2019 | A Reading Year in Review

[@lucybarrettturley]

it was so refreshing to watch a booktuber not tell me that they'd read like, 200 books this year

[@deborahalice]

Thank you so much for being a representation of a person that reads "less" books but is still intelligent and undoubtedly a reader and book lover. Happy New Year Ariel, all the love.

[@bintzubair]

I agree so so much with this.

[@bookmarkbeth8416]

I concur!

[@itsnotrainer]

this is small but it’s so encouraging to see booktubers who don’t have something like 200 books read in a year. i’m an avid reader but i always feel bad finding that i’ve only read 20-30 books in the whole year although it’s a feat for me

[@ComeUndun.]

We read the same number of books this year. Funny because I was thinking "I could never do booktube. I don't read enough." But you're doing it. So maybe I can too.

[@steinistein8611]

Yeah of course you can Honestly I don't like it when book tubers read 200 books in a year Just think about what you want out of books: Do you want to consume them by the pound or do you want to feel and cherish them?

[@jessethereader]

i'm so glad you ended up loving sheets as much as you did!! i need brenna thummler to put out more graphic novels, because her work is fantastic & i need more!!

[@ArielBissett]

jessethereader it’s so beautiful 😭😭😭

[@radams7302]

was just thinking "wow i hope ariel does a end of year review" and u uploaded this wow queen

[@ArielBissett]

r adams I read your mind 🔮🧠👀

[@PunkPopik]

The ultimate question is: What colour will be the Goodreads reading challenge in 2020?

[@avakoob]

the painting on the cover of “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” is regency/empire era! think 1810s!

[@birdcagesandglitter]

“I love it! So pink!” is basically my motto

[@kiya12309]

I had quite a terrible reading year in terms of numbers. I only read 12 books. But I already finished one book today, and it's only January 1st! I hope to be more engaged this year, as reading truly is a wonderful pleasure for me when I can just sit down and actually READ. Since I moved out on my own I have just begun to pick "easier" entertainment - watching TV, looking at my phone, etc. But none of those satisfy me the way reading does, so here's to doing better in 2020.

[@gravelordkim1738]

A lot of people have mentioned the cover of "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" but I figured I would offer the artist and painting: Jacques-Louis David’s “Portrait of a Young Woman in White”

[@opheliawinfrey9501]

Lockdown 2021, anyone? I'm gathering new book recs from your old videos and all of these look terrific!

[@linnetwiddershins1983]

The costume of the woman on the cover of the Year of Rest and Relaxation is Regency Era, 1795-1820ish. So what all the Jane Austen characters wear! I believe the painting was done in 1798 so right when that costume era was taking off

[@virginialikethewoolf2075]

a historical costuming youtuber called bernadette banner recreated the dress on the cover of “my year of rest and relaxation” and went into the history of that painting in her historical doppelgänger series she did about it!

[@salamalmahi541]

What's the title of the video, please?

[@virginialikethewoolf2075]

There are 3 videos: 1. Making a Regency Bodiced Petticoat 2. Jacques Louis-David Portrait Dopplegänger: Making the Gown 3. Classical Art & Real Life Doppelgänger: Bringing ‘Portrait of a Woman in White’ to Life I should also probably note that Bernadette didn’t make the dress because of the book at all, just that it’s a cool painting and a cool series of videos to watch.

[@papaya388]

I think the initial reason for doing the project was because Bernadette's sibling has a very close resemblance to the woman in the portrait :)

[@wolfgaec06]

I just found your channel and have been binge watching your videos all morning and adding books to my goodreads! Love your enthusiasm about books, it’s contagious and inspired me to even try a graphic novel

[@thebigredmeg]

This year I discovered how much I love audiobooks!! I read over 20 books just on Overdrive (through my library) and I fell in love with the convenience and the different perspective you get from hearing a story/text rather than visually reading it. Side note, when you chose We Are Not Okay for your prettiest book last year or the year before, it inspired me to read it and I absolutely loved it, so thank you

[@SimplySaraReads]

_megmck_ I feel ya. I had my first taste of them this year as well. It’s really quite great.

[@PuprleFox]

Last year a cool bookish thing I did was start volunteering at my local library and use my library card a lot more!

