Omg whyyyy is no one talking about Addie LaRue!!?? I read that book a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. It does not get the hype it deserves.
I've heard great things about Cleopatra and Frankenstein. Officially adding to my list!
It's such an incredible, magical, beautifully written book -- I'm so glad to hear that you loved it too. And I hope that you love Cleopatra and Frankenstein. I really enjoyed it! 🤎
so many books that are my favorites and that i want to read! a little life and my year of rest and relaxation are my favorite books, i relate so much to them, to their sickness, their depression... the ones i'm looking forward to reading: beartown, normal people (can't wait to read ALL of sally rooney's work!), cleopatra and frankestein & the invisible life of addie larue. my TBR is never ending, but i hope i can get to normal people and cleopatra and frankestein this year!
I can understand why those would be considered some of your favourites. They were definitely books that surprised me this year, but made me feel so deeply and come away from them a different person. I hope that you enjoy the books on your TBR, especially Normal People and Cleopatra & Frankenstein when you get to them this year -- I know what you mean about your TBR feeling never-ending, I feel like mine is going to topple over on me haha 🤎
Yes to The Virgin Suicides 🥰 Your other two favourites are on my tbr, and also Carmilla and My year of rest and relaxation. I'll be reading them, sooner or later 😅 Great mid year summary, you read gorgeous books 😎🩷
Thank you so much, Nicole! The Virgin Suicides is such an incredible book -- I understand your love for it completely. And I hope you enjoy all the ones on your TBR! 🤎
I apologise in advance for my enormous comment list but I got excited haha
- Reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein for my virtual bookclub this month!! Your review makes me all the more eager to start :)
- A Little Life shattered me when I read it years ago, but it has left such an impact on my life that I'm planning to reread it this year (wish me luck)
- Penance by Eliza Clark was by far my favourite read of the year! So uniquely written for a thriller lit-fic, I flew right through it! And have you read Good Material? It's has an Emily Henry vibe, so definitely recommend it (as well as Alderton's other work but this one was my absolute favourite of hers - be aware that you will get angry at the male protagonist haha)
Anyways, loved reading this and I kinda want to make my own now. I like the idea of reflecting back on the year, but never considered a mid-year check-in
Never apologise -- I love when someone leaves a comment like this! 🤎
I hope that you love "Cleopatra and Frankenstein", I really enjoyed it and haven't been able to stop thinking about it, but I know it's not for everyone! And I'm wishing you so much luck with your reread -- I don't know if I could ever reread "A Little Life". That book emotionally devastated me. You're so much braver than me.
I've heard so many good things about "Penance". I'm planning on reading "Boy Parts" by Eliza Clark soon. I feel like her books are going to be ones that I love. I've never read "Good Material" but I'm definitely going to check it out.
I'll definitely read your mid-year check-in when you post it!
I heard mixed reviews about Cleopatra and Frankenstein too, let’s hope I’m in team love!
And thanks haha, it’s been five years so it’s time, and I’ve been craving a devastating read lately, how very sadistic of me!
Loved Boy Parts too and it really hints at how Clark writes - witty and unreliable - this is then elaborated on in Penance although they’re vastly different novels both in structure and story. Anyways hope you really love both as well as Good Material! 🤍
Oh wow, new favorite of all time is intriguing! On my end, read and absolutely fell in love with Jon Fosse's Septology which was an unplanned purchase that worked out very well for me haha
love your top 3! I agree with Virgin Suicides. it’s such a dreamy book. my favorites this year (so far) are A Burning by Megha Majumdar, Infinite County by Patricia Engel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Anxious People by Backman, and Quiet by Susan Cain
You have an amazing list for the first half of the year, already - I hope the second half brings you as many quality reads! I am 20 pages into A Little Life (I’ve heard so much about it & finally picked it up without any idea what it’s about).
Thank you, I'm definitely hoping to find some new favourites as we continue into the year. And oh I hope that you enjoy A Little Life. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it 🤎
so many good ones here that it makes me want to prioritize the ones I haven't read (mostly Cleo & Frank and Magnolia Parks). I love watching what you read and what you think
It’s unbelievable it’s already July! Gosh, picking my favorites is always so hard. So far, probably funny story and a novel love story. However, I just started the women and I’m already predicting another favorite for the year 🥰
It feels impossible that we're already this far into the year! I love your two favourites for the year. Funny Story was so good, and A Novel Love Story is on my TBR -- I saw your Note about it, and it has made me so excited to pick it up! 🤎
I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year either! I so love that feeling of a book sinking into you when you least expect it. It’s happened with me once or twice recently, where I finish a book having enjoyed it but maybe happy it’s over, and then over the next few days or weeks I can’t get it off my mind.
