But now I have to wait a bit to start reading cause I'm in the middle of four books and I forbid myself to start anything till I finish at least two of them. Anyway, I'm reading a bunch of books that have your vibe?? The Secret Garden (the story is so sweet but the writing is SO racist!! insane), Orlando, Pride and Prejudice (lol) and The Philosopher Cat. This last one is a bunch of illustrations of cats and some chinese proverbs. It's beautiful and fun and so cute, you'll love it! I highly recommend. Hope you're feeling better
Also, I gotta say... I love when you read Portuguese written literature!! It's a Brazilian trait to love Brazil mentioned, but it really makes me happy, lol. I've never got to finish The Hour of Star, I don't know why, but Clarice is my favourite writer and the first paragraph of this book is one of the best pieces of literature ever. My favourite book is The Passion According to G.H., but it's SUPER dense and you gotta just run with vibes or you'll go crazy. I don't think it's really your thing, tho, cause it's pure stream of consciousness. BUT!!! I do think you'll like Near The Wild Heart! It was her first romance and it's just a very interesting piece of a writer becoming herself. If you ever want to read it, I studied at uni and we can talk more. Anyway, I'll stop talking now. Hope may treats you well
You might be interested in the 2008 film adaptation of Blindness starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Danny Glover. If you have access to kanopy it is currently streaming there.
I like seeing updates like these, but I make sure to skip the books I’m planning to read myself so as to avoid spoilers. I also skip the books I have no intention of reading. So this really helps blowing right through the content 😂🔥
Saramago has another book called ¨The Double¨, if I´m not mistaken, in Spanish it´s ¨El hombre duplicado¨. It is my favorite book of his. It is about a man who finds another man with his exact same physical features, a clone or duplicate of himself almost. But, they have nothing tying them together, no family ties, connection whatsoever. So, then on the story tackles existentialism and originality, and boy, what an ending. Pleaseeee have a read at it! You´ll love it.
ALSO EMMA if you want a whole some, cute manga I highly recommend Hakumei and Mikochi. Its about two girls who are friends who are forest people and they are tiny people and its just about them and there lives living together and working with animals in the forest 😭🥹 so cute
I went out and bought Blindness while you were reading it because you made it sound so good-I loved it! I immediately went out and bought the sequel Seeing 😊
Emma you would love my apartment - I live in-between two hotels. The things I see are so.... And all I do is people watch. It's so interesting and i love just watching people exist.
Favorite book of april... probably the one that disturbed me the most... "Tender the flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica! she won the literature price for a reason
I read my first Murakami in April which was Norwegian Wood and I, for lack of better words, cried my fucking eyes out. The entire last chapter I could barely see what I was reading, the second the mist started to clear from my eyes the next line would set me off again.
📙 I feel like you would enjoy Mushishi! A very peaceful, slow, melancholic manga about living in harmony with the world. Physical copies are impossible to find at reasonable prices though.
EMMA, "IT WAS A LOT" IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT RN
even when in a major slump your channel at least encourages me to try to read again. thanks Emma!
Motivation recieved. Was already using Murakami to get out of a slump, currently halfway through A Wild Sheep Chase. His books read like summer and end like Sundays, it always gives me this floaty end of a school year kind of feeling.
“Read like summer and end like Sundays” is gorgeous and a perfect way to describe his books!!
Wow. You put it in the most perfect way. ❤
Beautiful words!
“floaty end of a school year type feeling” - best and worst feeling ever. The day that you could never quite believe would ever come has arrived. And with it a certain salient pause.
That's just perfect omg the way you worded it😮
love ur pfp 💔💔
Dance Dance Dance shook me the first time I read it. It’s really tender, details friendship, loss, and the darkness that underlies modern day Tokyo, while being refreshingly funny. It’s one of the few Murakami books that I re-read and enjoyed as much the second time. Thanks for sharing your enjoyment of the book with your audience!
