I have had Dark Matter on my shelf for months and picked it up this week because of you and Ashlynn. It was incredible and is getting me out of my slump! Absolute 5 stars, can’t stop thinking about it. Love the channel and appreciate all of the hard work you both put into your videos. 😊
I just read that in November in basically one sitting. So good! I just finished his Wayward Pines trilogy this month so just have Upgrade and Recursion left to read. 😄
Ian I just found you through the Library of a Viking! Just want to make sure you are aware of Christopher Buehlman ? He is one my newly discovered favorites! The Blacktongue Thief is in my top 5 of all time. The other 4 are Fellowship, Hunger of The Gods, Before They Were Hanged & Enemy of God. If you loved the Witcher you will love Between Two Fires!!
Awesome list. I love how passionate you get on the books you love the most. You're doing a great job. Love and hugs to you, Ashlynn, and Meshack (beautiful pup).
Stephen King is unparalleled to me honestly. I am not as much of a fan of his newest novels, but man, his body of work as a whole is simply astoundingly good! I still think about the end of the Dark Tower series to this day.
@11:12 - Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles series has been on my TBR for a while and you've convince me to get to it sooner than later. I've always been interested in stories of Arthur and Merlin. The 2008-2012 Merlin series is one of my all-time favorite TV series.
@7:43 - I read IT as a teenager and was a bit younger when I first watched the film. This story terrified me (never looked at clowns the same way again), and I LOVED it! Was a huge King fan in my youth, largely because a close family member was in a Stephen King club and collected all of the books as they came out. Wondering if I would like IT today. You've convinced me to reread it some time.
Also, btw, you’re among the reasons why I’ve begun opening myself upto the fantasy genre. I’m more of a literary, classics, and narrative non-fic type of person but just seeing you in Ashlyn’s videos reading CHONKERS, totally content in your little corner completely endeared me. I also think I’ve realised I really want to explore big books with big ideas and epic fantasy seems to be where it’s at💁🏻♀️
Man we have so much in common as far as our book choices! Lonesome Dove, The Stand, Pierce Brown (LightBringer), the Dark Tower, I’m currently reading Wolves of The Calla. I found you through the video we did with Sam and so glad I did!
The Stand tv series back in the day was my favourite thing and I always put the book off because man that is a big book lol But you convinced me, it's on my list for next year!
IANNNNNM MY MANNNN. Now I have a bunch of stuff to add to my recs🙏🙏🙏. I’ve been so busy but now I got time to read so I’m pumpeddddd. Just got malice !!!!!!! I’m so excited thank u so much for everything you’ve done for this community I love that we can all talk book together much love brother ❤
@@iangubeli I HOPE SOOO. I picked it up since you’ve raved so much about it and the last 2 times you did that and I bought books was red rising and the dark tower books . Safe to say both HEAVY HITTERS!!!!! So I’m absolutely pumped to pick it up and just read 200 pages straight lol . Much love brother . Hope there’s drama and politics cause that’s MY thing 😁
Favorite series this year for me, was hands down, Darker Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab Please put it on your list for next year (pretty please) - I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
You convinced me to get Dark Matter. I was thinking about it since you got it. Couldn’t help myself when I saw it in the store. Thank you! Can’t wait to read it!
My favorite read is the manga, Berserk. It was absolutely incredible. Very dark and very very graphic. Not for the faint of heart at all! But wow. The characters are so complex. The story is absolutely amazing. The exploration of trauma is masterful. The epic romance makes me cry. The artwork is great. RIP Kentaro Miura.
oh my gatos, Dark Matter was so good! What a fun and quick read, but also with some deep, profound questions and thoughts (life choices, and regret vs gratitude). Basically read it in one sitting. I'm a physics nerd, so I especially loved the fact that he had a tesseract-shaped chandelier... and the other physics-related things, which I will not spoil. Even if you don't think you're a SciFi fan (brain does not compute lol), give this a shot! He has fun with science without getting too technical. Highly recommend!
Awesome list, man! I think that thanks to you I'll start 2024 off with the Stand. My favorite of this year is definitely The Liveship Traders Trilogy, started the year off with those books and just can't stop thinking about them. Robin Hobb's character work is very much on par with Stephen King. Amazing books, would really really recommend them! Appreciate the videos, man!
This was so fun to watch! I'm definitely going to have to read more Stephen King this year! My favorite book of 2023 was originally Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar, until I read 11/22/63 by Stephen King (which was AMAZING). Then I read Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson, and I've been obsessed every since. I read it for the first time in September 2023, and I did a re-read in January 2024. It is such an amazing book!
I love the variety of books on your list ! Housemaid dark matter and IT were great! I have lonesome dove & and prince of tides and I’ll get to them sooner now . Yes ! The stand by Stephen King was definitely a 6 star read !
You've sold me on The Warlord trilogy! Just bought the first book, I've been missing both fantasy and historical fiction so if this kills two birds with one stone - that's a win! My fave book this year was 'The Man Who Was Thursday', I'd recommend it for a break from heavier reads, the audiobook had me laughing out loud 😂 it's a strange mix of mystery, politics, religion and straight up silliness and it's absolute gold. A bizarre book but easily an all time fave!
