The End of the Year Book Tag!

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

1. Loads. Lots of books on kindle and in print. Especially those in print that I buy because I really want to read them, but get overlooked because audiobooks are easier ( when you’re doing other things). Cantoras The Erratics Abigail

[@monicaacheson1118]

I read war and peace firing my GCSE exams it was a great escape during that stressful period and I honestly loved it. I’m doing Les Mis at the moment have been for ages but I’ve been audio booking it which is in sections and is actually a great way to do it I tend to pick up classics when I’m stressed or anxious as it really makes me focus and forget the outside world So 2020 has been the year of classics for me and I regret nothing

[@MaryAmongStories]

I'm excited to hear your thoughts on War&Peace once you finish it! happy reading 🌻💛

[@sonitagovan]

I finished War and Peace and I really enjoyed it... no where as much as Anna karenina. It is very dense especially in the War periods but I really enjoy Tolstoys' style and characterization. I do recommend reading up on the period and the battles to understand them better.

[@aoifed2519]

I can't wait to here your thoughts on Brooklyn! It was my favourite book of all time when I was younger so I read it three times, but I noticed I liked it less the last time so I haven't read it since! I'd be interested to here an opinion from someone who isn't Irish as well because I feel like some of my enjoyment of it might have come from how familiar it felt. I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for your review!

[@lisavitale8410]

The Robber Bride by Atwood is excellent!!

[@DiamantaBralova]

Firstly: You are my favourite booktuber I discovered this year. Secondly: It took me almost five months to read War and Peace, but it was definitely worth it! It is a wonderful story, extremely well-written and I was always fascinated by Tolstoy´s ability to create so many different characters with distinct voices - and make the reader understand everybody´s motivation and feel for them.

[@kaleidoscope977]

"I honestly get most of my news from other booktubers, rather than just imbibing it myself from the atmosphere" love how you phrased that bahaha

[@ReadABookGem]

You have some great books to get to before the end of the year! Good luck for finishing War and Peace. I haven't been brave enough to try and read that one yet so look forward to hearing your thoughts when you get to the end 😊

[@sjatkins9120]

I started Anna Karenina at the start of the first lockdown in March and I still need to finish it!

[@anothergreatetcetera]

Oh, Im crossing my fingers for you to read War and Peace! I loved Anna Karenina so much, so War and Peace is next on my Tolstoi list. I'll definitely do this tag as well and try not to put 30 books on my TBR for the end of the year 🙈🙈🙈

[@meghnadas6067]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on A Thousand Splendid Sun!❤️

[@watermelonprose5497]

Oooo I need to do this tag!

[@RahulSingh-books]

I am hoping to finish the Neapolitan series by Elena Ferrante! It is so good!

[@littlemusic4x]

I also The Overstory because of Leena’s recommendation and absolutely loved it. At first I started reading the library book but had to get it for myself at about 60pages because it’s so brilliant and I needed it on my shelf.

[@kaleidoscope977]

Ooh got excited when you mentioned War and Peace! I've been reading it since the start of the year and it's been a surprisingly comforting godsend of a book during this long year, even though I do shake my fist at Tolstoy every time there's a sequence of dry chapters on the philosophy of history or war (what did I expect though lol). I'm curious if you have a favorite character? :D

[@LaurenWade]

Not yet, really! I’ve already seen the BBC adaptation, so I’ve got a bit of that in my head at the moment and looking forward to seeing who I really warm to as I read ☺️

[@kaleidoscope977]

@@LaurenWade I love the BBC series! Paul Dano's Pierre is 🥺🥺

[@maartjedegroot9598]

A thousand splendid suns 😍 And I have to finish Moby Dick, Dune and The way of kings.

[@LaurenWade]

Woooah good luck with Moby Dick! I’m really glad I read it, but Jesus Christ that was a slog in parts 😅

[@maartjedegroot9598]

@@LaurenWade yes, it is. I like the story but the dialogues and the whale stuff not so much

[@LaurenWade]

@@maartjedegroot9598 at least if we ever need to go whaling we have had an extremely detailed account of how to proceed 😳

[@maartjedegroot9598]

@@LaurenWade 😂

[@bookishshenanigans4769]

I'm so happy you're enjoying Tess, the other books on your TBR sound wonderful, Brooklyn is a lovely story (good audiobook too). Thinking of doing this tag soon.

