My Favourite Books of 2018 So Far & A Giveaway

[@lillytales627]

Love that you enjoyed Picnic at Hanging Rock. That is an Aussie classic that everyone reads in high school - so much so that people think it's non-fiction! Loved this video - my 'to buy' list has just sky rocketed.

[@SydneyKav]

Watching you talk about your favourites is so infectious, my TBR has just grown by 10 books (the other 4 I have read!) My top 3 this year is pretty easy: Heart’s Invisible Furies, The Good Immigrant (a reread but somehow even better the second time?!) and Eat, Drink, Run. All 3 have really stuck with me and have been wonderful slump breakers. The 3 I’m most looking forward to reading are: The Argonauts (have this in my bag to start on my commute tomorrow), Circe and Rules of Civility. This list is not as easy as there are so many books I cannot wait to dive in to! So jealous when some countries have books and we do not, glad to hear we’re getting it in 2019 as it sounds delightfully bamboozling.

[@beatrixminkov3132]

Oh, I am curious now about the 35 minute version of this video😂👌🏻 My 3 favorites are A little life, Elmet and A line made by walking!❤️ I am excited to read Pachinko, the Essex Serpent, Stay with me, more Atwood and hopefully some Edward Rutherfurd in the second half of 2018!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Sing, Unburied, Sing was my favorite of last year. I still think about it. And Home Fire will show up on my list as well. So freaking amazing. I want Crudo so bad- but will have to wait for its arrival here. I have an ARC of The Western Wind. I want to read The Parentations so bad! Great list.

[@charlotteellen2588]

every time you talk about books it makes me want to read all of them. my favourite books of the year so far are little fires everywhere, the book thief and Carry On. im so excited to read home fire, the fith season and all of Olivia Laing's books.

[@Smokingpeaches]

Was going to comment on your jumper then realised I commented on your top in your last video too haha. It is great though. But in other news, Lost for Words looks really beautiful, will definitely be checking that out.

[@danii6633]

Nice elevator pitches! Thank you for putting From the Wreck and The Parentations on my radar; they sound right up my alley. Also, I will put Home Fire and When I Hit You on my tbr since I try to read more out of my comfort zone. My three favourite reads so far are The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton and The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman. Honourable mention goes to The Trails of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend because it just pulls the kid in you into a bear hug from the first page until the last :-). The three books I look forward to reading the most are among the ones I just bought: The Door by Magda Szabo; Hangwoman by K.R. Meera and Sugar Money by Jane Harris.

[@Misswaterfluff]

Hello! Loved these recommendations! I adored Mountains of the Mind by Robert Macfarlane- so hearing you talk about The Lost Words was brilliant! My other favourite is A Meal in Winter by Hubert Mingarelli. I think Cynan Jones called it 'quietly shattering' and that's really the best way to describe it. Lastly Reservoir 13 was unlike anything I've ever read - loved it. I'm now really excited to read Hotel Silence by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, The Philosopher and the Wolf by Mark Rowlands, and Homefire (I'm studying Antigone at the moment and it sounds fascinating). I know I'm a bit late to most of these books but I've had a lot of catch up reading to do!

[@JasmineReads]

I love these videos, they always put me in such a good mood! People talking about books they love is so fun😊 The Wicked Cometh sounds great, and I’ve never heard of it before! I’ll have to keep my eye out for it. I NEED to read some Maggie Ofarrell - I know I’ll love her work, she sounds wonderful. I also read When I Hit You this year, and absolutely LOVED it. Definitely one of my favourites so far.

[@JasmineReads]

For the giveaway - my three faves so far have been 1) Howards End by E M Forster, 2) Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith, 3) Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. And the three I’m most looking forward to are 1) Three Daughters Of Eve by Elif Shafak (recommended by a friend!), 2) The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner, 3) The To Kill a Mockingbird Graphic Novel that will be released in a couple of months (my favourite book ever!). Thank you Simon, I’d love to win!🤞

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Sitting in front of the fan with all the windows open in London. Loving your run down of your top books. Thinking about how different books are more effecting? at different stages of our lives.

[@annabaillie-karas1100]

Fabulous! I’m adding The Western Wind to my list. Am reading Crudo at the moment - very strong and compelling. Got a bit excited returning to London this week & went to the London review bookshop & waterstones and bought 11 books, oh dear. It couldn’t be helped!

[@karakask5488]

Your videos always make my TBR so much longer! My favorites so far this year are: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, because it just hit me in the heart and gut and when I finished it I hugged it to my chest. Secondly, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, it is so funny and light and I needed to read that at exactly that moment. And thirdly, Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong, which is also funny but deals with heavy subjects in a very relatable way. The three that I most want to read in the next six months are: The Pisces by Melissa Broder, because, mermen. Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Long, mostly due to your recommendation on this channel (not sucking up, just telling the truth, promise!), and East of Eden by John Steinbeck, because I can't believe I haven't read it yet.

[@readingandpajamas4035]

You’ve made me want to read each and every one of the books. I can’t wait to get my hands on them as soon as possible. Thanks so much for your suggestions. :)

[@imogenmintram9554]

You've just added to my TBR yet again! My three favourite so far have been Three Things About Elsie, The Testament of Youth, and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I'm looking forward to reading The Parentations because every time you talk about it it sounds so bonkers and different. I'm also keen to read There There by Tommy Orange as I've never read a book about native Americans and really must correct this. The third book I'm most excited to get to has to be The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, as I loved Three Things About Elsie so much!

[@strongfemalereads7930]

I love your favorites wrap-ups so much, Simon! My three favorites (so far!) that I’ve read this year have been Madeline Miller’s Circe, Sarah Winman’s Tin Man (read on your recommendation!), and Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing. I really hope to read Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire, Fatima Farheen Mirza’s A Place for Us, and Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls by the end of 2018. Your enthusiasm for reading is so contagious! Thank you for all the time and energy you give to sharing books with us.