Totally adding this to the list!! It sounds awesome! And the Warlord books are stunning. They’re the perfect reads for fantasy and historical fiction fans!!
Great video! I haven't read Dark Matter, and I don't know why. I actually read his Wayward Pines series back in 2016 and loved them, but his books are exhausting 😴. I'm going to give this one a read soon to get me out of a slump. Thanks!
@4:22 - I've been on the fence about the Song of Ice and Fire series for a long time, however you and some of my other favorite Booktubers have recently convinced me to give it a try.
I was so excited when you said Dark Matter, I just bought the book last week and it’s my first time with this author so I am evermore pumped to read it.
❤📚 You had me adding Lonesome Dove to the tbr. I tried Dark Matter on audio and couldn't do it. I wonder if the physical book would work better. Edit! Omgosh, with husband thrfting books, and just bought The Prince of Tides! I just hollered. 😅😅
Wow! Some of your favorite books are my favorites of all time. The Stand, It, Lonesome Dove, Bernard Cornwell. If you loved The Stand, I would recommend Needful Things, Tommy Knockers and my absolute favorite book by Stephen King, Bag of Bones! My favorite book this year, I think it’s Fourth Wing. I might have to think on that.
Just want to say thankyou for introducing me to Red Rising earlier this year! By far my favourite books of the year, and I'm just about to start Iron Gold now. Great vid!
Thank you!! And it’s my pleasure! Red Rising is a stunning masterpiece of science fiction. Freaking Iron Gold, and the other two books after it, are so good!!
I'll join you as well...My top ten 1. Monkey King (translated by Julia Lovell) 2. She who became the sun/He who drowned the world 3. The Buried Gaint 4. Babel 5. Small Favors 6. The Travelling Cat Chronicle 7. The River Enchanted/ The Fire Endless 8. The Women in Me 9. Hello Beautiful 10. No Exit I've ordered Fonda Lee's Jade series. Really looking forward to reading it in the new year
I want to read all of these books except the Housemaid and It! and Golden Son was amazing! I just listened to the first three Red Rising books back to back and im listening to book four... it's safe to say I'm obsessed!
Woah!! Did I miss the video where you talked about Prince of Tides?! I have never seen anyone mention yet alone list it in their top ten!! I loved that book.
Ian I just watched you on Sam Harrison booktubers 2023. Since you love Wizard & Glass are you aware of the comic books Dark Tower: Beginnings which is a prequel series to Wizard & Glass. These comics are about Roland’s adventures leading up to the flashback in book 4. They are so good! I think you can get them now in one bind up. I bought them back in the day when they were originally released monthly. Also the closest King book to the feel of the Stand is Under the Dome. You are going to have to read it in 2024.
Ian one more recommend: check out Talking Story’s 10 Ten Moments of the Warlord Chronicles. I asked him to do this video when he started the trilogy and he does not disappoint!! I also just ordered The House Maid from the Library! Thank you
Hi from one Utah booktuber to another! Ian, looks like you read some great books this year. I love The Stand and It. Both in my top books of all time. I've bumped Joe Abercrombie up in my tbr after hearing yours and others thoughts. A few of my favorites from this year include How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, and Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Cheers!
I first read Dark Matter in the fall of 2020 when I first joined Book of the Month. I thought the genre was sci-fi and not thriller but now that I have just finished Recursion and Upgrade, which are also marketed as sci-fi, I can see why both of you describe it as a thriller. I definitely need to reread it bc it was an immediate 5 stars for me. Highly recommend Blake Crouch’s other books but I think Dark Matter will still be my favorite
Have you read Cornwell's The Saxon Stories? My introduction to his work (and what made me a diehard fan) and might be something you'd enjoy too, given your praise. Great list! Got me interested in a couple books I'd never heard about
Hi Ian! Found you via your sweet wife and just have to say I love watching your book videos!! It’s awesome hearing reviews from a male point of view! Also, question, have you ever watched Olan Roger’s’ videos? I swear something about the way you say things and your mannerisms totally remind me of him! 😂 Maybe you’ve never even heard of him but just had to say that!
Thank you so much!! And yes, Olan is a legend!! His content has given me so much joy over the years! That is the biggest compliment I have ever been given🙈🙈
This couple has been a gift to us book lovers this year. I’ve got so much joy from the two of them. So grateful to have encountered you both and all my love for the coming year❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I just started reading mystery/thriller this year and enjoying branching out to different genres besides fantasy. I have heard of three books on this list which were Dark Matter, The Housemaid, and It. I read Red Rising last month and enjoyed it a lot. I have plans to read the next two in the trilogy eventually. My top ten books of this year were Eva Evergreen Duology, The Inheritance Games and The Naturals series, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Fourth Wing, Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Infernal Devices Trilogy, the first two books of ACOTARs (I have plans to read the third book A Court of Wings and Ruin next month to finish the series), Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro.
