reading the Goodreads Choice Awards horror nominees... are they actually any good? 🤔

Buddy Read on Fable! fable.co/buddy-...
Thank you to Fable for sponsoring this video! 📚
✧˖°.
I have a complicated relationship with the Goodreads Choice Awards... every year I tell myself not to get my hopes up, and then every year I do anyway only to have them dashed when Goodreads lets us all down yet again 🙃
Watch us react to the Goodreads Choice Awards opening round on Bethany's channel here: www.youtube.co... (I join a little bit after the stream starts!)
This year I thought I'd make it more enjoyable by commiserating with a friend... so Jananie ‪@thisstoryaintover‬ and I decided to do a buddy read of one of the nominees! I was shocked to discover I'd read the most nominees in the horror category (who ever thought I'd turn into a horror girly?? Not me! 😱) so we decided to pick from there and see if these books are actually any good!
Go watch Jananie's video here: • I read the BEST HORROR... & be sure to follow her for more awesome bookish content: ‪@thisstoryaintover‬
Have you read any of these books? Are you adding any of them to your TBR? Is there a book you felt should have been included that was snubbed? How did you feel about the changes to the categories and which books were nominated this year? Let me know in the comments! 🖤
✧˖°.
Watch my recent horror reading vlog here (you can find my review of Rouge by Mona Awad here!): • 🥀 reading horror books...
✧˖°.
CHAPTERS
0:00 intro
2:13 monstrilio review
3:58 the nominees
11:09 silver nitrate review
12:18 lone women review
15:00 rouge review
15:41 reading natural beauty
17:50 buddy reading with fable
21:00 reading & kitty snuggles
24:10 natural beauty mid point update
27:30 a house with good bones dnf
30:27 the september house review
35:15 spoilers for the september house
39:46 dead eleven review
44:45 spoilers for dead eleven
51:30 end of spoilers & starting black sheep
53:59 reading natural beauty & black sheep
56:14 black sheep review
58:55 spoilers for black sheep
1:00:54 end of spoilers & natural beauty review
1:07:15 spoilers for natural beauty
1:14:30 sharing quotes from natural beauty
1:15:34 possible spoilers
1:16:17 reading the reformatory & sisters of the lost nation
1:17:24 the reformatory review
1:21:15 spoilers for the reformatory
1:22:37 end of spoilers
1:25:58 wrap up
✧˖°.
BOOKS READ/REVIEWED
*these are affiliate links. thanks for supporting my channel!
Monstrilio by Gerardo Samano Cordova amzn.to/3NauzkT
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia amzn.to/4a0ZFoS
Lone Women by Victor LaValle amzn.to/4a37URj
Rouge by Mona Awad amzn.to/416kgUS
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang amzn.to/46HK0YX
The September House by Carissa Orlando amzn.to/3uCm8bD
Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano amzn.to/416WVCg
Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison amzn.to/3GsXm0t
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due amzn.to/3GnLX1S
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[@PlantBasedBride]

Don't forget to check out Fable & Jananie's video over on her channel, thisstoryaintover! fable.co/buddy-read? ✧˖°. How are you feeling about the Goodreads Choice Awards this year?

[@dontmicrowavecats]

Stephen King is a tricky one for me too. When I read Carrie I was left thinking "is this it? Bullying and magical period blood?" But years later I read The Shining because I heard King himself did not enjoy the movie adaptation so I got curious and it did not let me down! Wasn't horrifying, but it's gripping and suspenseful to the end, the characters are also very well written imo.

[@joannarigby1989]

I find Stephen King does not write women well. The books I’ve found OK of his are written from a male characters perspective. When he writes from a female perspective it’s cringey bad.

