Reading Wrap Up March 2024

Thanks for chatting about books with me! How were your reads in March? Did any of these books catch your eye? What are you planning to read in April???
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Books Featured in this Video:
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs by Caitlin Doughty
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
How Do You Live? By Genzaburo Yoshino
The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa
Kindling by Traci Chee
The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

[@omgitsyelhsa13]

I think for your shelf adventure for long form content, you could do a complete shelf stat wrap up. Like “shelf one had 27 books. 10 books I’ve read, 17 I hadn’t. Of the 10 I had read before this, I kept 8 (then show your 8) and got rid of these two (and you can name them or put the cover on the screen)” and then you don’t have to hang onto them for months on end

[@demaramorrow1661]

I love watching you deshelve and explain why you are keeping or unhauling each book. The Gram won't let me comment on your deshelving reels but it is very cathartic and makes me want to do the same.

[@Ezeekat]

I’m glad you’re enjoying them!

[@AnnInWonderland.]

Caitlin Doughty's books are great, they're very educational and the cheeky style makes the information in them much easier to handle. Caitlin also has a channel here on youtube, Ask a Mortician, and the videos have that style too. I highly recommend it. But yes, it can be a lot so take care of yourselves and stay safe ♥

[@1014ewillis]

I love your in-depth explanations of why you like or didn't like the books!

[@alyssataylor6473]

Could you take photos of the books you let go & add in a photo into the video? Have never read or seen any Pride & Prejudice anything but I'd love to read Most Ardently.

[@sb1363]

Kamogawa Food Detectives really hit me hard since I'm starting to get to the age where my parents are slowing down, and the family farm is gone, and my friends are starting to pass away... (for real, I'm only 40, not like 80...) But it really hit me in the 'you can never go back' kind of way

[@alexandraw909]

Caitlin is amazing!! Her delivery is great, she has a couple other books as well, and a KZbin channel. Right now she's on a break and only coming back if she deems it necessary/worthy, but I strongly suggest checking out her channel.

[@susan3037]

So enjoyed this wrap-up! Been a fan of Caitlin Doughty for some time now and was happy to see a book of hers I haven’t read. Definitely picking up How Do You Live and Song of Silver. So love your reviews!

[@lucasandvanessabremerman7143]

I always love watching these videos!!! 1:16 that seems like a great comforting chaos to watch long form ❤ An Idea could be talking a picture of each book and get rid of them or write it down in like a book journal or something Just an idea!

[@Thebeetlejuicelover]

I love the idea of reading through your shelves. Maybe do clips as you finish the book (like your TT's) and combine them for a video? This is my shelf before, clips, then after? That might be a lot of work though. I haven't read any of these yet but I did add a few to my TBR. From last months wrap up though, I read the first 3 books of the Wayward Children series. (2 last month, 1 this month) The third was my favorite so far so if you do continue the series, please try and stick around until then before you decide if you want to continue or not. Glad you were able to find your balance though and get a lot of reading in. :)

[@izzy-hn7ns]

Hey Ezeekat, love all your reads. I have a similar reading to you and I’m always so glad to watch these sorts of videos because of all the book recommendations as well as watching your love of books and reading. Thank you for spotlighting books that would have never shown up on my radar before watching your videos, you have helped me become more adventurous and get out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading.

[@athenacomeau4866]

I look forward to your reading wrap-ups every month! Each time I end up adding books to my TBR. This time I added: How Do You Live, Most Ardently, and Lore of the Wilds. 😊

[@shannonhasquet7175]

Hi there! I recently discovered your channel through the shorts and I think you're great! This was my first video of yours that I've watched and as someone whose life is controlled by my bookshelves, I was interested to see your process to read things that have been begging to be read for years and to clean up your shelves a bit. I'm excited to see more!!!

[@Ezeekat]

Thank you! I'll definitely be sharing more of my bookshelf process in the coming months!