I so agree with you, I love when that happens too! Sometimes books don't make their impact right away and it's with some time and space that we can really begin to feel it. That was definitely my experience with My Year of Rest and Relaxation 🤎
Loved this mid-year summary! A Little Life has been on my TBR for SO LONG but I am so nervous to start it. Also, love that you mentioned the Magnolia Parks Universe, I also found myself completely transfixed by their world, the ultimate guilty pleasure series. Desperately waiting for the next Daisy book!!
Thank you! I can definitely understand why you would be nervous, I honestly felt the same way before reading it. But it was worth it -- I just recommend making sure you're in a good headspace before starting it because it's very heavy. And YESSSS I desperately need the next one too. Such an incredible series 🤎
I’m glad you enjoyed Normal People!! I read that book in 2018 and I still think about it all the time. I can’t wait for her release this year! You should read conversations w friends next xxx
Aww thanks Soph! I'm soooo glad that you're loving Happy Place. Emily Henry is seriously incredible, I definitely don't think she could write a bad book!
And that cover is GORGEOUS! Once you work through the rest of your TBR, I hope you give it a read. I think you'd really enjoy it 🤎
Your taste is immaculate! Also, I definitely need to pick up a couple of Emily Henry books and see what all the fuss is about. I'm hearing so many good things!
Omg whyyyy is no one talking about Addie LaRue!!?? I read that book a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. It does not get the hype it deserves.
I've heard great things about Cleopatra and Frankenstein. Officially adding to my list!
It's such an incredible, magical, beautifully written book -- I'm so glad to hear that you loved it too. And I hope that you love Cleopatra and Frankenstein. I really enjoyed it! 🤎
so many books that are my favorites and that i want to read! a little life and my year of rest and relaxation are my favorite books, i relate so much to them, to their sickness, their depression... the ones i'm looking forward to reading: beartown, normal people (can't wait to read ALL of sally rooney's work!), cleopatra and frankestein & the invisible life of addie larue. my TBR is never ending, but i hope i can get to normal people and cleopatra and frankestein this year!
I can understand why those would be considered some of your favourites. They were definitely books that surprised me this year, but made me feel so deeply and come away from them a different person. I hope that you enjoy the books on your TBR, especially Normal People and Cleopatra & Frankenstein when you get to them this year -- I know what you mean about your TBR feeling never-ending, I feel like mine is going to topple over on me haha 🤎
Yes to The Virgin Suicides 🥰 Your other two favourites are on my tbr, and also Carmilla and My year of rest and relaxation. I'll be reading them, sooner or later 😅 Great mid year summary, you read gorgeous books 😎🩷
Thank you so much, Nicole! The Virgin Suicides is such an incredible book -- I understand your love for it completely. And I hope you enjoy all the ones on your TBR! 🤎
I read A Room of One's Own a few years ago and really enjoyed it 😊
It's such a good book! 🤎
I apologise in advance for my enormous comment list but I got excited haha
- Reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein for my virtual bookclub this month!! Your review makes me all the more eager to start :)
- A Little Life shattered me when I read it years ago, but it has left such an impact on my life that I'm planning to reread it this year (wish me luck)
- Penance by Eliza Clark was by far my favourite read of the year! So uniquely written for a thriller lit-fic, I flew right through it! And have you read Good Material? It's has an Emily Henry vibe, so definitely recommend it (as well as Alderton's other work but this one was my absolute favourite of hers - be aware that you will get angry at the male protagonist haha)
Anyways, loved reading this and I kinda want to make my own now. I like the idea of reflecting back on the year, but never considered a mid-year check-in
Never apologise -- I love when someone leaves a comment like this! 🤎
I hope that you love "Cleopatra and Frankenstein", I really enjoyed it and haven't been able to stop thinking about it, but I know it's not for everyone! And I'm wishing you so much luck with your reread -- I don't know if I could ever reread "A Little Life". That book emotionally devastated me. You're so much braver than me.
