reacting to your book HOT TAKES 😶‍🌫️🔥 & exposing my unpopular opinions

[@annapolly14]

if a book is bad i will still read all of it, but if a book is boring that's when i dnf

[@tyedyepie]

hard yes

[@abs.11.11]

Precisely

[@erjxz1662]

THISS

[@samanthalan6963]

I concur

[@kelseyt4419]

A bad book can still be entertaining, just not the way the author intended it to be lol

[@ispeakintypos983]

we should put the "classics only" people in a room with the "no classics ever" people I want to watch this cage match

[@carolineforrester9625]

Like those videos on “the cut” or whatever channel that is where they sit people with extreme opposite opinions across from each other and it’s like- okay, now, go!

[@JessRansdellSmith]

I'm a "most classics never" person because I have aphantasia. Most of them are really boring when you can't imagine all the details they wrote. Specially the paid by the word authors like Dickens.

[@마리아-t1r]

*me being both* lmao that would be entertaining

[@Kouki.lane114]

@@JessRansdellSmithread No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

[@Flogrog]

I’m pretty much classics only except a few good modern books and I just wanna say, read whatever you want, but before you hate on classics try a few more. People treat it as just one genre but it’s not - there’s classic romance, classic sci-fi, classic dystopian, classic philosophy, classic mystery. So many types of classic and so many books to read, it’s arrogant to say that all of them are boring. I’m not classics only because I think it’s better or think I’m superior at reading because of it, I just genuinely gravitate to that type of book, and that’s okay.

[@kate.b97]

“What you fill your kindle with is between you and god” broooo im dead

[@sophier6504]

I need that as a sticker on my kindle

[@heatherburke9583]

Unless u share ur amazon account with ur fam 👀

[@elliem.13]

i got my library card when i was 9 so my moms email is attached. she can see EVERYTHING i add to my kindle.

[@juliatominski]

I cackled. I want this on a tshirt!

[@limitlesskate]

I almost spat out my drink haha and 100% needs to be a sticker

[@_misty_6315]

no other youtuber quite matches the vibe of “hanging out with my super smart friend that makes me think and laugh” like newlynova does. every video restores my sanity brain cell by brain cell

[@snickerdoodle3192]

😊😊

[@Kittysnack]

This isnt a hot take video this is lex absolutely DUNKING on people who just spend their time judging how/why others read what and how they do- when it in fact is none of their business and doesn't affect them 🤷‍♀️❤ Your take on audiobooks not being "real reading" was SO well thought out and brilliantly stated.

[@GaGaObession]

this!! I love how non-judgemental she is & understanding of others

[@simplylily7819]

So true lol but I feel like dunking is the wrong word for this considering how well thought out her arguments are 😭😭😭

[@melinabbbbb]

This video is sooo good

[@soupy_soup2]

A lot of online discourse can really be summed up in: why do you care?

[@heyimsasa]

audiobooks is real reading, braille is real reading, reading books with art is real reading, reading with your eyeballs is real reading. READING IS READING! i can guarantee people would be SO MUCH happier and get so much more reading done if they minded their own business.

[@xiimorals]

This, so much! I'm sick of elitist/ablest takes on this topic. People need to chill with the gatekeeping and semantic bullying they do when other people are just trying to enjoy a story. Science has shown reading the physical works with your eyes and listening to the audiobook triggers the same area of the brain. It's the same! We just say we "read the book" because colloquially that is how people understand we consumed the story easiest.

[@samanthalan6963]

Hard agree! I've just moved from a public-facing job to a 'back of house job', why would you take all of the hours spent while multitasking away from my Storygraph, bruh?!

[@A.H._]

PREACH! i hate when people say otherwise. are they really saying with their whole chest that disabled people that can’t read with their eyes… NEVER read? fuck off

[@jas2088]

100% i use audiobooks for my long drives. I ain’t gonna use a hard copy i would literally die… it is these books that often help me get out of a slump.

[@so-niche]

Literallyyyy I just found out what app my library uses for ebooks and eaudiobooks and it has literally changed my life. I get immensely travel sick and reading while travelling (in everything but a train) always sets it off. I'm finally able to consume stories and take up some time without being on my phone whule travelling :)

[@joelleblanc8670]

Underrated animal sounds characters *could* make in romance books: warbling, clicking, meowing, ribbiting, buzzing...

[@emmamaemaema]

Personally, I’d love to see more warbling

[@jas2088]

I would read that for the shits and gigs

[@abbiebryant8548]

Give the people ribbits!!!

[@cristagalli96]

lowkey love the word 'warble'

[@newlynova]

SO true 🤧 the people want warbles

[@kate.b97]

BRO the oven mitt GOT ME 😂😂 I am the target audience for the bit

[@honorbound1337]

I know right?? Seeing Lexi grab it from off-scream when about to go to another take got me every time

[@ashlynjxo]

It was her keeping up the bit throughout the whole video that got me😂

[@AnotherTurning]

The "read fanfic" one is so real, if only so readers will stop comparing every book they don't think is well written to it. I've read fanfic that blows published works out of the water. On the other hand, you don't truly know how bad a story can be until you've read a Sasuke Uchiha X Reader drabble written entirely in text speak. I'd add that writers need to read fanfic too. 😂

[@hgamesca8288]

I am sadly in the boat where I find it very difficult to read published works, considering how much fanfic I consume that to me, it usually feels like it is on another level, and it makes me a little bit sad how much authors/readers of fanfic get dogged on. But after watching Lexi I have finally picked up a book in literal years. 🥲

[@bleh3.2]

​@@hgamesca8288 I think the main reason people read more fanfic (as someone who was in a reading slump because I was only reading fanfic) is because fanfic is made for free by fans who love the original thing with their whole heart, there was a post somewhere that said fanfic was like a home cooked meal instead of the fast food publishers put out to make money (or something along those lines)

[@rubyfoxall1656]

yeah this is a really good point - fanfic can be all over the place so saying "this reads like a fanfic" is a nonsensical statement. making that comparison an insult implies a certain view of fanfic that a brief visit to AO3 will immediately destroy. there are many lessons to be learned from fanfic writers :)

[@sliceofgarlicbread]

I swear to god a year in AO3 has changed me as a person. I learned the art of Dead dove do not eat. I learned that not everything is that serious. I learned YKINMKATOK. Being in fandom has actually made me into a much chiller person and I think a lot of people could benefit from the same

[@miriam8376]

@@hgamesca8288 I read a ton of fanfic after grad school and it killed my attention span for reading real books. Fanfic gives you exactly what’s on the tin exactly the way you want it every time, and I had to completely retrain my attention span over months to learn to enjoy the slower pace of novels again. It honestly was really hard. So I agree that everyone should read fanfic, but definitely not just fanfic, because like cocaine, it will wreck your brain.

