Our Best and Worst Books of 2024📚 | 2024 Reading Wrap-Up | Chatty Reading Video

[@zoeross3901]

I actually do want to hear you yap for four hours abt all the books you read this year lol

[@sophp9554]

If you want a replacement for harry potter I’d strongly recommend Percy Jackson, there’s two horrible, but kinda funny, movies and an ongoing tv show plus several spin off book series! The books are incredibly funny and are great for all ages - my mom (who’s in her 50s) read it recently and she loved it, so it’s great for all ages!

[@kellyhuang1]

Timestamps for those who enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 0:47 - Morgan: Last Night at the Telegraph Club 2:37 - Felix on their relationship with reading 6:41 - Felix: Gregor The Overlander Series ***spoilers but not the whole time 18:25 - Morgan: They Never Learn 19:30 - Felix: Jurassic Park ***spoilers most of the time 24:45 - Morgan: None of This is True 26:17 Felix: Graceling Realm Series 31:01 Morgan: Remarkably Bright Creatures 33:26 Morgan: Crying in H Mart 34:36 Morgan: Jurassic Park 39:56 Felix: The Happiest Baby on the block 55:02 Morgan: Manhunt 59:34 Morgan: Nine Perfect Strangers 1:05:20 Outro & How to get into reading

[@CouplaGoofs]

Omg thank you so much!!

[@kellyhuang1]

@@CouplaGoofs Happy to do it :)

[@ashleyoberst2699]

the way my husband’s face lit up when you started talking about Gregor the Overlander! it’s their favorite book series that i had never heard of before we met thank you for providing a little moment of sunshine today ❤

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@ashleyoberst2699 It’s seriously SO good!!!

[@marscontino3570]

loved this video! hearing both of you yap on and on about something you loved (or hated!) is so fun, I like to have your videos on in the background while crafting :)

[@lester___pepper]

One thing about me is I'm gonna click on a book video so fast. Ok I know Morgan isn't that into book recommendations but if someone came over to my house and told me they wanted to try to get into nonfiction these are some of the books I would pull off the shelf first. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot, They Called Me a Lioness - Ahed Tamimi, Disability Intimacy - Alice Wong, Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer, Unmasking Autism - Devon Price, and The Future is Disabled - Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. Happy reading to everyone this year!

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@lester___pepper Disability Intimacy has been on my TBR for so long!! Happy Reading to you as well!!

[@caitlingoodemote3830]

When I was a kiddo, I remember distinctly being read C.S Lewis Chronicles of Narnia when I was in 4th grade as our read aloud! And my teacher had a way of making those books magical. And as educator now, we still do read alouds with students & sharing the magic of reading with my students has been wonderful!

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@caitlingoodemote3830 big fans of the Narnia movies!! We should definitely start thrifting the books

[@caitlingoodemote3830]

@CouplaGoofs yes! I can never remember the order of the books in the series (definitely something you can look up online) I have it somewhere the whole series in one giant book! And it goes in order, something to keep an eye out for maybe? Also! Look into the book “Ida B” by Katherine Hannigan, I read that in 6th grade and it’s still so magical to me! It’s less then 300 pages and I think that could be fun to read aloud to your kiddo too!

[@royallyriv]

this is perfect rn bc i’m actively scanning my entire physical tbr on a digital library app and i need a background video

[@alsadragon]

Growing up my family was really into Tamora Pierce's Tortall Universe Series. They are fun fantasy set in a more medieval-esque world with knights and kings and magic and dragons. They do not have the media tie-ins that HP has but they have several series all set in the same world but featuring different main characters so if you don't like one mc you might find another you enjoy. The original series came out in the mid 80's and so I have found you can thrift some great used copies! I will also always shill for the Percy Jackson books they are so amazing and has someone who works in education and librarianship I have found them a great match for most readers.

