reading subscribers' favourite books (plus q&a)📖✨

[@bookswithellen]

also just wanted to pop in and say a huge thank you to everyone for being so lovely🥹🫶🏻 all of the comments/messages always make my day, you guys are wonderful. thank you for being here!!🤍

[@jaimefok]

i LOVE divine rivals! i agree, it reads older in terms of the emotional maturity of the characters.

[@bookswithellen]

100%!! think that’s why i liked it so much. have you read the sequel?

[@jaimefok]

@@bookswithellen I have! Also loved it :)

[@curiositykilledthekat]

i really don't get it when people take it personally when you dislike their favorite books or like their least favorites. tastes are different and also it all depends on timing, mood, everything. so don't feel bad and don't be anxious to be honest - that's why we're watching! and people can easily find people who agree with them instead of being mean in your comments. love your videos so don't be discouraged!

[@bookswithellen]

i don’t get it either!! thank you for your kind words🥹

[@thesimplereader]

Hi Ellen! I had a similar experience when reading Binding 13. I ended up switching to the audiobook through my library app and that helped a ton. I don't think I would've made it through otherwise. Also, I think it's really refreshing to see a BookTuber who doesn't love every popular book. Keep the authenticity!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m glad you agree with me! maybe i should try the rest of the series on audiobook and see how i get on and thank you!!

[@Grace-r8x]

45 minutes?!?! I’m so excited rn, best thing to come home to ❤❤

[@bookswithellen]

hehehe i hope you love it!!🤍

[@madhuk9135]

Omggg 45 mins!! There’s nothing better than a nice long reading vlog 😌. Loved the q&a section too!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m gonna try and do more long vlogs in future!! i also personally love watching long vlogs so im glad you are liking my ones🥰

[@chadreadsrom]

I respect your opinions about the ages for binding 13 its not for everyone, as someone who met my husband whilst we were similar ages to the main characters whilst at school it really resonated with me I ate it up!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you liked it!! it’s so nice to find books that resonate with you🫶🏻i really wish i had, but i feel like i’ll enjoy the next books as we go along as the ages are more comfy for me personally, so i have hope!

[@caitlincarter3051]

I'll forgive you for Binding 13 eventually. Don't worry. Healing takes time. 😂 This is the first reading vlog I've ever watched where I'd read all the books.

[@bookswithellen]

hahaha glad i’ll be forgiven!!

[@Nimpers]

LOVE long reading vlogs!! Keep them coming!!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you like!! i definitely will be doing more🥰

[@trulybrowne9796]

the sun & moon tattoo... absolutely stunning!!!

[@bookswithellen]

thank you so much🥹🥰

[@meganvowles122]

Honestly, as someone who just found you and has binged all of your videos, I already knew your top worst books of the year. Don’t ever feel bad for sharing your opinion that’s what we want! We don’t want you to lie to us and say you like a book if you don’t. Everyone is going to have different opinions and that’s why we watch your videos. For your personality and your book racks! Keep doing you.❤️❤️

[@bookswithellen]

thank you so much🥹 this really means a lot. sending you loads of love🤍

[@Isrosex]

I watched and listened to this while reorganising my bookshelves and it was so perfect 😭 Honestly I was one of the people who said binding 13 was a fav but I do completely understand where you are coming from- thinking about a 15 year old and a nearly 18 year old is gross- especially when you think of it like a year 10 and a year 13. My love mainly began in the second one so I do recommend continuing as I hope you like it more :) these books are not for the weak hearted- prepared to be broken and not properly put back together! Love these reading vlogs so much 😩

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you liked it!!🥰 im defo wanting to continue, i think ill enjoy it more as i get further in for sure!

[@ForeverAMusicLuver]

I recently got binding 13 and keeping 13 so I'll be reading it soon but I totally get why the age difference would feel weird. Also hopefully the mean comments don't scare you off from sharing your opinions! ❤

[@bookswithellen]

i think i’m in the minority when it comes to feeling icky about the age gap so hopefully you still end up liking it!!

[@AnnaRak423]

Hey Ellen! Don't ever change or worry about giving us your honest opinion. I am sure the reason that many of your subscribers are here is because you are unconditionally honest. I think you should get extra points for reading a 2.75 rated book that was 800 pages long. Yikes! I don't know if I could do it, so kudos to you for your commitment. 🌞🌛

[@bookswithellen]

hey anna!! thank you so much, it means a lot🫶🏻 it was definitely a bit of a slog to get through hahaha but i’m really hoping i’ll like the rest of the series!

