Reading Wrapup November 2024 😊📚💜

[@RicksReads]

Oh I love that you included some short stories! The Answer is No and Yellow Wallpaper both sounds so good - will be adding these to my TBR:)

[@ellenmadebookclub]

They are so opposite, but also have some similarities, oddly enough! 😂 Loved them both!

[@helenclare3250]

That is such a cute Christmas mug! I agree on the potential spoilers of the "If you like this book, try this book" type of video. They are meant to be helpful but they can give a lot away.

[@ellenmadebookclub]

@@helenclare3250 I love it so much! 😄 My favorite is the penguin dancing in a ballerina skirt, it might be turned toward me in the video, it just makes me so happy ^^ Yes! Some books are ok to do that with I think, but some you really should go into knowing as little as possible… And especially on the thumbnail as well, I didn’t even watch the video, it just popped up! So annoying! Luxury problems but still 😂

[@daniella-raye]

I love how realistic and chaotic your reading month was, this is often how I feel 😆 I also started the audiobook to sorrow and bliss and ultimately dnf'd a few years back, so I'm glad I'm not the only one cause I had heard such great things. Birdeye sounds like such an intriguing book and I definitely want to add The Answer is No to my tbr. Glad you ended up enjoying the yellow wallpaper!!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

I'm glad someone got some enjoyment out of it! 😂 Yeah it wasn't the best but that's how it is sometimes. I usually listened to Sorrow and bliss at night and tended to fall asleep, I just didn't connect with it at all. Bummer, I had such high hopes. I'm glad I wasn't alone too! Birdeye was good. It's one of those where there isn't a lot happening, but everything still feels very real somehow, and kind of stays with you. Let me know what you think of The Answer is no if you get to it! It's a bit silly for some, but I had a great time! 😄

[@joshuacreboreads]

Hi Ellen! Great video. The Answer is No sounds like it was very special, if it made you talk about so enthusiastically! I’ll have to keep it on my radar, especially as a fellow introvert!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Hi Joshua! Thank you so much! 😊 Haha yes, I felt very seen and called out in some respects and I just thought it was a lot of fun! Some find it a bit over the top, but I didn't mind that in a short story like this one. Let me know if you get around to reading it, I think I finished it in about an hour or so, it was a very quick read 😊 Thank you for watching!

[@ABookAffairByShay]

It definitely looked like you were crying for a moment 😂 You made me a bit more excited to read The Yellow Wallpaper!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Haha I was powering through! 😂😂 Yes, read it! I want to hear what you think!

[@MyMessyBookshelf]

Ellen I know exactly how you feel with Nonfiction November! I burnt myself out quick! Glad you switched to things you actually liked. I added The Answer is No and I Who Have Never Known Men to my TBR. Hope you enjoy December reading!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

I'm glad and sad I'm not the only one! Thank you for the encouragement though. I'm trying to learn the same lesson over and over again, I feel like! One of these days it will stick... Yes! I think you will like both of those. They are pretty opposite from each other, but both very good. December is better so far, I'm trying to follow the excitement and not promise too much ^^

[@Maeve_Ever_Books]

Birdeye sounds really interesting. I love the cover too!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

It was! A bit slower paced, but I really liked it. The cover is stunning!

[@LibrariesandLattes]

Always enjoy a wrap up from you, whether it’s a good reading month or not!! I appreciate how real you are and that you allowed yourself to put down books that weren’t sticking, that’s hard to do especially when you’re trying to fulfill a challenge. Definitely don’t feel bad for “failing” when it comes to reading, you already know this but it’s supposed to be fun and no one will be upset if you don’t read the books you said you would read! I feel that though, I’m the same way haha. I’ve never read Sally Rooney and have never really been intrigued by her books either for whatever reason! Hoping you can get back into One Dark Window and end up liking it (and understand the cards haha). Yay for completing a fantasy series! 👏 Totally agree about Us Against You, and Zackell (assuming you were talking about her) definitely gave me neurodivergent vibes which I appreciated. And I’m definitely more intrigued by I Who Have Never Known Men now! Also want to read The Answer Is No, I mean I’ll read anything he writes at this point haha