[@randomgirl01300]

I agree, but had the opposite experience. Reading Carrie was cathartic and scary because at the time I was trying to leave a very cult-ish church. What her mother did to her because of religion resonated so much with my own experience and the experience of people I personally knew. That was the truly terrifying part for me. And it was incredibly freeing seeing her be able to get revenge even if she didn't have a happy ending because at the time I just wanted to leave too no matter what. And then I read The Shinning and I was like "that's it? That's what all the fuzz is about? Half of it is not even at the hotel and the other half is just ok." Reading Stephen King is weird because it's not like other authors where you can be like "I like books by them I've read, so I have a good chance of liking their other works". Because no, you don't. Lol. Going into Stephen King because you like the premise rather than because it's SK is the best choice.

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’ve been wanting to read The Shining because I enjoy the movie, but now I’m worried lol I wonder how different they are!

[@dontmicrowavecats]

@@PlantBasedBride not that different in terms of events, but I think King didn't like how the character of Jack was portrayed. In the book, he is somewhat of a decent man until his addiction takes over his life and even in sobriety his insecurities snowball. The Overlook Hotel feeds on those feelings and you get to experience his "slow decent into madness" as King writes what is going inside Jack's mind. Also, Jack has autobiographical traits from King himself. Wendy was also better in the book imo. Her coming to terms with the changes in Jack as a wife was pretty well done I think (but she still isn't written great I have to add).

[@dontmicrowavecats]

@@randomgirl01300 I agree King is very hit or miss. I hope you were able to get out, I know leaving such a church must have been very hard. I grew up without any type of religious belief, so that's why that part did not speak to me probably but I can see how it did with you. On the other hand, I have a few men just like Jack in my life. King's portrayal of an average, miserable and insecure man without asking for forgiveness and justifying his actions but showing how he makes people around him just as miserable as himself really resonated with my life.

[@Honey_1312]

Monstrilio affected me so deeply. It is genuinely such a beautiful story & I have never read anything quite like it ❤️

[@PlantBasedBride]

Same ❤️ more people need to read it!!

[@jenniferglover6417]

I am glad I am not the only one that often finds the years best, or nominees for books a bit off. But I guess that is just a good reminder that what we all prefer is quite subjective! I always love your insights and reviews! And my GOODNESS...the biscuits that kitty was making....what a precious little love! Fable also looks amazing thanks for sharing that!

[@PlantBasedBride]

So true. It’s always interesting to me how wildly different people’s reactions to a book can be 😅 and yes, Yoda was EXTRA snuggly during the making of this video 🥰

[@_glint]

wow your spoiler of the september house sounds super interesting! it sounds like the writer thought long and hard while they were writing! i'll def be reading it someday

[@anniepantheraleo]

Some of these were in a horror recommendations post on Goodreads and I was so happy to see you were reading some of them so that I could know which ones to read and which to skip :')

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m happy to be of service! I’d love to know which ones you want to check out after watching 🥰

[@anniepantheraleo]

@@PlantBasedBride Monstrilio, Natural Beauty and Rouge were already on my tbr, but I added The Reformatory and potentially The September House as well! I knocked off Dead Eleven, Black Sheep, Silver Nitrate and Lone Women so thank you for making my tbr more manageable :D

[@TheJohannaMiller]

I hope you eventually come back to Our Share of Night. It’s so different than her short stories. I also found it really stuck in my brain after I read it, so much so that I went back and gave it another star!

[@kolibrisway]

Same - I think Elizabeth would really like it!

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’ve seen multiple comments saying the same thing so I guess I need to give it a go!

[@thaliad6759]

I never would have thought I would have read the most from this category, but I did too. I read 5. I loved and appreciated Monstrilio as well. I voted for Our Share of Night. One of the best books I've read this year! I would put Monstrilio 2nd. I also read Lone Women and am now a Victor Lavalle fan. Silver Nitrate and Vampires del Norte were good reads, but nowhere near Our Share of Night!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh interesting, you’re the second perso to say they loved both Monstrilio and Our Share of Night - I think I might need to read it then! 👀❤️

[@indubitablyzara]

Yes, I was coming to the comments to say this! I read Monstrilio and Our Share of Night back to back in August and I absolutely loved them both. I haven't read Mariana Enriquez's other books (though I've meant to) so I don't know how it compares, but I have difficulty imagining how someone could love Monstrilio and not at least enjoy Our Share of Night (and vice versa).