[@jojor9176]

Living for the frequent uploads queen

[@ArielBissett]

Jojo R thank you!!!

[@603giraffe6]

In 2019 I finally got back into reading! After taking 3 years off for the most part because reading in college is very hard, I was finally able to find time to read again this year! Yay! Also this year I finally made it to Shakespeare and company in paris! I can check that off my bookish bucketlist now!

[@katecobb2365]

Your podcast is so amazing! It has been one of the highlights of my quarantine/working from home year.

[@ughnowwhat6692]

When Ariel doesn't pick Sheets as her favorite cover 😲

[@HowCaseySeesIt]

Ariel, I listen to a TON of podcasts but Books Unbound is by far my favorite. I get so excited every Tuesday

[@ArielBissett]

HowCaseySeesIt 😭😭😭 thank you so much!!!

[@Shelby_antaya]

Two videos I would love to see by u are "books that made me cry" and a read with me

[@harrietlucyblack6057]

the painting is called portrait of a young woman in white. it's from 1798 and it's mimicking classical Greek styles

[@nebula402]

I also finished a horrible, stressful, soul-crushing masters program in 2018! Worst years of my life! 2019 for me was all about getting back into the habit of reading for pleasure and living in the real world. I read more this year than I have in many, many years and am optimistic about good reading in 2020!

[@Gigglypeach]

The lady on your prettiest cover there is most probably from the regency era, around the early 1800's 😍 I used to work in a Jane Austen museum in Bath, England so I love all things regency ❤️

[@micaelat3734]

Most probably a David or Ingres, neoclassical style.

[@KelliJ_]

I come from the future but Blue Horses spoke to my soul so I felt the need to comment about how I had just re-read my favorite poems from that before watching this and I was like 🤯😍😍😍 kindred spirit.

[@LauraDFTBA]

But the REAL question is what colour will the Goodreads challenge logo be for 2020! I had kind of a meh year for books too, lots of 3* ratings. Favourite for the year is The Five by Hallie Rubenhold (definitely would recommend), prettiest was The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Macksey, and my most bookish moment.... getting a job in a bookstore! Happy New Year Ariel! x

[@thestudiointhelibrary1387]

The first 'cool' bookish thing I did this year was go to the 50th year celebration of my neighborhood branch of our city library in January 2019. The second is that I have started re-visiting a neighborhood independent used book store that I used to frequent a lot in the 90s; the owner had been able to weather all of the competition of the last two decades from chain bookstores, so for our neighborhood that is a point of pride. Also, several independent horror movies have used that store as a location, just recently earlier in December.

[@corvidae_s]

I bought Sheets around when it came out and it's still my favorite book, I always go to it when I'm feeling sad 💕💕💕 such a simple, important, beautiful book.

[@ambereldridge6409]

My top 4 books of 2019 were The Dharma bums by Jack Kerouac Wild by Cheryl Strayed Animal farm by George Orwell Perfume by Patrick Suskind Honestly loved these books so much, life changing reads!

[@kimonathompson4999]

Animal farm is my all time favourite book.

[@tracy2919]

I always appreciate the invitation booktubers give to talk about ourselves in the comments 😊 This year was the most prolific reading year of my life so far! Read 54ish books, most of them audiobooks which I get to listen to at work which had been AMAZING! I also discovered Hoopla this year which has allowed me to actually read graphic novels like I want to! Great reading year for me overall!

[@marjovy]

aaaa i'm so happy you're still baking bread every week or so!!! those breads turned out GORGEOUS so i'm not at all surprised!! i had a bit of a mixed reading year, where i was either reading all the time or not at all. i ended up reaching my reading goal of 50 with just 6 hours to spare of 2019!!! my favourite book was children of virtue and vengeance, but daisy jones & the six was definitely a close second for me!!

[@LastAttempt786]

my favourite book of 2019 was Percy Jackson and the Battle of Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. One cool bookish thing I did was to take part in my first ever readathon. It was the believathon hosted by Gavin Hetherington. I almost completed the Percy Jackson series during the readathon.

[@aunthegeek5788]

Well my favorite author of the year was George Orwell thanks to you and my favorite books were Animals Farm and 1984.

[@calciffer_]

the painting on the cover of my year of rest and relaxation is from 1798 called 'portrait of a young woman in white' by jacques-louis david!! I'm studying neoclassical art and he's one of my favorite artists!!!

