My mom and I watch your videos every week and my mom says you are her book recommendation guru. Her reading taste and yours are very similar. We love your vids and are glad you are back this week! 🩷
@allisonpaiges she recently read The Bandit Queens and Bunny and loved them both and her favorite author right now is T.J. Klune. She's adding Lumberjanes to her cart right now lol. She says hi!! 😊
I occasionally get hemiplegic/“complicated” migraines that mimic stroke-like symptoms, too. Along with the nausea, pain, and visual auras. I’ll forget what words mean, can’t complete thoughts/sentences, and one side of my body will get numb/pins and tingles. I’m glad that you’re okay and that you are taking care of yourself. 💚
So sorry you had such a migraine crisis but so happy you finally found a doctor who listened to you and you're finally on the path to the right diagnosis and cure or at least right treatment/management of the migraines. This will make a world of difference.
You need Nettle and Bone! It’s my favorite T Kingfisher so far (what moves the dead is second). She also writes younger audience books as Ursula Vernon (
Snap on a very mid reading year!!! Grrrrrr. But u will loveeeee Strong Female Character, it is so touching and raw but also bloody hilarious I love Scottish people so much
I'm all about the T. Kingfisher vibes! And you have my favorite two from her (so far, anyway)! Can't wait to wait forever for the paperback edition of the sequel to What Moves the Dead to come out! 💀 I was going to recommend the Wayfarers series for cozy sci-fi, but since you already have those, the only other slice-of-life book I can think of for the genre would be The Cybernetic Teashop by Meredith Katz
Absolutely no judgement from me for buying a second set of favorite books! I have a series or two where I own 4 different copies 😅 1) the original that rocked my world 2) the second I can tab and put all my marginalia in 3) a hardcover if it exists 4) a pretty special edition with my ex libris bookplate for posterity to show all who come after me just how loved a book it was. Because I’m a teacher my reading season only starts just in June now that school is (finally! 😭) done and all the series I been waiting to suck me under for obsessive reading sprints can finally be cracked open. So glad to see you feeling better!
Strong Female Character is an absolute trip! So funny and so interesting! 110% recommend the audio book because Fern narrates it herself and her humour is captured so well :)
i read wild by cheryl strayed for the first time this year and its prob my fave so far! if anyone loved crying in h mart and i'm glad my mom died but hasn't read wild highly recommend :)
What a week - sorry to hear it was rough ❤ I've just finished Bi by Julia Shaw and I think it's my fave of the year so far. It was a non-fiction about the history and culture of bisexuality that taught me loads, but also had so much personality! I'm not much of a non-fiction reader so was v impressed!
happy sunday ally!! I also get chronic migraines and it's so nice to know im not alone in the pain but also wish you didn't have to go through it. so glad the doctor validated your pain! hope this next week is much better
So happy you're back!! Migraines/neurological conditions are so complicated and exhausting. I also have migraines that mimic strokes and it is so scary.
Just in awe of your reading rate, your videos, sense of humour... even your goofing around. And the two cats. No idea how you have time to do it all, but don't burn yourself out. Wonderfully fun channel - coming from someone who reads one book a year 😄OK, maybe 10. Look after yourself! I hope you get to do whatever you love most, forever.
My tops this year so far!! One Hundred Years of Solitude (totally surprised me) Breasts and Eggs Neverwhere A Man Called Ove Each of these inspired me to try and read everything else these authors have written!
I’m glad your feeling better and that your doctor actually listened to you! My favorite book so far this year has been Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I think it’s a really beginner friendly sci-fi and a wonderful story! And for anyone who likes audiobooks the narration is so good! Highly recommend!
I just recently found your channel and I think I’ve watched every video already. Loooove your content! Thank you for not just reading the popular TikTok books! 🩵
@@allisonpaiges I totally agree, I just love that I can get recommendations here that I don’t see anywhere else! But of course I’m always happy if anyone is reading! 😊
HOORAY for finding a doctor who believes you! The Garlic graphic novels are so so lovely, I am glad you enjoyed them! Looking forward to your thoughts on T. Kingfisher, I thought A Wizard's Guide was so creative. I haven't picked up her horror yet!
I bought Pageboy and then listened to it exclusively on my commute to work each day. Elliot's prose is so poignant and listening to him read his words is such an intimate experience. I literally felt as if a good friend was talking to me. Emotionally I felt it all .....I laughed, I SOBBED and I got so angry I screamed and beat my steering wheel (scaring fellow commuters I am sure). The way Page describes his gender dysphoria and how it impacted every aspect of his life is just ......no words. This should be required reading. So much understanding could come from people reading this (lofty expectation I know). He is an awesome actor, but he is definitely a writer a too. His words will stay with me forever. And omg READ T. KINGFISHER! LOL 😂😆😂
So glad you're back and hope you're feeling better, Ally! My favorite book that I read this year so far is These Violent Delights, by Micah Nemerever. Leonie at The Book Leo sold it as "if the main characters of the TV show Hannibal met as young men" and as that is my favorite show of all time, I just had to read it, and boy oh boy was she right. I read it like two months ago and still think about it constantly. So twisted and so well written! Excited for next week's video!
