I read We Are the Ants by your recommendation and love it! it was definitely my favorite of the month and maybe even a new favorite book for me and I'm thankful. other good books I read this month were Circe and Daisy Jones & The Six (even though it wasn't as great as Evelyn Hugo it's still pretty solid and the audiobook was one of the best I've ever listened and I highly recommend it). I read The Astonishing Color of After too and didn't like it at all. it seemed longer than it should be and ended up taking me most of the month to finish it. maybe if it was shorter I wouldn't feel as negative about it as I feel now. I thought the writing was p good but the story couldn't hold my attention at all. I don't have problems with magical realism usually but the pacing didn't work for me, nor did the characters and the magical aspect of it but I still could appreciate how the mental health aspect of it was dealt with. An Anonymous Girl was an equally disappointing read this march, for different reasons of course, but I already rambled enough lol.
Honestly I'm having soooooo much fun with your book club and buddy read thingies. I'm reading so much more genres and finding interesting stories because of it, soooo thanks Emily 😁
The Secret History is my favourite book of all time, precisely because my feelings towards the characters and the events of the book are so complicated. A lot of people say they don’t like the second half of the book but I think that’s because the character dynamics change so much. But in my view, you are supposed to feel disappointed and let down by the characters and kinda regretful for ever being on there side at all (if you liked them in part 1). Donna Tartt does such a good job of putting you in Richard’s shoes, I absolutely love it! Plus Henry is probably my favourite literary character of all time
i'm in awe that you read 4 books in a month! i consider myself to be a busy-ish person because i'm a student but i only average like a book a month! i've just found your channel and it's making me want to read more so i might make it my april goal, thanks emily! 😊
I am kind of a quiet viewer like I generally don't comment. I have been watching your old videos for almost a whole day and then you uploaded. I felt like you were spying on me. 😁
I loved the Secret History. I just liked how there was so much going on and the Characters were so interesting. Like Game of Throne characters in a sense. You start out adoring characters that as you learn more about them then you are second guessing judgement. Not a single character was simple or flawless. And yes the atmosphere had me hooked.
I have been busy reading my own as I finished writing it, and now rereading it while I'm editing. Have a good day. God bless, take care + happy reading 🙂
i used to be so annoying and think that audiobooks didn’t count as “reading a book” and honestly i’m so glad i started watching booktube videos and realized that audiobooks SLAP so thank you for that The best book i read in March was Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James! it got me back into reading and i cannot wait for the next book in the series i’m planning on reading The Priority of the Orange Tree soon, it’s in my dwindling “to be read” pile that i made for myself and i’ve kind of been avoiding it because it’s a HONKER but soon i will be brave and read it
Priory thoughts - rushed climax, unnecessary POVs and not enough dragons. Not high enough stakes, everyone was too safe while in 'danger,' if you know what I mean? Not enough true suffering. Lol Loved the history, world building and the f/f relationship though! 🍊
So I just happened to have just finished The Secret History. I’m not sure of my feelings-I’m not sure if I even liked it-but I sobbed at the end. The epilogue lost me, to be honest, but the end of the story really got me. The detachment from large plot actions was a problem of mine as well, but I think that’s almost how Richard felt sometimes within those moments too. Like, it was almost atmospheric? I feel as though it’s takes days/week to actually figure out what your feeling is on this book.
Even though our reading preferences do not match at all (you love sci fi, I love history books- about kings, queens, wars, civilizations, different historical figures etc.) I love to watch your videos just to get myself some inspiration to spend more time reading or listening to audio books. Also I like the fact that english is not your first language, that is really inspirational. Thank you :)
Oh! 'The Secret History' is my favorite book ever! It's probably the closest thing to a perfect novel I've ever read; I love how it feels big and small at the same time. I understand what you mean when you say you felt detached, the whole atmosphere is very dreamlike and surreal, but that's actually what I think makes it so successful.
The Secret History is also my favorite book of all time, I was so scared that Emily was going to bash it! I would also recommend Donna Tartt's most recent book, The Goldfinch, in my opinion it's just as good.
I’ve had the astonishing colour of after on my wish list for a while but I don’t know if I want to read it or not 😩😩 I’m definitely excited to read the priory of the orange tree
Ah, Priory! I felt that detachment you mentioned as well. I just wasn't invested. Main characters could all have died and I would have been okay. There was no true sense of urgency for the reader, and yet this was supposed to be a type of apocalypse? At the beginning of the book I kept going back to the map every time someone was traveling somewhere and there were a few journeys I didn't understand how they got from point A to B at all. I didn't find the PoVs exhausting but I found Loth so utterly boring that between him and Tane's very strict, disciplined personality it made reading that much harder. The worldbuilding is what hooked me, it was incredible.
I still haven't read The Secret History but I'm so so so intrigued by it! Glad to hear that the language wasn't as difficult as you thought! and I love character driven books so it does sound right up my alley now!
Totally agree with your Priory of the Orange Tree opinions. If I step back and think about the story, the world building, or the characters, I can only think of positive things. But my experience as a reader was not great because the pacing of most of the story was just off.
I've seen The Priory of the Orange Tree a couple of times in my bookstore and every time I pick it up only to slowly put it down again when I realise (again) how humongous it is, haha (I'm a coward. But one day...) So kudos to you! The best book I've read this month is without doubt NOS4A2 by Joe Hill although there are others who were solid competition. But no other novel was so much fun to read! It's creepy and exiting and comical and the characters are a blast. Definitely recommend! Also there's a TV series coming out this summer which looks quite promising :)
I loved The Secret History. I think I mentioned on goodreads that I had originally rated it a 4 star read, but as it matures in my head over the years (I read it 2 years ago), I'm beginning to think it's one of my top reads ever. The language is fantastic, the atmosphere is so thick I felt drenched in it, and the setting reminds me of my undegrad, but posher. I agree that it should have been narrated by a male voice, though. Perhaps you'll reread it in a few years the old fashioned way, and like it that much more? I find her writing akin to Margaret Atwood's. It's just so good, it's like reading gourmet words!