[@breezyveezy]

This is for sure the best audiobook vs. physical book take. I was a lit major back in the day and never used audiobooks until the past few years. But hey, it turns out that my ADHD is most satisfied with a combination of both audio and physical book-the ability to switch between them is invaluable. When I want to consume a story but my brain just can’t handle sitting in silence for hours on end, audiobooks are amazing! When my brain can’t fully comprehend the words being spoken because suddenly I have almost no audio processing capabilities? Oh look, physical books! When it’s a particularly bad day and I want to read but can’t focus on either medium on its own? I can listen to the words AND see them on the page in front of me!! Sometimes it takes extra planning to get both formats at once [usually I buy the physical book and borrow the audiobook on Libby], but it's totally worth it. Writing off an entire medium is ableist and honestly just so unnecessarily pretentious. Trust me, I have a degree and tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt that says I am Very Good At Reading™️.

[@Jbsharksfan]

I LOVE THE HYBRID METHOD! Plus if I rent a text copy and an audio copy, the library will know that the book is dope and they should get more copies!

[@danaburr3296]

As a fellow ADHDer, Yes!! Immersive read is just- so good! :D

[@abs.11.11]

So glad to find someone who does what I do for the same reasons!!! My ADHD brain switches between superhero levels of reading comprehension to taking three to four minutes each page, so listening while reading helps me get back on track so much. Plus putting it on when driving or cleaning is just so fun

[@jas2088]

I am the exact same with my adhd. Sometimes i want to listen to something that isn’t music because my brain isn’t getting the dopamine and a audiobook hits just right

[@Mazygolucky]

As a fellow ADHDer who loves both methods of reading for the exact reason I’ve got to try the both at the same time.

[@TheAbigailDee]

My hot take is I would LOVE to see library haul videos. It would be so cool to see backlist titles, unique options, books that aren't the same ones that are trendy. I know it isn't that easy with the social media algorithm but it's something I wish could be more welcomed!

[@sarahkinsey5434]

I can count on one hand the number of books I have read that I have seen in book youtubers videos. I buy second hand books and they sit on my shelves for so long I laugh when they say a book less than 5 years old is old.

[@sarajamessays]

51 min upload... she has blessed us

[@xjk8977]

IM SAYING IM SO GEEKED

[@mazreadssometimes]

"this might be a little long" you could release a 4 hour synopsis on paint drying, and i'd still watch it, tbh

[@kate.b97]

Also the smut victimizes no one take is so hot especially compared to porn where sex workers are often taken advantage of/questionable consent etc

[@elenymm]

This is why the only smut I have a problem with is one involving names and persons that actually exist, where that line is more blurred. It is making pornographic content with the likeness of a real person without their consent.

[@kate.b97]

@@elenymmoh good point and so true!!

[@Editorialzero]

Yeah I agree with this, I really liked how she said that sex in romance/romantasy is like sex in tv shows. It’s a real part of real people’s lives and it can be really important to telling stories. It’s not porn in the same way tv shows aren’t porn. I do think that exclusively reading erotica could probably cause issues for people if it contributes to their standards and perception of sex getting skewed, but I’d be curious to know if it has the same amount of dopamine release that porn does (which is what causes the addiction). IMO I doubt it. That being said, even if reading erotica constantly causes issues for someone in their personal life or relationships, at least you can be 100% positive there is no exploitation going on. I’m not a fan of erotica or most sex scenes in books (they mostly read as cringe to me), but in no way do I think they’re not valuable or that they’re immoral.

[@abbykadabby418]

Also, like she mentioned, the books that are usually accused of being just porn (ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, etc.) have a relatively small amount in there. It just has always seemed odd to me that these have been discussed as being straight up erotica when they have just as much OR LESS smut than shows on HBO. When I picked up ACOTAR and read through the first 3, I was trying to figure out what I was missing because it all seemed relatively tame. Obviously the last book is pretty extra, though.

[@kate.b97]

@@Editorialzerothe way you iterated my feelings on the issue perfectly!! I think erotica is like many things even if it’s not objectively bad too much of it can be harmful depending on the person. I feel the same way about many sex scenes in books which is why I’ve been loving YA and specifically look up how much spice is in a book before I go for it(romance.io is great for this if you haven’t checked it out)

[@estellecuriel690]

“audiobooks don’t count as reading” is also super ableist it makes my blood boil when people say that

[@crystaldollhouse]

Yeah someone taking a really strong stance against audiobooks, as not real reading, really just tells me that person has failed to consider the potential differences between themselves and other people!

[@dkt8562]

Ok hear me out, READING is when you actually move your eyeballs, manually. So, you could say that you LISTENED to an audiobook but not READ it you know? And I won't respect you any less for that. Like, you gotta do what you gotta do girl🤷🏻

[@mikeyangelno]

so a blind person using braille ISNT reading that book? they have to say they touched the book? ​@dkt8562

[@Meebo1]

@@dkt8562nope, you’re not actually reading, you’re just looking at words. Reading is consuming a story. Medium doesn’t matter.

[@Shirumoon]

@@Meebo1watching movies or going to a theatre is reading then, TIL lol

[@Jbsharksfan]

I’m sorry Lexi, I also fully agree that DNFing is a healthy, wonderful thing. However I just cannot do it. Mama didn’t raise a quitter lol.

[@Crabernacker]

My momma definitely did! But i respect you queen

[@DifiDavi]

Listening to audiobooks in bed with the lights out has been the closest I've ever felt to being in the story itself. Heavily recommended with first person books.

