Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I mention:
Mike @RiffRaffReads
In this video, I take the New York Times historical fiction list and run it through my own reading taste to answer one question: Is this a Shelly Book?
After hearing from a fellow BookTuber that I have very strong opinions about what I like and don’t like, I decided to test that reputation. Instead of reviewing these books like a news reporter, I’m using this list to examine my own taste, instincts, and reading identity.
I talk through whether each of these novels feels like something I’d genuinely love, admire from a distance, or quietly resist, and what that says about historical fiction, literary prestige, and how we choose what to read.
Books discussed in this video:
Fonseca by Jessica Francis Kane
The Antidote by Karen Russell
A Calamity of Noble Houses by Amira Ghenim
Gabriële by Anne Berest and Claire Berest
Isola by Allegra Goodman
The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon
Sons and Daughters by Chaim Grade
This Here Is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry
The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
This isn’t about deciding whether these are “good” books. It’s about taste, how it sharpens over time, and how literary lists shape what we think we should read versus what we actually connect with.
If you enjoy BookTube videos about:
historical fiction
literary fiction
New York Times book lists
strong reading opinions
reading taste and identity
thoughtful book commentary
you’ll probably enjoy this discussion.
Let me know in the comments which of these feels like your kind of book.
Vlogs:
“Best books of 2025” final boss youtu.be/l3AYuk4rBUQ
One list to rule them all! The best lists of the year! youtu.be/k8RW86juTTo
Organizing my books, thrifting finds, and a North Carolina stop for bookshop youtu.be/JvbQN2GWTGU
I publicly humiliated myself (naturally I bought new shoes after) youtu.be/wHMVl9Hf7DI
An AMAZING book find! + Hannah Louise Poston X Salt New York blush collab + thrifting youtu.be/-agcMsnSA78
Life's highs and lows | slow living nestled within a busy schedule - youtu.be/3ByTYHpoFc4
Slow Days, Small Joys | Weekend Vlog + What I've Been Reading - youtu.be/qb9oRM50xS8
Makeup used:
Hannah Louise Poston X Salt New York saltnewyork.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoph11sTSWTtHEC29jmbZOj9FJRr_zNY9j-lwPrR4n_qhlAS5BR3
Amuse me in my inbox - rachelle.e.swearingen (at) gmail.com
Befriend me on Goodreads -goodreads.com/user/show/139310469-shelly-swearingen
Drop by on Instagram - Shellyish
FTC disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the links.
I mention:
Mike @RiffRaffReads
In this video, I take the New York Times historical fiction list and run it through my own reading taste to answer one question: Is this a Shelly Book?
After hearing from a fellow BookTuber that I have very strong opinions about what I like and don’t like, I decided to test that reputation. Instead of reviewing these books like a news reporter, I’m using this list to examine my own taste, instincts, and reading identity.
I talk through whether each of these novels feels like something I’d genuinely love, admire from a distance, or quietly resist, and what that says about historical fiction, literary prestige, and how we choose what to read.
Books discussed in this video:
Fonseca by Jessica Francis Kane
The Antidote by Karen Russell
A Calamity of Noble Houses by Amira Ghenim
Gabriële by Anne Berest and Claire Berest
Isola by Allegra Goodman
The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon
Sons and Daughters by Chaim Grade
This Here Is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry
The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
This isn’t about deciding whether these are “good” books. It’s about taste, how it sharpens over time, and how literary lists shape what we think we should read versus what we actually connect with.
If you enjoy BookTube videos about:
historical fiction
literary fiction
New York Times book lists
strong reading opinions
reading taste and identity
thoughtful book commentary
you’ll probably enjoy this discussion.
Let me know in the comments which of these feels like your kind of book.
Vlogs:
“Best books of 2025” final boss youtu.be/l3AYuk4rBUQ
One list to rule them all! The best lists of the year! youtu.be/k8RW86juTTo
Organizing my books, thrifting finds, and a North Carolina stop for bookshop youtu.be/JvbQN2GWTGU
I publicly humiliated myself (naturally I bought new shoes after) youtu.be/wHMVl9Hf7DI
An AMAZING book find! + Hannah Louise Poston X Salt New York blush collab + thrifting youtu.be/-agcMsnSA78
Life's highs and lows | slow living nestled within a busy schedule - youtu.be/3ByTYHpoFc4
Slow Days, Small Joys | Weekend Vlog + What I've Been Reading - youtu.be/qb9oRM50xS8
Makeup used:
Hannah Louise Poston X Salt New York saltnewyork.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoph11sTSWTtHEC29jmbZOj9FJRr_zNY9j-lwPrR4n_qhlAS5BR3
Amuse me in my inbox - rachelle.e.swearingen (at) gmail.com
Befriend me on Goodreads -goodreads.com/user/show/139310469-shelly-swearingen
Drop by on Instagram - Shellyish
FTC disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the links.