[@chericeri]

Loved this!! The coolest bookish thing I did this year, by far, was going to BookCon! I live in England so I really never thought I would get to go. But this I did a semester abroad in New Jersey, which was absolutely insane having never lived away from home before. I got to meet you and all my other favourite booktubers and it just meant so so much to me, still can’t believe it really happened!

[@FaeryLaume]

I like that your wrap up was a bit different. I'll have to think of how I'd answer some of those categories. My favorite book of the year is easy, one book clearly rose to the top - The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. One fun bookish thing that happened for me in late 2019 was discovering book vloggers. Who knew! The only problem with this is that watching so many book themed videos is cutting into my reading time. LOL. Another bookish thing that happened was realizing I had several shelves full of books that I'd simply stopped noticing. They were primarily nonfiction or essays from my earlier parenting years and no longer relevant to my life. I gifted many to a younger friend who could appreciate them, and the rest were donated to my local library, and I ended up with extra space for NEW books!

[@laurenb_101]

Laura Dean and Sheets are also in my top 5 of 2019 - I really think graphic novels triumphed last year. For novels I would have to say The Poppy War, Daisy Jones & The Six and A Curse So Dark and Lonely ☺️

[@hopemills3908]

Will you be guessing the color of the goodreads challenge this year?

[@catreadsabunch]

She said yes to this question on her Instagram! I can't wait for the video!

[@michelleevens9184]

Hi Ariel! Thank you for sharing your favorite books for this past year. It's so weird, I ended up discovering a new genre/ favorite author too! I'm currently obsessed with Pam Jenoff. She writes historical fiction, which is something that I NEVER thought I would read, yet here I am on book number four of hers. I suppose my biggest bookish thing that I did this year was beating my 2019 reading goal. My goal was to read 24 books this year and I ended up reading 30!

[@MuniraHoosain]

I'm so glad you mentioned My Year of Rest and Relaxation. I'm slowly reading more literary/'adult' fiction and it was such a good way to get into it. I also started reading Mary Oliver for the same reason and I started with Felicity

[@thestudiointhelibrary1387]

A very nice year in review, Ariel. You are a building a great life for yourself. I liked SHEETS too and love Mary Oliver, and wanted to start making my own bread culture too after reading Sourdough, but have to stay away from yeast. So happy to see you are doing that. Wishing you all the best in 2020.

[@TheSunriseInside]

My reading year was so amazing. I challenged myself to read 100 books & I did it! & the best part was that a good chunk of them were 4 or 5 stars. I read a bunch of non fiction that expanded my world view & a lot of fiction that made me cry.. just good times all around. Next year I’m gonna set my goal for 50 & finally tackle some of the really big books on my shelf. 🙌🏽

[@siobhanshaw3573]

As an illustration graduate it makes me so happy to see how much you appreciate illustration!

[@rebeccamccreary8530]

Bernadette Banner made a recreation of the dress in the painting on the cover of My Year. Super interesting.

[@fernanda-e]

U got me pretty excited about the Mary Oliver book I've never really picked up a poetry book b4 idk why, I'm gonna have to check it out!!

[@elizabethlussier4423]

Hi!!! The painting on the covert of ''My Years Of Rest and Relaxation''... it's victorian... like Jane Austen! Happy New year!!!

[@sarahc8409]

My favourite book of the year was And Then There Were None! I picked it up at a second hand bookshop on a whim and ended up ADORING it! It has actually become one of my all time favourites and has started a love affair with Agatha Christie's novels for me. I can't recommend it enough

[@Cristina5753]

The prettiest book I read is, also the last & shortest book I read, Peluda by Melissa Lozada-Oliva. It’s a very short poetry collection & Ariel, you should definitely check it out. In November, I was able to attend Marissa Meyer’s Renegades tour and the series signed & meet her💙 It was my first book event I ever attended! This year I read 10 more books than I did in 2018, and I don’t know how I read more, but I’m happy & proud of myself for reading more even though my life is relatively the same as last year.

[@cleo6508]

Sourdough was by far my favourite and fastest book I read this year, and it led me into a spiral of buying loads of cookery books - something I had never even considered doing (and perhaps looked down upon as an 'instinctive' cook?)