[@cheddyju9431]

The "booktok is just porn" section is SO TRUE. THANK YOU LEXI. Edit: I meant that I agreed with Lexi's points, ppl. I don't think BookTok is just porn... to the contrary xD

[@Canyonswft13]

And thats fine lol

[@jalo7289]

it’s not true. book tok is curated to your likes. my book tok isn’t porn. so the fact that yours is says a lot about YOU

[@cheddyju9431]

@@jalo7289 i... i meant that i agreed with lexi's point.

[@cheddyju9431]

*edited to clarify 💀 also, to add to the conversation (even though I haven't opened tiktok in months lmao) I think being able to curate your own Tiktok experience is very important. Specially if you are a minor. Maybe block certain terms like "spicy" or so if you feel uncomfortable with that content ^v^ But then again, haven't opened Tiktok in a while haha

[@chihilaa]

@@jalo7289are you like dyslexic or

[@jarenka3335]

Regarding "growl" and "snarl". Tbh, I don't think these is something wrong with it, and I think it's fine in moderation, when you need to convey a feeling that character say something with a voice very uncharacteristic for them because of stress/anger/pain or something like that. But a lot of time writers use these words randomly in a dialogues because they are very bad at using intonation and connotations of words to convey characters' emotions.

[@aurallyaddison]

YEAH I actually saw a post on tumblr about this today (and I see those a lot, my friends are all fanfic authors). I don’t know much about anything that goes on in book spheres on social media, but there’s always authors and editors talking about how people are upset about books using words like “growled” or certain figures of speech because they think they mean them literally. And of course, no, they don’t. It’s about tone-people growl and snarl and purr and hiss things all the time! You can’t use “said” every time. But I also see people who only kind of understand horribly overusing all those animal noises and such. It’s… actually not that hard of a line to walk, in my opinion, but for some authors I guess it is.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

Sometimes it can feel like the author is trying to avoid "said" "replied" "asked" etc or try to be special

[@Starscall]

@@sarahkinsey5434 No, usually it's because a story written with just said, replied, asked has 0 flavour and is boring.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

@@Starscall I meant that sometimes using more flowery descriptors can feel excessive

[@karlyl7616]

​@@Starscall Not necessarily. I've heard these words called "invisible words" because when you're reading your mind kind of skips over them. Using more colorful words to imply speech is good when used in moderation, but too much of them makes them very obvious, potentially disrupting the narrative.

[@xingmei818]

after my dad died, i lost the ability to focus on reading. it was weird. i was a person who devoured books per week, and it was just really difficult to cope with that because being a reader was such a huge part of my identity. now whenever i try to open a book and stare at the words, they don't make sense but i could still read documents about work and such. BUT audio books saved me. also, the ability to use text to speech has been such a blessing. i was able to even finish a term of law school (but i quit) with using text to speech. i am slowly working through going back to reading again. thank you for your video and your channel.

[@newlynova]

🫶 thanks for being here, keep your head up my friend

[@AdventuresInPages]

Your description of smut scene ratio is spot on for most romance books and the general discussion about the importance/prevalence of intimacy and sexual experiences to the every day lives of human beings is a scope most people don't look at this through, but should. It's so much more than a random explicit scene on a page.

[@majorocarina2603]

The tension and build up to that moment is what makes it special, not the act itself.

[@AdventuresInPages]

@@majorocarina2603 yes!

[@intotheunknown6736]

"Audiobooks not counting as reading" is such an ableist take; reading as a kid was a form of escapism from certain hardships I was dealing with family-wise, and being dyslexic, I wasn't a strong reader as a kid; audiobooks LITERALLY saved me, I wouldn't be the avid reader I am now if I didn't have access to audiobooks when I was a kid and this whole "your cheating" just shames people with learning disabilities etc when all we're trying to do is have a good time.

[@SamGarrett]

I really don't understand that take at all, but it might be because I admire people who can enjoy audiobooks and actually digest what they're listening to as someone with audio processing issues. If I don't have something visual I can focus on (like the words on the page) then I won't absorb anything, so it's admirable to me that people can enjoy reading through audio

[@justsomeone6593]

To me audiobooks count as listening and it's not a bad thing. I love listening to audiobooks and reading physical or ebooks but especially as someone who is learning multiple languages the two are really distinct to me. I don't think it's abelist to categorize an activity right but I understand the frustration against people who look down on audiobooks. Both reading and listening are such unique ways to consume media I feel it's really a shame they are smushed together for some reason.

[@Foggfjw]

well it's not reading. It's listening.

[@smowka]

I’m really not a fan of people throwing around ableism so much.. this is about semantics. I don’t believe anyone should be critical about how someone consumes a story, but to say that the “audiobooks are not technically reading” take is ableist is a stretch. There is no wrong way to consume a story, but it’s not ableist to say that reading and listening are different forms of consuming a story.

[@intotheunknown6736]

@@smowka its ableist when it's pointed out with the pure intent of superiority. It's pointed out to say "I'm better than you, I'm consuming it in the right way."

[@mercedestucker5348]

As someone who doesnt always remember books that I liked it was nice to hear you say that that is ok. I’ve never heard someone explain that it is more the feeing of the book that is important and not nessesarily the content. I love that opinion and that makes me look at books in a whole new way!

[@119793]

i do enjoy rereading books that i forgot what happened but loved the vibes, it’s like reading it again for the first time!

[@bethany5527]

god, same!! i have adhd and i forgot important stuff all the time, so of course im gonna forget stuff about the books i read! it doesn't mean i don't care, my brain is just not built for this stuff

[@cornelia4838]

As someone whose memory sucks to the point that i have to think "is my birthday on the 10th or 11th?" it really was really good to hear. There were a couple of people that have asked me if i really read the books because i couldn't remember the details. I also read many books so it's hard remembering everything that happened. And it does have its' advantages because it makes rereading much better since you read a scene like it's the first time again.

[@ErinHarrelson-n3v]

What I think is meant by the “fast-fashion” point is not that it’s unsustainable to buy books, its more about how the quality of books have gone down in order for authors to push out more books. Books are also being written in a way to get a reader to buy them, but to not be timeless. Like how a SHEIN item may be trendy, its mass produced and low quality and will go out of style.

