BIG BOOKS READING CHALLENGE 2019 WRAP UP || Books with Emily Fox

[@cassieloud7240]

If university textbooks counts I read a lot of big books this year. None of them was good...

[@ceeceegreene2126]

Lmao😂😂😂😭

[@jannahmohamed2495]

you are not alone

[@emilek3168]

Relatable and sad😅

[@loati94]

Sometimes I wonder if I should add them to my goodreads list lol

[@mino7526]

I can relate 🤭

[@car5522]

I read thick books and while I am reading them I burn through romance books for fuel.

[@Tan-bi7gf]

Great idea!

[@Earendil1992]

A Little Life is probably the only book that completely broke me 😭 I always describe this book to people as "740 pages of pain" 😂

[@speaking_bookish]

I tend to be more inclined to purchase a book with more pages. Idk if I feel like I’m getting more for my money or what lol but if it’s a good book I don’t even notice the length!

[@LemoniestLemony]

Me too. Don't know why. I just kinga of balk at buying a book under 400.

[@nenerson1195]

This challenge was a fun time, even though I wasn't interested in any of the books. Always glad to see other readers conquer their 'fears'! I'd also like to see a challenge of reading books you're super excited for but for some reason haven't picked up for some reason (Children of Ruin, Count Part 2, etc.) Maybe I'll join that one!

[@CatieAndHerCats]

I’m cutting my goodreads reading goal in half in 2020 so I can start tackling my giant books

[@Justin_WithThreeDots]

10:44 every time I see that cover I wonder to myself "Why is Mitt Romney crying?"

[@bodysnatchers4ever652]

your challenge made me finally pick up «A Little Life» and it's one of the best books of the year (and one of all time favorites now!) for me.♡

[@PutonaChicFace]

I used to "fear" big books because I loved reading books in 1 or 2 days. And while you can still do that with a big book, it's definitely a lot more challenging. However, I now struggle to find a book on my tbr that is under 500 pages. I don't know when or how it happened, but I'm not complaining xD I guess reading mostly fantasy means my books can double up as weapons.

[@michelleelford]

This is a good idea for a challenge! Have you watched Russian Doll on Netflix? I think it's the best execution of the "reliving a day" concept.

[@VeraFran]

Russian Doll is a must watch! And you should read The Seven (and half) Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Groundhog Day meets Agatha Christie in Downton Abbey.

[@JeddieMPB]

Mich Mash there’s a wonderful stand-alone episode of the x files called monday that has that premise!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I did! The day it was out haha I loved it :D

[@jessicakelley1932]

i feel exactly the same way you do. in the time it takes to read 1 700 page book i could read 3 books

[@Kirgaby]

I only read a few big books: It by Stephen King Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson The way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Currently reading) Yup, that's it

[@lv23074]

There’s something magical about reading a really big book that you absolutely love. Just because you get to spend so much time with the characters and the story. But I definitely have to switch between big and smaller books, because I don’t have the attention span to only read big books.

[@ellenwaters9744]

Hey Emily, I love that you did this big book challenge and since you read 20 big books it does still seem like a huge success! I’ve been reading Red sister since June cos of my excessively long reading slump, so bravo for all your reading / listening! Ps. Huge kate Atkinson fan (have read *all* of her books and was so happy to see your special mention 🤗)

[@dukeisgrimnur7605]

Couldn’t get into Dune either...thought I’d love it and now feel so left out 😞

[@yrynoy]

the first fifteen lives of harry august was pretty good (a bit of a slow start but i was sooo invested by the end of the book, it was ridiculous)

[@nataliewakes]

I was thinking of doing 1 big book every 2 months next year! Takes the pressure off a bit but helps me read them x

[@katie68]

I finished my finals and I’m rewarding myself with an Emily video 🥰

[@MaryAmongStories]

A Little Life has been on my tbr for so long, it sounds amazing!

