"Read for you. Not for your followers." That's a good one. I always like to see booktubers read outside the box, books many people would never hear about.
I love reading lesser known & underrated books. I purposely seek new to me authors. Do I like some popular books? Yeah. But they're not always for me. So,I skip them if they don't peek my interest.
yeah... that same stack of books in everyone's wrap-up and recommendations is what's tired me out the most and made it very hard to continue watching/following some people. I blame all my grievances when it comes to the book community on TikTok lol One thing I would like to change about the book community is the algorithm that's pushing content creators who integrate lifestyle content and book content. Watching them makes me feel like I'm watching a long ad with things I don't want or cannot afford. Lately, it's been all about aesthetics and not much about the books anymore. 😕
@@lusalma5404 right, there’s going to be an interesting shift as booktokers come to booktube and bookstagram. 😂 maybe they will use Snapchat more 🤷🏽♀️
Mmm....what would I change? 1. Remove the scammers/bots 2. Remove gatekeeping/brown-nosing certain genres Simple and straight to the point. Great changes ahead
While I do love the look of special editions, I just feel that there are so many of them now that they don't really qualify as "special". The only special edition I own is the 10 year anniversary edition of Song of Achilles. Thats what I think a special edition is, getting a fancy version of a book you love. But spending $50+ on a book you've never read or maybe even heard of just cause its pretty....couldn't be me.
I agree. I get two book boxes but often think does every new release really need a special edition version? Especially when many end up not being fantastic reads? I have a few I cherish because the stories mean something to me and I bought them after already reading and falling in love with the story. I keep the boxes for now to try and read different books but one in particular has started to feel like the same tone over and over so that will prbly get cut soon. I do appreciate all the art though. I feel like they are works of art when done right.
I think it's cool you talk about reading children's and middle grade. I've even picked some up. There's a lot to gain from reading widely. A lot I've picked up are very empowering
I've called myself a "selfish reader" on my channel before because I tend to read what I want, when I want. You'll never see me reading all the GR nominees or whatever the most hyped book is, unless I want to read it...and even then it might take me a year or two after its hyped to actually get to it! lol, but I've been that way during my whole time on UA-cam, so I'd like to think that those who chose to follow me, do so because they like the fact they get to see books that are less spoken of :)
I used to really come up with big month appropriate TBRs for you all history months, but I "celebrate" now by amplifying other voices. The months now are a time for me to take informal inventory on what I've read in the last few months and keeping it diverse year 'round. If I can only answer in February which Black authors I'm reading, then something is messed up. If I only have Pride in June, something is messed up. I'm keeping it vibrant all the time. I'm asking myself all the time what I haven't read in a while. I'm not claiming perfection, but my "read shelf" never embarrasses me.
What a great idea. I want to incorporate this more as well. Do you have any tips for what to keep track of and how to keep track of it? Where do you find information on the author for example?
@@amara560 I wish I had really cool tips. I use Goodreads and Storygraph to keep track of what I read. Storygraph gives better stats, and when you look at genres you've read will break it down a little on LGBTQIA+ or feminism or race. It's not a surefire thing, but it's there. But seeing all the books listed, stats aside, gives me a feel for what I'm reading and what I haven't read for a while. It's not a serious thing, just something I take a mental note of I think the main thing is to follow diverse creators and authors, and people who generally read and recommend diversely, and pursue the titles that sound interesting. For the most part it sorts itself out on it's own, and then every once in a while you see if there's an area of interest you've neglected. I get a lot of info about who an author is from the creators I follow, and I kinda follow scandals that are often relevant. If I'm just finding my business and hear about a book, I will probably Google or check out an author's socials. If the cover indicates some kinda racial diversity, I still like to see an author photo, or maybe research. It's rarely that complicated, though. When it comes to LGBTQIA+ books, sometimes the answers aren't there. Most authors are pretty open about their identities, and some aren't -- and they shouldn't have to be, A couple years ago Ashley (Bookish Realm) talked about diversity and mentioned translated works and that opened a new area to think about. It's not a strong area for me, even now, but I try to read a couple a year. This year I've read an Icelandic author and a couple Japanese authors. Last year, all I can recall off hand is an Argentinian author. I think the most important thing is to have fun. It's not work. It's reading great stories from different perspectives. I still read my favorite genres. I still decide some authors aren't for me while finding new favorite authors. If you're reading to fulfill quotas and now happy, what's the point? I read a lot of horror, and I truly think the best horror is diverse. A different perspective on fear and vulnerability and dangers it's easy not to notice the more privileged you are. And I think it holds with a lot of genres, even if the book is just ... happy. Different perspectives keep things fresh. Oh, diverse reading challenged. Storygraph has them and the prompts are great and you'll see tons of recs and prompts. I hope this helped?