[@agnese16]

also, as much as paper is recyclable (and does not simply “biodegrade” on its own, noting does without the right environment) deforestation is still a thing. the publishing industry is banking on peoples love for a book by creating literally ten different special editions of the same book, maybe even with different contents inside like added final chapters which is just frustrating. also, the entire trend of unhauling hundreds of book just to then do a big haul does remind me of fast fashion and it’s not sustainable

[@ErinHarrelson-n3v]

@@agnese16 that is also true! They can date landfill levels by taking old newspapers and reading the dates on them!

[@newlynova]

i can totally see why you'd think this - to give you a peek behind the curtain i responded to this prompt the way that i did is because i got a lot of other people in my dms who submitted takes on both book overconsumption & on lowbrow, low qual booktok literature. so i tried to respond to them both to try to get to as many points as i could! i think i still came down a bit too hard on this one though. to be clear also - i didn't mean that buying a ton of books was SUSTAINABLE, persay. books are still a mass produced consumer good - there are no mass produced consumer goods that are truly sustainable because of the way the global economy is set up. shipping costs, recycling not being 1 to 1, etc. many of these problems still exist with books. i think the truly morally pure route is to own as little as possible of everything. but compared to any other mass-produced consumer good that you could collect if you want to collect something - books have upside that most other things don't have. and i still think comping fashion overconsumption to book overconsumption is disingenuous in terms of net impact. but criticizing overconsumption generally - esp. in terms of WHY societally we feel like we have to own a lot of shiny bright new things - is still really important and i don't mean to say that it isn't! anyways this is not in response to your comment really you just have a lot of upvotes LMAO and i want to have this response to some of the other fast fashion takes i've seen all in one place higher up. but re: your comment - the back half of my take was meant to be on that! bad/lowbrow/pulpy shit has always been published and has always aged poorly/gone out of style. books have always been written just to sell. i don't think that is new even though it is a lot easier to see the mechanisms now because of social media.

[@newlynova]

@agnese16 re: sustainability i did NOT mean to imply that books are entirely sustainable, just more sustainable than most other consumer goods/not as toxic as fast fashion. but re: special editions - this is a great point that i didn't talk about in my video. i do think it is icky that you are baited into getting a target edition, a B&N edition, an online presale edition, etc. of the same book to get like, 1.5 extra scenes that don't actually matter. many people do unfortunately fall for this and it does create waste. and ur right too that haul cycles like that are gross in anything, including books. i think it's important to be mindful of what you buy/have in your collection and a lot of people online are not!

[@sarahkinsey5434]

@@newlynova It's like textbooks coming out with new editions every year. Sometimes it can be ok because of new events and examples. Things like math that don't change much don't need new textbooks while history books need to add new content every so often. I'm not interested in special editions because hardcovers aren't as comfy to curl up with, I like loved books, and I'm cheap so I get second hand books

[@britc3049]

Most people don't seem to know this, but Goodreads does have a break-down for the star rating system. When you hover over the stars with your mouse on desktop, it says: 1 star: Did not like it 2 stars: It was OK 3 stars: Liked it 4 stars: Really liked it 5 stars: It was amazing People can have their own system but this is how I have always rated my books and also why I don't think 3 stars is a bad rating.

[@laurapersilva1882]

I feel the EXACT same way about COHO, in fact, I think I feel more anger because how could you write a book about abusive relationships and then proceed to write romatacized abusive relationships??? How is it even misogynistic to point out that

[@emryborge7027]

It is misogynistic because only women ever get shit for liking ‘problematic’ content. It’s like that time centuries ago when people thought women shouldn’t read because they won’t be able to understand that it’s fiction and not reality

[@Jenny-iw8rj]

My take on "audiobooks aren't reading" is that audiobooks aren't the same thing (to me) as reading a physical book in the sense that I genuinely think some books are better consumed in their audio version (ex. Sadie by Courtney Summers) so if I were to talk to someone about certain books, mentioning that they listened to it can completely change the conversation. Listening to an audiobook is still consuming a book, but, at least for me, how the voice actors sound can completely change the experience.

[@newlynova]

i think this is fair for sure, on a philosophical level it's worth talking about what makes them different/what is added or lost with a narrator. especially since yes - some audiobooks can even elevate the experience of reading a book! the point i was trying to make was not that they are literally the same thing but rather that they are both consuming the same story/people gatekeep audiobook listeners out of reading for poor reasons

[@Jenny-iw8rj]

@@newlynova yesss I think both are completely real and valid ways of consuming a book but can give different kinds of experiences

[@ellealine4159]

This is exactly my opinion!!! Saying "audiobooks are not reading" isn't necessarily meant in a bad way and I'm just as tired of the offended audiobook people as I am of the book readers that want to invalidate audiobooks. Audiobooks are cool, I love audiobooks. It's a different form of consuming a book but it isn't reading. Many factors can change the experience of reading vs listening. That isn't bad!!! 😊

[@crystaldollhouse]

@@ellealine4159​​⁠What bothers me is nitpicking language (not saying you are, I just see it a lot). It’s annoying when someone says “I read this book” and someone else turns around and says “you didn’t read it, you listened to it” because it just detracts from the conversation. If someone said they read an audiobook I wouldn’t say, “so you didn’t actually read it?” I would say, “oh cool, was the narrator any good?” or something like that Sure there are differences in experience, but we can still discuss the content of the book when different formats are used. You still took in all the same words and descriptions. Two people can read the same book and experience it differently even if they did both read it with their eyes anyway. Sometimes I skim through or lose focus while reading physical books so it’s possible someone who listened to it may have engaged with the content more than me, everyone is different (and being disabled/neurodivergent can play a big role in this). To me, reading = consuming the story, it doesn’t matter if you used your eyes or ears or anything else!