[@tberkelo]

Wow! You did a fabulous job detailing all of those books in such a short time! I'm thrilled to have discovered your channel. I really like the variety of genres you review, and your personal syle and voice. I will be binge-watching your reviews following this comment. My 3 favorite books that I've read so far in 2018 are: 1) The Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears 2) The Prague Cemetary by Umberto Eco, and 3) Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin Currently, I am reading: 1) The Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco 2) A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik, and 3) Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio I am excited about, and will be purchasing, from your review, Crudo, The Wicked Cometh, and The Lost words which I will try to read by the end of 2018. In addition, I hope to read: 1) Winter World by Bernd Heinrich 2) Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonders by Lawrence Weschler 3) Grayson by Lynne Fox, and 4) Lempriere's Dictionary by Lawrence Norfolk I would really love to add the books you are generously giving away to my collection. Thank you for sharing your book reviews and for the chance to win some great books♡ Trina

[@beccacooper7568]

Ooh only pick 3! Its so tricky. I adored Three things about Elsie, its just such a warm lovely book. I'll be gone in the dark is so chilling and thought provoking, really makes you think about the breadth of people in the world and the effects they have on others. My 3rd would probably be when i hit you. It was so raw and honest that i think everyone should read it and understand the subtleties of control that can escalate into something so terrifying! 3 books im looking forward to is the parentations i cannot wait to get my teeth into it but also a bit worried ive built it up too much in my head. Exit west which has been sitting on my tbr for far to long and i really want to devote some time to it and home fires, i want to read this and then maybe explore the antiquity element afterwards. I really enjoy your channel and the range of books you read/talk about.

[@yungnano1147]

started seriously reading this year by reading a few of the classics that i later on would love lolita, american psycho, and no longer human i like the way you explain your love for books and how different they are, keep doing what you are doing!

[@minaermelyn]

Dear Simon, I don't think I really commented on our channel so far, but in the past, maybe five months I really loved your content, you inspire me to read so much more, and choose different books than i normally would and it's absolutely delightful ♥ Thank you for that! My three favourite books this year so far... hm, I suppose "Tyll" by Daniel Kehlmann is definitely on it. Kehlmann is a German author, so I don't know if there's translations of his work, but in "Tyll" he's using the Character of the famous jester Till Eulenspiegel to tell stories of the Thirty Years' War, and manages to do so with a lot of dark and twisted elements and a wonderfully immersive way of setting the story. I also really adored "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" by Rachel Joyce and "Devotion" by my absolute idol, Patti Smith. For the rest of the year, I am really looking forward to reading Toni Morrison's "Beloved", Kazuo Ishiguro's "The remains of the day" and Olivia Laing's "Crudo". Hope you're having a good one!

[@daniellecallendar6057]

Oooo! Now I have the next few books I’ll be reading. My favorites thus far are: Circe by Madeline Miller (so excited to read more of her work), Callings by Gregg Levoy, and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I’m looking forward to reading Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Chronicle of the Murdered House by Luis Cardoso, and The Parentations (or Home Fire or When I Hit You...so many great books)!

[@SixMinutesForMe]

Hi Simon :) The 3 I've loved so far: 'A Place For Us,' 'Just Mercy' and 'Eggshell Skull' (they've all completely blown me away, and are the few that have left a lasting impact on me). The 3 I'm Looking Forward to: Michelle Obama's book (omg!!), The Incendiaries and Melmoth (they all sound amazing). I'm so intrigued to read the Jane Rawson book, I managed to get a copy on kindle as we also don't have it in the US... and Picnic at Hanging Rock I got through my Aussie library (which I still have access to thankfully!) I love that you continue to promote so many fantastic Aussie books, I wish I saw more of them making an appearance on booktube!

[@curioushmm9027]

love the english phrase..i'm chuffed with myself...wonder if i could ever work up the courage to use it on the other side of the atlantic? lovely bunch of books you read and loved..hope i get to read some before year's end...one of my favorite's this year, read on your recommendation, "tin man".

[@susans.k.3025]

Thanks for the chance to enter! My three favorite books were Stay With Me, Girls Burn Brighter, and Brass! I’m looking forward to The Incendiaries, The Fruit of the Drunken Tree, and The Mermaid & Mrs hancock!

[@flipflopsom]

I love your recommendations! My three favorite books this year have been Home Fire (read on my kindle and would love my own copy!), Pachinko, and The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night. Three I am looking forward to are Circe, The Parentations, and Sing, Unburied, Sing.

[@artjournalstories7313]

Amazing list. I loved The Wicked Cometh as well :) My top 3 books so far are: Little Fires Everywhere, Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and Educated. I'm looking forward to reading Spinning Silver, The Corset and Killing Commendatore for the rest of the year. Also, West and Picnic At Hanging Rock are on my soon to be read :) Great video, thanks!

[@irenelucca]

WOOWWW such an enticing pile of books you have there! Thanks Simon your videos always light up my days FAVOURITE 3 TILL NOW: Ali Smith - Winter, Frank O'Hara - Lunch Poems, The order of Time - Carlo Rovelli MOST ANTICIPATED 3: Jesmyn Ward - Sing, Unburied, Sing (thanks to you!!!), Sarah Moss - Ghost Wall, Rebecca Solnit - Call them by their true name

[@khb1381]

Loved hearing about your top books of the year so far. Here are my top 3 read so far: House of Broken Angels, There There, West. Top 3most anticipated are: Transcription,Third Hotel, and Bowlaway. What a great giveaway!

