reading the first books I can think of 💭 📚 TBR200 ep6

Hello, my name is Megan and I have 305 books on my TBR and today is the next episode of TBR 200, a series that I'm doing to get my physical TBR below 200. And today we're going to be reading the first books that I can think of. This is a video idea that was come up with by one of my patrons, Julia. I get 60 seconds, 1 minute to think of as many books as I can that are on my TBR. Out of the 305, how many can I name in a minute? I fear I am going to crumble. I don't know how well I'm going to do. >> I don't want to do it. I want to go home. Like, I can't take the pressure of it. But don't you think any job interview >> I get a minute to name as many as I can and then I can read any of them in this video probably in the next week or so. So, that's what we're going to be doing. This was a great idea. I'm trying hard not to look at my TBR card that is down here. Should I just get into it? Wish me luck. I I don't know how well I'm going to do. Feeling a bit nervous. Feeling a bit shaky. feeling the pressure. But shall we just get into it? Okay, here we are. Petrified. I'm not going to have time to like explain why that book is coming to mind. Like why I've thought of that book. So don't question my my my what what happens. I don't know. I'm scared I'm going to go down a turning and get lost. Also, I am kind of on a self-imposed fantasy ban at the moment cuz I have been struggling with fantasy. I'm giving it a time off, but I'm scared that all I'll be able to think of is fantasy. So, if I like think of a fantasy, I'll write it down and let myself to continue. Shall we begin? Oh my god, I've got a minute. Okay. Okay. Are we ready? Okay. Three, two, one, go. Oh my god. Oh my god. Okay. The story of a murder by Hi Rubenhold. Uh, not in love. Uh, how to I'm going to need more space. How to sell a Ah, haunted. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. haunted house. Um um buts in defense. I'm just naming non-fiction. How do I spell defense of witches? Um uh actually I'm a murderer. Um um bat eater. Water moon. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Pause. No. Um, seven lively suspects. Um, um, Oh my god, I'm I've gone down the room and I've forgotten something. Um Um Um, Bless your heart. Bless your heart. I'm giving myself that because uh I I had to resize the thing. Oh my god. [Laughter] That threw me right back into the throws of PTSD. I I I went down a route of trying to remember what the sequel cuz I I thought of Seven Lively Suspects and I thought, "Oh, I need to think of sequels that I have and I tried to think what is the sequel to Beartown." I I have not got it out. That was crazy. Okay, how many books I name? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Probably half of which are non-fiction. So, I will have to read some non-fiction. Let me go grab these 10 and we'll see what I want to start with. Okay, here are the 10 books that I named in the one minute. Oh my god. I went over to my TBR cart and I was like, I should have thought of that one and I should have thought of that one. God damn it. I don't know what I want to start with. Um, I might make the decision tonight. I'm feeling quite sleepy right now. Also, I'm doing this at 5:00, 5:00 p.m., which for me is like brain starting to shut off time. I'm sure I could have got more if id done this first thing in the morning. I'm partially leaning towards um story of a murder. I put the story of a murder. Oh well, I'll allow myself that discrepancy. The rules don't apply. I'm tempted by this because I do love a Hi Ruben Hold non-fiction. I'm tempted by this. I'm tempted by just reading an alley. Like I love Ali and I have a great time with every alley. Maybe this is more what I'm in the mood for this moment. But this is a great stack of books. This is exciting stuff, guys. Like even if it's not one of these two. Oh my god, look at these. I'm so excited for all of these. So, I will just I'll let future Megan decide. I'm kind of leaning towards one of these two, though. These were the first two I named. Well, that's not a coincidence. I think these are two on my mind. I so funny. The first two that I named the ones I want to read. Cut the cameras. Done. Two named. That's it. So, we'll see if I'm more than I need to read some non-fiction, though, because we have one. We have three non-fiction on this list. So, we should at least read a few of those. So, yeah. I'll let you know which one I've picked up when I've started them. We're probably going to do this vlog for like a week or so. So, we'll see how many of these books we read. I'm not going to put a ton of pressure on myself. Also, these are all books I'm very excited for. So, yeah. I'll see you later. I'm procrastinating um when I've decided which one to pick up, but wish me luck. These are some exciting exciting books. [Music] Shipwreck [Music] in the dark. Far from the harvest, far from the start in a storm. I lost my sails. [Music] I lost all direction. Got caught in. >> Hello friends. I did decide to start story of a murder first. But before we get into this and talk about the reading in this vlog, I wanted to take a moment to say such a big thank you to the sponsor of today's video, Serious Readers with my serious light, which you just saw me using. I actually I always usually film the B-roll of me like using the serious light in the evening so you can like see the beam strongest. But I wanted to show you in the day because I use this in the day. I use this in the day. I use it at night. I use it in the afternoon, in the morning, in the evening, in lunchtime, like anytime I'm reading, I use my Sirius light. And honestly, guys, with a Serious Light, >> it's so good. I love my Sirius light so dearly. So, this is a reading light. It's the best thing on earth. It's the best thing on this gorgeous plan. I love my