Where the Crawdads is also one of my top favorites of the year. 😂 I didn’t even know anything about it when I picked it up and it’s not a genre that I ever even read, but when I read it it was sooo good and I read it super quickly. It’s really not about an abused childhood either. It does start that way in the first couple chapters, but the good majority of the book is about her life on her own from about ages 10-25 and how she creates a life for herself.
once you get out of the first few chapters of Where the Crawdads Sing it’s not about her childhood so much anymore and it involves a murder but i understand what you’re saying! i absolutely loved it, it’s my favorite book of 2020 so far that i’ve read!
I love this channel so much because Emily reads books that interest me and has consistent opinions. Like I know when she calls a book "magical realism," even if she bounced, I should definitely read that book.
Awww very sad that you didn’t seem to be interested in Where The Crawdads Sing. I would say give it another try, it’s more like a coming of age tale/romancey/crime novel. I don’t think the ‘neglect” is very easy to read through but it’s definitely hard hitting if you’re ever in the mood to pick it up again.
I was kind of surprised to see on my goodreads that I dnfed quite a few books too this year, I'm usually pretty bad at it but it's so liberating ! I dnfed Foundryside, the Bear and the Nightingale (funny that you mentioned it haha), the Near Witch, Once Upon a River and the Overstory. They're not all books I absolutely hated and will never pick up again, (except maybe the Near Witch), I kind of want to read the Overstory at one point but I guess I just have to be in the mood for them. This year was also a big reading slump for me so that didn't help !
Nam Mi I agree with all of yours except Evelyn Hugo. The ending made it worth it. I wish I had DNFed Ninth House, it was such a boring waste of time. Baby Teeth was a hot mess lol
BookswithEmilyFox well NOW that I’m finishing this piece of turd you tell me that HAHAHAHAHAHAH I just hate Tamlin so much as a character, he’s like a worse version of Edward Cullen
BookswithEmilyFox I’m crazy but not that much, I like his snarky friend much better than him. Maybe if there was a villain who could potentially be a romantic interest I’d be all over that book. But I’ll try book 2, I’ve gotten this far
Honestly, I agree with you on the Raven Cycle. I did finish the series, but the ending was very underwhelming. I honestly don't think you're really missing out on much.
What did I not finish? Daisy Jones. The interview format, which I'm normally fine with, drove me nuts. I might try the audio book but who knows. A dress for the wicked. It's YA "fantasy." However, the world building is shoddy. Not helped by the fact that the MC is incredibly naive, which drove me bonkers. (Probably my adult status showing). I hate first person fantasy and going through a character's thought process.
I struggle with the raven cycle. I checked them out of the library this month...got to Raven king and dnf... I just couldn't do it anymore. Every book in the series is the same. Also really love the characters. Just not the way the story went
I listened to Where the Crawdads Sing as an audiobook and actually fairly enjoyed it. It *might* be worth trying to pick up again (but it was nothing life changing lol)
With the Raven Cycle (the only one I've read from this list lol) I read the first three before the last one came out, but the hype in me died down so now I'm pretty sure I won't finish it lol and if I do, I would have to read the whole thing again and I'm not much a re-reader tbh. As of the ones I dnf'd this year--- American Gods. I tried the audiobook format and I got lost and didn't even know who the hell I was supposed to following. I'm open to try another format tho.
I DNF'd three this year: Strange the Dreamer, The Starless Sea, and The Astonishing Color of After. All super hyped but I could just not get into them :(
Personally I have started to DNF books more and more lately. I think that DNFing a book is better than forcing yourself to read books you don't like, especially if you have books you know you will probably enjoy on your tbr
To be honest, I love romance and I didn't particularly like Kiss Quotient. It was all a little too perfect and predictable. I like the representation too but other than that it didn't have much going for it.
you should totally finish where the crawdads sing, i never thought the fact of kya getting neglected was harsh, but you have a point... still totally worth it
If you haven't liked where the Raven Cycle has gone in the first 3 books, you're not going to like how it ends. And that's coming from a total Raven Cycle stan
I sincerely do not think people should feel bad for dnfing a book, everyone has different taste in books, authorship and writing. K dnfed A History of Bee's. Only because having a very small child is very tiring and I do not have the energy for that book right now.
@Jessica Bellamy that's a solid point. We should also not feel offended if someone does not like the same book, I mean it's not a personal attack hehe.
I read Stranger the Dreamer a few years ago and thought it was okay. I tried rereading it this year so I could start the next book in the duology(?) and I couldn’t get into at all. I ended up giving it away.
