I can literally watch you talking about books for hours and never get tired! You are so eloquent, and I really love how you discuss your reviews. I really appreciate that you not only talk about what you felt while reading them, but you also tackle the more technical aspects that made you feel that way! I’m not sure if that made sense, but I feel like many reviews are heavily dependent on one’s mood when they read them, but I really think you find a way to discuss them in a way that I can make my own decision about whether or not this book is objectively something I’ll be interested in!!
I called multiple people after finishing Happy Place because I was filled with rage at the ending. Then ranted on Goodreads lol. Your very correct opinion is very correct!
You’re so articulate and your reviews are spot on! My favorite review was for Happy Place. This happened to be the very first Emily Henry I read and I was so upset when I read it because the main characters were horrible and boring that I had absolutely no desire to read any other Emily Henry. Fortunately, I read a couple more that were at least decent and worth the read.
I think the thing with Yellowface is that she basically turned all the valid critiques she got about racism, colorism, and historical accuracy in The Poppy War trilogy into a racist caricature which is definitely a choice. She doesn’t seem like someone that takes criticism very well at all.
I love Goodreads videos! It’s definitely not too late! I will definitely be adding some things to my tbr (though respectfully fourth wing was my favourite read of last year and I actually genuinely enjoyed iron flame but I’m very willing to admit to each their own)
Agree. LOVED happy place. I think it’s Emily Henry’s best book - that said, I don’t think it’s really for romance fans, and that’s why lots of people don’t like it (and probably why I did).
Happy Place comment - I really don't understand the big criticisms about the Happy Place ending. As a female physician, I thought it was beautiful and very real. I thoroughly celebrated her journey of growth and self discovery. Walking away from her "dream" before it destroyed her took tremendous strength. I saw her as courageous character and in no way weak or pathetic for making the choices she made. She didn't want to be a surgeon because she learned she hated the hospital and hated the operating room. That makes sense to me because continuing would have been torture and soul sucking. Many physicians leave residencies or change specialties and some even decide to use their education to do something non clinical or completely unrelated to medicine. It's not that uncommon. My version of what happens next for her would be something like the following...after taking a year or two to recover and heal, she pursues a path that aligns with who she is and what she wants. Maybe she starts a psychiatry or family medicine residency program or enrolls in a neuroscience phD program or sees patients in a rural urgent care clinic or opens a pottery studio or starts a college admissions consulting business or any number of a million things that she could do with her intelligence and education. Life is short and hating on a character who wants a life built on truth and not a teenage dream is judgmental and disappointing.
Really cool to hear your thoughts on some different genres! I can’t remember what video it was now but I remember you recently saying you’re a bit more interested in urban fantasy and that got me thinking that you might like the shades of magic series by V E Schwab, I feel like it straddles the line between urban fantasy and more typical high fantasy elements similarly to how Cassandra Clare does in the shadowhunter books
Hey Chandler, I'm catching up on your recent videos and I just wanted to say that I am enjoying all of them :) I really appreciate the way you discuss books and how we can understand your point of view according to each story you read. Thanks for sharing that with us!
If you're looking for historical nonfiction with a better outcome I would suggest 'The Woman They Could Not Silence' - Kate Moore. It tells the true story of Elizabeth Packard, a 19th-century woman who was wrongfully committed to an insane asylum by her husband (because back then women didn't have any rights) The twist is "despite being silenced and dismissed by society, Elizabeth fought for her freedom and became a leading advocate for women's rights and mental health reform". I rated it one of my top reads last year and I highly recommend it.
Really wanted to know how you got on with The Wager and I’m glad to know you enjoyed it! I have fallen out of love with historical fiction and also discovered I really like narrative nonfiction to still scratch that itch of learning about strange historical events. If you are interested, I highly recommend Endurance by Alfred Lansing about Shackleton’s voyage and David Grann’s other book, Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as anything Erik Larson.
not going to lie, I completely respect, support, and love your personal life journey. Sadly, I am invested, and if you wanted to create a patreon for X amount of money for any sliver of personal updates, I am there....
As a heads up, Divine Rivals is still under the SMP media boycott. SMP has not yet responded or acted on their employee spreading racism on their platforms and in their job and until they do, influencers are asked to not platform SMP or any of their publishers books (like Wednesday books) in their content
I hated Happy Place. I completely agree that the book was neither sexy nor romantic but the ending killed any vaguely positive feelings about the read. I am an actual physician and the idea of a second year resident quitting on what seemed like a whim really made my blood boil- residency is supposed to be hard so not enjoying residency doesn't mean you don't still want to be a doctor- and also to the author- almost no one quits residency unless they have wealthy parents who paid for their medical school education because it is impossible to pay back the (at minimum) $200,000 you have in student loans without a high paying career.
This female physician and surgeon completely disagrees. Neurosurgery is a brutal 8-9 year residency and if it isn't a good fit, there is no reason to do it. She has endless other options. For example, after a break of a year or two she could do a family practice or community psych residency. Then once finished she could practice in a rural community and get her loans paid.