Sirius light so much. Honestly, the best reading accessory you can get. It is a reading light that has something called daylight wavelength technology that replicates the daylight spectrum as closely as possible. So it feels so naturally the eyes. Other lights when you look at them or you're using them to read, you can feel that it's like there's a resistance. Whereas the light that's made in this it we're like biologically primed to like consume this light through our eyeballs. And it just feels it feels like a breath of fresh air. It feels it just feels so natural on the eyes. I love it. I can't read without it. I actually can't read without it. I used to have a big problem with eye strain back in the day when I used to read in like poorly lit areas and I have never had eye strain since I have owned this. I've owned this for a couple years now. It's still going strong. It's incredibly durable. I love my serious light so much. So, you guys need to get one if you haven't already. And I have an amazing deal. I have a code meg which will get you £150 off a high definition light. £150 off. £150 off. They can fit. They're made in the UK, but they can fit different plugs if you need them. So, if you need a US plug, EU plug, they can fit them. I love it so much. So, go check out link down below. If you're looking for a reading light, this is the one you need to get. I'm being so deadly serious. I love it so much. So, go check the link out down below. And let's get into the reading portion of the vlog. Hello, friends. It is the next morning. I've barely read anything because I was making dinner last night and I just had one of those times where literally everything that could go wrong went wrong. You know what I mean? and everything everything went wrong and so I just went and laid in bed after making dinner. But I am 12 pages into a story of a murder and I just wanted to read you out like the first paragraph of this book because in my opinion it's a huge slight. I just read this first paragraph of the prologue and I went oh we're in for it. Oh hie. Oh hi take my hand. So the first it's actually just the first two paragraphs. Just sit with me while I read this. Okay. is. Oh, it made me feel things. Are you ready? No murderer should ever be the guardian of their victim's story. And yet, this is the role that Holy Harvey Krippen has always held. For weeks in 1910, he stood singlike and imperturbable, sorry. Um, under the public gaze, the police and the press marveled at his fixed expression, at how it remained unyielding to questioning and cross-examination. Not even the sudden bursts of photographers flashes rattled him. He never flinched or buckled under the pressure. He gave one account of events from which he never deviated. So long as he held that narrative close, he also controlled Belle Elmore's story, all the elements of her tale, all the experiences and opinions of the wife he had killed. Other something about when I'm filming here, guys, she just is obsessed. And I think that might be the last that we like hear is interesting from his perspective or kind of like writing about him because Hi Ruben hold goes on to say he should not have control over his victim's narrative. We are going to tell this story from the women the women the women >> women's stories matter. Yeah, they just matter. They do, you know, >> who were a part of this story and who were friends of her or colleagues of her. And I am just so excited because really what Haley Renhold does so well, if you don't know, Haley Rubenhold wrote the five, which is the kind of stories of the real lives of Jack Thrippers victims and who they were as people. She tells a story of forgotten women throughout history. And that is my favorite kind of non-fiction history. And I'm just I just think it's going to be great. I think it's going to be amazing. I cannot wait to read it. Basically on today I am editing the 48 hour readathon vlog. It would have been your guys's last week's video and I want to get that done in like an efficient amount. Still do a great job editing hopefully. Great job. That's high praise. Good job. But yeah, I want to be finished by like 4 or 5 so I can spend a lot of time this evening reading this. I'm so excited. I also wanted to give you guys an update because I've done a bad job of updating you. probably out of fear of it like not happening with my moving out because um that is definitely progressing. So, I know not everyone watches every video. I kind of sprinkled information in videos, but like a quick rundown of what happened. Tom and I have been looking for a place to buy together since the start of the year. We found a place in January that we loved. We were supposed to move that in into that in March. That didn't happen. Come to us thinking we're a week or two away from moving in in July. Uh June, one of those, the sellers pull out. The sellers pull out. we lose that flat. We have since found another place that we love and I think is even better and is amazing and I'm so excited and we put an offer in had accepted on that I think in August and we're getting there guys. We're getting there. We've got a lot of the searches back like a lot of the contracts and stuff back. I think what might slow it down is like higher up the chain. But in terms of the position we're in, I think we're in a pretty good position. And so I am hopeful, fingers crossed, that we will be moving in uh before the end of the year. Hold my hand. Hold my hand and say it with me before the end of the year. >> We need this. This is essential. This is a crisis. >> That's something as a goal set that I have no control over. Me no control over that actually happening. But I hope it will. So I'm hoping for the year we'll have some moving content. If there's any kind of content you'd like, I'm going to do like a moving vlog. And then other than that, I think like