My Booktube consumption took a bigger hit than my book blog reading when the pandemic hit. Not only were my usual contexts for watching gone (putting makeup on in the morning being the main one), but there was something about it, as a medium, that felt more frivolous than blogs. It certainly didn’t fit in with my new daily YouTube schedule, consisting of Justin’s morning chat at 9:00 am, and the Chief Medical Officer’s daily scolding at 3:30 pm.

For the first few months, I would mostly just peek at random channels, to see who was keeping up with the grind of wrap ups and TBRs despite it all, and who was adjusting their content. Now, I’m slowly getting back into watching, but the urge to create is pretty much gone. Never say never, but… it might be a never. There are plenty of reasons for that, most of which have nothing to do with the pandemic. Here are some of the channels that I’m still watching:

WhatKamilReads was the only channel I even tried to keep up with in those early months. I think it was the combination of a project (following the International Booker Prize), methodical but insightful book reviews, and, yes, his accent that kept me watching.

Juan Ramos has given me a lot to think about when it comes to reviewing classic novels. Here’s a great example. A book that needs to introduction, but he gives it a good one:

Another not-quite-review, but on the chattier side, I’m new to Gagging4Lit but loving “the vibe,” as the young people would say:

Love him or hate him, I can’t resist Steve’s tour through his massive wall of Penguin Classics. Here, he commands us to read House of Mirth immediately (seconded) and rants about Franzen’s recent introduction to a Wharton collection (…he kind of deserves it).

I’m not usually drawn to channels that do a lot of tags, but Sonya of An Enthusiastic Reader picks the most interesting ones, and always has interesting answers. Here’s one I’d like to do:

Books and Bao needs more subscribers, and if you enjoy books in translation and/or gothic novels, you should be one:

Even if I never get to the non-fiction books Jen of Remembered Reads recommends, I feel like I’ve learned something:

I also have it on good authority that Rick is *not* on hiatus, despite appearances, and will be back soon. If anyone’s going to convince me to watch a 20+ minute video of “random thoughts,” it’s him.

Bloggers, are you watching Booktube? Considering making the leap, or maybe you already have?