Chatty What I'm Reading Right Now | April 2022

[@rachaelr7567]

I started Atlas Six last night. I agree with you about the author’s reach exceeding her grasp when it comes to the wordy style. But more than that, you can tell that the author has spent a lot of time in online groups because everyone is an archetype and every circumstance is a trope.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Mara is enjoying her ‘Lady Whistledown but make it a Booktuber’ Era 😂

[@beckyjnobaptiste195]

Enjoy your trip! Scotland is gorgeous with so many historical buildings.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

‘Bet On It’ sounds awesome and ‘Stay Awake’ feels like an awesome thriller.

[@whatkaylasays]

Ooh I’m also going to the UK this summer! Can’t wait! I’d love to hear more about what you’re planning for your trip. I’m celiac so I understand the struggle of traveling with autoimmune issues. I hope you’ll find it manageable.

[@rustiqjoy]

Stay Awake sounds very interesting.

[@priscilla.t.a]

The UK trip sounds amazing! I hope you have a lot of fun with it. I'm here for all the vlogs and secret TBRs. 🥰

[@jennymcevoy8961]

I would love if you did a full review of "S" when you have finished reading it.I bought it about 6 months ago,and couldn't get it fast enough and then never read it🙈🙈🙈🙈...so you might inspire me to finally read it😃😃

[@Shamrockbabe]

Same. I started it but was a little confused on how to read it and then life got in the way so I put it down and it’s been… years. I need motivation to pick it up again. Looking forward to the vlog and full review.

[@mplbooks]

Glad to hear you are feeling better! Hope you have a great trip! I love the UK and Wales, still want to get to Scotland and Ireland.

[@sffbookrecs4268]

Yay for a chatty video, secret TBRs and coming UK trip. I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying vlogging. They're wonderful to watch.

[@HouseHooligan]

I love the kinds of content you’re doing! And as a fellow autoimmune patient, I sympathize with the daunting nature of traveling-but you’ve got this. 💜 My biggest piece of advice is to plan time for rest! It always feels to me like I’m “wasting time,” but it isn’t.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Very sound advice!

[@RenatoTartuce]

Haven't seen one of your videos in awhile, glad to see you're doing well and excited about the trip :)

[@bookslikewhoa]

Welcome back!

[@tara5742]

Oh, I’m so excited for you to enjoy your trip, Mara! That’s wonderful

[@sophiawoodward4838]

Hurrah for the UK visit. If you have the time in your schedule you may enjoy Hay-on-Wye. Home of many second hand bookshops (and a literary festival in May). Also, if you visit Cardiff and enjoy showtunes or karaoke then visit Porter's Bar. There are many beautiful beaches in Wales and depending on how far you go into the country St David's has a beautiful cathedral to approach at dusk.

[@velescope]

I’m super into your vlogs so I’m glad to hear you have some more coming up ☺️

[@bookslikewhoa]

Glad you like them!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I thought all the videos were chatty and that’s why I love them. Happy to see the Chatty Quotient rise through the roof.

[@danichiong6727]

have lots of fun on your trip! The nerves are to be expected but I hope you can enjoy your time!!

[@bookslikewhoa]

I hope so too!

[@Wanderwilderreading]

I hope you love Scotland - it’s my second home and I’ve fallen in love with the rain!

[@mrslnj]

That’s good you are feeling better and how exciting to have a trip planned! I really liked The Cult of Trump but I read it at the beginning of the pandemic when I was trying to understand the strange behavior of DTs followers. I actually learned more about my coworkers who I just thought were mean people but Steven Hassan does a good job of explaining narcissistic personality disorders in a simple way that helped me understand why I needed to stop working at the school where I worked at the time.

[@mrslnj]

Leave extra room in your luggage for books while in the UK! The last few times there I bought way too many books there. They do such a good job with the artwork and look at feel of the books and marketing in the store.

[@melissatereseholland1706]

My husband Walsh and we live in Australia . Sending love and best wishes hugs

[@tchristie51]

I’ve loved the direction of your videos, they have kept me engaged with booktube when I might have gotten burned out! I appreciate the hard work!

[@bookslikewhoa]

I'm so glad!

[@anne-marie339]

So excited that you’re able to travel! Even the anticipation of trips can make a big difference mentally (this summer will be my first trip farther than 2 hours in a long time too). April reading has been good - especially this long weekend! I finished Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel and loved it and am about to finish Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake - it’s been very interesting and well-written so far.