[@mj-sc5ff]

I love the way you talk about books. Regarding your opinion on Most Ardently and how queer people deserve happy endings, I agree! I disagree when people look at happy queer endings in historical fiction as "unrealistic" when historically, some queer people did manage to make the best of the world they lived in and managed to live happy lives (in secret). Of course, this is not the case for everyone, but to act like situations like that never happened is a disservice to those real queer people who came from these times. Also, even if it is unrealistic, it's also historical fiction, and you can bend the rules a little of what is and isn't realistic. Like you said, queer people deserve happy stories and happy endings too, including in historical fiction books. Historical fiction stories shouldn't be dominated by straight stories. And I think we're all a little tired of the pretense that queer stories need to end in tragedy, we also want happy fluffy love stories.

[@hannahandherstories]

I don’t know if you’re still needing ideas for the project, but you could have the short form videos be your more real time reading decisions to keep or unhaul, and unhaul as you go. Then you could vlog/do mini wrap ups along the way and combine the clips from all the books from the same shelf into a longer former video.

[@dinahgreenfield7513]

Love these videos! I usually always agree with your reviews of books so it helps me decide what to buy and what not to buy. And I absolutely cackled at “Buy a Katee Roberts book.” 😂

[@MikkiandtheMouse]

For making your way through your bookshelf, perhaps the books that you unhaul, you could just show a graphic of the cover. The Emperor and the Endless Palace reminds me of why I didn't like Goldfinch; I love a terrible human being of a character when they're just so completely terrible, such as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho but when a character is terrible but it's avoidable or something they could grow beyond but they don't, that's when I lose patience and stop caring about them.

[@bookish110]

I was thinking the same thing for the unhauling video!

[@Jane42.]

Just found your channel and I love the way you describe books! I have How Do You Live on my shelf after seeing The Boy and The Heron. I am even more excited to read it after hearing you discuss it. Also, the thought of just starting in one corner and reading through all my shelves is such a crazy idea-very overwhelming! But a great challenge! Happy reading.

[@ferventfei]

ive watched a lot of your short-form content & this is the first time im watching a long-form one and its still so entertaining! it was interesting to hear your thoughts on the books and its very cathartic to see people unhauling books

[@Kritz_Reads]

Happy to hear you enjoyed a song of silver flame like night. That one has been sitting on my shelf. Taunting me.

[@LindaASJ]

I love, love, love that you’re going through your shelves and are able to gift others with some of your books once you’ve read them. You will end up spreading so much good with your gifting

[@ReadingIDEAS.-uz9xk]

Currently reading the Count of Monte Cristo. It is excellent, but I might be some time!

[@Ezeekat]

It’s so long 🤣

[@iheartwalle]

Im in the middle of Song of Silver Flame Like Night and reslly enjoying it!

[@Ezeekat]

It's so good!

[@athenasbibliotheca8099]

I'm glad there is people who liked Song like Fire, Flame like Night. The way you describe it makes me feel like I read a different book. 😅 I saw that plenty of stuff was going on in the story, but I still just thought it was kind of blah. You not liking The Emperor and the Endless Palace makes me a little sad. I haven't read it yet I was just wanted to pick it up. I'm not sure if it is that smutty I'll like it. I still want to give it a try. We'll have to see whenever I get to it. I'm excited for Most Ardently, but I do feel like I should read Pride and Prejudice first. I don't think I've seen many people loving Lore of the Wilds. I really hope I love it though because the cover is gorgeous. Good luck with all your reading in April. ✨

[@1book1review]

I randomly stumbled across The Emperor and the Endless Palace and am just glad that I didn't see any marketing for it. I ended up enjoying the read, fully agreeing with you on your criticism though. I mainly thought it was a captivating read I couldn't put down.

[@Harley24986]

Song of Silver is in my hall of fame for this year! I LOVED the duology soooo much! I also wasn't overly impressed with Kindling though. it was a bit slow, the 2nd person was odd and it felt just kind of...I don't even know. That book was so hard to rate. lol

[@TeaLoverlne]

Love the explanations on the books and your opinions. Especially good to hear how you can like a writer and their style necessarily liking every book they write. And that it is ok to unhaul a book you like - being realistic about whether or not you would reread and choosing to share it with others rather than holding on to it forever.

[@nknutson780]

I just found you, through your short form. Happy to have found you! 🎉

[@chertea7832]

Hey I know this is late but if you wanted to do a long form video of this (which would be awesome), you could always films bits as you go so once you’ve finished a book on the shelf the video is dedicated to you could film your review and say if you where keeping it or unpausing it and then just compile these videos and maybe do like a little before and after of the shelf at the end and just talk about how many you kept and how many you unhauled. (Sorry and know that’s long and a bit confusing if you see this I hope it helps and if you want me to explain more I will).