[@ellealine4159]

@@crystaldollhouse honestly i am that kind of nitpicky about language. That isn't just about this topic though. And being nitpicky to invalidate people's way of consuming is just shitty. So I'd have the same reaction as you did but internally I would indeed have expected the person to have read it. I don't think reading = consuming. Language wise it's kinda tricky. Like I said I am nitpicky with that but i also understand why people use "read" like that. Most people just won't say "I listened to this book", esp in convo with people that read the book. And then how do you call people that like listening to audiobooks. Listeners???? Most people would say readers, myself included

[@pie_account]

dude thank you. my reading speed has DRASTICALLY altered now that i have a new job. when i had my previous job, i could read all the time. I read like 50 books in one year. but now that i'm in a position with a lot more authority at work, i have no time or energy to read, so my read list isn't as long as it was last year. and i've just been feeling really bummed about it. but this cheered me up

[@alvafairchild13]

Excellent time to try audio books lol

[@bear9295]

I can only read on the road because I am busy with school. And I can finish a long book in two months. Makes me sad but I don't have another option.

[@pie_account]

@@alvafairchild13 yesssssss audiobooks are the best. i'm re reading through game of thrones with an audiobook rn and i love it

[@sarahkinsey5434]

@@alvafairchild13 My boyfriend lives 45 minutes from me and his job, and longer for volunteer work he does often so he can burn through audiobooks pretty quickly. He also drives from Minnesota to Indiana every few months or Minnesota to Montana once a year

[@BroccoliAndCheese01]

6:48 as an audiobook reader, THANK YOU! Sometimes when I say I “read a book”, my husband will say “did you though? “ just to get a reaction because the argument bothers me so much lol. Girlies, I know how to read. I’m not over here listening to audiobooks because I have to sound out my words. I just don’t have time to sit and read, so I listen instead. Plus, I don’t need to physically read a book to know what happened any more than someone flipping pages.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

I recently reread some books on audio, and my mind still came up with the same images as I did while reading a physical book

[@171emilyrox]

DNFing books that I hate is such a high to me, I also love walking out of bad movies and do it frequently lmao

[@SarahKaterpillar]

Same! My time is precious and I will not be held hostage by media I am not enjoying. It just doesn't make sense for me.

[@ko379]

Your hot take about how toxic rom coms are more subversively damaging than an obviously dark romance is spot on! Love it.

[@AmandaJuris]

Preach about sexuality and romance in books! It’s part of the human experience - and like you said much more so (for most people) than a huge violent boss fight.

[@elliedee123]

Reducing CoHo hate to being caused by misogyny is dismissing legitimate critique/criticism in the guise of victimhood. As a woman, I object to the poor writing and romanticizing dysfunction, not because it’s ‘romance.’

[@VeronicaP-l2u]

As a dyslexic person who always says “I was readin… sorry listening to -blank book-“ hearing you defend audiobooks made my day❤😊❤

[@michellehanson984]

I will say that I do like when people specify that they read the audiobook (with whatever verb they prefer), because that opens the door for further conversation. How was the narration? Did you get the full-cast audio version? How the heck do you pronounce the main character's name?

[@Muffinn_Cakes]

bruh the people that go "don't you mean listened☝️🤓" just to get a reaction out of you because you didn't _literally_ read the book are the same people that correct a blind person when they say they "saw" something, istg

[@srs0978]

Gosh this video was so refreshing. There’s something extremely satisfying about hearing someone who shares your exact thoughts and opinions, but they can articulate it so much better than you ever could. Bravo 👏🏼

[@moomin469]

FRRRRR

[@francescakyanda9182]

if reading a lot is wrong, I don't wanna be right!! it's a solitary activity, relatively inexpensive (frequent flyer of the public library here) AND it's my special interest as an autistic person. although the bulk of my reading is done at night, on weekends, during a commute, and honestly in place of socializing 😂

[@abbynickle6407]

35:35 this whole section >>>> do i remember any plot points in the soc duology? ..not really buuuutttt, did those books help me realize that i don't need to hold onto childhood trauma that makes me uncomfortable with physical touch? did those books help to realize that physical touch is my main love language? yes, yes they did ‼️

[@jessicamartin6737]

No because they’re some of my all time favourite books, but do I remember anything? They go to a court and that’s it lmao. But! They introduced me to fantasy as a genre and showed me that I could choose who I wanted to keep in my life, and they will always be special for that reason

[@rowan4024]

very upset that it took me until the “i can hold this take with my bare hands” joke to realize that the oven mitt was because the other takes were just that hot

[@KatieColson]

Omg the Iliad breakdown for audiobook’s sake was so profound and sassy in a intellectual way. Got I love this

[@LauraAngulo-kt9lq]

Uncle Jake in the background is iconic 😂

[@HeroicPie885]

I stand by you in defending Babel -- thank you for speaking up for Babel fans (your review was why i read it)

[@abs.11.11]

I was about to take a nap but this is more important

[@kailyncorey8267]

also the audiobook thing, it can help people with adhd focus better because they can multitask while reading, or people with wrist/hands issues or differences because they can listen instead of turning a physical page.

[@clairemalherbe3567]

« What your fill your kindle with is between you and god » I love that so much 😂

[@sarah_bora]

the whole section where you talk about the take about booktok being p*** culture, you nailed it. I agree 100% and it made a lot of sense.

[@joeys624]

As someone who almost strictly reads from the library due to not really having the extra funds for books, I really appreciate you mentioning that lack of owning books doesn't make you any less of a reader

[@LaurenMedley]

21:03 THANK YOU. your entire response to the booktok p*rn culture take was perfect. whenever i find myself justifying what i read and saying “it’s not that smutty”, i always stop and go, “but also, even if it was 100% smut.. who cares?!”

[@MaxximusP]

I will say, the "not rating a book you DNF'd" thing, fails in a couple areas: 1. if you read like, 75%, you should be able to rate that. If a book only gets better in the last quarter, that is a problem and one should not expect to have to wait that long for it to improve. And 2. if a book is racist, sexist, transphobic, ableist, etc. you should ABSOLUTELY be able to rate it even if you DNF. Obviously my opinion, but I think this requires more nuance than just "you didn't finish it therefore you can't rate it"

[@mint-pumpkins]

I agree with you 100% and came into the comments to say exactly this haha

[@Hoesntrix]

I agree! Especially because if you DNF there’s obviously a reason why so please rate and share what made you put the book down

[@pinksuiteheart6974]

But consider the reverse. I've read books were I've liked it until the very end, when the thesis statement is revealed to be absolute dogshit. If I hadn't finished the book, I might've given it four stars. But instead, it turned into a one star.