[@Lisa130799]

I picked up 'A Little Life' because of your challenge and I don't regret a single tear, it will forever be one of my favorite books even though it still hurts me every single day

[@nistha9953]

Little women is one of my favourite book this year , i am excited to get to good wives the sequel

[@Rowans99]

hearing you talk in french is so beautiful and I love it

[@lantreauxlivres]

You're not alone, don't worry! I'm conquering this fear because, strangely, I'm also part of the people who love big books - I looked into my favorite books list and, actually, they are mostly big books! But, honestly, to me, you didn't fail if you read 20-ish big books, even if they were not all on your list! Can't wait to see your end of the year videos! Wish you great reads for the end of the year!

[@Valaina07]

Okay normally i'm not 100% a fan of movie covers but that cover of little women is GORGEOUS WHAT I now want to go figure out how many books over 500pgs I've read this year ohohoho

[@thereadingrobin2191]

Totally get why you do this challenge. For me it's also very hard to struggle trough big books, especially when it's a series (currently reading A song of ice and fire. On book 4 and am already reading this series for 6 months). I'm going to do this challenge next year as well, so I can motivate myself to read some bigger books, so thanks for the recommendation!

[@MoominBetz]

Reading 7 big books isn't a fail Emily, you did well 👏👏👏👏👍

[@starry_worlds]

I enjoy reading big books but I still feel intimidated by them xD.

[@Jillybeanzxo]

Regarding the ‘Reliving same day’ trope: have you watched Russian Doll on. Netflix? Do recommend!!

[@jefferyheileson7188]

I've had "A Little Life" on my shelves for about 2 years now. I'm too nervous to dive in b/c of the emotional consequences described by everyone!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

It's a must!

[@emmymak8554]

emily: "triller" me: subrcibed

[@Tan-bi7gf]

She's so cute!

[@giselaperez6746]

I think you didn't fail, you finished 6 big books and thats amazing! Even tried to read a 7th big book. Plus the books read during the year. Amazing! 📚📚📚👏👏👏👏

[@kiraironskin]

This is my chance to say THANK YOU for those challenging videos and THANK YOU for recommending A little life. I am listening to the Audiobook right now (I am only half way through CD 1 of 5, but I already feel that I am in love with this book ❤) I cannot help but be excited everytime Jude has the POV but it's Willem who warms my heart. He must be the nicest and cutest guy in the Universe and omg he is so understanding and caring ❤ Thanks for introducing fabulous books to us 😉😊 About new challenges ... I think your Big Book series is awesome and I hope you are going to do this again. A challenge about classics would be very nice as well 😉

[@rachelnarula6200]

I picked up some big books recently that I want to tackle in the next year. Count of Monte Cristo is one of them 😂

[@beLIEver31415]

amazing story!! Listened to the 48 hour audiobook and couldn't wait to listen to it and even stayed in the car longer to finish chapters many times :)

[@jannahmohamed2495]

the count of Monte Cristo is also one of the books I'm tackling next year

[@michelea2326]

Girl...I bought Seveneves because of you but didn’t get to it either. Let’s do it in 2020!!! THE MOON EXPLODES!!!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

2020 is our year!!

[@lyrasilvertongue9008]

Yessss I've just started A little life, and now I feel more excited to read it :)

[@christinahasd]

I read this on may and it ruined me. I hope you survive the holidays reading this. Definitely worth your time.

[@mariasopkina5784]

I finished it in July and it was so so soooo amazing and heartbreaking, now I still can’t shut up about it) hope you enjoy!!!

[@EvesBookNook]

Love this series! I really enjoy big books and don't find the length of them intimidating, but I tend not to pick them up because I want to have more books completed (which is silly)!

[@laurenschnoebelen3740]

If you pick it up ever, I’d love to see The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. in the challenge next year. It’s definitely a sci-fi fantasy time travel thing but I still consider it my favorite sci-fi currently (though I haven’t read as much as I would like). It also has one of the greatest slow burn romances 🙌🙌🙌 It’s the type of romance that you ship so hard but hardly plays a role in the overall plot. I absolutely loved it and am hoping to reread it in the near future.

[@idokken]

I try to always be reading a big book in between my other reads, that way they are not as intimidating, and I don't put any time limit on myself to finish them. I absolutely loved Seveneves, I still think about it. Hope you will get to it soon, but be aware that the pacing is a bit off (in my opinion) and there are a lot of info dumps. I listened to it as an audiobook, and would recommend that!