I love this list!! Red Rising and the ACOTAR series are some of my favs! I get wanting to branch out. I have been taking a break from fantasy myself, and it has been so rewarding!
If you haven’t read Lancelot by Giles Kristian, read it, I can’t even begin to describe how incredible that book is. And just to convince you, the red rising saga is one of my three favorite series all the time. Of, and Golden Son is world’s most perfect book 🙏
Love your videos. ⭐ Oooo need to read Dark Matter! I've heard great things. My top 5 of this year were all over the place 😅 The Will of the Many by James Islington The Only One Left by Riley Sager The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden The Spectacular by Fiona Davis The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
IT🤡 was also on my top books but of 2022. Even though I didn't sleep well for days, that massive book was so good. Next year I'll be reading The Stand. My favorite read of 2023 is The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
My 2023 top 10 so far (I have a sneaky suspicion one of my last December reads will disrupt this list): 1. Light Bringer 2. Dark Age 3. The Way of Kings 4. Iron Gold 5. The Lost War 6. Dune 7. Warbreaker 8. Pet Semetary 9. The Burning God 10. The Two Towers If I’d read the original Red Rising trilogy for the first time this year (I read them for the first time years ago and not including re-reads on this list), they would all dominate. RR is my #1 series of all time, by a country mile. Great video mate!
I didn't know Lonesome Dove was a book til you. I'm thinking about reading it. The movie (which I found out later was actually a miniseries) is one of my top 10 movies of all time.
My favorite book is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Follett and Bernard Cornwall are two of my favorite authors. Haven't read a bad book by either of them. Haven't read The Warlord trilogy yet either so I need to check it out soon.
Favorite is actually a series Caraval. City of ghosts series by v.e.schwab. Arc of the scythe series. Im reading Crescent city series now and loving it.
Added a few into my mountain of a TBR list! I would also love to see perhaps a top 10 series of 2023. There's a series I reread, it is a Chinese translated web novel series called The Heaven Official's Blessing. It is the most heartwrenching book series I have ever read, and I still think about some scenes till today. The character development is insane.
oh, shoot! Sorry Ian, I've forgotten to mention that there is lgbt at the end of this book...you may remove this title from your tbr and it's ok! @@iangubeli
I finished the Infected series by Scott Sigler the war in book 3 was sooo epic I forgot to cry till the end and was like ohhh yeah that happened😢 sooo good
I would have to say that my favorite series that I read this year was Red Rising,and Golden Son is by far the best so far. I've yet to read LightBringer. I'm currently reading Dragon Teeth by Michael Chrichton and it's really good. It's about the Bone Wars out west. One thing about his books is they're very easy reading.
my top 10: 1. Oathbringer - Brandon Sanderson 2. Rilla of Ingleside - L.M. Montgomery 3. Morning Star - Pierce Brown 4. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas 5. The Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss 6. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy - Eric Metaxas 7. Murtagh - Christopher Paolini 8. Belles on Their Toes - Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. 9. The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis 10.Last Argument of Kings - Joe Abercrombie
I have The Stand and I am not buying any more books until I read all the ones I already have (or so I say 😅), so hopefully I will be getting to that one soon! I’ve never read a Stephen King book and for some reason when I bought it I thought it would be the perfect one to start with even though it’s humongous 🤣 so now it’s been sitting on my shelf for a year. IT I will not ever be reading. I watched the Tim Curry movie when I was 3 and was absolutely traumatized, I am still terrified of clowns because of that. So that one is a no for me 🙅🏻♀️ I really want to read Dark Matter, too, but I have so many books that I own that I haven’t read yet 😬
The Stand is amazing!! I think there is no bad book to start with King. The Stand is a great introduction, especially to his world building and character development capabilities. IT is not for the faint of heart. I freaking love Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise. I could see where that would utterly traumatic as a child! Dark Matter is a must read! An absolutely perfect book!!!
I keep on asking people but I think you’re the perfect person to ask: what Stephen Book do you think I should read first to get into his writing or his lore? I’ve never read anything by him and 2024 I want to make the year where I finally get out of my comfort zone now that I’ll be graduating college. Love you and Ashlynn!
if I may jump in as a big SK fan who just recently started reading his books there are several approaches you can take, but I would suggest you either of these two: 1. if you have a movie that you like that is based on SK novel read that first. That's what I did with the shining. 2. find a SK book that is in the genre that you already enjoy - thriller, horror, fantasy, detective, dystopian or even historical fiction with a sci-fi twist (11/22/63 my all time favorite book) or even sci-fi/thriller. But even if you choose a genre be prepared that most of SK books have a some kind of a twist like a detective novel with supernatural elements and so on. But generally speaking good first reads would be in my opinion Misery, The Shining, Mr Mercedes, Billy Summers, Long Walk. There are also many other classics that I haven't read yet but people seem to love, like Salems Lot or Pet Cemetary.
