2018 | A Reading Year in Review

[@jaz_luo_studio]

"The master's ruined everything." - Ariel Bissett, 2018

[@raheelasiddiqui5661]

I also know this pain :) when you complete it you feel like you are alive again.

[@TheCamillion]

I love how giggly you've been ever since you completed your masters XD

[@thethriftyfawn]

You're really encouraging me to get back at it with reading! I actually pulled out a BOOK last night to read before bed instead of playing on my phone Didn't actually get much READING done last night because I fell asleep almost right away, slept so soundly and peacefully, and WOKE REALLY EARLY without ANY STRUGGLE!!! Usually is a struggle to wake early! Had so much energy and got more work done by 930am than I may have gotten done in almost an entire day, and still have the entire day ahead of me and feel so happy and productive and my mind feels clear, calm, and focused, AND I have so much energy! Gonna look at signing up with Good Reads as well, and carve out some time to do some daytime reading in addition to bedtime reading... don't laugh, or laugh if you wish, but I fell asleep after 1 and a half pages with the book flopped on my shoulder... Thank you Ariel! 😊❤👍

[@clairepaley6735]

Sorry it’s been such a tough year, I appreciate your optimism despite this, your video brought me joy, what amazing things you’ve achieved this year

[@TotallyWicked10]

I really appreciate how positive you are even in spite of such a difficult year. 2018 was also the hardest year of my life and I love seeing someone else who's come out on the other side of something like this still being happy and positive and excited about what you love.

[@IDK-qi7dk]

Is your reaction to the goodreads color coming at midnight or tomorrow? 😂😂😂 Love you happy new year! 💖💖

[@maggiehenriksen3433]

Thanks for clarifying that American book prices are expensive, and not just Powell’s. Bookstores don’t set prices for new books- publishers do, so prices are the same at almost every independent bookstore :)

[@malignantomen]

Ariel's vid in which she talks about the struggles of her master's studies was like a wake-up call for me. It made me think about my own life. So I'm only pursuing my bachelor's degree. It'll be over in a year, ayy!

[@layma5113]

Your documentary was brilliant! Thank god your masters ended and now you'll have time to do all the other cool projects!😊

[@ArielBissett]

Laima agh, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[@meganmesser6755]

I also miss reading so much, in the past year I only read 10 books I blame it on the fact that I’m going to university full time and have two jobs but I this year I’m really gonna try to fit more reading time into my schedule

[@veronica.theswamphag]

I'm in the exact same boat!! 10 is still more than most people though :)

[@emilyloveslondon4041]

I had also a bad year of reading in 2018 so nice to know i am not alone!!

[@veronica.theswamphag]

Just wanted to let you know how GRATEFUL I am that you make videos and that you are you

[@rebootbecca4139]

I finished my Masters in Biology this year and I love her feelings towards returning to school. I feel them, on a deep level.

[@VivjjeDekker]

Ariel, you are so relatable and fun! I feel like I'm connecting to you a lot more the older I get. Thanks for inspiring me to step out of my comfortzone of young adult more often. Have a great 2019, you deserve it!

[@cathrynwha]

Don't know how much this will help others (*shrugs*) but I know that what helps me with sitting down to read is thinking "I am a reader". The timing is pretty arbitrary (I sometimes don't think it for a week or so); sometimes I think it right after the "I'm bored, what can I do?" thoughts, sometimes I just see books and think it. This helps because it makes reading part of my identity. In a battle royal of self talk against myself, when I use"I am a ___" versus "I should ___" my experience is that "I am a ___" gives me a strong chance of winning, while "I should ___" convinces me to throw the match with the argument "you're not perfect so you may as well not"

[@becklebooks]

Good luck on your reading, you're gonna be so rejuvenated! When I finished my Honours thesis (I read 28 books that year), I was the same as you, wanting to read 100 books. I ended up demolishing 121 because I was so starved for leisure reading. IT'S SO GOOD NOT TO BE STRESSED OVER STUDY! Enjoy, enjoy. :D

[@mia.jade.]

Am 45 seconds in. Can someone gif the "whatever" at 00:38 pls? edit: I downloaded GIPHY cam to make it. It is done.

[@starbugginout]

can you post it please, thanks

[@mia.jade.]

I can't post it here but I tweeted it: twitter.com/miaportman/status/1079784845704921088?s=21

[@danilounsbury18]

I feel you, I miss reading too. Before I started college I read all the time. Then once I started college I stopped due to busyness and I ended up starting some books that I didn’t like, so now I’m going to make time and read books I truly enjoy.

[@GabiArno]

I DONT KNOW HOW I HAVENT READ AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING YET I need to get on that

[@jaz_luo_studio]

I've got it on hold at the library lol but the line is super long

[@ArielBissett]

Gabi Arno read it!!!!