Hi, Emma! I’m Brazilian and I’m so glad that you like Clarice Lispector. In my opinion, Clarice and Machado de Assis are the best authors we’ve ever had in Brazil. I really don’t know how it must be to read a translated version of her books because her writing is so dense… but I truly hope the translators could capture the full essence of her intense thoughts. Clarice was a fascinating woman and writer. And since you’ve already read Agua Viva and The Hour of the Star, I highly recommend “The Passion According to G.H.“ and The Complete Collection of her short stories as next reads for you. I also recommend you to read Dom Casmurro by Machado de Assis, since I know you’ve already read The Alienist and Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas.
If you loved "Blindness", then "Seeing" is definitely a must read. I think of it as more of a companion piece than a necessary sequel, but it is brilliant. You don't see any characters from "Blindness" for a while. Another rough, but brilliant book Saramago was amazing! (I also highly recommend "All the Names")
I am so happy you liked Catcher in the Rye. I said it before and I'll say it again: It's been one of my favorites since I picked it up at 15.
I mean - I suffered all through David Copperfield so I could enjoy your live show on Catcher.
And also - 17 books in one month? WOW. That is my total of books I read this year so far. 😂
This video feels like a nice cup of coffe in the morning after a bad nights sleep❤️
Witch Hat Atelier is a good Manga - it's magical and wholesome. My daughter and I are reading it now. Im giving you a book recommendation since you have given me soooooo many great ones.
Omg, so happy to see Saramago in this! I don't see many portuguese authors on booktube
I really liked The Catcher in the Rye. I agree that the hate this book gets is unfair, and also, they miss the point. You're supposed to think you know guys like Holden, just for him to surprise you and make you realize that YOU assumed the worst in him because YOU have lost that innocence that he so desperately tries to hold on to, which is the whole point of the book. It's genius work really.
I dnfed it, coudnt get throught it😅
@AGull Yeah, I was unsure about it for most of it 😆, but once I got to the end, I was blown away with the journey it took me in.
This book was his way of coming to terms with transitioning to adulthood and all the scariness that comes with it (all the “phoniness” and unjustness he sees in adults), partially spurred by his trauma from the death of his brother. The entire book you can tell how confused he is. It’s actually a really sad book imo. He tries to hold on to the last bits of innocence he can.
@a Totally, just so much grief. Being an adult is now just expecting a lot of malice. So sad.
The mark of a good person is whether or not they have empathy for Holden Caulfield. It's like whether or not a dog or a cat likes someone. It says everything you need to know about a person
Watching your videos is like Anne of Green Gables meets Studio Ghibli - the greatest combination! Enjoy your day, Em ❤
Whenever I’m inevitably stressed in life from trying to do too much at once, your videos just bring me back to the solid ground of what feels like home and what makes sense. Such good vibes, thank you!
if you want a wholesome yet dynamic and gorgeous manga like Aria i totally recommend Witch Hat Atelier (if you haven't dipped your toes in already) also thank you for all your reviews and around the world challenge! i've found so many favorites from you ❤
I think you would really love Tower by Bae Myung-hoon. It’s about people living in a skyscraper apartment/hotel building that is an entire country itself. It really has those hotel vibes.
I cannot express how glad I am you loved Catcher in the Rye! I feel like so many people hate Holden and obviously reading is subjective but I could never for the life of me understand why. Even if you don't find him likeable, he is not supposed to be a likeable person but an honest portrait of a teenager and reading the book as one of those back in high school I had never read anything more relatable in my life. I feel like at least some of that hate comes from people who don't like Holden indirectly calling them out lol
I didn’t find him relatable in the slightest. Holden’s teenage experience was nothing like mine, and I’ve liked books with unlikeable characters in the past. But Catcher in the Rye just wasn’t for me. I’ve tried reading some of the author’s other works and they weren’t for me. While you say you understand that reading is subjective, you go on to invalidate people’s feelings about the book. I’m sure there are books you dislike that other people absolutely love.
