I've had Nothing But Blue Skies on my shelf since it was longlisted. You've made me want to get to it soon.
@TheFictionalSarah5 ай бұрын
It makes me so happy to hear that! I hope you like it when you get to it, it's just such a beautiful story filled with love and loss. Just talking about it made me want to start it again hehe :)
@Anka-n9y7 ай бұрын
I always make sure I write down the title and the name of the person borrowing my book 😎
@TheFictionalSarah7 ай бұрын
Very responsible!! It sounds like you haven't lost anything with that method :)
@lizhallsworth51808 ай бұрын
Really disliked Enter Ghost. Loved Soldier Sailor.
@judybrown16248 ай бұрын
I loved Daughter. I think it should win the Carol Shields Prize.
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
It was really wonderful! I'm glad it's getting the recognition and I'll be looking out for the winner announcement next week!
@benreadsgood8 ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing your reflections on the shortlist! Although I do have to do my usual Soldier Sailor fanboying and urge you to reconsider, haha 😂 Restless Dolly Maunder has gotten a lot of negativity, but I thought it was really good. I didn’t expect to see it on the shortlist, but I think it’s deserving of its place.
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
Haha I do see why Soldier Sailor made it on there, I wasn't surprised, it just perhaps didn't work for me! But the writing was lovely, and the sort of desperation and intensity that comes with being a parent really shone through! It just wasn't a standout for me. And that's good to know! I'm sure I'll get to it in the next month or so. It did surprise me but mostly because no one was talking about it!
@KierTheScrivener8 ай бұрын
Love hearing your thoughts! Brotherless Night is a great book.
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
I think we commented on each other's videos at the same time haha! Thank you, and I'm excited to get to that one soon! It's "on its way" to me at the library!!
@KierTheScrivener8 ай бұрын
@@TheFictionalSarah haha I think we did! Good timing!
@TheLeniverse8 ай бұрын
I have read 14/16 and I find it hard to pick a favourite, but Enter Ghost, And Then She Fell, and Brotherless Night are maybe my top 3? Not necessarily in that order 😅 Looking forward to the shortlist announcement in the morning.
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
14/16 is huge!!! I'd love to be nearly done the longlist by the time the shortlist is announced. I'm really excited to read Brotherless Night too and I've heard a lot of good things so wouldn't be surprised to see it on the shortlist :)
@TheLeniverse8 ай бұрын
@@TheFictionalSarah Even with 14/16 they managed to pick one I hadn't read 🤣
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
@@TheLeniverse LOL of course it ends up that way. I hope you can get to that one and I'd love to hear your thoughts on who you'd like to win at some point too!
@aquakim908 ай бұрын
Happy to see you back! :)
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
This is very sweet and has made my day <3 thank you so much and thanks for watching! :)
@booksandbags8 ай бұрын
This is my first year following the prize, so I don’t have anything to compare it to. I like that I’ll be reading books that never would have been on my radar otherwise. I’ve only read a few, but I do plan on reading the shortlist. I did love Hangman and hope to see it on the list. I’m about to start In Defence of the Act.
@TheFictionalSarah8 ай бұрын
The thing I love about the prize is definitely hearing about books and authors I haven't been aware of before. I like that they often pick a few newer/debut authors too and it gives them some exposure :) So even though a lot of the books this time around have been misses for me, I'm happy to have been able to check them out. I'm glad you enjoyed Hangman too, and I can't wait to read In Defence of the Act! Enjoy your first WPF!!! :)
@Snick39279 ай бұрын
PS: in the (your) spirit of honesty, I will say that while I’ve lived in Philadelphia for a long time, I’m from Edinburgh, Scotland-an enchanted city that still happy-haunts me. But… It somehow bothers me that after I’m dead, the party will go on in my favorite city-where I belonged-without me. Weird, huh?
@Snick39279 ай бұрын
What a nicely conceived video review-and your honesty makes its own important contribution. Love and Death, of course, are the twin great themes of art, and for good reason. The Art & Science of Death & Dying was always my most popular college seminar-why? Because this theme, this event, this greatest mystery is important-to everyone. Death, in fact, is what makes life important-that’s what death is for. My own conviction is that being dead is just like being asleep, except better. Also, that a good death is one that comes at the end of a good life. Thanks for this captivating video-I also really enjoyed your Daughter review. PS: if you’d like an inter-generational on-line connection (with a retired English Professor and medical ethicist), let me know. ~ Jack
@TheFictionalSarah9 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for your comment! I would have liked to attend that seminar. It's an important topic, and while terrifying to me, also very fascinating. I hope to have a good death, and I hope once it's coming I won't be so scared! It just seems so overwhelming now. And to your second comment- it's that sort of thing that freaks me out a bit too... the party going on without me! I'm especially sad about all the future books I'll never get to read haha. Would love to hear more of your thoughts, certainly! :) Thanks again for the comments and insight.
