There's a book called The Gilded Nexus of Prosperity, and it talks about how using some secret techniques you can attract a lot of money, it's not some bullshit law of attraction, it's the real deal
My approach to TBR piles is a hybrid approach, I guess. I do have a large TBR, but I make sure that I alternate between reading a book from my TBR and reading rando books that catch my fancy in the moment. That way, reading doesn't feel like a chore because I still have those spontaneous picks, but I am still making regular progress on my TBR pile. It works for me.
Going into book 1 I knew Jordan was very much inspired by Tolkien. And in America, you weren't going to get published unless you wrote a lord of the rings-esque story. You will see a lot of similarities. But this didn't bother it. It was an extremity cozy read and the world just expands in book 2. Jordan clearly had a vision right from the start. Reading book 14 I am seeing the buds and roses bloom from the many planted seeds.
I just finished A Wizard of Earthsea and was about to comment that I feel like it’s up your alley and then I got to the end of the video. It is such a pleasure and weirdly a breath of fresh air that I didn’t know I needed at the age of 29.
@@Backphlipps you know a story is amazing and deep when it feels timeless. No matter the age I feel like Earthsea can hit us on so many levels. So excited to read it!
What a cool looking list. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Bradbury. That dude basically molded a huge percentage of my taste in reading and in writing. His book Dandelion Wine has some of the best prose I've ever read.
@@Justin_Rose that is awesome. Ya I remember reading Fahrenheit 451 in highschool I didn’t have the appreciation for it like I would now. I really want to reread it!
As a slow reader myself, I know how it feels to watch others read a shit ton of books & not break a sweat. Sometimes, I wish I could do that, but most of the time, I am grateful that I am a slow reader. It just makes reading far more enjoyable for me personally. Instead of a TBR, I just make a list of genres I would like to explore or make a list of authors whose books I would like to read. Amidst all these content creators' book challenges and book hauls and TBRs and best books, your approach and honesty truly are admirable.
I am happy I'm not alone. You paint such a true picture. I look around and everyone is blowing through books. I am still reading the same series for the past 2 years. But I am not mad. I'm VERY thankful. We get to take our time and soak it all in. Makes the journey that much more rewarding. It's even funny when I talk to other people about books and they ask what I am reading. It's hard for me to explain because I have been on the same series for 2 years. All the while they throw out 15 book recommendations on their Goodreads. Feels like I can't keep up haha. I'm happy my video resonated with you. What book are you currently reading? And what is your favorite book? One that has stuck with you.
Whenever you are ready, you should definitely read Sun Eater! I'm going back and forth between those books and Wheel of Time and it's been a ton of fun.
@@Thomas.R.Howell I love Sun Eater because it feels like you are watching galactic events, literally, unfold in Hadrian's life as if you were sitting on his shoulder the entire time. Also, true to Sci-Fi it presents a ton of philosophy to think about, but imo does it in a much more human relatable fashion that other Sci-Fi novels e.g. Dune. Wheel of Time is almost too good with its world building. Also the growth of each character is incredibly compelling and believable. I'm only on book 5 but every time new details about the world are revealed, I can't help but eat them up and think about the connections/implications. I won't spoil anything but there are some big connections that are revealed in book 4 regarding the various factions and some of those were a bit mind blowing. Both series are incredible.
Really cool list! I'm currently reading Name of the wind and i'm also going to start wheel of time soon! Other than that i'm hoping to read some books from Ken Follett,Cormac McCarthy and Stephen King
Just finished today. The story is not much but it's one the most unique and for sure the most beautiful writing i've ever read and that just pays it off! And i really really enjoyed reading about Kvothe! With the world that Rothfuss bulid it just can take you out of the real one! I would have liked a bit more of action tho..I belive that you can make a breathtaking paiting with almost every thing that happend in the book! (I'm sorry for the broken english)
@ YES! Love to hear this! It was a book that truly transported me. I was immersed. Lost in his words and world. I didn’t care about your typical action. The action was already there in his story. In between the lines. The mystery. The characters. Etc. ugh I can’t wait to reread it. So glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing!
