What I Read in August | Reading Wrap Up | 2023
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2023
- What’s this? An almost, ok not really, timely #ReadingWrapUp, what on earth is going on. Hahaha. Join me for a chat about what I read in August. #BookTube #WrapUp
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Channels Mentioned…
@jenvcampbell
@benjaminjournal
@Amerie.
Books Mentioned…
One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun
Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan
My Husband by Maud Ventura
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Oseman
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
The Misadventures of Margaret Finch by Claire McGlasson
The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun
All Yours by Claudia Pineiro
This is Not Miami by Fernanda Melchor
A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo
I Will Greet The Sun Again by Khashayar J. Khabushani
Please Do Not Touch This Exhibit by Jen Campbell
Me Elsewhere…
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Oh, yes. Jen’s poetry collection is stunning. Too beautiful for words. ❤
It’s really hard to encapsulate the emotions that collection has in it. Fabulous.
Can’t wait for my copy of Jen’s poetry collection
It’s a corker. You’ve an emotional treat ahead.
I think "generous" is such a beautiful and fitting word for how I felt about Jen's collection too. I grew up with a complex medical history too, and reading her verbalise her experiences with something similar was very impactful. I felt grateful a lot of the time reading it: grateful for sharing something so intimate in such a brillantly worded way, and grateful that I felt so seen in being able to relate to her. I think she truly did something special with that collection.
I completely and utterly agree, it is a beautiful collection.
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay has grabbed my attention so thank you for that recommendation , Simon.
Hope you enjoy it when you get to it. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
Fun reading, I don't know! What is REALLY fun is watching your videos! No question about it! 😙
Awwww that’s soooooo kind of you. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
I LOVED all yours!
Was really good.
Thanks for your summaries. I certainly will seek out the poetry book.
A pleasure. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
I want to read The House Keepers ..sounds like a fun book! Thanks for the recommendations. I love your honesty when reviewing, something that I don't find to be the norm.I love your sweater vest.😊
Awww thanks, I’ll always say what I think. Speaking of which… sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
Hi Simon, brilliant video as always ☺ I love the Thursday Murder Club series and am going to be starting book 4 very soon! I absolutely loved The Housekeepers and was very lucky to see the author Alex Hay talk about the book and get my copy signed and have a little chat with him. He is so lovely and excited for any new books from him.
Hope you enjoy the fourth Thursday Murder Club when you get to it, if you’ve not already. Lovely to hear Alex is lovely, it always helps. Ha.
I added The Housekeepers, the previous Claire McGlasson book, and The Guest in the House to my list! Thanks for the great recs :)
You're so welcome!
Loved The Husband, really liked Yellowface & am looking forward to reading All Yours.
Hope you enjoy it!
Thoroughly appreciate your reviews 📖🪱💚
Glad you like them!
Jen's newest has been getting plenty of praise- I hope to get my hands on it soon
It deserves all the praise it gets, it’s great.
I LOVED Yellowface and I'm excited for I will Greet The Sun again. It sounds amazing and I bought it recently! ❤
Hope you enjoy it!
I'm so glad you enjoyed Family Lore. I really want to read that one. I have heard nothing but great things about this latest from Jen Campbell, and now I am pretty sure that I need it.
You do. You need it. That’s that. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
OOF yes. the dilemma of the great should with reading more translated work while also having a dedicated month to do so to give attention and care to books we would've missed out on throughout the year! it's a vicious cycle haha
and incredible that you ended on a such a tremendous read. Please Do Not Touch This Exhibit has been on my radar for a bit now! need it NOW!!!
You do need it, it’s brilliant.
I think what I need to do more with both reading for an initiative, or indeed for a hyped book, is sit and think am I reading this because I want to right now or because I feel I should right now. We can all get swept up in it all I guess.
I Will Greet the Sun Again sounds like a must-read for all of us. An own voice perspective is just so important to expand our horizons.
For me, I finally got to Tin Man this month and can I just say, you were absolutely right about that book (not that I doubted that btw). It was as incredible as expected.
- It is just so fascinating to hear your thoughts on books, you are so naturally engaging and genuine 💜
I Will Greet The Sun Again is ace. Agree on the own voices, that’s said I think anyone should really be able to write what they want. Think of all the stories we might have missed if allies etc hadn’t been allowed to publish books about experiences outside their own. Tinman is just amazing. So pleased you loved it. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
@@SavidgeReads no apologies necessary for the adds - I don’t mind at all. And you are right of course, allies have perspectives we can relate to and learn from as well. I just think how echo-chambers or lack of diversity can cut some ppl off from hearing perspectives like in this book bc it’s “easier” to presume and judge instead of being curious about personal experiences (different from our own bc we don’t always have to personally relate imo). 🍁
Just started watching but have to say: your tank top/sweater vest is DIVINE!