I did start with the physical book and went back to it every time there would be a french expression because... well I didn't understand her pronunciation at all lol
I tried reading the second book in the Throne of Glass series by S.J. Maas because people say that the writing gets better, and oh boy do I regret buying it. I couldn't even finish it. The only good thing about it is that it looks good on my bookshelves.
I second your comment about reading other books from the Priory of the Orange Tree's world! There are a lot of interesting things I had questions about and I am also proud of myself for reading that big of a book this month. I think the best book I read this month was Becoming by Michelle Obama. I am also reading the Huntress by Alice Quinn and quite enjoying that one as well. I am going to finish 7 this month so doing well for my goal but I feel like I have to step it up! So many books so little time! I am sure april will be a better month for you!
I haven't read any of the books you mentioned, though a few are on my tbr. The most interesting book I read this month was S. I do think the story could've been better, but the book and reading it was such an experience, that even though it was not my favourite read this month, it probably was the most memorable.
I read The Secret History and LOVED it! I loved the atmosphere (the strongest point for me!), the characters (it's not that I liked them, but they were "well made", if you see what I mean; and I was fascinated by Henry), the campus, the story, the "mystery", the way Greek mythology is "used", the fact that the narrator is kind of weak (I feel like the reader can get more into the book thanks to that), the ending! Now that I saw your video, I want to reread it! But I can understand people who hate this book. Some hate it because of the elitist characters; I despised them without hating the book :) So glad you liked it! :D
Emily, I am reading the Court of Thorns and Rose's series. I know you said you enjoyed some of the story. I found out recently that the author took inspiration from another book series, The Black Jewels Trilogy, by Anne Bishop. I am not sure if you will enjoy it but it's high fantasy and it's not YA. The Initial trilogy and Dreams made flesh are the ones to read IMO. I am sure you will notice where the inspo came from, especially with the names. 👍 I hope you give it a read! I won't take it personally If you hate them Haha
I've read a few Stephen King books based on you recommendations and I recently listened to The Shining and absolutely loved it ☺ and for once the ending was pretty good 😊
Haha 4 POVs. How cute. Yes I‘m looking at you Gardens of the moon (Malazan). Now I started the second one and they threw most of the over fifty characters out of the window for this one. So lets Start from the beginning again. Yay.
I also felt confused by The Secret History. I think part of my confusion related to unconsciously rooting for certain characters. I wonder if you would feel more connected if you read the physical book.
Emily, thanks for your thoughts on Priory. I bought it even though I was a little leery about it. That you liked it reassures a bit. I know what you mean about life getting in the way of reading. That happened to me this month as well. Even so I still managed a few reads and the best ones were: Luna: Moon Rising by Ian McDonald Starport graphic novel by GRRM and Raya Golden Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation, edited and translated by Ken Liu
Everyone is excited about Priory of the Orange Tree and I'm just so disinterested. idk why. I read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and for some reason I thought it will be short like Secret History but it was a huuuge book. I liked it though, made me think a lot but I don't think you'll like it if you ever want to pick up something else from her.
My favourite book of the month was A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Calleti. I'm adding The Secret History to my TBR! I like to listen to long books and read shorter books, but maybe I'll get the physical copy of this one.
I read some non-fiction this month , and some cheesy romances because the non-fiction books were sad (The Last Girl) and depressing (The World As it Is). I also got through with The Gilded Wolves, and that was a struggle for me. I may get done with Foundryside before April, but if not, that, Shadows of Self, Bands of Mourning, and (possibly) the Way of Kings from Brandon Sanderson are my April reading goals.
I LOVED the secret history. It made me nostalgic in the weirdest way since I studied English literature and I was in a sort of “clique” in college (not as pretentious as it sounds, I went to a state school and most people studied education and nursing but a lot of people wanted to study English 😂). But I thought the writing was great, the characters were flawed in the best way, and I found myself constantly changing my mind about how I felt about all of the characters. I don’t wanna say more because spoilers, but it was one of my favorites of this month
I’m going to go the ebook route for The Priory of the Orange Tree as well...that is too much of a brick to carry around, haha! I always enjoy your uploads! 😊
I think if you "read" The Secret History, you would've liked it more. The writing is its best part definitely. Its one of my favorite books of all time. Maybe pick this up in future sometime and you'll probably like it more.
I want to read Priory of the Orange Tree but I'm so intimidated by it! The length! Eeep. Best book I read this month was The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima. I've always heard good things about her series but never had a chance to pick them up before now. I think everyone else in the world has read them already but I'm getting there finally!
I read the Secret History, and I agree about it being an atmospheric book I thought it would be a character driven book but no matter how much I tried I couldn't connect to any of the characters, it was very philosophical at times and I loved it, but it was slow the entire first half of it.
Currently reading The Priory of the Orange Tree! I'm loving it! I've only read one kinda battle and it did seem quite rushed but I don't mind cause I just love it haha I think the biggest difficulty for me at the start was I couldn't pronounce anyones name and they had a glossary of characters in the physical edition but they didn't have a phonetic translation....Like c'mon! I read Girls of paper and fire beforehand though and Jesus.....I really wanted to like it but it was just a magical world of furries. It was so uncomfortable. And the ending was so rushed.
Ema Lemon magical world of furries!! Hahaha I completely agree with your thoughts. I really wanted to like the book but it felt very rushed and clumsy.
I have 10% left of the secret history but I'm hopefully going to finish it before the month ends! (so today or tomorrow depending on the time zone haha.) I agree with your rating I'm tending to a 3,75 or 4 stars as well! Though I felt like Richard/narrator was as pretentious as the others. Not at the beginning but I feel that he gradually became pretentious. Especially since there's this duality later on with how similar Henry and Richard are. My favorite read of the month was Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Don't read it expecting another Evelyn Hugo. I feel like they were both incredible books in a completely different way. And I would highly recommend it especially knowing that you're a feminist and that I feel like you would love the women in Daisy Jones and The Six. I would recommend the audiobook as well since it's in an interview style with a full cast of actors to voice each characters!