because I think it will happen in like November, December, it's going to be a busy time contentwise on YouTube. Christmas is going to happen. So, I think we're going to slowly then kind of renovate and decorate in the new year and kind of just get the furniture we need to move in. And then a lot of my bigger renovation kind of content will be in the new year in terms of like my book setup and everything I'm very excited about. So, yeah, that's an update in terms of that. I also have a parcel that I thought we would open that is probably going to add a book or two, who knows, to my TBR. But let's see. I I I do very much appreciate everyone now feels the need to apologize when they buy Oh, there's two books in here. Um cuz they know that they're adding to my TBR. It's SD. SD, stop it. Right. I'm not looking at the books yet, but the note note number one says, "Congrats on the patron rebrand. It looks so good." And this doesn't count towards your TBR numbers. So, yay. Okay, Essie. And number two says, um, this one will count to your TBR numbers. Lol. Also, fair warning, I did not like this book, but since it's Abby, you obviously need it. Okay, let me get the Abby first. So, that is going to be Say You Remember Me by Abby Jimenez. Okay, Essie didn't like it, but it's Abby. I need to read it. I love Abby Jimenez. One of my favorite romance gies. And I'm excited about this one. I have heard this is quite emotional. I think it's to do with like a character has dementia maybe like one of the family members or something and I think like they're they can't work out. I think they have to do long distance for some of it and so they think oh let's not let's not do this but they fall for each other. I don't know. I'm very excited about this one. So yay. Thank you SD. And then what is it that won't add to my Oh my god. This is perfect. We have my camera's running out of space. Let me try and speedrun this. Agatha Christie reading tracker. So you can like Okay, hang on. I need to actually I need longer to talk about this. Okay, I'm back. I deleted something. This is so fun. Oh my god, Sie, thank you so much. This is basically every Agatha Christie book at the f start you have a checklist, but then it goes into each book. I think in terms of publication. Okay, interesting. Wait pro. Hang on. What are some of these? Some of these must be short stories. Oh my god. I don't know if I've read some of these. this the AI parro short stories I don't have a clue also what I would have rated them >> I don't remember I don't remember love I don't remember at all I really don't an awful long time ago >> but it has for each book victims clues murderers favorite quotes did you crack the case this is so exciting this is such a fun way to track my Agatha Christie reading oh my god I'm so excited about this wow and it doesn't add to the TBR so we've added add one book to the TBR. One book. Um, and I will try my best to get another book off the TBR soonish. So, that puts us what on 306. Okay. Anyways, I'm going to go keep editing and I will see you hopefully later today, if not tomorrow, with some thoughts on story of a murderer. I'm I think it's about 400 pages, so I'd like to get to maybe like page 150 today. I don't know. I'm very excited. Very, very excited. So yeah, I'll check in when I'm a little bit of the ways through. [Music] [Music] It is Monday. We will talk about how long it's taking me to read this book in a second. Yeah, it's Monday. I had a lovely weekend. I tried to film a few little shots of stuff, but basically we just went on walks, which is usually what we do when we go around Tom's house. We just went for walks every day. It was lovely. I am halfway pretty much exactly through Story of a Murder by Hi Ruben Hold. I'm loving it. I'm loving it. Hello, Megan from the future here realizing I never actually told you the synopsis for this book. I never actually told you. Basically, all you need to know and my my knowledge of this going into this, this is a pretty well-known case. I feel like in UK true crime, I'm not sure if it's as well known in the US, but it's pretty well known in the UK about a woman was murdered by her husband and her husband and his mistress were caught trying to flee on a boat to Canada and the mistress was dressed up as his son, his young son. So, it's a pretty well-known true crime case in the UK, but this is unpicking the truth of that. So, we have Belle or Kora is the wife who was murdered. We have Dr. Krippen, who was the husband, and we have Ethel, who was the mistress. So, we're following the truth of their lives, etc., etc. I I do a good job of summing up the rest of this, like my opinions on it, and what happens in this book, but I feel like I never I needed to tell you that's what the true crime case is. Okay, now we can carry on. I I just I think when I'm talking about this, I may like spoil some parts, but it's a true crime story of a murder that happened in 1910. And like I had a lot of prior knowledge of this murder going into this. So like I don't feel like I can spoil this, but I may talk about some of my favorite elements of what's happened. So hopefully that's fine. I don't I won't say anything that I think I don't think you can spoil it cuz you know the murder and who's done it basically, but just some of my favorite parts of this to add context. But yeah, basically I think I already summed up what the book is that it's like telling the true story of this murder. And Hi Ruben Hold's writing is just incredible. writing and the depth of knowledge she manages to find is insane. Insane for like sorry I feel like I need to move this more and be more central for something that happened in 1910 that you know as she says most of what we know is the story that he told on the trial and so much of the women's stories is kind of lost to history. She manages to find it. She finds like