Mrs Quinn's rise to Fame was a bittersweet story for me. I listened on audibles and found it an engaging story with enough humor and sweetness to balance it out. I found Do Tell on a clearance rack at a used bookstore so I snapped it right up on your recommendation. I need to sneak it in soon! My book collection is still in an upheaval but now the walls are painted and the bookshelves have been put together so I hope to make much progress this weekend with the help of my daughter. I will not allow myself to procrastinate based on how to organize the books! I am simply going to separate fiction and nonfiction for now!!! Thanks for being here. I can tell by your comment section that I am not the only one who get so much joy from stopping by and spending time with you you. On top of that you share your loves Joel and Teddy. Priceless.
I just finished the audio version of Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame. It was one of my top 5 this year. If every "cinnamon bun" book was this good, we'd have cinnamon buns every day. So glad to hear such great words about a book that so many blew off as fluff. Love your channel and your thoughtful reviews. Have a wonderful 2025!
I love cinnamon bun books! I need them in between the heavy ones. I will move it up on my list since you agree with Greg. Always good to have more than one person saying "Yes. This one "
The only two I have read are Small Joys and The Most. Loved them both! Have added Amongst Women and Montana 1948 to my TBR! Have a Happy New Year and hope Teddy feels better. ✨📚🐾
So glad to see you finally read “Montana, 1948” and appreciated this book. Because it is so good, this East Coast reader recommended it in a comment a couple of years ago. It’s sad that it isn’t more widely known. It definitely could definitely be adapted as a film.
I love you because of everything with books but also because that is exactly how I count years!!!!! You are so incredibly kind and honest, but also so ethical. The way you feel at pains to explain that you aren't recommending a book because you got a copy or make sure everyone knows when you're discussing a book but haven't read it. I don't know if this is because you've been burned in the past or because you are just so extremely aware of being ethical but it's adorable!!! I asked my daughter for a book for Christmas. She ordered it and it was porch pirated from her house. She ordered another one and said "If this gets stolen, we'll know it's not meant to be!" But it didn't. But my deepest wish right now is to have been able to see the Porch Pirates face when they opened the package and saw "Murder Most Queer: The Homicidal Homosexual in the American Theatre" !!! 🤣🤣🤣 Happy HanuKwanzMas to you and yours!!!!
More books to add to my long-term tbr; thank you! The book I'm reading right now is one I haven't heard anyone talking about, probably because it's a book of essays and also because it was published in 2017 (maybe I missed the raves): Every Word is a Bird We Teach To Sing by Daniel Tammet. These are essays on language and language experience, and I'm finding them thoughtful and humorous. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to the new year!
Hey everybody - for cinnamon bun goodness you can’t go wrong with “The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle” by Matt Cain (as recommended previously by Greg.) I’m listening to it on audio and taking my time with it because I don’t want it to end. 😊
Poor Teddy, hope he’s feeling better soon! I read Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame based on your recommendation and I really enjoyed it! Another book I finished recently based on your recommendation was “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together”. I loved it so much I gifted a copy to my brother and his boyfriend for Christmas. They had never heard of it and they’re pretty avid readers which makes me think not enough people are talking about the book.
I absolutely love old Hollywood and books about the studio system, so thank you! Also, I loved SMALL JOYS! All these books sound great, and I have added them to my TBR. 👍
Thank you for your wonderful videos! I've been wanting to read Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame ever since you and Joel first recommended it, but it still has over 100 holds at my library. But I also want to recommend a book that I read this year and that I don't think got enough interest. It is Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. On the surface, it is a weird story about a man who has a genetic mutation and is gradually turning into a great white shark. But it is actually an incredibly moving love story, centering around the love between husband and wife, mothers and daughters and found family. This was one of my favorite books of 2024 and I hope more readers discover it in 2025. Happy New Year!
I’m going to go ahead and join in the praises of Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame. It’s an absolutely charming story with just enough heartfelt drama to make it more than just fluff. I haven’t settled on my top ten list for the year but this one will definitely make the list.
Great video, thank you and well done and now the final push I will try out “the Way of Kings next year and hopefully thank you again at the end off the year for your contribution to that.
I have limited tolerance for angst due to my own anxiety levels. I can deal with some, but it needs to be not heartwrenching, if you know what I mean. How angsty would you say Small Joy is? It sounds wonderful.