I have Secret History on my TBR for April, so I'll come back here and let you know what I think! I'm curious about Priory of the Orange Tree. I see everyone reading it, but you're the first review I've seen that's finished it. Would you say it's similar to the Stormlight Archive in terms of world building size, but condensed in one book instead of 10?
I went between reading the physical book and the audio with The Secret History. I think that you might be right about having a male narrator. It's always nice to have the author narrate, but with the exception of Camilla, it was 95% a male cast. I am also conflicted with how to rate it. I've certainly never read anything like it. I subjectively rated it a 3 for my enjoyment as there were parts that I couldn't put down. OBJECTIVELY, it was a 4 star. The writing is very good, if a bit wordy. (I thought that it could have been 100 pages less.) Definitely made you think...
the secret history was sooooo good. incredibly atmospheric and just, dark. Henry, oh mah GAWD what a damn evil stud muffin. When he was compared to alice in wonderland i was like yep, love his insane bitch ass. The ending, was something for reflection, definetly, because there were so many emotions happening at once. I gave it five stars on goodreads, and have no regrets about soaking it in. i literally read 200 pages in one day, it was that good
I finished the priory of the orange tree too but boy, it was a journey to get to the end. I also had to put the book down at around the 60% mark because the plot was dragging on and it was just not progressing anywhere.. No personal connections to the characters and almost DNF the book if not for the fact that I was already more than halfway through.
I really want to read Priory of the Orange Tree (Wheel of Time is my 3rd favorite series of all time, so my epic fantasy loving heart is so ready XD), but I also really don't want to get it in hardback, bc with my physical disability, I'd be torturing myself trying to hold that monster. So I guess I'm gonna try to wait until it comes out in paperback and I can hold the damn book without dying, and I suppose if it turns out I can't wait for that, I can always try it as an ebook...(plus, I have far too many books that I should get through before I go off buying more books XDD) Anyway, the best book that I read this month was The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (tho that's not saying much, as I only finished 2 other books this month, and didn't like either of them much XD). I finally managed to fight my way through the secondhand embarrassment and finish it. XP That said, I did enjoy most of it, Monty's antics were just a bit too much for me at times. XD
the characters in the secret history are pretty unlikeable so I also felt detached from them. I like unlikeable characters but these ones were so hard to relate to. The writing was so amazing and I read it in the fall which I think is the best time to read it. Her descriptions of autumn were just so good. This book would have been my favorite book of all time with a different main character but as it stands I'm with you where I have no idea how to rate it
I've read The Little Friend by Donna Tartt, and I was so frustrated! It wasn't about what it first said it was - a mysterious death of a boy in a small town - but about everything what was happening in that town. The writing was good, but the story itself was not what I expected.
Makes sense that you "only" read 4 books with the Priory of the Orange Tree, I feel like this one is going to take me more than a month to finish lol. This month I read Skyward, A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Daisy Jones and the Six ! Loved the first two but not sure about the last one, I liked it but not as much as everyone else did or not as much as I thought I would
(Maybe minor Priory spoilers?) I feel like Tor really hyped Priory to be a fantasy standalone about dragons and you barely get to see any! I wanted more dragons! In any case I also rated it 4 stars. Solid book but man did it have some long info dumps.
I think The Secret History is the most overrated book I've ever read. It was okay, but I also felt detached when reading it. I was somewhat interested in what was going to happen but just out of curiosity if you get me, I didn't actually care about what happened to any of the characters because I didn't feel connected to a single one of them, and Camilla in particular was sooo underdeveloped, she was only there as a prop for the male characters lol. When I read it I gave it 3.5 stars but since reading more dark academia that I like way better I've reflected on tsh and changed it to a 3 star. I really liked the premise but just hated the execution to be honest
I may sound a little slow but I notice throughout your videos that you say “character driven” a lot. What exactly does this mean. I love your videos. You inspire me to read so many books that are not what I normally would read.
'Character driven' just means that the book focuses on the feeling and actions of the characters and how in turn they affect the way the story progresses. On the other hand, "plot driven' or (action driven )mainly focuses on the actual plot and what is happening, as well as this how the characters deal with things they can't control. I hope this makes sense and helped a bit hehe :)
I read THE SECRET SOCIETY in HS, so my memory might be a bit foggy on it, but I also remember having mixed feelings about it. Secret university society premises are one of my favorites (and hoping THE NINTH HOUSE is gonna blow me away in October) and it had so much potential. My main issue was the fact that I disliked the characters. I think they were meant to be super complex, but I felt that struggling to understand each of their facets and humanity took away from the complexity of the plot itself and the moral issue at the heart of the book, if that makes sense. It kept pulling my attention and moral compass in so many different directions and if I don't understand (and can't empathize with) the characters, then I can't delve deeper into the main moral issue, since I'm already subjective and will probably dislike everything they do. So that took away from my enjoyment of thinking about the book and its deeper meaning. At the end of the day, I need to empathize with the characters in some way, and I just didn't get that here. With that being said, I remember devouring this book. English isn't my first language either, but I couldn't put it down. So enjoyable while reading, but it didn't leave me with that super satisfied feeling once I was through with it. And if anyone has any book recommendations on secret university societies, I am on the lookout for some really good ones :D
If you want the version of the secret history that has pretentious main character try if we were villains, i loved it more than the secret history but that's just my opinion 😅
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I looooved Priory but I agree that the battle descriptions were pretty weak. I didn't really enjoy The Secret History (I read it so long ago that I don't even know why anymore so my dislike for it has def grown to being a caricature of itself) but I definitely had a better time with it than I did with The Goldfinch.
March wasn’t a good month for me. I read 12 books and the best was The Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich. Even that one I wasn’t blown away with. A couple I struggled to finish. One was just plain awful. In addition to the 12 I read I DNF 3. Most of them were just ok. Hopefully April is better!