a niche interview that one person involved in this gave in like a small newspaper however many years ago. And she finds that information out and it's just incredible. And the way she writes it feels like I can't describe it like you're zooming in on this real life thing. It doesn't feel like necessarily a fictional, you know, it's a narrative. She's taking us through the story, taking us through what happened. It's a narrative to it, but it doesn't feel like fiction. It feels like she is taking you to that moment and zooming you in and you are like standing in the room with these characters and watching everything play out. You know when you like watch a historical reenactment? That's how I feel. I feel like I'm in the room with them. I am seeing everything. She's zooming us into little moments in little facial expressions and little things people have said and we are in the room with them. I am so passionate about this. I love it. >> No, I don't think you understand. I'm obsessed. >> So far where I'm at, the murder has occurred. It hasn't explicit. We haven't seen that happen, which I think is a very interesting storytelling. We're kind of like seeing what everyone else has seen, but yeah, the murder has happened. And can I just say my favorite moment so far is all of her friends, all of Belle, Kora's friends, like ride or die. Ride or die for her. They are like something I'm smelling I'm smelling something. I'm smelling a stunt. I'm smelling a stunt with Dr. Krippen. And they're like, "We are the police don't care. None of the men care. None of his co-workers care. No one cares. But her friends are like, this is what I'm talking about spoiling. I have to talk about this. The women the women, >> the women who I love are there and they're like, we're going to figure this [ __ ] out. I'm kind of just at that point now. That's just what's happened. But wo, it is fascinating. It is a period of history that I love. That kind of Victorian into Edwardian period. She's taken us basically from their births. We have followed these the kind of the three main characters of this story from their birth and I think that's such a fascinating journey that we've taken with them. I'm loving it. However, I do want to recognize that it's taking me a long time to read this. I haven't not been reading it. I've been reading it, but I am reading it slowly. I am taking my time with this book. I'm taking my time with the text. I am making sure I've got great reading comprehension. Like I it's not a book I want to rush. And part of me feels bad and with a vlog like this, I feel the pressure to read three to five books and, you know, get a lot of books off my TBR, especially because these are the books I'm kind of like most excited about are top of mind. But sometimes a book like this, this is the kind of book that I would be most excited for. But because it's non-fiction, because it's quite long, because it's quite dense, I would usually put this off. I would usually not find the time to read this in a vlog. Or if I would, I would rush it. And I just don't want to do that. I don't want to do that. And I want to be okay with maybe only reading this and one other book because we've got a hard stop for this vlog. I have to stop on Wednesday. And I think I just have to be okay that some books need more time. Not every It's not realistic in life, is it? That like every book takes you 2 days to read. You know, some take a little bit longer. And this book is taking longer. It has taken me a lot of reading time to read half. Now I feel like it might actually speed up with kind of like the pace that the story is now going to take. It feels a bit like a a ball rolling down a hill and that like suddenly we're picking up a lot of momentum. So, I've read maybe the last 50 pages quite quickly. Yeah, I just think I have to be okay with that and maybe only reading this and one other book in this vlog. But, you know, I'd like to get to all of these books cuz they're the ones I'm most excited to read. Yeah, I think I'm accepting that it's okay that this takes me longer. It's important sometimes to take longer with certain books and I think I think it's a good lesson for us all. It's a good lesson for us all. I'm just loving it. I'm loving it. I'm loving it. I'm loving it. the fact that I it's taking I've been reading this what now for like 4 days and it's taken me that long to get halfway through. I will try and speed up a bit, but it's great. It's great. It's great. 10 out of 10. 10 out of 10. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Oh my god, I loved this book. Five stars. Five stars without a shadow of a doubt. Five stars without a shadow of a doubt. I loved this. I think Hali Ruben Hold is one of the best true crime history writers out there at the moment. The narrative that she crafts and the layers of meaning that she manages to find through these historical documents and the deceptions that she manages to unpick that, you know, Dr. Krippen and Ethel in their own ways tried to craft with their narratives and the voice that she gives to the dead woman Belle who has had no voice and has had her character completely stripped of of her and molded into something that is suitable for the man that murdered her is wonderful. I had a line or a paragraph I should say in the second half that I just thought was like some of the best writing I've ever read in a non-fiction book. particularly also talking about the effects of a murder and this is something I see really well done in a few kind of more literary mysteries that I've read particularly tell me what I am I don't know where that is but that was a book I gave five stars this year and loved and really showed the farreaching effects of one act right so this this was the end paragraph of one of the chapters and it said he failed to see how all the pieces aligned that murder is never