Booktubers

[silkytoes]

I've just finished watching Jean from Jeansbookishthoughts, her September Second-hand video and I find it very weird that she did this video. Yes, it's applaudable that she now only buys second-hand clothes but it's a bit rich to keep going on about it when she hauls an insane amount of books every single month. Yes, some may be second hand but that doesn't excuse the extreme consumerist she is. I adore books as much as the next person but christ. I often wonder how she gets through any of them and then I see she's uploaded yet another haul vid, it's a constant cycle.

Looking at her goodreads challenges, she does seem to manage to read around 10 books a month so I guess she is getting through the books she's hauling at least, which is better than some I can think of who seem to unhaul just as many as they're hauling haha.

I suppose at least if all her clothes are second hand and she's doing the same with at least some of her books then it does offset the amount she's buying a little bit but I'm sure she's not buying clothes in such large numbers and I think it's something she could address at the same time.

I do think this is an issue with Booktube, there's so much expectation to buy books and I'm not sure of the most ethical way to do it - libraries or second hand probably, but then there's also a pressure to buy new, not only so you have the newest prettiest hardbacks to show off but to support both authors and independent bookshops.

 

[SoulDestroyer]

I do think this is an issue with Booktube, there's so much expectation to buy books and I'm not sure of the most ethical way to do it - libraries or second hand probably, but then there's also a pressure to buy new, not only so you have the newest prettiest hardbacks to show off but to support both authors and independent bookshops.

I like World Of Books for second hand books. You can choose the condition and most of the ones I've had would pass off as new.

I loathe booktubers who say they support indie booksellers, they urge their viewers to, but then buy from Amazon or Book Depository. One large booktuber used to do this until I messaged them saying that their affiliate links to Book Depository was supporting a business owned by Amazon.
The response wasn't great (somewhat sarcastic), but within about a month they'd stopped linking to Book Depository.

 

[blossombloss]

I like World Of Books for second hand books. You can choose the condition and most of the ones I've had would pass off as new.

I loathe booktubers who say they support indie booksellers, they urge their viewers to, but then buy from Amazon or Book Depository. One large booktuber used to do this until I messaged them saying that their affiliate links to Book Depository was supporting a business owned by Amazon.
The response wasn't great (somewhat sarcastic), but within about a month they'd stopped linking to Book Depository.

go you for messaging them, even if the response wasn't so great it had some sort of an effect

 

[figgypud]

I've just finished watching Jean from Jeansbookishthoughts, her September Second-hand video and I find it very weird that she did this video. Yes, it's applaudable that she now only buys second-hand clothes but it's a bit rich to keep going on about it when she hauls an insane amount of books every single month. Yes, some may be second hand but that doesn't excuse the extreme consumerist she is. I adore books as much as the next person but christ. I often wonder how she gets through any of them and then I see she's uploaded yet another haul vid, it's a constant cycle.

Buying secondhand books from charity shops is a really great cause, and a form of recycling, and I love buying secondhand books but I still do so sparsely and like to use my library most of the time. I take more of an issue with her buying secondhand clothes since I watched a haul a couple of months ago, and then saw that she sold an item she'd hauled on Depop for 3x the price she must have paid for it. She goes on so much about the working class and socialism and politics and yet she's doing stuff like that. Selling on Depop is a great way to engage with fashion sustainably but this really put me off her.

 

[blossombloss]

Buying secondhand books from charity shops is a really great cause, and a form of recycling, and I love buying secondhand books but I still do so sparsely and like to use my library most of the time. I take more of an issue with her buying secondhand clothes since I watched a haul a couple of months ago, and then saw that she sold an item she'd hauled on Depop for 3x the price she must have paid for it. She goes on so much about the working class and socialism and politics and yet she's doing stuff like that. Selling on Depop is a great way to engage with fashion sustainably but this really put me off her.

Oh I love second hand book shopping so I applaud her, it's just I'm so tired of her hauls lol, so to me it's exhausting to highlight second hand books you've bought when you buy so much and a large proportion of the time the books are completely brand new (although she does often include her second hand book buys in her hauls).
Ah yeah I follow her depop too but never purchased anything. I find most people are happy to up the price when they sell there despite what they want us to believe!

 

[queenamber]

She's also posting on her instagram stories about buying a new book from her Amazon wishlist despite telling us to boycott Amazon...

 

[blossombloss]

She's also posting on her instagram stories about buying a new book from her Amazon wishlist despite telling us to boycott Amazon...

Yeaaaah it grinds my gears when I hear her say another person has bought her a book from her wishlist when it's from Amazon. I don't wanna start anything against her because I do like her but it's so contradictory that sometimes I wish she didn't say anything about buying habits in general because her book habits are so far away from her clothes spending habits. I get people grow and change with time but surely she can see you can go on about fast fashion when your other spending habits are incredibly wild.

 

[bunnyblue]

I really like Jean, but something I noticed that really bugged me, on Instagram stories she posted a little screen recording of her Amazon books wishlist asking which one she should pick to buy, but there’s no answer box to write in, she doesn’t have story replies on... but there is a swipe up link??
She’s done it once before and something about it is just a bit off putting

 

[SoulDestroyer]

I'm just watching Getting Hygge With It's 'Unhauling My Contemporary Books' video in which she unhauls books that she never thinks about putting on her TBR. In it she seems to decide to keep a book because it's a black/asian author ... !

For example she picks up Idaho by Emily Ruskovich and looks at it, and says "never" and was putting it on the pile to be unhauled when she suddenly picks it back up and checks that the author isn't black ... "no, it's a white woman ... never." Like the author grew up in Idaho where she's writing about ... not really her fault she's white! Idaho is 91% white!