Best books I've read in March are Ohio by Stephen Markley ( disappointed that it didn't progress to the quarterfinals of the Booktube prize) The Binding by Bridget Collins The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley
Yes for The Binding :D Finished it yesterday and enjoyed it so much. The plot didn't go where I expected and romance plots are usually not my thing, but this was so great (the audiobook totally fit the story too, it was actually done with a Leeds accent). It was so different than what I expected but so good. I hope it becomes a movie, it's perfect for an adaptation. The in medias res beginning was very well done too, in my opinion.
I also listened to The Secret History on audiobook. I thought it was good but, I agree with you, I felt very disconnected from the characters and the things that happened to them. Which is strange because a lot of the situations in the book would typically elicit major emotions from me, but they kind of missed the mark. Overall, good book, but a lot to take in.
”Old dead languages like Greek, Latin” Greek is a dead language now? Well I guess I speak a dead language then 😃😩 I also read The Astonishing Color of After AND A Monster Calls so it was a bit of sad reading month for me too! I’ve also realized this month that contemporary books aren’t really for me lol. Oh and I loved the parts of The Astonishing Color when Leigh was in Taiwan but I didn’t like the romance... what did you think about that?
I was on the fence about The Priory of the Orange Tree, so thanks for pushing me over. :) I really blame Tolkien's publisher for this series thing we have in SFF!
I read the Secret History!! I liked it a lot but also ended it super confused. It kinda feels like a literary version of a soap opera. Also I detested the ending - maybe the entire last quarter of the novel SUCKED to me. I would still reread it but I do agree that it's not what I originally expected.
I read Jack Kirby King of Comics (5 stars), Cinder by Marissa Meyer (4) and right now i'm about to the end another one, only 3 books but it's ok because before of those i only had read 1 and it was "meh", so i'm happy haha ps. sorry for my english
Je suis TELLEMENT d'accord pour les morts dans the priory of the orange tree! Parfois c'était même des personnages auxquels j'étais vraiment attachée mais leur mort me laissait "hm...ok, guess qu'il fallait tuer quelqu'un..." J'ai l'impression que ça a peut-être rapport au fait que les morts étaient souvent sans un plus grand but. C'était souvent des morts accidentelles ou procédurales ou bêtes, rien pour vraiment venir faire avancer l'histoire ou les personnages. Un peu comme si l'auteure avait vu que les morts multiples dans game of thrones, ça pognait, donc elle en a mises...? bref, parfaitement d'accord avec toi que c'est le point faible mais que le livre est quand même vraiment superbe! :)
The secret history was a let down for me. I “liked” the characters as in they were well crafted but the story... it could have been so much better if it was 200 pages less. There were so much scènes to set the atmosphere which was good but there were way too Many of those In my opinion. Also the professor... a lot of thoughts about him, but I do not feel like he was to blame.
I struggled a lot with Priory of the Orange Tree. I listen to the audiobook and there was just too much going on from too many points of view to keep straight
For sure! If we consider the average read 350 pages... then I read like 6-7 total :P But seriously 4 is great, I'm proud I made time for reading even though I was super busy :)
@@BookswithEmilyFox Yeah, I figured, I was joking. I can relate to that feeling of saying the wrong thing. Your words made me put The Secret History in my TBR so thanks!
I didn't particularly care for any of the books I read this month... First HP book reread. It is what it is. Kingdom of Copper - it's loooong. Might I just say, middle book syndrome? Shenanigans are top notch, but the humor of the first book was understandably missing. It made me like it less. As for the Wicked King. I probably shouldn't make my unpopular opinion known. But suffice to say, after tolerating book one, this one disappointed me even more than I thought possible.
I also listened to the audio book of The Secret History, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. Maybe it was the narrator/author, maybe I just didn’t like the writing style, or maybe it was because of the privileged/pretentious lives the characters led? Idk but I just didn’t know what to make of this. I didn’t like the atmosphere either. I think this book just wasn’t for me.
What's the best book you've read this month!?
BookswithEmilyFox I finally read The Poppy War and it blew my freaking mind!
Daisy Jones & The Six
Becoming by Michelle Obama...
I read both Nevernight and Godsgrave this month after seeing your rewiew of Nevernight on Goodreads and now I cannot wait for Darkdawn to come out!
I read We Are the Ants by your recommendation and love it! it was definitely my favorite of the month and maybe even a new favorite book for me and I'm thankful. other good books I read this month were Circe and Daisy Jones & The Six (even though it wasn't as great as Evelyn Hugo it's still pretty solid and the audiobook was one of the best I've ever listened and I highly recommend it). I read The Astonishing Color of After too and didn't like it at all. it seemed longer than it should be and ended up taking me most of the month to finish it. maybe if it was shorter I wouldn't feel as negative about it as I feel now. I thought the writing was p good but the story couldn't hold my attention at all. I don't have problems with magical realism usually but the pacing didn't work for me, nor did the characters and the magical aspect of it but I still could appreciate how the mental health aspect of it was dealt with. An Anonymous Girl was an equally disappointing read this march, for different reasons of course, but I already rambled enough lol.
For a split second I thought your hair was super short and I was like "!!!" and then I realized it was tucked away snugly in your hoodie 😂😂
Me too!!! 😅
I thought exactly the same!
Why cut my hair when I can pretend it's short once in a while instead :P
#preach
haha same
Honestly I'm having soooooo much fun with your book club and buddy read thingies. I'm reading so much more genres and finding interesting stories because of it, soooo thanks Emily 😁
The Secret History is my favourite book of all time, precisely because my feelings towards the characters and the events of the book are so complicated. A lot of people say they don’t like the second half of the book but I think that’s because the character dynamics change so much. But in my view, you are supposed to feel disappointed and let down by the characters and kinda regretful for ever being on there side at all (if you liked them in part 1). Donna Tartt does such a good job of putting you in Richard’s shoes, I absolutely love it! Plus Henry is probably my favourite literary character of all time
i'm in awe that you read 4 books in a month! i consider myself to be a busy-ish person because i'm a student but i only average like a book a month! i've just found your channel and it's making me want to read more so i might make it my april goal, thanks emily! 😊
I am kind of a quiet viewer like I generally don't comment. I have been watching your old videos for almost a whole day and then you uploaded. I felt like you were spying on me. 😁
I loved the Secret History. I just liked how there was so much going on and the Characters were so interesting. Like Game of Throne characters in a sense. You start out adoring characters that as you learn more about them then you are second guessing judgement. Not a single character was simple or flawless. And yes the atmosphere had me hooked.
