My Books of the Year So Far | 2017

Simon shares his top books of 2017 so far.
The Womens Prize round up video • Video
Books mentioned...
The Dark Circle by Linda Grant www.bookdepository.com/The-Da...
Midwinter by Fiona Melrose www.bookdepository.com/Midwin...
The Sport of Kings by C.E Morgan www.bookdepository.com/The-Sp...
The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill www.bookdepository.com/The-Lo...
House of Names by Colm Toibin www.bookdepository.com/House-...
The Good People by Hannah Kent www.bookdepository.com/The-Go...
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt www.bookdepository.com/See-Wh...
Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson www.bookdepository.com/Allege...
The Gender Games by Juno Dawson www.bookdepository.com/The-Ge...
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry www.bookdepository.com/Days-W...
Spacecraft by John McCullough www.bookdepository.com/Spacec...
Bluets by Maggie Nelson www.bookdepository.com/Bluets...
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid www.bookdepository.com/Exit-W...
Pages for You by Sylvia Brownrigg www.bookdepository.com/Pages-...
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo www.bookdepository.com/Stay-W...
Tin Man by Sarah Winman www.bookdepository.com/Tin-Ma...
Elsewhere...
Simon’s email: [e-mail]
Simon's blog : savidgereads.wordpress.com/
Simon's Twitter: / savidgereads
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Simon's podcasts: bookbasedbanter.co.uk/
Simon’s Instagram: / savidgereads

[@olivialonghurst9276]

You've got me putting House of Names and Stay With Me on my wish list! I always enjoy your videos, I like watching them with a cuppa in the morning before I go to work.

[@lyddie465]

I loved that you had such a huge variety on your list.

[@freerangebookster9107]

I listened to your book recommendations, but stared at the pretty book shelf's the whole time haha. Love the mugs on the top shelf! I can never decide if I want to keep my bookish mugs in the kitchen and use them, or just display them on my shelf.

[@GettingHyggeWithIt]

Desperate to read Stay With Me! It's on my shelf right now shouting at me to be read! Loved this video Simon!

[@SwirlyGirlyReads]

I love this roundup, especially the Freudian 'testes' moment, you had me chuckling away to myself xxx

[@MatthewSciarappa]

Every time I see The Sport of Kings, my heart soars. It's such a pretty book. House of Names I absolutely devoured. Colm Tóibín is an author I will automatically purchase whenever he releases a book. The Testament of Mary by him is my favorite, and then he also wrote a queer non-fiction reflection called Love in a Dark Time which is also lovely. Thanks for adding to my growing list of books I want to read. See What I Have Done is officially top of the list.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I have to get to The Good People - I adore Hannah Kent and your video with her was just so good! Every time you mention Allegedly I want to pick it up - what haven't I don't this! I need to get Maggie Nelson's other books - I still think about Argonauts. I cannot wait for Pages of You to arrive - I am going to see Sylvia in early August. Tin Man is my most anticipated book of the end of the year! Sarah Winman is so good. Thank you for the introductions. Okay - this is just a great list. All books that I want to read.

[@aprilmakepeace8388]

I enjoyed this delightful video! This video is the first of yours I've seen. Instant subscriber. As a side note, I must say how much I appreciate you holding the book up, and holding it so that we, as viewers, can see the cover clearly.

[@SavidgeReads]

Awwww thank you so much April. I like seeing the books in videos too. Makes it so much easier. Thanks for subscribing.

[@thebritishbookworm]

I've got Tin Man on pre-order and I can't WAIT. I'm dying to read it but, at the same time, I know I'll be sad when it's over. I have most of your picks on my shelves already so I must get to them all soon. Great picks, Simon!

[@MichaelMilton1]

*adds everything to TBR (except Colm Toibin, Brooklyn was painful...)* Great list, Simon!

[@karenkoutsoumbaris6308]

Loved your review so much, want to read many of these, I hope I get them as you did, thankyou

[@wordsofclover]

The Lonely Hearts Hotel is definitely going to be one of my top books this year. I loved it so much, and I really need to read everything else by Heather O Neill now. I have Pages for Her out from the library at the moment, can't wait to get to it. I don't have Pages For You though so I will need to find that.

[@distant_sounds]

Heather O'Neill is a very favourite author of mine. I've read 'Lullabies For Little Criminals' and 'The Girl Who Was Saturday Night.' I loved them both, with the first of those being in my top 3 reads.

[@patricejones8799]

Today I bought ARCs of The Sport of Kings and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I was surprised to find them, and they were half off. I look forward to them both. I wrote down your list of favorites. Thanks.

[@littledevonnook]

I'm eagerly awaiting the paperback of Exit West, think it's going to be one that I love!

[@stacereadsabit2816]

Stay With Me is at the very top of my tbr list as soon as it becomes available to me (it hasn't been released in the US yet).