I agree!! I started with “The Gunslinger.” It’s the first book in SK’s fantasy series “The Dark Tower.” It was amazing, but that book isn’t for everyone. I think starting with one of his classic works like “The Shining,” or “Misery,” or “Pet Semetary” would be fun places to start. King has written in so many diggers that you honestly can’t go wrong with what you pick!
My favorites from this year are Sword catcher by Cassandra Clare Stormlight archive 1-4 by Brandon Sanderson Dune Messiah by frank Herbert Crave series by Tracy Wolff Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix The stand by Stephen king It by Stephen king Rose madder by Stephen king
Stephen Lawhead has some good series one is the pendragon cycle based on the legend of Arthur and Merlin etc pretty epic, other is Song of Albion trilogy a epic celtic mythology warrior kinda thing one of my favs. If anyone is into that kinda stuff I'd recommend. Old but gold.
I have had Dark Matter on my shelf for months and picked it up this week because of you and Ashlynn. It was incredible and is getting me out of my slump! Absolute 5 stars, can’t stop thinking about it. Love the channel and appreciate all of the hard work you both put into your videos. 😊
I hope the tv series can do it justice 🤞
Thank you so much!! I am so happy Dark Matter landed for you! That book was a beautiful surprise!!
I just read that in November in basically one sitting. So good! I just finished his Wayward Pines trilogy this month so just have Upgrade and Recursion left to read. 😄
@@iangubeli I just found out he also wrote another one! Snow Bound.
I genuinely have never had someone be SO good at convicing me to read books i would have never even considered
Love how you filmed this video! Taking us through your day while also telling us your favorites. Such a good idea (: can’t wait to read Dark Matter
Thank you!! Thought it would be more enjoyable to watch than me just sitting somewhere. And Dark Matter, you won’t regret it!!!
I read The Stand years ago, it's still my favourite. Great top 10!
The Stand is one of my all-time favorite books! I reread every few years, and it continues to be just as amazing!
Me too. The Stand has staying power ✨
My favorite book I read this year is for sure 11/22/63 it’s not only the best I’ve read this year but the best of all time
oh I love 11/22/63 sooooo much
Very excited to get into that one!!
Loved this book
Lonesome Dove and The Prince of Tides are on my top 10 favorite list always! Soo good. Please read all of Conroy’s books. They are all amazing.
I definitely will be reading more Conroy books this coming year!!
Ian I just found you through the Library of a Viking! Just want to make sure you are aware of Christopher Buehlman ? He is one my newly discovered favorites! The Blacktongue Thief is in my top 5 of all time. The other 4 are Fellowship, Hunger of The Gods, Before They Were Hanged & Enemy of God. If you loved the Witcher you will love Between Two Fires!!
Love this list!! I just added a few of these to the TBR!! And welcome to the channel!!
@6:22 - You've definitely convinced me to read Dark Matter ASAP!
Love this!
Awesome list. I love how passionate you get on the books you love the most. You're doing a great job. Love and hugs to you, Ashlynn, and Meshack (beautiful pup).
Stephen King is unparalleled to me honestly. I am not as much of a fan of his newest novels, but man, his body of work as a whole is simply astoundingly good! I still think about the end of the Dark Tower series to this day.
He truly is! There’s not another author alive that can boast of what he has accomplished, and with such consistency!!!
Couldn’t agree with you more about Golden Son. Perfect book and my favorite of last year
@11:12 - Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles series has been on my TBR for a while and you've convince me to get to it sooner than later. I've always been interested in stories of Arthur and Merlin. The 2008-2012 Merlin series is one of my all-time favorite TV series.
@7:43 - I read IT as a teenager and was a bit younger when I first watched the film. This story terrified me (never looked at clowns the same way again), and I LOVED it! Was a huge King fan in my youth, largely because a close family member was in a Stephen King club and collected all of the books as they came out. Wondering if I would like IT today. You've convinced me to reread it some time.
@2:51 - The House Maid has been on my radar for a while and you've convinced me to read it sooner than later. 🙂
Also, btw, you’re among the reasons why I’ve begun opening myself upto the fantasy genre. I’m more of a literary, classics, and narrative non-fic type of person but just seeing you in Ashlyn’s videos reading CHONKERS, totally content in your little corner completely endeared me. I also think I’ve realised I really want to explore big books with big ideas and epic fantasy seems to be where it’s at💁🏻♀️
YES!!! Big books are so fun! I was intimidated at first to dive in to some of those really massive reads, but now that I have I am hooked!!
Man we have so much in common as far as our book choices! Lonesome Dove, The Stand, Pierce Brown (LightBringer), the Dark Tower, I’m currently reading Wolves of The Calla.
I found you through the video we did with Sam and so glad I did!
Hey, awesome!! Sam is good people. Glad to connect with another booktuber!! Love your taste!!
The Stand tv series back in the day was my favourite thing and I always put the book off because man that is a big book lol But you convinced me, it's on my list for next year!
I love the format of this video!! Such a good idea to combine what would usually be a sit down video with a vlog!
Thank you so much!!