kingfisher is my new favourite author, i loved those two but let me recommend Nettle and Bone as well! Im gonna be reading all Becky Chambers because of you now
this has been a 'meh' kind of year for me in terms of reading too. I've read almost the same amount of books as you and just one of them I can safely consider a new favorite, so I feel you girl😢
I've also had "am i having a stroke" hospital visits (turns out something in my neck/shoulder area sometimes makes my face go numb! Fun times!) so I absolutely understand you and never apologize for needing time to rest!! I'm sure you wouldn't judge any of us or fellow creators so hey, rest when you need! I think my favorite this year was Frankenstein, definitely not what I expected from all the lore created around it, such an interesting little book full of ideas I didn't expect and, also, a lil bit ~gay. I love finding classics where turns out everyone is a drama queen and kinda ridiculous. Anyway! So nice to watch you chatting about books, hope you have a good week ❤
Sci-fi rec: Ancillary Justice and its two follows, about a sentient ai who gets stuck in a body she doesn't want and that doesn't fit her mind, and how she finds her place in the world around her while also enacting a bit of political revenge. The books such a good _feeling_, it's hard to describe. I was going to recommend To be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers but after watching the video I guess you've already read that one :P Also I have the EXACT SAME PROBLEM with my Wayfarer-books and it IS MADDENING. It's even the same publisher?!
The amount of internal excitement I have for you being able to receive the (what I believe to be) bare minimum from a doctor/specialist is off the charts! Glad to hear you found a validating and personable doctor and hopefully gain some perspective on what's going on. But I'm also sorry that you have to deal with all this nonsense in the first place. As someone who has viewed the ups and downs of your health and frustrating doctor experiences over the years, today feels like a big win in comparison. Hope you find more answers soon and of course we all want you to take it easy! NO apologies needed for a missed Sunday!!!
im so glad you finally found a doctor that listened to you and help you understand what you're going through :) also, id love a video on autistic books (both fiction and nonfiction) as someone who might be autistic and trying to learn about it more
Always enjoy your book thoughts! I really enjoyed Bandit Queens on audio. I've had a really quality reading year so far and there's a lot of overlap between our reading lists. But one I did enjoy that I haven't seen mentioned much was Anna Dorn's Exalted. It was really off the wall wacky: the main character is an insta astrologer who really doesn't believe in astrology. If you need to like your main characters, this is not for you. But the audio had me laughing A LOT - the voices are hilarious and maybe a little over the top. The novel is a little over the top though. A fun weird romp, which is all I want in a book sometimes!
Love to hear about an empathic and validating doctor 👏👏👏 My top read of the year that kept me thinking long after I finished it was Chouette by Claire Oshetsky (from the Ally Stack (tm)). The perspective on motherhood, child development, and beautiful feral metaphors (?) WITH Julia Whelan narrating made it a top top pick of 2023 so far 🦉
Happiness and positivity for this video is brought to us by content creators like you, thank you! Ally! I think you might like Octavia E Butler books. They have a lot of philosophical themes too. Emily Fox reviews them so well! Also, glad to have you back.
I’m back with my coffee! I’m sorry you had such a stressful experience with the hospital, but on the other hand I’m glad you found a good doctor who listened to you. From experience I know that women sometimes have a harder time in health care, when my husband goes to the doctor with ouch, they treat him like a prince, when I go, they ask me if I’m sure it’s not “female problems”. I myself have been living in a lot of stress lately - personal, health, even political, and recently there was some unknown cat disease in my country and now I get up at night to check if they are all right and if they don’t have any symptoms. It's really scary. And none of us is well rested. ;-) But going back to more pleasant, book-related topics: The best books I read this year are definitely Papusza’s poems, “Letters to a Young Poet”, Simona Kossak’s book and “Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb, the book that made me happy is “His Majesty’s Dragon” by Naomi Novik, "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea", "On a Sunbeam" and Moomins! The biggest surprise was an epic fantasy poem written in twelve-syllable verse on 130 pages. Blew my mind. The biggest disappointment was definitely Sanderson. I would love to share all of them (the good ones), but it would take the whole evening and maybe part of the night. Compared to last year, my reading year seems worse in terms of quality, but when I sit down and think about it, there have been really a lot of wonderful books in my life this year and I am incredibly grateful. Sorry for the longest comment, hope it's understandable. ;-)
a big shout out to doctors who actually believe you, i am so glad you found someone and that you are feeling better🥳 also, my favourite book this year was "the girl who drank the moon" by Kelly Barnhill :) it was so cozy and so whimsical and it had all the found family vibes and i just adored it🌿 also also, my snail shirt and sweater finally came in the mail a week ago and i love them, i am wearing the shirt right now🐌
I love Kelly Barnhill! She's become an auto-buy author for me. The Ogress and the Orphans is another of her wonderful middle-grade novels I'd recommend if you want more cozy family and whimsy vibes 🥰
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking wound up being one of my favorite books last year, which I picked up on a whim in December, lol. And Nettle & Bone is one of my favorites of 2023! And my goal for the rest of the year is to finish reading Becky Chambers.
