picking out five star predictions for the best reading month 😋 JULY TBR

[@melanieandbookstacks]

That annotating was so sweet. Someone maybe doing it for the first time or just enjoying the book. I hope they went on to enjoy many more books the same way

[@gwifa64]

Indeed!

[@1OldPacman]

Big YES for a dedicated video for 1q84

[@gwifa64]

I hope little Luke is still enjoying annotating to this day! It takes a lot of courage to mark a book with your own musings. Fair play to him for beginning the endeavour!

[@El_Alf]

Webster the Spider! That's my vote for his name since it's a dictionary to go with the bookshelf and has web in it to go with the spider. It's goofy 😂

[@ambarrose]

In relation to what you said about the Murakami book, can I suggest that you start a series about specific authors that you enjoy, the books you love the best,why you love them and their writings...

[@Warloser360]

1Q84 is a trip! I think it needs a full blog.

[@soph3373]

yes! I have 100 pages left and I love it so much

[@oly_d9485]

I've randomly read Steppenwolf this year, and the whole experience felt like a transformation. So many beautiful expressions, so many thoughts, a definite five star. Very excited to hear your thoughts!

[@sailormiu]

in the presence of absence by Mahmoud Darwish! Very excited to hear about your experience 🇵🇸🍉:]

[@Sarah_Jean86]

What a great pre-birthday gift to yourself! I know July will be a 5 star month and hope that I find some recommendations to read along the way.❤

[@kellydebarr9023]

LOVED "As long as the lemon trees grow"

[@LonelyWolf337]

theme song of this video should be "What's This" from the Nightmare before Christmas lol

[@eckat5]

Those annotations were not giving me little boy, but rather very old man. I love my grandma dearly, she is my favorite person and I love to hear about what she reads, but she is 87 and this is exactly her brand of commentary 😭

[@hm7747]

For me it was giving teenage boy who had assigned reading for a class lol

[@juanhernestogomez433]

maybe they had a quota of annotations for hw

[@gwifa64]

@@hm7747 A lot of people also with the likes of ADHD are known to have messy handwriting! He could be any age.

[@juliandherbooks1]

I just opened KZbin after studying the whole day, and the joy I felt (and feel) at seeing your new video is unreal

[@emmiereads]

:’) hope it’s a bit of rest and break for you!

[@dimsumspastten]

Yes to the 1Q84 separate vlog!

[@karin.007]

after i saw how much and how passionately you raved about the count of monte cristo, i have finally purchased it!!! i made sure to look for the robin buss translation, like you said. it sounds relight up my alley, so thank you emma !!

[@febefrombelgium5281]

Another hotel novel recommendation; "Hotel 21" by Senta Rich. This novel is not groundbreaking, or beautifully written, but just a fun time. A popcorn read, that might be too much on the nose with its messages. But it is set in multiple hotels. Sometimes all you want is just an easy, fast-paced book. "Noelle is an efficient and friendly hotel cleaner, a model employee. Or so she'd have you think. The trouble is that she can't help taking a little 'souvenir' as she cleans. Nothing of value, just tokens of happy, normal lives: a lipstick, a hair clip, some tweezers. And by the time the guest has noticed, she's long gone. As she starts at her 21st hotel, she's determined to beat her record of one month in a five star hotel before suspicion falls on her. But when she meets her new colleagues, her plans are complicated. These women aren't just hands pushing carts down lonely hotel corridors: they are women with lives full of happiness and worry, pain and joy. The kind of lives Noelle has never known how to live. They make her wonder what it might be like to have real friends, people to stick around for."

[@Kyle4k9]

I have a family member, female age 23, who loves tarantulas, exotic spiders, scorpions, and has too many to count living in terrariums in her home. Also 2 cats, a bearded dragon, and a 12 foot boa constrictor. I love that she loves these creatures. I'm really more of a dog person.

[@BMTitus]

It's amazing that the pink marker on the counter survived a visit by two cats without taking a dive.

[@Littlerose8]

Finally, someone else who hates their summer birthday! I was born in June, and heat and I do NOT get along. I wish I was born in the autumn, honestly. Hope that you have an amazing reading month, all these books sound so good! I also need to do something like this because working on my thesis has been making reading hard and I have nine books I've been trying to finish for months.

[@QuestionsIAskMyself]

SAME!! Always hated my summer birthday. Good luck on your thesis

[@Littlerose8]

@@QuestionsIAskMyself Thank you 😭 I'm dying from both the work and the heat and need all the encouragement I can get

[@headoverworld]

1Q84 is such an easy read, it's his best work in my opinion :)

[@alex88088]

1Q84 feels like a stepping stone in my journey through literature, having read and enjoyed many of Murakami's books, none of them prepared me for the beauty of this immense novel.