[@Dortevl]

I listened to Brooklyn as an audiobook and I would highly recommend that. But I have English as a second language so my dialects are a bit all over the shop. Hope you get through all the books your are wanting too 🤓🥰

[@susanroberts9052]

Hi Lauren! I’m also reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I’m about 130 pages in, and really enjoying it. 🇨🇦

[@LaChicaMadrilena]

I HAVE to finish The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle! I'm really surprised how long it has taken me so far!

[@aoifed2519]

It took me ages as well, and I'm not entirely sure why!

[@vanessalaughtland4417]

I've done the same thing with my TBR in my new house - we luckily have some inbuilt shelves in several rooms so my bedside now has my TBR and my favourite books :) It helps so much having them all in one place! Good luck with the rest of your reading year!

[@kathleenboyle6285]

I was also hoping to get to A Thousand Splendid Suns this year! No idea if it is going to happen now though x) Good luck with War and Peace! :)

[@johnsaxongitno4life588]

Good luck with your end of year tbr please stay safe and I love war and peace ☮️ hope you do love you and your amazing channel love from Australia

[@sarabyrne6495]

Before the end of the year, I really want to get to Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, There There by Tommy Orange and another one of Daphne Du Maurier's as I recently finished Rebecca and LOVED it! Intrigued to hear what you think of War & Peace!

[@sharniephillpott9922]

I've currently got the classics bug at the moment too. I'm reading Pride and Prejudice ❤️

[@englishwithlove]

I had to read War and PEace within 2 weeks before the exam at my uni . It felt insane, 200 pages every day, who on earth would do it voluntarily?=))

[@LaurenWade]

Wooooah, 2 weeks might be pushing it! That must have purged any enjoyment out of the experience. We’ve at least got about 7 to finish it in 😅

[@-ParisTexas-]

I've read Tess of the d'Urberville and unfortunately I did not really like it. The books I want to finish before the end of the year are *Song of Solomon* by Toni Morrison, *The Women of Brewster Place* by Gloria Naylor and *The Girl with the Louding Voice* by Abi Daré. There are some really long books I want to get to and I know that I won't read them this year. So I think you could say I have reading plans for next year. Looking forward to your wrap up. Have a good weekend.

[@CrankyOldErin]

Tess of the d’Urbervilles broke me last month. Well-written, but it took me longer to read because I so didn’t want the plot to play out as I knew it would.

[@-ParisTexas-]

@@CrankyOldErin I found it soooo depressing.

[@englishwithlove]

Currently trying to finish the latest book by Tana French, honestly, I liked more her previous Squad Murder series

[@startledsunshine]

It must be classics season; I've just started Middlemarch.

[@idkwhattonamemyself9326]

Heyyy Lauren I haven't seen yet just wanna sayy you're so pretty ilyyy ❤️

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

I L💗VED A Thousand Splendid Suns. It might make it into my top ten of the year. 😊

[@RoisinsReading]

I've never heard anyone describe Hardy as cosy before! Tess is brilliant, but so bleak!

[@LaurenWade]

Ha, Far from the Madding Crowd is cosy! Bad stuff happens in it sure, but I think it’s the depictions of country life I enjoy. To be fair I haven’t read his most bleak work yet, which I believe is Tess and Jude 😆

[@RoisinsReading]

@@LaurenWade yes Jude I've heard is unrelenting, and Far from the Madding Crowd is definitely the lightest

[@juditkovacs1205]

Then I am going to be one of those, and say that a Thousand Splendid Sums is one of the most racist, and prejudiced books, that I have ever read. And it handles domestic abuse in the worst possible way. It is the reason why I am not willing to read anything else by the author, no matter how hyped he is. Also the writing is mediocre at best, and has a case of men writing female characters like they have never met an actual woman. But the most egregious thing is the way it handles the domestic abuse and the violence. One of the worst books I have ever read.

[@LaurenWade]

Oooh interesting, thanks for this! I haven’t heard a bad word against that book before, so I will definitely keep this in mind while reading xx