Social Media Picks My TBR | Reading Vlog

[@bookishdi]

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was such a surprise delightful read for me last year. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it!

[@meljstephan]

Being the social media creator for a small independent bookstore is a primo main character move.

[@cjar8989]

28:16 this quote of ballet being a memory is amazing. Thank you for sharing it.

[@LiteratureScienceAlliance]

Loved hearing your thoughts on the ballet book!

[@asdfghjklasdfghjkl321]

Also, one of my favorite places to be influenced on the internet is you Mara 😍💅💫

[@lilyc7922]

Apollo’s Angels sounds like a perfect gift for my mom, she loves ballet

[@oowatwat]

i laughed out loud at your dread of it being Norwegian wood - read it when I was in university and also loathed it 😆

[@booluther]

Surprised to see you reading Apollo’s Angels! A great ballet nonfiction is The Royal Ballet by Zoe Anderson, also The Faber Guide To Ballet, 101 Stories of The Great Ballets are amazing companions providing history and descriptions of popular/influential ballets. There are some great biographies about people like Nureyev, Kenneth MacMillan, Frederick Ashton as well out there. 😊

[@iheartwalle]

I do most of the buying for an indie bookstore so i get so many of my recs that way.

[@lisaswartz4633]

Great content and you always make me smile. When you said that they go to “pound town” I was laughing 😂😂 so much. Thank you for all you do.

[@bookslikewhoa]

You are so welcome!

[@asdfghjklasdfghjkl321]

May I ask you what you mean by "mannered" writing? Because you meantioned it a couple of times and I'm not quite sure if I understand what that means 🤔😅

[@moonrisedruid]

This is what I found when I googled! 'behaving, speaking, or writing in a way that is extremely formal and not natural. an excessively mannered prose style.'

[@bookslikewhoa]

Moonie's definition is pretty close to what I'm getting at - I think of it as overly affected and verging on over written at times, but that shows my bias for simpler prose

[@thechiaraface]

So excited to see Novel Neighbor in this video! They are my local indie and I love them so much.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Aw, that's so fun! They did a great job with their recommendation

[@crystalsbookishlife]

I gave Hart and Mercy 3 stars and the focus on death and dying gave it a distinctly uncozy feel to me

[@ravenesperanza]

Absolutely adored Hither, Page - probably my favorite Cat Sebastian because of the mystery

[@Katiedora122]

Cat Sebastian is definitely a go to writer for me. I enjoyed the Page & Sommers series (and I actually liked the second book more), although I don't read much mystery so it was more of a fun detour from her more straightforward historical romances.

[@thelmaviraize2217]

Loved the vlog! I've never seen You've Got Mail but I really liked Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. I felt like the worldbuilding was a bit messy, lots of interesting ideas though. Maybe too many interesting idea for one book (can you tell I'm a fantasy reader first and a romance reader second? 😅). The overall book was good though

[@carolinesconcertvids860]

When you said it's sometimes good to go out of your comfort zone, reminds me of me. My dad loves going to charity shops and sometimes gets a book for me. I read mostly horror and not more than just over 300 pages. Today he got me a thriller with a ghost being one of the main characters. And it's over 500 pages long. Not something I'd pick up but I've started reading it and actually really enjoying it

[@bookslikewhoa]

I'm glad you're enjoying something a little outside your wheelhouse!

[@lorinpaterson2462]

ahhh barrow of winter is actually the third in a series!

[@seraphyna07]

the entire time you were unwrapping undertaking of hart i was chanting please please please. and then i screamed when it was. I LOVED THIS BOOK THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY SO EFFING CUTE DUDE LOOK AT THE COVER. and i didnt have the existing association, I JUST LOVED THIS BOOK.

[@bookslikewhoa]

the cover is seriously adorable!

[@lexi8445]

You've influenced me to pick up Hart and Mercy! I adore You've Got Mail as well

[@BookishMandy]

Agh! Moving Hart & Mercy up my list. I LOVE you’ve got mail. I’ve had that on my kindle for months and months.

[@danielleryle1664]

Took your suggestion and looked for Apollo’s Angels. It’s five dollars on Kindle today! If anyone else is curious too.

[@OrlandoDelRey]

I love Apollo's Angels, so glad you're reading it! There's so much knowledge to gather from that book, a very mind-expanding read. Excited to hear your full thoughts when you finish it!