[@JanuarieTimewalker13]

Great video Simon!! More books to add to my TBR. From The Wreck sounds great! I haven’t had the best reading year, but my 3 faves thus far are: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Reincarnation Blues, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving. The top 3 books I want to read are: The Heart’s Invisible Furies, The Summer Of Impossible Things, and Frankenstein⭐️

[@awillseareads3941]

I love your commentary on these books, you always make me add so many to my list 😅 Three I’ve read so far and loved: 1) Circe 2) Call Me By Your Name 3) Final Girls Three I’m looking forward to 1) The Essex Serpent (all thanks to you) 2) Calypso 3) Tin Man (are you seeing a theme here lol)

[@vikkioneill9514]

Yesssss. I guessed some of them right! Good choices there Mr S. My three favourite books of the year so far are Home Fire (I'm book-pushing that onto everyone), One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor and The House of Beaufort by Nathan Amin (history nerd here!) I'm most looking forward to reading Circe, I'll be Gone in the Dark and The Odyssey (Emily Wilson's translation - saving this one for my hols)

[@johannaochbockerna]

Yes please do a video with your best tips on Booktube!! And yet again by watching your videos I add another couple of books to my TBR list.

[@CookieR1272]

My 3 favorites so far this year: When I Hit You, Kandasami Awayland, Ramona Ausubel Lincoln in the Bardo, Saunders. I’m looking forward to The Parentations after seeing your discussion. Crudo as well. Burial Rites is on my TBR too. I’m always scared to see what you feature because inevitably I want to order it too.

[@komala2212]

Picnic at Hanging Rock has always intrigued me so much! It's just sad now that I haven't read it yet. Same for Olivia Laing, Crudo sounds amazing. Thanks to your videos I'm just here adding books to ny tbr, ha. Thank you for the giveaway! My 3 favourite books of the year so far are: The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu, The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch, and Blankets by Craig Thompson. And 3 books that I'm really looking forward to reading are: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, and Walden by Henry D. Thoreau.

[@MikeHonour]

The Western Wind sounds awesome! Well up for that. West is making the rounds and I can't decide if it would be for me. From The Wreck is on my list! Waiting for it to actually get released over here (thanks for that btw!)

[@BabyTables]

So many of these books sound excellent! I'm looking to get to Picnic at Hanging Rock before summer ends because it feels like it needs to be read in the oppressive heat to get the full effect. I'm also super excited to read The Western Wind and Rebecca based on your and other booktubers' recommendations -- but I'm thinking those might be more autumnal books. So much to look forward to! My favorites of the year so far have been Summer by Edith Wharton, Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb, and The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland. It's been a good reading year so far :)

[@brittabohlerthesecondshelf]

I'm so very happy that Home Fire made your top books! Re-tellings dont always gel with me but Shamsie's book was fantastic. And Picnic at Hanging Rock, yes! Cant wait for the tv-series to come to Europe. I struggled a bit with I Am I Am but that was probably because I expected something different. My top books so far are: Wolitzer's Female Persuasion, Jess Kidd's The Hoarder and a memoir written by an Alzheimer patient I've just finished: Wendy Mitchell, Somebody I Used to Know (I think this one might be something for you as well). And I'm looking foward to Pat Barker's Silence of the Girls, Kyung-Sook Shin's new book (The Court Dancer) and of course: Kate Atkinson's Transcription.

[@goddessdster]

Hey Simon! You managed to read every book I want to read but haven't yet! How does that happen? I particularly want to read The Parentations, Sing, Unburied, Sing, and Crudo. But from the books I already own, I need to read The Female Persuasion and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. I remember you talking about From the Wreck and it sounds fascinating. My 3 favorite books I've read so far this year are Circe, Eloquent Rage, and Lincoln in the Bardo.

[@alicepeberdy6620]

I’d like to say I only discovered this channel an hour ago and it's already a firm favourite of mine. From this one video, I’ve added 8 books to my TBR on Goodreads and ‘The Lost Words’ into my Amazon basket. It’s such an amazing feeling to find such an interesting person with book suggestions that actually made me gasp hearing the synopsis, so thank you. As for this wonderful competition... My favourite read so far has been ‘The Terror’ by Dan Simmons as I read it in the same period it took me to write a dissertation about the Arctic (where the book is set). I’m pretty proud of myself for reading a 900 page book AND writing a 10,000 word essay. Secondly, ‘Inferior’ by Angela Saini. A non-fiction which both disturbed and enlightened me as it exposed and upended the apparent biological “facts” about women. Lastly, ‘Folk’ by Zoe Gilbert for its rural island setting, fascinating relationships within the community, and magical realism elements. I’m itching to get ‘The Essex Serpent’ by Sarah Perry despite my recently acquired copy being stolen by my mother. I need some history and nature about my home county! Similarly, I want to read ‘Florida’ by Lauren Groff because I need natural and psychological hazards. (I’m already obsessed with the idea of ‘West’ for similar reasons and am so happy that you introduced me to it). Finally, I want to get to some Lovecraft because, as little I know of it, I think cosmic horror will just consume me.