I just enjoy sharing my thoughts about what I read. My channel is just a hobby, and my shelves show what kind of reader I am. However, I'm open to giving new genres a chance. 🙂❤📚
I love me some backlist books!!! I’ve also accepted that I will never be a big time creator bc I want to read what I want to read. Life is too short, I’m not suffering through shite books just to get views.
the amount of special editions that come out for some books makes them not so special… and with the saturation it seems like they’ve gone down in quality as well
Sadly, sometimes it seems we're all still in the teen popularity trap and everyone is jumping on the same reads bus so they're part of that social circle. A world of views and likes is like a world of queen bees and wannabes. Nobody wants to feel left out so they read and talk about the same things. I honestly think some people are forcing themselves to like certain genres and books just to be part of the hype trains.
I admit, I tend to buy digital books so I don't care about the special editions (space is a big issue) and am fortunate that my main followed authors are not doing special editions that have exclusive content. I think you don't need to recommend diversely because you DO recommend a variety of things and when you are enthusiastic it will spark interest. I am pretty sure I picked up a couple things because you loved them.
I want to second the "wild things on BT" video idea. I've been watching on and off for about 10 years and yep, seen it all. But I would also be interested on your take when it was the "best." For me, that was at the very beginning just finding a whole community of readers and all these new books to read was exciting, as I imagine entering all new communities are, but I haven't thought back on to other times. :)
6:01 - and I would love that! Hope it's on your radar as that would be really fun! It would also tie in with the video you made about diversity in books existed before 2020 💜📚
Love you, friend. Love your videos, as always. This one hit me hard. I've been here for awhile as a viewer, as you know. I've seen all of these in action and I gotta admit, I've experienced serious burnout the last few years. The same content over and over. Feeling like I can't relate to it anymore and pulling away. Falling into a slump that I couldn't find my way out of. It wasn't until I broke away, took a LONG breath and discovered my voice/heart as a reader again, did I wanna come back. Now I'm much more selective/protective & I no longer care about the general opinion. Do you, because your content has always been some of the most genuine, diverse and interesting content out there. Plus, that intro *chef's kiss* lol
One issue I see a lot of people complaining about is seeing the same books and same viewpoints. There's a great deal of diversity on Booktube, but people get into their own circle and start seeing the same things over and over. We can do a lot about that by seeking people outside out bubble to follow. I follow a great range of booktubers--but my "entry" into booktube was with a circle of older readers who love pulpy, trashy fiction. I follow some genre readers (mostly fantasy, but also horror and a little SF), some literary readers, some who focus on Black or Queer authors, some folks in or just out of college, folks in several countries, and a few of the folks who talk about the "popular" and booktok stuff.
I want to read more indie books but i don't have a lot of money to spend on books so i rely on my library. It's sometimes harder to find them at the library. I do use my role at library to suggest indie books whenever possible. Also love hearing about picture books and graphic novels from you!
This was very cool. I would like a video of the craziest things you’ve seen. I was just thinking within the last two weeks how I miss you. I used to be a Paton, but had to cancel subscriptions due to finances. Your videos and sprints bring me comfort.
This was an interesting video. I'm relatively new to your channel but have really enjoyed your thoughts on interesting topics. With the special edition trend there is something I have noticed in the last few months (here in the UK). Book prices have gone up so much that special editions are actually often on a couple of £'s more expensive, which makes it easier to justify in a budget when the cost is not as chasm like as it once was.
I miss reading and reviews without excessive knowledge of the author. Also, people having genuine opinions without being self-conscious of what other people think of the author/book.
Beanie Babies! I was a bookseller for about 30 years. Buy what you want because it makes you happy, but don't buy for that 'resell' value. It won't be there. It just won't. How do I know? Because I'm old, LOL⠀🤣🥰Just trust me.