[@nikkivigneault2467]

I recently read A House with Good Bones and really enjoyed it. Though I can see where you are coming from with some of the explanations being long winded..I do want to touch upon the 'quirkiness' you refer to as the main character being possibly autistic. As someone with 'high functioning' autism it's really nice to read a book about someone who is pretty autistic coded and does things that some people find 'quirky'. The hyperfixation aspect of the main character was a huge part of that and having a special interest and connecting things to that interest can be a good coping mechanism. I think if you continue with the book going in with some of these things in mind might change your reading experience a bit! :)

[@PlantBasedBride]

I did think it might have been an attempt at characterization of a neurodivergent mc, but I must admit I don’t always love how ND characters are portrayed. I obviously didn’t read enough to speak on the representation, nor do I know if the author has explicitly stated that the character was meant to be ND or specifically autistic, but as a ND person myself (ADHD) I can be surly about ND characters being portrayed as so very quirky and out of the norm. I find it a bit othering, though maybe I need to talk about it more in therapy because it could totally be a me problem lol

[@dracaryslace]

Just watched Jananie's video last night, excited for your take on these! ❤

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m watching her video now! This was so fun to do together 🥰

[@annajo6576]

This is a top notch reading vlog! Sometimes these GR ones can be a bummer because people feel forced to read things but this was good vibes all around (even while not enjoying some!)

[@daniellemarics]

I really want to read Natural Beauty and Rogue. I also read A House with Good Bones and gave it a generous 4 stars on Good Reads but it was really a 3.5 for me. The ending ruins it a little bit too. I know what you mean about the main character not being great.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oo I hope you do! They're so good ❤ Did AHWGB get scary at any point?

[@daniellemarics]

​@@PlantBasedBrideI am not a great person to answer that questions. I don't really get scared by much of anything beside dirty washrooms, haha. I found at the end it got more silly than scary. The monsters were not described as all that ominous. I found it a little outlandish.

[@GilmarGirl]

I just finished Rouge and I thought it was pretty interesting and well done. I liked Bunny by the same author more, but Rouge was a pretty solid book. Definitely weird but lots of good metaphor going on in it, and it had me tearing up a little at the end. I'd recommend it

[@christinebelance8699]

Elizabeth, I love these longer videos!! I plan to add some of the books to my TBR since they seem interesting; hopefully my next quarter of university isn't so jam packed, allowing me to tackle them. Also, I want to say thank you. 💛 Watching your videos has encouraged me to use Goodreads despite not reaching it for it ever. I recently rated my first book , a recent purchase, and sadly it was terrible 😭. Nonetheless, it's been great to see what's available and my general perspective on certain genres, authors, etc.

[@Katiedora122]

I didn't anticipate such a cozy vlog about horror books, lol

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha I can’t help but give off cozy vibes, it seems 😂 I’m in my nesting in my hobbit hole era 😅

[@BookishMandy]

It’s so interesting how different we all are when it comes to books. “A House With Good Bones” and “The September House” were in my top ten books of the year. I loved them both so much. I always enjoy seeing what others think of the books I love.

[@NamiSparrow]

Okay I’ve been foaming at the mouth for a new horror read and I felt pretty aimless cuz I’m picky about the horror I read so THANK YOU SO MUCH cuz I already borrowed and started Monstrilio and I’m already loving it 😍 I wouldn’t have picked this up without your review so thanks so much omg

[@rosarodriguez8984]

Almost 90 minutes of Elizabeth speaking about books….yeeesssssssss 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 as always I added some new books to my TBR list, like The Reformatory, Natural beauty and Monstrilio. Thanks for such an incredible video. 🙏🏻😘😊 Edited: went and checked on Goodreads and any of your two favourites made it to the final vote? Is it so? 😢😢😢😢

[@PlantBasedBride]

So happy to help you add some great books to your TBR! And I know 😭 Goodreads let me down once again 🫠

[@mahjihenry3944]

Elizabeth, I cannot remember how I came across your channel, but I am happy that I did. I just finished Monstrillo maybe 10 minutes ago and I cried. lol. I cannot even put into words why or explain how this made me feel but I am glad I picked it up. Thank you! I don't think this is something I would have ever found otherwise.