I have been busy reading my own as I finished writing it, and now rereading it while I'm editing. Have a good day. God bless, take care + happy reading 🙂
Tuesday’s with Morrie was so good! I think everyone should read it, and it’s very short.
It's so nice to hear your review on priory after everyone's been hyping it up so much!
i used to be so annoying and think that audiobooks didn’t count as “reading a book” and honestly i’m so glad i started watching booktube videos and realized that audiobooks SLAP so thank you for that
The best book i read in March was Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James! it got me back into reading and i cannot wait for the next book in the series
i’m planning on reading The Priority of the Orange Tree soon, it’s in my dwindling “to be read” pile that i made for myself and i’ve kind of been avoiding it because it’s a HONKER but soon i will be brave and read it
The Dreamers, Daisy Jones & the Six and Before She Knew Him were my favourite reads of the month 😁
Priory thoughts - rushed climax, unnecessary POVs and not enough dragons. Not high enough stakes, everyone was too safe while in 'danger,' if you know what I mean? Not enough true suffering. Lol Loved the history, world building and the f/f relationship though! 🍊
So I just happened to have just finished The Secret History. I’m not sure of my feelings-I’m not sure if I even liked it-but I sobbed at the end. The epilogue lost me, to be honest, but the end of the story really got me. The detachment from large plot actions was a problem of mine as well, but I think that’s almost how Richard felt sometimes within those moments too. Like, it was almost atmospheric? I feel as though it’s takes days/week to actually figure out what your feeling is on this book.
Even though our reading preferences do not match at all (you love sci fi, I love history books- about kings, queens, wars, civilizations, different historical figures etc.) I love to watch your videos just to get myself some inspiration to spend more time reading or listening to audio books. Also I like the fact that english is not your first language, that is really inspirational. Thank you :)
Oh! 'The Secret History' is my favorite book ever! It's probably the closest thing to a perfect novel I've ever read; I love how it feels big and small at the same time. I understand what you mean when you say you felt detached, the whole atmosphere is very dreamlike and surreal, but that's actually what I think makes it so successful.
The Secret History is also my favorite book of all time, I was so scared that Emily was going to bash it! I would also recommend Donna Tartt's most recent book, The Goldfinch, in my opinion it's just as good.
@@iuliag.6985 I read that too, also great!
I’ve had the astonishing colour of after on my wish list for a while but I don’t know if I want to read it or not 😩😩 I’m definitely excited to read the priory of the orange tree
My favorite read this month was Good Omens. It was just as funny as I’d hoped it would be, and I look forward to the show coming out in May.
Ah, Priory! I felt that detachment you mentioned as well. I just wasn't invested. Main characters could all have died and I would have been okay. There was no true sense of urgency for the reader, and yet this was supposed to be a type of apocalypse? At the beginning of the book I kept going back to the map every time someone was traveling somewhere and there were a few journeys I didn't understand how they got from point A to B at all. I didn't find the PoVs exhausting but I found Loth so utterly boring that between him and Tane's very strict, disciplined personality it made reading that much harder. The worldbuilding is what hooked me, it was incredible.
I'm also trying to read the books that did well on goodreads in 2018. I actually recently bought An American Marriage.
I still haven't read The Secret History but I'm so so so intrigued by it!
Glad to hear that the language wasn't as difficult as you thought!
and I love character driven books so it does sound right up my alley now!
Totally agree with your Priory of the Orange Tree opinions. If I step back and think about the story, the world building, or the characters, I can only think of positive things. But my experience as a reader was not great because the pacing of most of the story was just off.
omg im sooooooooo glad you didnt hate the secret history, i was so scared that you would read it and hate it, but you kinda like it so im relieved! ^^
I've seen The Priory of the Orange Tree a couple of times in my bookstore and every time I pick it up only to slowly put it down again when I realise (again) how humongous it is, haha (I'm a coward. But one day...) So kudos to you!
The best book I've read this month is without doubt NOS4A2 by Joe Hill although there are others who were solid competition. But no other novel was so much fun to read! It's creepy and exiting and comical and the characters are a blast. Definitely recommend! Also there's a TV series coming out this summer which looks quite promising :)
I loved The Secret History. I think I mentioned on goodreads that I had originally rated it a 4 star read, but as it matures in my head over the years (I read it 2 years ago), I'm beginning to think it's one of my top reads ever. The language is fantastic, the atmosphere is so thick I felt drenched in it, and the setting reminds me of my undegrad, but posher.
I agree that it should have been narrated by a male voice, though. Perhaps you'll reread it in a few years the old fashioned way, and like it that much more? I find her writing akin to Margaret Atwood's. It's just so good, it's like reading gourmet words!
I did start with the physical book and went back to it every time there would be a french expression because... well I didn't understand her pronunciation at all lol
@@BookswithEmilyFox lol, that's quite funny that the producer let her mispronounce things so badly!
I tried reading the second book in the Throne of Glass series by S.J. Maas because people say that the writing gets better, and oh boy do I regret buying it. I couldn't even finish it. The only good thing about it is that it looks good on my bookshelves.
That's nothing! I bought even the 3rd one and dnfed it in the middle. It was the only book i dnfed last year, i had so many regrets...
