READING BOOKS WITH UNCOMMON LETTERS ✨

[@MissyTheMisfit665]

I so totally thought you read vicious by Ve Schwab! But now I’m second guessing myself haha 🤣

[@margo5969]

I thought exactly the same thing so I went to the comments section to point it out and it was already there 😅🤣

[@astoldbykat]

Xiran Jay Xhao is such an amazing author; I really need to read their middle grade books, because I adored her YA debut "Iron Widow, which also used a ton of Chinese culture and history in a fantasy world. Also, one of the reasons "Vespertine" is ranked 2nd on my Rogerson list is because of the lack of romance. I was so pleasantly surprised, and it definitely won me over.

[@Kriseaf]

Another amazing book that is rich with Chinese mythology and lore is "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" by Grace Lin--it's younger MG but so so impactful for readers of all ages! ETA: A sort of wild suggestion of a book with video game elements--"Solo Leveling" (manga or novel) by Chugong. This one has video game monsters breaking into modern day South Korean (and the rest of the world) and random modern day people suddenly getting video-game-style fighter powers to battle them.

[@alexishurtado6183]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is such a great book, I highly recommend! Also, you ever want another book that starts with X, I recommend XOXO by Axie Oh! It’s a YA contemporary romance centered around K-pop!

[@OliviasCatastrophe]

Margaret Rogerson is one of my very few auto buy authors as well. I just adore all her books! The characters in Vespertine are so good and the demon possessing her is so funny. I really like her balance between banter and caring. I agree, characterisation is lacking lately.

[@antivancrowe6886]

“If you’re boring just say that!” 😂

[@kitkatkagomeX2]

Zachary Ying is definitely planned to be a series, but the author is also working on another series, Iron Widow. They're going back and forth between the two I think (Edited to correct pronouns)

[@naastyaaaaaaaaa]

A tiny reminder: Xiran Jay Zhao uses they/them pronounce 😊

[@lenaertsjelke]

Plus Xiran Jay Zhao is being screwed over by their publisher so the Iron Widow sequel has been pushed back time and time again because of that as well. So a Zachery Ying sequel might be far away as well. (Edited for a spelling mistake)

[@kitkatkagomeX2]

@@naastyaaaaaaaaa Thanks for the correction! It's been a bit since I've interacted with their content and I didn't catch that.

[@starlasell5698]

I loved Vespertine. I wish it was book one of a series.

[@annikaharms8379]

For anyone looking for a book that starts with V I recommend "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murders" by Jesse Q Sutanto It's about an elderly lady named Vera Wong who owns a tea shop. One day she comes down and finds a dead body in her tea shop. After she decides the police don't know how to do their jobs she decides to take it upon herself to solve this murder. It's surprisingly funny and deep for a murder mystery.

[@august7421]

ahh such a good read, there's going to be a sequel!

[@annikaharms8379]

@@august7421 I heard! I'm so excited!

[@alexatiletile3257]

Surprisingly loved this story, and I’m not one for cozy mysteries! I definitely want more of Vera Wong, so I’m excited for the sequel!!

[@lindakirste4540]

How did you forget about Vicious😂

[@ChanelChapters]

Margaret Rogerson is an auto-read author for me

[@kitkatkc9]

Video suggestions? 👀 book recs with gaming element, vlog reading books with/about video games, if you like this video game you might like this book 🎮

[@adavis1585]

I’d recommend that you read The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Malcolm X dictated his story to Alex Haley (author of Roots) who wrote it. It’s really good!

[@MemphisJones]

I came here to recommend this very book. Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley

[@fishbowlwoman]

I looooooved Vespertine, which honestly surprised me (I'd bought it on a whim from a 50% off table). The gloomy atmosphere somehow worked for me. 💀Can't wait to read more Margaret Rogerson--and I'm also going to re-read Vespertine at some point. ETA: The original Alien is t e r r i f y i n g and gross but really, really good. I'm too much of a baby to ever watch it again. The second one is a James Cameron Action Movie (TM) and not as scary but more fun than the first IMO.

[@Colaman112]

I seem to be missing the X and Z. And if we're counting only books with English titles, V is missing as well. :D

[@wolfme4030]

In truth, I would suggest watching all of the Alien movies in order. The first two are the best in general. A lot of fans would say don’t watch Prometheus as it messes with the cannon, I believe though I haven’t watched it yet, but do own it. From what I’ve listened to of the audio dramatisation’s of the books I’ve thoroughly enjoyed as well. Some may be free with your Audible subscription. But going back to the movies, watch them all (including the Aliens Vs. Predator movies) and decide for yourself.

[@aidarodriguez6721]

I went to my goodreads to check cause i was curious and i haven't read a single book for X. But a surprising amount for a few letters.

[@eht367]

So glad it was a fairly successful reading vlog! I would have felt terrible if all the books were 1 or 2 stars 😂 I completely agree with your critique on current YA vs older YA! I think the biggest thing for me is that growing up, I knew if I picked up a YA book, I would have characters who had drive and purpose, but also a backstory and personality that built up reasons behind that and really made you understand why they had those goals and convictions. You genuinely connected with them and wanted to root for them! While I still enjoy some newer YA, I find more often than not those things that made me get behind the main character are lost behind "insert mandatory romance here" plotlines, or feeling like characters are making choices based solely on moving along the plot, rather than it being a choice you just know that character would definitely make.

[@twistedlinguistic7347]

Zachary Ying sounds like a really exciting book! I recommend: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella Vespers by Jeff Rovin What Looks Like Crazy On an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage You Sang To Me by Beverly Jenkins, and Zoya by Danielle Steel

[@JacksG13]

Idea: Instead of Titles, books by * Authors * with surnames of those letters

[@shalinimulchandani1197]

I love this video idea so much!!

