Gifts, Surprises & Treating Myself | Jan 2025 Book Haul

[@AuraReadsBooks]

Love that it's so many comfort reads. Fitting for a cozy time of year.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yeah I definitely did some cozy spending

[@Eric.Taylor.1962]

I've built a Booknook and I'm not a crafty type person either. I took my time and put it together over two days. It looks quite good sitting on the shelf. I did find that the connectors for the lights sometimes work loose from the battery compartment and need to be pushed back in place. Have fun building it!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Good to know that there is hope for the crafty impaired like myself

[@Eric.Taylor.1962]

@@TheShadesofOrange if I can build one, anyone can!

[@AntisocialAuntie]

The Book Nook model looks fantastic! What a great gift.

[@socaltoobie8984]

That Book Nook thing is so CUTE! Yes would love to see at a minimum the finished product. Or a vlog putting it together would be fun too. 😊

[@clairesayers7727]

I for one would love to see the book nook !! My husband bought me Powers of Darkness , the lost version of Dracula that I've been intrigued by for ages . I can't wait to see the differences between the two . Happy New Year !

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Happy New Years

[@Octobig]

holiday hauls always feel so cozy!! i ADORE the book nook so definitely up for any updates on crafting it ❤

[@stevenvenn]

I love how when showing the graphic novels, that “no one is going to care about,” you hold up Lucy Knisley’s “Relish”! I love that graphic novel (and her work and cartooning style in general). I think fans of Kate Beaton’s work would love Lucy. I come here for horror/sci-fi reviews and reading ideas, but I was pleasantly surprised to see you give some love to Lucy. Highly recommend! 😊

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I know Lucy Knisley is popular as a graphic memoir artist but I always assume anyone watching my videos wants horror stories

[@stevenvenn]

@ Rachel, I think it’s ok to break out of the usual now and then (I’d love this for you, and the channel, in 2025). I, for one, really dug the range of gifts you got and showcased (genre-related or not).

[@TheBookclectic]

I'd love to see you put the tiny bookshelf together!!

[@mina-ala]

Ooh I gotta check some of these out, Tales From the Loop looks amazing!

[@buttoneyez21]

I love learning about new manga and anime and anything that brings you joy! I just read the first 4 volumes of THE SUMMER THAT HIKARU DIED to prepare for the Netflix anime. It’s different, strange, but intriguing horror. I’ve never read a manga like it before. My library doesn’t have much as far as manga, but they have some options which was great to have. DARK GATHERINGS is one I learned about from my library and love.

[@malundy]

For potential readers, Souls in the Great Machine is set in a post apocalyptic Australia. The great machine is a human powered computer with people performing the functions of a computer. Electrical technology are forbidden by an orbiting intelligence that is saving humanity from itself. As a librarian, now retired, I love this book because librarians figure prominently, as they should. Unlike McMullen's librarians, we don't have to be skilled in the use of weapons, mores the pity, nor do we fight duels to settle cataloging disputes. McMullen worked in libraries and knows librarians and the way libraries work. Now I need to reread it.

[@Unpotted]

Thank you for providing this information. It sounds fascinating. I’ll be on the lookout for it. 😺✌️

[@cmmosher8035]

My buddy found a bunch of old universal monster minis so he made me a book nook of a castle setting where i could place them. I need to read the Season of Madness. I loved cold fire and need to reread those as well

[@TheMike28212]

So glad you enjoyed the gifts. Love that vintage copy of The Empire Strikes Back. You picked up a lot of great books. As well as some amazing Christmas surprises!

[@dodopapapa4557]

Love the graphica content! I also dig Lucy Knisely. I found Carmen Maria Machado’s The Low Low Woods and really enjoyed it. I would totally watch! Thank you!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad you didn't mind the graphic novel section!