a single act of destruction but experienced as a series of interconnected Ed injuries. A spray of shrapnel scattered throughout the lives of all those in close proximity. Oh. Oh. Pen on [ __ ] fire. I loved it. I loved it. And I think it examines so many interesting things like I said about like the narrative that is crafted by them and what is reality. I think Ethel is a really interesting woman. She is the one who is the mistress who gets disguised as his son and she's kind of a woman of contradictions because you know this is a time of like I find the Victorian and Edwardian periods in history so interesting because it's a time of real social shift and I feel like Ethel I don't want to spoil anything for people that haven't read the book but feels kind of like caught between modes of being you know she like paints herself as this kind of like naive didn't know anything about what was happening, although she certainly did. You know, this is at the same time a time of suffragettes, like fighting for the vote. And she is at the same time like demure and and uh obedient to the man that she loves whilst also like engaging in this extrammarital affair like willingly and and willingly want to remove the wife from his life. And I don't know, I just think it was so fascinating. I loved it. Five stars. Five stars. Five stars. Five stars. I I need to read more non-fiction, guys. I love a bit of non-fiction. This is my second non-fiction five star of the year. Now, I will say it took me like a week to read. I spent like a week reading this book. And so, this vlog was supposed to be going I was supposed to be finishing it before I went on holiday. That has not happened. I've read one book for it. So, I'm now going to start another TBR 200 vlog, which is going to make working out the numbers quite difficult cuz I'm going away on holiday. But then, I'm going to come back and read a few more books for this one. And I think you'll see this vlog first. I think that makes the most sense and then you'll see the other vlog next week basically is what's going to be happening. But yeah, I don't know what I'm going to pick up next because whatever I pick up next will be like in probably two to three books time for me. So, we'll see what from the second I pick up next. But I'm glad that this vlog gave me the opportunity to not only pick this book up, but take my time with it. Um, I cannot recommend it enough. I cannot recommend it enough. >> It is brilliant American literature and I don't care what anybody it is it's lit it should be taught in schools. Hi Ruben Hold has such a way with words and like I say I feel like either she puts you in the scene with them or she has been at that scene and she is telling you everything as she observed with her eyes the imagery that she manages to craft. I'm passionate about this. The imagery that she manages to craft and the conclusions that she manages to draw on what people thought or felt at the time without having ever spoken to them is quite miraculous. And sometimes it's so miraculous I'm like how have you reached that conclusion? Like she says things with such determination and like belief in what she's asserting that I'm like how would you know that? Anyways, I loved it. Loved it. I loved it. I loved it. Let's see what we're going to read next. Hello friends. I'm back from filming part of the other video which when you see that you will see that I barely filmed any of it. So barely anything of that one has happened. I also just sat down to film and then immediately got hiccups and I can only solve hiccups by I have to plug my my year 4 teacher taught me this and it's the only thing that works. Plug my ears and nose and someone else has to help me drink water and it they would not go. I just drank like two pints of water. So I'm feeling like a bit like a full hot water bottle right now. But anyways, I decided to start Not in Love by Ali Hazerwood. Not a surprise. The other book I was probably most excited for to read in this video. I'm going to lower you a bit. And I am about 130 pages in. I thought I'd check in. I'm having so much fun. Alli is just my girl. She's just my girl. She's just my girl. Just like she can do no wrong. Basically, all you know about the plot of this one, the setup of the romance, if you will. We're following two characters. They meet up one evening. They don't end up having sex. They meet up to have sex, but they don't end up doing that. And they the next day realize that he is part of the the the the the company the the the private and private equ >> something because him and his business partners are trying to take over the company that she works for that her close friend set up. And so it's this conflict of interest but they really want to [ __ ] each other basically. So, it's kind of like not at the I think a lot of this book it won't be a romance. It will be a romance similar to how Deep End is where they're like [ __ ] buddies but like they're falling in love with one another. That kind of setup. I don't know if it's going to be a five. I mean, every Alley I've read has been a five apart from Bride. Every Alley novel has been a five. But I am having so much fun at the moment. It's feeling like at least a four. I don't think I I actually was saying I was just on patron reading sprints. I actually think I'm capable of giving Ally less than a four. I actually I don't think I mean touch would I just don't think that'll ever happen. I think she is forever at least a fall and I just want to check in. I'm about to have dinner and then I'll probably take my makeup off, get in bed in my pajamas, but then I'll probably read some more of this and I'm just so excited. I was just actually in the middle of reading the first sex scene and I was on the live and I was like I don't like reading that in public. I'm actually kind of still in the middle of it. I