[@newlynova]

these are valid for sure, esp. point 2

[@MaxximusP]

@@pinksuiteheart6974 Sure, have had that happen. It does not, however, affect the opinion I stated in any way, since that is the complete opposite.

[@konotton]

THANK YOU FOR RAISING THE "no community is monolithic" POINT OH MY GOD it's like my #1 pet peeve when people do that; it drives me insane to no end

[@Author_ElizabethAton]

Huge respect for the care you give to each facet of an argument. Even when I don’t agree (rare), I still enjoy your fully flushed out take. You’re the antithesis of a hot take.

[@newlynova]

🫶🫶

[@KelcyReadsBooks]

i am just so in awe of your intelligence. you are so well spoken and really get your point across

[@edie2879]

I know it is not the most important point in the video, but I’m really sorry for what happened when you were 17, I feel you girl, and this is just a little reminder that you are a smart and discerning person that deserves the best for you.

[@newlynova]

thanks bestie

[@livsunflower38]

Girl gave us an entire master's thesis on booktok, trends, and girlhood, and i am completely obsessed

[@smolexfundie6458]

lol the “three copies of your favorite book” callout 😂😂 I actually own three copies of my fav: my first copy that I found in a Little Free Library with water damage and the previous owner’s notes in the margins, one slightly nicer copy from Goodwill, and a nice hardcover copy from Ebay for when I’m feeling fancy ✨✨

[@jessicathompson8389]

I almost didn’t watch this video, because I feel like I’ve already heard a lot of discourse around the common “hot takes” on books and they are at best lukewarm now. But you managed to bring up some new points, and I found this super entertaining and a little bit thought provoking. Great job!!

[@Baby.Puss.In.Boots.]

Personally I think the book community could really benefit from people learning to not care. Why does it matter or affect you so much what someone does or doesn't read, how many books they read, how someone reads a book, that someone doesn't like a book you do/likes a book you don't, etc? At the end of the day it doesn't matter.

[@martham496]

I have never related to anything more than not noticing tense or POV until it’s pointed out or if it’s bad. I’m just reading and vibing I don’t care what tense or pov it is. Unless it’s second person obvi

[@_dayliqht]

yeah same. i really don't care one bit about which tense or pov is used, it has never had any effect on my reading experience, but then there's second person pov.... it's so jarring i just can't do it

[@baileykatherine4641]

i think looking at what modern books we’re assuming will become classics gives you a new way of looking at classics. i didn’t like the classics we read in school, but now that i’ve grown and matured and become conscious of the world, i get it. and they are so incredibly important from a societal commentary standpoint.

[@Itsbaberuthless_]

20:19 Lexi was really freaking cooking with this point. 👏👏👏

[@swiftieswiffer7649]

you articulate yourself so well and give every take a kind of nuance that so many people refuse to give in the book space rn!! thank u!!

[@heyimsasa]

47:21 for this very reason, it's okay for white classics to exist in the same vein that it's also okay for classics to change and reform to fit current day issues and ideologies and i think public schools need to adapt their reading curriculum to fit narratives of today. like instead of advertising harry potter, amari and the night brothers would be an amazing stand-in (which btw book #3 is out today, not sponsored).

[@katfondue.ordont]

Okay, the whole bit on forgetting books and forgetting things about the people you love just hit different, thank you. I have multiple notes in separate places on little details about people I care about exactly because I was tired of feeling like I couldn't gift give as well as my loved ones or feeling guilty when I had to ask my friend for the 10th time if she likes sweet potatoes or not even if we've eaten them together multiple times over our 15 year friendship. Even typing that I'm really not sure if she likes sweet potatoes or not. And when I go to recommend books but then can't explain it at all and then feel stupid as if I'm lying about having read it. But in both scenarios it's exactly what you said, it's the feeling you're left with. I know I am safe with and loved by my best friend in the exact same way I know that my favorite book made my heart gush with my love of story telling despite any details I may or may not remember about either. This was probably an unnecessary comment but I felt so seen and I'm tired from work and am feeling sappy so thanks. (Also ADHD and in constant need for the validation that my memory struggles aren't just me with early onset dementia... I hope.)

[@marsalien4]

What you talk about in the last section is so true, and something I've been saying a lot: I wish more people were comfortable acknowledging something is important/impactful/great but you don't personally like it, and the other way--that you like something deeply but think it's not actually perfection in that same sense. We've been losing nuance over the past couple decades, I think.

[@pteropoda9576]

wholeheartedly agree with the mismatched book take! I understand the practical and aesthetic reasons that people don't like them, but I love a bookshelf that feels like someone stumbled across a book and just had to have it, not that they waited around for a particular edition. It gives me the same vibe as a bookshelf with a bunch of well-worn paperbacks. I just do not vibe aesthetically with the all one size and especially all one color format some people seem to aspire to for their bookshelves!

[@justineevans9434]

Your take on audiobooks is so true! My dad has tried hard to read books I’ve given him but can’t sit with them more than 5 mins. I got him on audiobooks and now we can chat about our favorite books together regardless of me not being into audiobooks. I love that we can share the love of a good story 🎉❤

[@mirandaperry1889]

Genuinely one of my favorite things about your channel is seeing how 100% I agree with you on SOOOO many things, but also seeing how different our taste in books can be. I feel like that’s the real beauty of the book community because everything you said in this video is exactly how I feel about all those takes! But we just tend to read different books from each other and it’s fun to see where our tastes do match when you do book reviews.

[@jaljayo287]

I mean, I don't think consuming audiobooks is actually reading a book. However, I also don't think it's any less valid than reading the same book physically. It's great that there are multiple ways to enjoy a book, and I really don't care if someone has read or listened it. I myself would never say I read a book that I've only listened to, but if others want to do that I really couldn't care less.