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m so glad it moved you! And I’m glad you’re here ❤️❤️

[@anjiandrada1853]

I would recommend Stephen King's The Stand. It's my first and only SK read and I love it. your nails tho 😍

[@PlantBasedBride]

Thank you! I have the audiobook of The Stand but I’m definitely intimidated by the length 😂

[@heatherbocks]

I apparently have become a horror girl too. I guess I always thought horror was all like Saw so I avoided it, but it turns out it isn’t at all and I love it!🎉

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha same here! I remember watching the first Saw movie and having a HORRIBLE time 😂

[@chappellroanplsgotomanilaibeg]

omg natural beauty one of my best reads as well this year, was so good as ling ling huang's debut novel (spoilers) . . . . . . my head canon was victor had something to do with her parent's accident, like he was scouting talented promising women (especially of immigrants and poc, as per the reveal about her workmates) to exploit and be part of his 'organic' business in the future, like he planned that from the moment he was introduced to anna so she'd end up having no choice, end up with nothing in her name, working there, which makes him more henious

[@PlantBasedBride]

Yes, I agree with your theory! He was definitely targeting specific demographics of young women to exploit and he certainly had the power and money to cause the accident. It’s so nefarious and disturbing 🥺

[@anyalaa]

coming down here to politely request a weird book recommendation video...

[@greyalderwood]

have you ever thought about moving from goodreads to storygraph? I made the switch this last year and am really enjoying it :)

[@PlantBasedBride]

I tried it when it first launched but had trouble adjusting to it. I’m planning on trying it again at some point!

[@michellecgb]

A long videooooo??? I feel blessed ❤

[@PlantBasedBride]

I hope you enjoy it 🥰❤️❤️

[@fralou_sind_kreativ]

When it comes to Stephen King, I highly recommend "Rose Madder" and "Lisey's Story". Those two were the first I read of him and I really liked them!! In November I read "Cell" and "Duma Key" which I also liked but not as much as the first two :) Right now I'm reading "It". After watching your video I've put a few more books on my tar-list. Thanks for that! :) Wishing you a wonderful Christmas Season and sending you much love and creative vibes

[@witchymary5246]

I think we got a pretty good horror roundup this year (except for Chlorine missing, which is a crime). I read 4 of these: Lone Women (got my vote, I loved it), How to sell a Haunted House (idk, it was fun, I like Grady Hendrix), Natural Beauty (good but I think I read it at the wrong time, couldn't get really into it) and Silver Nitrate (boring imo) And I'm interested in almost all of the others (Monstrilio ofc, Dead Eleven, SGJ, Rouge, Our Share of Night, Vampires of El Norte The September House and The Reformatory) Ok, gonna watch the video now, I'm interested what you will think

[@arielmillaud708]

I always enjoy watching your reading vlogs. They're so relaxing to me and it's like I'm listening to short audio books about these stories- with lots of commentary! ;p Also, did I miss your December Plan With Me? Or just not feeling it this month? ❤

[@PlantBasedBride]

It’s coming! It was just delayed because I had to travel for family things ❤️

[@JulesIsWatchingStuff]

Elizabeth, you're the only one who can make me watch a 1h30 long video about a genre that I'm not drawn to at all. The best part ? I got a recommendation out of it. I would love to read The reformatory. I also have a recommendation for you, but not a horror one. But the way you talked about some themes in Natural beauty kinda made me think of the book Lorsque j'étais ume œuvre d'art, by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt (though you should keep in mind that I have not read Natural beauty). It is in French, and I had thought of recommending you this when you talked about your reading around the world challenge because the author is Belgian. I am usually not one to like fictions that explore a big theme in a less subtle way than the common moral of the story... but I loved this book, Schmitt's writing style, loved certain characters and loved hating others, and loved the exploration of the meaning of beauty and art. Highly recommend... and I think it could be up your alley.