@Snick39279 ай бұрын
Thanks, Sarah-I'm keen to get more of your perspective(s) on the Grim Reaper too! In the meantime, I’d like to recommend Sherwin Nuland's book, How We Die. Dr. Nuland was a very successful and respected Yale surgeon despite (?) suffering from black depression that lifted only after many series of ECT (a series = six treatments). I met him a couple of times-he was a lovely man and a gifted, compassionate writer. If you have a hot favorite reading recommendation (on death or anything else that fascinates you), do let me know!
@aquakim9011 ай бұрын
I’ve seen rouge float around for a bit but I wasn’t entirely convinced. After hearing your review I think I’m going to give it a try 😊
@aquakim9011 ай бұрын
Also I’m a new subscriber, can’t wait to see more videos from you!
@TheFictionalSarah11 ай бұрын
I hope you enjoy it when you get to it. It's definitely a weird book but worth the read. And thanks for subscribing! <3
@alessandraenright Жыл бұрын
Adding a manual for how to love us to my TBR asap! Your review almost made me cry - so so good
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much! I think you'd really enjoy some of the stories and please let me know what you think when you get around to reading it :)
@joieslifee Жыл бұрын
hello! I just finished reading this book and I adored it, so I immediately went on KZbin to find a discussion of the book. I really enjoyed your video! I feel like this book filled a hole in my reading history, it was magical, sad, comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. The way the relationship between the girls was represented was something really refreshing to me, pure and sacred, detached from the male gaze. I read this book in Italian (my mother tongue) and I am glad I did because the translation was awesome! The word strega means "witch" in Italian and it's super appropriate to the book, also the imaginary town of strega should be in the Italian alps. 🥰
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Hi! Thanks so much for your kind reply. I feel the same, I wish I had read this when I was younger, it might have taught me something about myself or female friendships! I really loved how magical the setting and relationships felt, despite the violence that I knew was lurking around the corner. And yes, I love the sort of witchiness that is added through the title! :D I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
@hasteyebooks Жыл бұрын
Hi Sarah! Happy to have found your channel through the Giller Prize :) I'm also a big fan of prizes and my fav is the Women's Prize. Will go check out your other videos :)
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much! I'd be so interested to hear your predictions or faves as well. The women's prize is also my favourite, and the one where I do try to read all longlisted books each year! Book prizes are so fun to follow :)
@pegthebookprizeaddict579 Жыл бұрын
I really appreciate your serious and literary approach and had wondered about this book! Keep on reading!😃📚❤️
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! I do recommend checking it out if you've been eyeing this book 👀😄
@autoreleasefool Жыл бұрын
Loved the video! Definitely so cozy. A recent 5 star read for me was The Martian by Andy Weir. I know you've already read another book by Andy Weir and didn't like his writing style, which is totally fair lol. But something about the analytical approach to all the problems the main character encounters, the ingenuity, the foreshadowing of greater issues that sometimes do and don't come to fruition leaving you guessing all made this a 5 star read for me.
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much <3 I am definitely intrigued by a story that largely just features one character and the problems he has to solve, so I might check it out!
@x0x15 Жыл бұрын
Welcome to thrilliess
@brookemercer2886 Жыл бұрын
I'm really excited to read the birthday party! I'm glad you found two great books recently!
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much! I hope you like it and get pulled into the story as well :)
@x0x15 Жыл бұрын
Young mungo! Love the sad gay reads 😂
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
SAME 😭 we'll see if I can handle it LOL
@teddymckinney1333 Жыл бұрын
💯 P R O M O S M
@KierTheScrivener Жыл бұрын
I'm still 10 weeks away on Fire Rush and I hope it will move up so I get before the announcement. I don't think Black Butterflies isn't published here yet but I am looking forward to it.
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
I hope you get it sooner than that! I feel like there's still a lot of time before June but then it's going to sneak up on us!! And I am grateful for the BC time, I was in Ontario last year and it was bad timing for the live announcement lol
@KierTheScrivener Жыл бұрын
I'm jealous of you being in BC. I'm in Ontario so it was 2:30 so I woke up and tried desperately to avoid the notifications I woke up to it
@KierTheScrivener Жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed reading the books off the longlist. I think you are the first I've heard who liked Pod. I really, really love Wandering Souls 😂😂 Thank you for your thoughts
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Haha, I'm not sure if you watch Leena Norms but she posted her predictions video yesterday and Pod was her favourite! But yeah, I haven't seen too many other people talk about it, and I was surprised I liked it. Honestly, you talking about Wandering Souls made me soften up to it so much haha- there was a lot about the story I thought was nice, I just couldn't get into the narration and the fast moving timeline of such a short book. I know a lot of people liked it and I wouldn't be upset if I saw it on the shortlist, it just wasn't a personal favourite. Thanks so much for your comment :)
@miachalupa Жыл бұрын
loved hearing your predictions! i haven't started reading yet, i'm waiting for the shortlist to come out :)
@TheFictionalSarah Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much! Yeah, I do that for most other book awards but I always challenge myself to read the longlist fully for this one. I hope you enjoy the shortlist once it's out! :)