Same! I read it just a few weeks ago after wanting to read it for so long! I loved it. It felt like a quick read, I never felt like it dragged. Really really loved it.
Oh holy crap. I loooooove NOS4A2. I’m currently halfway through it and absolutely loving it. It reads super fast for me. Probably will be one of my top favorites of the year.
Where The Crawdads Sing was a book I loved, but it is a slower-paced, character driven story for sure. I couldn't even make it through the first Raven Boys book. Lol. Oh, and I noticed a book behind you on your shelf that I honestly think you would hate (as much as I loved it), so just fair warning if you ever decide to try it, and it's Outlander. Having watched your channel since you started it, and seeing what you do and don't tend to enjoy in books, I unfortunately think you would hate Outlander. 😣. Loved the video! Xoxo
it took me months to finish Nos4a2 and it wasn't worth it. I liked the concept but it should have been shorter. it dragged a lot and it really didn't need to be almost 700 pages. plus i really hated the end. so you didn't really miss much
I DNF’d Where the Crawdads Sing as well. I think I got a little less than halfway through before having to put it down. As soon as it got to the protagonist’s teenage years it started to became unbearable. I do like historical fiction and character driven stories so I was interested in the beginning, and the murder mystery was very intriguing to me. Unfortunately the chapters about the murder were short and far apart and when the book became slow and at times repetitive, the murder mystery is what kept me wanting to continue reading and it was disappointing that it was barely there. The story was a solid 3 stars until I got to the protagonist’s teenage years. Oh my god. The story became unrealistic, there was a shift in tone and I simply wasn’t enjoying Kya’s story. The nail in the coffin for me though was the romance. It was cringey and it was uncomfortable to read at some parts. Definitely not my cup of tea, but anyone who likes slower paced, character driven literary fiction/historical fiction might like this. The writing did have some very beautiful descriptions of nature so if you like the outdoors this book might interest you.
10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world. Beautifuly written and interesting concept but for some reason it was boring me. I also DNF'ed Pandora by Anne Rice (don't know why) and Milkman by Anna Burs ( Couldn't stand the writting style). I did love Where the crawdads sing and I wanna read NO4A2, hope I like it :)
I dnf’d Where The Crawdads Sing at like 120 pages because there were SO MANY plot holes. I had to suspend my disbelief so much that I couldn’t deal with it. I also dnf’d The KISS Quotient because the spectrum rep is not accurate at all. I have the same disorder as the main character and there is no way I’d do what she did in the first 50 pages. So unrealistic.
Ashley Zieman I guess I don’t. It just wasn’t for me I guess. Things were too convenient to the point that I had read and I really dislike that in books. I understand that writers will at time suspend things that would actually happen in real life( ie Jumpy calling social services immediately, the mother coming back for her youngest child) but it was just too much. I felt the book was extremely overhyped.
@@sarahs2951 ok, was just wondering. I will say both of those things and many others do get discussed later on. But if you don't like a book, you don't like it, that's just how it is sometimes. 🤷
Iz Samuel I have Aspergers so it is very difficult for me to see that a person would pay a complete stranger for sexual connection. That is only my experience. I have a very difficult time being non sexually touched by family let alone intimate touching from a stranger. From what I remember the protagonist was going to a club within the first 50 pages. Again because of social connection issues I couldn’t see someone with my disorder doing something like this. I realize that everyone has different reactions and coping abilities despite having the same disorder but I personally did not feel represented at all.
@@sarahs2951 uff, I'm Asperger's and that doesn't sound like it represents most people that I know who are aspie, so I totally get why you felt so skeptical. I'm definitely not interested in reading that book.
I started watching you over the weekend and I love you videos. We don't have the same taste but you really make me want to expand the genre I read! J'aime aussi supporter une française (est ce que tu es de Québec?!)! So happy I found you!
I dnf'd Red Sister, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Daughter of the Pirate King, and a few audible originals. Not finishing books I'm not enjoying is so satisfying.
I feel like we have very similar taste in books. I usually love everything you recommend and am not a huge fan of romance or contemporary. But I LOVED Where The Crawdads Sing. I was very hesitant to start it because I didn’t think I would like it but I’m so glad that I picked it up.
The only Paul Tremblay I’ve read is Head Full of Ghosts and it definitely suffered from what you said... better premise than execution. I do want to get the End of the World one so hopefully will get to that this year. But yeah, so far I’m not very impressed with this author.