[@CouplaGoofs]

OH I've heard great things about Tamora Pierce! We'll defff be looking about the thrift stores

[@kbow22]

I recently did a reread of all of them starting at the Alanna the Lioness series. While I still looove them and they're very much Strong Women energy, the female protagonists are often thrown into relationship stuff really young (like 16) with guys that are not really age appropriate for them. It's a bummer because it's very much a 90s fantasy thing for women to get into relationships with older men and it's like, nbd?! wild. HOWEVER Tamora Pierce has said that although she didn't have the language for it at the time, she imagined Alanna as a genderfluid character, so that's rad. And her later stories have queer characters and wlw stuff as well.

[@Fermentedsnails]

I have been WAITING for this video since you talked about it on stream and Im so so excited to watch

[@RandiBarton-t8e]

Lord of the rings!!! Maybe for when they’re a little older but it’s really not that graphic and for like a 10 year old the fantasy is soooo cool. The movies might be a little scary so make your own decision there but for me as a kid I loveddddd the movies so much. And then as I got older I got to dive even deeper into the lore, and honestly the world building is still giving as an adult!

[@caitlingoodemote3830]

I second this! Or even the hobbit is a great entrance into that world!

[@emmag7400]

Gregor is so underappreciated and the mention of it made me light up! My 4th grade teacher read the entire series to us and it was one of the first book series to get me into fantasy reads. It was my sort of Harry potter adjacent series that was significant to me growing up.

[@CyongeNinja]

This video is medicinal for me. Thanks lovelies!

[@jayequinn590]

I read Gregor when I was like 11 and ate that shit up as a kid! It’s so criminally underrated. So happy to hear you talk about it in the year of our lord 2025!

[@maggie7797]

Felix! Based on what you said about Gregor, I would recommend a series called The City of Ember. There’s a movie associated that I didn’t love, but I was OBSESSED with this series as a kiddo. I believe there are three or four in the series, but they’re CHUNKY books. Also I reaaaaaally loved the Avalon: Web of Magic series

[@sarahweiner7223]

beyond excited to hear gregor the overlander on this list. My 4th grade teacher actually read this one to us as a like... lunchtime activity (along with PJO and some other great kid series that i sadly cannot remember now) As a 8 year old who loved weird/dark and sometimes very tragic stories, it definitely made me hungry to get my hands on the Hunger Games once they finally let me check it out at the school library. As for other ones (that now has a tv show!) would HEAVILY throw my hat in the ring for the Mysterious Benedict Society. Esp as an undiagnosed neurodivergent kid, I had never felt more seen, and it definitely includes many different types of neurodivergence and all are seen as uniquely valuable. i think there are new books that I haven't read in that one, and it also has a companion puzzle book.

[@alexis_silly]

I know and totally respect you guys don't want to booktubers but more book videos would be so appreciated. I said this on your latest stream but I need to know more of morgs opinions on fourth wing lol. Even if they're little TikToks it would just be so nice to hear your thoughts on books. It's just so refreshing to have like genuine people read if that makes sense. This felt so refreshing!

[@CouplaGoofs]

I think we're going to make a long form video about it bc a few folks have asked!

[@alexis_silly]

​@@CouplaGoofsomg awesome!!

[@fountainpen1728]

Delicious haterade about the snoo!

[@CouplaGoofs]

Yes!!! If they have no haters then I am dead

[@tinuvial42]

I love middlegrade in part bc the authors seemed to understand that as a kid i wanted stories that were a bit dangerous, a bit scary, and full of bits of the darkness that i felt creeping in at all times. The WondLa series i think does such a great job with the balance between darkness and bizarre beautiful hopeful worldbuilding. That and the True Meaning of Smekday, and the seven professors of the far north were also of that same vein but more grounded, and i still think about them

[@tonyal5508]

Okay, if you like the Graceling series you may also like the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor. The first book kind of reads like a post-Twilight insta-love thing, but then the ending blows everything up and takes the series in a completely different direction and introduces SUCH cool word building.

[@thegirlontheboat1250]

Last night at the telegraph club was so good!