I may have done a little happy dance when I got the notification on Discord for a new video! We were so worried about you and missed you last week. Thank goodness you're ok - I am so sorry you had to go through that. Chronic migraines are no joke, my heart really feels for you. Every Sunday, after our epic vegan brunch, my little family sits down to watch your new video - my 11-year old daughter adores you (we all do)! Thank you for being so transparent, relatable, and just an all around awesome human!! My daughter and I read Devotions together a couple of years ago, and your copy looks just like ours! Tons of dog-eared pages and tabs! It's so hard to pick just one, but I think I have to say that Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson and The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer are my two favorites so far this year! Welcome back, and I hope you have a fabulous week!
My favourite book this year has been The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, quite randomly. A friend recommended it to me and it totally blew me away
sorry you went through a rough patch last week, but so happy for you that you found help & answers. not knowing what is happening with your body can be scary! thank you so much for taking time to talk to us about good books. I adore your videos, and this one brightened my day 💖🙂
I commented many a video back about how my friend who has chronic migraines actually has silent seizures. I figured this was what was happened to you too. glad you finally found someone to listen to you!
If you want a cosy sci-fi vibe try Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel, very little sci-fi lingo and mostly just gentle vibes with a bit of mystery to keep you hooked! Also fave book so far is my annual re-read of the Vango duology by Timothee de Fombelle:) great characters great vibes
can i just say how great full i am for you, its been ages since i’ve found a youtube channel that i can come back too weekly and just SQEEEE when i see them in my subscriptions then i found you 2 months ago!! also finding out your also autistic (they really were not wrong when they said we gravitate towards other neurodiverse girlies huh) anyway!! just wanted to say that to make your day or something :)) thanks for being u also ahhh im sorry about your migraines, my sister gets them too and watching her pain is awful im glad you found a doctor who listens though SLAYY, wishing u all the health and joy ever
Thank you as always for your energy & the way you speak about your personal perseverance through the ups and downs of life! I come out of your videos feeling so uplifted no matter my initial mood.
I just received my autism diagnosis about a week ago, and my septum piercing has just healed! Very diff milestones, but both are good 😄 trying to resist being influenced by your new piercings however… I was also blown away by Bandit Queens 👑
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is the book that sparked my love of reading! It was my first ever 5 star read-made me feel all types of ways and broke my heart and mended it all at the same time. A book that surprised me this year is This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron! A very sweet, adventurous fantasy of a teen with magical powers that she learns runs in her birth family! Cozy, tender, magical- I loved it!!!
I'm so very happy you found a doctor who actually listens i could cry, i really hope this will help tons with pain management💖!! So happy to hear about your mid year check in too ☺My favorite books of the year at this time are Bitterthorn (the biggest theme is loneliness and it healed me so new all time fave it is), and Seven Days in June that i'm currently reading, but already know it's a fave that is here to stay (here being my heart). Sending lots of love to you! 🧡
So glad you’re feeling better and that you’ve found a specialist who listens. Love the “ease” back into this as you talk about reading 67 books this year!
Not sure if anyone has mentioned, but the Riley Sagar you mentioned being interested in is out already (at least in the US)! I saw you mention it as an upcoming release and went "didn't I just see that in a bookstore yesterday?" Sorry you've been having health problems lately. I totally get not wanting to take breaks, but I think we're all very supportive of you taking the time you need, whenever you need it. Take care❤
So happy to see you back and healthy!! To answer your question about favorite books so far this year, it would have to be both The book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (my fav fiction) and the crane wife by CJ Hauser (non fiction) thank you as always for the smiles on this windy Sunday!
As for the sci-fi recs, I think you might enjoy reading Bewilderment by Richard Powers. It's lit-fic sci-fi. The writing and plot are beautiful and inspiring. It is a sad book, but it also deals with themes such as Climate change and environmental pollution, mental illnesses, grief, loss, and the complexities of human life.
The Wayfarers covers section is SO RELATABLE. I hate hate hate the 'galaxy' covers, those make Wayfarers look like some kind of YA super realistic 'hard hitting' series. I'm not bashing the genre, but it's not at all what the Wayfarers is.
