🤣 yes sorry - I have had flings with other poets from time to time. But all before your poetry swept me off my feet, so it's not really cheating 😜 I couldn't not tag you in this one, what with all your fancy books. And I know how much you like sharing their prettiness, and how much I like coveting them. Will look forward to seeing what you pick from your extensive collection! What disappointing news on the state of flannel. What is the world coming to, eh? I wonder why they're so pricey this year - can't say I've noticed the same problem here, though I've not really looked that extensively yet this year. Am making do with the same shirts I got last winter for now - how very last season of me.

@@alex_unabridged Vintage!

Thanks, Pat 😊 Glad you enjoyed the little showcase of some of my favourite pretty books! I have a small but lovely selection of really lovely hardbacks but most of my library is good old standard paperbacks and I love those too. Plus they’re easier to actually sit down and read in a lot of cases! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for your responses to the tag! 😀

Thanks, Elli ☺Glad you enjoyed my reading! 'The Women of Troy' - do you mean the Pat Barker book? Fingers crossed you get some more bits of info on the characters in the next book to satisfy your curiosity about what happened to them!

@@alex_unabridged yes, exactly! :) thank you haha, especially with greek retellings there isn't a consensus about what happens to whom 😄

Thanks, Debs ☺That's probably a first for me, to have found a whole bunch of books that you've not read - out of all of these I'd specifically recommend Nights At The Circus for you. I think you might really enjoy that 👍Carter's work is phenomenal all round, but that one is really something special in my opinion.

I know, me talking about SF and Fantasy! Look how I've grown! 😂These sorts of tags are great for reminding me that I do actually read (and enjoy) a much wider range of genres than I think I do. Do you mean 'Once a Monster' by Robert Dinsdale? It's a magical retelling of the minotaur myth (apparently - I've not read it, but I have seen it when browsing bookshelves). The only other new minotaur-ish book I've come across is Dogs and Monsters by Mark Haddon, but that's a short story collection and so the minotaur is just one small part of it. Side note: when I was looking up the title of the Haddon book I spotted a listing for a new Josh Malerman horror novel, set on a farm and featuring a 'strangely malevolent pig' called Pearl. That's the title of the book too. Horror about an evil pig, you say? Sold. 🐖

@@alex_unabridged Once a Monster is indeed the one. Pretty cover here in the States. Edit: Just looked up Pearl. Looks like it came out here in 2022 with a very subdued cover. Wonder if they're rereleasing it with a bit more visual pizazz.

@@troytradup Yeah, Once A Monster has a pretty cover here too. Pearl is listed as an Aug '24 release over here, though that's just for the paperback. Looks like the hardback came out in 2021. The hardback is definitely subdued, but can't say the new cover has a huge amount of pizazz. Less minimalist for sure, but still nothing special.

Thanks again for the tag, Pat - this one definitely made me think! Absolutely look for The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break - is a wonderful read, I don't think I've read anything else like it. Beautiful prose. I really hope you enjoy it if you grab yourself a copy ☺

@@alex_unabridged I will look for it, Alex. I just tagged you again today. But no pressure! 🥰

You're welcome! Will look forward to seeing what you come up with for the prompts! 👍

Fabulous! I hope you enjoy them both 😀The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break is one that holds a special place for me because of the time in my life when I read it, and I'd be really interested in hearing what other folks make of it as it's not one that gets talked about much. Nights at the Circus is a genuine masterpiece in my eyes, I'm in awe of Carter's writing. Fantastic, thought-provoking tag - I loved doing it and have really enjoyed watching other folks' responses too. So thanks for coming up with it and getting us all thinking! 😊

Thanks Olly 😊So far, so good - The Passage has me captivated once again! I must be on my 10th re-read (something lke that), and it just doesn't get old for me 😀

Thanks, Crystal! ☺You're absolutely right - I just need to appreciate the downtime and look forward to finding my focus and passion for reading whenever that reappears! I know it will, in its own time. Though my re-read of The Passage is definitely helping it along - is so nice having something so familiar and beloved to listen to, I really don't need to focus too much at all as I know it so well! And I find myself getting excited for what's coming two or three or ten chapters ahead!