[@annier5914]

rouge was my fave book of 2023! so glad u liked it

[@Mlefebre]

I’ve been waiting patiently for this video ✨✨✨✨

[@PlantBasedBride]

I hope you enjoy it!! 🥰

[@amandatyler]

I also DNF'd A House with Good Bones and I couldn't exactly articulate why until I watched this video - thank you for articulating it so well! Also King is hit or miss for me too, even though I love a lot of his work sometimes I don't find myself engaging with it or enjoying it - but when he gets it right oh man is it enjoyable to read! My favorite classic King is Pet Sematary, highly recommend.

[@apollosfallenicarus]

I got the ARC of a House with Good Bones and ended up DNF-ing it too. I had the same gripes with the book that you did! I wanted to find out the mystery and the creep factors were interesting but it was so few and far between and I couldn’t live in the protags head any longer 💀

[@TheVikingBunny]

I've cried with every Tananarive Due book I've read. I hope, if you feel your heart can take it, you check out more of her catalogue. 💜

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’ll definitely be reading more! Do you have a favourite? ❤️

[@TheVikingBunny]

@@PlantBasedBride The Good House 😭🙂😭 as with all of Due's books, check the CWs/TWs before proceeding if you've got any things you're particularly careful about avoiding. Keep tissues/hankies handy and a cat you can bury your face in for emotional support. 💜

[@olivia_vermast]

Finally have time to watch this! Can’t wait:)

[@xxzcfdxc]

As someone who loved Bunny I'll definitely have to read Rouge

[@teneshaanderson4761]

Rouge isn’t good at all. All’s well and bunny are definitely mona’s best stuff

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’d recommend it! I disagree with the comment below yours, as I preferred Bunny and Rouge and didn’t love All’s Well, but the fun thing about reading is that we all have our own individual tastes and interpretations!

[@GilmarGirl]

I picked Rouge up as someone who also loved Bunny and I didn't like it as much but it's still good. It definitely is still very Mona Awad.

[@Lilithka]

I'd recommend Pet Sematary or The Shining by Stephen King. The burn is slow and his characters are usually rather unlikable so I think I can understand why some people don't like his books but I think there are some real gems. The Shining and It are classics of the genre. I have not read any of his newer books so I can't comment on those.

[@PlantBasedBride]

These are the two that y’all keep telling me I need to read! I guess I’ll need to do a double feature 😉

[@aprilhutchens2105]

I had planned to read "Dead Eleven", but I removed it from my TBR based on your review. Sounds annoying, especially the droning about basketball. I am a huge football fan, but even at that I don't need a lot of unrelated football talk in my thrillers. When you said that I immediately went to "Shiver" by Allie Reynolds in my mind...OMG she could NOT stopping explaining allllll the nuances of skiing. That book would have been half as long and twice as good without all of that technical talk. Spoilery comment about "The September House" incoming: I LOVED this book. I am not a horror girly, typically, and I strongly dislike haunted house books as a general rule, though I will occasionally give them a chance (but I DNF'ed Grady Hendrix SO fast when I saw where that one was going). I did disagree with your thoughts on the daughter - I found her character absolutely insufferable, but that wasn't even my big issue. What I didn't understand was her entire attitude about her missing father. She always wanted her mom to leave him, she didn't have a lot of contact with him, yet when HE seemingly leaves HER, the daughter flips out. She rushes to the house, she's enraged by her mom not being "worried" about her abuser, she's driving all over town looking for information.....I just didn't understand that. I know it's hard to say how one would react in a particular situation when one hasn't been there, but I truly believe I would say "good riddance" and encourage my mom to change the locks. *shrug*

[@stormdog7023]

my friend you missed perhaps the biggest content warning in the september house 😭 easy 5 star book for me bc i found it so cathartic but FAMILY MEMBERS OF ADDICTS/ALCOHOLICS BEWARE

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh no! I had alcoholism in my trigger warnings list but must have missed it when putting together my book card. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@kristenkois163]

I love Rachel Harrison but Black Sheep was definitely my least favorite.