[@heleneandersson7649]

Seveneves should have been a dulology imho. I loved it too, but the last third felt disconnected and somehow rushed, which is weird with a Stephenson book. He does love his infodumps and technobabbling ;)

[@idokken]

Helene A YES! You’re absolutely right in that the last third would have benefited from being a separate book

[@yanapetrovska9065]

I read mostly big books, which sometimes puts me in a reading slump. Which is why I've recently started reading smaller books between them.

[@Senidhr]

Please, please, please try to finish The Count of Monte Christo. I really want to know your opinion on the whole story. In currently reading a big book. One of the book publisher houses in my country made a collection of many stories of HP Lovecraft. The book has 542 pages with some ilustrations.

[@LokiGoRound]

If you're open to anything, you can try reading The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria. It's a 7-volume light novel series and the first volume is about the main protagonist, a student, who is stuck reliving the same day and him and this mysterious girl seem to be the only ones who remember reliving it. Only the first volume is about that premise, but the whole series is pretty interesting if you want to give it a try :3

[@sassysarahreads]

NOS4A2 was my biggest book of the year and one of my favorites, but I can totally see why it would confuse someone. I also listened to the audiobook and I loved the narrator. It was just definitely just my kind of book.

[@Helgacabbage]

I love a big book. Ahh, so much immersion! If I'm enjoying a book and then I see I still have over a thousand pages to go, it makes me so happy as the experience won't be over too soon. :D

[@Samtee222]

I love that thumbnail. You can tell there were some struggles there 😂

[@rocknregalia]

I like large books, but I put some of more easily than others. For example, I have been meaning to read Little Women all year. However, I also put off smaller books like Station Eleven. I think I put off books that I want to have deep experiences with and not rush. I will take a year with a book to savor it and read it slowly sometimes, all the while reading other things as well. I am a multibook reader, so I will have 3-6 books going at any given time.

[@alexiadoremma]

the fourth book in the fiancés de l'hiver series (i dont know the actual name of the series haha) just got released and it has been receiving quite some hype in France lately! only joined you for the secret history, hope you'll continue these readalongs (like you did at the beginning of this year) next year!

[@benjaminsparrow8016]

I pretty much pick up a big book whenever I want to, as long as there isn't something else I want to read more. I had even more negative reaction to A Winter's Promise than you did. I also really loved Dune, but no worries! Everyone has different reactions to books. There are a couple of friends who's opinions I agree with 99% of the time and we still have different reactions to books.

[@elizabennet7397]

I never had a reading related issue with the size of a book, either way. Sometimes they will be hard to carry (War And Peace) but other than that there are no problems. As for the books mentioned in the video, I have read A Little Life (loved it, loved it, I cry very easily and just about all emotions and that book made me after cry. I continued to cry about two weeks after finishing the novel, every time I remembered it which was often), The Secret History (loved it, but I liked The Goldfinch better), Life After Life (liked it more than I thought I would and ended up purchasing more books from the same author - who apparently writes mystery too-), Dune (I didn't like it either, not the world, not the writing style and not the characters, it did not work for me on any level but I finished it out of curiosity) I have also read Little Women years ago but it stayed with me as the first novel that gave me a shipping trauma :)

[@laiaal.3324]

I usually the opposite of you, I read big books all the time and only grab shorter ones when I know I won't have as much time to read and I want something to finnish quick. Nearly all the books I read this year where more than 500 pages, but obviously I don't read as many books as you do ^^'

[@baileymerlino2945]

I just finished reading Little Women. The beginning was really good but the second part let me down, excited to hear your opinion!

[@leoraaileen]

omg this challege is a great way to make sure you don't avoid the big ones even tho you're intrigued haha

[@adiibrd4213]

I feel pretty the same as you about big books and should challenge myself as well probably next year :)

[@leticiatoraci9855]

I DNFed 'The Passage' (I might watch the TV show tough) and instead read 'The Girl with all the Gifts' and liked it, mainly due to its good writing style, even if I usually don't like Post-Apocalyptic books with stuff similar to zombies in it. I still have 'A Winter's Promise' in my TBR. Pity that you didn't like Dune, I liked it quite a lot, perhaps you would like the film?