I need to find more creators that read horror books by authors of color and/or queer authors. It's a shame you have to look pretty hard to find that in the book community :/. Been considering filling the niche myself, but that takes effort lmao. Finding the books is easy, it's finding the energy to make videos that's hard, especially since I'm trans and don't pass, so I don't want to appear on camera.
Review bombing is so tragic. Idk who thinks its okay behavior. Repetitive drama keeps popping up. Reading is supposed to be fun. Not cruel. Not racist. Not drama. I think reading what genres bring you joy in the format that brings joy is what matters. Of course people can have preferences. But trying to tell others their choices are wrong despite reading being subjective is kinda ugly behavior. As for multiple special editions of the same book, they don't seem that special. I haven't read a lot of books because theres always more so backlists are beautiful. I love seeking out new to me authors. I find new favorites. Books & authors.
Remove gatekeeping, group thinking, etc. Also, please less of the same books over and over, expensive book hauls that they never read and less influencer vacations... just feels unsafe/awkward/parasocial/predatory costs. At some point, 70% of the videos feel the same and I bored and stop watching for months at a time until something pops up.
Call me harsh... but there needs to be like a major booktokker/booktuber CULLING I feel. Whilst it's great there are this many enthusiastic readers nowadays, not everyone needs to be online talking about it. There's a total oversaturation of these channels...which is why we are literally seeing the same recommendations/videos OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. Only the OG's, the biggest, the best, the most diverse, original, genre specific/expert users should be spared (this includes Bookish Realm of course). Get rid of all the basic-ass parrots.
"Read for you. Not for your followers." That's a good one. I always like to see booktubers read outside the box, books many people would never hear about.
I love reading lesser known & underrated books.
I purposely seek new to me authors.
Do I like some popular books? Yeah.
But they're not always for me.
So,I skip them if they don't peek my interest.
yeah... that same stack of books in everyone's wrap-up and recommendations is what's tired me out the most and made it very hard to continue watching/following some people. I blame all my grievances when it comes to the book community on TikTok lol
One thing I would like to change about the book community is the algorithm that's pushing content creators who integrate lifestyle content and book content. Watching them makes me feel like I'm watching a long ad with things I don't want or cannot afford. Lately, it's been all about aesthetics and not much about the books anymore. 😕
It will be interesting if tiktok is banned in the US :)
@@lusalma5404 right, there’s going to be an interesting shift as booktokers come to booktube and bookstagram. 😂 maybe they will use Snapchat more 🤷🏽♀️
I love your children's and middle- grade content! I feel those books aren't celebrated enough❤
Mmm....what would I change?
1. Remove the scammers/bots
2. Remove gatekeeping/brown-nosing certain genres
Simple and straight to the point. Great changes ahead
Yes.
While I do love the look of special editions, I just feel that there are so many of them now that they don't really qualify as "special". The only special edition I own is the 10 year anniversary edition of Song of Achilles. Thats what I think a special edition is, getting a fancy version of a book you love. But spending $50+ on a book you've never read or maybe even heard of just cause its pretty....couldn't be me.
I agree. I get two book boxes but often think does every new release really need a special edition version? Especially when many end up not being fantastic reads? I have a few I cherish because the stories mean something to me and I bought them after already reading and falling in love with the story. I keep the boxes for now to try and read different books but one in particular has started to feel like the same tone over and over so that will prbly get cut soon. I do appreciate all the art though. I feel like they are works of art when done right.
I think it's cool you talk about reading children's and middle grade. I've even picked some up. There's a lot to gain from reading widely. A lot I've picked up are very empowering
I've heard someone refer to reading childrens and middle grade books as feeding your inner child and I like that.
I've called myself a "selfish reader" on my channel before because I tend to read what I want, when I want. You'll never see me reading all the GR nominees or whatever the most hyped book is, unless I want to read it...and even then it might take me a year or two after its hyped to actually get to it! lol, but I've been that way during my whole time on UA-cam, so I'd like to think that those who chose to follow me, do so because they like the fact they get to see books that are less spoken of :)
I used to really come up with big month appropriate TBRs for you all history months, but I "celebrate" now by amplifying other voices. The months now are a time for me to take informal inventory on what I've read in the last few months and keeping it diverse year 'round. If I can only answer in February which Black authors I'm reading, then something is messed up. If I only have Pride in June, something is messed up. I'm keeping it vibrant all the time. I'm asking myself all the time what I haven't read in a while. I'm not claiming perfection, but my "read shelf" never embarrasses me.