[@julianachapin4871]

I wouldn’t recommend Holly are a first time King reader. It’s technically a sequel to the Mr. Mercedes Trilogy, The Outsider, and a short story for If It Bleeds. Holly Gibney is one of my favorite King characters, and I don’t think the novel Holly would hit as hard if you haven’t read the previous works.

[@programmablecat]

I love T. Kingfisher's "cozy horror" books, but House With Good Bones is definitely not my favorite. It does get better, especially when you meet her neighbor with the vulture, but I agree with you on the main character's forced quirks and repetitiveness. My favorite T. Kingfisher book is Hollow Places and What Moves the Dead where the main characters are genuinely funny and the way they find relief in each other despite the horrors help give put the "cozy" in the "cozy horror".

[@kristenchumley1421]

Natural Beauty got my vote for Best Horror. I realized this year that I am a fan of literary horror so I plan to continue reading more in 2024 such as Monstrilio and Rouge. There is also a new book in the same beauty horror vein coming out in 2024 that I saw called youthjuice so I'll probably check that out too.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh interesting! I’ll have to look out for that one ❤️

[@wanderingjourneyarts852]

I was obsessed with the original The Stand movie, and then I read the book and I hated it. I wrote Stephen King off for years. I just picked up The Shining, because I write horror and I wanted to study one that was super famous, and it's fantastic! So I'm now considering getting more of his books and seeing what I've missed.

[@rhi393]

It’s not one that’s talked about as much but I really loved insomnia by Stephen king. It’s a chunky book but I devoured it and it’s the book that got me back into reading as an adult

[@LittleKikuyu]

I‘d recommend you go for his older classics. Before the 2010s. Most of his newer books just aren’t great. He’s kind of lost touch with the times imo. But there are people who love his current stuff for whatever reason 😂. I would personally not recommend Insomnia but I thought the Stand was decent enough, so I guess it all comes down to preference 😅

[@LittleKikuyu]

Oh and as a recommendation: Pet Sematary is one of King‘s absolute best imo and one of the most universally praised ones 🥰

[@rhi393]

@@LittleKikuyu definitely agree with pet semetary

[@rhi393]

@@LittleKikuyu Yeah I get that, admittedly I read it back in like 2017 so if I reread it I may not like it as much because my reading tastes have changed but I do like weird horror books so maybe that plays into it.

[@kathleen.l]

Adding Natural Beauty and The Reformatory to my tbr. Also, I might try fable. I'm currently using storygraph but I'm also looking for other reading apps.

[@PlantBasedBride]

If you like storygraph I think you’ll really enjoy fable! It’s more focused on the list making and social connection aspects of reading but it has a vibrant community and some really awesome features ❤️

[@hollydusomelau1642]

If your into Nostalgia and creepy stories, I would absolutely recommend Mister Magic. It’s not “child stars” they way kids from the Mickey Mouse Club are child stars. This is way more about an Urban Legend about a kids show that has left no trace, but people remember seeing it when they were kids. It was solid.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Hmm that does sound more interesting! I’ve enjoyed the author’s work before so maybe I’ll give it a try at some point 🤔

[@sophiat1042]

Great recap of Silver Nitrate, I feel like the stakes of it really fell flat and didn't really do it for me on either horror or suspense. Did you read Vampires of El Norte?

[@_glint]

21:45 your life is a pintrest board.. my dream bedroom

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw thank you! ❤️ I’ve been obsessed with it since we finished decorating in January 🥰

[@banannakis6723]

Shows how much I don't know any of the current books of this year when I looked at the noms and only knew what a few of the books were about or had read any of them. Sadly the ones I read were bad, so I'm not voting for them. Though with the Goodreads awards, I'm not really sure how good any of those books are if we're going off last year's results.