[@AntisocialAuntie]

I really appreciate you showing books other than the types you usually talk about. I loved "Relish" and am going to reread it now that you reminded me of it. 🧡

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad you also loved Relish

[@Millie.C]

Happy New Year, with lots of 5-star books! I loved Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (and Eleanor&Park, and Attachments). Also The Causal Angel series is amazing, one that I would re-read too. So I am super excited to hear them mentioned here.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Happy New Year

[@jakobwetzel7065]

Would love to see the book nook build!

[@saraevans9284]

Love the Booknook kit! I gave my daughter in law a similar kit. Loved Fangirl!! And I watched Tales from the Loop and i echo what someone else commented, that it's melancholic. I'm sad that there's only one season. I got a gift card to a fave book store so I'm going to be able to buy a couple of books off my want list for myself.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad someone else also loves Fangirl

[@meganr1515]

One of the books that I was excited about getting for Xmas was, I am Spock and the 2 book Leonard Nimoy wrote I am not Spock. I loved Kiki’s delivery service as well as Howell’s moving Castle. I named my orange crazy cat after the fire demon Calcifer. I have another book recommendation for you. It is a graphic novel called garlic in the witch, and then the second one in the series is garlic in the vampire.

[@TheCodsquallic]

I remember that CS Friedman cover, but never read the book. Looks interesting. I didn’t buy myself any books for Christmas but my youngest got me one, The Teller of Small Fortunes, which looks neat, not my normal read but I’ve been trying to expand a little lately.

[@jjnewbold]

I have Tales from the Loop and Things from the Flood, need to read them this year.

[@marksteffen1992]

Have you watched the mini-series "Tales from the Loop" based on paintings by Simon Stålenhag? It has a melancholy vibe that I really liked it, although some of my friends were not as impressed. Always enjoy your videos.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I actually haven't! We're probably the only people without prime

[@WillTBsVlogs]

Man I'm so jelly you have that old school used rustic Empire strikes back book. Def a keeper

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yeah definitely not selling it

[@rymong]

Simon Stalenhag’s stuff is awesome!!! Electric State is my favorite book. His website is a pretty good way to keep track of his stuff and find ways to get it. Tales from the Loop got a “not too bad” season on Apple TV. Electric State is a movie coming in March. Sorry for gushing!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope to eventually pick up electric state

[@tigquilt]

Book Nook video please!!!!!😺

[@gabrielaspaull6238]

Thank you for another great video. I would love to know how you go building your Book nook. I hope you enjoy it ❤

[@Unpotted]

I loved the Netflix adaptation of Locke & Key with Conner Jessup. It’s a lot of fun and the acting is really good. Putting Souls in the Great Machine on my bolo list based on the comment above, but looking forward to hearing your opinion about it. Thanks! 😺✌️

[@salty-walt]

Happy Nrw Year! Your excitement while opening this video is electric! It is also catching! "There's a lot of boat talk which isn't really jibing with us." Jibing is a nautical expression. You are amazingly funny. Go Girl. Of course your husband couldn't resist taking care of you! Yes, we'd love a book nook video!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks

[@salty-walt]

@TheShadesofOrange sorry if I'm a bit much; I just couldn't believe the irony of your statement and thought it was so funny I had to say something. Be well.

[@books-on-a-wire]

I'm always looking for horror manga or graphic novels so feel free to share. The book nook looks so cute!

[@Tetsujin-28]

Manga: Full Metal Panic has a novelization. I've mentioned Blood on The Tracks. You might like BLAME! or Biomega (Tsutomu Nihei). Pluto (Naoki Urasawa’): It's based on an Astro Boy story The Greatest/Biggest Robot On Earth. At the Mountains of Madness (Gou Tanabe). Anime : The Perfect Insider. Domu: A Child's Dream: (Otomo Katsuhiro) is being reprinted.