[@marissaleigh152]

All of these books sound so amazing! I always love hearing people talk about books that have had an emotional impact on them, and I loved hearing you talk about these books! My top 3 favourite books of the year so far would have to be At The Water's Edge by Sara Gruen because I just absolutely love her writing and this one definitely didn't disappoint. I feel like you would probably also enjoy it! I also really enjoyed reading Brain On Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. It's a non-fiction book about her experience of going mad for a month. She was exhibiting psychotic behaviours and doctors were unable to determine the cause of her symptoms. The way the memoir was written made it very easy to read, and I was completely enthralled with and terrified by her experiences. I'm currently reading Lamb by Christopher Moore, and I definitely feel like it will be one of my favourite books of the year. As for books I'm most excited to get to this year, I have a lot because I have way too many unread books, but I'll list three here! Robin by Dave Itzkoff (a biography of Robin Williams) is one that I am looking forward to reading because I would love to know more about him, but I know that reading it will be an emotional experience. I'm also (im)patiently waiting for My Favourite Thing Is Monsters Vol. 2 by Emil Ferris. It's a continuation of a really amazing graphic novel. I picked up The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein after hearing Sophie Carlon talk about it, and being inspired to pick up more non-fiction after reading Brain on Fire. I would love to read all the books you're giving away as well! The Parentations and From The Wreck sound particularly delightful. I love a good historical fiction, and The Parentations sounds right up my alley! Hearing you talk about it just reminds me of the Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (which is amazing!). It sounds so complex and intriguing, and I love the fact that it spans different time periods. That was one of my absolute favourite things about The Bone Clocks!

[@madalenac.9440]

Lovely list! Most of them are on my TBR for the rest of the year and I'm hoping to get to them (and love them). My three favourite reads or the year so far are Elmet by Fiona Mozley, The Shepherd's Hut by Tim Winton & Unmentionable by Therese O'Neill! I can't wait to read Moshfegh's "My year of rest and relaxation", Daisy Johnson's new book "Everything Under" & Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller. I think those are the ones I'm most looking forward to!

[@tumblyhomecarolinep7121]

Helloooo, well, my favourite books this year have been The Shepherds Hut by Tim Winton. Ohhhh I loved that book. It was gritty, disturbing, sad, funny and just wow. Also I liked Eileen by Otessa Moshfega, weird and again quite shocking with a single sentence that rocked my world near the end. The third book I have loved was Autumn by Ali Smith. I didn’t expect to love this because, dare I say it, I am not always an Ali Smith fan, but I just did love it. The books I want to read are Educated by Tara westover, a place for us and the sealwomans gift. Actually that is the tip of the iceberg and you have mentioned some books that I am desperate to read too. 😀

[@nerdtastic2014]

Thanks for hosting this giveaway! My three favorite books of this year are probably The Song of Achilles, Sacre Bleu, and Heart of Betrayal (book 2 in the Remnant Chronicles). The top 3 books I still want to read this year are The Cruel Prince, Let's Talk About Love, and The Night Circus.

[@halochromatium4485]

My top three books so far: Neighbours The Story of a Murder by Lilia Mople, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend and The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. The ones I still want to read are Stay with me by Ayobami Adebayo (reading it at the moment), The Witchwood Crown b Tad Williams (because finally after more than 15 years my favourite fantasy series is being continued) and Unbowed by Wangari Maathai (because it's about the life of a woman who planted trees in Kenya and got the Peace Noble Prize for it as far as I remember). Btw. is this actually just for the UK or internationally?

[@buddybell7890]

Wow so many books to check out. My fave 3 so far are Eleanor Oliphant, ready player one and train wreck by sady Doyle. I'm most excited to read when I hit you, a place for us and Hide by Mathew Griffin. Thanks for the reviews!

[@ClareElizabethxx]

Great list, my TBR has grown! My 3 favourites so far this year have been: Educated by Tara Westover, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy and I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara. I'm really looking forward to getting to North and South, From the Wreck and The Fact of a Body. Thanks for the amazing giveaway! :)

[@laraelwing]

I've added some of your recommendations to my to-read list ;) Specialy The Parentations, that sounds exclellent! It's good to see you also liked West so much, I had already put it in my list. My 3 favorite reads of this year so far were: The Black Count by Tom Reiss, The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. The 3 ones I'm most excited to read next are Circe by Madeline Miller, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend and The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman.

[@rebeccabenson6992]

Hi Simon, thank you for that, I’ve read the women’s list books but looking forward to a few of these now! My favourite 3 of the year so far are Circe by Madeline Miller, Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie and Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon. Looking forward to The Western Wind (from this video) Americanah and The English Patient and so many more! I’m just about to start book 66 for 2018. Never read so much!!!!

[@nrt523]

The three best books? What are you doing to me! The first two are easy, they have to be Poor Things by Alasdair Gray and Red Clocks by Leni Zumas. They were just so important right now, aside from being amazingly written. The third one... I think maybe The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night, because it introduced me to short stories and every one of them was just so beautiful and the world-building was A+. I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and The Power, because everyone has been raving about them, and one of those million books by Robin Hobb to satisfy all my fantasy cravings ^^. Thanks to you, I've also had to add The Parentations and When I Hit You to my wishlist, so there. Also, yarn has become one of my new favourite words in the short time I've been here. Also library goals. Okay I'm done now, happy I discovered your channel!

[@LykaiosFaolan]

West sounds so intriguing, I'll have to add that one to my tbr! Oooh it's so hard to pick only three favourites! I have loved Heft by Liz Moore, The Earlie King and the Kid in Yellow by Danny Denton, and Nevermoor: the Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend. Books I'm most looking forward to I think are the second Book of Dust installment (still no newwws!), The Descent of Monsters by Jy Yang, and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock. :)

[@jessicafoster8738]

Really nice wrap here, Simon! Love the attention you give us here over in Aus, helping us not be all forgotten 😂 It’s a crime I haven’t read Aus classic Picnic at Hanging Rock! My best so far were the amazing Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado; a book about books by NY Times Book Review editor Pamela Paul called My Life with Bob; and now to dip into my four star reads, probably Adam Bede by George Eliot. Would love to read Rawson’s novel, pretty sure it’s shortlisted for our Miles Franklin Award! 🤞🏼The other two I’m keen on are Florida by Lauren Groff and finally reading something by Zadie Smith! Oh and Outline by Rachel Cusk. 💕

[@paulaakaazelialopes6694]

My favourite books were Glaciers, Tin Man and Elmet. I can't wait to get my hands on some of those books you have there, but also The Incendiaries, My Year of Relaxation and There There.

