Mid Year Best Books of 2018 | Lauren and the Books

[@SavidgeReads]

How did I miss this delight? David snoring warning really tickled me. I’ll read Big Bones in the second half of the year I promise. Almost Love has been on my radar for some time must get to that too. I thought Let Me Lie was ace. I get itchy nose when filming too! Thrilled to see Elmet on your list. Hurray for Jen of Campbell. And for Eleanor. And for you.

[@katiejlumsden]

I so need to read Elmet. I really enjoyed this video!

[@elizabeth2119]

I really like the sound of Elmet. Going to look out for it at the library.

[@amyhamilton5119]

Girl Up and Almost Love sounds amazing. I’ll wait until Almost Love is cheaper on the kindle and then buy it. I loved Eleanor oliphant too. I think I might reread it at around Christmas time to refresh my memory. I seem to forget a lot about books once they’re finished 😥. Glad to hear you enjoyed Elmet so much as I have it on my bedside table to read soon xxx

[@halochromatium4485]

Would you mind making a wrap up on all the books about being a vegan/vegetarian and say which one are helpful and which one not?

[@LaurenAndTheBooks]

I will aim to do that!

[@jessicawatson7360]

This would be amazing, just started dining out about veganism from an environmental standpoint.

[@wordsofclover]

So happy to see Elmet on this list. It's on my list of fave books so far as well.

[@bookingforewordtoit]

After reading you rave about Big Bones for so long I am determined top get my hands on a copy! Thanks for another fabulous video!

[@p.silovebooksandthings8976]

I have Big Bones from my library ready for my holiday next week (if I can wait that long to start it!) following your recommendation Lauren and I am so excited!xx

[@Phillybookfairy]

I definitely have been wanting to het Jens book and id also like Big Bones and Elmet! Great pics! Ill have to get my hands on them!

[@Ysarra]

Great video Lauren & I have either read or have most of these on my tbr, thanks to you :) My favs this year so far would be Home Fire, Tim Winton's The Shepard's Hut, Elmet, Tin Man and Americanah. It's been a good year :)

[@lyncampbell1626]

Loved, loved Eleanor - beautiful study.

[@VanessaButtino]

I've had Almost Love on my wishlist for FOREVER. I think it's finally time for me to purchase it.

[@thelitmalaysian4163]

Awesome list, Lauren! I picked up Big Bones a few weeks ago after watching one of your videos and I'm meaning to pick it up sometime this week. I've just finished The Essex Serpent (absolute beaut of a book!) and I might pick up Kate Atkinson's Life After Life next... though Almost Love is sitting on my shelf calling to me too... So many books, so little time!

[@beccamilton503]

Great list! You’ve made me want to pick up Elmet and listen to Eleanor Oliphant. Some of my 2018 favorites so far have been Marlena, The Virgin Suicides, Walk on Earth a Stranger, and Lincoln in the Bardo. Love watching your videos. As soon as you upload I have to watch!

[@carrie-annesmith6364]

I read Big Bones on your recommendation and LOVED IT xx

[@BohoBookworm]

Almost Love and Let Me Lie are two books I really enjoyed in the first half of this year too! I still really need to read Girl Up!

[@tweezers193]

Great choices and not a hair‘grip’ out of place. xx

[@Hollie1946]

I just bought Big Bones. Can't wait to read it!

[@wanderingreader6941]

Some great recommendations here Lauren! I loved Eleanor Oliphant too, and I think I might reread it on audio soon, a few people have recommended the audiobook. I’ve just ordered How to Go Vegan from the library - I want to go more down that route for health reasons and just because I think that kind of diet would suit me more... Lindsi xx

[@jessicawatson7360]

Wandering Reader loved Eleanor Oliphant thought she was such w nice character. I’m also thinking about veganism from the environmental impacts and this is encouraging me to read about it.

[@MeSimoneI]

I really want to read Girl Up and Big Bones and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is actually on my pile to read in the next couple of months. I always love your half year favourites as it's great to go back and recap the amazing books you've read!! Thanks :D

[@GreenBitterfly]

I really enjoyed Paper Girls, I borrowed a copy from the library after seeing you haul it I think. I've subsequently bought the remaining single volumes, although much to my annoyance I've found that Volumes 1 through to 10 are available in a bind up hardback copy. I think when I come to buy the next volume, I'll just buy the Volume 1 through 10 edition. My favourite books of the year so far are - Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was, Paper Girls (especially Volume 1), Becoming Unbecoming, My Name is Leon, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I'll be Gone in the Dark, The Breakthrough, A Wrinkle in Time and The Mona Lisa Mystery. I also enjoyed rereading Goodnight Mister Tom.

[@janedunster5156]

About a quarter of the way through Elmet at the moment and loving it. Decided to read the whole Booker shortlist this year and Elmet is the last one - possibly it was a mistake to start with 4321 as it was so huge although I loved that too.

[@ElaineHowlin]

Asking For It was so amazing, I'm really looking forward to reading Almost Love. Louis O'Neill is a fantastic writer! Going to see the play of Asking for It next Monday, can't wait to see how what they do with it. It feels weird to say I'm excited cause it's such a dark story but I am really looking forward to it!

