Annotating and Ranking My Favorite Books of the Year!

[@AllyReadaBook]

This is such a good idea! What a wonderful way to cap off a year. I feel like I might steal this idea this year for a nice winter pick me up. Also a really lovely vlog. Such pretty footage!

[@AllyReadaBook]

Also re: Sundial reread - is there any significance to the contact lenses that Rob wears? I remember thinking they were a set up for a twist but then feeling like I missed it. Did it stand out any more on rereading?

[@mikalareads]

@AllyReadaBook thank you so much Ally!!!! Your comment and kind words means so much to me! 😭🥰💕 OMGGGG YOU KNOW WHAT I didn't even notice the contact lenses thing the first time I read Sundial, however this time around I picked up on it and how Callie said "mom lies a lot" like how she dosnt even wear glasses but has contact lenses...but i still didn't put it together what the significance of that was... But now I'm remembering the girls had bad eyes when they escaped the "puppy farm" so maybe that's why! 🤔 I now feel like I need to skim the book to sus out that detail hahah!!!

[@mikalareads]

OMG ALLY so I had to come back to this and tell you because I just had a conversation with someone about the contact lenses. SO there is a theory in the reddit threads that it was actually Rob who died and Jak lived that day and Jak then went on to assume Rob's life - and the thing with the contacts is one of the things people are saying to back this up because I think Jak actually wore glasses but Rob didnt so if she had assumed her life she would not wear glasses but switched to contacts and then couldnt tell anyone. I know its WILD but like COULD THIS BE?!!! I feel like I just got a whole other layer to the book now with that theory haha!

[@maddymoonslibrary]

Mikala 💚💙🩵🩷💚💙🩵🩷 just ABSOLUTELY everything about this video✨️the stickers, your annotations, just everything!!

[@mikalareads]

Thank you girl! 🥰

[@aiscahill]

The commitment to this video was next level, Mikala. There are so many of these books that I've added to my list from watching your channel over the year. Those stickers are so adorable and SUCH a great idea 😻 Also, a moment for your Out of the Woods sweater - I LOVE it ❤️

[@mikalareads]

Omg Aisling, can I just tell you how I almost started crying when I read your comment. Thank you so much for saying that and sharing such kind uplifting words with me it truly means everything to me right now and I needed it so much 😭❤️🤧

[@mayatsolova]

Re-reading so many books in one month is impressive. 👏👏👏 Creating a list like that to experience the books you love again it’s definitely worth it. ❤ I am very reserved towards reading my favorite books again, last year I have only one re-read, but I plan to get to my favorites when I feel the reading slump is going to get me. 😂

[@mikalareads]

Thank you SO much Maya!!! Your kind words mean so much to me 😭 OHHH yess that's a good idea to get to your favorites as reread when the reading slump is starting to come up on you! It's also always scary to reread a favorite in case it dosnt turn out the same way you remember!!! 😅📚❤️💯🥰

[@CraftingVicky]

New subscriber. The graveyard book is my next audio read!!! Looking forward to it. I love the detail of your annotations. Looking forward to your next video.

[@CraftingVicky]

and would love to know the plot of ghost eaters. It doesn't seem to have such a high goodread score and this is the 1st time I heard of it

[@mikalareads]

Im so excited to have you join my channel and get to know you better Vicky! OMG I am so excited for you to read the graveyard book on audio (I know there are two versions of the audio book, one narrated by Neil Gaiman and one narrated by a full cast...and Ive listened to them both and LOVE them both!!!) Ohhhh Yesss I was shocked when I seen how low the rating for Ghost Eaters was on Goodreads because I was blown away by it!!! Now the plot can be frustrating but I feel like it makes sense for it to be because of the themes we are exploring, where we see our main character getting pulled back into this very toxic, enabling relationship. I really felt like the book was so layered, I could see what the narrative was really saying beneath the metaphor of this ghost story!

[@NerdyNatReads]

omg!! wait this idea is ingenious!!! I love the idea of adding stickers that match the book into it! I'm really hoping to get to Mary here soon! I want to reread all of Awad's books and annotate them bc her THEMES!!

[@mikalareads]

YESS OKAY SAME about Mona Awad's books like she just blows my mind!

[@astoldbymaddie]

the idea of rereading all of your faves to rank them is so awesome. wow the colour annotation for the graveyard book. so aesthetic!!! I really loved this vlogish video. it was really cool to see more of your reading journey - I hope you do more like this!! it really does take way more time to annotate!! it's unexpected. OMG I LOVE YOUR SWEATER!!!! out of the woods is one of my fave TS songs! okay all of the annotation colours you chose match so perfectly with the cover.