What I found interesting in Catcher in the rye is that in my opinion, Holden is ironically just as fake and "phony" as he calls everyone. There is a clear distinction with his internal monologue and the way he actually interacts with people. The best example of that is that scene at the bar with the women. I think that makes it even more realistic, the saying " Why do you see the splinter in someone else's eye and never notice the log in your own?" is true for a reason lol
Perfect timing! ı'm having coffee, my journals are open and emmie at the back.. ı love this
Emma: I don't want to make this 3 hours long
me to me: i would listen to you talk about books for 35454354354 hours 🥺💞💞
So glad ypu liked Catcher in the Rye! It is a book a reread every 5 years or so and it brings me different meaning each time. I feel like it gets so much hate now!
I bought it 4y ago and dnfed it😅 maybe i should give a try again.
@@AGULL you absolutely should!
Emma's videos always help me feel better. 💛
I have to say THANK YOU for putting more good word of Aria out there in the world. It's still amazing how Aria is so underrated. I watched the full anime at least 3 times, I just recently bought the Full set of Aria masterpiece manga set. It's beautiful! If you're looking for Vol 2,3,4 im selling them actually! but Yes Aria. Beautiful. One of my favorite series.
I read 8 books in April and I really loved My body by Emily Ratajkowski, Elena knows by Claudia Piñeiro and Small thinga like these by Claire Keegan!
Do you watch Jack Edwards? 😂
@@EmyN Haha yes
@@theapenning8944 😂 knew it, recognized his recommendations
@@EmyN I swear I don't only read his favourite books 😂😂
@@theapenning8944 Bahahaha there's no shame to admit it honey 😂 jk
Ooh, Made in Korea sounds really interesting. Will keep an eye out for this one.
I read alot of folklore inspired stories in April which I enjoyed ♡ 📖
oh my god i'm so glad you asked my favorite read of april was the picture of dorian gray. i'm literally speechless holy crap-- it's now one of my favorite books ever. love you sm emma💙💙📚
don't you just love when emma!
EMMA !!! I never comment but it made me so happy to hear you loved the Catcher in the Rye! I've never understood how people can't seem to recognize the deep trauma and confusion informing Holden's actions, I'm so glad you saw that and loved the book.
Also, Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy has some amazing cold/icy imagery and tells an amazing story and it made me think of you. Just google the cover and look at how icy it is :D
i never read plays but i recently found a copy of "an inspector calls" by Priestley in a little free library and decided to try it and I absolutely loved it. Despite it being a play with several characters it was a very smooth read and the topics were very modern and are still important i think. Great Find! My other favorite book of april was "Small world, big ideas" which is an essay collection by different environmental activists about their story and their work. It explores a lot of different ways of activism that I have never even thought of, for example slow food. It was so interesting, I read in in like two days even tho i had to study a lot.
so glad you enjoyed the catcher in the rye. his reputation is pretty heartbreaking considering how relatable he was (and sometimes still is). holden caulfield defense team!
📘 anything from Emma makes me happy but my gosh, the gushing over favorite books makes me smile so much! Emma, I was so excited to see initial thoughts on Catcher in the Rye. I’m so on board with you on this book. Can’t wait for the live show 😊
im glad you liked Aria. its one of my favorite anime lol. if you want a chill manga with fantasy too, theres one called Magus of the Library, great art too
I just finished Blindness last night. I picked it up the first time I heard you mention it because it sounded so interesting. The book was long, but I devoured it in less than a week! What a ride, _definitely not for the faint of heart._ If there are topics some readers can't tolerate, I recommend they view the *content warnings* on *The Storygraph* because this book was graphic and very disturbing.
I like to know next to nothing when going into a story, but there were times I kept thinking, "what have I gotten myself into?" Still, it was such a gripping read that I'll probably be thinking about this book for a long time.
But wow, I didn't know there was a sequel! I'll add it to my tbr, although it might be a while before I pick it up lol
You're super amazing! 17 books in April?? Daang. I'm in the midst of a reading binge but can't match that! Nice work, Emma! Have a good week!📗My favorite book in April was probably the biography of antislavery leader Thaddeus Stevens.
for wholesome manga rec, i think you would love Skip and Loafer!