Glad to see you come back and be so radiant. Loved hearing your half of the year wrap up. My reading year is also very dominated by mediocre books sadly. So, here‘s to hoping the second half will have better reads! 😩✊🏻
Adding Bug Boys to my TBR! I love reading books in the middle grade category, and I've been trying to read more graphic novels lately. I really should check out more books written by autistic authors, but I kinda have the opposite reaction to you. I've known I'm autistic for about 6 years now, and I've had a great time connecting with other autistic people and learning more about myself, but I get very nervous and uncomfortable when I try to read most books about autism or autistic characters 😅
I’m totally binge watching your videos. I’m having a difficult day and now I have a terrible headache and a fever. Thank you for the videos, you’re very entertaining. I totally wish we could be friends. I’m 22 so you’re my older sister now:)
I love Fern! She was so much fun to watch on Taskmaster season 14. I've had her audiobook on hold at the library (she narrates it and omg her accent is so good) so I can't wait!!
AAHH so glad you’ve found a doctor that validated your experience. They may have just saved your life; incredibly rare and precious 🌸 I’ve read 72 books so far this year (as of today) but my favorite by far was a book I read in January: Raybearer. YA African fantasy, incredibly diverse, with aroace rep and discussions on mother-daughter relationships. Incredible. My official fav book of all time 💕
OMG! OMG! The wizard’s guide to defensive baking is a cozy fantasy. I re-read all the time when I just need realistic Happy ending. Which is not something you say about a fantasy. Recommend, recommend!
Sci-Fi Recs: Self-Portrait with Nothing by Aimee Pokwatka (includes the exploration of mother/daughter relationships) and Drunk On All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson
I missed you last week! Also have been having horrific migraine days 💜 I’m so happy you finally found a doctor who can help 🫶 took me 5 years to find mine so I know the struggle. Love to all my fellow migraine sufferers 💜
As awful as it is to get so sick, I’m glad it resulted in you finding a good doctor as well as getting answers! That made a huge difference in my coping with my health issues. I hope you will find a great treatment plan! Missed you last week😊.
my favourite read this year has been Lonely Castle in the Mirror, recommended by you!! I highly recommend Thieves by Lucie Bryon, a graphic novel about queer love & stealing.
I just finished reading “The Cassandra Complex” by Holly Smale (i think it has a different title other places) and it’s by far my favourite read this year…maybe top tier of all time…wow. The protagonist is neurodivergent and it was so sweet, beautiful and funny. Such a quick and uplifting read, it was just what I needed and I cried happy tears 🤍🤍 I’m so sorry you had a health scare but so happy to hear someone believed you and listened to you, as a chronically ill person I totally get how rare that is. Sending love to you, thanks for sharing your health struggles, it makes me feel less alone.
I was audibly gasping when you said you didn't like those Wayfarers covers and preferred the US ones... could not disagree more. But hey, I am glad you found ones you prefer and it made you more motivated to read my favourite series
I’m not even a minute into the video but I just wanted to say that I’m so happy you finally had a good doctor experience!! It makes such a huge difference 💖
So happy to hear you've found a doctor who is actually listening to you! My favourite book of the year so far is Chlorine by Jade Song. It's got body horror, queen longing, mermaids. Amazing read.
Yay for doctors that actually listen! I’m so happy you’re okay ally, pls never feel bad about missing a video
My mom and I watch your videos every week and my mom says you are her book recommendation guru. Her reading taste and yours are very similar. We love your vids and are glad you are back this week! 🩷
omg what are your moms favorite books?
hy jaclyns mom! 👋
@allisonpaiges she recently read The Bandit Queens and Bunny and loved them both and her favorite author right now is T.J. Klune. She's adding Lumberjanes to her cart right now lol. She says hi!! 😊
i also read devotions this year and absolutely fell in love with mary oliver!!!! i'm so happy to know that it made it to your favorites shelf :')
I occasionally get hemiplegic/“complicated” migraines that mimic stroke-like symptoms, too. Along with the nausea, pain, and visual auras. I’ll forget what words mean, can’t complete thoughts/sentences, and one side of my body will get numb/pins and tingles. I’m glad that you’re okay and that you are taking care of yourself. 💚
So sorry you had such a migraine crisis but so happy you finally found a doctor who listened to you and you're finally on the path to the right diagnosis and cure or at least right treatment/management of the migraines. This will make a world of difference.
You need Nettle and Bone! It’s my favorite T Kingfisher so far (what moves the dead is second). She also writes younger audience books as Ursula Vernon (
Snap on a very mid reading year!!! Grrrrrr. But u will loveeeee Strong Female Character, it is so touching and raw but also bloody hilarious I love Scottish people so much
I'm all about the T. Kingfisher vibes! And you have my favorite two from her (so far, anyway)! Can't wait to wait forever for the paperback edition of the sequel to What Moves the Dead to come out! 💀
I was going to recommend the Wayfarers series for cozy sci-fi, but since you already have those, the only other slice-of-life book I can think of for the genre would be The Cybernetic Teashop by Meredith Katz
Absolutely no judgement from me for buying a second set of favorite books! I have a series or two where I own 4 different copies 😅
1) the original that rocked my world
2) the second I can tab and put all my marginalia in
3) a hardcover if it exists
4) a pretty special edition with my ex libris bookplate for posterity to show all who come after me just how loved a book it was.