Ha. Thank you so much. Zara in Europe always does such nice colourful stuff for men. The UK one needs to sort itself out.
Just added I Will Greet the Sun Again and This Is Not Miami to my hold list at the library! They both sound great. I was planning on listening to The Housekeepers but couldn’t really get into it. Having seen your review, I think I will do better with the hardback (and the map!) for this one, so I’ve just ordered it.
I’m so excited that I could make your visit to Harris & Harris with your mum fit with my just scheduled trip across the pond in December!!! I haven’t come over since just before the pandemic and it’s been really hard to get back on a plane after such a long delay. I’ve got some plays scheduled, going to Bath to visit Persephone, and I’m going to figure out how to get from London to Clare to see you, Louise, and Kate! Yay!
You really did have an excellent reading month. I cannot wait for the new Thursday Murder Club mystery! I read each one with a huge grin on my face. Yellowface was a big let down for me. You’ve sold me on Family Lore and The Housekeepers and also on Claire McGlesson, who I’ve not read. This Is Not Miami was just longlisted for the National Book Award for translated literature so there you go. And the first 3 minutes of this was a tangent-filled gleeful, joyous thing!
I’ve read the new Osman, read it in two days with Covid which shows how good it is because I haven’t be able to read much with Covid before. I think it’s the best one. The most emotional certainly. Sooooo pleased This is Not Miami has got an award nomination. It’s ace.
@@SavidgeReads The new Osman is sitting on my night table!!
Great video Simon ❤
Thank you!!!
I love Elizabeth Acevedo’s books and can’t wait to get to Family Lore. I have heard numerous times her backlist is best on audio if you can try it that way, particularly The Poet X.
Lovely to hear about all your reading 😊
I wish I could do fiction on audio but I just can’t. Not even Meryl Streep can read me a novel and it clicks. I don’t get it but the struggle is real. Will definitely read all Acevedo eventually. You’ve a treat ahead with Family Lore.
Completely agree on Yellowface. I was disappointed about the lack of depth and also thought the ending was ridiculous. I felt the same way about Babel.
I didn’t think the ending was ridiculous but I thought it was rushed, a bit contrived and over done.
Great selection of books.
Thank you!
Claudia Piñeiro is highhhh on my list! Hadnt heard of this one in particular. And eeeep! That Melchor! Need to finally read her. Have lowkey have been scared of her
I was quite scared of her too actually. Something about the novels intimidated me. Now I’m super excited to read them after trying her shorter (well in format) work.
THE SWEATER LOVE IS REAL!
So many great ones on here I hadn't heard much about before. This is Not Miami is especially calling to me.
It's been a slow reading month for me. I read a few of the Booker LL books (first time ever) and it's put me in a SEMI slump tbh. On a + note, I am now devouring Black Butterflies!
I’ve decided to just read what I fancy from the Booker. I’ve seen sooooooo many people getting slumps trying to read lots of the books. No shortlist joint read from me and the mothership this year.
Thank you for your video, Simon :)
The Housekeepers is going straight on my TBR list - I need some fun in my reading life and think this will be my Christmas break book!
I Will Greet the Sun Again also seems like it could be a great book for me - it reminds me (mostly the subject matter) of the graphic novel series The Arab Of The Future by Riad Sattouf, which I love and found really interesting.
A pleasure. Sorry for the slow reply. Hope you enjoy The Housekeepers when you get to it. It would be a fun romp for Christmas. Are we allowed to say that word now it’s almost October. Hahaha. I Will Greet The Sun Again is very good, very quiet and subtle but very good.
@@SavidgeReads no worries for the delay, I'm sure this takes a lot of time. And thank you so much for taking the time to interact and answer every comment!
Really struggling with my reading at the moment 🙁 but hoping to pick up Richard Oscan’s latest at the airport 😊 congratulations on your new job ❤
Hope you enjoy it when you get to it. I think his new one is the best in the series.
Hi Simon. Lovely video as always. Will def. keep an eye out for The Housekeepers and This is not Miami. I just want to say how deeply touching your reaction is to Jen's poetry collection. I've been following you two for so long now and it almost feels like a friendship. When I see how you are genuinely moved by her work, it makes me tear up as well. What a wonderful person you are.
I wasn’t expecting it to make me so emotional talking about it but that’s the power of some of those poems and the vulnerability that Jen has written them with or written in to them… or whatever magical thing she’s done.
I'm excited for the Elizabeth Acevedo novel - I read and loved The Poet X, though Family Lore sounds like quite a different beast.
I haven’t read The Poet X but I will be!
Thank you for another super video, Simon. I really like wrap ups ❤.