I've heard so many good things about "Penance". I'm planning on reading "Boy Parts" by Eliza Clark soon. I feel like her books are going to be ones that I love. I've never read "Good Material" but I'm definitely going to check it out.
I'll definitely read your mid-year check-in when you post it!
I heard mixed reviews about Cleopatra and Frankenstein too, let’s hope I’m in team love!
And thanks haha, it’s been five years so it’s time, and I’ve been craving a devastating read lately, how very sadistic of me!
Loved Boy Parts too and it really hints at how Clark writes - witty and unreliable - this is then elaborated on in Penance although they’re vastly different novels both in structure and story. Anyways hope you really love both as well as Good Material! 🤍
Oh wow, new favorite of all time is intriguing! On my end, read and absolutely fell in love with Jon Fosse's Septology which was an unplanned purchase that worked out very well for me haha
Oh don't you love when an unplanned book becomes a favourite? That's so awesome!
love your top 3! I agree with Virgin Suicides. it’s such a dreamy book. my favorites this year (so far) are A Burning by Megha Majumdar, Infinite County by Patricia Engel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Anxious People by Backman, and Quiet by Susan Cain
Such a good list of favourites for you as well! I'm still so excited to read Anxious People, it honestly sounds incredible!
You have an amazing list for the first half of the year, already - I hope the second half brings you as many quality reads! I am 20 pages into A Little Life (I’ve heard so much about it & finally picked it up without any idea what it’s about).
Thank you, I'm definitely hoping to find some new favourites as we continue into the year. And oh I hope that you enjoy A Little Life. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it 🤎
so many good ones here that it makes me want to prioritize the ones I haven't read (mostly Cleo & Frank and Magnolia Parks). I love watching what you read and what you think
Thank you so much, Natalie! I hope you like those ones too 🤎
It’s unbelievable it’s already July! Gosh, picking my favorites is always so hard. So far, probably funny story and a novel love story. However, I just started the women and I’m already predicting another favorite for the year 🥰
It feels impossible that we're already this far into the year! I love your two favourites for the year. Funny Story was so good, and A Novel Love Story is on my TBR -- I saw your Note about it, and it has made me so excited to pick it up! 🤎
I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year either! I so love that feeling of a book sinking into you when you least expect it. It’s happened with me once or twice recently, where I finish a book having enjoyed it but maybe happy it’s over, and then over the next few days or weeks I can’t get it off my mind.
It’s always fascinating when that happens!
I so agree with you, I love when that happens too! Sometimes books don't make their impact right away and it's with some time and space that we can really begin to feel it. That was definitely my experience with My Year of Rest and Relaxation 🤎
Loved this mid-year summary! A Little Life has been on my TBR for SO LONG but I am so nervous to start it. Also, love that you mentioned the Magnolia Parks Universe, I also found myself completely transfixed by their world, the ultimate guilty pleasure series. Desperately waiting for the next Daisy book!!
Thank you! I can definitely understand why you would be nervous, I honestly felt the same way before reading it. But it was worth it -- I just recommend making sure you're in a good headspace before starting it because it's very heavy. And YESSSS I desperately need the next one too. Such an incredible series 🤎
i always love hearing your book recommendations
Thank you so much, Meg! I hope you were able to find something in this piece 🤎
I’m glad you enjoyed Normal People!! I read that book in 2018 and I still think about it all the time. I can’t wait for her release this year! You should read conversations w friends next xxx
I am definitely reading Conversations with Friends asap. Once I'm off my book buying ban I think it will be the first book I'll purchase! 🤎
Fabulous as always! I've just started reading Happy Place by Emily Henry and I'm LOVING IT!
I also thought of you yesterday as I almost picked up Normal People but stopped myself as I still need to get through the rest of my TBR. BUT... just look at this cover! https://www.waterstones.com/book/normal-people/sally-rooney/9780571334650
Aww thanks Soph! I'm soooo glad that you're loving Happy Place. Emily Henry is seriously incredible, I definitely don't think she could write a bad book!
And that cover is GORGEOUS! Once you work through the rest of your TBR, I hope you give it a read. I think you'd really enjoy it 🤎
Your taste is immaculate! Also, I definitely need to pick up a couple of Emily Henry books and see what all the fuss is about. I'm hearing so many good things!
Awww wow thank you, Ella! 🤎 I might be biased because I'm obsessed with her books at the moment, but I definitely think you should!