[@shellyjanger9339]

Thank you for these great recommendations! My top 3 books so far this year: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, and Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris. Three books I'm looking forward to reading this year: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon, and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Thank you, Simon!

[@june_as_in_the_month]

Brilliant video, Simon, and a good diverse range of books. I've only read 2 of them ('I Am, I Am, I Am' and 'Home Fire') but your recommendations have been noted and I will try the others. My fave five books of the year so far: 'Sarum' by Edward Rutherfurd (very long but excellent); 'The Sea, The Sea' by Iris Murdoch; 'Sugar Money' by Jane Harris; 'The Burning Chambers' by Kate Mosse; and 'Attrib.' by Eley Williams (brilliant if you love wordplay and language, short stories with no plot. Very different but memorable). So many I would love to read but aside from those on your list I haven't read, I am very keen to read Tan Twan Eng's 'The Gift of Rain' (Very apt for this current heatwave, and his 'The Garden of Evening Mists' is one of my fave novels of all time), some more Anthony Trollope, Vols 4 - 7 of Proust's 'In Search of Lost Time' (probably with caffeine to keep me awake!), and more Kate Mosse novels. So many books!

[@doriselder8818]

Simon, loved hearing about your top 10 books so far. You have increased my TBR agian. My top 3 that I've read so far: Exit West, We are the Ants and Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda . Top 3 to read before years end: The Alchemist , The Hazel Wood and Rebecca , .........📚.

[@kimkantor8782]

Adore your videos. Made a list of your favorites so far. Many sound so intriguing...a bit offbeat but very intriguing. My three faves so far this year: The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon; Exit West by Mohsin Hasid (odd but rather relevant politically here in the US particularly now just; and The Lost City of Z by David Grann. Looking forward to: The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogene Gower; Riddance by Shelley Jackson; the graphic novel of To Kill a Mockingbird. Not so much a graphic novel fan, but Mockingbird is one of my favorite books of all time so I have to check it out. Now more books from you and the others who have commented. Thanks!

[@evanhildebrand1926]

My three favorite books of the year so far have been Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, Circe, and The City of Brass. All of them have fantastical or magical elements to them which I have just been very drawn to this year. The three books I'm most excited to get to in the second half of the year are The Gloaming, A Place for Us, and The Poppy War. All of which are fairly different from the books I have been reading which is making my reading self very excited. Love your channel Simon, and I'm very excited to enter this giveaway!! xx

[@vivrelivre]

All of the books you picked sound amazing every time you talk about them, particularly The Parentations, West and Sing, Unburied, Sing. I read a lot of backlist books so my top 3 so far are Americanah, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn and Suicide (by Édouard Levé). Thank you for the opportunity to participate. Love from Argentina 🇦🇷 ❤️

[@AlwaysDoing]

So much booky goodness! You always make my TBR longer but I wouldn't have it any other way. ;) Three of my favorite books so far this year are Warday by Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka, Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag (translated by Srinath Perur), and All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West. I'm very much looking forward to Call Them by Their True Names by Rebecca Solnit, The Lonesome Bodybuilder by Yukiko Motoya (translated by Asa Yoneda), and Tilly and the Crazy Eights by Monique Gray Smith.

[@lauraflora2340]

Top 3 books for me this year... not in any order 1. Clean by Juno Dawson 2. How to stop time by Matt Haig 3. The tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris Looking forward to reading:- 1. The northern lights trilogy by Phillip Pullman... very late to the party on that one! 2. Let me lie by Clare McIntosh 3. The moon stone by Wilkie Collins. Thanks for the video! Always intrigued as to what other people read. Love the channel and all your videos!!

[@kc42291]

From the Wreck sounds incredible! I’ve gotten so many great recommendations from you (Stay With Me and Tin Man have we’re excellent!) and I always look forward to your uploads! My top three favorite books that I’ve read this year are The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finley, and My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Talent. Im looking forward to reading The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon, Ohio by Stephen Markley, and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makki. Hopefully those don’t disappoint!

[@CharlieBrookReads]

3 top books ; The Hate U Give By Angie Thomas , Circe by Madeline Miller , How to stop time by Matt Haig 3 ...books I want to read ; Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward (genuinely) , Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres (always wanted to read it finally recently picked up a copy) , The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily . M . Danforth xx p.s Always love your recommendations xx 😘

[@CharlieBrookReads]

Caffeine & Commas haven't read The Humans it's definitely high on my list especially after how good his other book was xx

[@SuperPao]

Charlie Brook The Hate U Give and Circe are my top two for this year as well!

[@daniellecallendar6057]

Circe!!! I finished it a few days ago and lllloooovvveeeddd it!

[@BohoBookworm]

I am so excited for I Am I Am I Am. April from Getting Hygge with it initially sparked my interest in it. I'm amazed how short the audio book is for it!! It's about 5 hours only!! When I Hit You sounds INCREDIBLE. My favorite 3 books of the year so far are Lies She Told by Cate Holaman, Lie To Me by J.T Ellison and I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle Mcnamara. Three I am really looking forward to are: Believe Me by J.P Delaney, Providence by Caroline Kepnes and Adventures in Happiness by John Alex Clarke!