Just added The Housekeepers to my hold list at the library and I'm very interested in reading Claudia Pineiro, having noticed how much Jen also enjoys her work.
I'm about half way through listening to The Bee Sting at the moment and very much enjoying it. I'd love to hear what your thoughts are?
Yes Jen got me onto Claudia too, it just too a while (and lots of recommendations on this one from lots of lovely viewers in a recent video) to get it. I don’t have any thoughts on The Bee Sting. I’m not sure if it’s one I’m keen on reading to be honest. Maybe in paperback, it looks a wrist breaker in hardback.
Thanks for a great video and some new book reccies.. I feel pretty much the same as you about 'Yellowface'. It was uber-hyped, as many books are these days. I felt it was fine but was a bit underwhelmed. I hated the ending and felt like she went so far with the story....but then didn't go far enough.
Hahahaha. I have very similar feelings. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Definitely adding The Housekeepers to my wish list. I was only thinking recently of how few novels there are written from the point of view of servants. My list included Fingersmith, The Observations by Jane Harris, The Remains of the Day and Longbourn by Jo Baker. So thanks for the recommendation.
Oooh that could be a themed vlog. I’ve read Remains of the Day and The Observations, though sadly wouldn’t recommend the second even though I loved it as the author has become a dreadful transphobe. A really sad thing to see as we were friends, she even came to our wedding.
@@SavidgeReads Would definitely be here if you did a themed vlog on that! (Not that I’m not here anyway … that sounded wrong)
Somewhere, I read a description of "The Housekeepers" that said, "Oceans Eleven Meets Downton Abbey." That was all the convincing I needed to pick it up. As for Richard Osman's "Thursday Murder Club" series, they're all great fun and I'm looking forward to the fourth in the series.
I have the fourth. I bought it on the way to college tonight. Very much looking forward to it.
I hope you enjoy it. Here in Canada, we have to wait until next week for its release. @@SavidgeReads
I can concur that Mrs March is excellent 💜
also, I can’t remember if you’ve read Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou, but I think it covers a lot of the same themes/ideas as Yellowface but more successfully (although more within academia than publishing). Admittedly, I have not read Yellowface, but from the critiques I’ve heard (esp regarding its lukewarm satire), I think Disorientation is the way to go.
Good to know Mrs March is highly rated with you. I have Disorientation on the shelves. It was a complete cover buy because of the American edition but will get to it eventually. I won’t lie I think the academia edge is what’s putting me off. Maybe I need to do a college/schools themed reading vlog to brave it.
Hi 👋🏻 good to finally watch this video - I’m running behind due to this, that & t’other !!
I must tell you that a couple of weeks ago I ‘bumped into’ by pure chance in a London coffee shop the lovely Elizabeth Day 🤓 I actually asked “excuse me are you Elizabeth Day”?! She was very friendly & so gorgeous in person.
Anyway, I finally got to read “A Spell of Good Things” which was both moving & compelling 👏🏻
I am reading more poetry nowadays 😌
Awww Elizabeth is gorgeous inside and out. Glad you enjoyed A Spell of Good Things, if enjoyed is the right word. Also never worry about when you watch a video, they’re here forever, so you can never be late to one of my bookish video parties. Haha.
Thanxx Simon 👍😘
The Misadventures of Margaret Finch sounds in my wheelhouse.
Oooh hope you enjoy it if you get to it. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
Congratulations on your news, Simon! I was underwhelmed by Yellow face - good themes but terrible ending
Thank you. It’s quite an exciting time. Seems we feel the same about Yellowface. And sorry for so many bloody ads I accidentally let UA-cam place adds throughout. Whoops.
Thank you Sweetpeach, chat soon 🙃
Oh so VERY soon.
In August I only read three books but they were chunky reads and two were part of trilogies.
7. The Burning God by RF Kuang
8. Bag of Bones by Stephen King
9. The Sapphire Altar by David Dalglish
I want to read some of Jen Campbell's work, but sadly I haven't got any of her work yet. I plan soon.
I hope you enjoy it when you do, Jen has a delightful range of books of all styles and genres.
@@SavidgeReads All sound good, but where to start? I do have a couple on my Amazon wishlist such as The Sister Who Ate Her Brother, I think that's the title.
We read “The Bullet That Missed” at the same time and I exclaimed with joy when I saw it on your Instagram. My bf was like what what?! And then once I told him he got all confused and said “oooookay?” Don’t worry about it, other book lovers will understand 😅
I’m listening to “Yellowface” atm and I don’t get the hype 😕 I mean, it’s ok….fine?
I think ‘fine’ sums up my feelings about Yellowface too. It was a good escapist holiday read though. I’m about to start the next Thursday Murder Club treat shortly.