[@agob157]

We DO care about Relish also had no idea fangirl was a graphic novel!! Now I just need Eleanor & Park ❤ The ever growing tbr pile 😂 thank you!!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yay! I know a lot of people prefer I only stick with "on brand" stuff

[@Bookishcarmela]

I just went on Libby while watching to put Kiki’s Delivery Service on hold lol. I went on a deep dive of Diana Wynne Jones works after seeing Castlle in The Sky and Howl’s Moving Cattle so this is right up my alley

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy it

[@Deosis]

FMA is among my faves, I think it's also one of the only series I actually got an omnibus for! I'm seeing Perdido Street Station by Mieville behind you, got that book last year and it will be my first Mieville, so I hope I'll like it. I'll also finally start reading the Expanse series after finishing up the last couple Culture books.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Hope you enjoy all of those

[@lthrbud7187]

Happy New Year! 🎉 I recently discovered your channel while searching for sci-fi horror book recommendations, and I’ve already binged so many of your videos! Your content has reignited my excitement for reading, which I’d admittedly neglected for a while, but I’m now looking to make it a regular part of my routine. 😊 I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that 2025 brings you lots of amazing books to enjoy and explore! x

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks. Happy new year

[@Kelli.Hicks.5]

I'd absolutely enjoy a Book Nook make-together video. How fun is that going to be?

[@TheShadesofOrange]

So excited to start

[@trendtrader4010]

Amazing pendent great upload !!

[@O.M.G.Puppies]

My most treasured graphic novel is the Sandman series by Gaiman. I bought the big leather-bound boxed edition, in addition to my reading copy.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I still need to read those

[@gaminghall-xr7mw]

I can’t believe no switch to ebooks. Also Fever Dream ended up DNF for me. Still huge Martin. Fan.

[@dalejones4322]

Great video Rachel. I got The Final Crucible, The Oldest Starfighter, Triplanetary, and The Green Man. I asked for some really obscure sci-fi. Have you read any of them?

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks. And no I haven't read those

[@miyayume_eclectic_dream]

Wow you have Tales from the Loop!!!! Have you seen the tv show? What did you think? Ooo I just ordered the same book diorama with red chair 🙀

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I haven't actually. We don't currently have prime

[@Montie-Adkins]

Of the original trilogy books TESB is just sort of there in terms of its writing quality. The ANH book gives you this old epic quality. And ROTJ is one of the most underrated books ever written on how it makes you feel. The ROTS novelization is great too. That RJ Barker assassin books are very good but like most assassin books he doesn't really do much assassinating.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Haha it's so true about Assassin stories

[@secretsauceofstorycraft]

🔥 🔥 🎉

[@fernbedek6302]

I should probably actually read FMA at some point... I just worry that with everyone having hyped it up for years that I worry my expectations have been raised too high.😅

[@Unpotted]

That happens to me a lot. The price we pay for consuming social media content. 🤷‍♂️ 😺✌️

[@TheShadesofOrange]

That's a fair concern

[@Unpotted]

@ No two people have 100% overlapping tastes, but if I take the time to get to know the content creator, I find it’s much easier to choose wisely from their reviews. Also, I just don’t have time to shop for someone to curate my reading. I stick with about a dozen, but I don’t watch every video, or my tbr would be a great hulking, haunting monster, lol. I try not to buy more than a dozen books per month, mostly thrifted, if possible. Just depends in if there’s time to shop in person, or if mail order is the only option. 😺✌️

[@bookmarcreads]

📖📚📚📚

[@EricBowersTrekkie]

📚📚📚📚📚📚

[@roanokebrooks]

🛸

[@jtru0]

📙 ❤

[@TheBookclectic]

❤

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

⚛❤

[@debramaertens893]

I’d love to see a video of you putting together the Book Nook. I’ve seen the ads for it and it looks really cute. ⛩️

[@TheShadesofOrange]

It's so cute!

[@suryanarayanan1769]

Steins gate one of my favorite too😍😍criminally underrated Anime🥹glad u got its Manga version too😍😍

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad you also love it