Because I’m a teacher my reading season only starts just in June now that school is (finally! 😭) done and all the series I been waiting to suck me under for obsessive reading sprints can finally be cracked open.
So glad to see you feeling better!
Strong Female Character is an absolute trip! So funny and so interesting! 110% recommend the audio book because Fern narrates it herself and her humour is captured so well :)
i read wild by cheryl strayed for the first time this year and its prob my fave so far! if anyone loved crying in h mart and i'm glad my mom died but hasn't read wild highly recommend :)
What a week - sorry to hear it was rough ❤ I've just finished Bi by Julia Shaw and I think it's my fave of the year so far. It was a non-fiction about the history and culture of bisexuality that taught me loads, but also had so much personality! I'm not much of a non-fiction reader so was v impressed!
I just listened to Bi and it was really good!
happy sunday ally!! I also get chronic migraines and it's so nice to know im not alone in the pain but also wish you didn't have to go through it. so glad the doctor validated your pain! hope this next week is much better
here's to a week of us having NO MIGRAINES ✨manifesting✨
(but even if we still do here's to us surviving)
@@allisonpaiges hi 5 ✋️
So happy you're back!! Migraines/neurological conditions are so complicated and exhausting. I also have migraines that mimic strokes and it is so scary.
Just in awe of your reading rate, your videos, sense of humour... even your goofing around. And the two cats. No idea how you have time to do it all, but don't burn yourself out. Wonderfully fun channel - coming from someone who reads one book a year 😄OK, maybe 10. Look after yourself! I hope you get to do whatever you love most, forever.
Yay for good doctors 🫶🏼
My tops this year so far!!
One Hundred Years of Solitude (totally surprised me)
Breasts and Eggs
Neverwhere
A Man Called Ove
Each of these inspired me to try and read everything else these authors have written!
I’m glad your feeling better and that your doctor actually listened to you! My favorite book so far this year has been Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I think it’s a really beginner friendly sci-fi and a wonderful story! And for anyone who likes audiobooks the narration is so good! Highly recommend!
I just recently found your channel and I think I’ve watched every video already. Loooove your content! Thank you for not just reading the popular TikTok books! 🩵
welcome and thank you! but hey whatever makes someone happy and love reading is a good book in my book :-)
@@allisonpaiges I totally agree, I just love that I can get recommendations here that I don’t see anywhere else! But of course I’m always happy if anyone is reading! 😊
HOORAY for finding a doctor who believes you! The Garlic graphic novels are so so lovely, I am glad you enjoyed them! Looking forward to your thoughts on T. Kingfisher, I thought A Wizard's Guide was so creative. I haven't picked up her horror yet!
So happy the doctor lady was such a slay! Loved ur answers to this mid year freak out tag and have now added some books to my wishlist/ tbr 😂
YES so excited for you to read t kingfisher and AH thank you for the shout-out I LOVE FRIENDSHIP
I bought Pageboy and then listened to it exclusively on my commute to work each day. Elliot's prose is so poignant and listening to him read his words is such an intimate experience. I literally felt as if a good friend was talking to me. Emotionally I felt it all .....I laughed, I SOBBED and I got so angry I screamed and beat my steering wheel (scaring fellow commuters I am sure). The way Page describes his gender dysphoria and how it impacted every aspect of his life is just ......no words. This should be required reading. So much understanding could come from people reading this (lofty expectation I know). He is an awesome actor, but he is definitely a writer a too. His words will stay with me forever. And omg READ T. KINGFISHER! LOL 😂😆😂
I’m planning to read PageBoy next month, can’t wait💗
So glad you're back and hope you're feeling better, Ally! My favorite book that I read this year so far is These Violent Delights, by Micah Nemerever. Leonie at The Book Leo sold it as "if the main characters of the TV show Hannibal met as young men" and as that is my favorite show of all time, I just had to read it, and boy oh boy was she right. I read it like two months ago and still think about it constantly. So twisted and so well written! Excited for next week's video!
kingfisher is my new favourite author, i loved those two but let me recommend Nettle and Bone as well! Im gonna be reading all Becky Chambers because of you now
“All you ever wanted” favorite of the year so far. It’s kinda sci-fi but it’s more speculative fiction.
this has been a 'meh' kind of year for me in terms of reading too. I've read almost the same amount of books as you and just one of them I can safely consider a new favorite, so I feel you girl😢
LOVE Garlic & the Vampire! So glad you read it and loved it! Also I’m happy to hear that you’re okay and got some answers with your health 🙂
I'm so happy to hear you've had a doctor that validated you for once!!! I hope you're doing better and always rest when you can 💜
I've also had "am i having a stroke" hospital visits (turns out something in my neck/shoulder area sometimes makes my face go numb! Fun times!) so I absolutely understand you and never apologize for needing time to rest!! I'm sure you wouldn't judge any of us or fellow creators so hey, rest when you need!