Hi Greg I bought Do Tell and read it in Portugal when I was on holiday in September. Fab recommendation Greg thank you. Do you have any similar recommendations? I also read Small Joys. Another great book.
I gave 30 books 5 stars in 2024. I’m trying to decide on my list of my best books of the year. The books from that list I’d like to see get more readers are Service by Sarah Gilmartin Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Haworth How To Build A Boat by Elaine Feeney The Caretaker by Ron Rash Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly Fayne by AnnMarie MacDonald The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes The Coast Road by Alan Murrin Clear by Carys Davies Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst Highway Thirteen by Fiona McFarlane ☘️👋🍀📖📕☕️📚
Five stars for sure with "The Coast Road," "Clear" and "Fayne." I'm hoping to get to some of the others in 2025. Also, thanks for alerting me to a couple of titles I've never noticed before, i.e. "Sunburn" and "Service."
Absolutely loved Montana, 1948 and The Most. I can highly recommend Blizzard by Marie Vingtras and translated by Jeffrey Zuckerman. Short and very powerful. I loved it. I have others, but I don’t want to give away my whole best of list yet.
Novels deserving of love in 2024 include The Spoiled Heart by Sunjeev Sahota (British politics), Last Acts by Alexander Sammartino (father/adult son relationship in AZ) and Half-Life of a Stolen Sister by Rachel Cantor (meta-bio-novel of the Bronte family (2023). Thanks for your heartfelt concern about quality books.
read bear by julia phillips is my number 1 of the year. no one talks about it. takes place on san jaun island washington. a working class single mother and 2 sisters struggle to make ends meet. one day, they see a bear. you cannot know more.
Mrs Quinn's rise to Fame was a bittersweet story for me. I listened on audibles and found it an engaging story with enough humor and sweetness to balance it out. I found Do Tell on a clearance rack at a used bookstore so I snapped it right up on your recommendation. I need to sneak it in soon! My book collection is still in an upheaval but now the walls are painted and the bookshelves have been put together so I hope to make much progress this weekend with the help of my daughter. I will not allow myself to procrastinate based on how to organize the books! I am simply going to separate fiction and nonfiction for now!!! Thanks for being here. I can tell by your comment section that I am not the only one who get so much joy from stopping by and spending time with you you. On top of that you share your loves Joel and Teddy. Priceless.
I just finished the audio version of Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame. It was one of my top 5 this year. If every "cinnamon bun" book was this good, we'd have cinnamon buns every day. So glad to hear such great words about a book that so many blew off as fluff. Love your channel and your thoughtful reviews. Have a wonderful 2025!
Thank you so much! Happy 2025! I’m glad you enjoyed Mrs. Quinn as much as we did.
I enjoyed it
I love cinnamon bun books! I need them in between the heavy ones. I will move it up on my list since you agree with Greg. Always good to have more than one person saying "Yes. This one "
Added several to my library hold list. The Most sounds intriguing
The only two I have read are Small Joys and The Most. Loved them both! Have added Amongst Women and Montana 1948 to my TBR! Have a Happy New Year and hope Teddy feels better. ✨📚🐾
So glad to see you finally read “Montana, 1948” and appreciated this book. Because it is so good, this East Coast reader recommended it in a comment a couple of years ago. It’s sad that it isn’t more widely known. It definitely could definitely be adapted as a film.
Thank you! I read a ton.. 249 books this year, and these are books I never heard of! I'm thrilled! I want to read Mrs. Quinn's Rise To Fame!
I love you because of everything with books but also because that is exactly how I count years!!!!!
You are so incredibly kind and honest, but also so ethical. The way you feel at pains to explain that you aren't recommending a book because you got a copy or make sure everyone knows when you're discussing a book but haven't read it. I don't know if this is because you've been burned in the past or because you are just so extremely aware of being ethical but it's adorable!!!
I asked my daughter for a book for Christmas. She ordered it and it was porch pirated from her house. She ordered another one and said "If this gets stolen, we'll know it's not meant to be!" But it didn't. But my deepest wish right now is to have been able to see the Porch Pirates face when they opened the package and saw "Murder Most Queer: The Homicidal Homosexual in the American Theatre" !!!
🤣🤣🤣 Happy HanuKwanzMas to you and yours!!!!
More books to add to my long-term tbr; thank you! The book I'm reading right now is one I haven't heard anyone talking about, probably because it's a book of essays and also because it was published in 2017 (maybe I missed the raves): Every Word is a Bird We Teach To Sing by Daniel Tammet. These are essays on language and language experience, and I'm finding them thoughtful and humorous. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to the new year!