IANNNNNM MY MANNNN. Now I have a bunch of stuff to add to my recs🙏🙏🙏. I’ve been so busy but now I got time to read so I’m pumpeddddd. Just got malice !!!!!!! I’m so excited thank u so much for everything you’ve done for this community I love that we can all talk book together much love brother ❤
My man!!! YES!! Malice is SO good!! That series will be one of your favorites!!!
@@iangubeli I HOPE SOOO. I picked it up since you’ve raved so much about it and the last 2 times you did that and I bought books was red rising and the dark tower books . Safe to say both HEAVY HITTERS!!!!! So I’m absolutely pumped to pick it up and just read 200 pages straight lol . Much love brother . Hope there’s drama and politics cause that’s MY thing 😁
Such GORGEOUS mountain views in this video! 🏔 I so miss living near mountains!
Love this format! Pls do ALL your best books as vlogs (monthly AND yearly)
Thank you!! I loved doing this, so I think I will be doing more content this way in the future!!
Favorite series this year for me, was hands down, Darker Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Please put it on your list for next year (pretty please) - I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
I read the first book in this series a few weeks ago. I am stoked to resume with book two! I will definitely make content about for sure!!
The Stand has been on my bookshelf for 2 years...I've been so intimidated to read it but you've got me excited to start it😩
You won’t regret it!!
18:16 - I likely read this as a teen but don't remember it at all now... You've convinced me to read (or reread) The Stand ASAP.
You convinced me to get Dark Matter. I was thinking about it since you got it. Couldn’t help myself when I saw it in the store. Thank you! Can’t wait to read it!
YES!! You’re going to love it!
My favorite read is the manga, Berserk. It was absolutely incredible. Very dark and very very graphic. Not for the faint of heart at all! But wow. The characters are so complex. The story is absolutely amazing. The exploration of trauma is masterful. The epic romance makes me cry. The artwork is great. RIP Kentaro Miura.
Lifelong Berserk fan here. Always warms my heart seeing new people get into the series 🥲
Good list...now you need to read Swan Song if you haven't already...gotta see which one you like more between it and The Stand. :)
Swan Song is amazing!
I'm so mad I've just discovered your channel, but glad now better than never. I've been looking for recommendations like yours. Thank you!!!!
Thank you so much!!! Glad you found the channel! Welcome!!
oh my gatos, Dark Matter was so good! What a fun and quick read, but also with some deep, profound questions and thoughts (life choices, and regret vs gratitude). Basically read it in one sitting. I'm a physics nerd, so I especially loved the fact that he had a tesseract-shaped chandelier... and the other physics-related things, which I will not spoil. Even if you don't think you're a SciFi fan (brain does not compute lol), give this a shot! He has fun with science without getting too technical. Highly recommend!
It was such a good book!!! Best of both worlds really!
Great books on this list!!
Thank you!!
Awesome list, man! I think that thanks to you I'll start 2024 off with the Stand. My favorite of this year is definitely The Liveship Traders Trilogy, started the year off with those books and just can't stop thinking about them. Robin Hobb's character work is very much on par with Stephen King. Amazing books, would really really recommend them! Appreciate the videos, man!
Thank you so much!! Robin Hobb is certainly on my list of need-to-read authors. I have the Farseer trilogy! So I need to jump in!!
"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius is my favorite book for sure. A little different from what you typically showcase. Love the channel!
@17:34 - You've convinced me to read King's Dark Tower series ASAP.
This was so fun to watch! I'm definitely going to have to read more Stephen King this year!
My favorite book of 2023 was originally Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar, until I read 11/22/63 by Stephen King (which was AMAZING). Then I read Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson, and I've been obsessed every since. I read it for the first time in September 2023, and I did a re-read in January 2024. It is such an amazing book!
I want to read Sanderson’s secret project books like Tress! And Mr. King is the best, highly recommend everything he has ever written!!
I am currently reading the Stand. I’m half of the way and man, it’s awesome!
I'm a fan of the vlog style. Definitely sets you apart from a lot of booktubers and those are some damn good books in there. Quite a few on my TBR :)
Thank you!! Honestly that means a lot!
@14:12 - You and many others have recently convinced me to read the Red Rising series ASAP.
I love the variety of books on your list ! Housemaid dark matter and IT were great! I have lonesome dove & and prince of tides and I’ll get to them sooner now . Yes ! The stand by Stephen King was definitely a 6 star read !
You've sold me on The Warlord trilogy! Just bought the first book, I've been missing both fantasy and historical fiction so if this kills two birds with one stone - that's a win!
My fave book this year was 'The Man Who Was Thursday', I'd recommend it for a break from heavier reads, the audiobook had me laughing out loud 😂 it's a strange mix of mystery, politics, religion and straight up silliness and it's absolute gold. A bizarre book but easily an all time fave!
Totally adding this to the list!! It sounds awesome! And the Warlord books are stunning. They’re the perfect reads for fantasy and historical fiction fans!!