[@mariealexander1848]

I really trust your recommendations - and will undoubtedly add all of these to my tbr. Particularly want to read The Wicked Cometh as I do love a gothic, Victorian read. My three favourite books this year so far are Hot Milk by Deborah Levy - I read this back in February and I’m still thinking about it now. The Gustav Sonata by Rose Tremain - so beautifully written. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton - this had been on my shelf since 2013 publication. I can’t believe I left it so long. It’s such a clever and engaging story. Love, love, loved it. Three books I want to read in the second half of the year are The Song of Achilles by Madelaine Miller - because Ive discovered and fallen in love with the Greek and Roman myths and want to read more. This sounds like a perfect holiday read. The Parcel by Anosh Irani - I’ve read books about / from lots of other countries but nothing so far on India and I’ve heard only good things about this book. A book of American Martyrs by Joyce Carol Oates - my first book by this author bought on a whim last weekend whilst just browsing! It seems to deal with pretty much everything bad that’s happening in America right now. I think it’ll be a really eye opening and interesting read. Thanks again for the recommendations.

[@stephmorgan286]

Oh yes, please do a video on books that go backward! My top books this year are Wicked Saints, Iron Gold and the Illuminae trilogy. Top 3 I’m looking forward to are The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Bright We Burn, and Vengeful.

[@imperatrice211]

My favorite books of the year so far are The Raising, The Twelve and Swimming Lessons :) Three books I'm excited to read are Tender is the Night, The Handmaid's Tale and Americanah, I've been meaning to get to them for ages and they all sound so great, I'm excited ! 😊

[@christianbump9866]

1) less by Andrew Greer 2) the word is murder by Horowitz 3) nackt über Berlin (naked above Berlin) by Axel ranisch Looking forward to: outline by Rachel cusk, crudo by Laing, and the widowers notebook by santlofer Super obsessed with your channel, simon. Keep up the great work!!!

[@jacdoesthings]

Top 3 so far have been, 'Three things about Elsie', 'The Cuckoo's Calling' (I also read and adored the following 2 Comoran Strike books, can I count them too?) And 'The Book of Dust' 3 books I can't wait to get to, are all sitting on my bedside table ready for me - They are, Rebecca (after watching your channel for the past year, it had to happen!), The Crimson Petal and The White (saving that for the autumn) and 1599 (bit of Shakespearean non-fiction)

[@vatnsmelona-4571]

Yay!what a surprise?! I've never heard of Jane Rawson-gonna have to try get a hold of it! Also you've got me v excited for the Mayfield and carys west and samantha harvey ones! So yes I would love to win the pile😱 My 3 faves this year so far; the mermaid and Mrs Hancock (I didn't even know I enjoyed historical fiction but this is becoming a thing and I am all here for those Georgians!), When I hit you (no need to explain why. Also her scenery really stuck with me,I can still picture the house she lived in daily) & the lightkeepers by Abby geni- such an atmospheric and thriller like read which has stayed in my mind ever since! 3 I'm so keen to get to are - my year of rest & relaxation by ottessa moshfegh (I still think about Eileen! & I have enjoyed some of her short stories), the female persuasion by meg wolitzer (I READ the wife years ago and remember it as acerbic and witty. Also have heard lots of people who zoomed thru the fem. In a day or two!) & Crudo. Why? That cover. And of course all the praise (but really the cover) 😂

[@bookingforewordtoit]

My three favorite books of the year are: A Passage to India, My Sister Rosalind Franklin and Storyland. I'm really excited to read the Complete Sherlock Holmes, Home Fire and The Hate U Give. Thanks for the generous giveaway, Simon!!!

[@BooksOfAFeather]

The Wicked Cometh sounds really interesting! I saw Picnic In Hanging Rock got an adaptation via Amazon, so that'll be interesting to check out.

[@samanthablackbird3780]

My top three; The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Murakami, Brother by Ania Ahlborn, and Home Fire (I live in Northampton Massachusetts so I may be biased there). I am definitely looking forward to fall and all the creepy books I am planning to read. I am going to pick up The Silence of The Lambs again! I am also very excited to dive into Horns, as I have loved every Joe Hill novel I have read so far. Once it cools down I am planning to pick up Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist which inspired one of my favorite vampire movies but I have never read the book. Also please suggest any and all your favorite creepy horror/crime/thrillers for the fall!

[@romaineoneil8352]

Top 3 books of the year so far are The wicked cometh, The mermaid and Mrs Hancock and the Guernsey literary and the potato peel pie society :) looking forward to reading Little, the corset and melmoth..keep up the great work love your videos :)

[@LexieJ91inWonderland]

Top 3 books I’ve read this year are; on chesil beach by Ian McEwan, Let go my hand by Edward Docx and pages for you by Sylvia Brownrigg. They didn’t all come out this year but I’ve loved each one immensely. I am massively looking forward to The hearts invisible furies due to your recommendation of it, Circe due to being a huge history buff and really wanting to pick up a copy of Tangerine. But my list is so long it’s very hard to narrow it down! And as I’m currently off work with pneumonia and pleurisy I’m hoping when I’m not sleeping to be able to read a bit xx

[@blankgarden]

Great list, Simon! It is basically the list of books I am looking forward to reading - with the exception of The Wicked Cometh, I Am, I Am, I Am, and Home Fire, those three I have already read and also enjoyed. :) Now, for the giveaway - My favourite books so far this year are: Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss, Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar, I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell, Romantic Outlaws, by Charlotte Gordon, The Unicorn, by Iris Murdoch, The Easter Parade, by Richard Yates, Good Bones, by Maggie Smith, and Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid. Books I am looking forward to reading this year: West by Carys Davies, Ava, by Carole Maso, Flights, by Olga Tokarczuk, The Shaking Woman, by Siri Hustvedt, and Crudo by Olivia Laing! :)

[@lyna7752]

Oh Simon what a task to narrow down my three favorite reads so far this year. Well I’m going to say Pachinko which I could not put down, The Hearts Invisible Furies which I truly loved and also Woman in the Window which was a little twisty. I had a bit of fun with that one trying to decide what was real and all. As for the three books I’m looking forward to reading ... 4 3 2 1, Let Me Lie and Parable of the Sower. I have a few more on my TBR but these are the reads that have bubbled to the top of my list.