[@mikalareads]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@_bookber]

this is such an ambitious video! it probably would’ve taken me all year 😂 loved seeing your favourites and spotting a few that i’m hoping to read myself. what a fab way to end the year and start a new year by rereading all your faves 🥰

[@mikalareads]

OKAY I think this would have taken me all year too if I didnt have this vlog to get posted, it was the only thing holding me accountable to finish all 15 hahah!!!! I think for December 2024 I am going to try to keep it down to like 10 tops LOL! Thank you SO much for watching and leaving such a kind comment!!! 💖🥰💌🙏😭

[@WickedScorpio]

I really want to challenge myself in 2024 to reread some books finally and annotate the way you did. Not as many as you did 😂 gotta start small since I'm not a huge rereader. But what an accomplishment for you!! The God of endings is now on my wish list!! You convinced me. I love what you did with our hideous progeny 😍😍 now I want to sticker bomb some books❤ I've seen the writing retreat on either a worst of or best of list for so many people. It makes me so curious what that divisive point is, and I almost want to read it despite not getting along with thrillers 👀 This was a super fun approach to ranking!! You seriously put in so much work for this 👏👏 you absolutely deserve your flowers friend 🫶💐

[@mikalareads]

Im so sorry for the late response to this but I really wanted to thank you SO much for watching and also for leaving this comment!!! Your comment truly made me so happy and also just feel so proud of myself for accomplishing this challenge! Thank you for being such an amazing person and so supportive and encouraging!!!

[@books-on-a-wire]

Kudos to you for rereading so many, I would be mentally and emotionally exhausted. All of the tabs in Mary warms my heart.

[@JesstheBookFreak]

3:43 Your outfit/makeup look is so cute here! You make me want to reread some of these I've read, like Hill House and Bunny! I really enjoyed figuring out what Bunny was about and it doesn't make sense until the very end. That's so cool you personalize the book by putting stickers that match the theme of the book!

[@mikalareads]

I am sorry for this very late response Jess!!!! Thank you for your comment and I wanted to take the time to say thank you so much for watching this video!!! I hope you are having a fantastic year so far!!!

[@bornagainreader]

2:14 - The color-coding though 😍💙 9:21 - I'm surprised by this being number 2! I took a quiet bet and assumed it'd be at the top! 😅 16:15 - Woohoo! I very much agree with this ranking. Also, I saw your updated Goodreads review, and I had to STOP reading The September House to see Carissa Orlando's bio to see if she studied psychology. Her writing gives it away in the best way. 23:31 - Maybe I ought to reread this. I'm freezing! 🥶 Very true though. Catriona Ward has a way with her descriptions in this book. I love the honesty with all that you discovered upon rereading. I feel like it would be easy to just gush on and on about every favorite, but you really took the time to explain why a book maybe shouldn't rank so high despite still being a favorite. Very thorough! I can see how something like this would be rewarding (and stressful!) since you more or less know you'll love the books you're reading. I'm glad they were all able to cement their spots as your favorites of 2023! Here's to an awesome 2024!

[@mikalareads]

I am SO sorry for the very late response Jim!!! I appreciate your comment so much and I am so grateful for you for taking the time to watch this video! This challenge was SUCH a beast and Im thinking for this year I may try to keep it to a top 10 instead of 15 so its a bit easier for me to get it done in a months time hahah!!! I hope you are having a great day!!!

[@natalieandco]

i really really love this idea. you really have certainty over ryoru favorites and its so admirable !! i also really enjoyed the vlog clips in this

[@mikalareads]

Thank you so much Natalie!!! I really want to do this idea again this year but I think I will limit the amount of re-reads just for time/stress management hahaha because 15 ended up being a LOTTT more difficult than I had anticipated!!! 😭🥰💌

[@natalieandco]

@@mikalareads omg totally get that, 15 is a lot !!! Probabaly would be a bit more enjoyable with a few less. I hope it turns out good this yea :)

[@notthemostread]

Welcome back! ❤❤️

[@mikalareads]

Thank you so much my friend!!!! ❤️💕🥰💗✨️📖

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

This was such a fun way of discussing your favourite reads of the year. Great video. :)

[@mikalareads]

AW thank you so so much, I really appreciate it!!!!💌 Your compliment means so much to me because I seriously respect your videos and content so much!