stopped. You don't want to know the words I'm seeing on this page. My god. But I just love the way Ally writes. Let me actually talk about why I love her rather than going like he he love the way she writes. And we said this before. I don't know if it's like kind of the fanficky nature of the way she writes, but the book just flows so well from scene to scene from charact the way characters talk to one another for the most part. She does have a cringe moment in her, but I will allow it cuz it's Ally. I will allow it. But she like just the way they talk to one another. The conversations flow so easily. like your eyes are moving at the across the page at the speed of light because of the way she writes. It's so popcorny. It's so digestible, you know, and she manages for the books to be so fun, but also these characters do um experience are dealing with difficult issues a lot in her books. Alli's books still feel so light, so breezy, but like these characters, it was something I found so wonderful in Deep End the way those characters developed with the stuff going on outside of the relationship. And I'm already feeling like there's elements of this that are very interesting. She's she's tackling some very interesting stuff. Like I think already I'm obviously only near the start, but one of our characters has kind of trauma around food insecurity, and I think that's such an interesting thing to tackle in her book. I don't know. I'm I'm really enjoying it. I'm really enjoying it. I'm really really really enjoying it. I'm having so much fun. I can't wait to read more. I fear I might finish it tonight, which is why I thought I would check in with you now. Now, I do have to make a confession. Uh, don't be mad at me. Like, you're not allowed to be mad at me. It's not. It's just Okay. Okay. >> Well, >> I hope this show gets cancelled and never renewed. >> I can't believe that. I actually can't believe that. >> I'm ashamed. >> Yeah, I bought a book. And then it might be getting worse tomorrow, but we'll talk about tomorrow. Tomorrow's a new day. It's a brand new day. Um, so listen, I had to get it. Catabasis Catabasis Catabasis by RF Kuang. One of my favorite authors. I adore her and I just really wanted this edition. Okay, I wanted this edition. I wanted the water st edition. And I was scared it was going to sell out. And I I just want you to know I thought about this purchase for a long time. Okay, this was a considered purchase. This was not a, you know, a rushed decision. I thought about this. I pondered this and I'm I'm okay with this. However, it does mean that the TBR I think is currently on 306. We start the video on 305. Yes, this has been added to the TBR. I'm excited about it. I don't want any comments about how I don't change my habits and I never learn cuz the TBR will get down. You just can't ask me not to buy this cuz I love the sprayed edges of this one. I love them. Alice Law, you naughty girl. You're trying to go to hell. RF Kang. Anyways, I'm going to grab dinner. I'm going to take my makeup off, get in my PJs, and I'm going to read more of this tonight. Okie dokie. I have finished Not in Love. And this is going to be I don't know why I'm dragging it out. It's going to be four stars for me. When I talk about it, I'm probably going to sound quite negative, but like any Alley that isn't a five star is a little bit disappointing. This is among my lowest rating for an Ali, a four. Everything I said about what I love about Ali Hazwood still stands like how much I love her writing, how readable her books are. You know, I for the most part enjoyed the characters a lot in this. I enjoyed the work stuff that was going on behind the scenes. There was a plot line to do with like the takeover of the business and why it was happening and I found that very interesting. But for me, if I'm completely honest with you, when I was reading this, I just kept thinking of Deep End and how I feel like they're quite similar, but this does everything 10 times better. This is was released last year. This was released this year. And both of these are friends with benefits to lovers with a little bit of kink. Well, they talk about kink in this, but they don't actually do anything. This is more still not kink for what I think the kink girlies read. You know what I mean? It's quite tame, but there's a lot more it's a lot more focus on that about how they're both into kick yourself up. But anyways, it reminded me a lot of each other, but this just it felt like this was like a a test for how this would do a more sexheavy Alli Hazwood book as well. And usually there would be like two, three sex scenes in an Ali Hazwood book. This one it's like we are [ __ ] buddies. So that's what a lot of what the book is about. And I just found the sex scenes hotter in this. I found the character both of them have two characters who have got a lot of trauma. And I found the discussion of the trauma and the growth from their trauma more interesting than this. So this is a four star. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't, you know, it wasn't that five star Ally feeling that she usually gives me. Yeah. And I just didn't like the couple weren't my favorite ever couple. But like that's not going to happen for everyone in every single book. I mean, I love a lot of Mrs. Ali's couples. I love them in deep end. I love love hypothesis. I love love theoretically. Like I love a lot of the pairing she's made. And this pairing like I'm not entirely sure if they'll last. You know what I mean? I don't know if they'll last. >> Eileen, I said it. You could I know. I I said I said it. I said all of it. >> It's the first Ali pairing where I'm just not fully bought into them, you know. But I do love her writing. I had a good time. I read it quickly. It's kind of what I need right now. I am ill. My dad came back from holiday ill and then has slowly been infecting us. And I'm just determined that if I do nothing today but sit on the sofa now it's already like half one, no 2:00, quart 2.4 past 2. There we go. 45 minutes have just evaporated. The day has been evaporating. When you're ill and like you say you're going to do nothing, but then you end up still need to do stuff. Like I have clothes I need to put away, laundry. Anyways, I'm going to do nothing else today but sit on the sofa. determined that if I do that then I will recover today. There is actually a football game in about 45 minutes that I could watch. I watch almost every Norwich City game, guys, at the weekends. I I pretty much watch every Nor City game, but we have been god awful. Like so bad. So bad. Like unwatchable. We do not like this manager, me and Tom. Like sorry Liam Manning. We want you to get sacked. But like we've been so bad for so long that today could be the day it turns around. And if it's not, he will get fired soon. Um, so I'm debating whether I watch that, but I have to pay£10 to access the stream and I'm like, is that worth£10? I'm not sure it is. Not sure it is. But anyways, I need to confess something. Just as we've gotten something off the TBR, you I mean, you're not going to be mad at me for this. You can't be. You actually can't be. [Music] Okay, here she is. The Impossible Fortune by Rich Dman. Number five in the Thursday Murder Club. I am annoyed. I pre-ordered it and look. That's how it came. Angry. This is the next Thursday Murder Club. I had to pre-order it. I will probably be reading this when I read the top 10 of the Goodre Choice Awards mystery thriller category. You can't be mad at me. So, this episode of TBR 200 has now become we need to be net zero by the end of this vlog. And I think she's in for a rude awakening. >> We're not going to make any progress on TB, but you can't be mad at me. I had to buy Catabases unless these were, you know, these were very measured purchases. They were very measured purchases. I thought about it a lot. You know, these were not impulse buys. So, at least there's a little something in my in my purchasing that's changing there. In terms of the final book we're going to read since I filmed the intro for this, a couple of the books that we had in this stack have been siphoned off to be read elsewhere. Like actually I'm a merger now. A book club pick for my Patreon. So these are what we're left with. And I am I am going to be reading How to Sell a Haunted Tales by Grady Hendris. Perfect for like I feel like autumn is well and truly beginning. This is a great autumn vibe. I'm going to light some candles. I'm going to put a fireplace on the TV. This was very kindly gifted to me. This is the American version by um Erica when I did my Costa Rica trip. And look at the cute little bookmark I've got as well. How exciting. So yeah, I'm reading this because I chose this out the stack because I am actually determined, guys, I'm going to do it. I'm going to read every book that's been on TBR this year. I have just sketched out all my videos for the rest of the year that are probably happening. I mean, the move will throw things into turmoil a bit cuz I still don't know when or if that is happening, but I can just about read every book that's been on TBR this year if I push myself. Like, it has to be like I'm dedicated to this. So, um yeah, this is on TBR near the start of the year, actually, and I haven't gotten around to it yet. So, I'm going to be reading this. I'll let you know my thoughts. I'm a little bit ways through, but filming this clip, I'm feeling lightheaded. So, I might I might just go sit downstairs. I was going to put my laundry away, but uh oh my god, I've just noticed the exclamation mark. Anyways, yeah, I'll let you know my thoughts and the synopsis when I'm a little bit of ways through this, but um wish me luck. Wish me luck. [Music] I am currently halfway through How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendris, and I I have some opinions and I have some thoughts. So basically all you need to know about the plot of this one is we have two siblings whose both their parents die in a freak accident and they have to sort out selling the house that they grew up in together. They've got a very fraugh relationship. They basically hate each other's guts. They don't get along and um perhaps the house is haunted. Perhaps the house is haunted. If you're here just tap the [ __ ] table. Cheryl, you [ __ ] >> There is weird stuff happening in the house. And listen, I don't think this is a spoiler. If you have read three horror books in your lifetime, you'll know fairly early on it's going to be something to do the dolls at this point. Trixs, the dolls are the dolls. No, I'm joking. Her mother has a vast and varied collection of dolls of puppets, many, many things existing in this house. And like as soon as she steps in this house, the the protagonist, and sees all these dolls, you go, "Oh, oh, oh, oh, that's what we're going to be dealing with here." And I I'm enjoying it, but I think this would have been so much better as a nolla or a short story or just like a tighter horror book. It feels padded. It feels elongated. It feels like it's swelling at the seams. These are quite extreme terms we're using. This book is how how long? 400 over just over 400 pages. This would be so much better if it was a novela or a short story or at the very least a tight 300. Give me a tight 300, Grady. Like it just feels like there's not quite enough there for the length of it. I'm halfway through and it feels like barely anything has happened. I'm not too immersed in the story, but I could be if it was shorter. Do you know what I mean? It's just like a a story idea that I feel like isn't uh it needs another element. It's a haunted house. It's a haunted house. And yes, it's not ghosts necessarily. It's going to be the dolls that