I second your comment about reading other books from the Priory of the Orange Tree's world! There are a lot of interesting things I had questions about and I am also proud of myself for reading that big of a book this month. I think the best book I read this month was Becoming by Michelle Obama. I am also reading the Huntress by Alice Quinn and quite enjoying that one as well. I am going to finish 7 this month so doing well for my goal but I feel like I have to step it up! So many books so little time! I am sure april will be a better month for you!
Now I REALLY want to read the priory of the orange tree.
I haven't read any of the books you mentioned, though a few are on my tbr. The most interesting book I read this month was S. I do think the story could've been better, but the book and reading it was such an experience, that even though it was not my favourite read this month, it probably was the most memorable.
I'm 450 pages into Priory and I enjoy it when I'm reading it but I think I could just as easily not pick it up again and I wouldn't be sad...
Have you read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt? It's also a bigger book and kind of sad too. But nonetheless I liked it sooo much!
picking up Priory this month with the highest of hopes 🙏
It was Matilda by Roald Dahl!! Loved it!
My favorite read this month was I’ll Give You the Sun
I read The Secret History and LOVED it! I loved the atmosphere (the strongest point for me!), the characters (it's not that I liked them, but they were "well made", if you see what I mean; and I was fascinated by Henry), the campus, the story, the "mystery", the way Greek mythology is "used", the fact that the narrator is kind of weak (I feel like the reader can get more into the book thanks to that), the ending! Now that I saw your video, I want to reread it!
But I can understand people who hate this book. Some hate it because of the elitist characters; I despised them without hating the book :)
So glad you liked it! :D
Emily, I am reading the Court of Thorns and Rose's series. I know you said you enjoyed some of the story. I found out recently that the author took inspiration from another book series, The Black Jewels Trilogy, by Anne Bishop. I am not sure if you will enjoy it but it's high fantasy and it's not YA. The Initial trilogy and Dreams made flesh are the ones to read IMO. I am sure you will notice where the inspo came from, especially with the names. 👍 I hope you give it a read! I won't take it personally If you hate them Haha
I've read a few Stephen King books based on you recommendations and I recently listened to The Shining and absolutely loved it ☺ and for once the ending was pretty good 😊
Haha 4 POVs. How cute. Yes I‘m looking at you Gardens of the moon (Malazan).
Now I started the second one and they threw most of the over fifty characters out of the window for this one. So lets Start from the beginning again. Yay.
I get so excited the moment I see your videos!
You’re there in your hoodie while I’m here melting in my short shorts and tank top.
Omg i wish
I’ve only read 4 books so far this year 😭😭 the slump was REAL
I also felt confused by The Secret History. I think part of my confusion related to unconsciously rooting for certain characters. I wonder if you would feel more connected if you read the physical book.
I also did not read as much as I wanted to in March. Oh well, hello April TBR lol!
Please please pleaseeee do a bookshelf tour
What kind of eyeliner are you wearing? Love it.
Emily, thanks for your thoughts on Priory. I bought it even though I was a little leery about it. That you liked it reassures a bit.
I know what you mean about life getting in the way of reading. That happened to me this month as well. Even so I still managed a few reads and the best ones were:
Luna: Moon Rising by Ian McDonald
Starport graphic novel by GRRM and Raya Golden
Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation, edited and translated by Ken Liu
Everyone is excited about Priory of the Orange Tree and I'm just so disinterested. idk why.
I read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and for some reason I thought it will be short like Secret History but it was a huuuge book. I liked it though, made me think a lot but I don't think you'll like it if you ever want to pick up something else from her.
My favourite book of the month was A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Calleti. I'm adding The Secret History to my TBR! I like to listen to long books and read shorter books, but maybe I'll get the physical copy of this one.
Best book I read this month was Daisy Jones & the Six
always love your videos ♥
I read some non-fiction this month , and some cheesy romances because the non-fiction books were sad (The Last Girl) and depressing (The World As it Is). I also got through with The Gilded Wolves, and that was a struggle for me. I may get done with Foundryside before April, but if not, that, Shadows of Self, Bands of Mourning, and (possibly) the Way of Kings from Brandon Sanderson are my April reading goals.
I LOVED the secret history. It made me nostalgic in the weirdest way since I studied English literature and I was in a sort of “clique” in college (not as pretentious as it sounds, I went to a state school and most people studied education and nursing but a lot of people wanted to study English 😂). But I thought the writing was great, the characters were flawed in the best way, and I found myself constantly changing my mind about how I felt about all of the characters. I don’t wanna say more because spoilers, but it was one of my favorites of this month
I’m going to go the ebook route for The Priory of the Orange Tree as well...that is too much of a brick to carry around, haha!
I always enjoy your uploads! 😊
That's the benefit of the ebook for sure! My problem was no easy access to the maps and glossary at the end :/
I think if you "read" The Secret History, you would've liked it more. The writing is its best part definitely. Its one of my favorite books of all time. Maybe pick this up in future sometime and you'll probably like it more.
No I started with the physical copy and moved to the audiobook so I could finish it
I want to read Priory of the Orange Tree but I'm so intimidated by it! The length! Eeep. Best book I read this month was The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima. I've always heard good things about her series but never had a chance to pick them up before now. I think everyone else in the world has read them already but I'm getting there finally!
I read the Secret History, and I agree about it being an atmospheric book I thought it would be a character driven book but no matter how much I tried I couldn't connect to any of the characters, it was very philosophical at times and I loved it, but it was slow the entire first half of it.
Currently reading The Priory of the Orange Tree! I'm loving it! I've only read one kinda battle and it did seem quite rushed but I don't mind cause I just love it haha I think the biggest difficulty for me at the start was I couldn't pronounce anyones name and they had a glossary of characters in the physical edition but they didn't have a phonetic translation....Like c'mon!
I read Girls of paper and fire beforehand though and Jesus.....I really wanted to like it but it was just a magical world of furries. It was so uncomfortable. And the ending was so rushed.
Ema Lemon magical world of furries!! Hahaha I completely agree with your thoughts. I really wanted to like the book but it felt very rushed and clumsy.
I have 10% left of the secret history but I'm hopefully going to finish it before the month ends! (so today or tomorrow depending on the time zone haha.)