[@moitree8482]

omg you just unlocked a memory with eva ibbotson!! i remember loving her books when i was younger- i think i read 'the dragonfly pool' and other books years ago??... i think youll love the one youve got!!

[@chloetaylor1839]

I loved Eva Ibbotson’s novels growing up, both her middle grade and her adult novels. I haven’t read A Company of Swans since I was about 16, and I have no idea how I would feel about it now! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts. Loved the video as always ❤

[@artboy444]

Watching you always makes me wish i could read faster and or just devote my every waking moment to books. As for 1Q84 please do a full on video. Of course ill need to read it before then...but thats what the rest of July and August are for. Also happy birthday...or birthday month!

[@jzarin]

You should pick up Hotel Silence by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir. The author is Icelandic and it’s set at a somewhat dilapidated hotel. The hotel really features in the book and I love Ólafsdóttir’s work.

[@mayflower38]

I only know Eva Ibbotson from her children's book. I did a book presentation in school about The Beasts of Clawstone Castle. Her books were quite popular in Germany it seems. Or just my mother liked them, who knows haha

[@IL-nl9jn]

So glad that you’re planning so many rereads for July, i’m also revisiting some of my favorite series and giving second chances to some books!!

[@lisasstitchingandsuch]

On the theme of hotels I recommend the book The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden. Its about some siblings who end up spending a summer at a French Hotel alone because their mother gets sick as soon as they arrive. It was written in the 1950s so it feels like it should be middle grade or young adult fiction because of the age of the protagonists but is oddly not quite that.

[@barbaralemon4170]

Just finished Hard boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.Soooooo good!

[@julieseguin3101]

Hi Emmie, happy birthday month! I read Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson this winter. It's a middle-grade which happens in winter, in a hotel, and the main character investigates to discover the hotel and... her past. I think it clicks all your boxes! It's funny and there's a cute friendship between the main characters! Perfect if you feel down this december. In the meantime, have a fun summer!

[@francespeterson2452]

You should know that the dream thieves is set in the summer and has such a sticky hot summer vibe if you want to continue with the series soon!

[@ReadingNymph]

Having a month dedicated to 5 star predictions is such a lovely idea. I hope you have a great birthday month😊

[@soph3373]

emma! I've read most of murakami and 1q84 is my favourite along with dance dance dance. I think you will love it

[@amymaddess3325]

Absolutely we want an 1q84 vlog not even a question

[@rennyontherox]

1Q84 was my first Murakami and I loved it so much! Still one of my fav reads ever

[@lucie7372]

It was such a nice surprise to see you with an Eva Ibbotson! My mum once read Journey to the River Sea to us over a hot Easter when i was really young, later I read 4 of her other books including a company of swans and loved them. I recently found my old copies and was planning on reading her again. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[@gmcclary5878]

Your book collection looks tense and dangerous and I love it

[@QuinnValetine]

Lost so many and Getting read to serve an indefinite amount of of time, your videos keep me sane. Thank you 🫰🏼

[@QuinnValetine]

Picked up a copy of wuthering heights and someone had annotated with colored highlighter just about every single letter in some color in only the first 5 pages of the introduction and not once after 😭😭

[@jakenap7184]

Happy Birthday! Was wondering if Ice by Anna Kavan is on your radar, a cold kafkaesque nightmare sounds like something you’d dig!

[@taesthetic6598]

Yess please I would love a full vlog on 1Q84 by Murakami 🤩✨

[@uguisu-mochi.]

My birthday is also July 24th (and it's the same as yours if I'm not mistaken...?), and I saw some comments saying their birthday is also July so happy birthday to all of us, summer girlies🎉🥰

[@ShyGoldie]

1Q84 IS AMAAAZING

[@bbogdane]

As you like sci-fi and poetry, I would like to recommend to you one of the most poetic classical "hard" sci-fi books I have read: Poul Anderson's Tau Zero.

[@penultimateh766]

Your enthusiasm is so infectious! I need and app where I just stand back and take pictures of all my shelves and then AI reads the spines and catalogs them for me.

[@jordilynnewood600]

please please please please do a whole vlog on 1Q84 it’s one of my favorite books of all time

[@lydiafrost8769]

Ibbotson was a huge childhood favorite of mine! Her children’s books especially are so magical! I don’t remember much about A Company of Swans but I remember loving it as a teen

[@bujobyfilo]

I didn't know she had written middlegrade! I read the morning gift, a company of swans, the secret countess and another one (don't remember the title) and it was such sweet cute innocent romance, truly YA, not like what's labeled YA today 😊

[@lydiafrost8769]

@@bujobyfilo Yes, she wrote many! The Secret of Platform 13 was one of my favorites - very young Harry Potteresque but written earlier

[@miraintheforest]

Im almost done with 1q84 and I am so excited to see how you perceive it!