[@WildeBookGarden]

Bet on It was on my radar and I'm glad you enjoyed it! I tend to like romance that focuses more on other things too so it sounds like it might be a good one for me to try glad things are going well for you! 💗

[@bookslikewhoa]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@Victoria-pt4io]

I’ve read the Tawny Man trilogy and have never heard of that novella 😂 Will have to go back and read it!

[@Books_on_the_Brain]

I had started The Cult of Trump after it was suggested during the Cultish live show and, like you, I just couldn't do it. It's not that is wasn't good or interesting, but I think early on it was just so... confirming(?) I guess, that it was just making me too upset to continue. It was really bumming me out, I don't know that I'll be able to go back to it. I'm so excited that you're reading S! I've had that book on my shelf since it came out, and I've yet to read it (I broke the seal a long time ago though 😳). Maybe your vlog will encourage me to finally read it this year!

[@BooksofAmber]

Wales and Scotland are stunning! I think you'll love them. Edinburgh is my favourite city I've been to (I'm trying to move there but my partner is not cooperating 🤣). Both countries have BEAUTIFUL countryside. I've only been to North Wales but I felt so at home there and I can't wait to go back.

[@arp711]

Congrats on the upcoming trip! I’m sure the kitties will be all good, they might just be a bit standoffish with you when you come home, LOL. BTW I have to thank you for getting me to finally start reading Agatha Christie. A lot of people talk about her of course, but it’s really been your videos that motivated me. I had always been hesitant because I knew there was some, let’s say, questionable stuff regarding race in a lot of her books. And in the two I’ve read thus far, that’s been true, but it was less than I expected and the stories themselves were very engaging.

[@sassycatz4470]

If you visited any bookstores during your trip to Wales and Scotland, I'd be interested in either seeing that or see what you purchased. (I visited Scotland for the first time in fall 2019 just before the pandemic began with my cousin, and later, her husband joined us. It was just beautiful. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to visit the Isle of Skye which is something we want to do in the future because our family is related to the MacLeod clan.)

[@IngridInspired]

Hey Mara, so glad you’re feeling better and going on a trip ♥️ Atlas six is on my TBR, slightly worried after your vlog lol

[@bookslikewhoa]

Hope you enjoy it! wasn't my fav but I think others could enjoy more than I

[@krakentoagoodbook]

I've been really looking forward to Bet On It, so that's good to know that it deals with some serious topics (I tend to enjoy that in romances, but it can be jarring if you're expecting a rom-com and don't necessarily get that). Hahaha omg I think I'm required to read Kate and the Kraken xD That sounds like a fun series overall though! I picked up a copy of Never Saw Me Coming a few months ago - haven't gotten to it yet, but it sounds great! Lots of interesting potential there with the whole studying psychopaths thing. I'm DYING to read Breathless since I like both closed circle murder mysteries and mountain climbing elements! Never Coming Home sounds intriguing as well. I'm super excited for the new Ruth Ware book. I'm pretty sure I have an ARC of Stay Awake as well, and I'm excited for that since it'll be my first book by her that I've read.

[@thisisabookchannel]

My husband and I are in the same position about vacation! We haven’t been anywhere since the panini and it’s our first time away from the kitties for longer than a day or two. Luckily his mom has some time to come down and double luckily we mentioned she will be here to a neighbor and they offered to look in on them the rest of the time. We have a couple cameras we plug in when we leave them alone and I’m also thinking about a remote treat dispenser so they know we still love them 🥲

[@bookslikewhoa]

the anxiety is real!

[@ndreader]

I just finished and enjoyed Cartographers!

[@jenniparks8539]

As a born and bred Scot, can’t wait to see what you think of my country 👍

[@liloulux2739]