[@littlemusic4x]

Yes, do it!!! It is truly incredible. I want everyone in my life to read it so I can talk about it more :D :D

[@THT14]

Same. We better get on it :)

[@JackieBorelli]

7:55 yo, if that was a reveal, welcome to the fam, hon! 🌈

[@mckinziejackson1697]

I also read an absolutely remarkable thing and a connecticut yankee in king arthur’s court last year! What a cool thing

[@gracieliz95]

I feel you girl. 2017 was like that for me. And I just realized that I basically didn’t even leave my city during 2018, let alone do anything remotely interesting or ambitious. So props to you for getting through a shitty year and still having a lot to show for it.

[@hayleymarie630]

CONGRATS ON COMPLETING YOUR MASTERS AND MAKING YOUR DOCUMENTARY

[@kittyyourock]

can you do a video on why you hated your masters degree?

[@ThePhantomofBooktube]

She talked about it in her last q&a life updates and why my masters nearly ended me video. Hope that helps 😊.

[@kittyyourock]

QueenAurora'sBooks yeah I know but she said she will make a more in-depth video:)) just wondering if she’s still interested in doing so!

[@ThePhantomofBooktube]

@@kittyyourock i see

[@druthomas644]

your views on 2019 are quite literally exactly how i feel as well! hoping your 2019 will be just as insanely good as you want/expect!

[@fatimamahmoud580]

Your videos have changed my life! They have made me a better reader and a better thinker. I really hope u are doing well, and i am soooo excited for the plans u have on ur channel for 2019.

[@MaryAmongStories]

yeeeess I love visiting new bookstores 😍 I'm loving your videos so much, you look/sound happy and that makes me happy too ☺💓

[@andreags9495]

You are such an inspiration to me, I follow everything you do and I'm never disappointed, when I think of creativity I immediately think of you. I hope to keep seeing you grow year after year💕 Greetings from México

[@ammalyrical5646]

I loved An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. When I finished I needed to know if there will be a sequel, and there will be. I absolutely want to read that.

[@elizabethlin_9879]

I am so happy you visited Powell's! I live in the Portland area and it's definitely one of the gems of this city. I could spend hours there and not be bored.

[@catreadsabunch]

I went to an awesome bookstore in Harbor Springs, Michigan called Between the Covers and it has been one of the highlights of my year! I hope to read a lot more this year as well! College is so distracting from reading for fun so I'm hoping to get back to the fun part of reading!

[@authorwannabe889]

um can i just say thank you for being brave enough to say that the year was hard? it's refreshing to hear that.

[@hello.janani]

Been loving the energy in your videos lately! You seem more relaxed and positive and it makes my heart warm (and also inspires me to get through grad school). Congrats on surviving your Masters and 2018!!!

[@elyssa2425]

It’s already 2019 here in China and I got really excited to tell you what the Goodreads colour was, but it’s still unavailable 🙄 Back to the video though, I’m super proud of you for making it through this year, you truly smashed it in the face of adversity (and by adversity I of course mean your Masters)

[@karsynlemley]

watching this right after I decided that an absolutely remarkable thing was going to be my first read of 2019! this just made me so excited!!

[@audrey9140]

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ALL YEAR! Okay a tiny bit of hyperbole there, but this was the video was the surprise I needed. I had forgotten you do these wrap ups and I love them so much.

[@AnneleenRoesems]

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing was my favourite. It blew me away.

[@HaleyCraigers]

I love Powell's! I live in Portland (it's sorta the reason I moved here) and I spend a lot of time there! The used and new are the same sections you just have to dig for the used because they usually put the new in the front. It's something I had to learn, haha. But it's genuinely one of my favorite places ever. I spend hours there a week. Oops!

[@kittyyourock]

I'm Canadian and I always find that American bookstores offer books at a cheaper price!

[@yobebooo]

You just seem so genuine. I love your personality and when you crack yourself up. 😂

[@shaunamckelly6236]

Hey, Ariel. Just wanted to stop by and wish you the best in 2019. I am also going to try and read one hundred books this year, and one thing that I am going to participate in is the thirty-day book binge. This is a quarterly readathon that is very low pressure. Round 7 starts on January 1, 2019. The only goal is to read every day during the month. I find that it really helps support the reading habit. I look forward to hearing what you will be reading. Much love to you from California.

[@sofiainez7684]

happy new year Ariel! I love your videos and can't wait to see your new creative endeavours in 2019. Thank you for inspiring me!