I think my favorite this year was Frankenstein, definitely not what I expected from all the lore created around it, such an interesting little book full of ideas I didn't expect and, also, a lil bit ~gay. I love finding classics where turns out everyone is a drama queen and kinda ridiculous.
Anyway! So nice to watch you chatting about books, hope you have a good week ❤
Sci-fi rec: Ancillary Justice and its two follows, about a sentient ai who gets stuck in a body she doesn't want and that doesn't fit her mind, and how she finds her place in the world around her while also enacting a bit of political revenge. The books such a good _feeling_, it's hard to describe.
I was going to recommend To be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers but after watching the video I guess you've already read that one :P Also I have the EXACT SAME PROBLEM with my Wayfarer-books and it IS MADDENING. It's even the same publisher?!
The amount of internal excitement I have for you being able to receive the (what I believe to be) bare minimum from a doctor/specialist is off the charts! Glad to hear you found a validating and personable doctor and hopefully gain some perspective on what's going on. But I'm also sorry that you have to deal with all this nonsense in the first place. As someone who has viewed the ups and downs of your health and frustrating doctor experiences over the years, today feels like a big win in comparison. Hope you find more answers soon and of course we all want you to take it easy! NO apologies needed for a missed Sunday!!!
So glad you are feeling better. Going to the hospital is so traumatic not even accounting for the underlying reason you go in the first place.
im so glad you finally found a doctor that listened to you and help you understand what you're going through :) also, id love a video on autistic books (both fiction and nonfiction) as someone who might be autistic and trying to learn about it more
Always enjoy your book thoughts! I really enjoyed Bandit Queens on audio. I've had a really quality reading year so far and there's a lot of overlap between our reading lists. But one I did enjoy that I haven't seen mentioned much was Anna Dorn's Exalted. It was really off the wall wacky: the main character is an insta astrologer who really doesn't believe in astrology. If you need to like your main characters, this is not for you. But the audio had me laughing A LOT - the voices are hilarious and maybe a little over the top. The novel is a little over the top though. A fun weird romp, which is all I want in a book sometimes!
Love to hear about an empathic and validating doctor 👏👏👏 My top read of the year that kept me thinking long after I finished it was Chouette by Claire Oshetsky (from the Ally Stack (tm)). The perspective on motherhood, child development, and beautiful feral metaphors (?) WITH Julia Whelan narrating made it a top top pick of 2023 so far 🦉
Happiness and positivity for this video is brought to us by content creators like you, thank you!
Ally! I think you might like Octavia E Butler books. They have a lot of philosophical themes too. Emily Fox reviews them so well! Also, glad to have you back.
I’m back with my coffee! I’m sorry you had such a stressful experience with the hospital, but on the other hand I’m glad you found a good doctor who listened to you. From experience I know that women sometimes have a harder time in health care, when my husband goes to the doctor with ouch, they treat him like a prince, when I go, they ask me if I’m sure it’s not “female problems”. I myself have been living in a lot of stress lately - personal, health, even political, and recently there was some unknown cat disease in my country and now I get up at night to check if they are all right and if they don’t have any symptoms. It's really scary. And none of us is well rested. ;-)
But going back to more pleasant, book-related topics: The best books I read this year are definitely Papusza’s poems, “Letters to a Young Poet”, Simona Kossak’s book and “Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb, the book that made me happy is “His Majesty’s Dragon” by Naomi Novik, "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea", "On a Sunbeam" and Moomins! The biggest surprise was an epic fantasy poem written in twelve-syllable verse on 130 pages. Blew my mind. The biggest disappointment was definitely Sanderson.
I would love to share all of them (the good ones), but it would take the whole evening and maybe part of the night. Compared to last year, my reading year seems worse in terms of quality, but when I sit down and think about it, there have been really a lot of wonderful books in my life this year and I am incredibly grateful.
Sorry for the longest comment, hope it's understandable. ;-)
a big shout out to doctors who actually believe you, i am so glad you found someone and that you are feeling better🥳 also, my favourite book this year was "the girl who drank the moon" by Kelly Barnhill :) it was so cozy and so whimsical and it had all the found family vibes and i just adored it🌿 also also, my snail shirt and sweater finally came in the mail a week ago and i love them, i am wearing the shirt right now🐌
I love Kelly Barnhill! She's become an auto-buy author for me. The Ogress and the Orphans is another of her wonderful middle-grade novels I'd recommend if you want more cozy family and whimsy vibes 🥰
it sounds very cute, thanks for the recommendation ^^
Ugh I feel you on the becky chambers covers, I've wanted to switch to the nice ones for so long!
my favourite book from this year is tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow , and the twin crowns duology 🥰 both of them were ultimate escapism
Obsessed with your humour and how you talk and edit 😭 instant subscribe 🫶🏼
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking wound up being one of my favorite books last year, which I picked up on a whim in December, lol. And Nettle & Bone is one of my favorites of 2023! And my goal for the rest of the year is to finish reading Becky Chambers.