I tried reading The raven cycle like 5 times during the last 3 years and then last month I got the audiobooks and literally went through the whole series in a week
Where the Crawdads Sing is one of my favorites of the year 😂 man it’s so awesome, especially when you get to the murder/court trial stuff! If there’s one that you try to pick up again, I’d try it out and see if you like the direction it goes! But it looks like a lot of people didn’t like this one as well so it’s definitely not for everyone 🤷🏻♀️
I tried to read "The Vampire Lestat" and gave up after reaching page 101. I know it is some kind of a classic but the way Anne Rice writes is exhausting to read...
I only DNF'ed 3 books this year (The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer, Rockstar Superstar by Blake Nelson, and Hello Girls by Brittany Cavalaro & Emily Henry). I usually try to read at least 100 pages, or 1/3 of the book (whichever comes first) before I DNF it because if it hasn't drawn me in at that point, it wouldn't get a good rating, anyway. But even though I only DNF'ed 3 books, there are 6 more books that I started this year and never got around to finishing, most prominently Bettina by Malika Ferdjoukh bc my French isn't good enough anymore to read it quickly and I'm too impatient to read it slowly ^^'
I also DNF'd NOS4A2. I just could not deal with the sleazy sexualization and constant mention of dicks, nipples, etc. Also just kind of hated everyone in the book. I made it to 40%.
The City of bones book-Read 40% and DNFed it as it was way too cringy for my taste And Once & Future by Amy Rose. Had high expectations for this retelling of Arthur and Merlin was greatly disappointed in it. Also did read neal shusterman first book scythe in the Scythe series but I did push my self through it but I do not see my self picking up the next two books in the series sadly. DNFing is something I am working on for sure.
I dnfed NOS4A2 a couple years ago... It just wasn't fun to read. And it wasn't scary either. It was somewhere along the lines of mildly annoying and unpleasant.
This is a thing that I have to learn. DNF-ing isn't my thing, there is only one book that I put back on the shelf and it's still bothers me. But it was soooo stupid :p But I've noticed that if I pick-up a book that someone from booktube recommended and it's my jam, I will probably like it so I don't have so many books to DNF.
Books I DNFed : five feet apart, The WItch’s daughter, The false Prince, The need, The fifth season... I also tried to read the raven cycle, but I could not stand the audiobook so I might try it again if I get it in paperback in the future.
i totally get the DNF on Nos4a2, i finished it and i think i actually rated it fairly high? but i didn’t find it an enjoyable read, i just couldn’t deny that it was a good idea that was written well...it was just boring. my only DNF has been Frankenstein, i’ve tried to read it 3 times and i just can’t force myself to finish it ever
I can’t understand how people can listen to romance and erotic ebooks... I tried once then got grossed out by the weird moaning and sex words and baaaybbeee s that I was nopeing the hell out of there. And it was a pretty “tame” romance with only one semi explicit scene too. Maybe I am too much of a prude but I can’t do audiobook cringe. I can read it (in a romance mood or even then I get irritated) but not have it whispered in my ear.
Lol, I’m a romance lover, honestly, I love most romance... but I never listen to a romance on audiobook. Something about listening to the more intimate scenes as opposed to reading them just... I don’t like it. 🤣 Also, if I were going to suggest a romance for you, I wouldn’t start with contemporary romance (knowing what you like). And oh man, on NOS4A2. I’ve got it on my reading list for 2020 and I’m worried I won’t like it, and hearing that you didn’t doesn’t make me feel great about it.
I tried to read the Raven Boys this year... I was utterly confused from chapter one.. I haven't finished it yet. I don't know if I will.. I don't understand it..
I was lucky enough to only dnf 2 books this year. The Other Wife, turns out I don't like domestic thrillers. And Supermarket. I just could not get into it.
Where The Crawdads Sing was my favorite book of the year. It is a slow build and a character based novel. The ending is so awesome! It is not a book to give up on. I really enjoy your channel! Merry Christmas
So MANY people are gonna hate me for this, but these are the books I DNF this year: 1. Whichwood (I'm not sure that's right, I don't remember the title, but it's a book by Taherah Mafi) 2. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (pls don't attack me, I REALLY tried with this one) 3. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (y'all gonna come with me with pitchforks now huh) 4. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
Ninth House was mediocre. I have never read Six of Crows and this book did not motivate me to pick it up even though Cindy loves it and I love Cindy, BUT I was so unimpressed by Ninth House.