Great video! I haven't read Dark Matter, and I don't know why. I actually read his Wayward Pines series back in 2016 and loved them, but his books are exhausting 😴. I'm going to give this one a read soon to get me out of a slump. Thanks!
Hey found you on Sam's collab where we both appear. If you love the Stand as I do for the love of all try McCammon's Swan Song.
Love McCammon’s take on the post-apocalyptic setting. Very well done!
I am almost finished reading Dark Matter. That book is fantastic! Thank yall for that recommendation. I love yours and Ashlynns channels.
Thank you so much!! It was our pleasure!! That book needs to be read by everyone!!!
@4:22 - I've been on the fence about the Song of Ice and Fire series for a long time, however you and some of my other favorite Booktubers have recently convinced me to give it a try.
I was so excited when you said Dark Matter, I just bought the book last week and it’s my first time with this author so I am evermore pumped to read it.
You won’t regret it!!!
❤📚 You had me adding Lonesome Dove to the tbr. I tried Dark Matter on audio and couldn't do it. I wonder if the physical book would work better. Edit! Omgosh, with husband thrfting books, and just bought The Prince of Tides! I just hollered. 😅😅
YES!! You will love Prince of Tides!! Dark Matter was good just reading it. I don’t know what the audiobook is like.
Just found your channel and you and I have the highest book compatibility rating of any booktuber I've looked up before, at 93% :o subbed!
Nice video! So many great books
Thank you!!
Wow! Some of your favorite books are my favorites of all time. The Stand, It, Lonesome Dove, Bernard Cornwell. If you loved The Stand, I would recommend Needful Things, Tommy Knockers and my absolute favorite book by Stephen King, Bag of Bones! My favorite book this year, I think it’s Fourth Wing. I might have to think on that.
I have been wanting to read Needful Things for some time. Think I might do that soon!!
Just want to say thankyou for introducing me to Red Rising earlier this year! By far my favourite books of the year, and I'm just about to start Iron Gold now. Great vid!
Thank you!! And it’s my pleasure! Red Rising is a stunning masterpiece of science fiction. Freaking Iron Gold, and the other two books after it, are so good!!
I'll join you as well...My top ten
1. Monkey King (translated by Julia Lovell)
2. She who became the sun/He who drowned the world
3. The Buried Gaint
4. Babel
5. Small Favors
6. The Travelling Cat Chronicle
7. The River Enchanted/ The Fire Endless
8. The Women in Me
9. Hello Beautiful
10. No Exit
I've ordered Fonda Lee's Jade series. Really looking forward to reading it in the new year
Great list!! And the Green Bone books by Fonda Lee are incredible!! You’ll love them!!
I want to read all of these books except the Housemaid and It! and Golden Son was amazing! I just listened to the first three Red Rising books back to back and im listening to book four... it's safe to say I'm obsessed!
Red Rising is perfect!! That series is an absolute masterpiece!!
me every time Ian comes out with a video... 😯🤗🤗🤗
The Roman Empire reference!!!🙌🏻
Woah!! Did I miss the video where you talked about Prince of Tides?! I have never seen anyone mention yet alone list it in their top ten!! I loved that book.
I never actually filmed a video for it. It was an impulse read back in October!
I had red country on my best list last year im glad that
Lonesome dove is on your list i read it this year
Ian I just watched you on Sam Harrison booktubers 2023. Since you love Wizard & Glass are you aware of the comic books Dark Tower: Beginnings which is a prequel series to Wizard & Glass. These comics are about Roland’s adventures leading up to the flashback in book 4. They are so good! I think you can get them now in one bind up. I bought them back in the day when they were originally released monthly.
Also the closest King book to the feel of the Stand is Under the Dome. You are going to have to read it in 2024.
Thank you for the recs!! I will definitely be diving into more King this coming year!
Ian one more recommend: check out Talking Story’s 10 Ten Moments of the Warlord Chronicles. I asked him to do this video when he started the trilogy and he does not disappoint!!
I also just ordered The House Maid from the Library! Thank you
Can’t wait to read dark matter! Love this video.
Prince of tides is powerful. Since you like that I found The Great Santini an outstanding read.
I want to read all of Pat Conroy’s books now!
W vid. Always enjoyable when you drop. Best book I read this year was Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
Hi from one Utah booktuber to another! Ian, looks like you read some great books this year. I love The Stand and It. Both in my top books of all time. I've bumped Joe Abercrombie up in my tbr after hearing yours and others thoughts. A few of my favorites from this year include How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, and Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Cheers!
Hello!!! Good to talk to another Utah booktuber!! You will not regret Joe Abercrombie. He is one of a kind!! Great top picks by the way!
I first read Dark Matter in the fall of 2020 when I first joined Book of the Month. I thought the genre was sci-fi and not thriller but now that I have just finished Recursion and Upgrade, which are also marketed as sci-fi, I can see why both of you describe it as a thriller. I definitely need to reread it bc it was an immediate 5 stars for me. Highly recommend Blake Crouch’s other books but I think Dark Matter will still be my favorite
Great video. Loved the format and content.