[@LEFTONREAD]

I hope you are able to read more in 2019, solely because you want to. Yes for as much as you can 💜💛

[@TheIrisMessenger]

Hey Ariel I hope you know how much your videos helped others this year too. Even when you were going through the rough patches, you still talked about it and explained how you were feeling. School is incredibly hard, and your videos helped me get through the hardest year of MY life. I love you! And I hope your 100 books go well. Let’s read something together ;) and we’ll meet up and talk about it at some point!

[@Zedstergal]

Just ordered Motherhood and An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, thanks for the recommendations!

[@Fatima-wi9hd]

I love watching your videos, Ariel! i'm also a huge fan of reading and, just like you, life and school kind of distanced me from it. Your motivation and optimism about 2019 is motivating me to have a better year! Thank you for this! It might be a instantaneous thought and the motivation might fade but i'll try my best. Also, your videos always make me want to read more, which is always helpful. Love from UAE.

[@emyg494]

AART was one of my favourites of the year too, I also loved Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. I keep meaning to pick up Motherhood, definitely want to in 2019!

[@UptownOracle]

Good luck to reading more in the new year! Excited to continue watching your content!

[@LunaLynnLovegood]

Excited about the podcast episode on AART, very much looking forward to it. It was also one of my favourite books of the year.

[@AbigailD23]

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing was so so good. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as it did. I really loved the commentary about internet fame, especially with the main character being a very flawed young woman. It was great.

[@Lovelyhesaid]

Wait!! American book prices are bad?! I didn’t know. In all our books, they put the American price and the Canadian price and the Canadian price is always more expensive. I wonder why they would do that 🤔

[@halliehurst4847]

book club Check the exchange rate between the two. The Canadian one nearly always works out cheaper. American prices aren’t great plus the US seems to focus a lot more on hardbacks which boost the price up once again

[@AngelaMarieww]

I was thinking the same thing! I even checked the book cover next to me.

[@SometimesRainie]

U HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG IVE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR THIS VIDEO! I watch this every year and i was waiting for this and it just turned 2019 where i lived and i was panicking and now it’s up!!! I LOVE U 💖🥰

[@LupeLopez920]

That is so awesome that you have a Masters!!! Good for you! I’m putting the Motherhood Book on my Want to Read list. I look forward to getting to know more about you and your suggestions in 2019! Happy New Year!

[@bintzubair]

I couldn't help smiling when you kept using 'quote' and 'quotation' back and forth 😁

[@AbiSaad]

(IM) PATIENTLY waiting for your podcast review of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing !!!!!

[@lydias2911]

Do you keep that comb around to stoke your fringe when things get too stressful/emotional? I think that's a good plan. Also, I love these videos. They're really calming.

[@allinealvarez7118]

I'm from Brazil and I love your videos, Ariel.

[@matt00794]

Im in love with your hair.

[@vickydeezombies]

I love your energy about books! This is why you are my favourite booktuber. :)

[@ΦιλίππηΝούλη]

Much love from Greece

[@harithaolaganathan8895]

i genuinely gasped at the favourite book reveal! (and i'm usually a stone cold person : ) ) Absolutely adored the book also!

[@jj-qr4ro]

Haha me too! :)

[@LiteraryStoner]

Here's to a much better 2019 for you!

[@pollyellman4905]

Can't wait to see what you have in store for 2019!!!

[@rreid498]

My top 2 were The Mother of Black Hollywood and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes!

[@marte9739]

I really want to read Motherhood now, so I just ordered it from the library (there are 17 people on the waiting list, this is going to take a while)

[@alenemarie1726]

You are amazing. 2018 also sucked and was miserable. I graduated from my BFA December 2017 and this year I have been floundering and have no idea what I am doing with my life! BUT! 2019 will be better! I am going to be marrying my soulmate, I am going to make all the art, I am going to be happy and we are going to kill it Ariel! I cannot wait to see what you do!

[@SoftyM20]

You need to react to the color of the reading challenge! :O I was so chocked

[@ChristyLou]

Congrats on getting through the year! You are amazing! Looking forward to everything you have planned in the next year~

[@deevyadeo971]

Your hair looks great gurl!

[@emmaspina9508]

yaaaas academia queen!! hope your 2019 is filled with reading for fun!

[@Torsee]

Absolutely loved your enthusiasm! Love how simple things as vowels and consonants strung together can be so moving. You were moved! Love it! 2019 will be great! Comb, comb, comb! 😂

[@marylclayton92]

This was hilarious 😅 And I can't wait to see more documentaries from you! Hoping your 2019 is full of new adventures and good company 💛

[@avasisx]

this is weird but you have such a good radio/podcast voice

[@nukhbahsany9712]

As someone who just submitted her thesis with trembling hands and intense feeling of anxiety (what if there's typo in it??????), I can understand your "I hope NEVER to return again" on a holy spiritual level. Sure, I love learning. But it truly "ruined everything."