Cheers, Pat 😀Thanks again for the tag - this was a really fun one!

Thank you for such a lovely comment, Pat. I really appreciate the support ❤I've just had a lovely weekend away, visiting old friends who I've not seen in person since before the pandemic, and that was a tonic for my mood! Being with them, and especially chatting to their kids about all the books they love (the eldest - 13 yrs old - is an absolute bookworm) was fantastic. I'm just going to take it easy and absolutely not pressure myself with reading (or anything else for that matter!). Re-reading an old favourite is so far working extremely well - I'm captivated by The Passage once again! It's a really interesting experience this time, as it's the first re-read (or re-listen) I've done since being a part of BookTube, which has massively expanded both my reading range and my analysis of literature. I'm finding myself naturally paying more attention to the structure/character development/writing style etc, and it's making me really try to pinpoint what exactly it is about the book that makes me love it so much. It's lovely returning to it with a slightly different perspective. I hope you're on the mend now and able to get back into your books again! I caught your video on your Irish adventure just before going away but didn't get chance to comment before leaving for my trip - will remedy that shortly! 😊

@@alex_unabridged I’m glad you had such a beautiful weekend with old friends! I’ve yet to read The Passage. I know it’s one I’d appreciate. I am feeling better, thanks, but wow! Whatever this was really knocked me out! Take good care! 🥰

@@BookChatWithPat8668 Thanks, Pat ☺Very glad to hear you're feeling better!

Lol, thanks Michelle! Have managed to kick the frustration a little, am just being strict with myself when it comes to chilling out about it! I'm definitely gonna pick up some short stories soon, and discover some new authors (new to me) that way - should help inspire me with what to try reading next when I'm ready to pick up a full novel again. 😀

Thanks, Debs - I really appreciate the love and support 😊I definitely agree that it's important to talk about mental health - it's something so many folks experience yet it's still something that isn't always discussed enough, I don't think. And as is evidenced by the truly lovely comments I've had on this video, when we do share these experiences/difficulties there's a wealth of support and love offered from others. A problem shared is a problem halved, and all that! Just hearing from folks here has helped lift me no end. So I'm just going to chill with my reading and enjoy whatever takes my fancy, slow down a bit and not put pressure on myself to get involved in too much re events etc. And it'll be lovely to finally get round to making some videos I've had planned for ages but keep putting off for other things! 😀

Thanks for your lovely supportive comment, I really appreciate it 😊 Sorry to hear you’re in a bit of a slump too. Teaching is exhausting, isn’t it! My mum was a teacher for 40 years and I know she sometimes found it frustrating that she didn’t have the energy for reading much once the day was done and she’d dealt with us at home too. She’s an avid reader and always has been, but I think there were years where the only things she read were our bedtime stories! Audiobooks and jigsaw puzzles are a fabulous combo 😀👍 I’m partial to that pairing, particularly over Christmas. I also find audiobooks with model-making or with needle craft really relaxing. I’ve definitely got to have something else to do whilst I listen to audiobooks otherwise my mind wanders away from the story to easily! That’s great that you’re continuing with the Vampire Knitting Club books! Glad they’re providing some fun cosy entertainment for you 😀I’ll definitely return to them at some point as I do find myself craving that easy warm sort of story, especially during the winter months. Thanks again for the lovely comment and for tuning in to my videos! I hope you get over your own slump soon too 🤞😊

Thanks, man - I really appreciate your comment and the support. Slumps really suck, don't they?! Great fun reads are a fab idea to beat them - glad the good doctor helped you out of yours in April! Great choice👍 It'll all come good for me again in time, but for now I'm enjoying my re-listen to The Passage and appreciating the opportunity to re-experience something that brought me so much joy in the past. Have got 30+ hours of that to get through so that should keep me occupied with some really easy and chilled listening sessions for a bit! 😀