[@Victoria-pt4io]

Last month I read SIX 500+ books, which is just insane. It wasn't even intentional, the books just appealed to me and I sped right through them and all but one were 4 and 5 star reads. I read: Elantris, The Dragon Republic, Kane and Abel, The Eight, Pet Semetary, and The Chestnut Man

[@kseniaprytkova4344]

yes I am intimidated by big books :) although this summer I read the whole witcher series (my edition was the whole 8 books in one giant brick) and totally enjoyed it thank you for recommending A little life! Bought it recently, haven’t started yet but I am super eager to 🤗♥️

[@DeborahSutherlandDebinPei]

I love big books 💜 but I have to set aside a chunk of time, for example years ago when Stephen Kings Under the Dome came out, coincidentally I had a week off work coming up. Guess who ☕🍷📚 the whole week lol. Adding some of these on my list, you know that never ending one just like makeup wishlists lol 💄🇨🇦🎄

[@neleonie]

A Little Life has been on my shelf for a while, too, and now I really feel like reading it ;)

[@myfirstnovel]

I so love the Cronin trilogy, he sets up forever but when he hits the go button, boy, do you ever need to hang on. Tartt is weird, I go from loving passages to struggling through others, same with this one, hum. Enjoyed the Atkinson thoroughly, will never read A little life, everything I hear about it is a huge turnoff. Big book wise, this is the year I read The Stand, which stopped me from sleeping for the week it took. Work suffered, let’s just say...

[@sk8tie]

I read a couple big books this year, but not many. The Secret History I loved. Strange the Dreamer I liked a lot except for the romance. And I got 2/3 into Moby Dick for class and didn't finish it because I knew the ending and I don't see a need to finish it now lol. But I still count it as read which I'm sure some will argue with me on.

[@caenerys]

I am also reading Little Women for the first time in time for the movie! I'm really excited for the movie, I live Greta Gerwig, so I really hope I like the book even though I haven't had much luck with classics in the past

[@r_27P]

The Passage! I dnf’ed that Beast at 54%. I couldn’t read any more of it anymore. It was so strange, it changed “genre” like 3 different times 🤣🤣🤣

[@brightskysyl3913]

Can you please include the Mahabharata for your Big Books Challenge next year? I'd buddy read it with you!

[@sagekay]

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire has a “life repeating” trope so.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

No way!! I've been meaning to read it but now it's a priority!

[@sophiasthoughts]

I really LOVE big books ☺️ read The Way of Kings, it'll change your mind about big books

[@jennifermoschella3457]

I feel the same way about dune and I'm so glad someone feels the same, the series only gets worse too LOL

[@nijinoshita3301]

I don't mind big books but I also don't think they are better than short ones... but you just reminded me that I wanted to check how many I've read this year

[@DarkMistyDay]

I read a lot of big books this year also, the only two that you and I both read were The Secret History and The Goldfinch (which I know you said you hadn't finished yet but you're really close to the end.) I think The Goldfinch was better writing whereas The Secret History was a better idea but slightly less interesting. Donna Tartt is an amazing author and I'm glad I read them both but The Goldfinch was the standout to me. Glad I read them!

[@kr1st1ana1]

I really love big books. In this year my favorite was 22.11.1963. by Stephen King. Even the ending was good, in my humble opinion 😊. Life after Life was pretty good too. I loved the Passage, but the second book in this trilogy not so much. I hope to read the third one next year.

[@catcreme]

I'm the opposite - I liked the Goldfinch better than Secret History, but I think it's because characters in Goldfinch are more likable and I'm studying Art History so that aspect of the story really interested me.

[@frogggirl2]

I don't pick books based on length but I read short books/novellas for book challenges or if I'm in a reading slump. I DNF'd Dune - I do tend to DNF longer books more than shorter books as it's more of a slog if I dislike them.

[@librocubicularist3664]

Did "NOS4A2" give you "IT" vibes? just need to know to decide whether to read it or not.