I may have done a little happy dance when I got the notification on Discord for a new video! We were so worried about you and missed you last week. Thank goodness you're ok - I am so sorry you had to go through that. Chronic migraines are no joke, my heart really feels for you. Every Sunday, after our epic vegan brunch, my little family sits down to watch your new video - my 11-year old daughter adores you (we all do)! Thank you for being so transparent, relatable, and just an all around awesome human!! My daughter and I read Devotions together a couple of years ago, and your copy looks just like ours! Tons of dog-eared pages and tabs! It's so hard to pick just one, but I think I have to say that Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson and The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer are my two favorites so far this year! Welcome back, and I hope you have a fabulous week!
this comment is so sweet omg send all my love to your adorable family :')
Your hair looks absolutely amazing and so healthy!! And you look so happy, you’re leaking joy! Loved this video
My favourite book this year has been The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, quite randomly. A friend recommended it to me and it totally blew me away
sorry you went through a rough patch last week, but so happy for you that you found help & answers. not knowing what is happening with your body can be scary! thank you so much for taking time to talk to us about good books. I adore your videos, and this one brightened my day 💖🙂
okay you IMMEDIATELY sold me on bug boys, sheesh!! gotta get my hands on those
I just started the video but I hope you're okay!!!! It's wonderful you have a doctor that listened to you, and I wish you all the best
So excited for the new Riley Sager!!! & your hair looks glorious ❤
I commented many a video back about how my friend who has chronic migraines actually has silent seizures. I figured this was what was happened to you too. glad you finally found someone to listen to you!
If you want a cosy sci-fi vibe try Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel, very little sci-fi lingo and mostly just gentle vibes with a bit of mystery to keep you hooked!
Also fave book so far is my annual re-read of the Vango duology by Timothee de Fombelle:) great characters great vibes
Fave book of the year is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Also has one of my new favorite characters and it made me cry!
Omg I love that you called out Katie!! She's actually how I found your channel!
can i just say how great full i am for you, its been ages since i’ve found a youtube channel that i can come back too weekly and just SQEEEE when i see them in my subscriptions then i found you 2 months ago!! also finding out your also autistic (they really were not wrong when they said we gravitate towards other neurodiverse girlies huh) anyway!! just wanted to say that to make your day or something :)) thanks for being u
also ahhh im sorry about your migraines, my sister gets them too and watching her pain is awful im glad you found a doctor who listens though SLAYY, wishing u all the health and joy ever
Sorry to hear about your health issues😢😢😢 happy to see you happy ❤❤
Thank you as always for your energy & the way you speak about your personal perseverance through the ups and downs of life! I come out of your videos feeling so uplifted no matter my initial mood.
I just received my autism diagnosis about a week ago, and my septum piercing has just healed! Very diff milestones, but both are good 😄 trying to resist being influenced by your new piercings however… I was also blown away by Bandit Queens 👑
Yes, first comment!!! I feel like a lot of people have had fairly mid reading years, myself included
Yeah, sadly me too 🥺
New middle grade fiction full of cozy - A Place To Hang The Moon. You will die of cozy!!!!
ugh listen devotions is my favorite book too im glad it made your favorites
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is the book that sparked my love of reading! It was my first ever 5 star read-made me feel all types of ways and broke my heart and mended it all at the same time. A book that surprised me this year is This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron! A very sweet, adventurous fantasy of a teen with magical powers that she learns runs in her birth family! Cozy, tender, magical- I loved it!!!
Glad you're feeling better! :) and your hair looks extra fab today ❤
I just finished Strong Female Character the other day and absolutely loved it!
Your videos are always such a comfort to watch! So happy doctors finally validated your pain and gave you a diagnosis, sending lots of love 🥰
Glad you're feeling better! ❤️📚❤️
i cannot wait to read THE BANDIT QUEENS! starting it tonight!!💗💗🌷🌷💌💌
YESSSS!!!
I'm so very happy you found a doctor who actually listens i could cry, i really hope this will help tons with pain management💖!! So happy to hear about your mid year check in too ☺My favorite books of the year at this time are Bitterthorn (the biggest theme is loneliness and it healed me so new all time fave it is), and Seven Days in June that i'm currently reading, but already know it's a fave that is here to stay (here being my heart). Sending lots of love to you! 🧡
Loved The Bandit Queens! Also loved Moth. So beautifully written. Thanks for igniting my love of reading again since it was dormant for so long.
WE LOVE YOU, ALLIBOO!
So glad you’re feeling better and that you’ve found a specialist who listens. Love the “ease” back into this as you talk about reading 67 books this year!
im so happy you found a good neurologist!!
so so so happy to know you're okay!!!
Not sure if anyone has mentioned, but the Riley Sagar you mentioned being interested in is out already (at least in the US)! I saw you mention it as an upcoming release and went "didn't I just see that in a bookstore yesterday?"
Sorry you've been having health problems lately. I totally get not wanting to take breaks, but I think we're all very supportive of you taking the time you need, whenever you need it. Take care❤
Happy to see you’re back! 🥰
“I’m a little bit bitter!” I would be too!