Oh yeah, comics are wonderful for that short sweet hit of fun reading and often a healthy dose of nostalgia too! Will definitely be trying a few over the next few weeks 👍So happy that my vlogs have inspired your own little creative projects and little adventures! That’s really lovely to hear 😊 I love making them and am really looking forward to continuing them as a monthly thing. Will make sure there’s plenty of crazy dog footage in them for good measure too 😂 Thanks for commenting and for the support - I really appreciate it 😊

Yeah, I know you understand where I'm coming from! Taking care of ourselves is paramount, and just enjoying whatever takes our fancy for reading is super important, which is often comfort books for me too. The depression will pass soon enough, but in the meantime I'm just going to take it easy, and might even stick on the audio of Project Hail Mary yet again... 😉 Thanks, Elli - I always appreciate your support. Hugs to you too! 🤗

Thanks a lot, Cliff - I really appreciate the lovely, supportive comment ☺The Passage re-read is helping so far, and I'm going to dip into some comics/manga, and short stories too, to keep reading new stuff too (new to me, anyway!). That way I can alleviate the frustration of not being able to get into a new full-length novel right now!

Thank you, the hugs are much appreciated! ☺Removing the pressure of scheduled reading is already helping me to feel better! 👍

Thank you for the lovely supportive comment ☺ I agree completely that recognising the depression and knowing it will pass is really important. I caught it early this time - even though I've experienced it for years I don't always recognise it before it gets really bad. Recognising and acknowledging it when it first creeps in makes a massive difference in being able to deal with it! And sharing troubles helps no end as well - the positivity and support in all of the comments on this video makes me feel tons better. Folks here really are wonderful human beings! Reading short light things during a slump is a great plan - quality of writing matters less than quality of experience, and if those lighter reads bring relaxation and enjoyment then they're fabulous in my book! You know me, I love a bit of 'trashy' fiction, cosy reads, daft stories etc - they're easy to take in, doesn't ask for a huge amount of analysis and are just good fun! Once I'm done with my re-read of The Passage (which I'm enjoying a lot) I'll probably head over to some lighter shorter pieces to ease back into writing that's new to me. Thanks again for your kind words, they're very much appreciated. It's always a joy to hear from you! All the best 😊

Thanks for the lovely comment, Gareth - I really do appreciate the support! Taking a chill pill - sound advice! I'd do well to remember that more often 😂Glad you managed to eliminate what was causing you to be overwhelmed this last week - is important to keep assessing what we've got going on in our lives and making changes when necessary. I'm going to hazard a guess that you and I are similar, in that we WANT to do a ton of different things but sometimes find ourselves stretched a bit thin! I find it difficult making decisions about knocking certain things on the head - I'm awful at prioritising, and at accepting that I only have a finite amount of attention for all of the various activities etc that I want devote my time and energy to! Definitely check out The Passage - would be really interested to hear what you make of it. It is by the same author of The Ferryman (Justin Cronin) - I really enjoyed The Ferryman, intriguing story and world building with some good twists and turns and solid characters. The Passage is pretty different, but will forever be my favourite of Cronin's I think. There's a touch of King about the writing, particularly in terms of the character development. Anyway, here's to chilling out and freeform reading for a bit! All the best, and big hugs back to you too, mate 😊

P&P was definitely a surprise for me, in how much I enjoyed it! I LOVE the BBC miniseries with Colin Firth (side note: we live about 20 mins drive from the location where that lake scene was filmed and we visit reasonably regularly to walk the dog there!). Didn't care for the 2005 adaptation - it was a bit too 'brown' - the visuals weren't as interesting - and the casting was a bit off for me. I don't mind a bit of Bridget Jones though! LoTR is definitely a comforting sort of book on audio, I've listened to two of the three parts narrated by Andy Serkis and they were great. I can't really get on with reading Tolkien on the page, but having a good narrator really brings it to life in audio!