[@LaurenAndTheBooks]

I am desperate to see the play, I really hope it comes over here as it would be amazing to see it!

[@ElaineHowlin]

Lauren And The Books fingers crossed! I'd love to see this story spread as far as possible.

[@kelmom25boys60]

My fave books this year were also Eleanor...and Lily and the Octopus, House Swap, Everything I Never Told You and Calypso by David Sedaris is hysterical!

[@jessicawatson7360]

Loved Eleanor, that narrator was really good too. Completely agree with you. The end disappointed me though.

[@merelevelyne]

I guessed Big Bones, Almost Love, Girl Up and Eleanor Oliphant :D I also adored Eleanor, and I still haven't read Jen's stories, even though I want to read them so much (I think I will order the paperback)! Elmet was a bit of a disappointment for me, struggled a lot with the violence toward the end. But I think you've been having a pretty good reading year so far?

[@katieha12345]

I recently saw Elmet was shortlisted for a literary award who's name is annoyingly eluding me now, but the criteria is 'best sense of place'. I didn't finish the book thinking 'what a great sense of place!' but I think it's v appropriate (obv why the judges picked it!) and made me warm to it all the more on reflection

[@Shannirae]

I really want to read something by Clare Mackintosh. Her books sound fantastic. 👍🏻😁

[@bookmarksandbookshelves3998]

6 months 'til Christmas!

[@jessicawatson7360]

How do you go to a Lush book-club?

[@Phillybookfairy]

Hi Lauren, love your channel. Im somewhat new to it. Have you read TinMan by sarah winman? Its absolutely gorgeous writing and this book is soooo grossly underhyped!! I just finished it today and am gushing about it everywhere and trying to give a heads up to all the booktubers that i watch that i think will love it as much as i did, so thats you, lindsay,simon, and April. Lol Please let me know if youve read it. Its a heartbreaking short novel. Its now up on my favorite books of all time list. Please let me know if youve read it, i think it just was released last month and i predict it will win the Womens Prize for fictiom 2019 and other prizes as well. I have a book hangover and dont know what to do with myself right now.

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

My favourite books this year so far are Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Ann Tyler The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne The Hoarder by Jess Kidd

[@victoriaclark4913]

My fav mid year books are Tin Man, I am, I am, I am and loved Eleanor Oliphant. Defo buy Big Bones, sounds great fun. By the way, did David get the cat litter, love him 😍

[@kellybailey7823]

Have pretty much bought all of these books after your recommendation! How do you find out about the Lush Book Club or is it for bloggers / youtubers only? I’ve looked online but can’t seem to find anything & im working in London so would like to see if any are on while I’m down!

[@LaurenAndTheBooks]

If you follow the @lushlifeen account on twitter, they announce the dates and tickets on there, it's for everyone and it's a great event so I would really encourage you to go along if you get the chance!

[@MinxLaura123]

great video fellow book worm :)

[@johannaochbockerna]

I really loved Eleanor Olliphant is completely fine! Such good book about being lonely and gaining friendship. You've got me excited about Big Bones.

[@amyy0025]

You should watch stranger things!:)))) Great reviews of great books!

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Have you ever started a book and realised that you've already read it? I got three books from the library a month ago. 2 turned out to be books I'd already read on kindle?!

[@LaurenAndTheBooks]

Haha, no I don't think I've ever done that, but I've been speaking with a fellow bookworm at work and she says she does it regularly!

[@devonmat1]

Just ordered Elmet......your fault Lauren!! That cover though!!

[@rebeccabenson6992]

I thought Eleanor was meh. My favourite book so far was Circe by Madeline Miller closely followed by Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

[@josephinewinter]

if you're vegan, try Sukkari Life, she's vegan youtuber, and some of here preferences are strange (too much spice, skins on) but her recipes are exciting and unique, not the usual tinned chickpeas roasted, bowl of stuff, smoothie, yeast powder (vile, tastes of dust, eat real fresh yeast. And how on earth does it taste of cheese?!?! (Onions are a better substitute - i recommend onion and salad sandwiches to replace cheese and salad ones)) boring rubbish, her recipes are usually edible, with adjustments, and truly original, plus she's interesting, herself, and has amazing taste in music

[@josephinewinter]

i'm a happy omnivore (no way i'm giving up cawl, gravy, liver or kidneys - i have scummy taste in meat - you can take steaks, mince, hamburgers, chicken, bacon etc i hate them) - i can't read anyone else's opinions about food because they're all wrong! like cream eggs - vile! chicken - vile! prawns - vile! love ancient mutton, seaweed, basically anything that stinks or is bitter.... like i said, nobody's tastebuds overlap with mine. I also love beans, best eaten plain, and other super plain things, like barley flour, i love stoneground flour there's a mill near here and it tastes so different from there, etc etc. Weird

[@DrinkingByMyShelf]

I so often do that changing the stars retrospectively. Sometimes I upgrade them because I keep thinking about them, or sometimes I'll finish a book and instantly give it five stars, but then a few months later I can barely remember it so I have to downgrade it!

[@LuminousLibro]

I mentioned you in my latest video, the BookTube Watching Tag: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6Sxi4Ckod5pjsU Love your videos!