Manga wise I would recomend Bungo Stray Dogs ! I found it quite intresting, though a bit boring at first. It is a detective manga whose characters are named all after real life classic authors and that have powers referencing their books. It's great for people who want to get into japanese literature and mangas that balance humour with darker topics
Thank YOU for existing!
watching you bring more indegienous content into your vidoes has been such a joy. especially when you read stuff i have lol. If you need a recommendation, Indian Horse, and Starlight Tours.
Emma, I ended up buying all six volumes of Aria, and the two volumes of Aqua because of you but I have no regrets LOL
Blindness was a great tip. I really enjoyed it. Thanks.
I read If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio . This is now on my top 10 favorite books ever. Fantastic!
So glad you liked The Hour of the Star and The Catcher in the Rye! In April, i read Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Othello, by Shakespeare, and The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton.
📚 So for manga recommendations:
* Cardcaptor Sakura is one of the cutest series ever. It's older, but still in print and has a sequel series Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card releasing now.
* Shuna's Journey - You love Studio Ghibli, and this is an old, watercolor manga by Miyazaki based on a Tibetan folktale. Reminds me of Mononokehime. It got a recent english release.
* Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - Miyazaki's super long manga the first Ghibli movie on the same name is based on. It's 7 volumes total, and the movie did the first 2 volumes. It's a dystopian, postapocalyptic story, and Miyazaki took so long to write it (over 10 yrs) that you can see both his ideology and art style change over it. The ending'll blow your socks off. I think it's still pretty easy to find.
And that's it for the recs; I want to be mindful of not inundating your tbr. This is supposed to be fun, not stressful 😉
Girl! You are rocking it!
I'm Brazilian an I always get a bit ashamed when you mention a book from here that I know I should at least have started at some point but I didn't. In this case it was Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector.
That was a lot! You've reminded me that I want to tackle "Seeing" - I read "Blindness" a couple years back and only recently realized there was a follow-up. I'm glad someone else finds Lispector challenging. I've only read Hour of the Star so far, but am up for another at some point. But not easy reading for me!
On your hotel thesis - are you looking for any more literature centered on hotels? If you're looking for an older one, Vicki Baum's Grand Hotel, set in 1920s Berlin, is a classic - I think there were a couple of film versions made too. I love your thesis idea!
I love your reading taste a lot❤
I very much did not read a lot in April but I am back to reading a lot again now so fingers crossed for May 🤞 got seven books lined up for this month so we'll see how that goes (also thank you for the motivation 😊) 📚
i'm so glad to hear an actually positive view of catcher in the rye (without jokingly calling it a 'red flag book')--this is making me so much more interested to pick it up soon. thank you for your empathy! i look forward to seeing what i think.
I read ‘blindness’ when it first came out. I was in my 20s.(wow) now in 40s. Time to reread it i think! It was sensational in my country. But the sequal was quite disappointing. So, it is a standalone book to me❤
I read The Magus this month. I gave it 5 stars. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to read it, but also do a vlog of it. I went in knowing nothing. It was like an onion being pealed away. So much happens. I desperately want to see your reactions to each reveal. I was thinking of you the whole time I was reading it. The Greek mythology, Shakespeare, and the weird dark academia touches. I loved it. I want to see your real-time reactions to it. Go in blind. The less you know, the better. It was so much fun. 📚
I love, Emma! Although I just discovered her mins ago because of the Phantom of the Opera book but she's sooooo cozy to watch. ♥️
I'm so glad you liked The Catcher in the Rye!
45:08
The selection of seating background is so amazing.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Hi Emma, i just want to write this comment to thank you so much for providing me with the motivation to read. I graduated from college about a year ago and got a job 8 months ago. And because of my job, i find it harder to finish books now. But your videos and how you talk about books gives me a whole lot of motivation to read. Thank you!
Clarice Lispector is amazing! You should read Near to the wild heart. It was her first novel ever. It's soooo good, charming and easier than her other books.
Lol I hated catcher in the rye. I’m glad someone else enjoyed it cause I was done with it.
so glad you love the Catcher in the Rye😢it‘s my favorite book of all time
my favourite book of April was Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. I underlined quite a lot in that one and I definitely want to read it again. Such a great, short, classic!