[@Danni.Dabbles]

I love this idea!!! Currently reading The Haunting of Hill House due to your recommendation. ☺ The Graveyard book is fantastic! I need to read the God of Endings and Ghost Eaters. Freaking MARY!!! AHHHH!!! I just purchased Mary for my physical collection. Yay! The September House. Wow I didn't realize how many of these I have read! I'm reading The Bandit Queens in Februrary. At least I hope. Theme Music is another on my TBR for Feb, if my hold comes in. I want to reread Death in Her Hands as well. Sundial is another one that I'm supposed to read in February! I swear I didn't plan this. 🤣 I can't imagine annotating 15 books in a row in a month. You are incredible!! I'm impressed and I hope you have been able to rest now that you are done!

[@mikalareads]

HAHHAHA Danni - your comment made me smile SO much, I swear girl we really do have SUCH similar reading tastes its so cool!!!!!! I feel like we have so many of the same favorites! And one book I have on my TBR from your recommendation that I plan on reading this year FOR SURE is "The book that woulnt burn" as well as The Fifth Season, and Dead Silence too, but truly I need to read The book that woulnt burn because it gives me The Starless Sea vibes from Erin Morgenstern! YESSSSSSS Okay I can see even more and more how I got so burned out at the end of 2023 and into January because WHAT WAS I THINKING AND WHYYY did I think it was a good idea to reread and annoate 15 books in a months time! For December 2024 I am going to limit my "BEST of" to a top 10 only lol!

[@Danni.Dabbles]

@@mikalareads Oooo!!!! The Book That Wouldn't Burn!!!! 🤩I hope you love it. The sequel comes out in April. I think you are going to really enjoy Dead Silence! It is super atmospheric. Ooo! AND the Fifth Season! That book has some themes I think you will enjoy. It is complex so take your time with it. And yes! Totally agree. Only 10 books next year (although even that is a lot if you still plan on annotating). It was such a fun video to watch though, you going through your favorites. It is a lovely idea, but you don't want to burn yourself out either! Take care of yourself love!

[@jaimee-kate]

Great ranking! So excited to get to Sundial (and all the other Catriona Ward books!) this year! Also trying to get to Mary this year

[@mikalareads]

YESSS I have all my fingers and toes crossed that you will love Sundial and Mary too, I think Mary will be an instant hit but I'm so curious how you'll feel about Sundial! I need more people to love that book so if you like it please let me know!!!! 🙏🙏🙏

[@justjanel1]

I LOVE the idea of getting stickers and decorating the inside - I am definitely going to do that!!!! I also am re-reading all of my favorites but I am doing 1 per month (maybe more if I feel like it) and want to annotate them. It’s like, once I know I love the book then I am ok taking more time with it. Haha.

[@mikalareads]

YESSSS omg Janel, I really love doing that because it makes my copy feel like a special edition! Like I just personalized it with these awesome little pictures! 😅🤌💯💗 OMGGG that is such a brilliant idea to reread all your favorites but do it one a month throughout the next year! I actually like that idea better than the way I did it because it gives you more time with each one!!! And I TOTALLLLY agree with you like on the first I may read a book really quick or miss small details etc but I don't always mind because a lot of reads will only end up being meh, but then if it's a favorite of the year it's the perfect opportunity to reread it and spend more time reading it slowly because I know I'd have missed things the first round! I also think that's why I don't mind reading a high volume of books a month but not retaining everything. Because it's like I'm filtering out which ones are worth going back into and really dedicating some hard brain energy too! 😅🤌⭐️💯💗

[@Devi15]

Love seeing your enthusiasm rereading your favs! And gosh that's a good collection of nail polish there. I was just admiring your nails and boom the collection 😍 do you the nail art your self too? Sorry this has nothing to do with the books🙈

[@mikalareads]

OMG PLEASE do not apologize, I ALWAYS am here to talk nails as well as books hahaha!!!!! I LOVE nail polish so much, it is definitely one of my other obsession's! I do my nails my self, I usually do clear press-ons and paint those! OMG I could gush about polishes for days honestly!! Thank you for watching!!!!

[@Devi15]

@@mikalareads Wow.. love that for you! I definitely would love to see you talk about it in your vlogs🤗

[@ericad3397]

I love this vlog. I had to watched it a couple of times😊 I almost have all the books listed and have read some which I think are 5 star reads. I’m only missing episode 13, music theme and how can I help you. I was trying to figure out about the trope for ghost eaters.