[@jasonbrowne4422]

M A Bennett’s Young Gothic my favourite read this summer, wish I had kept it for Halloween. Read in two days as couldn’t put down .

[@readwithrhys]

I’m so glad you enjoyed Zachary Ying!! I was hoping you would, because it’s such a great middle grade fantasy that more people should read

[@wolfme4030]

If you’re into Chinese culture, you may want to pick up ‘A Chinese Life’ by Li Kunwu (artist) & Philippe Ôtie. It’s an autobiography in graphic novel form. Another book that’s been on my TBR for way too long.

[@angelk5743]

I highly recommend watching the original Alien and its sequel Aliens!! Another horror movie with similar vibes is The Thing directed by John Carpenter.

[@lizbradley7489]

Last book i read that started with a z was Zom100 bucket list of the dead it's a Manga about a over worked guy and then zombie apocalypse happens so he starts to do stuff that he been waiting to do

[@buttercup776]

I always love your video ideas ❤

[@cosmosbtwnpages]

I've done the alphabet challenge since 2021, my toughest letters are J, Q, V, X, and Z. 2021: Jade, Fire, Gold by June C.L. Tan Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams Velvet was the Night by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia xxxHolic: Volume 1 by CLAMP (manga) Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald 2022: Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid Queer Eye: Love Yourself, Love Your Life Violeta by Isabel Allende xoxo by Axie Oh Zarifa: A Woman's Battle in a Man's World 2023: Jawbone by Monica Odeja Quichotte by Salmon Rushdie Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck XOXY by Kimberly Zieselman Zeitoun by Dave Eggers 2024 (so far): Jackal by Erin E. Adams Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker I enjoy the challenge because it gets me to seek out books I might not grab otherwise and I find something I really love. Unfortunately it also means I've pushed myself through books that were a slog. But I really enjoyed (4-5 stars) "Queenie", "Velvet was the Night", "Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald", "Juniper and Thorn", "Zarifa: A Women's Battle in a Man's World", "Jawbone", "Zeitoun", and "Jackal"!

[@ReadEatGameRepeat]

For Chinese History things - Xiran Jay Zhao actually has a youtube channel where she goes into a lot of fun stories from chinese mythology & history - I first found her through her channel and later read her books but I think her vids are a great way to learn about chinese history

[@teddylikesrabbits]

i want to read zachary ying soooo bad, and I'm so glad you're loving it! now i really have to read hdhwjw😭💗

[@productivitymodeon]

Hii!! I was wondering if you could do an updated bookshelf tour! I think the last one is from a couple years ago and I would love to see the new setup🥰❤️

[@emmal7510]

V is probably the easiest of those letters. I can't think of any V books I've read, but I can think of a few.

[@athenasbibliotheca8099]

You loving Zachary Ying makes me so happy.☺ I adore it so much!! When I first saw you hold it up I was like YES! I also was like please love it!! I definitely need a sequel to it as well. Desperately! I think the author is focusing on getting the sequel to Iron Widow out which is understandable since Iron Widow came out first. Also recommendation for you to try out Chaotic if you've never seen the show. It's a late 2000's cartoon that gives me similar vibes to Zachary Ying. The gaming aspect of the story specifically anyway. I will also say I haven't watched it since I was like twelve so take the rec how you will. 😅 I have been meaning to rewatch it since I first read Zachary Ying actually. The list of things I've been meaning to rewatch is almost as long as the list of things I've been meaning to watch for the first time.😂

[@theonyxblack]

Such a fun video! I'm missing Q, U and X to complete my alphabet

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

Dress to impress sounds so fun 😂

[@dobetterwithchristian4472]

I’ve done the alphabet challenge the last 2 years and it’s a good time. I have z and one more left for this year.

[@sternentalerswald]

If I'm generous I think I'm only missing X and Y (as I am mostly reading in German the titles with "you" are missing). But I was surprised how hard it was to find a book with N or O that I've read ...

[@Bucky749]

Two big ones for me would have two be D for docter who S for star Star Wars

[@SarahHulse314]

It is so hard to find books with X y and Z

[@whiteraven562]

I find mysteries and thrillers have a lot of Y titles. "Your House Will Pay", "You Shouldn't Have Come Here", "You Can Trust Me" etc

[@irissu02]

Once again if you like Chinese mythology maybe it's time to put the grandmaster of demonic cultivation higher on your tbr 👀👀👀 (yes i've been waiting for so long for you to read it i will not give up 😭)

[@Kriseaf]

Doesn't he have Heaven Official's Blessing on his shelves too? I think he'd love MXTX so much...

[@emmal7510]

Alien movies: Watch Alien and Aliens* If you like one or both of those consider watching the others. Personally, I'd just recommend skipping Alien: Resurrection. The others have their flaws, but they're a lot more watchable. (I don't believe the AvP movies are generally considered Alien movies, so probably skip those too.) *I don't actually like Aliens, but I accept that I'm in the minority here.

[@Kafia_]

Romance free recs pllllease

[@ChemicalPenguinn]

Leaving a comment for the algorithm before I watch the video! (can't think of anything witty, sorry)

[@wolfme4030]

Heavenly Tyrant is the second Zachary Ying book and is out now.

[@Divyv520]

Hey Jesse , really nice video ! I was wondering if I could help you with more Quality Editing in your videos and also make a highly engaging Thumbnail and also help you with the overall youtube strategy and growth ! Pls let me know what do you think ?