[@La8Stell]

Gregor the overlander was my favorite as a kid, and I reread it recently and it's still so good??? But yes, very dark

[@DyntaiArchaiel]

I didn't realize Morgan's a horror/thriller fan so I got pretty excited for the "They Never Learn" rec, just borrowed it on Libby! And I do love hearing about people's least faves. Manhunt has been on my TBR but I keep waffling. I'll likely continue to waffle. Related (to books but also muppet interests and also child friendly literature), have either of you read Mo Willems' "Leonardo, the Terrible Monster"? I just had the pleasure of seeing the theatrical adaptation and it's UNBELIEVABLY charming. You can find the OST online, to my delight. Just wanted to share this child friendly rec.

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@DyntaiArchaiel oh I will definitely be looking that up later lol

[@kaekae198]

Highly recommend A Scatter of Light which is the companion novel to Last Night at the Telegraph Club! Both unexpected five star reads for me!

[@tonyal5508]

I LOVE Gregor the Overlander. Such a fantastic series! I would also recommend The Tapestry Series by Henry H Neff. It's also a magical school series for children that came out in the early 2000s during the HP knock-off era, but it has lot more Celtic influence and is a lot darker, in my opinion. Also recommend the Witchlings series by Claribel Ortega. It's a newer kids series specifically written in response to Rowling's nonsense.

[@emmie6948]

Try the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage for a Harry Potter replacement, my family was really into both series growing up. We have left HP in the past but still quote Septimius Heap. The audiobooks are great I have so many cozy memories of playing on the carpeting with my sister and listening for hours while my parents did stuff around the house. I’ve done a few rereads more recently and in my opinion it’s aged fairy well. It’s definitely more niche than other series and no movies but the world building is so rich it’s great!

[@tinuvial42]

Yes!!! Septimus heap!!! It doesn’t have any spin off media, but it has the sort of growing darkness and maturity, and imaginative world and universe is incredible

[@taylorvalencia354]

Love this list! Morgan if you haven't already read this series, I'd suggest Ninth House and Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (part of the Alex Stern series). VERY much horror, fantasy thriller that I think you'd enjoy based off your beginning comments. These books scared the crap out of me! (But also I'm easily spooked lol)

[@KristaReneaBaker]

I felt SO much pressure to get "the best of the best" of all of the baby stuff with my newborn and I felt intense worry that my baby wouldn't sleep well without the Snoo. I wasn't going to pay that astronomical price for something they could only use for a few months but I did consider renting one. The news lately is saying that they are now charging monthly fees to even USE the Snoo now. So you pay that huge price tag to buy it and then you have to pay a monthly fee to use the features and they have some type of code to make it to where it's difficult to re-sell or rent it because you have to attach the serial number with the monthly subscription and only one user can be affiliated with the Snoo. It's so ridiculous to me.

[@euterpemuseful]

Two replacements for Harry Potter I would suggest are the Spiderwick Chronicles and Deltora Quest. My mom loves reading both to me and my brothers. We were especially obsessed with Spiderwick, had the companion guidebook to different fantasy creatures. I recently found my copy that I annotated myself. My mom still talks about how great Deltora Quest was.

[@DrARK2021]

Kindle hack: if you are a slow reader like me I can't finish a book in the time before the Libby loan expires, I download it onto my kindle and put my kindle into airplane mode until I'm done with the book. That way it wont disappear before you're done. If you're the government or whatever this is a lie

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@DrARK2021 YES! My favvv hack lol

[@Emmajaneann]

Tuesday’s with Morrie is a great nonfiction book that doesn’t feel like nonfiction if you haven’t read it yet!

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@Emmajaneann Omg I was obsessed with Mitch Albom in early high school. Completely!!! Forgot!! I should definitely reread that one.

[@hoapken42069]

I have a copy of remarkably bright creatures I’ve been trying to give away!! (my mom gave it to me and refuses to take it back) i can send it to the p.o. box sometime next week!!!

[@CouplaGoofs]

Stop! That would be amazing if you're sure you don't need it! It was seriously sooo good.

[@hoapken42069]

@ i am sure!! it’s been on my desk for months and none of my coworkers will take it. i’m happy to give it a new home!!