What a great idea. I want to incorporate this more as well. Do you have any tips for what to keep track of and how to keep track of it? Where do you find information on the author for example?
@@amara560 I wish I had really cool tips. I use Goodreads and Storygraph to keep track of what I read. Storygraph gives better stats, and when you look at genres you've read will break it down a little on LGBTQIA+ or feminism or race. It's not a surefire thing, but it's there.
But seeing all the books listed, stats aside, gives me a feel for what I'm reading and what I haven't read for a while. It's not a serious thing, just something I take a mental note of
I think the main thing is to follow diverse creators and authors, and people who generally read and recommend diversely, and pursue the titles that sound interesting. For the most part it sorts itself out on it's own, and then every once in a while you see if there's an area of interest you've neglected.
I get a lot of info about who an author is from the creators I follow, and I kinda follow scandals that are often relevant. If I'm just finding my business and hear about a book, I will probably Google or check out an author's socials. If the cover indicates some kinda racial diversity, I still like to see an author photo, or maybe research. It's rarely that complicated, though.
When it comes to LGBTQIA+ books, sometimes the answers aren't there. Most authors are pretty open about their identities, and some aren't -- and they shouldn't have to be,
A couple years ago Ashley (Bookish Realm) talked about diversity and mentioned translated works and that opened a new area to think about. It's not a strong area for me, even now, but I try to read a couple a year. This year I've read an Icelandic author and a couple Japanese authors. Last year, all I can recall off hand is an Argentinian author.
I think the most important thing is to have fun. It's not work. It's reading great stories from different perspectives. I still read my favorite genres. I still decide some authors aren't for me while finding new favorite authors. If you're reading to fulfill quotas and now happy, what's the point?
I read a lot of horror, and I truly think the best horror is diverse. A different perspective on fear and vulnerability and dangers it's easy not to notice the more privileged you are. And I think it holds with a lot of genres, even if the book is just ... happy. Different perspectives keep things fresh.
Oh, diverse reading challenged. Storygraph has them and the prompts are great and you'll see tons of recs and prompts.
I hope this helped?
I want to read books I've never heard of. Books that don't follow the trends of romantasy and enemies to lovers. Until then I'm writing them myself.
I noticed booktubers who complain that Book of the Month is not diverse enough and then they only choose the white author books.
I just enjoy sharing my thoughts about what I read. My channel is just a hobby, and my shelves show what kind of reader I am. However, I'm open to giving new genres a chance. 🙂❤📚
I read middle grade/preteen books and I love filming reading vlogs of it in my channel. Yes, it makes me glad! 😁
I love me some backlist books!!! I’ve also accepted that I will never be a big time creator bc I want to read what I want to read. Life is too short, I’m not suffering through shite books just to get views.
Great discussion as always! I think reading for yourself is so key-in whatever way that looks like.
the amount of special editions that come out for some books makes them not so special… and with the saturation it seems like they’ve gone down in quality as well
Sadly, sometimes it seems we're all still in the teen popularity trap and everyone is jumping on the same reads bus so they're part of that social circle. A world of views and likes is like a world of queen bees and wannabes. Nobody wants to feel left out so they read and talk about the same things. I honestly think some people are forcing themselves to like certain genres and books just to be part of the hype trains.
I admit, I tend to buy digital books so I don't care about the special editions (space is a big issue) and am fortunate that my main followed authors are not doing special editions that have exclusive content. I think you don't need to recommend diversely because you DO recommend a variety of things and when you are enthusiastic it will spark interest. I am pretty sure I picked up a couple things because you loved them.
I want to second the "wild things on BT" video idea. I've been watching on and off for about 10 years and yep, seen it all. But I would also be interested on your take when it was the "best." For me, that was at the very beginning just finding a whole community of readers and all these new books to read was exciting, as I imagine entering all new communities are, but I haven't thought back on to other times. :)
I’m sending you love❤
I love your middle grade book content!