I am so excited for your trip to the UK 🇬🇧 and especially to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿!!!!!!🎊🍾👍 I have been to Scotland in 2019, the summer before the pandemic hit, and I just loved it so, so much 💕I am looking forward to listening to your adventure and experience the UK through you again!! 🥰 So Thank You for that! (This year my friends and I have a trip to Finland 🇫🇮 and Norway 🇳🇴 planed. And I am especially excited for Norway because a lot of people say that Norway and Scotland are very similar. 😅) You said it yourself you know the UK very well so I hope the following tips don’t sound obnoxious but just in case you haven’t been there before and have time : 1. Edinburgh (naturally😅) and if it is happening please go and experience the “Military tattoo”. The ambiance is like a Quidditch game. 2. Battle of Culloden Museum (Inverness). It is amazing!!!! (We didn’t have enough time to fully experience it, and I still regret that!) 3. Orkney Islands!!! The Neolithic site “Skara Brae” is exceptional(!) and everything about the Orkneys was a once in a lifetime experience for me. Also if you take the ferry from John O’Groats to the Orkneys maybe make a little time for a 🌊-side walk and see the Puffins. They are so cute!) 4. Iona Abbey (island of Iona) one of the oldest Christian religious centres in Western Europe. I felt very at peace there. It is a special place. 5. INVEREWE GARDEN AND ESTATE. A beautiful,mystical, lush garden in the midst of the harsh northern Atlantic climate. So, Sorry if you already have your own plans. I just wanted to mention it just in case…

[@JodieTheReader]

S. Is sitting on my shelf. It looks so interesting. I don't think I've seen q reading vlog for it either. Can't wait !

[@bookslikewhoa]

Hope you like it!

[@camivillegas4270]

S, the book on top of my tbr for like 5 years

[@RodgersReads]

You read some wild romances. The orcs bride or whatever? lol And yeah... Robin Hobb is brutal to dogs even in Assassin's Apprentice...like geeeezzzz

[@gicsome7997]

I just finished the Sacramento series from Karen Rose and I really liked it! I'd read another book from her before and didn't like it, but took your recommendation on this series and I'm glad I gave the author another chance. I'll wait to hear what you think of her new release to put it on my TBR

[@linamoktafi8733]

hope you get better❤

[@bekis109]

Edinburgh has the Fringe Festival in August if you’re going around that time

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I’m so excited to hear you going to a Trip to the UK? I’m always available for recommendations although I’m sure you’ll have a great time without it anyway.

[@LiteratureScienceAlliance]

I was looking at reviews for the Cartographers and will be really curious to hear your thoughts once you have read it!

[@bookslikewhoa]

I am excited for it! seems like it is my thing

[@liloulux2739]

Book recommendation for your 🇬🇧 Trip: “Northerners. A History” by Brian Groom. It just came out this month (I think) and I am really liking it…

[@asdfghjklasdfghjkl321]

I appreciate you too!!!!! :D

[@Nixreads]

I'm super curious which way you're reading "S" and if you recommend it! There's so many different approaches to it - where to start?!

[@bookslikewhoa]

it's truly info overload!

[@jellyghostt]

I shocked how emotionally impacting I found The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince considering how much shorter it is then your standard Hobb. I was a MESS.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Oh, I was destroyed- how she does it every time, I will never know

[@MidwestMeeple]

I have read “S” and I got so bored. I kept chugging along and did some of the deep diving but it just wasn’t for me.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Have you seen ‘Severance’ on Apple TV+? I thought you’d like the recommendations.

[@jas-chi]

I read Red Famine in January, it's harrowing. I've been on a journey of unlearning American anti-communist propaganda while also reckoning with the fact that the Soviet Union was genocidal, murderous dictatorship, and if anyone is interested to go on that similar journey I'd recommend reading: Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder, Red Famine by Anne Applebaum, and Gulag by Anne Applebaum, in that order.

[@SilkCrystals]

Edinburgh Such a lovely place to visit in Scotland! Lots of bookish things to do there. What kind of auto immune disease requires chemo? Hope you’re OK

[@bookslikewhoa]

Non-radioactive chemo, I usually just say treatment to not be confusing :)

[@danielfowler9553]

How do you read so fast? I’m so impressed lol I’m licking to read 3 books a month. But I usually just read before bed so I think that’s prob my problem haha

[@bookslikewhoa]

haha one of the biggest ways is that I just can't focus on TV anymore, so that gives me a lot of time back in the evenings

[@adrastea2]

I read the realm of the elderlings in the wrong order. I blame that iwas my first epic fantasy series

[@heabooktubes]

I want you to make whatever videos you want to make lol. 🥰

[@toniweller6008]

💛📚

[@kimcampoli6538]

I like your haircut

[@PokhrajRoy.]

How disturbed do you have to be to call a book about trauma a ‘Rom-Com’? (I am aware that it’s a marketing strategy)