Thank you!!
Heyyy Ian!!! I have missed you! I’m glad you are back! I have been really enjoying Ashlynn’s bookmas! Merry Christmas!
Her bookmas was amazing!! So period of her!! And thank you, I missed you all too!!
My favorite this year is Golden Son ❤ I even got the bookmarkers 😂
Have you read Cornwell's The Saxon Stories? My introduction to his work (and what made me a diehard fan) and might be something you'd enjoy too, given your praise. Great list! Got me interested in a couple books I'd never heard about
Good list. Highly recommend giving Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett a go and Shogun by James Clavell.
I need to read Shogun!! It just recently came on my radar, and I am itching to get my hands on it!!
Hi Ian! Found you via your sweet wife and just have to say I love watching your book videos!! It’s awesome hearing reviews from a male point of view!
Also, question, have you ever watched Olan Roger’s’ videos? I swear something about the way you say things and your mannerisms totally remind me of him! 😂 Maybe you’ve never even heard of him but just had to say that!
Thank you so much!! And yes, Olan is a legend!! His content has given me so much joy over the years! That is the biggest compliment I have ever been given🙈🙈
ME TOO!! I’ve loved watching his stuff for years. Lol That’s so funny! Anyway, so glad I found your channels! 😍
This couple has been a gift to us book lovers this year. I’ve got so much joy from the two of them. So grateful to have encountered you both and all my love for the coming year❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Another entertaining video!! You are so creative!
Thank you!!!
Loved this style of video! 😊
Thank you!!
I recently found The Winter King in the library today. I checked it out and look forward to reading it soon.
I cannot wait to hear what you think!!!
I am currently just over 80 pages into the book, ad it is reading quite quickly.@@iangubeli
Excellent video, thank you.
Thank you!!
I just started reading mystery/thriller this year and enjoying branching out to different genres besides fantasy. I have heard of three books on this list which were Dark Matter, The Housemaid, and It. I read Red Rising last month and enjoyed it a lot. I have plans to read the next two in the trilogy eventually. My top ten books of this year were Eva Evergreen Duology, The Inheritance Games and The Naturals series, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Fourth Wing, Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Infernal Devices Trilogy, the first two books of ACOTARs (I have plans to read the third book A Court of Wings and Ruin next month to finish the series), Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro.
I love this list!! Red Rising and the ACOTAR series are some of my favs! I get wanting to branch out. I have been taking a break from fantasy myself, and it has been so rewarding!
Yea ! I guessed your number one 🎉 love Stephen king
If you haven’t read Lancelot by Giles Kristian, read it, I can’t even begin to describe how incredible that book is. And just to convince you, the red rising saga is one of my three favorite series all the time. Of, and Golden Son is world’s most perfect book 🙏
I've read the raven trilogy by him which was great, will have to read this series now 😄
AMEN!!!!! I have Lancelot on my Goodreads TBR! I’m obsessed with tales of Arthur now!
@@iangubeli enjoy! It really was terrific
Love your videos. ⭐ Oooo need to read Dark Matter! I've heard great things. My top 5 of this year were all over the place 😅
The Will of the Many by James Islington
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Great list!! I just acquired The Great Alone, and I am stoked to read it.
IT🤡 was also on my top books but of 2022. Even though I didn't sleep well for days, that massive book was so good. Next year I'll be reading The Stand. My favorite read of 2023 is The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
The Road was interesting. I read that a few months ago. It was confusing at first, but now that I’ve thought on it for a while, it’s a very good book!
My 2023 top 10 so far (I have a sneaky suspicion one of my last December reads will disrupt this list):
1. Light Bringer
2. Dark Age
3. The Way of Kings
4. Iron Gold
5. The Lost War
6. Dune
7. Warbreaker
8. Pet Semetary
9. The Burning God
10. The Two Towers
If I’d read the original Red Rising trilogy for the first time this year (I read them for the first time years ago and not including re-reads on this list), they would all dominate. RR is my #1 series of all time, by a country mile.
Great video mate!
I get that!! It was hard to pick between all six of the RR books. Great list!
I didn't know Lonesome Dove was a book til you. I'm thinking about reading it. The movie (which I found out later was actually a miniseries) is one of my top 10 movies of all time.
The book is wonderful!! I l owe it so much!!
I love that Housemaid and Stephen King are on your list. 🤜 Lynn in Phoenix
My favorite book is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Follett and Bernard Cornwall are two of my favorite authors. Haven't read a bad book by either of them. Haven't read The Warlord trilogy yet either so I need to check it out soon.
That trilogy is a masterpiece!!
My favorite book is definitely going to be A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson. It was fantastic!
My number one book this yr (2023) is Razorblade Tears. One of the best books I have EVER read.
Just added that to the TBR!!!
Favorite is actually a series
Caraval. City of ghosts series by v.e.schwab. Arc of the scythe series. Im reading Crescent city series now and loving it.
I need to reread Jade City and get to Jade War. Lonesome Dove doesn't even sound like my kind of book, but now I really want to read it.