Loved the lighting in this video, very soft. I am tempted to read Murakami now. Thank you. 💙📚
me watching this having read 3 books last month and being so proud of myself 😭
I read seven books this whole year so far so- yeah💀 but we all read at our own pace :)
nothing wrong with that! i hope you enjoyed your books
so what? be proud! I’m proud of you too. It’s absolutely fine even if you didn’t read anything at all. This is life, not a race, everyone should go on their own pace. I know you might be joking, but still, jokes can turn into reality in your mind.
3 books in a month is already great! And if you enjoyed them it's even better! :) ♥ Reading is not a race, everyone has their own pace, social media makes it all about number, but at the end of the day number is not as important as what you took from reading a book ♥
@@serafaus I too am a full time student, with exams in the way that I study hard for, and yet i read 24 book this month. It’s about prioritizing things and organizing your time.
I read 19 book in april, way to go on your 17. I love getting book recommendations from your videos like this
Thank you for bringing Aria to my attention--I'm always looking for a good wholesome manga recommendation. One you might want to try is Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou--it's about an android that runs a seaside cafe during the last days of earth. I've only read the first volume, but it's so quiet and nice!
I love your videos!! Thank you for your love of classic fiction, non latest release fiction and your honesty!
Thank you also for not using cuss words like most others do... you have a very likeable style of review. Thank you! 📖📚📒
28:55 haha agree, cops and robbers was truly an iconic game
i read 'salt slow' in april and loved the collection of weird little short stories!
So many of these sounded interesting. I love you Emmie. ♥️
📚 my favorite book in April was Anne of Green Gables ✨
I absolutely LOVE Murakami but I’ve not read this. On my list now! Thank you!
I'm so excited to see Aria mentioned! I recommend A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori. It's a historical slice of life about the 19th century Middle East and the art is so detailed and enchanting. ✨️
You should definitely read Death with interruptions (as intermitências da morte) by saramago. My favorite of his books, it’s very short but packs a punch!
So happy you liked the hour of the star!!! I recommend the book called "an apprenticeship, or, the book of pleasures" by clarice
So happy to see you again emmie😊
My fav read of April was 'Sometimes a Great Notion' by Ken Kesey. I still can't get over it and have no idea how I'm supposed to live without the characters( They are like family
Thanks for the video Emma. I m from Brazil and I find it difficult to read Clarice Lispector too. But she's a star here sure.
🌺📚📖 such a nice vid
It's good you've found an author you enjoy a lot - Murakami. I hope it stays with you a lifetime, tho tbh I have for the most past moved on from the authors I read ravenously 40, even 20 years ago. Nonetheless, discovering what you like and exploring that is a big part of life - Enjoy!
Catcher will always be one of my favourite books. I loved in and read it twice as a teenager and revisited this year when I taught it to my grade 12s. I found it so rewarding to read it again, and I think I appreciate it more in different way now.
I liked The Catcher in the Rye better than I did the last time I read it twenty years ago. I still don't actually enjoy the book but I appreciate how it was done and the relatable portrait of grief. With this said, I followed the Catcher with Murakami's Norwegian Wood and they complemented each other so so we'll that I was almost disappointed that these two weren't competing with each other as Coming of Age examples. I felt they flowed better than Holden and David
📚 my favorite book of the month was Neil Gaimans the Ocean at The End of the Lane which I read aloud to my oldest three kids (preteens and teens). We are a Gaiman home and we loved it
I was originally thinking how wild it is people can read so many books in one month, and then I counted on goodreads that I read 15 books. I mean, I guess if we do read at work, evenings at home, and while stuck in traffic,
it’s very doable 😂
Also, I added a few books you mentioned to my list. Thank you 🙏💕
Ahh I'm so surprised that you didn't enjoy David Copperfield! I loved it when I read it but it's definitely due a re-read! So interesting that you loved Dombey and Son, I've never read it. Blindness sounds like such an interesting book, I've never heard of it before! Also the Catcher in the Rye is one of my all time favourite books!!
I also read Dance Dance Dance in April. I loved it!