[@mycrypticthoughts]

45mins!! omgg yesss! I loved this video so so much and knowing more about you 🥰🥰

[@bookswithellen]

so glad you liked it!!🥰🫶🏻

[@maisiereads]

Binding 13 was so highly anticipated for me but now I'm definitely questioning whether i'll like it from the things you've said...but, at least now I can go in with lower expectations 😅 also, petition to see that photo with timothee chalamet

[@bookswithellen]

omg that photo will NEVER be seeing the light of day HAHAHAHA🤣 my one photo with him and it just had to be awful. i hope you end up liking bonding 13 regardless!!

[@maisiereads]

@@bookswithellen boooo 👎also “bonding” 13 has me cackling 😂

[@bookswithellen]

@@maisiereads omg bonding😭😭😭 i didn’t even notice lmao

[@lowrimeganx]

wow it’s so fascinating to hear you have a degree in midwifery as this is something i’d love to persue. silent watcher but i adore your book videos

[@bookswithellen]

omg that’s so cool!! are you uk based or elsewhere?🤍

[@lowrimeganx]

@@bookswithellen the UK 🥰

[@sherriewhite5348]

Yaaas divine rivals and binding 13 were 2 of my top books last year!!! I hope you enjoy them!

[@lindsay.b]

i really hope you continue you the boys of tommen series! i think you will like the other books more especially joeys story

[@bookswithellen]

i’m definitely going to continue!! i think i’ll really like joeys story too🫶🏻

[@ally.j]

Loved the q&a. I‘m also a musical girlie, so I thought I‘m gonna say hi! Been subscribed to you for a couple of months now and I love how honest you are about your ratings, but to know you love the same musicals as I do, just further proves my point, that you are an amazing youtuber! Thank you for the long vlog :)

[@bookswithellen]

omg a fellow musical girlie!! thank you so much for being here, makes me so happy that you like my videos🥹 lots of love🤍

[@dancesbyk251]

I get you, girl 😭 I'm also (only) 22 but I just *cannot* get myself to enjoy reading romances with any spice between teenagers...maybe a kiss, but more than that, it's a nope from me 😭

[@bookishwithji]

Hey Ellen! I just recently found your channel about 2 weeks ago and IM LOVING YOUR CONTENT 💗 I’ve been bingeing your channel 😂

[@bookswithellen]

welcome!! i’m so glad you like my videos🥰🫶🏻

[@luisehopfner1991]

I really enjoyed getting to know you a bit more personally ❤ Really liked this video!!!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you enjoyed!!🥰🤍

[@jessbaldwin]

I havent read binding 13 i would feel the same about the ages.

[@bookswithellen]

i’m glad you agree!

[@yeongnabi]

love this so much 🩷 such a good Idea 🩷

[@bookswithellen]

thank u so much🥹 lots of love!

[@agohl85]

I haven't read Binding 13 and don't plan to but after your review I went on Goodreads and looked up the synopsis of the rest of the books in the series because I was curious how that book could possibly need a series and even though it looks like only 2 books follow those 2 characters as its main characters, it is still insane to me that a book with that premise is not only 800 pages long but that the second book is a continuation of their story..... How on earth can that story seriously need 1,600 pages?

[@saraolmedilla]

I would love to see a video on how you do your nails. They're gorgeous!! 🫶

[@bookswithellen]

i defo wanna incorporate it into a video soon!!

[@drpepperfanatic44]

omg I LOVED binding 13 I haven't gotten to the part where you react to it haha, but I hope you really like it :)

[@bookswithellen]

i hope i didn’t hurt your feelings🥲 im defo gonna try the second book though!!

[@JuiceyBabs]

Your concerns of Binding 13 are giving me the ick! 🤢 I have the audiobook on Libby and I’m thinking about returning it. Also, don’t feel bad for standing up in your opinions- we love to see it. We can’t love all the same things otherwise the world would be boring. Keep up the fantastic hard work your doing in sharing your loves and hates 🫶🏾

[@bookswithellen]

thank you so much🥹 it means a lot, i get so anxious to hurt peoples feelings!! but i never want to lie when it comes to a review, so im gonna keep doing me

[@JuiceyBabs]

@@bookswithellen amen sista 🙌🏾👏🏾

[@priyar4885]

I loved the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie a lot so I might need to read the book asap!

[@bookswithellen]

i highly recommend!! it’s very very similar to the movie

[@missy_sullivan]

I also gave divine rivals 4 stars. It was a good book, but I made the mistake of reading it right after I finished the song of Achilles, which nothing can compare to. The second book "Ruthless Vows" is the better of the two in my opinion. I hope you enjoy/enjoyed reading it (I know this came out a while ago so you might have read it by now)

[@stephaniewest88]

Much respect to you for your honest review on a book you didn’t enjoy! Shame on those who have been rude about it. I’ve heard such good things about Binding 13, but never realized it depicted teenagers. As a mom to a 15 year old daughter, there’s no way I could read that 😖 plus it’s WAY too long! Holy crow.