[@kaylinpaiges]

Happy New Year Miss Ariel! 💖💛💙💛💖

[@Atalinay]

Okay I might just join you on that 100 book challenge. Btw that goodreads color. Wow. Who woulda thunk it amirite?

[@leahnpatton]

I’ve also seen a lot of poetry lately on Pinterest. It’s been recommended to me because of my interest in writing pins I think. I’ve started pinning it as inspiration for my own writing (not like content or even the words they use but I take inspiration from the way the poetry turns and goes in ways I didn’t expect in so few words. It’s still surprising.) Just thought that seemed relevant. I don’t know if the poetry started on Instagram but it’s possible

[@DebbieChristina]

Congratulations on your accomplishments in 2018! And I hope 2019 will feel like a better year for you and you will achieve 100 books. I will be challenging myself as well to read 100 books, I have wanted to do that since I discovered Goodreads XD

[@amusicalbookworm]

I also decided not to do most disappointing books in my wrap up videos...I just don’t feel like it’s a constructive conversation. You had an amazing year!!

[@ArielBissett]

A Musical Bookworm I literally filmed a whole video about this where I was like “the only thing that those videos do is get you views” but don’t think I’ll post it hahaha I don’t think it’s constructive or adds much to what we’re doing!

[@Cristina5753]

I've been wanting to read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court because I love Arthurian lore, my favorite so far is The Once & Future King by TH White, which I'd highly recommend (also a fan of the audiobook). I wanted to ask what your essay inspired by Connecticut Yankee was about exactly? Also, recent-ish subscriber, but I adore you & this channel, very glad I decided to check out your channel!! Also, I did a presentation on Frida Kahlo earlier this year & also love her a lot❤️

[@BookishJenn]

I recently graduated from uOttawa with my undergrad in English Lit :O Congrats on your graduation and Happy New Year!

[@claudiajade624]

So I looked up the Yankee book and it is legit only $1.15 on Audible. Don't know why but what a score 🙂

[@hayleehaux2458]

Powell's is so great

[@frannieforthoughts9527]

That Mark Twain book was already on my radar but now I want to read it even more! And I have Motherhood and I'm so interested in its concept and subject, so I can't wait to start it :D

[@MollyLikovich]

I thought books cost more in Canada.....

[@karakask5488]

It's the conversion rate that makes them more expensive to Canadians. When a Canadian comes to the U.S. to buy something they are paying about a third more (depending on the rate) when converted back to their own currency. So a book that is marked US $25.95/CAN $29.95 is actually CAN $35.30 when purchased in the US by a Canadian. I hope that helped.

[@reneetrinket]

Uugghhh I love your aesthetic and colour scheme so much

[@midnighthm]

I set my goodreads goal to 100 too. When I'm bored I watch youtube... I'm starting school this year so I might not make it but I'm going to try my damnedest.

[@emmahorton8753]

We stan a literal QUEEN

[@whatpageareyouon]

I remember my professors from my MA program like, shaking me not to do a PhD LOL not because they didn’t think I couldn’t do it, but they were basically saying it was a way to get an extra step in the ladder for current academic jobs you have (which I don’t have one lol) at least for English/lit. Congrats on all of your accomplishments this year Ariel 💫

[@ArielBissett]

whatpageareyouon yesss honestly postgrad English degrees are almost only helpful if you want to work in academia so NOOOOO

[@bookishbruha]

I wish for a happy and prosperous 2019 to you ❤️ this year has been hard in many ways but you've achieved many wonderful things! 😁 I'm looking forward to the new reads!

[@pastorytime2683]

Happy new year Ariel! Great video as always. Here's to 2019 and 100 books read!Xx

[@bookswithalyssaj449]

can't believe you've been doing this since 2012!! wow

[@selaraye5567]

“I hope the exit is joyful and I hope never to return” -Ariel/Frida on Earning a masters degree/death

[@TheLilXime]

I read a Conneticut Yankee this year too! It was so much fun for me. A bit slow at times but still quite interesting. Tbh I read it bc I thought it was the book for A knight in Camelot movie. Which apparently is not buuuut its too similar. Idk. I love that film. You should watch it :D !!

[@sanaa.2195]

Happy New YEAR!!!!

[@labeba]

I think you made to many great things 2018 🌷

[@radiocryptid9577]

(the goodreads colour is purp whoop whoop)

[@fictionalives]

im wishing you all the best in 2019!!!

[@calliopebookish2287]

Is there anywhere where we can see your talk at Wired? it sounds really interesting!

[@Amberfashion67]

I feel like you've reached enlightenment.... Show me your ways.