[@namesdaisy9403]

Hello, I had not heard of Lone Women and it does sound like it had a lot of potential. I would love to read a good, scary story about survival and isolation in the old west.

[@PlantBasedBride]

It could have been so atmospheric and eerie but honestly the setting felt wasted to me. So sad!

[@melodybales2038]

you've got the biscuit maker doing overtime! Careful or else they will unionize haha🐱

[@PlantBasedBride]

Lol this comment is so cute 😂

[@deendrew36]

I just read Holly, and I loved it. I would not super describe it as horror, even though the subject matter is kind of horrifying. Was a little preachy about Trump and covid at the beginning but I loved the story itself. But I am a huge SK fan. I also had already read the Bill Hodges trilogy prior to Holly. (Holly was a character in that trilogy).

[@gillian5826]

I love your cats and their biscuit making endeavors

[@PlantBasedBride]

So many biscuits!

[@mekiiiiiiiiii]

Just finished natural beauty and I really enjoyed it. Can’t wait for your opinion! ☺️

[@PlantBasedBride]

I really enjoyed it! Such an interesting book ❤️

[@Ludacrystal43]

What you mentioned about the September house was interesting to me. I felt the opposite that the daughter was very dismissive of her mother. I didn’t like the daughter much at first lol.

[@fkaJupiter]

T Kingfisher’s writing is very bizarre to me, in Hollow Places the main character kept talking about having sex with her gay friend and kept saying things like “IF he were straight, and IF i were even attracted to him, we would probably be fucking right now” like girl….

[@PlantBasedBride]

…what in the world 🙃

[@cate796]

I agree! Very weird jokes in situations that are supposed to be terrifying. Parts are written really well though. I’ve read 3 but am not going to continue with this author unless I hear rave reviews on some future book.

[@UnlimitedPocky123]

Lmao so I guess I fell asleep while watching this video because my boyfriend bought me Natural Beauty after listening to you talk about it. I just finished it and wow. It’s the type of horror I enjoy and I’m still feeling the heebie-jeebies after.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw haha I love this! I’m glad you enjoyed it ❤️

[@arimcphail4124]

I feel goodreads horror was a real miss this year, i dnf’d so many of the nominees

[@anaquil]

I tried stephen king "mysery" and I couldnt get into it. :c i feel so bad cuz i feel like hes a really good author. But his style just isnt for me

[@ruplayinggame3080]

I agree with you about how September House has really interesting exploration of themes... but I completely hated the plot, it felt very repetitive and she kept having the same conversations with her daughter.... and the characters felt a bit generic to me. And the joke that the book ended on... SPOILER... Made me angry about the labor rights of ghosts, lol! (I am just that kind of person, there's nothing I can do about it :P

[@LittleKikuyu]

I recommended King’s Pet Sematary in another comment and I really think it’s one of the best horror books ever written. I think when you give King another try it should be on your list 🥰 I‘d be surprised if you didn’t like it!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Pet Sematary and The Shining are probably the two that have been recommended to me the most! Maybe I’ll have to do a double feature where I read both of them for a video 🤔

[@mothmallow]

I'm sorry A House With Good Bones didn't work for you. I have loved all of T Kingfisher's books that I've read and I loved this one as well. I clicked with the main character right away, but if she grates on you, then I think you made the right choice to DNF. I'm on the same page with you on The September House. I listened to the audiobook as well, and I think the tone of the narrator maybe contributed to how the nonchalance of the main character both works and doesn't.

[@David-ue6gk]

Why not use a kindle e-ink reader, like the oasis, along with natural lighting. Reading from a cell phone can give you a big headache!

[@PlantBasedBride]

I don’t have an ereader and haven’t had issues with headaches reading on my phone! I might get one at some point, though.