I agree with your rating I'm tending to a 3,75 or 4 stars as well!
Though I felt like Richard/narrator was as pretentious as the others. Not at the beginning but I feel that he gradually became pretentious. Especially since there's this duality later on with how similar Henry and Richard are.
My favorite read of the month was Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Don't read it expecting another Evelyn Hugo. I feel like they were both incredible books in a completely different way. And I would highly recommend it especially knowing that you're a feminist and that I feel like you would love the women in Daisy Jones and The Six. I would recommend the audiobook as well since it's in an interview style with a full cast of actors to voice each characters!
I have Secret History on my TBR for April, so I'll come back here and let you know what I think! I'm curious about Priory of the Orange Tree. I see everyone reading it, but you're the first review I've seen that's finished it. Would you say it's similar to the Stormlight Archive in terms of world building size, but condensed in one book instead of 10?
I went between reading the physical book and the audio with The Secret History. I think that you might be right about having a male narrator. It's always nice to have the author narrate, but with the exception of Camilla, it was 95% a male cast. I am also conflicted with how to rate it. I've certainly never read anything like it. I subjectively rated it a 3 for my enjoyment as there were parts that I couldn't put down. OBJECTIVELY, it was a 4 star. The writing is very good, if a bit wordy. (I thought that it could have been 100 pages less.) Definitely made you think...
the secret history was sooooo good. incredibly atmospheric and just, dark. Henry, oh mah GAWD what a damn evil stud muffin. When he was compared to alice in wonderland i was like yep, love his insane bitch ass. The ending, was something for reflection, definetly, because there were so many emotions happening at once. I gave it five stars on goodreads, and have no regrets about soaking it in. i literally read 200 pages in one day, it was that good
I finished the priory of the orange tree too but boy, it was a journey to get to the end. I also had to put the book down at around the 60% mark because the plot was dragging on and it was just not progressing anywhere.. No personal connections to the characters and almost DNF the book if not for the fact that I was already more than halfway through.
I really want to read Priory of the Orange Tree (Wheel of Time is my 3rd favorite series of all time, so my epic fantasy loving heart is so ready XD), but I also really don't want to get it in hardback, bc with my physical disability, I'd be torturing myself trying to hold that monster. So I guess I'm gonna try to wait until it comes out in paperback and I can hold the damn book without dying, and I suppose if it turns out I can't wait for that, I can always try it as an ebook...(plus, I have far too many books that I should get through before I go off buying more books XDD)
Anyway, the best book that I read this month was The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (tho that's not saying much, as I only finished 2 other books this month, and didn't like either of them much XD). I finally managed to fight my way through the secondhand embarrassment and finish it. XP That said, I did enjoy most of it, Monty's antics were just a bit too much for me at times. XD
the characters in the secret history are pretty unlikeable so I also felt detached from them. I like unlikeable characters but these ones were so hard to relate to. The writing was so amazing and I read it in the fall which I think is the best time to read it. Her descriptions of autumn were just so good. This book would have been my favorite book of all time with a different main character but as it stands I'm with you where I have no idea how to rate it
I've read The Little Friend by Donna Tartt, and I was so frustrated! It wasn't about what it first said it was - a mysterious death of a boy in a small town - but about everything what was happening in that town. The writing was good, but the story itself was not what I expected.
Makes sense that you "only" read 4 books with the Priory of the Orange Tree, I feel like this one is going to take me more than a month to finish lol. This month I read Skyward, A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Daisy Jones and the Six ! Loved the first two but not sure about the last one, I liked it but not as much as everyone else did or not as much as I thought I would
olivia1910 I also read Skyward this month and it was so good!
(Maybe minor Priory spoilers?)
I feel like Tor really hyped Priory to be a fantasy standalone about dragons and you barely get to see any! I wanted more dragons!
In any case I also rated it 4 stars. Solid book but man did it have some long info dumps.
I think The Secret History is the most overrated book I've ever read. It was okay, but I also felt detached when reading it. I was somewhat interested in what was going to happen but just out of curiosity if you get me, I didn't actually care about what happened to any of the characters because I didn't feel connected to a single one of them, and Camilla in particular was sooo underdeveloped, she was only there as a prop for the male characters lol. When I read it I gave it 3.5 stars but since reading more dark academia that I like way better I've reflected on tsh and changed it to a 3 star. I really liked the premise but just hated the execution to be honest
I may sound a little slow but I notice throughout your videos that you say “character driven” a lot. What exactly does this mean. I love your videos. You inspire me to read so many books that are not what I normally would read.
'Character driven' just means that the book focuses on the feeling and actions of the characters and how in turn they affect the way the story progresses. On the other hand, "plot driven' or (action driven )mainly focuses on the actual plot and what is happening, as well as this how the characters deal with things they can't control. I hope this makes sense and helped a bit hehe :)
Lil Ray Of Darkness that helps a lot. Thank you
i've seen a lot of mixed reviews about The Secret History!
I read THE SECRET SOCIETY in HS, so my memory might be a bit foggy on it, but I also remember having mixed feelings about it. Secret university society premises are one of my favorites (and hoping THE NINTH HOUSE is gonna blow me away in October) and it had so much potential. My main issue was the fact that I disliked the characters. I think they were meant to be super complex, but I felt that struggling to understand each of their facets and humanity took away from the complexity of the plot itself and the moral issue at the heart of the book, if that makes sense. It kept pulling my attention and moral compass in so many different directions and if I don't understand (and can't empathize with) the characters, then I can't delve deeper into the main moral issue, since I'm already subjective and will probably dislike everything they do. So that took away from my enjoyment of thinking about the book and its deeper meaning. At the end of the day, I need to empathize with the characters in some way, and I just didn't get that here. With that being said, I remember devouring this book. English isn't my first language either, but I couldn't put it down. So enjoyable while reading, but it didn't leave me with that super satisfied feeling once I was through with it. And if anyone has any book recommendations on secret university societies, I am on the lookout for some really good ones :D
I read China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan and had a bunch of fun... I listened to the audiobook for it which is phenomenal.