are like possessed or demons or whatever. But when you think of other Grady books like they're they're either a great idea or it's two kind of really strong things put together. Like you've got like 80s best friends exorcism or you've got vampires. I was saying vampires but it's middle-aged women's book club doing it. or you know you're trapped and there's something trying to kill you but you're in an IKEA. You know what I mean? This just feels like haunted house. Haunted house. There's something making weird noise outside. Sorry if you can hear that. And so I just don't I'm not like super duper drawn into it. I don't think it's bad. I really enjoy Grady Hendricks. He's probably my favorite horror author. I think he's it's fun. You know, there moments of funniness. There was just a twist as well like literally in the last couple chapters that made me go, "Oh, it was a very good twist. It was very good twist that kind of explained, you know, you think that their sibling dynamics have been one way the entire time and it added another layer to their dynamics and to their relationship that made certain things make sense. So, I appreciated that. But, I'm not gagging at the moment. Who knows? I mean, it could get cooking in the second half. I'm literally about to sit and just read this whole second half now. So, it could get going, you know what I mean? And like crazy stuff could happen. But I'm just kind of I I feel like it needs other element. It is horn house with dolls, but I don't know. I'm It's not my job to Well, one day it might be. Who knows? I'd love to write a book, but you know, it needs that other factor. Does that make sense? I'm going to go read the second half. You know, I love Grady's writing. It is enjoyable to read, but it just feels like every scene is padded out and like elongated. I will tell you what I'm going to rate it in about 2 hours, 3 hours, however long it takes me to read the second half of this book. I have finished How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendris. And I have had I have had the opposite experience to not in love. Whereas my first clip for that I was like, "Oh my god, I'm really enjoying it." And my second clip I was a little bit disappointed. My first clip for this I was like, "Ah, I'm not sure I'm thinking of it. I'm ending on it having really enjoyed it." I say they're opposite experiences. I'm giving them both four stars. So, the same rating, but this pulled itself up from like a 3.5 to a four. I really, really enjoyed this. Everything I said before still stands. Those are my issues with it. It being too long. It not having like a new exciting element to it. However, I really, really enjoyed the ending of this. The ending is crazy. It's fastpaced. It's everything I wanted from this book. The stakes are higher. You've had a moment that feels like the Denum and you're like, "How can we go from here? how can we go from here? And all the tension from that is remaining, but like the book is carrying on and things aren't done yet. Yeah, I was super duper satisfied by the ending. And at the end of the day, I think this book does what it sets out to do in like kind of being a metaphor for generational trauma and particularly like maybe only realizing the parts of yourself that have molded around the trauma um that you've like inherited after your parents have died and like it all being tied up in the grief of them and the grief of these people you loved as well. trauma, family trauma, generational trauma, family trauma, you know, generational trauma, >> generational trauma, >> generational trauma, trauma, >> trauma, trauma, >> and it just had Kay Hendrick's great writing, but I stand by the fact that this should have been a novela. There's so there's at least 100 pages, if not more of this that are wasted. So, I stand by that. But I love Grady Hendrick's writing. You know, he's he's probably my favorite horror author. I wouldn't say this was like funny in the way that his books are sometimes funny. It had like moments of camp. Like I think the whole puppets thing and like there were elements of that, but it's not the funniest Grady Hendrickx. He has like funnier books, more cample leaning books. I think there is there's an element of like of pixie dust that is missing for me in this book. But the ending won me around. The ending I could not put it down. The ending I had so much fun with. So yeah, we're ending this. We're ending this one on a four star. I don't have a ton to say though, and I think that's because it feels so padded out. I'm kind of just like, but you know, great depiction of generational trauma. Aren't we all victims of it in some way or another? Don't we all pass something down and get something pass something passed down onto us? So, at the end of this episode of TBR 200, I started it on 305 books and we're ending it on 305 books. Go me. Go me. No, I'm joking. Obviously, that is not acceptable for every TBR 200. I didn't think that would happen, but it did. It did. But we are doing a lot of TBR 200 episodes the end of the year. Like almost every vlog. I think bar maybe two or three are going to be TBR 200 episodes. So, expect me just like whittling down this TBR before the end of the year. It has to get under 300. Obviously, I only need to read six books to get it under 300, but like I want to get distinctly below 300. So, make sure you ring the bell to be notified when I post because there'll be a lot of TBR 200 episodes, a lot of me getting this TBR down, reading every book on my TBR. But, you know, this is one that feels good to get off as well because it's been on here since 2023. So, it's been lurking for a while. But, anyways, I love you all so much. Thank you so much for watching this video. I need to go quickly get this last clip edited and this video uploaded. And I will see you very soon in another video. Bye. [Music]