[@KaylaChristine0]

Sounds like you’ve had a wonderful reading year so far :) my top three books so far are The Boat People by Sharon Bala (highly recommend), Eleanor oliphant is completely fine, and the Distance from me to you by Marina Gessner. The top books I’m looking forward to are the History of Bees by Maja Lunde (I’ve been on a bee kick since reading the bees by Laline Paull per your recommendation) the seven deaths of Evelyn hardcastle bcause I’ve heard it compared to clue, Hold by Michael Donkor, and When I hit You. The Parentations also sounds like a great read so I’ll try and get that too if it comes to Canada.

[@sarahrees9066]

You have so many exciting books! I think my three favourites so far are: Homo Deus by Yuval Harari, Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (was definitely my favourite). I'll be looking forward to reading that one again and The Trouble With Goats and Sheep - genuinely didn't think the last two were going to be my faves but they both blew me away. I always struggle to know what to read next but Sing Unburied Sing is on my TBR list as is The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock I think I'm also keen to read some of the Golden Man Bookers (maybe all of them?!) I am looking forward to some summer gothic though.

[@lynseyduffy1544]

Lots of interesting books on your list - great news about From the Wreck too! Top three books of the year so far: The Illumination of Ursula Flight by Anne Marie Crowhurst (historical fiction - bit of a romp - you would love it!), The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne - Mary Margaret will stay with me forever (That's not my standard!) and The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman (audiobook read by Michael Sheen - not Martin as I kept telling everyone!) Looking forward to reading Swimming Home by Deborah Levy, The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry and New Boy by Tracy Chevalier.

[@TheYeahyeahh]

Hi Simon! Thanks for this lovely giveaway. This year has been so crazy, it’s hard to narrow down but three of my favorites have been What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (Stories) by Raymond Carver, Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, and Beloved by Toni Morrison. I’m kind of on a classics children’s kick, so I’m looking forward to reading Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, and The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis!

[@jallenoxy]

This is so exciting! My Favorites So Far: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (I hated it when I had to read it in school and finally convinced myself to read it again 20 years later and 😍😍😍) City of Brass by S.A Chakraborty (I'd never read a book with Islamic mythology and I was immediately hooked! It's so immersive, I could not stop reading!) Th Radium Girls by Kate Moore (Best nonfiction I've read this year. It's so moving, and the narrative style really works) Books I'm looking forward to reading: The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (You put Essex on my list last year after you raced about it on your channel and it's always stayed at the top of my list. I finally bought it recently and cant wait to start it!) Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (Mercedes put this on my list, and I love reading about the legal system (my fiance is a lawyer) so I'm very interested to get into this soon. I usually have one nonfiction on the go. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (Last year I finally read Rebecca because of you, and earlier this year I picked up Frenchman's Creek so I'm hooked on Daphne and need to continue!)

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Three favourite books so far, The Hearts Invisible Furies-John Boyne Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant- Anne Tyler The Gathering-Ann Enright The three books Om most looking forward to reading? Volume 2 of Patrick Melrose series -Edward St Aubrey ( the audio of these are fantastic) Anne Tyler's new book- The Clockwork Dance John Boynes new book- The Ladder to ? ( I can't remember the title?)

[@lemonmiranda4233]

My favourite three so far have been Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl, The Secret History by Donna Tartt and Another Day in the Death of America by Gary Younge. I’ve had a great reading year so far so this was hard but those are the ones that have stayed with me the most. I’m most excited to read Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufmann, as well as Home Fire and Picnic at Hanging Rock because of how you’ve talked about them! I can’t wait

[@cordzgaut]

Omg what an exciting giveaway! My faves so far are Circe by Madeline Miller, I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell and Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith. Ones I’m looking forward to are defo The Parentations, Crudo and Normal People! I really love the cover of Crudo aswell!

[@KatherineDV]

My top three books so far this year are: Eva Luna, The Secret History, and Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. Books I am looking forward to reading soon are: Chronicle of a death foretold (I am making an effort to get through more Latin American literature), When I hit you, and Circe. It was hard to pick though! My tbr is way bigger than I'd like to admit. Thank you for always producing great content for us, I always look forward to your videos. Cheers!

[@crazyjake9024]

Hey Simon, haven’t managed to read any of your favourites yet but love the sound of all of them! My favourite books of the year so far are: 3 - Sal by Mick Kitson 2 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 1 - Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel And my 3 to read are: Waking Gods (currently reading) and Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie Little Nothing by Marisa Silver

[@adramaqueen3]

My top 3 of 2018 so far is: 3rd place - Bookworm: A Memoir Of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangan (totally fabulous & full of nostalgia) 2nd place - The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (a twisty thriller with Groundhog Day overtones) & in 1st place is - I’ll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara (one of the best true crime novels I’ve ever read). The 3 I’m most looking forward to are: The Corset by Laura Purcell (I loved The Silent Companions!), Melmoth by Sarah Perry ( loved The Essex Serpent. And that cover!😍) & finally, The Clockmakers Daughter by Kate Morton (one of my all time favourite Aussie authors🇦🇺). There’s so many many more, but these are the top of my pre-orders of the 2nd half of 2018. Thanks Simon, oh and Thankyou as well for pointing me to another obsession, the new Virago Modern Classics. Coz I don’t have enough special editions I’m collecting.🤦🏻‍♀️

[@insertbookpunhere]

I've had a bit of a disappointing reading year so far, but my faves have been The Underground Railroad, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night. I'm looking forward to reading Priestdaddy, When I Hit You, and Sing, Unburied, Sing. Hopefully the second half of the year will be less underwhelming!