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Thank you so much for the encouragement, I'm trying not to feel bad but I still do! Even though I know I shouldn't. I think it comes down to not over-promising as well, I just get so excited sometimes ^^ Yeah, I don't know what it is about her, there is some sense of aloof superiority that I don't like. I think I started watching the adaptation of Normal People as well, I think that's what it was, and I got the same icky vibes from that and didn't finish that either. I do think I'll enjoy ODW, the vibes are good and once I got the hang of the cards those were fine as well, I guess it just didn't scream quality to me 😂 It was so inconsistent, like are there 12 cards or 72 or what? (I got it eventually, it was just so unclear to me!) Seems like a fun time though. I'm first in line at the library, but someone is late to returning it! Yes, Zackell and also Vidar I think, although not the same kind. I felt a bit iffy about Zackell sometimes, I'll get into that more in the discussion. But I appreciated the presence of it, in any case. Yes, I think you'll like both of those! Quite opposite from each other, but both really good 😆

[@TheLinguistsLibrary]

Happy birthday again xoxo

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Thank you! 🥰

[@itsmimiduong]

Yes to not putting pressure on yourself! I definitely really wanted to participate with Cat's neuronovember but I knew I just couldn't after October's downhill haha. Seems like you had a pretty rough month as well in the beginning of November 😩 But shout out to you for not finishing books that you don't enjoy, and doesn't spark joy! I think that's definitely something I need to work on because November was not good for me in the beginning either -- made me go into a reading slump by the end because I finished too many... bad books 😭 I don't know why I refuse to DNF. As I was listening to you, and thinking of my response, you've inspired me to DNF a book LOL. Beartown is an exceptionally great book. I did think it worked well as a standalone, and I'm not sure how it would work as a series. I assumed it'll be about how the town will heal after what has happened. I wonder what themes/morals Backman will including in Us Against You! But on another note, I'll be adding I Who Have never Known Men to my TBR 😂I love the ones with no explanations AKA I have to read to find out for myself. And also The Answer is No since I relate so much to Lucas 🤪 I think it'll be nice to read a short read! I think the coffee made you extra hyper this video, but it's a fun vibe!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

If my rough month helped you DNF books you're not enjoying IT WAS WORTH IT! Life is too short, and there is so much pressure already. I'm so done. Probably not, realistically, but I would like to be 😂 I'm over it at least. And working on being done with it! There's so much joy to be had, why waste a second on duds? Beartown is great as a standalone. I've heard The Winners will be a strong finish, and Us Against You is good as well, it's sort of more of the same but with more focus on Benji and also some other new characters, stirring some things up. And the events from the first book are also sort of lingering and present. It's a great book honestly ^^ It's just not as memorable I think, because the novelty of Beartown isn't there, but it is good. I would love to hear what you think if IWHNKM. I loved it. So good. It's not bright and shiny, but I couldn't put it down. Haha I hadn't even had my coffee yet! Maybe that was the problem 😆 And let me know if you like The Answer is No, I felt so called out and seen at the same time 😂

[@adarkcornerofthelibrary]

I am glad you tried Sally Rooney so I don't have to 😂 Basically your experience is exactly what I expect mine to be haha. I read One Dark Window when I was just getting into fantasy and it's not the best written book so I really think it is better for fantasy newbies but I will say you learn a lot more about the magic system as the book goes on. I did read the second one this year and thought it was written much better 😅 I'm so happy you read I Who Have Never Known Men! It is definitely an experience haha I am glad you loved it 😊 Same with Yellow Wallpaper! Now I want to read the Answer is No- I have yet to read any Backman yet

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Haha everyone is coming out of the woodwork now, saying how they don't like Sally Rooney haha! I'm happy to be the guinea pig. And I'm also glad no one warned me ahead of time, it's good to have the space to make up your own mind. I've heard such good things though, but it's not for me. Thank you for saying that about ODW! Sometimes it's hard to tell, I feel like, because fantasy doesn't necessarily have to be very written to be popular, it's more about the plot and the magic and all that. So I didn't know if I was being too picky. It's not awful, it was just... not top quality. Still excited to finish that one though, if the person loaning it could return it sometime sooon..... 🙄 IWHNKM was so good, I loved it. Couldn't put it down. I feel like I've seen the movie. Could definitely read that again in the future. And Yellow wallpaper as well! You HAVE to get to Backman already, I want to hear your thoughts on it! 😄 The Answer is No is a quick one, it's not very indicative of his novels as they're more serious, the humor is a bit more ridiculous in the short story, but the sense of humor is the same. I just want to hear everyone's thoughts on it! 😊

[@Chronicallyd]

My reading felt very scattered too! I chalk it up to the seasonal changes. I struggled with Intermezzo's introduction. The start threw me off and gave me bad vibes. I am glad I was not the only one!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Yeah November seems to have been a rough month all around! Yeah, the darkness this time of year is no joke, suns down by 3pm. I just want to hibernate under a blanket until about March. Thank you for sharing that, glad I wasn't alone too! I had a hard time pinpointing why, it just felt icky to me. Worth a shot!