Always a joy to watch. Added a few books to my list, as always. And definitely going to head to Katie Marie's channel.
So happy to see you back and healthy!! To answer your question about favorite books so far this year, it would have to be both The book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (my fav fiction) and the crane wife by CJ Hauser (non fiction) thank you as always for the smiles on this windy Sunday!
As for the sci-fi recs, I think you might enjoy reading Bewilderment by Richard Powers. It's lit-fic sci-fi. The writing and plot are beautiful and inspiring. It is a sad book, but it also deals with themes such as Climate change and environmental pollution, mental illnesses, grief, loss, and the complexities of human life.
The Wayfarers covers section is SO RELATABLE. I hate hate hate the 'galaxy' covers, those make Wayfarers look like some kind of YA super realistic 'hard hitting' series. I'm not bashing the genre, but it's not at all what the Wayfarers is.
Glad to see you come back and be so radiant. Loved hearing your half of the year wrap up. My reading year is also very dominated by mediocre books sadly. So, here‘s to hoping the second half will have better reads! 😩✊🏻
Adding Bug Boys to my TBR! I love reading books in the middle grade category, and I've been trying to read more graphic novels lately.
I really should check out more books written by autistic authors, but I kinda have the opposite reaction to you. I've known I'm autistic for about 6 years now, and I've had a great time connecting with other autistic people and learning more about myself, but I get very nervous and uncomfortable when I try to read most books about autism or autistic characters 😅
choo choo the bus is coming!! also my favourite book of this year was The Boy With A Bird in his Chest ✨ a magical realism trans allegory!!
I’m totally binge watching your videos. I’m having a difficult day and now I have a terrible headache and a fever. Thank you for the videos, you’re very entertaining. I totally wish we could be friends. I’m 22 so you’re my older sister now:)
I loved strong female character!!!I think you will too. Do you have a video on your favorite books on the spectrum?
not yet! maybe someday soon :-)
@@allisonpaigesI would love it whenever you do! hope you’re well 😊
ALSO totally justified in buying the American covers for the wayfarer series. it’s SO good and deserves a good cover!!
I love Fern! She was so much fun to watch on Taskmaster season 14. I've had her audiobook on hold at the library (she narrates it and omg her accent is so good) so I can't wait!!
AAHH so glad you’ve found a doctor that validated your experience. They may have just saved your life; incredibly rare and precious 🌸
I’ve read 72 books so far this year (as of today) but my favorite by far was a book I read in January: Raybearer. YA African fantasy, incredibly diverse, with aroace rep and discussions on mother-daughter relationships. Incredible. My official fav book of all time 💕
OMG! OMG! The wizard’s guide to defensive baking is a cozy fantasy. I re-read all the time when I just need realistic Happy ending. Which is not something you say about a fantasy. Recommend, recommend!
Sci-Fi Recs: Self-Portrait with Nothing by Aimee Pokwatka (includes the exploration of mother/daughter relationships) and Drunk On All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson
I missed you last week! Also have been having horrific migraine days 💜 I’m so happy you finally found a doctor who can help 🫶 took me 5 years to find mine so I know the struggle. Love to all my fellow migraine sufferers 💜
As awful as it is to get so sick, I’m glad it resulted in you finding a good doctor as well as getting answers! That made a huge difference in my coping with my health issues. I hope you will find a great treatment plan! Missed you last week😊.
my favourite read this year has been Lonely Castle in the Mirror, recommended by you!! I highly recommend Thieves by Lucie Bryon, a graphic novel about queer love & stealing.
I just finished reading “The Cassandra Complex” by Holly Smale (i think it has a different title other places) and it’s by far my favourite read this year…maybe top tier of all time…wow. The protagonist is neurodivergent and it was so sweet, beautiful and funny. Such a quick and uplifting read, it was just what I needed and I cried happy tears 🤍🤍
I’m so sorry you had a health scare but so happy to hear someone believed you and listened to you, as a chronically ill person I totally get how rare that is. Sending love to you, thanks for sharing your health struggles, it makes me feel less alone.
I appreciate you, thank you for making content.
So happy you’re moving in the right direction with your health journey! Love the recommendation to Katie too, that was so kind and I subscribed! ❤
I was audibly gasping when you said you didn't like those Wayfarers covers and preferred the US ones... could not disagree more. But hey, I am glad you found ones you prefer and it made you more motivated to read my favourite series
oh my god Garlic and the Vampire seems like the most adorable and sweetest premise in the world ??? checking it out immediately 😭
I’m not even a minute into the video but I just wanted to say that I’m so happy you finally had a good doctor experience!! It makes such a huge difference 💖
So happy to hear you've found a doctor who is actually listening to you! My favourite book of the year so far is Chlorine by Jade Song. It's got body horror, queen longing, mermaids. Amazing read.
I listened to the audiobook of Bandit Queens after hearing your recommendation! It was so so good!