[@tnysgrl41]

Did you finish The Wanderers? I've checked it out of my library three times and I just cant seem to get very interested.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I'm on the waiting list... I'm not that into it but I still want to finish it

[@maiadawnwolf9045]

This isn't a big book, but it is an excellent reliving a life over and over again book. Replay by Ken Grimwood. I enjoyed it. Another one... kind of in this genre but a little in time travel is Lightning by Dean Koontz. I read big books when I was younger, Through A Glass Darkly comes to mind followed by War and Peace. I stopped reading those length tomes mainly because I simply didn't have the time between school and children. Dune was a tough read and I have tried to read it several times now. My brother adores the entire series and calls me a quitter, but I get lost and lose interest in all of the intrigue and the plots within plots within plots. I also find I am really only interested in the Bene Gesserit nuns. I will probably read the prequels which talk about the origins of that order. Anyway, love your videos. Thanks for your good work.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I loved Replay!

[@heloisebaudelier5908]

I really want to read « a little life » but I’m a bit scared.

[@voices4oppressed]

Well idk about any of you but i can't read even a little short book, no matter how interesting a book is i just couldnt get pass 20 pages and the worst thing is I'm currently writing a Novel called "Age of Men" which is a Nine book series 😢😔

[@amusicalbookworm]

I love following your big books challenge throughout the year! Sorry that a lot of them were “meh” for you.

[@conniescove5497]

I'm getting crazy waiting for the fourth book by Dabos😍

[@sarahs6048]

I read the big books with you up until a little life (I will probably never read it because “torture porn” but I think I can relate because two of my favorite books of all time are very tragic and don’t really have ‘happy endings’) haha I liked The Secret History and Dune best, and worst was Life after Life for me As for big books, I am always reading one but I like the accountability of a group or challenge so that I’ll complete them faster. However, with epic fantasies I’m finding I really enjoy them better when I take my time and soak them up (I.e. song of ice and fire, the stormlight archive & classics like The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables)

[@leticiajales2419]

That moment the camera focused for a long century on Snow Globe Emily.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

We all know who's the favorite here...

[@bertfechner417]

If you do your big book challenge next year maybe you could do complete collections? Idk if u count those or thats a dealbreaker. They're def over 500 pages but very segmented, I have complete works of Shakespeare, HP Lovecraft, and Sherlock Holmes (I've only finished the Holmes collection) but because its a collection it has stopping points throughout and you could just do 1 story a day and instead of reading 1 book a month just do 12 big books for the year?

[@jacksonamaral329]

oooh. wanna purchase books like that.

[@aditikatbamna]

Russian Dolls on netflix!! She live her birthday over and over again! I love it!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I loved it!

[@yai627yeac]

Opposite of Always by Justin Reynolds is a book about a "loop in time", is YA but maybe you'll enjoy it even a little. And I am SCARED of big books 😂

[@nessg1043]

Is the book club still continuing?

[@lovelydaywithholly]

Love your channel Emily! Have you read any Robin Hobb?

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Not yet but it's coming :)

[@lovelydaywithholly]

BookswithEmilyFox maybe 2020? 😉

[@derek3418]

My all-time favorite book is over 800 pages (Underworld by Don Delillo) and I'm also a big fan of Fyodor Dostoevsky who wrote a decent amount of 500+ page books. My favorite size of book though is 160-220 pages

[@becklebooks]

Ooh I want to read The Passage for the same reason (for the adaptation). I haven’t read any apocalyptic books for a while though so I think I’ll enjoy it more than you did! :o Your challenge wasn’t a fail at all, you read so many pages! 🙌🏻

[@caseyc2497]

The book is vastly superior to the tv show. The show had nearly no relation to the book. I could barely get through two episodes it was so bad.

[@madelinebell5046]

@@caseyc2497 Oh really? What didn't you like about the show? Just wondering because I'm reading the book right now (really enjoying it, I'm about 3/4 of the way through) and was considering whether or not to try the show afterwards.