[@RDsLibrary]

It was very interesting to hear your thoughts on all these. I got 98% further with Intermezzo and enjoyed the distinct voice of each character, but I had nothing in common with them or their plight and found it hard to get invested. There's no plot as such, just the experiences of these people at a certain stage of their life. I could empathise but there was nothing to grab me and hold my interest. I agree with you about Us Against You. It's probably the weakest in the series but still 4 stars. The Winners is better, IMO, but Beartown is the most impactful and tightest story of them all, though I like how he widens the world and includes more issues as the series develops. I really liked I Who Have Never Known Men, but it's hard to discuss without spoilers, as you said. I loved the thought-provoking aspect but would have liked more answers. It would make a great discussion book. I'm glad you enjoyed The Answer is No. As an introvert I agree with what you said about Lucas, but this book didn't land as well as his others. I liked some of the humour and a lot of the societal observation but I don't like books that get farcical and silly as this one did, in parts. Even though you had a few 5 star books, I hope December is a better month overall.

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Thank you! How were you able to finish it if nothing held your interest? 😄 I would have gotten so bored! It sounds like I made the right choice for me though. I know some people have loved it, and that's good for them, but I don't think it's for me. Have you read any other books by Sally Rooney? Yes, I like the widening of the world as well, I think it could have gotten a bit one note if it kept too close to the plot and characters in Beartown throughout the whole series. I'm excited about The Winners now! I'm trying to fit some other books in before I start on that one though, so far so good :) I loved the silly! I wouldn't always, but I think it just caught me in a silly mood and I didn't know what to expect from it at all, so yeah, I had a good time! Totally get why it's a bit much for some though. I had I Who Have Never Known Men as a possible book club option, but I took my chance to read it and I'm glad I did. I didn't need more answers, the only thing that annoyed me was the "spoiler" of what genre it was, because when you don't know what's going on, there are so many possibilities, and knowing the genre took that away. But I enjoyed it anyway, it was thought-provoking, but I also just enjoyed the story of it. I feel like I've seen the movie just from reading the book.

[@elmossy]

Hi Ellen! I completely understand the pressure when it comes to challenges. As a mood reader I find it difficult to 'promise' to read something, as more often than not I end up just not in the mood for the book at that point in time 😅 I feel like I'll be the same with Sally Rooney. I don't know what it is, she just doesn't feel like she'll be a fit for me. Fredrick Backman however 👀 deffo one I want to try. I've noticed One Dark Window around, but don't know much about it. Your note on the inconsistencies, they might bother me too much if I tried reading it, but we'll have to see... The Prison Healer trilogy sounds interesting. I'll have to add it to the list! 📝The Beartown series and Birdeye too! I briefly lost my copy of I Who Have Never Known Men, but it's on my radar for next year, the premise is certainly interesting. Yes! Yellow Wallpaper! I loved that story, and with it being short, there's deffo a chance I'll read it again. :) Great video as always! ❤

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Hi Elmo! Thank you for being so kind! 😊💜 I definitely need to be more aware of over-promising and just stop it! It's so hard to pinpoint! I think it's a pretentious vibe, artsy fartsy but acting superior and melancholy 😂 Might be so unfair, it's just the feeling I get. Backman is not that at all. I think you'd really enjoy his books, and his sense of humor. The inconsistencies were not that many, it was mainly just one scene were someone had just stood up to say hello or something, and then a couple of lines later her kid was in her lap. But I didn't know she had sat back down ^^ Weird thing but not important to the story. And the card thing was unclear, but I figured it out eventually. Just saw room for improvement. Still want to finish it in December. I would love to hear your thoughts on Prison Healer! It's kind of glossy in my mind, not very gritty, if that makes sense. I've heard Dance of Thieves is pretty much the same but better. Haven't read that. And sometimes glossy is what you need ^^ I think you will love IWHNKM. Get it back and move it up the tbr 😊

[@TheLibraryMouseGina]

I end up doing the same thing, thinking I am going to read this book or that book.. and if I start reading them and I'm just not feeling it, I don't have any qualms putting it down because at the end of the day... reading is supposed to be fun. :) I just got Intermezzo from the library because I had heard so many good things about it... but now I am wondering if I will like it. I will have to let you know. I remember reading the Yellow Wallpaper in a literature class in college and it always just stayed with me.