I don’t see my TBR list as books I “must” read. More a list of books that previously caught my attention that I may (or may not) fancy reading after the book I am presently reading. Unless it’s the next book in a series I love, I don’t tend to buy any on that list until I’m ready to start it.
If you want a short, standalone story and also want to dive into classics, Animal Farm is a short easy read and has a strong message. If you don't like Enders Game, plz don't write off sci Fi, because it wasn't my favorite but there still is some good sci Fi that isn't at all similar to it. And I still strongly would love an 11/22/63 review! no pressure but from what I've seen of your videos, it sounds right up your alley!
@@FinnMichael-s2b thank you for this! I’ll look into animal farm. And yes that King book has been recommended a ton. I know for a fact I will get to it sooner or later!
Hello! Started WoT just now because of you and rich from 2toramble, wish to finish at least 10 books this year from it, and besides that I have on my vision lonesome dove, hyperion and some stephen king here and there. Hope everyone has a nice reading year!
@@alexgrigore1287 hello! Love to hear it! I wish Rich would continue to do WoT videos. I too have my eye on Lonesome Dove! Thank you for hanging out and hope you have a wonderful year of reading. I’ll be eager to hear your thoughts throughout your journey of WoT!
My Father has been trying to get me to read Assassin's Apprentice for six ish months now. He also absolutely loved The Name of The Wind, so I feel like it will be right up your alley!
The Road from Cormac McCharty is the first and only book that ever made me burst into tears while going throught the last pages. I would have never expected that, especially since I had already watched the movie and I knew what was going to happen. I definitely need to read more books of his.
As an English student my 'tbr' is set by the reading list. But I'm excited to read Babel in the upcoming months. I only know that it's about translators, I love going into stories basically blind about the plot/trope/set up. I also might have the chance to read Ulysses by James Joyce at uni, which would be amazing to get more out of the book I think. If you're interested in short stories this year: "Send N udes" by Saba Sams really hit me when I read it last year. I think a good way to describe it is to say it captures many different female experiences. (It can get very "uncomfortable" though, so be aware).
@mjofthelake2649 exactly I love going in blind! I’ll have no preconceived thoughts or expectations going in. I’ll be surprised in the most genuine way!
I saw this morning that the ebook version of Beartown is currently $1.99 anywhere you'd buy it (Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Apple, etc). So it's a good time to snag it if you want a copy!
Some good ones in there. I would recommend another somewhat adventure/love story, but I say that as the opposite of a love story guy. Shantaram. It's actually sort of based on a true story. At least elements of it. It really opened me up to fiction as someone who had always found fiction pointless. Which is kind of wild, because it's a thick fiction. I assumed it would get stale, but I just kept wanting to read it in my free time. For me personally, I'm trying to read "East of Eden", "Stoner", and "A Canticel For Leibowitz". They are books that seem to just keep popping up from the most random sources.
I love fantasy books and the style of your videos, very comforting to watch! Subscribed. My personal favourite series is Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings. I definitely recommend it for future videos if you havent checked it out yet 😊
@grigorismath3852 oh my goodness thank you! Yes I’ve heard such amazing things about Hobb and I’m really excited to finally read her words. I also want to read her Liveship Traders trilogy!
Read Anxious People in October. Definitely recommend. I'm reading Brothers Karamazov which was one of my yearly goals. Alchemist another big one. Maybe Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry.
Perhaps we’ll both end up reading the Beartown trilogy this year! I own The Road, but don’t know if I’ll get to it this year. A lot of intriguing books on this list! I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts on whichever ones you read
@ Great question. They’re perfect winter books so if I can swing it, next month. But that’s seems unlikely haha, so probably closer to the end of the year!