So many great books. I think I am going to add The Housekeepers, Family Lore and the Misadventures of Margaret Finch to my TBR. I am currently reading The Death of a Book Seller by Alice Slater, Have you read it yet?
Hope you enjoy all those when you get to them! I have read Death of a Bookseller. I had the pleasure of hosting Alice at West Kirby Bookshop for an evening of book chat 🐌
@@SavidgeReads I loved West Kirby Bookshop when I visited in June. It is a good job I live in Cornwall otherwise I could do some severe financial damage😀.
@@karenmoore4430hahaha. Mum and I are off there today to film a special video for later in the month. Thank goodness we’ve book vouchers. Hahaha.
@@SavidgeReads jealous
📖😃📚
😍📚
I’m so sad you haven’t read Fingersmith and Evelyn Hugo yet. You’d LOVE them.
That’s interesting. I’m always a both jealous and excited when people have a book ahead of them that I really loved.
@@SavidgeReads I just want to hear your thoughts!
When I first read The Hole, I thought it was OK. Slow, yes, but with a creeping dread and character arc that lends itself to being so. I've thought about it a lot more than I initially thought I would.
I would say, if you weren't feeling it, no need to read. So many books, so little time, you know?
Oh it’s DNF’d. Hahaha. It gone to a new home.
after your 'long' intro to All Yours, I almost believed you disliked this one but trying to tone it down. LOL. Glad that you enjoyed this.
Oops. Didn’t mean to make it ‘long’ was just my usual waffle and preamble. Ha. Really enjoyed All Yours, if I don’t like a book I just say lol.
August was a bit of a dead loss. Very disappointing. I read three books by authors I've read before and enjoyed and they were not what I was hoping for. Tried Ian Mc Ewan's Amsterdam which was okay but fizzled and now I'm ploughing through another one that I should have ditched several days ago but I'm a tenacious reader and stick longer than I should. Ah well. Hopefully the next will be better. I even went back to the Simon Serrailler series in desperation but they just annoy me.. ha.ha
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. DNF, DNF, DNF. And if you know a series annoys you… let it go, drop it, don’t let it darken your door again. Hahaha.
Since you didn't like Yellowface, did you read Babel? Did you like that one? I'm on the fence about reading Babel.
I haven’t read Babel. I know quite a lot of booktubers of all tastes have enjoyed it though.
I read mostly history. I always see people on booktube reading huge numbers of books, but they're reading all fiction. I wonder if it's easier to get through most novels faster than most academic history. It's hard for me to get through more than about five per month. However, this month I've been adding in more novels so I'm ahead of schedule. I think I'll read a book about the countercultural Mr. Rogers, one about the history of Afghanistan, and a novel about China next.
I don’t read much, if any, academic history or academic texts to be honest. They don’t do anything for me. Though I’m thrilled they do for you and I bet there’s other avid readers on BookTube. I just read fiction because I like the escape… and have to read some for work hahaha. It’s not about easier, it’s just about taste I think.
@@SavidgeReads I wonder why history doesn't provide any escape for you. History is a foreign country in some ways. Maybe you were never introduced to a book that grabbed you? There are some that read more like novels.
@@melissamybubbles6139 I read a lot of historical fiction, just not historical academic texts. I studied plenty at school and maybe it’s that association that’s meant I veer away from it as an adult. We can’t all like the same things though, that would be super boring 😉🤣
The Bullet that Missed: readers on GR felt that this particular book in the series was a tad better than the first one. How would you compare them? I sent the first one to a friend last Christmas and she felt it was so-so, too many details of the characters that detracted from the mystery itself. I want to send her "Bullet that Missed", but not sure if I should. Any thoughts? Thanks, Simon!
I have enjoyed them more as I have read on. I think it’s because you get to know the characters better and care all the more and that becomes as much of it as the murderous plots happening around. Theres going to be a bit of a break in the series of now so you have plenty of time to give one or two a whirl if you wanna
What do you thinj of Emily Mandel if you've read her?
Emily St John Mandel? I’ve read Station Eleven and I liked it, I’ve not read any of her others.
Please read the latest Anthony Horowitz!
I don't know if I can, I used to love his work... and then I met him and all I will say is sometimes you shouldn't meet authors you love, they might not always be lovely.
I had to dnf after 60% cause I felt she already made her point by then and it felt like it was on repeat . Could have been a novella which would’ve been better.
Which book are we talking about here? I talked about so many. Hahaha.
Oops🤓 Yellowface
I hated Yellowface!!
I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t love it.
Yeah, THE HOLE should’ve stayed as a short story and not expanded into a whole book.
Phew. I feel validated and vindicated in my DNFing, cos you know I trust your opinion very much Mr Hur! 💜📚💜📚