[@bookswithellen]

thank you!! i can imagine it would be very incomparable to read if you have a daughter of the same age🫣 and 800 pages is ridiculous!!

[@bykatieparker]

this is such a great video idea!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you liked it!!🥰

[@taofyadigun8638]

Love love love the video so much Ellen💞💞💞

[@bookswithellen]

i’m so glad you liked it🥹🫶🏻

[@bookishwithji]

also! you should read a love letter to whiskey and last call at the local - both romance books and my faves of 2023 🤭

[@bookswithellen]

i’ve got a love letter to whiskey on my wishlist; i’ve been wanting to read it for years!! i hope to get to it soon🫶🏻

[@louisejames9064]

Oh I cannot wait to watch this video!

[@bookswithellen]

heheh i hope you love it!🫶🏻

[@louisejames9064]

@@bookswithellen I love musicals, Hamilton is definitely joint favourite with The Lion King! Capybara are amazing, I bought my boyfriend a mug with one on it that says "don't worry be cappy" 🤣

[@wolfme4030]

With regard to Binding 13 I loved the book despite it making me uncomfortable for the very same reasons you listed. So far I’ve read Binding and Keeping and loved both, but not enjoyed them because of their content. I really can’t explain why I do love them regardless. It is highly understandable why people don’t like them, I just hate that some people vehemently say you’re wrong if you disagree with their opinion. Please feel free to dislike all the books I love 😂

[@bookswithellen]

hahahaa i get what you mean!! and im glad you loved them. really hoping ill like more of them as i get through the series!

[@coffeeeandskies]

Id love to see you read shatter me series & your 2024 tbr

[@bookswithellen]

i’ve read the first few books in the shatter me series a few years ago and i wasn’t a fan sadly🥲 i’m defo interested in the entangled with fae series though!

[@coffeeeandskies]

ohhh I'm excited for EWF series 💗

[@charlottekatz5241]

I was absolutely obsessed with divine rivals and ruthless vows when I read them. I do agree the first book is the best but the second book was still really good. I was tearing up. I’m jealous that the uk cover for divine rivals is so nice because the one in the us is boring😭 I haven’t read the ballet of songbirds and snakes yet but I loved the movie. I want to read the book to see what his inner dialogue is. Also I’m obsessed with your tattoos they’re so cute.

[@bookswithellen]

i’m literally planning on reading the sequel this month!! bought it the other day, the uk covers are so stunning. would highly recommend the ballad of songbirds and snakes if you liked the movie!! and thank you 🥰

[@mariyajaveedkhan159]

Omg i thought you were 19 years!! You look soo young❤❤

[@bookswithellen]

hahaha i get that a lot!! i look a lot younger than i am

[@chuupichuu]

I got binding 13 but I didn’t know she was 15 or that he was older 😭 I thought they would both be like 17/18 omg

[@bookswithellen]

yeah i thought they’d be like 17/18 as well!! honestly it was fine after she turned 16 but not sure why she had to be 15 to start with🥲

[@daphne.readsnl]

Loved the long vlog 😍 Also; what are your thoughts on Crescent City? Are you excited for book 3? 🙌🏻

[@bookswithellen]

i LOVE crescent city!!! i’ve got CC3 on preorder and i will be reading it as soon as it arrives🤣

[@daphne.readsnl]

@@bookswithellen omg yay!! Same girl 🤣 I'm rereading the first two books now and i am even more obsessed 💕💕

[@bookswithellen]

@@daphne.readsnl i don’t have time this month to reread🥲 so sad!! but i have plans to watch some summary videos hahaha cos i really don’t wanna be lost!!

[@daphne.readsnl]

@@bookswithellen thats also a good idea! Are you going to do a reading vlog for CC3?

[@lorylland]

I understand that you think it's creepy to read about teens having adult-y actions. I do it to, and I'm 17!! I HATE to read inappropriate ya's.

[@bookswithellen]

it was just so uncomfy to me!! makes me feel icky

[@lorylland]

@@bookswithellen yes!!!

[@gracechapman3863]

A 45 minute video?!?! 😍😍

[@bookswithellen]

hehehe everyone seems to love the longer video!! definitely gonna do more moving forward🫶🏻

[@DoctorManiac861]

I havent read Binding 13 but you telling me about the ages give me an ik. People need to realize though that not everyone is going to have the same opinions on things otherwise whats the point of doing anything. Your opinions and feelings about things are valid.

[@laniehenry]

Do you have a pet? And what's your favorite color?