[@erindoremi]

i got back into reading via ACOTAR thanks to morgan recommending it - and it was mainly because romantasy gave me similar feelings/vibes as when i used to read a ton as a teenager. also the "audiobook of a book you've already read" thing totally worked for me too!! i did that with hunger games and that has also been a good way to get out of a reading slump (re-reading something i know i like)

[@CouplaGoofs]

Yesss!!! I know I'm not the first one to do it but it has been so nice to finally be able to enjoy audiobooks!

[@sarahmowrey9531]

As someone who was definitely an 8 year old into weird and sad things (repeatedly checked out a book of ghost stories from my elementary school library) I so appreciate the recommendation of Gregor the Overlander to that demographic lol

[@KristaReneaBaker]

My reading goal last year was 26 books (I try to set the goal to +1 book then I finished the year prior) and I ended up reading 37 books. I am normally reading 2-3 books at one time. Then I had a baby in Novmember and didn't pick up a book again until January so my goal this year is to finish 12. If I can read a book a month I'll be happy but it's SO hard to read right now. Lol.

[@innerdialogue20]

The JP film came out before before the second book was published. Jeff Goldbloom was so popular in the first film that Crichton retconned his death. (Retcon: retroactive continuity; where they go back and change or add context to previously established canon)z

[@alexis_silly]

I love how felix is just a rambling bunch of spolilers and morgs is a very vauge review lol

[@wildcardsys]

Percy Jackson (and extended series by Rick Rioden), Warrior Cats, Flight Rising, and Animorphs for HP replacement recommendations!

[@maddisonjon1]

For HP replacement books id suggest the Nevermoor series. Book 4 should he coming this year. Morrigan crow is a cursed child the town blames all there misfortune on. She is meant to die on her 11th birthday instead she is whisked away by Jupiter North to Nevermoor. Its magical, has giant cats and its very fun.

[@caitlingoodemote3830]

Okay, I’m going to be annoying for like 1/2 a second then I’ll stop yapping (I can yapp all day about books & book recs if you allow me too) Brandon Sanderson is another great one to get into!! He has a series that’s 5 books (warning: each one of those books are THICK) and I know he has a couple stand alone books & atleast 1 children’s book as well! He’s a college professor & teaches a class about writing sci-Fi and fantasy & records his lectures to post here on KZbin for folks to watch which I also enjoy. His books might be something to look into especially for that Fantasy element you’re looking for!

[@CouplaGoofs]

Every one loves him and I just haven't found the energy to give him a shot lol But I am kindaaa in my fantasy era so maybe I will this year!

[@caitlingoodemote3830]

@@CouplaGoofs there are KZbin videos on how to get into him (no spoilers) without exhausting yourself with his huge books in his main series

[@emilyb1311]

Oof Morg I have had Remarkably Bright Creatures on my nightstand for a month and now hearing your review I am nervous even though I was excited to read 😭 I lost my Grandma 6 months ago so the grief is in a weird place in my brain right now. Wondering if maybe the book would help me process? And maybe a good cry is needed? lol if you read this comment I’d love to hear more of your outlook or advice on if it’s too soon for me to read it!

[@bethanygeiger856]

I went on a Lisa Newell binge last summer. My favorite one was The Night She disappeared (queer content for your consideration!)

[@bethanygeiger856]

That was supposed to say Lisa Jewell

[@ezraa3990]

A good series that gives Harry Potter vibes but is not terrible is the Akata Witch series!! By nnedi okorafor! It’s so good

[@armapplesauce]

manhunt could’ve been so cool 😔😔

[@CouplaGoofs]

@@armapplesauce Arm it was the most traumatic thing that I experienced this year and I GAVE BIRTH

[@howaboutotis]

Apples Never Fall from Liane is sooooo much better and an awesome thriller. Have you read behind her eyes?

[@bigenderly]

the snoo side tangent just took me OUT!

[@opposable.veronica]

my screenshots folder for the edit of this video will be studied by historians for years because it was BANANAS