[@airam5144]

Haha, I dnf:d A house with good bones at the exact same spot! It was my last attempt at reading T. Kingfisher and I've decided she's definitely not for me. The quirkiness irked me, as well as that fact is shoved down your throat by not just her actions and what she says but also her own internal commentary. Couldn't stand it!

[@chriscze6153]

I know you gave Rouge 5 stars, but...knowing your tastes...I'm going to guess you really like Natural Beauty, and if you read Our Share of Night, that too. Don't think How to Sell a Haunted House will be fully to your liking, might be a 3.5 or 4, House with Good Bones the same, don't think you'd like Silver Nitrate at all, and let's see!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oooo I love these predictions! I didn’t read all of these but you got a couple right 👀❤️

[@jojothemidnightreadingowl5911]

I’m more of a Dean Koontz fan than Steven King sorry mister King lol 😊

[@melanieadams3066]

The Boogeyman is a serial killer, not like, a boogeyman.

[@jothamcadlaon6560]

I felt like T. Kingfisher's writing is not for me.

[@whatjenread]

I felt EXACTLY the same way about Lone Women

[@PlantBasedBride]

I was so disappointed by the wasted potential 😔 I’m curious about the author’s other books, though!

[@kolibrisway]

I'm a huge fan to T. Kingfisher but House with Good Bones is not one her best. If you didn't like what you read the I don't think it's for you. The horror plot kicks in fairly late, too.

[@PlantBasedBride]

I think I’ll pick up something else of hers to get more of an idea of her writing style!

[@jadajuxtaposed4962]

I love your videos, thank you for making them. I also follow you on Goodreads. I've read a lot of your recommendations. I am also vegan :)

[@jordanrow7835]

do you still have plans to make a book stat tutorial?

[@RoseArnoldd]

I’ve read 12 of the top 20 and my favourites of the bunch are Monstrillio (😍😍😍) and Our Share of Night but I plan on reading The Reformatory Soon! I felt very similarly about House of Good Bones…the MC was just…annoying

[@PlantBasedBride]

You have amazing taste, clearly! Maybe I should give A Share of Night a try then 🤔❤️

[@shelbylit_1711]

I wish “Chlorine” by Jade Song would have been nominated for the horror category, or in the debut section! It was so sapphic and weird and unhinged in the best of ways.

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’ve heard so much about this book! I’m not sure I can handle the level of body horror in this one, it sounds like it feeds into some of my own personal fears/the things that gross me out the most, but I’ve been tempted to because of all the raving reviews!

[@shelbylit_1711]

@@PlantBasedBride That makes sense! The body horror is definitely a bit intense, it certainly won’t be for everyone!

[@TheKickasskatie]

I feel bad because both T Kingfisher books you've read are her worst ones, in my opinion. I've read almost all of them and literally any of the other ones would be much better lol

[@maddielouwho]

1:14:20 “change their names to basic white girl names like Madison” Me, a white Madison: 👁️👄👁️

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha it’s ok, my name is like the original basic white girl name (Elizabeth) 😂

[@glittergirl12341]

becoming the boogeyman is a terrible book its like he wrote it to tell you that he wrote a book and bragging about how successful his first book was and how hard it is to be an author of a successful book. it was like nails on a chalkboard

[@maeve3007]

Stephen king is complicated for me. I love hus ideas buuuuut his writing is just a no. I read it, the shining, met semitary and started under the dome. He just writes whole pages of stuff we don't need to know and pull me out of the story. Also there is ALWAYS cheating and he can't write woman. So not for me.

[@teneshaanderson4761]

Mister magic is not good. I liked natural beauty.

[@PlantBasedBride]

I didn’t notice while filming that Mister Magic is by an author I’ve enjoyed in the past, but still the premise is not appealing to me at all 😅 and Natural Beauty was really well done! If a few of the plot holes had been resolved it would have been a 5⭐️ read!

[@ivydaimond6715]

Lemme guess for September house…she was dead all along …. Thanks for the spoilers

[@PlantBasedBride]

All spoilers are marked and I never implied that at all, so I’m not sure where you got that from 🤔