Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
video mentioned: PLEASE let me convince you to READ about my FAVORITE historical time period!
youtu.be/b6YPS6rer0w
0:00 Preamble
1:17 Defining factors of my reading year
3:22 Elena Ferrante
10:47 Saga
11:17 Kate Chopin
12:08 Elizabeth Strout
14:17 Hilary Mantel
14:56 George Saunders
15:28 Nonfiction round-up
18:42 Bought and read right away
Books mentioned:
Tudors by Peter Ackroyd
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante
The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Elizabeth the Great by Elizabeth Jenkins
An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel
The Color of Water by James McBride
Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Saga by Brian K Vaughn and Fiona Staples
Word salad:
reading update, reading year update, mid year reading update, reading wrap up, reading life, reading reflections, booktube, booktuber, reading vlog, reading discussion, reading tastes, reading habits, literary discussion, books and reading, reader identity, favorite books of the year, disappointing books, best books so far, worst books so far, reflective reading vlog, cozy booktube, thoughtful booktube, reading burnout, reading slump, literary fiction, historical fiction, book recommendations, book review, reading goals, reading journey, reading recap, bookish chat, quiet reading vlog, reading lifestyle, books I’ve been reading, reader ramble, current reading life, honest reading update, year in books, introspective booktube, cozy reader, book lover, reading community, bookish reflections, reading mood, realistic reading life, thoughtful reading content, reflective book content, Shelly Swearingen
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
video mentioned: PLEASE let me convince you to READ about my FAVORITE historical time period!
youtu.be/b6YPS6rer0w
0:00 Preamble
1:17 Defining factors of my reading year
3:22 Elena Ferrante
10:47 Saga
11:17 Kate Chopin
12:08 Elizabeth Strout
14:17 Hilary Mantel
14:56 George Saunders
15:28 Nonfiction round-up
18:42 Bought and read right away
Books mentioned:
Tudors by Peter Ackroyd
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante
The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Elizabeth the Great by Elizabeth Jenkins
An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel
The Color of Water by James McBride
Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Saga by Brian K Vaughn and Fiona Staples
Word salad:
reading update, reading year update, mid year reading update, reading wrap up, reading life, reading reflections, booktube, booktuber, reading vlog, reading discussion, reading tastes, reading habits, literary discussion, books and reading, reader identity, favorite books of the year, disappointing books, best books so far, worst books so far, reflective reading vlog, cozy booktube, thoughtful booktube, reading burnout, reading slump, literary fiction, historical fiction, book recommendations, book review, reading goals, reading journey, reading recap, bookish chat, quiet reading vlog, reading lifestyle, books I’ve been reading, reader ramble, current reading life, honest reading update, year in books, introspective booktube, cozy reader, book lover, reading community, bookish reflections, reading mood, realistic reading life, thoughtful reading content, reflective book content, Shelly Swearingen
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