[@ohtoread]

I get THE BEST book recommendations from you, every time! My three favourite books I've read so far this year: American War - Omar El Akkad The Secret History - Donna Tartt The Trouble with Goats and Sheep - Joanna Cannon. And three books I'm most looking forward to reading this year: Christodora - Tim Murphy (because we follow a number of residents in the same apartment block through the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, and we follow them through the 90s, and eventually into the 2020s) Small Great Things - Jodie Picoult (because it's been termed the present-day answer to To Kill a Mockingbird) Sleeping GIants - Sylvain Neuvel (the discovery of a giant, alien/robotic hand told through files)

[@tinaalex2107]

Great video, as always :) My three favourite books so far this year are: East of Eden by John Steinbeck, To The Bright Edge Of The World by Eowyn Ivey and Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson. I'm looking forward to reading The Western Wind, When I Hit You and The Heart's Invisible Furies.

[@julieannmarshall6300]

My fav books so far this year are Winter Ali Smith, Sea of Rust C. Robert Cargill and Annihilation Jeff VandetMeer. Some that I'm looking forward to are The Western Wind Samantha Harvey, The Unseen World Liz Moore and Meddling Kids Edgar Cantero. Great video! Of course now I'll have even more books to add to my tbr Cheers.

[@batlavender]

I’ve been fortunate enough to read so many great books so far this year, and my top favorites switch by the day but as of now they are: 3) Bloodchild and Other Short Stories by Octavia E. Butler 2) Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnely 1) The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on Madeline Miller’s Circe, Oliva Laing’s Crudo (thanks to your praise!) and Naomi Alderman’s Disobedience. Thanks so much for doing this giveaway - it’s lovely of you!

[@laurenr565]

Favourite reads from this year are The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and The Help. I've just really taken up reading enthusiasticly again and the videos on booktube like this really steer you to some amazing reads. I'm excited to read When I Hit you on your recommendation and also Pikincho and The Seven lives of Evelyn Hardcastle. And next year I will need to get my hands on your final pick. 😊

[@catherineeh3956]

My three fave books of the year so far: Tessa Hadley's The London Train, Matt Haig's Notes on a Nervous Planet and Instrumental by James Rhodes... and The Heart's Invisible Furies too :) I'm looking forward to reading all the books I got last week on holiday which include Homegoing and three new Tessa Hadleys x

[@elizabethmoffat4734]

Hi Simon! Thank you so much for the giveaway. Three favourites of the year are The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Three I'm most looking forward to - Melmoth, When I Hit You and Bridge Of Clay. Have a lovely weekend 😊🤗

[@k.s.thompson5766]

My top three books so far this year. This is a bit tough, but here it goes. "Three Things About Elsie" by Joanna Cannon, "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman, and "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman. The three I am most looking forward to reading. Have you ever CRAVED a book? I am really chomping at the bit to re-read "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. As for the other two, "The Sagas of the Icelanders" and "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black. Thanks, Simon!

[@Psychodix]

Hi Simon, what a lovely giveaway. The books I've read so far that I've absolutely loved are "The Eight Mountains" by Paolo Cognetti, "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr, and "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (is there room for one more? I finally got round to reading "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion and liked it a lot!). The books I'm looking forward to reading in the months to come would have been "The Old Man and the Sand Eel" by Will Millard, "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman, and "The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah, but having watched this video I definitely need to add "From the Wreck", "The Parentations" and "West" to the list - I believe I need to crack on with reading! Have a lovely day x

[@brittanyfreakingreads9083]

Top 3 so far: 1) The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (loved the entire series), 2) Harry Potter (because I’d never read it before - I’ve just finished Azkaban and am obsessed, ....obviously, and 3) Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang, which in my (humble) opinion is magical realism at its most endearing. The top 3 books I’m most looking forward to reading this year are Circe by Madeline Miller, There There by Tommy Orange, and The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Love all your recs and channel by the way - seriously, you have such fantastic, intellectual-but-approachable insights. Well done you. 👏🏻❤️

[@poesielos]

'The Wicked Cometh' sounds so great! Really need to read that story soon as well. My favorite 3 books this year so far were 'The City of Brass' by S.A. Chakraborty, 'Cruel Beauty' by Rosamund Hodge and the 'Erased' series by Kei Sanbe (all the volumes are just great!). I am currently waiting for my copy of 'Smoke and Iron' by Rachel Caine, so excited to see how the Great Library series continues! There are a few other books I am excited for, like 'The Future is Blue' by Catherynne M. Valente or the third volume of Monstress. Do you have any books you have actually preordered for the rest of the year?

[@imkegobel2752]

This giveaway is amazing! Especially since I want to read all these books because of you... So my top 3 books I read this year so far are Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Immortal LIfe of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo. I realy want to read Packinko, Purple Hibiscus and The Picture of Dorian Gray before the end of the year. Crudo is in my basket on bookdepository. I came across it on my audiobook app and then you raved about it, and I just finished Autumn by Ali Smith and realy enjoyed it so I have to get to this very soon. I might also just listen to it, since it's read by Olivia Laing. Love your rambles, love how you're just doing you! (Not that this video was very rambely, don't worry)

[@sykoelf]

OMG PLEASE I WOULD LOVE WEST. It’s been on my tbr since I first heard about it but I haven’t had a chance to pick it up. But ok my favorite books this year: The Power by Naomi Alderman, Circe by Madeleine Miller and The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead and I hope you don’t mind me cheating but I’m including as a fourth American War by Omar Al-Akkad. I’m looking forward to quite a few that I own but haven’t gotten to yet including: Sing Unburied Sing, New Power which is a nonfiction book, and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I mean there really are a ton more im looking forward to reading my entire second half of the year’s tbr, it’s about 20 books!