[@MsReadsAlot]

Steam punk, historical romance and fantasy. Whoa! I have each but never together I bought other things because I am weak 😂😂😂

[@Hannahisbananas1220]

The Undertaking of Heart and Mercy has been sitting in my cart for a week. ::Watches Mara explain why she likes it:: Clicks buy. I love how you explained the ballet book! It sounds interesting. Have a great day. 💜

[@bookslikewhoa]

muwahahaha enjoy!!

[@Priyanshi-td6sm]

The 2nd book of Hither Page is Cozy, close group mystery. This one has more mystery and a little bit of romance of this estd couple. It has stronger Christie vibe and Its better than the 1st one. You can read if you want because the author writes max 1or 2 books in a year.

[@SarahAsYouWish]

Great vlog idea! I enjoyed Hart & Mercy, and I’ve only watched You’ve Got Mail once many years ago. Apollo’s Angels sounds quite fascinating.

[@Books_on_the_Brain]

I so shared your anxiety that it might be Norwegian Wood 😂 Also, I bought the hardback of Apollo's Angels when it was published and now I'm ashamed I never read it, I didn't realize it would be that good!

[@ruthlounsbury4024]

Apollo's Angels is a masterpiece 🎉

[@sassycatz4470]

Thanks so much for the Apollo's Angels recommendation. I have two friends who love ballet. Last Christmas, I gave one of them a fictional book set in the ballet world and felt very uncertain that she would enjoy it. *This* however sounds like something both of them would love, so I'm going to keep it on my to buy list for their individual birthdays or for next Christmas. Also, thanks for The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy rec. I have seen it around, but thought it would be too out there for me as my romance reading is much more "traditional," i.e., not too much fantasy or other odd elements. This does sound intriguing though.

[@bookslikewhoa]

ooo yay, I hope you enjoy it!!

[@themusicsnob]

Apollo’s Angels sounds so good! I will definitely pick that up in the future. I studied a martial art for many years and the passage you read reminds me of what was also true for that martial art which is that it is passed down from teacher to student and there really isn’t a good way to capture that knowledge outside of the embodiment of that knowledge which is why it also definitely changes over time and depending on who you learn from. Very cool

[@bookslikewhoa]

ooo yes, that seems like a very apt comparison!!

[@tanninsandtales5682]

The English village I live in is too villagey to be cosy.:p

[@bookslikewhoa]

lol :D

[@tawnyachristensen7310]

Sounds like a couple of good ones!

[@thelefthandedreader6632]

This was such a fun video!!

[@remyhocage9854]

Enjoyed this post. Especially by adding the TikTok reviewers. (It probably increased your editing time !) Have you seen the Around The Corner film starring Jimmy Stewart ? Very Czecho! Cozy ! You gotten me interested in reading APOLLO'S ANGELS even though I not really interested in ballet. I'm reminded of your youth when you are uncertain of pronouncing names; you got the right. (Pav - low - va and Mac - a - rov -a . ) Do you agree Balanchine was the devil ? Good luck.

[@Eva-dy9qy]

I never watched You've got Mail (and despite being an 80s child I have some serious gaps in 90s romcoms), and I'm sorry to say I DNFed Hart and Mercy - but that might also be because I'm not the biggest fan of zombies, either (yes I should read book blurbs more carefully). I fully acknowledge it must be fun as a variation on a beloved source material so I'm glad other people love it!

[@yogiwithabook]

i am so fully sold on apollo's angels

[@POWWOWKAT]

Apollo's Angels sounds so good I've just broken my 'no new books this year except book club books' resolution 🤣

[@bookslikewhoa]

hahah sorry not sorry!!

[@angelagardner58]

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a book club pick for April. We're discussing the trope of "you've got mail" pen pal type romance. I'm excited to read it.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Enjoy!!

[@00moon]

I too went from "Ooh Morning star, a book by a Lucifer fan maybe 👀" to "700 pages... in a series... 😱" Can't quantify the amount of frustration+ anger+ horror I felt learning that 'zombie', another very common word, is a bad word over at the clock app. Such a dystopia, this sanitization of the internet and mass media is mindboggling.

[@lofreequency]

I actually went to Meet Cute Romance Bookshop today for the first time and you mentioning the first two books are from there is a fun coincidence!