Cheers, buddy. I'm definitely going to try reading the beginnings of some books once I've finished my re-read of The Passage, to help me figure what sort of thing I fancy dipping into next. You were almost right with your guess of Project Hail Mary - if I hadn't had reread that so recently I probably would have gone for that! But I had a spell of bad sleep in springtime and so had a very disjointed but still highly enjoyable re-listen to PHM then - it always helps me relax and really helped with my insomnia! But The Passage is such a favourite that if anything is going to remind me of why I love reading so much, it's that one. Am about 7 hours into the 36hr long audiobook, and yep - this should absolutely do the job! 😀

You, an ardent proselytiser of short story collections? I hadn't noticed... 😉 Thanks, Lekden - for your ideas and words of support. I really appreciate them. I will be dipping into some individual short stories from collections I have in my library, once I'm done with my re-read of The Passage. Am just allowing myself to get fully immerse back in that world at the moment, I know it ridiculously well and so it doesn't require much focus at all. Though conversely I'm finding myself focussing on it in a different way than I have before - a sort of 'stealth' analysis seems to be happening, in that I'm finding myself trying to pinpoint what it is about it that I love so much and what makes it my favourite book. There's no intentionality in this reading style, it just seems to be organically happening as I listen to the audio. If that makes sense! Anyway, it's definitely a good thing 👍 Writing some poetry - just for myself - is a great idea, I think I may well give that a try. Troy's got me on a poetry kick at the moment so it's been in my brain for a while, and it's a lovely free way of writing that could, as you say, keep my emotional and literary landscapes in conversation (fantastic way of putting it, by the way!). Is worth a go, for sure. Thanks again - your positivity, along with that from others here in the comments, lifts me no end 😊

They do suck, don't they! Re-reads of short, familiar books sounds like an excellent plan. My current re-read (or re-listen I should say) isn't exactly short (35+ hours of audio!) but I know it so well that I really don't have to focus too much on it - I can just let the story wash over me and get sucked back into it. I'll definitely be heading for shorter books - both familiar and new - when I've finished that though, particularly when it comes to reading physical or digital texts, as that's where my focus is problematic at the moment. Many thanks for commenting and for the support in getting through the slump! 😊

Cheers, Debs 😀Have got your version of the tag queued up in my Watch Later list (am playing catch up on my BookTube viewing at the moment, am way behind). It was such a fun tag to do, am looking forward to hearing which characters other folks have come up with for their responses!

Well, if you've already got answers (snarky or otherwise) then what are you waiting for?! You are retrospectively tagged, good sir. 😉

Cheers, Cliff - it was a really fun tag to do! 😀Have you read Bookshops and Bonedust? Not quite as good as Legends and Lattes, but still a really fab read. I'm about to do a re-read of The Passage - has been a while and I'm craving a return to it!

@@alex_unabridged I still need to read Bookshops and Bonedust. I will pick it up when I am once again in the mood for cozy fantasy.

@@CliffsDarkGems Cool - they're definitely both books for a very particular mood! Hope you enjoy it when you get to it!

Yes! Someone else who appreciates the brilliance of The Passage! I am most definitely bewildered too. I am about to start a re-read of it - it's been a few years since I read it and I can't wait to get back into that world with all its fabulous characters. 😀

@@alex_unabridged I've yet to read book 3. I should get onto that.

@@charlesbarrowbooks Absolutely - and I hear that Cronin is planning to return to the Passage 'universe' for a fourth book soon(ish)... 😉

Thanks, Debs 😊 I do always try to find the positive in everything (even rubbish stuff 😂) - it's far less exhausting than being negative about things. Positivity on BookTube is a piece of cake though - so much fab discussion about great books, and so many wonderful people! 😀

Thank you, Pat 😊Glad to have been able to share how much I appreciate you! I know I'm not the only one 😉I hope you had a wonderful time in Ireland, I'm just about to watch your video on your trip!