[@Tiziana.I]

You should absolutely read Ubik, I loved Solaris and I really like Philip Dick's works, I think Ubik is the best one for me ❤

[@denisefreitas6727]

Emma, your mess shelves look amazing! My first three readings of July are: A Little Princess, by Frances H. Burnett (rereading); Carmilla, by Sheridan Le Fanu; and Near to the Wild Heart, by Clarice Lispector.

[@bookswithcoffees_]

I'm really looking forward to reading Steppenwolf this month, as I (not so secretly) hoped it would win the poll too :) Hope you have the best reading month Emma!

[@ezgiçiftçioğlu-l7f]

Omg july is my birth month too and i love making this month magical for myself so much🍀🪄✨

[@eloualielouali4949]

I'm about to start reading the picture of dorian gray, so excited

[@Snickledoodledoo]

Hi, emmie! May july be a great month for you (and happy birthday 🎉). I bought a copy of cloud atlas because of the video you made last month and i'm so excited to read it! My tbr is brimming and delightful because of you.

[@baxtermaxtor]

7:02 ooh ,The Birds, would love a review

[@lilalitaa]

I personally thought steppenwolf was a little underwhelming, but maybe it was just the wrong book at the wrong time for me… however, I would highly recommend Narziß und Goldmund from Hesse!! Absolute babe of a book

[@shima39944]

pleaseeee do a separate vlog for 1Q84!!!!

[@syedanamazhassan8084]

Ok so Totally counting on u to Review The seven year slip novel for us And recommend some cute soft novels set in rain and they should be like clean romance ❤ xoxo

[@lexilatis]

3:06 The Resident Bookshelf Spider does have a title and a distinguished taste in books 📚 😊

[@Cubehead27]

1Q84 will be my first Murakami and I am sweating (I haven't finished either of last month's book club picks yet so I'm probably doomed but that's ok lol)

[@wiskerlikestoread4594]

You have to read the book of disquiet. It’s honestly one of the best books I have ever read

[@writtendell]

1Q84 is soooo good! If anyone struggles with reading it I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook (english version). It's excellent!

[@haerhawk]

Happy birthday month Emma I wish you a wonderful month and also a happy belated Canada day too

[@claudiamasasa3484]

whole vlog for 1q84 plsss!!!

[@bujobyfilo]

I remember enjoying all Eva Ibbotson's books many years ago. They're cute innocent YA romances.

[@benevolentink3552]

Recs for hotel books with winter/snow/ice: The Shining by Stephen King The Maid by Nita Prose (idk bout snow but hotel) Grand Budapest Hotel

[@marinabradfield8473]

Have you talked about the Gentleman in Moscow on your channel? I couldn’t find it. Hotel is one of the main characters in that book

[@red.carnation]

I hope you'll love Hotel World, Ali Smith is one of my favourite authors 🤍

[@Bonitolibro]

Best bookshelf video EVER 🙌🏼

[@YoumsBooks]

Two things 1) the cats are catting in the background, love to see it ; and 2) i'm reading Hesse's Siddhartha in July and obviously Steppenwolf is next on the list Happy birthday !

[@ba-gg6jo]

Solaris is a wonderful read

[@finnemore21]

Yes!!!! A vlog just for 1Q84❤

[@PatrikOrjes]

Was that a "Välkommen" I heard at the start? 😂That's a lot of cool reading you have for the month. As for my TBR I'm probably finishing House of Leaves pretty soon and after that I'm going to start Solaris for the first time. So excited to finally be reading it! And happy birthday month! 🥳

[@mariacamellabarruela3404]

emma pls read The Book of Disquiet pleaseeeeee❤❤

[@lewisfishr]

happy early birthday fellow july bday haver and vegan book reader! whenever you get around to "how do you live" would be keen to get your thoughts as i am unsure if i like it. would also recommend for snowy reading "miss iceland" by audur ava olafsdottir and for spring reading "swanfolk" by kristin omarsdottir (admittedly being in sydney means a colder birthday rather than a hot one like in canda!)

[@trishnickles2236]

Happy Birthday, Emma! I hope you have a tremendous reading month. And by the way, you deserve ALL the good things! 🎉🎉💕💕 🎈🎈🎂

[@adithisandesh2082]

Pls a dedicated video for 1Q84!!!!!