[@cadenceslow]

4:47 "any book they finish gets 4 stars" I FELT SO CALLED OUT HERE

[@newlynova]

you're valid bestie

[@Flogrog]

As someone with adhd, I can say that audiobooks do count as reading. I honestly got so mad when I saw this one, because I know so many people with learning difficulties that makes reading a physical book so difficult, and audiobooks can be a really good way of helping with that. Okay, you might not always be physically reading the book, but we are sharing the same story and thinking about it in the same way. I sometimes use the audiobook and the book because hearing the words is easier. Don’t try to cast us out of the reading community because we find it harder lmao 😭 also, audiobooks are amazing because, while I do love holding a physical book, with audiobooks you can fall asleep to them, go on walks, listen in the shower, listen while driving, and hearing someone enunciate the words like that it feels so real. We are readers, we just need accommodations to be able to read. Don’t knock it til you try it 💕

[@tzo.loves.bookss]

in my opinion audiobooks don't count as reading simply because you can't read them, you listen to them. reading the physical copy doesn't make you neither superior nor inferior than listening to the audiobook, it's just a different activity that's all.

[@poprocks8316]

growled, hissed, cooed ect are words that have been used in literature since the dawn of time idk where the correlation to it being a fantasy thing has came from. the word "said" being said like 150 times a page would drag me bonkers, it's really not as serious as people make it out to be lmao. it's just a synonym meant to express the emotion in which the sentence is being said.

[@newlynova]

in good books of course - what i said in this video was mostly tongue in cheek because unfortunately.. in poorly written books... i have seen some things that would break your spirit hahahahaha so that was what i was referencing

[@SarahKaterpillar]

I've read books that leave out the exposition about how they said it altogether (including the word "said") and it's sooo refreshing!

[@Anniebellpotter]

On the rating for dnfed books: I think you should be able to rate a book you didn’t finish but good reads should have a box to click that says you dnfed it and at what page. Let’s say there was a book the was super mundane and unenjoyable, but all the people who quit reading said book didn’t leave a star review and the handful of people who finished left higher stars(by nature of being able to stick it out, the people leaving star reviews are now the biased sample group who have a higher tolerance for boredom). The book may now be lists has a four star instead of the 2 it would have been had the dnfers given it stars. Also if there was good reads box to check there could the Percent of dnfers next to the stars which would be helpful.

[@pitpat2928]

the “did u rlly read it” take gets me every time bc the fact that i remember the book at all means it made me feel something. i too forget important things all the time so this section was rlly validating❤

[@NessKeyi]

Oh my god the beef I have with people who don't think audiobooks or graphic novels aren't reading legitimately piss me off. Let people enjoy reading however they want in whatever format they want. As always great video.

[@dessweet7846]

Audiobooks can really help with word pronunciation and for expanding vocabulary and can help with grammar :) and we learn how to talk as children by listening to those around, and listening to books being read to us. that’s why i see audiobooks as books! you’re not being dramatic, it is so true

[@katydid1425]

So excited for a new video! My mental health has been a dumpster fire, and I've just been rotating between rewatching your videos and fern Brady comedy specials . So thank you for a fun and long new video

[@newlynova]

🫶 keep your head up

[@BookishBlackwell]

This is honestly one of the most refreshing videos I’ve seen on Booktube in a long time! Your opinions are so well thought out and I love your non judgmental approach. Thought I was just in for some giggles with this one but I got a lot more out of it ✌️thanks for sharing this, I hope you do more of these type of videos in the future

[@rubyfoxall1656]

really enjoying how wholesome the comments section is, hot take videos sometimes get really nasty in the comments but this community is so lovely

[@gamingrambles]

7:30 As a big audiobook consumer, this take healed my soul

[@_dayliqht]

oh, i agree with almost everything you said, except i do rate books i dnfed. if a book is so bad that i can't physically get through it anymore, it's deserving of 1 star. and such a bad experience deserves to be a part of the collective rating on goodreads too

[@Demehira]

I agree with you on that. I feel that ratings are not just to give your opinion, but also to tell others to look out for things, or to not expect the best of the best. What I mean is, we, you, I DNF for different reasons. I know I DNFd books that had 4.sth star ratings. There was just sth that rubbed me the wrong way in them. Either the relationship, the writing, the pace, the MC, the morals. Sometimes just typos. I'm not a native English-speaker, so when you have to parse the sentence together yourself because it's missing words and such, it's extremely complicated for me. And if the story is just a little boring with that... I have DNFd for as little as that. I'm very rambly, sorry, but what I wish to say is, whatever the reason you DNFd, it can serve as a warning for someone else. Your rating has value nonetheless, because you did experience sth with this book.

[@newlynova]

this is valid ratings are all subjective anyways, what i said is just what i do hahaha

[@Gondorcallsforaid]

Honestly I totally agree with the whole spending time with fanfiction idea. I think that learning to love a story, not just because its popular or flashy or even because you think its cute, but because you truly love the story as a whole so much that you NEED more content is very therapeutic and important. It makes me a bit sad to think that some of the new readers in this generation will never feel that true love or deep emotional connection a story, and that dependence (however unhealthy it may be) on fanfiction. Of course I’m not saying people won’t and can’t developed these connections, I’m simply mourning the people who won’t. For me a fanfiction phase is THAT important.

[@BananerNanner]

See, growl, snarl, and bark doesn’t seem animalistic to me-just heavily exaggerated, to set the tone of voice that sometimes the words themselves don’t convey. Growl isn’t a literal growl, to me, just a way to convey intensity that “said” just…doesn’t lol

[@rach4997]

I’ll agree with this! I actually do like growl/snarl. I think it’s when it gets overused in the same book that you notice.

[@newlynova]

this is fair it can just get excessive HAHA

[@jazmines4324]

Agreed I think it's just because in many cases where the word is used, it's in instances of poorly written smut or the "bad boy, ice prince," type character threatening someone not to touch his girl, etc. And because those scenarios are hard to take seriously and are very frequent in the loud minority of romance books that pop off on booktok, the words overall are disliked and made fun of.