If you want the version of the secret history that has pretentious main character try if we were villains, i loved it more than the secret history but that's just my opinion 😅
I looooved Priory but I agree that the battle descriptions were pretty weak. I didn't really enjoy The Secret History (I read it so long ago that I don't even know why anymore so my dislike for it has def grown to being a caricature of itself) but I definitely had a better time with it than I did with The Goldfinch.
March wasn’t a good month for me. I read 12 books and the best was The Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich. Even that one I wasn’t blown away with. A couple I struggled to finish. One was just plain awful. In addition to the 12 I read I DNF 3. Most of them were just ok. Hopefully April is better!
Best books I've read in March are
Ohio by Stephen Markley ( disappointed that it didn't progress to the quarterfinals of the Booktube prize)
The Binding by Bridget Collins
The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley
Yes for The Binding :D
Finished it yesterday and enjoyed it so much. The plot didn't go where I expected and romance plots are usually not my thing, but this was so great (the audiobook totally fit the story too, it was actually done with a Leeds accent). It was so different than what I expected but so good. I hope it becomes a movie, it's perfect for an adaptation.
The in medias res beginning was very well done too, in my opinion.
I also listened to The Secret History on audiobook. I thought it was good but, I agree with you, I felt very disconnected from the characters and the things that happened to them. Which is strange because a lot of the situations in the book would typically elicit major emotions from me, but they kind of missed the mark. Overall, good book, but a lot to take in.
I liked TPOTOT a lot but the last third felt rushed, I would have liked it better as a duology or a trilogy.
Well my wrap up is the shortest ever... I literally got all slumpish and just finished one book.
”Old dead languages like Greek, Latin” Greek is a dead language now? Well I guess I speak a dead language then 😃😩 I also read The Astonishing Color of After AND A Monster Calls so it was a bit of sad reading month for me too! I’ve also realized this month that contemporary books aren’t really for me lol. Oh and I loved the parts of The Astonishing Color when Leigh was in Taiwan but I didn’t like the romance... what did you think about that?
I meant “Ancient Greek” but my brain decided Greek was old lol
I was on the fence about The Priory of the Orange Tree, so thanks for pushing me over. :) I really blame Tolkien's publisher for this series thing we have in SFF!
We need more standalones for sure!
If you enjoy Secret History, you might also like When We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
The best book I read this month was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets buuuut that was a reread so does it really count? Lol
It doesn't because every time you read HP it will be a monthly favourite 😁
I read the Secret History!! I liked it a lot but also ended it super confused. It kinda feels like a literary version of a soap opera. Also I detested the ending - maybe the entire last quarter of the novel SUCKED to me. I would still reread it but I do agree that it's not what I originally expected.
I’m on time
I read Jack Kirby King of Comics (5 stars), Cinder by Marissa Meyer (4) and right now i'm about to the end another one, only 3 books but it's ok because before of those i only had read 1 and it was "meh", so i'm happy haha
ps. sorry for my english
Je suis TELLEMENT d'accord pour les morts dans the priory of the orange tree! Parfois c'était même des personnages auxquels j'étais vraiment attachée mais leur mort me laissait "hm...ok, guess qu'il fallait tuer quelqu'un..."
J'ai l'impression que ça a peut-être rapport au fait que les morts étaient souvent sans un plus grand but. C'était souvent des morts accidentelles ou procédurales ou bêtes, rien pour vraiment venir faire avancer l'histoire ou les personnages. Un peu comme si l'auteure avait vu que les morts multiples dans game of thrones, ça pognait, donc elle en a mises...?
bref, parfaitement d'accord avec toi que c'est le point faible mais que le livre est quand même vraiment superbe! :)
The secret history was a let down for me. I “liked” the characters as in they were well crafted but the story... it could have been so much better if it was 200 pages less. There were so much scènes to set the atmosphere which was good but there were way too Many of those In my opinion. Also the professor... a lot of thoughts about him, but I do not feel like he was to blame.
I struggled a lot with Priory of the Orange Tree. I listen to the audiobook and there was just too much going on from too many points of view to keep straight
It got easier to keep track. One of my favourite fantasies!
What's your first language?🤔🤔
You have done a great job hiding it from me (I'm a new sub!) so your English is super awesome😍
Vivien Kurucz French
Upload 14min ago....I'm really early YAY
You said you only read 4 books but The Priory of the Orange Tree counts for 2 books :)
For sure! If we consider the average read 350 pages... then I read like 6-7 total :P
But seriously 4 is great, I'm proud I made time for reading even though I was super busy :)
"They're pretentious students studying dead Languages like Latin, Greek..." Hey, Emily, Greek is very much alive!
I meant ancient greek I mentioned it in another comment
@@BookswithEmilyFox Yeah, I figured, I was joking. I can relate to that feeling of saying the wrong thing. Your words made me put The Secret History in my TBR so thanks!
Oh boy I've been so tired I keep not getting all the jokes 😂
I`m still reading Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
What do you think of it so far?
@@witchf4ce310 not bad but I can`t finish it
I didn't particularly care for any of the books I read this month...
First HP book reread. It is what it is.
Kingdom of Copper - it's loooong. Might I just say, middle book syndrome? Shenanigans are top notch, but the humor of the first book was understandably missing. It made me like it less.
As for the Wicked King. I probably shouldn't make my unpopular opinion known. But suffice to say, after tolerating book one, this one disappointed me even more than I thought possible.
I was so bored with The Secret History, unfortunately I don't get the hype at all....
I THOUGHT YOU CUT YOUR HAIR OMG
I also listened to the audio book of The Secret History, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. Maybe it was the narrator/author, maybe I just didn’t like the writing style, or maybe it was because of the privileged/pretentious lives the characters led? Idk but I just didn’t know what to make of this. I didn’t like the atmosphere either. I think this book just wasn’t for me.