[@matchu1230]

Since I started watching your videos I've been sooo excited for you to read 1Q84!!

[@drakewarden]

Happy birthday! My birthday is also in July and I'm so excited to read 1Q84 for my birthday 🥰 hoping it will be a 5 star for sure

[@fiddleleaffiction]

I absolutely thought Steppenwolf was going to win for World Tour too! I’m tempted to join you and add it to my TBR for this month anyways too 😊 as always, love the casual, TBR chat videos!

[@LeaReads]

You should go to the southern hemisphere for your birthday some year! It would be winter!

[@beckyl4343]

I loved Eva Ibbotson books when I was in my teens! I wonder if they hold up now

[@kevgh3869]

Hi Emmie. I love your channel. Your style is very real and down to earth so it is easy for me to watch, even your longer videos. Question: Have you ever read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke??? I don't recall you ever mentioning it. I highly recommend this book to you. I'm pretty sure you will love it!!!

[@miraintheforest]

Rebecca is soooo good❤

[@nicolefegan]

Oh my gosh, Hotel World! As a fellow lover of hotel literature, I think you will love that book. I read it during a very emotionally turbulent time in 2022 and there were a few lines that stole my breath away and genuinely felt healing. I hope you love it

[@emmiereads]

Ahhhh amazing to hear, cannot wait🥹🥰

[@wallfloweresque]

Ali Smith is the best

[@floydandtotoro]

oOooh I’m reading Floating Hotel right now and it’s getting so good! it’s such a fun world, I think you would enjoy it… it started out very cozy sci-fi but ramps up quick! 🚀❤

[@Kotakinsss94]

Spider names: Charles Silke (like Rilke) Aragog Some random human name like Josh or Ken

[@aaron_osborne]

With the sci-fi route, I'm looking for Stephen King's 11/22/63, about preventing JFK's assassination with time travel. Film adaptations of his work are frequently released, so it should be intriguing, as I’ve only read Carrie.

[@aamnahere6250]

For those who've not read Murakami, which book would you recommend as an introduction to his work? Love your videos, Emma.

[@lia_tabea]

Happy birthday month to you and me! 💖 Love the idea of reading only books that I have high hopes for as a present to myself, will do this from now on xxx

[@MrsGeorgeKnightley]

great video, Emma! Happy birth month! Have a good one! Also, I had to stop the video multiple times because I keep thinking it's my cats that are meowing and since they usually don't meow a lot I was super confused(and concerned a bit) because I never caught them meowing but I kept hearing it p.s cant wait to hear an opinion on 1q84 :)

[@duyguacar2504]

I started 1Q84 3 days ago . I am about to finish 2nd book. It is amazing. Cant wait to hear your opinions about it❤.

[@sarasiekkinen5905]

Hi Emma! I saw it in one of your stacks and I BEG you to read Ladies' Paradise by Zola! It's one of my favourite classics and an incredibly descriptive book about 19th cent Paris

[@j.c.4100]

I absolutely love your channel, and find I share a deep love of some of your favorite books--especially Anne of Green Gables and War and Peace. But how is it possible that I haven't heard you mention Wind in the Willows? In the unabridged form, this is so much more than a children's book. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, and you will especially love the cozy winter scene at the badger's house. Someone (wish I remembered who) wrote that The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the most beautiful chapter ever written in the English language, and I couldn't agree more. If you've covered this book, please tell me where, and if you haven't, hope you will do yourself a favor and read it. It will make you happy.

[@El_Alf]

Happy Birthday Month, Emma! 😂 🍰 🎈 🎈 🎊

[@emmiereads]

Thank you!!!!😊😊😊

[@ShivangiBhasin]

EMMMAAA!! I recently stumbled upon a rather obscure title which SCREAMED your name because it had two of your favourite elements: hotels and snow! It also has the dead haunting the living, a theme I’ve seen you explore in your reading. It’s called “The Children of the Dead” by Elfriede Jelinek

[@celestehepburning]

Aww I was really hoping you’d pick To the lighthouse, maybe next month :)

[@ParadoxKismet]

Cloud Atlas is also one of my favorite books of all time. And of course each component of The Lord of the Rings is a 5/5 🙂. I have 1Q84 but the length intimidates me. Is now the time to read it? 🤔 Please do a dedicated vlog for it! The comments in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep are quite funny. You have some very interesting picks in this TBR stack.

[@circleofleaves2676]

Yay for picking up Ali Smith! I hope you enjoy Hotel World.

[@liviaromanova77]

Happy Birthday/Reading month Emma! July is also my birthday month and every video from you is like a treat for me.

[@Ms.SpookyNerd]

Hope you enjoy your reads 📚🥤