[@bookswithellen]

i have a pet frog!! and my favourite colour is probably pink

[@melissa8952]

Sad that no one asked, but I am asking now! How old is your frog and how old are you when you got your frog?🙂

[@bookswithellen]

he’s only about 1.5 years old!! i got him last january when he was about 6 months🥰 so i was 21

[@melissa8952]

@@bookswithellen we need more vlogs with him! Let him choose your TBR.🥰

[@bookswithellen]

@@melissa8952 i’m trying to come up with a way for him to pick them🤣 i’m still stumped!!

[@squidwardtentacles7144]

My thing is you're so respectful with your reviews; you state your opinions, but you also don't hate on people that have opposing opinions to you and I think that is such an honorable thing. So I genuinely find it baffling that people could be so mean. Now, I do feel like our book tastes are similar so I'm afraid to go into "Binding 13" because of all the things that you've listed, I probably won't like. I did read 5% of it a while ago, and I don't think the writing was great either. I don't think 15 and 17 is the worst age gap in the world, however, I don't find it ideal when reading a romance book. I feel like their mentalities and lifestyles would be vastly different. I feel like a 15-year-old old still carries that child-like innocence that a 17-year-old probably grew out of. And I don't think it helps matters that the author keeps describing the main female character as "tiny" and helpless all the time.😭

[@bookswithellen]

thank you so much, you always say such lovely things🥲🫶🏻 i forgot to say it in this blog but yes i agree so much with all of the discussion about how tiny and helpless she was!! just reinforced the idea of her being childish/ younger than him and it made me so uncomfy

[@yeongnabi]

and what is your fav bookboyfriend? 🩷😊

[@bookswithellen]

i would HAVE to say rhysand from ACOTAR gets the top space! but i also love rory miller from the fake out and ryan shay from the right move!!

[@yeongnabi]

@@bookswithellen love this! Yes rhysand is the best bookboyfriend and Xaden 🥹👀🤗

[@readwithorla]

if you’re okay with answering- why did you switch from being a midwife to research? i’m just very curious!!

[@bookswithellen]

yes no problem at all!! it’s kind of a long winded reason so bear with me😅 essentially it all comes down to how underfunded/understaffed the NHS is. it was just a horrible environment to work in as it was really unsafe, we never had enough midwives for the amount of women we were seeing. i found the environment itself really scary at times, and there’s a huge hierarchy between midwives/doctors, which means you always felt looked down upon. there was also next to no support from any higher ups. i loved it so so much, and the women i cared for were always amazing, but i just think working in the NHS isn’t sustainable anymore unfortunately. praying for the day when it receives the funding it deserves!!

[@readwithorla]

@@bookswithellen thank you for your reply! that’s so interesting and makes a lot of sense actually. i think it’s such a shame how the nhs is nowadays because it’s just not as helpful to people anymore :(

[@wolfme4030]

Just wondering if you’ve seen the original Heathers movie and what you think about it if you have.

[@bookswithellen]

yes i have and i really love it! seen it probably over 20 times. its one of my top faves😊

[@mirandawillis5500]

I would be fine with the age gap... if they were both above 18 lmfao. Main reason I haven't read Chloe Walsh's book

[@bookswithellen]

literally!!!! it’s why i’ve not continued the series yet🥴

[@danaorozco3247]

The best way to start a Wednesday

[@bookswithellen]

love u!!

[@halishotz9112]

cmbyn tattoo twins 🙌🙌🙌 you are a woman of taste

[@bookswithellen]

omg YOU have taste!!! i love it

[@808sandgabriela]

I personally didnt like binding 13 but also didnt hate it, same as you! I felt like the book didnt need to be that long but the age gap didnt really bother me but besides i agree with you on your review! Also i recently reread The Hunger Games series and i am living my 15 year old life again lol Divine rivals was a fave for me!

[@bookswithellen]

i’m glad you agree with me!! i really wanna reread hunger games/divergent this year🫣 im so in the mood for it

[@emmae9884]

8:35 Of course we have good taste. Why else would we be watching your videos? ;)

[@jessireads]

whyyyy would she make the characters 15/17 like what does it add to the story that 17/18 wouldn't have

[@bookswithellen]

that is EXACTLY what i was thinking, i dont think it added anything other than ickiness

[@maddywilkie]

i watched chloe bunnies reading vlog of binding 13 and i don’t think i can ever read that book 😭

[@bookswithellen]

omg that’s the exact video i watched😭😭 she put me off the book for YEARS

[@shirshendumondal1678]

Bruh... I am late 🥲

[@bookswithellen]

hahaha i hope you enjoyed !!

[@rebekahkbertram]

I felt the same way with binding 13 and got sooooo much hate for getting the ick that they’re so young and talking about all these sexual things. Maybe I’m more sheltered, but I wasn’t thinking these things at 15 and it was not enjoyable for me

[@bookswithellen]

im so glad you agree with me!!!