6:01 - and I would love that! Hope it's on your radar as that would be really fun!
It would also tie in with the video you made about diversity in books existed before 2020 💜📚
Thank you for making this video! I highly agree with everything that you stated here.😊
I love how mature and thought provoking your videos are!
This was great! Would love a part 2, if you feel like making it :)
Love you, friend. Love your videos, as always. This one hit me hard. I've been here for awhile as a viewer, as you know. I've seen all of these in action and I gotta admit, I've experienced serious burnout the last few years. The same content over and over. Feeling like I can't relate to it anymore and pulling away. Falling into a slump that I couldn't find my way out of. It wasn't until I broke away, took a LONG breath and discovered my voice/heart as a reader again, did I wanna come back. Now I'm much more selective/protective & I no longer care about the general opinion. Do you, because your content has always been some of the most genuine, diverse and interesting content out there. Plus, that intro *chef's kiss* lol
One issue I see a lot of people complaining about is seeing the same books and same viewpoints. There's a great deal of diversity on Booktube, but people get into their own circle and start seeing the same things over and over. We can do a lot about that by seeking people outside out bubble to follow.
I follow a great range of booktubers--but my "entry" into booktube was with a circle of older readers who love pulpy, trashy fiction. I follow some genre readers (mostly fantasy, but also horror and a little SF), some literary readers, some who focus on Black or Queer authors, some folks in or just out of college, folks in several countries, and a few of the folks who talk about the "popular" and booktok stuff.
I want to read more indie books but i don't have a lot of money to spend on books so i rely on my library. It's sometimes harder to find them at the library. I do use my role at library to suggest indie books whenever possible.
Also love hearing about picture books and graphic novels from you!
This was very cool. I would like a video of the craziest things you’ve seen. I was just thinking within the last two weeks how I miss you. I used to be a Paton, but had to cancel subscriptions due to finances. Your videos and sprints bring me comfort.
This was an interesting video. I'm relatively new to your channel but have really enjoyed your thoughts on interesting topics. With the special edition trend there is something I have noticed in the last few months (here in the UK). Book prices have gone up so much that special editions are actually often on a couple of £'s more expensive, which makes it easier to justify in a budget when the cost is not as chasm like as it once was.
Thank you for the video
Excited for this
I miss reading and reviews without excessive knowledge of the author. Also, people having genuine opinions without being self-conscious of what other people think of the author/book.
This was fun.
Beanie Babies! I was a bookseller for about 30 years. Buy what you want because it makes you happy, but don't buy for that 'resell' value. It won't be there. It just won't. How do I know? Because I'm old, LOL⠀🤣🥰Just trust me.
💜💜
I need to find more creators that read horror books by authors of color and/or queer authors. It's a shame you have to look pretty hard to find that in the book community :/.
Been considering filling the niche myself, but that takes effort lmao. Finding the books is easy, it's finding the energy to make videos that's hard, especially since I'm trans and don't pass, so I don't want to appear on camera.
Review bombing is so tragic. Idk who thinks its okay behavior.
Repetitive drama keeps popping up.
Reading is supposed to be fun.
Not cruel. Not racist. Not drama.
I think reading what genres bring you joy in the format that brings joy is what matters. Of course people can have preferences. But trying to tell others their choices are wrong despite reading being subjective is kinda ugly behavior.
As for multiple special editions of the same book, they don't seem that special.
I haven't read a lot of books because theres always more so backlists are beautiful.
I love seeking out new to me authors. I find new favorites.
Books & authors.
Remove gatekeeping, group thinking, etc. Also, please less of the same books over and over, expensive book hauls that they never read and less influencer vacations... just feels unsafe/awkward/parasocial/predatory costs.
At some point, 70% of the videos feel the same and I bored and stop watching for months at a time until something pops up.
Call me harsh... but there needs to be like a major booktokker/booktuber CULLING I feel. Whilst it's great there are this many enthusiastic readers nowadays, not everyone needs to be online talking about it. There's a total oversaturation of these channels...which is why we are literally seeing the same recommendations/videos OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. Only the OG's, the biggest, the best, the most diverse, original, genre specific/expert users should be spared (this includes Bookish Realm of course). Get rid of all the basic-ass parrots.