Jade War is amazing!! And Lonesome Dove will be different if you’re aren’t a frequent historical fiction reader. But GOSH, it was so powerful!!
@@iangubeli Good to know. I haven't read much historical fiction recently, but I used to devour historical fiction regularly, so I'll look into it.
The stand😂
Added a few into my mountain of a TBR list! I would also love to see perhaps a top 10 series of 2023.
There's a series I reread, it is a Chinese translated web novel series called The Heaven Official's Blessing. It is the most heartwrenching book series I have ever read, and I still think about some scenes till today. The character development is insane.
Well I just added this my TBR!! Thank you!!
oh, shoot! Sorry Ian, I've forgotten to mention that there is lgbt at the end of this book...you may remove this title from your tbr and it's ok! @@iangubeli
@@chloesa4487 thank you for the heads up!!
Long days and pleasant nights Ian
Long days and pleasant nights to you as well!!
The stand
I finished the Infected series by Scott Sigler the war in book 3 was sooo epic I forgot to cry till the end and was like ohhh yeah that happened😢 sooo good
That sounds amazing!! Thank you for the rec!!!
I would have to say that my favorite series that I read this year was Red Rising,and Golden Son is by far the best so far. I've yet to read LightBringer. I'm currently reading Dragon Teeth by Michael Chrichton and it's really good. It's about the Bone Wars out west. One thing about his books is they're very easy reading.
I hear that Chrichton is fun reading. I might have to add him tot he list!!
@@iangubeli I recommend.
Hi. Powerless by Lauren Roberts is my top
my top 10:
1. Oathbringer - Brandon Sanderson
2. Rilla of Ingleside - L.M. Montgomery
3. Morning Star - Pierce Brown
4. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
5. The Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss
6. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy - Eric Metaxas
7. Murtagh - Christopher Paolini
8. Belles on Their Toes - Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, Frank B. Gilbreth Jr.
9. The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
10.Last Argument of Kings - Joe Abercrombie
Great list!!!
@@iangubeli thank you!
Great list, also side note, I think I used to live in your apartment building. Through me off when i started watching it.
Small world
Looks like New Mexico
I have The Stand and I am not buying any more books until I read all the ones I already have (or so I say 😅), so hopefully I will be getting to that one soon! I’ve never read a Stephen King book and for some reason when I bought it I thought it would be the perfect one to start with even though it’s humongous 🤣 so now it’s been sitting on my shelf for a year. IT I will not ever be reading. I watched the Tim Curry movie when I was 3 and was absolutely traumatized, I am still terrified of clowns because of that. So that one is a no for me 🙅🏻♀️ I really want to read Dark Matter, too, but I have so many books that I own that I haven’t read yet 😬
The Stand is amazing!! I think there is no bad book to start with King. The Stand is a great introduction, especially to his world building and character development capabilities. IT is not for the faint of heart. I freaking love Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise. I could see where that would utterly traumatic as a child! Dark Matter is a must read! An absolutely perfect book!!!
I keep on asking people but I think you’re the perfect person to ask: what Stephen Book do you think I should read first to get into his writing or his lore? I’ve never read anything by him and 2024 I want to make the year where I finally get out of my comfort zone now that I’ll be graduating college. Love you and Ashlynn!
if I may jump in as a big SK fan who just recently started reading his books there are several approaches you can take, but I would suggest you either of these two: 1. if you have a movie that you like that is based on SK novel read that first. That's what I did with the shining. 2. find a SK book that is in the genre that you already enjoy - thriller, horror, fantasy, detective, dystopian or even historical fiction with a sci-fi twist (11/22/63 my all time favorite book) or even sci-fi/thriller. But even if you choose a genre be prepared that most of SK books have a some kind of a twist like a detective novel with supernatural elements and so on. But generally speaking good first reads would be in my opinion Misery, The Shining, Mr Mercedes, Billy Summers, Long Walk. There are also many other classics that I haven't read yet but people seem to love, like Salems Lot or Pet Cemetary.
I agree!! I started with “The Gunslinger.” It’s the first book in SK’s fantasy series “The Dark Tower.” It was amazing, but that book isn’t for everyone. I think starting with one of his classic works like “The Shining,” or “Misery,” or “Pet Semetary” would be fun places to start. King has written in so many diggers that you honestly can’t go wrong with what you pick!
I read Prince of Tides because of Ted Lasso
My favorites from this year are
Sword catcher by Cassandra Clare
Stormlight archive 1-4 by Brandon Sanderson
Dune Messiah by frank Herbert
Crave series by Tracy Wolff
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
The stand by Stephen king
It by Stephen king
Rose madder by Stephen king
Stephen Lawhead has some good series one is the pendragon cycle based on the legend of Arthur and Merlin etc pretty epic, other is Song of Albion trilogy a epic celtic mythology warrior kinda thing one of my favs. If anyone is into that kinda stuff I'd recommend. Old but gold.
Just added these to the TBR!! These sound wonderful!