Also picks up an Amy Tan book "I don't think about putting it on my TBR often, but she IS an asian author ...."

Is it just me, or is anyone else a little uncomfortable with this?




And as a separate point ... it really irritates me when Booktubers put Amazon wishlists in their description.
Like, you're drowning in books, why on earth would you want more?!!! And for someone else to buy them for you when you get heaps of freebies!!!!

 

[Lilmisssarcastic]

I watch Felix from time to time, I enjoy his non gaming content. If he is ‘influencing’ young/people to read then that is a positive, in time those who are reading (as a result of Felix) may read more varied books and discover other ‘booktubers’.

I have to agree with this. Being encouraged to read is a positive.

 

[Grillyguy]

I didn’t know Felix posted book videos and I’m very interested in them! I’ve always been an avid reader and writer, I’ve even written my own novel which I’ve pitched to agents but to no avail. I turn to booktubers to see if any books they haul/recommend catch my eye, and I’ve been watching a lot more during lockdown.

I find the amount of books hauled in monthly hauls genuinely insane. Some haul like 50-70 books! That would take me a year, if not longer to read all of them and then before you know it, the following month’s haul has a similar amount of books being hauled.

I’m also seeing more and more booktubers doing reading challenges, buddy reads and online book clubs which I think is great in theory. However, I see some look visibly stressed because they’ve joined so many or are taking part in so many challenges. I don’t understand how that is fun? I would much rather have a book tuber read a few books every month and recommend their favourites. I honestly don’t care if someone has read 200 books in a year or if they’re sad they haven’t read their monthly TBR list. I do care if you’ve read a handful of books that actually mean something to you and potentially me.

This may come from a lack of education on my part, but I don’t see many booktubers stripping back the literary world. When I first started watching, I had no idea what an ARC or trope (sp?) was for example and had to research it by myself which is fine but I feel like if it was explained in videos by those receiving them, it would make their content more watchable. The same can be said when someone says, ‘everyone loves this author and this book so I won’t talk about it and move on.’ I don’t and would like to know more about it. That’s the point of me watching your video.

 

[thisiscat]

Hi there, there is a girl who I’ve been watching for a couple of years who jokes about being a booktuber because she does book reviews every other week mixed in with other content and she’s called Debbie B (used to be called Debbie Drama). Never really found a place to talk about her because her channel hasn’t taken off yet, she doesn’t have many subscribers but I think she’s a real gem. I love seeing her talk about the books she has read because you can tell she has a real passion for reading. Because she is still in the early days of her channel (been on YouTube about 2/3 years, small audience) she just reads the books on her bookshelf. She’s says she’s making her way through the books in her house that she hasn’t read yet so it’s quite an eclectic selection of books. It’s obvious she likes crime and thriller books but also includes fantasy books and the occasional young adult. She also an actor and has done a couple of theatre vlogs and singing videos. I found her when I was looking for people like Georgie Ashford and Carrie Hope Fletcher.

 

[queenamber]

Any old Sasha Alsberg fans here? I watched her years ago but don't anymore.
Anyway, she's in hot water after selling overpriced ARCs on Depop (very frowned upon) and, worst of all, potentially forging Sarah J Maas' signature on some of the books. You can still clearly see the pencil marks which she has traced and forgot to erase LOL.

 

[nym3ria]

Any old Sasha Alsberg fans here? I watched her years ago but don't anymore.
Anyway, she's in hot water after selling overpriced ARCs on Depop (very frowned upon) and, worst of all, potentially forging Sarah J Maas' signature on some of the books.

ooh I saw she was selling books but didnt see this! where can I see the tea pls

 

[queenamber]

ooh I saw she was selling books but didnt see this! where can I see the tea pls

Lots of talk about it on Twitter if you search her name! She just released a statement claiming the "allegations" aren't true on her own Twitter account.

 

[nym3ria]

Lots of talk about it on Twitter if you search her name! She just released a statement claiming the "allegations" aren't true on her own Twitter account.

Just saw it! pardon my language but the excuse about SJM's signature is bullshit

 

[blossombloss]

Any old Sasha Alsberg fans here? I watched her years ago but don't anymore.
Anyway, she's in hot water after selling overpriced ARCs on Depop (very frowned upon) and, worst of all, potentially forging Sarah J Maas' signature on some of the books. You can still clearly see the pencil marks which she has traced and forgot to erase LOL.

no idea who she is but OMG that is low! Also making me belly laugh though, why on earth would you leave your evidence behind!

 

[zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Any old Sasha Alsberg fans here? I watched her years ago but don't anymore.
Anyway, she's in hot water after selling overpriced ARCs on Depop (very frowned upon) and, worst of all, potentially forging Sarah J Maas' signature on some of the books. You can still clearly see the pencil marks which she has traced and forgot to erase LOL.

I used to follow at the very beginning but not anymore. Went to twitter to look it up and I can only say WHAT THE ACTUAL duck.

 

[figgypud]

I had to unsubscribe from Lauren and the Books earlier this year but I've been watching her Vlogmas videos in the morning and I just have to say, thank duck she's not my neighbour

 

[Kitt]

I had to unsubscribe from Lauren and the Books earlier this year but I've been watching her Vlogmas videos in the morning and I just have to say, thank duck she's not my neighbour

I have watched her for years and years and I really like her as a person but I’m finding her so so repetitive. If she talks about a book, she’ll say the exact same thing about it every time. I enjoy her vlog type videos though.