[@caseyc2497]

@@madelinebell5046 the characters in the show are not the characters from the book. Laconic characters just constantly talk, they gave the little girl a super stereotypical racist backstory that isnt her backstory from the book. They changed the vampires and how they behave - of course maki g one a blonde hottie that mentally seduces men unlike how she behaves in the book. They created new characters that dont exist and are pointless. Backstories for everyone are completely changed. It was AWFUL. only thing it had in common was the title.it deserved to be cancelled.

[@caseyc2497]

@@madelinebell5046 also as the show was cancelled theres really no point watching it either way thh

[@madelinebell5046]

@@caseyc2497 Ah okay, yeah that sounds like a bit of a disaster. Weird that they changed all the characters, what's wrong with the ones in the book? Oh well, guess I'll skip it then, especially if it's been cancelled. Shame, because last time I watched a TV adaptation I found my favourite show of all time: The Terror. It was actually significantly better than the book (and the acting is top-notch across the board too, that always helps). I guess it depends on who writes and directs the adaptation - if they don't care about the story or the characters, you're probably going to end up with something disappointing.

[@rachelmakrucki3172]

Emily this is totally off subject but have you seen the web series of Nevernight being produced by Piera Forde. I'd insert the link but that always looks spammy. It's fantastic!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Of course! I've been following all of it the day they come out lol

[@bansheethereader9074]

I also read "Dune" this year finally for the first time. I was really excited and had high expectations, but got so disappointed... And the fans are just so toxic! Try to say anything negative about "Dune" and they'll accuse you of being too unsophisticated to understand their masterpiece, no matter what kind of arguments you put forward. Scary :(

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Yesssss lol I got so much shit for my opinion on goodreads

[@ElladeElsie]

It's so interesting how subjective books are for everyone. I am not a fan of Brandon Sanderson, but I LOVE Dune. I also, know I would dislike A Little Life due to it being Passion of the Christ in book form.

[@freckledklutz]

I don't think you failed you read more big books than I did. I have only read a handful this year but I am close to my goal so I am not mad! Big books are always a big risk sometimes a big reward or let down its like a lottery that's why I think we as people can be intimidated by it because of the amount of time invested. I love big books I just don't read them enough!

[@mahomiesknees1240]

I really am not great at big books, the few that I read were in series that i already started

[@rae_drizzta]

For me, it's not that I don't like reading big books per se, but I usually read while I commute, so big books get pretty uncomfortable standing up in the subway everyday xD

[@mikaelab7485]

Any plans to read The Stormlight Archive? You know, since we’re on the topic of big books

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Maybe...

[@leenox23]

love big books! the bigger the better. but only when it's fantasy or sc-ifi, if it's other geners I get easily bored.

[@heleneandersson7649]

I didn't love Dune either. I hated most of the characters, that was my biggest problem. :-p Especially the main character, blergh. I thought Seveneves was a solid five stars for the first two thirds, four stars for the last part. It's hard scifi and not just space-woo, but that does mean that there is a bit of techno-babble in there. Stephenson is one of those authors who I sometimes give high ratings even though I can see obvious flaws in the book, just because I enjoyed it so much.

[@citydoll22]

Really glad that I read Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, it gets better the more you read it in my opinion. A Little Life.... I couldn't get on with at all (maybe an unpopulair opinion) I've found it so annoying.... the Jude pity party

[@encyclopediaofelizabeth]

How many pages does a book have for you to consider it big? I have a 700 and 500 page book that I plan to read in January and I have never really taken length much into account.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

For the challenge I stuck to 500 pages! Although some YA books over 500 pages have a lot of fluff/space but still lol

[@patricijabiskup948]

You did great! I loved watching this. Gonna avoid Dune for another while I guess 😬🙂

[@nyxian_grid]

Dune is great. Don't read it as an audiobook like she did though.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I did try to read the physical book and would not have finished it without the audiobook.

[@bearllande]

big books don't scare me, certain genres scare me (like the classics - totally hate it, won't read it even if it's just 50 pages). i have listened to 30hr audiobooks in 3 days without problems. the longest was probably 90 hrs or something - it was a wuxia webnovel which someone made an audiobook out of using a text reader program. if you like the book, a thousand pages mean nothing because you don't want it to end.