[@bookslikewhoa]

aw fun! it looks like a super lovely space

[@CherylanneFarley]

Hooray and thanks! Great stuff. SO fair fufilling one book challenge with buying from Indie Store with Hither Page. Great hint about KU and Gunpower Alchemy. Spent time on Libby today trying for several other books general clean up. As usual typical 6 wk wait on many. PS Finished the "Together We Read" challenge which this time was "River Woman River Demon" overall enjoyed and would recommend. Problem for me is ye old unpleasant narrator but OK--3.5 to 4 stars. Best day to each!

[@thefairylibrarian3282]

I googled Anna Pavlova's dying swan and a modern version of it and wow, they are very different

[@ohladysamantha]

I hope you continue to enjoy Cat Sebastian. You might also enjoy KJ Charles and their Will Darling series as well. KJ Charles is a pioneer in queer historicals and that series in particular has a mystery plot running through.

[@bookslikewhoa]

KJ Charles is definitely on the "need to try" list for authors!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

4:07 It’s giving Sherlock Holmes and Hastings Fan Fiction but in a good way.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

This is going to be interesting because I’d steer you clear from books with dual timelines lol

[@anikamercier2651]

I’ve heard lots of people say they liked The Undertaking of Heart and Mercy but your the first to mention You’ve Got Mail.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Oh interesting! Yeah, seems like a pretty clear inspo

[@RodgersReads]

Huh apollos angels sounds really interesting 🤔🤔

[@crushgoil]

I’m reading The Plot right now and am resenting it every time I pick it up haha. It’s not terrible but it’s just not as interesting as I wanted it to be. Can’t quite bring myself to DNF it, but… sigh. I adored The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, but You’ve Got Mail is also one of my all-time favourite movies.

[@bookslikewhoa]

You've Got Mail is just amazing

[@amotleyartwkatherine]

I read the book Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacy. It is a sapphic retelling of You Got Mail. But it matched the movie beat for beat (also love that movie) plus it lifted some lines straight from the movie. To me that is flirting with plagiarism not simply being inspired. I gave it 3 stars. So when I heard that The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was also inspired by that movie I was like nope been there done that.

[@bookslikewhoa]

ah, that makes sense - this one is clearly inspired in its overall trajectory and has some cheeky nods, but it is definitely not a beat for beat retelling

[@ingerreads9727]

I think you would love A Time for Everything by Knausgård!

[@becauseimdumb9166]

I feel like you’ve been posting all bangers. I didn’t know I wasn’t subscribed so that’s fixed.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Aw thank you!!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

5:44 I Heard ‘Opium Wars’ and my mind instantly went to the Ibis trilogy by Amitav Ghosh.

[@snowhunt6614]

I think you might enjoy the Memento Mori series by C S Poe. A mystery series, with a dash of romance. Xx

[@snowhunt6614]

Everett Larkin works for the Cold Case Squad: an elite - if understaffed and overworked - group of detectives who solve the forgotten deaths of New York City. Larkin is different from others, but his deduction skills are unmatched and his memory for minute details is unparalleled. The writing is beautiful and the audio outstanding. Xx

[@srnc]

Popping in to say that I agree with the assessment that Norwegian Wood is an absolute nightmare, and the things that kept me reading it until the end were the excellent Italian translation, and the morbid fascination of seeing how that trainwreck would play out. One of the most sexist things I've read.

[@bookslikewhoa]

yeah it sounds like a big old NOT FOR ME

[@MathewRyan111]

Off topic but I finished The Writing Retreat! Your assessment that while you enjoyed it, many others would not, was spot on. I almost DNF'd it but I thought maybe there would be some kind of twist or turn, or reason to keep going. Alas, no. I didn't care about any of the characters and it almost felt like I was reading two different books that didn't come together well. Grade: C-

[@bookslikewhoa]

haha I did try to warn people!

[@BeantownMrs]

Apollo's Angels was very comprehensive! I just wish the author had done a little less editorializing considering this is supposed to be a history of ballet.

[@doobage3387]

Any thoughts on "the plot"?

[@bookslikewhoa]

haven't gotten to it yet so... stay tuned!

[@candejimenez5292]

Now i have to read The Undertaking of hart and mercy i love you've got email

[@mj_libros]

I haven't seen You've Got Mail. Hart & Mercy was ok.I didn't love it. The premise was great, I just couldn't get past how whiny both main characters were.

[@bookslikewhoa]

fair!

[@allgirlreview433]

Norwegian Wood is a train wreck. Do not recommend.