I thoroughly enjoyed (odd word for the dark material) the madman of freedom square and you may as well.
Thanks for sharing Greg. I’m going for Olivia Ford, I put it away at my library…
Hey everybody - for cinnamon bun goodness you can’t go wrong with “The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle” by Matt Cain (as recommended previously by Greg.) I’m listening to it on audio and taking my time with it because I don’t want it to end. 😊
Ahhhhh, I’m so glad you’re loving it! It’s SUCH a sweet book.
I found entwhistle at my library cheap and it was a great read
Poor Teddy, hope he’s feeling better soon!
I read Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame based on your recommendation and I really enjoyed it! Another book I finished recently based on your recommendation was “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together”. I loved it so much I gifted a copy to my brother and his boyfriend for Christmas. They had never heard of it and they’re pretty avid readers which makes me think not enough people are talking about the book.
I absolutely love old Hollywood and books about the studio system, so thank you! Also, I loved SMALL JOYS! All these books sound great, and I have added them to my TBR. 👍
Thank you for your wonderful videos! I've been wanting to read Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame ever since you and Joel first recommended it, but it still has over 100 holds at my library. But I also want to recommend a book that I read this year and that I don't think got enough interest. It is Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. On the surface, it is a weird story about a man who has a genetic mutation and is gradually turning into a great white shark. But it is actually an incredibly moving love story, centering around the love between husband and wife, mothers and daughters and found family. This was one of my favorite books of 2024 and I hope more readers discover it in 2025. Happy New Year!
I’m going to go ahead and join in the praises of Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame.
It’s an absolutely charming story with just enough heartfelt drama to make it more than just fluff.
I haven’t settled on my top ten list for the year but this one will definitely make the list.
I would love to hear your top ten when you finalize it.
I think I'm going to give this book a try this year. So thank you both for recommendation.
Great video, thank you and well done and now the final push I will try out “the Way of Kings next year and hopefully thank you again at the end off the year for your contribution to that.
I have limited tolerance for angst due to my own anxiety levels. I can deal with some, but it needs to be not heartwrenching, if you know what I mean. How angsty would you say Small Joy is? It sounds wonderful.
Loved The Most too!
lots of great books
I'm glad you think so!
“This Thing Between Us” by Gus Moreno . Quick read but I enjoyed it.
hope Teddy feels better soon
Hi Greg I bought Do Tell and read it in Portugal when I was on holiday in September. Fab recommendation Greg thank you. Do you have any similar recommendations? I also read Small Joys. Another great book.
I gave 30 books 5 stars in 2024. I’m trying to decide on my list of my best books of the year. The books from that list I’d like to see get more readers are
Service by Sarah Gilmartin
Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Haworth
How To Build A Boat by Elaine Feeney
The Caretaker by Ron Rash
Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly
Fayne by AnnMarie MacDonald
The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes
The Coast Road by Alan Murrin
Clear by Carys Davies
Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst
Highway Thirteen by Fiona McFarlane
☘️👋🍀📖📕☕️📚
Five stars for sure with "The Coast Road," "Clear" and "Fayne." I'm hoping to get to some of the others in 2025. Also, thanks for alerting me to a couple of titles I've never noticed before, i.e. "Sunburn" and "Service."
That’s a great list of books!
Absolutely loved Montana, 1948 and The Most.
I can highly recommend Blizzard by Marie Vingtras and translated by Jeffrey Zuckerman. Short and very powerful. I loved it. I have others, but I don’t want to give away my whole best of list yet.
The Betrayal of Thomas True by AJ West: Best Book I read in 2024!
Novels deserving of love in 2024 include The Spoiled Heart by Sunjeev Sahota (British politics), Last Acts by Alexander Sammartino (father/adult son relationship in AZ) and Half-Life of a Stolen Sister by Rachel Cantor (meta-bio-novel of the Bronte family (2023). Thanks for your heartfelt concern about quality books.
read bear by julia phillips is my number 1 of the year. no one talks about it. takes place on san jaun island washington. a working class single mother and 2 sisters struggle to make ends meet. one day, they see a bear. you cannot know more.
Your Over/Under for Book Throws in 2025 has been pegged at 3.5. I'm betting on the Over so start digging into those Updikes.
I was just thinking this morning that I’m going to have to do more Updike at some point. 😂🤣😬