[@RogersReads]

I think I may have said this before but... I love Allegedly, it didn't get enough attention imo. Also, I finished Stay With Me a couple days ago and I also thought it was magnificent. I loved the inclusion of all the traditions and folktales and that type of thing. I have to get to see what I have done soon.

[@karenkoutsoumbaris6308]

Great review , Simon, I also want to read Tin man

[@sandrazuks9017]

Yes, I was pondering 'Stay with me' today. How do you get over deceit like that? As a mere mortal I am still waiting for my pre-order of Tin Man. Definitely going to read Pages for you & her & house of names, thanks to your recommendations. Have bluets on my TBR pile ( that resembles a skyscraper) smiling at me. Want to get the red one too. When you finish your Costa judging and the results are out are you going to go do a insight video on what it is like to be a judge in a book competition? Just wondering?

[@katrinaandallthebooks7993]

I loved Stay With Me, definitely one of my top books of the year.

[@demi6275]

Love watching mid year favourite videos! I think top of my list to read are Bluets, The Gender Games, Pages for you and Tinman. And See what I have done sounds good. I liked Stay with me but I wasn't surprised by how it unfolded like a lot of people seemed to be... perhaps that's because I was expecting it to go off in different directions... not sure!

[@JeansThoughts]

Ooh I better get to House of Names asap!

[@GreenBitterfly]

I read the Delivery Room (?) by Sylvia Brownrigg about ten years ago, I didn't realise she'd written other books.

[@grantfleming8178]

I picked up the house of names today it is pretty good so far. A signed copy so not to bad.

[@rlgustafson5]

Days Without End is definitely in my top reads of the year and I expect it to still be there by the end of the year. The love between Thomas and John continues to stay with me

[@jenniferarnold1507]

They all sound so good. I want to buy them all. I'm especially interested in Stay With Me, Days Without End, Bluets, Tin Men, just to name a few mentioned.

[@SavidgeReads]

I hope you get to them and enjoy them Jennifer.

[@victoriahoyle-publichistor6986]

Tin Man sounds extraordinary. Sounds like one of those Simon recommendations not to be ignored! 😊 most of these are going in my shopping basket next time I'm in a bookshop. See What I Have Done and Pages for You/Her, oh and Stay with Me, are definitely on my must read before the end of the year list. I think the best book I've read this year is Golden Hill by Frances Spufford. That just did everything I want a book to do: setting and character and humour and huge teary feelings. And a brilliant twist.

[@distant_sounds]

I just ordered Tin Man on pre-order from amazon, due to be released here on the 27th.

[@LouiseReader]

Sadly I haven't read any of these books. Most of them sound like books I'd enjoy with the possible exception of House of Names- I do struggle with myths. I'm really very keen to find Allegedly- I've never seen it in Australia, I'll have to search out a copy, it sounds right up my alley. I'm also particularly interested in Tin Man, Exit West and The Dark Circle. Now just to find the time...

[@Liz86000]

I can't wait to read Bluets.

[@karenkoutsoumbaris6308]

I was going to ask you about midwinter since it has a red fox on the cover. Was house of names hard to read,or not bad?

[@happyelephantbooks8803]

For a guy who says he doesn't want to read books about horses, you read SO many books about horses! I think it's time to admit your love them deep down 🐴. 'Gender games' sounds fantastic, the spice girls element is enough to sell it for me! You need to open a book shop

[@catreadsabunch]

It's 2022 & I just read Tin Man in preparation for Sarah Winman's new book Still Life. I had to come find a video of your reaction bc I absolutely loved this book and I had a feeling you would too. 💕

[@SavidgeReads]

It’s one of my favourite books!

[@tinkerspell4850]

Allegedly... that was some mind fornication right there! I need to write my review and spoil it all! I am so excited for See What I Have Done. I'm getting it on audible. :)

[@jennymcevoy8961]

Between *viewing machine * and *autestes *......thank you for making me really giggle. .....you are so funny! !!!😂

[@NeeruchopraLifestyle]

Just found your channel! where have I been?! I really like you ...Could you recommend some more Crime Thrillers TA!!!!

[@SavidgeReads]

Awww thank you very much Neeru.

[@lostandconfused1090]

Can't wait for Stay With Me and Tin Man to come out in the US.

[@deeeebbbbbbbbb]

Have you ever read Holding the Man?

[@lindaleehall]

I thought House of Names was amazing, but I really loved Stay with Me-it should have won.

[@PrincePaul259]

I haven't read any of these yet, but really want to now. Also, where did you get the corner bookcase unit from? sick of having all my bookcases along one wall.

[@DuaneJasper]

Bonecrack by Dick Francis is a book about horses- racing no less, and it's.... not bad

[@tammycochrane2496]

I can't wait for the Tin Man to come out!

[@OlyBliss]

Was that a Trump? :-D

[@becbec9301]

Oly Bliss I thought that too! Looked like an apology for passing wind!

[@OlyBliss]

makes me so happy you agree x-D