[@vivianwakoff]

I follow you on Insta and when I saw you had an YT channel... the gasp I gasped! Let me tell ya, it was something! I wish you did more reading vlogs here, though. I'd watch the heck out of a vlog about your shelf-reading challenge! Make it an hour-long and I'm here! Anyway, subscribed!

[@TheMagicalMusicalBookworm]

I want you to know that I love you videos and I was wondering if you could do more writing tips. I just watched your first one that was posted three years ago and it was really helpful!!!!❤

[@maple1902]

I loved watching this video and I hope you make more in future

[@kristenumansky8855]

I love this wrap up!

[@annar7184]

Love the idea of reading from the shelves in order! How about a reading vlog where you decide if you want to keep the book or not?

[@Ezeekat]

Ohh, yeah, that might work

[@chelseybranham1608]

Your personality is wonderful! I just subscribed!

[@BookishDaddy]

Song of Silver looks so good!!!

[@lythdumler6186]

What about filming each keep or go portion right away and editing it together for the long form?

[@StephanieSlaptsis]

I had some of these already on my Libby holds list, but now I have more. Also I want to go through my shelves the same way, might be a good way to read some I've definitely forgotten about!

[@kristenumansky8855]

All the reasons you didn’t like the three body problem are the reasons I just ordered it for my husband! 😂 he loves all things sci-fi and physics.

[@DaisyMooster]

I am trying to read 75% of my books this year, I can buy new ones but that just means the amount i have to read goes up, it has definitely made me reconsider what I purchase. Also, the local bus stop-turned-book shelter has made me unhappy things I know i won’t read, it’s good to know that they’re going to go elsewhere and someone gets a book for free! (Even if some utterly gross human peed in there on the way home from the pub. 😮

[@gaelmorgan6271]

First of all, I've followed you on tik tok for YEARS and i had no idea you had a youtube channel!!!!! will be bingeing your videos for SURE!!! Secondly, im SO glad someone else didn't like Emperor. I felt SO BAD for not liking it, as I had really looked forward to reading it i just couldn't stand the pacing and there was no chemistry for me, i wasn't really invested. That being said, I really hope Justinian continues writing as he is DEFINITELY talented even with the flaws and I'm looking forward to reading what he comes out with next!

[@cherubdoll1609]

For the books you get rid of you could keep a list of what you got rid of then do the digital photo of the books when you mention them. Just an idea ☺️

[@Lynsey1985A]

Maybe you could take a picture of the front and back and do a voiceover? Or record a bit about the book as you finish them and put them together in a video? I do love to methodical nature to your deshelving, it speaks to the small organised part of me that constantly gets ignored 😂

[@Ezeekat]

Ohh. Thats not a bad idea!

[@gamewrit0058]

46:50 Yeah, it looks like a YA cover.

[@Felisquoreda]

Would it be possible to use the books you no longer want to own as a giveaway? Because I would love to read those. ❤

[@Ezeekat]

I sadly avoid giveaways. Anytime I do them, a bunch of bot accounts get created to try and scam my followers and I would never forgive myself if someone fell for it and was hurt because of a giveaway I was doing 😭 that being said, I’ll be posting them to PangoBooks at fairly low prices.

[@Felisquoreda]

@@Ezeekat sometimes the Internet feels the best place on earth and then the mean people come along. Understandable that you don't want to invite them in.

[@ArtByDesign80]

1:52 100% I feel the notification bell thing is too intense!

[@Ezeekat]

It’s like another level of following people 🤣

[@Mitchigon]

i'd love your opinion on a "Cozy Fantasy" Novel, I really want to see Low-stakes, High fantasy, With a Male on Male Romance Sub-plot, but google is proving unreliable lol

[@nataniamarsha3184]

I only read one book this month😅

[@Ezeekat]

But did you enjoy it??? That’s what matters most 😊

[@imtheproblemoitsmoi]

First!! Can i get a pin??

[@vegangag]

His InFlueENce?! 🫣😆

[@Ezeekat]

And it was said A LOT 😭