I pushed through The Starless Sea, but I think I have Emily's aversion to magical realism. For instance, the floor cracks open and they fall into...a sea of honey??? Why, exactly!? It was a real slog for me.
@@Elizabeth-uu5tv Leigh's Six of Crows duology is one of my favorite fantasy books of all time, Leigh's already a favorite of mine, it just frustrated me so much reading Ninth House because I couldn't understand what waa going on half the time, it was so convoluted and, frankly, boring
I'm so sad you didn't like Autonomous, because it was one of my favorites last year. But I could see how it could be less enjoyable for someone who isn't interested in the specific topics it brings up about gender and class etc.
I did like Where the Crawdads Sing but it's clear the author hasn't looked at a map of North Carolina. There is NO WAY to walk from the outer banks (where the characters live) to Ashville, especially in the amount of time she claims. It was annoying to keep seeing her refer to that.
I'm very curious to try NOS4A2 - my sister quite liked it and I would like to try some winter books during winter... maybe it'll help me hate winter less. I live in Edmonton, Alberta sooooooooooooo it's all winter all the time here right now. I really liked Where the Crawdads Sing. I really love books that involve nature. I didn't' enjoy the child abuse part but it wasn't gratuitous. And there was a little bit of mystery involved which I like. It wasn't surprising at all, no real shocking twist, but all in all it was a worthwhile book.
Wow, I so feel for you! Same thing happened with me with NOS4A2. Started reading it around October, but I DNF-ed it, because as you said it too, WHAT'S THE POIIIIINT? It was just soooo boring. Great vid by the way! Cheers from Hungary! :)
Definitely recommend you pushing through Where the Crawdads Sing, Emily! It's so much more than an abandoned girl or a domestic thriller. I went into it hesitating due to the mixed reviews and you DNFing it, but I sure wasn't disappointed. One of the best books I've ever read
If you didn't like NOS4A2 as book, maaaaybe you should give the tv series a shot. Because for me the series didn't work at all BUT I love the book so maybe for you its the other way around :D They changed quite a lot so it might be more up your alley.
My goal this month was to finish books that I had dnf'd years ago. My oldest dnf'd book was 14-15 years old. I finished it and I really liked it! But I haven't picked up any of the books you dnf'd; they're not my jam. But my aunt did recommend the crawdad book. meh.
Emily, did you ever finish Wanderers by Chuck Wendig? If so, what did you think of it? I have checked it out of my library three or four times and I still haven't been able to make myself finish it. But if you liked it I may give it one more try.
I had to dnf Paul Tremblay Cabin at the End of the World. I thought for sure I'd like it because I love end of world/speculative fiction stuff. I found it very annoying and had to stop because I was getting mad at it, at a book! I did love Where the Crawdads Sing, however.
I watched most of NOS4A2 because my husband wanted to watch it and it wasn’t great. It was super slow. Zachary Quinto was really good as the villain but it just moved too slow to keep me interested.
Whoa there, now hold on a sec. Besides both being set in Russia in some form, I don't think Disappearing Earth and The Bear and the Nightingale have much in common. The former is a literary fiction collection of short stories in contemporary Russia loosely (and in most stories, only tangentially) tied together by the disappearance of two girls (the mystery element). The latter is a fantastical tale of medieval Russian folklore and mythology with talking animals and spirits and rival gods and invading armies and fantasy adventure.
Snowglobe Emily is totally channelling Rudolph in this video, are you trying to convince her she can fly?? Sounds like an accident waiting to happen... I keep going backwards and forwards on whether I want to try the Raven Boys series, there are so many mixed feelings on it but also so many people that love it, that I don't think it will ever live up to my expectations
I felt the same way about the other Lisa Jewell book. The feeling I got too was icky, it was a terrible book. Maybe that's what she is trying to do. I guess she's just not for me either. I tried reading the raven cycle because I liked the synopsis but from what I read it was a different story of a bunch of guys looking for a dead king and some ley lines.
I love that you are talking about DNFing books. I found myself doing the same thing this year and I really don’t like doing it but you made me feel better about DNFing in the future. And I thing we all have those books we just don’t get to finishing until years later 😂 I’ve been working on Three Musketeers for four years, even though I like it I keep putting it aside to rest then picking it up months later
I’ve tried to read book two of The Raven Cycle like 4 times .... couldn’t do it. I could read an entire series about the aunts though . However, I LOVED Where the Crawdad Sings. It was a slow start, but I really enjoyed it