[@mikalareads]

OMG Erica your comments truly always just make me feel so happy, you are such a kind person!!! I feel like we also have such similar reading tastes!!! I need to know your favorite books so I can get some great recommendations haha!!! 👏🙌💯💖 (OHHHH yes so the theme within ghost eaters that I didnt want to share in the video in case anyone thought it may be a spoiler of the book was MUSHROOM horror!!! I dont want to get too specific if you havent read it yet where mushrooms come in but mushroom stuff freaks me out so bad but its also so interesting so I want to do a whole vlog on it! (I dont know if you have read T Kingfishers "What Moves the Dead" but the mushroom stuff in there gives me chills to this day when I remember it EEEEE!!!!)

[@ericad3397]

@@mikalareads oh I see 😊 yes I read what moves the dead and Mexican gothic which also has mushrooms. I even tried reading house of Fallen leaves just to see the difference between what moves the dead 😊

[@mikalareads]

@ericad3397 I still need to read Mexican Gothic!!!! I am hoping because it has some mushroom horror I will definitely love it!! 🍄😅🙌🤌

[@PoppyMorreale]

im glad you took the break you needed .you shouldnt even add these books on your January reading wrap up in my opinion

[@mikalareads]

Thank you so much my friend!!! I really appreciate your kind words! And also I totallllly agree I don't want to add these books onto my January wrap up, im just pretending in my mind that all these books got read in December like I had originally planned 😆😆😆

[@brooklinslibrary]

Hello! I ran to this video! Welcome back queen 4:04 Gorgeous annotations!!! its giving bookstagram girlie aesthetic I love putting stickers in books when annotating! It adds so much more to a fave 💖 7:47 LOL what is the sticker that says "'ello" from? Its so cute yet disturbing 😂 I really want to reread How Can I Help You! I have been thinking about Margo and Patricia so much as of late 15:32 And that's why I love this book so much!! Their perspectives are so different and their assumptions of one another are so off! (well for the most part) I love your pink sweater at the end!! 💗 You're so right about A24 🤝 Death in Her Hands. That would be a wild af movie. I also want them to adapt Bunny to film also but I believe that Bad Robot has the rights to it. I loved this video! You can really tell that you put so much time and effort into making it!

[@mikalareads]

Thank you very much! I appreciate it!! 🙏

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

ok I have to get God of Endings now!! awesome vlog ❤

[@mikalareads]

Omg Lettie I would LOVEEEE if you read the God of endings!!!! I havnt seen a single other person read it and I really want to talk about it with someone haha!! 🤩🥰♥️🙌

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

@@mikalareads It'll be delivered the end of this month 😄 that sounds great! hope to read in Feb.

[@mynameisemilygood]

I'm obsessed with your copy of The Haunting of Hill House! This vlog is stunning so far and I'm so into it Omg the illustrations in The Graveyard Book I CANNOT❤ omg your blue stickies that match the book ❤❤❤ This is the most beautiful vlog omg you've done AMAZING! Love love LOVE the way you out stickers in your books! I have such a huge cart on Redbubble because of you it's ridiculous haha Well I have to ask what is The Ghosteaters theme?!

[@mynameisemilygood]

I love that you reread all of your favorites of 2023 and I am absolutely going to try to do this in December of 2024!

[@mynameisemilygood]

20:27 omg I would KILL for a 3 hour hot bath where I read a whole book. Good for you, ya Queen!

[@mikalareads]

AWWWW Thank you Emily omg!!!! 😭💗 Im really going to try to do more vlogs because I always struggle to make them but I think they can be so rewarding once done, so it made me so happy to read your comment and that you think this one turned out good!!!😭😭😭💌🥰💖 (OMGGGG YES the ghosteaters theme is MUSHROOM horror AHHH!!!! Why are mushrooms both simultaneously cute but also completely horrifying when used in the right way?!) Also redbubble is DANGEROUS! I have to constantly remind myself it is not a responsible adult move to spend 100 bucks on STICKERS.....LOL so I always have to go and massively edit my cart down 😅 OMG my friend, I seriously wish there was a way I could gift you a whole spa day and just day to read and relax and take a hot bubble bath!!! You deserve it so much!!!!!!!!👏👏👏

[@queenkim8631]

🫶🫶🫶

[@mikalareads]

💗🥰🤩🌸🌻🌷✒️📚

[@books-on-a-wire]

Kudos to you for rereading so many, I would be mentally and emotionally exhausted. All of the tabs in Mary warms my heart.

[@mikalareads]

YES oh my gosh I will tell you right now I think this challenge was TOO much for the headspace I was in at the time, I think for this December 2024 I will continue this but instead limit myself to no more than 10 rereads! AWWW I LOVE MAry so much!!!! 💖🙏💯