[@aishikamitra]

Do you know it has just turned 2020 over in India? A Very Happy New Year to you...

[@jillianunrau2387]

I also work as a page at a library! It's such a great job!!

[@aestover91]

you know what, that book you mentioned with the old art and the modern font, i saw that in stores before and thought "wow who designed this, this is so bad" but after you explained, it makes sense and I really, really like that cover now. i read laura dean keeps breaking up with me, and i thought i was going to read some flirty "shoujo" story and was absolutely floored at how real and gritty and bitter (yet sweet) it was. i've never been through a break up that left me feeling like that, but i was starting to understand why people write poems and songs and create art after bad break-ups; it's like... you soul is bleeding, so you might as well find a way to dump it all and collect it for safekeeping, just in case, right? this year i read so many books, i don't even know what my favorite book is. I read Radio Silence, and that really resonated with me, and then I also read V. E. Schwab and Taylor Jenins Reid. And then there's some nonfiction I read by Damon Young, and Kevin Hazzard and also Susannah Cahalan. God, I haven't been this indecisive since filling out college apps, lmao.

[@TravelsinFiction]

I keep changing my mind but I think my favourite book of the year was My Sister, The Serial Killer. Such 👏 a 👏 good 👏 book 👏. And then one cool bookish thing I did was go to the Penguin Platform Christmas party. I felt so completely overwhelmed with gratitude to be invited, and it was so lovely to meet new bookish friends!

[@ChristyLou]

I read Sheets at a very weird point in my life this year and it amplified a lot of things I was feeling (maybe not in the most positive way). I loved it but I didn’t feel great after reading it so I want to try to read it again when I’m in a better place~

[@shreyabooked9309]

My cool bookish thing this year was discovering Booktube! It was such a game changer for me!

[@zidaner.9901]

I'll try Graphic novels because of you. It seems interesting

[@savvasaam7644]

My year of rest and relaxation just looks soooo interestng to me. I may even buy the ebook of this one tho i never do this bc I'm not from usa or europe and buying the paper version would be impossible. You really can make people interested in what you review.

[@catreadsabunch]

So awesome to hear you say Arkansas as a subscriber from that state! ❤️ I think my favorite book this year was Orlando by Virginia Woolf! I also read Blue Horses this year and loved it! I plan on getting a Mary Oliver tattoo soon!

[@AdrianaDonado]

My bookish memory this year is getting a book signed by an author for the first time!, and the thing is he signed 3 of his books for me and I got to see him 2 days, it was beautiful, best thing ever, didn't know it could be that exciting

[@hannahs_blog]

Thank you for creating such wonderful content this year✨ I can't wait to see what 2020 has in store for you!!

[@shanepunk94]

Best books I've read this year: "Stone Butch Blues" by Leslie Feinberg (the closest-to-me-book-ever), than "Go, Tell It On a Mountain" by James Baldwin and "My Name Is Red" by Orhan Pamuk (the two authors that have become my favorite ones in 2019). Greatest book moments: shopping at the Waterstones main store in London during my first visit in that city & country but also yeah, team Bookshelf Lovers - I also made myself new one and it looks lovely so had to highlight that as well.

[@AutoAlchemy]

Awesome video. :) My roommate has a copy of My Year of Rest and Relaxation on the living room table. Maybe I should sneak a peek... Here's a question! What are you most looking forward to reading this next year? Anything on your radar?

[@samuelcappi5205]

I love this video you seem so much happier than last year. I hope 2020 is just as great for you.

[@theonlynidnam]

random question, did you ever upload the documentary you were making about Megan Hughes and her farm life?

[@ArielBissett]

Mandi Lynn coming soon

[@gudes444]

Yes!! Someone else that still counts on their fingers!!! LOL I do that all the time and don't care who See's lol a bookish moment of the year for me was just reading way more books than I ever have, which I loved. One of the top books I read this year was "Pretty Paper" by Willie Nelson and David Ritz. Wonderful story weaving fiction with real life.

[@FromJessToYou]

How great!! I hope 2020 will bring you everything you hope for.

[@shell1338]

I had a great reading year. I got so lucky because I had a ton of five star reads. I'm happy your 2019 was better then 2018. Here's to a great 2020.

