I'm saying this with complete humility and awe: when (not if) I become a mom, I would want to be exactly like you. I love crocheting, reading, baking and just being around kids. You manage to embroider and read so much and be around your girls too. I aspire to be you and create this life too. (I seem to be falling behind in my single life, but with my kids, I'm going to read and enjoy the time). Sorry to be off topic, but I thoroughly enjoy your weekly videos taking note of all the interesting books that match my reading tastes :)
Thank you so much! This is the nicest comment 🥰 I have a hard time sitting still and always want to be doing something. Shortly after my 1st daughter was born I was feeling pretty depressed and decided that I needed to make a plan of what kind of person I wanted to become. That was when I picked up reading (for fun) for the first time since high school. I started adding in some volunteer work and creative projects as well!
Fun video today! Not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous when I saw that you were picking up three books that I enjoyed because I know inevitably that you won’t enjoy at least one of them. I liked hearing your thoughts on Why Fathers Cry At Night. I loved the recipes interspersed throughout and appreciated the musings on masculinity, marriage, and fatherhood. I felt like because of some of my life experiences I related to certain passages more than others. I will say that Tea Girl is probably my least favorite of Lisa See’s books, but I do think she writes some really well researched historical fiction. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women and The Island of Sea Women were better books though although your feelings about historical fiction and preference for nonfiction will still stand. I don’t know if I agree with your assessment that nonfiction is better. I think often times historical fiction brings something to my attention that I was unaware of and makes me curious enough to research it further. Plus, having a coherent plot can make dense, complex subjects more approachable for a lot of people. Having a character that someone can visualize can also make people more empathetic to a cause or subject. I Who Have Never Known Men was very interesting. I really liked that it doesn’t spoonfeed you an answer. I get how that can be an uncomfortable experience, but I haven’t read too many books that do specifically that. As with most speculative writing, it won’t be for everyone. I think what I liked so much about it was how it triggered me to continue thinking about what could’ve caused these women to have been trapped. Ahh Grady Hendrix. I’ve tried him twice and just do not care for his writing.
I did not plan on reviewing 3 of your recommendations in 1 video but it ended up that way 😅 All of them were really good books so thank you so much for recommending them! Why Fathers Cry At Night was so heartfelt. As with most collections of essays and memories, some were better than others. I sometimes really love historical fiction! This one was really good in that it introduced me to a new time and place and made me really connect with the characters but there were points that felt over the top (not trying to be too spoiler-y but tiger, magic tea tree, only educated person trope, pregnancy, adoption, finding each other, somehow finding a rich guy etc) But it did a great job at making me unable to put it down! I completely agree about how thought provoking I Who Have Never Known Men was. I am going to be stuck thinking about it (maybe against my will) for quite a long time!
I Who Have Never Known Men was my favourite book of 2024. It's odd that I hadn't even thought about how it leaves questions open until I've seen some recent reviews, I guess it's because this is the type of SF I love so it never even occurred to me.
I don't read as much scifi as I do mystery/thriller. I think I had the wrong mindset going into it that left me a little frustrated! But it was still a really good book and worth the read. I just might be stuck thinking about it for far longer than I had planned 😅
I agree that Horrorstör would be a great movie--although I'm a wimp, so I'm not sure I'd watch it! I'm currently reading Hendrix's "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" and so far, so good!
I can just see flickering screens with IKEA type ads scattered throughout the store 😬 I am going to have to try out Witchcraft for Wayward Girls! I didn't know what Hendrix book to try next
I think I left feeling more unsettled than depressed. It was a bit depressing but I don't know if the main character really feels that super deeply throughout the book
I'm saying this with complete humility and awe: when (not if) I become a mom, I would want to be exactly like you. I love crocheting, reading, baking and just being around kids. You manage to embroider and read so much and be around your girls too. I aspire to be you and create this life too. (I seem to be falling behind in my single life, but with my kids, I'm going to read and enjoy the time). Sorry to be off topic, but I thoroughly enjoy your weekly videos taking note of all the interesting books that match my reading tastes :)
Thank you so much! This is the nicest comment 🥰 I have a hard time sitting still and always want to be doing something. Shortly after my 1st daughter was born I was feeling pretty depressed and decided that I needed to make a plan of what kind of person I wanted to become. That was when I picked up reading (for fun) for the first time since high school. I started adding in some volunteer work and creative projects as well!
Fun video today! Not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous when I saw that you were picking up three books that I enjoyed because I know inevitably that you won’t enjoy at least one of them.
I liked hearing your thoughts on Why Fathers Cry At Night. I loved the recipes interspersed throughout and appreciated the musings on masculinity, marriage, and fatherhood. I felt like because of some of my life experiences I related to certain passages more than others.
I will say that Tea Girl is probably my least favorite of Lisa See’s books, but I do think she writes some really well researched historical fiction. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women and The Island of Sea Women were better books though although your feelings about historical fiction and preference for nonfiction will still stand.
I don’t know if I agree with your assessment that nonfiction is better. I think often times historical fiction brings something to my attention that I was unaware of and makes me curious enough to research it further. Plus, having a coherent plot can make dense, complex subjects more approachable for a lot of people. Having a character that someone can visualize can also make people more empathetic to a cause or subject.
I Who Have Never Known Men was very interesting. I really liked that it doesn’t spoonfeed you an answer. I get how that can be an uncomfortable experience, but I haven’t read too many books that do specifically that. As with most speculative writing, it won’t be for everyone. I think what I liked so much about it was how it triggered me to continue thinking about what could’ve caused these women to have been trapped.
Ahh Grady Hendrix. I’ve tried him twice and just do not care for his writing.
I did not plan on reviewing 3 of your recommendations in 1 video but it ended up that way 😅 All of them were really good books so thank you so much for recommending them!
Why Fathers Cry At Night was so heartfelt. As with most collections of essays and memories, some were better than others.
I sometimes really love historical fiction! This one was really good in that it introduced me to a new time and place and made me really connect with the characters but there were points that felt over the top (not trying to be too spoiler-y but tiger, magic tea tree, only educated person trope, pregnancy, adoption, finding each other, somehow finding a rich guy etc) But it did a great job at making me unable to put it down!
I completely agree about how thought provoking I Who Have Never Known Men was. I am going to be stuck thinking about it (maybe against my will) for quite a long time!
Glad you got around to I Who Have Never Known Men! I described it more as an exercise in existential dread than a story 😅 but I enjoyed it anyway!
"An exercise in existential dread" is the perfect way to sum it up 😅
Completely agree about histfic. I want facts! Real life! 😂 😅
There are some historical fiction books that I love but sometimes I think the real stories are way better than fiction could be!
I Who Have Never Known Men was my favourite book of 2024. It's odd that I hadn't even thought about how it leaves questions open until I've seen some recent reviews, I guess it's because this is the type of SF I love so it never even occurred to me.
I don't read as much scifi as I do mystery/thriller. I think I had the wrong mindset going into it that left me a little frustrated! But it was still a really good book and worth the read. I just might be stuck thinking about it for far longer than I had planned 😅
I agree that Horrorstör would be a great movie--although I'm a wimp, so I'm not sure I'd watch it! I'm currently reading Hendrix's "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" and so far, so good!
I can just see flickering screens with IKEA type ads scattered throughout the store 😬 I am going to have to try out Witchcraft for Wayward Girls! I didn't know what Hendrix book to try next
I'm hoping to read I who have never known men soon but worry it's going to be too depressing.
I think I left feeling more unsettled than depressed. It was a bit depressing but I don't know if the main character really feels that super deeply throughout the book