[@ellenmadebookclub]

I'm still learning that lesson! 😊 When it's just for me, I don't usually have any trouble to dnf, but when it's for an event or something, I have that sense of obligation. But I'm trying to shake that, the world will keep on turning even if I put a book down ^^ I hope you give Intermezzo a try, I didn't get very far at all, but I would be curious to hear what you think of the start at least. The Yellow Wallpaper was so good.

[@Curious-Cat]

Did you rearrange your bookshelf? It looks so neat - very satisfying to look at 😅 I AM SO FURIOUS YOU DIDN'T FINISH THE NEUROVEMBER BOOKS 😡😡😡 -- of course not XD I'm already so grateful that you attempted it and have been supporting the event so much on your channel 💛 That means a lot! And I didn't create this event to generate pressure - I want everyone to take what they want from it and have fun! But I can definitely relate to that feeling of wanting to go all-in on the things that I find exciting and that self-inflicted pressure. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I release you from any pressure about Neurovember, even though you already know it and it's too late already XD So I can do it preemptively for future things as well, if that helps 😂 Mmmm, I still want to give Sorrow & Bliss a try, cause it really intrigued me... but it's good to have your initial feeling of it, so that I can prepare myself. If I set the bar quite low, maybe I'll enjoy it more? XD I had also started Divergent Mind on audiobook a while back, and I honestly don't remember a single thing about what I listened to, but it definitely didn't grab me much cause I just stopped listening to it. I didn't even actively DNF it, I just never thought to return to it and moved on to other books ^^' Ahahah, I have no interest in reading Sally Rooney either. Maybe I would like it, but I just have zero excitement about it sooo I'm just not gonna. "Follow your excitement" sounds like such a good mantra 💛 Well done indeed for reading a whole fantasy series this year ^^ I'm a big advocate for DNFing books that don't work for you, and considering you seemed to quite enjoy the stories you finished, I would consider this a very successful reading month! 🥳

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Haha yes, thank you! It might jump back and forth a bit between videos for a while, I batch filmed some tags, so it might look worse again ^^ Thank you for noticing, I'm glad you like it! Haha thank you for being understanding! I know you're not angry, I just wanted to participate more. But I am more aware now, so that's a win. It does help, thank you 😊 Follow the excitement and No pressure needs to be the mantras for 2025 and like, life, but one year at a time I guess. I hope you will enjoy Sorrow and Bliss! I'm not sure if I've given up on it, but I just wasn't hooked. Maybe I'll wait until you've tried it, and if you think it's worth it I'll give it another try. I might have fallen asleep too many times listening to it... not sure if my fault or the book ^^ Divergent Mind I'll probably give up though, I think there are better options for me to try! Same with Sally Rooney, it's a nope. Thank you for being so encouraging! I'm soaking it up! All in all, I'm pretty happy with it too! 😊💜

[@TheLinguistsLibrary]

I honestly can't stand Sally Rooney so happy we agree!

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Have you tried any of her books or can’t stand as a person? I didn’t really give her much of a chance but it felt very off putting for some reason!

[@TheLinguistsLibrary]

@ellenmadebookclub I dnf'ed 'normal people' but yes, also put off by her public persona. I find her writing convoluted and her views hypocritical.

[@ellenmadebookclub]

@@TheLinguistsLibrary I don't know enough about her to have an opinion, but yeah, the writing was not for me!

[@books_and_bocadillos]

I loved this wrap up! I need The Answer is No immediately 😁. I appreciate all of your thoughts. November was rough. I didn't get through my November picks for Neurovember...but that's okay...I can continue reading them beyond November. 🫶🏽.

[@ellenmadebookclub]

Thank you! Yes, please read it! I want to hear everyone's thoughts on it! Yeah it seems November was rough for a lot of people. Understandably, especially in the US. For me it was just the self-inflicted pressure and sense of obligation. Which I need to stop already! 😂 But yes, it is ok. The event made me more aware of including that in my reading as well, and the point isn't to just read those books within a month, so all good. To better and kinder times in December! 💜

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[@ellenmadebookclub]

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[@love.lauren...]

i 100% feel you on being 'scattered and unfocused', i feel like it was the theme of the month honestly 🥹 oooh ive been hearing SUCH great things about the yellow wallpaper so this sounds very promising! 🥰

[@ellenmadebookclub]

I think you'd like the Yellow Wallpaper. It's very quick, 40 min audio, but I really enjoyed it.

[@love.lauren...]

@ellenmadebookclub you've made up my mind, im jumping into it!