[@anatuba9050]

It looks like the painting on the cover of my year of rest and relaxation is from the French neoclassical period or the Rocco (I’m a huge art history nerd)

[@reagyragu]

Arkansas being called out by name wow....I feel so seen

[@lasaves3207]

ok i just read Sheets in 30 mins because of watching this video and it was the cutest thing ever; i loved this story!!

[@cryingaboutbooks]

Ariel is my fashion icon tbh

[@jesscantread3006]

my favorite bookish memory this year for sure was (kind of unexpectedly) becoming a high school english teacher. getting my sweet students excited abt books has been the highest highlight!! :')

[@megwithbooks]

youve made me so inspired to get into graphic novels for the first time in the new year!! bought laura dean at gosh comics the other day!

[@emmat.2456]

Does anyone have any booktuber suggestions that are not concentrating their reads in the YA or fantasy genres? I find it to be mostly whats out there and I love Ariel for the diversity of the books she reads and her more "adult" oriented choices but Id love more channels similar to hers!! Please help a girl ouuuuut!!! :)

[@tarotundercandlelite]

I got the Always Fully Booked planner - love it.

[@metaphoricallyspectacular3758]

Next year is the first year I'll actually get to participate I the reading rush and I'm so excited!

[@leakrr]

I sooo sooo sooo want to read Sheets after hearing you talk about it! I think I don't have a favourite book for 2019 because I read only a few books :/ hopefully this year will be better :)

[@megan1169]

The most bookish thing I did last year was an internship at a publishing house in Amsterdam!

[@akshitavarma8663]

This video dropped exactly around midnight on new year here in India❤❤

[@caenerys]

come through Carol Ann Duffy! Welsh legend 🙌🏼

[@bri1474]

You should do this but for movies and tv shows, as well!

[@livslibrary]

I’m in LOVE with your shelf & chair area! 😍 I’m obsessed with your podcast! It’s the best thing ever! SHEETS! Yes yes yes!

[@ToriKo_]

These book recommendations seem like book recommendations. Thanks!

[@nicolefaith9972]

I read 15 books in 2019 for the very first time. I also read a book of poems for the first time. Educated or Milk and Honey have to be my favourites.

[@CaptainKMorganx]

AAAA my phone background is a panel from Sheets! That graphic novel owns my heart.

[@emmyrose77]

read 55 books in 2019; ultimate achievement unlocked

[@tricia4630]

My top two favorite books were Becoming by Michelle Obama and We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled:Voices from Syria by Wendy Pearlman. The year of great nonfiction for me I guess! I wanted to let you know my favorite video you released this year was when you asked booktubers how many unread books they currently own. It is just such a cute video that I have watched repeatedly :)

[@printscreen9878]

I absolutely loved My Year of Rest and Relaxation too! It was so unique and out there and I could totally relate to just wanting to sleep and gets some rest from life. :D

[@jackiesliterarycorner]

My Year of Rest and Relaxation cover makes me think of a Jane Austen novel.

[@stacia72310]

I've been dying to read Sheets ever since you mentioned it on the podcast, I have to get my hands on it!! 😄

[@MaryAmongStories]

I'm so happy for you, you truly deserved this amazing year 💗

[@pucksandpaperbacks]

I loved Laura Dean!!

[@kaislakuurama]

I'd love to see videos about non-fiction books and graphic novels you recommend!

[@kattenmoos]

please say we get another reaction video to the new goodreads reading challenge color!!!!

[@uriah19s]

I read "The Secret Book of Kings" by Yochi Brandes and now I go around recommending it to EVERYBODY. Even if you don't Know the bible\ Jewish folklore, I think it's so interesting and well-written!

[@readingslumpjourney6058]

You are so INSPIRING!! Thank you for being in my life in 2019 and in the beginning of the new decade! Ahhh!! Hahaa!! It's just so inspiring that you could see someone actually doing what you want to do. And that gives me a lot of push on what i want to pursue! Keep being you! Love you!

[@ThyPhan94]

i remember i started watching your channel and the first video i saw was the 2017 one! how time flies

[@bookmarkbeth8416]

How did I miss that you have a podcast?! Definitely listening! This was such a fun video. So glad I found your channel in 2019!