[@BananerNanner]

@@newlynovaDefinitely, especially in romantasy. The only time it really bothers me is when the protagonist’s internal monologue describes the growl as animalistic or beastly. Cringe cringe, didn’t need that lmao

[@BananerNanner]

@@jazmines4324Agree. Wish it was used more often only to set the tone, not to drive home how edgy that male lead is LMAO

[@nicolelynch7081]

The absolute cannonball of serotonin I received when I saw the upload notification should be studied and analyzed for the benefit of future generations

[@randostuff8558]

The whole character bit at 22:10 is just incredible

[@emiilyrose]

thank you for what you said about forgetting books bc with my adhd, i always feel TERRIBLE when i forget plot points or sections of books i absolutely adored!! but you're right it's about what the book made me feel!!

[@analu1989.]

new newlynova video to help with my horrible day 😭

[@bienkies9152]

I actually love it when I forget about the things I liked. It gives me a chance to experience it all over again as if it's my first time reading/watching the story!

[@Homis845]

Reading vs listening matters when we talk about kids. Kids are falling behind and reading is quite critical skill to have. Audiobooks are great but they are not the same as words on paper when we talk about literacy.

[@mwillis7791]

You are speaking about decoding which is the ability to see the letters and say the word. A child’s ability to comprehend is higher than their ability to decode. Listening to stories read aloud is extremely important. It exposes the child to vocabulary, themes, characters, and plots that they otherwise would not be able to access. Studies are very clear on this. Of course the ability to decode is extremely important but reading is more than just what word can be read.

[@toryevanss4512]

Best takeaway from this video for me is that it's OK to forget everything I read! Thanks for permission, Lexi. I just started reading a sequel to a book I enjoyed, and realized I'd forgotten nearly everything from the first book and need to re-read it. This happens to me a lot, and it isn't a hardship for me to re-read something I enjoyed, but this was an extreme example in that is was only FOUR MONTHS since I read it the first time. That's just embarrassing. But that Maya Angelou quote really sums up how I feel about books I love, which is 99% vibes.

[@user-bt8tm9fr3i]

I think the first take is true when it comes to certain book genres (aka romance and fantasy) due to the immense fanbase it has. A lot of authors get the opportunity to become traditionally published. And they get published within months so they won't lose the traction they garnered which in turn affects the quality of their work due to lack of editing done.

[@Ctrlyourself_x]

You’re quite literally my favorite youtuber, the way you articulate your thoughts/opinions omg. I always hated when people would say “booktok is just p*rn” when there are barley and sex scenes like you can tell they’ve never open up ao3 tumblr or wattpad, i love reading romance books and i feel like it’s so odd that smut is so looked down on when sex is a very big and normal part of human romantic relationships and it adds a lot to the stories. I absolutely despise people who think they’re smarter because they read a certain genre it gives “what do yk about reading😎😒” i also think a lot of people hate booktok because it’s so popular and because people who read “trashy romance” have a bigger space/platform to talk about books they love and enjoy, i’ll admit that a lot of bad books get popular because of their shock factor but if you’ve never read a book or that specific genre you shouldn’t have the right to hate on it. lmao sorry if this rant is so long(and if it doesn’t make sense in dyslexic asf) i love this video sm

[@heyimsasa]

17:19 when people say things like this, they are either not a part of the community or they are basing their observations off of their own algorithm...which means they are the ones engaging with the content they're criticizing 👀

[@saramandura]

I really like your point on forgetting what happens in a book but knowing you still love it and it’s a favorite. I feel like a lot of book influencers say they will think about a book or the characters for a long time after but I can love a book and say it’s one of my favorites and quite literally never think of it again unless asked.

[@Cattitude98]

sprayed edges have become WAY too popular in the sense of they were cool at first for special editions but now? like every other new book in the store has a sprayed edge (mostly solid colors) and i miss when it was unique

[@RandomRikster]

This is some of the best conversation I've seen on BookTube lately. Your ramblings are so much easier to understand and more concise than 90% of people on this website. Also the oven mitt is hilarious. I love your channel for these reasons (well thought out commentary and funny bits that don't distract from your overall point)

[@baileyBLIGHT]

Your audiobook take is SO based. I do not understand why people try to gatekeep reading like that! If we're enjoying the same thing just in different ways like Who Cares!!!!

[@littlegreencap28]

I agree with everything that was said in the “booktok is only promoting porn” section of the video….. that being said 👀 my hot take is people who *only* read books that have smut/where smut is the main draw but strongly identify as “a book person” or a “big reader” are the book equivalent to someone saying they’re a cinephile but only watch porn. My issue is not with the existence of smut in books or the ENJOYMENT of smut in books - literally go off, love that for you - but how many book accounts on social media are 5-starring poorly written books because they’re “sooo spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️”. Like I can’t trust who to follow when that’s so pervasive.

[@newlynova]

i see what you're saying but for me, i feel like it's always been obvious which accounts are like that hahaha i just don't follow people with takes on books like that 😶‍🌫️ it's usually pretty easy to tell esp. now that i've read a lot of the popular books that most people have reviews on

[@littlegreencap28]

@@newlynova yeah I’ve honestly started scanning book accounts (I don’t have TikTok so mostly insta and KZbin) for books that are obvious tells. Frankly it’s why I followed you, because I could see that we had similar enough tastes that I could trust your judgment on recommendations!

[@carolineforrester9625]

I would never say someone’s “not a reason” because they read different genres than I do. It’s still a book. It’s still reading.

[@roguetaco5487]

So agreed! Honesty here I love mafia romance. Just a weird subgenre that I fell into via Kindle algorithm and I haven't surfaced since lol. However I am aware my love for this often dark, "red flag" romance type is not the norm and I wouldn't promote it to anyone who doesn't already like that type of books. Oh and I love poking fun at the romance books with all the naked men with 12 pack abs... What's that Rick and Morty episode "c$m gutters?" 😂. Let's all not take it so seriously but keep in mind that "red flag men" should stay in the fictional world. Unfortunately I don't think some people remember that.

[@kalistasteele806]

I actually really appreciate what you said about audiobooks. Ever since I got audible I’ve been reading so much more, and have been able to fit it into my schedule so much better. But most of all I’ve been able to bypass my dyslexia, and it’s made everything so much easier.

[@PaxtonCopeland]

this is dramatic and i mean every word of it - fan fic (Dramione specifically) has changed my life. i just.... ugh i love it.