@@alex_unabridged you are so kind, Alex. Thank you.

😂I know, I'm probably mad for wanting to eat ice cream in freezing cold, rainy weather! Strangely, the only time I'm slightly less likely to go for ice cream is when it's really hot. Dairy in scorching weather doesn't always sit well for me! Little oddity that I am... That's a fair comment about Legends and Lattes - it's rather quiet on the fighty fighty stuff! I think it came along at just the right time for me, when I was just in the right mood for it, and it turned into a go-to comfort read straight away. Am a ways off finishing the novel, but I am making progress (slowly but surely). I'm nearly ready to show a couple of bits of it to people, so if you want to have a read in the not-to-distant future I'd love to hear your thoughts...😉

@@alex_unabridged YES YES YES I'd love to read it! I might have a story for you to read as well if you're still wanting to practice editing or just for fun!

@@michellesmelancholia That's an emphatic YES from me! Send me whatever you like, more than happy to take a look at your writing! Just drop me a message on Discord when you're ready to share it, and we can chat through what might be most helpful to you in terms of how I approach it (a more 'casual' read vs a formal copy edit) 😊

Thanks Gareth!☺I'll be really interested in hearing what you think of Children of Memory when you're finished, and how you feel about the series overall. I really need to redo my Top 10 Fiction list, I've got a few to add in to it, but Children of Time has definitely got a spot in my top 5 too. Phenomenal book, and one of my favourite audio experiences. Cage of Souls is a strong possibility for my next foray into Tchaikovsky's work, but I do really like the sound of The Doors of Eden too. Hope you and Dave have a great time with your buddy read! 😀

🤣 Your scepticism (cynicism 😉) doesn't surprise me. I am cautiously optimistic that his many, many other books will all be, at the very least, good. Hopefully great! But I highly doubt anything will reach the heights of Children of Time. I'll keep you posted, and you'll be the first to know if I find a poor one!

Excellent! Might we perhaps see a story from you too...? 😉

@@alex_unabridged haha! I’ll certainly throw my hat in the ring. I now have no fear of rejection. In fact I’m getting quite used to it!🤣

I do like this tag, was a lovely one to do. Yes, it's lovely to have found a place where we know we're meant to be - we'll look forward to the eventual move, but also the journey we go on in order to get there in a couple of years time! Is fab to have that goal to focus on ☺Many thanks for watching and commenting, always lovely to hear from you!

Thanks, Cliff 😊 Legends and Lattes is absolutely a warm hug, it's one of my comfort books - if I'm feeling ill or having trouble sleeping, I just throw the audiobook of that on and it's instant relaxation! My Garbology story was 'Celestial Carnage' - I write under the name A. J. Prior. Glad you enjoyed the anthology - it's a great collection, I've loved reading everyone else's stories!

@@troytradup 😂 my instinct was that this tag probably wasn’t one you’d want to do… glad I got that right! Glad you enjoyed my responses tho 👍

Hi there! Happy to hear you're looking forward to the next iteration of a trashy anthology 😀Will look forward to reading your (potential) submission too! 😉

Am super excited - is gonna be a lot of fun to put together! 😀

Thanks, Gareth ☺So excited about this new anthology project, should be a blast!

DO IT, DEBS!! We absolutely want folks to just have go and have fun with writing! ☺

Yes! Do it, Debs! You don't lose anything by giving it a try.

Fantastic! I was hoping you'd say that 😉Looking forward to seeing what you've got for us!

@@tyghe_bright Cheers! I’m so looking forward to the whole process, should be fantastic fun! 😀

Me too, buddy - so happy you're up for another round of crazy, trashy fun! ;-)

Cheers MJ, I'm super excited too! Looking forward to seeing what you've got for us this year 😉

Oh, please do!! 😀

I'm really stoked to be involved on the editing side this year - should be great fun! Can't wait to see what trashy delights we get dropping into our email in December! 😀