If you love Murakami, then you might also love "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle." It does everything Murakami is known for, except this book is the best at it. It's my second favorite book.
so happy that you read ao haru ride ♡♡♡
omg 45 mins?? i need a snack and a drink
The Shamshine Blind blew me away last month! One of the best books I've read in forever.. alt history thriller done right.
Emma, you've been talking so much about dance dance dance that I actually bought it. But now I have to wait a bit to start reading cause I'm in the middle of four books and I forbid myself to start anything till I finish at least two of them.
Anyway, I'm reading a bunch of books that have your vibe?? The Secret Garden (the story is so sweet but the writing is SO racist!! insane), Orlando, Pride and Prejudice (lol) and The Philosopher Cat. This last one is a bunch of illustrations of cats and some chinese proverbs. It's beautiful and fun and so cute, you'll love it! I highly recommend.
Hope you're feeling better
Also, I gotta say... I love when you read Portuguese written literature!! It's a Brazilian trait to love Brazil mentioned, but it really makes me happy, lol.
I've never got to finish The Hour of Star, I don't know why, but Clarice is my favourite writer and the first paragraph of this book is one of the best pieces of literature ever. My favourite book is The Passion According to G.H., but it's SUPER dense and you gotta just run with vibes or you'll go crazy. I don't think it's really your thing, tho, cause it's pure stream of consciousness. BUT!!! I do think you'll like Near The Wild Heart! It was her first romance and it's just a very interesting piece of a writer becoming herself. If you ever want to read it, I studied at uni and we can talk more. Anyway, I'll stop talking now. Hope may treats you well
📚 Loved this video and I love hearing about what you're reading. Hope you have a nice day!
"well, everything I can tell you that I read"... Living for the foreshadowing! 📚
You might be interested in the 2008 film adaptation of Blindness starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Danny Glover. If you have access to kanopy it is currently streaming there.
I like seeing updates like these, but I make sure to skip the books I’m planning to read myself so as to avoid spoilers. I also skip the books I have no intention of reading. So this really helps blowing right through the content 😂🔥
Saramago has another book called ¨The Double¨, if I´m not mistaken, in Spanish it´s ¨El hombre duplicado¨. It is my favorite book of his. It is about a man who finds another man with his exact same physical features, a clone or duplicate of himself almost. But, they have nothing tying them together, no family ties, connection whatsoever. So, then on the story tackles existentialism and originality, and boy, what an ending. Pleaseeee have a read at it! You´ll love it.
ALSO EMMA if you want a whole some, cute manga I highly recommend Hakumei and Mikochi. Its about two girls who are friends who are forest people and they are tiny people and its just about them and there lives living together and working with animals in the forest 😭🥹 so cute
You read my mind lol! Such a good recommendation.I just read the first volume- it's so sweet!
@@LuckySmellsBooks I just finished volume 10! Its adorable 💘
I went out and bought Blindness while you were reading it because you made it sound so good-I loved it! I immediately went out and bought the sequel Seeing 😊
I still need to reread Catcher in the Rye. I loved it when I read it back in 2014 or 2015. I’m curious to see what I think now.
Emma you would love my apartment - I live in-between two hotels. The things I see are so.... And all I do is people watch. It's so interesting and i love just watching people exist.
Favorite book of april... probably the one that disturbed me the most... "Tender the flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica! she won the literature price for a reason
14:03 - what about Uriah Heep? One of the most memorable characters there.
I read my first Murakami in April which was Norwegian Wood and I, for lack of better words, cried my fucking eyes out. The entire last chapter I could barely see what I was reading, the second the mist started to clear from my eyes the next line would set me off again.
totally understandable, this book does that to a person lol
@@TheMarysia888 I both can't wait and am terrified to read my next Murakami 🤣
Lispector -- I am really liking her Stories collection a LOT if you're finding the longer ones difficult
📙 I feel like you would enjoy Mushishi! A very peaceful, slow, melancholic manga about living in harmony with the world. Physical copies are impossible to find at reasonable prices though.
Always a pleasure to listen to you loving books 📚 ❤