Hey Thomas, I wanted to update you on my The Name of the Wind journey! I am a little over 100 pages in and it looks like Abenthy is about to part ways with Kvothe which is sadning. Athough difficult at times I do really enjoy the lyrical writing of Rothfuss. I am surprised at how long we've focused on a young Kvothe but it has been handled well showing his naturally gifted nature for learning. I am excited to keep going and started writing down quotes from the book that really spoke to me. Here are two quotes I've liked so far: "So this is the difference between telling a story and being in one, he said numbly, the fear." (Chronicler) "If you are going to impose your will on the world, you must have control over what you believe." (Abenthy)
@@haydenhunold4698 this was such a treat. Wow this makes me want to drop everything and crack Name of the Wind open again haha When I read it I didn’t have any expectations. My friend just spoke highly of it. And each page just gripped me. I was lost in that story. I didn’t care what was happening I just wanted to sit and live in this world. This book made me look at books in a different light. The plot didn’t need to have a traditional structure or typical events you’d see in a character’s arch. It was so intimate and quiet in the way the story progressed. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
You talking about how you like slow, slice of life books and tv shows makes me think you’ll love Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and (I just finished this today!) The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Both books are that slow, character centric style where you are following a handful of characters throughout their life. In particular I recommend The Dutch House audiobook read by Tom Hanks, I’m not normally an audiobook guy, but I did for this one at my sister’s recommendation, and I think Tom’s reading of it really added more character to the story than what I would of gotten out of reading alone.
Finished Carrie last night :) It was a fun time even if it was a bit rough around the edges - could definitely tell it was his first book. Also, would love to hear your thoughts on Steinbeck when you get around to GoW. I haven't read it myself yet but after reading Of Mice and Men, East of Eden and The Pearl last year he became one of my favourite writers.
7:19 so true. About 3 years ago I started diving into classics again. I didn’t care in high school, but I sure do now! I wish I’d cared back then, so many amazing books I could’ve been reading! Better late than never I guess 😅 I read Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian (well, most of it) two years ago and I could not finish it. The writing style was fine…it was the violence. It was so much and so intense that it was putting me in depressive type moods. I set it to the side at about 3/4 of the way through. I would really like to try those two books that you held up though, I hear they’re different from the one I chose so I hope I can enjoy them! Also want to read Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. I read The Halloween Tree a couple years ago on Halloween. It was a fun time! Robin Hobb is a phenomenal author!!! Also-‘hey’ all the way from the other side of the states, amish country area PA! 👋🏼
@@RachelJ2016 hey! A few years back I flew out to Lancaster and filmed a wedding for new years. Miss that state so much. I know I always have that feeling of fomo. Like I missed out now reading during my childhood. But I’m thankful Name of the Wind lit that fire in me! Blood Meridian is a very polarizing book. I really want to try it! We will see if I can push through…. Ugh cannot wait to read Hobb. And even her Liveship Traders trilogy!
@ that’s awesome!! I’m so glad you got to visit Lancaster. It’s beautiful ❤️ I just bought Name of the Wind a couple weeks ago. Really hoping to find time for it this year !
@ that’s amazing! I vividly remember going to various coffee shops on my free day in Lancaster. Carrying my copy of “The Wise Man’s Fear”. The second book to Name of the Wind.
Sun Eater is good. Im almost done with Empire of Silence. I like the world, the prose and Hadrian. It hasn't blown me away with anything super emotional yet, but it's enjoyable. Howling Dark is supposed to be next-level I hear, so I'm excited.
@@DasUberMoose that’s what I’m talking about! I felt like his other books were a bit predictable. So I’m hoping this one is just weird and catches me by surprise!
@ I really enjoy your channel dude, so many good chill vibes. Not sure why if you’re open to it, but many of the books you listed here are actually part of my current reading plans. Are you open to having some sort of read along, like a WhatsApp group or a Discord server?
@ that is an awesome idea. I really don’t know how I’d get that started. Let alone have the energy to keep all of that organized haha. I would love to have a book club sort of thing. But I’m taking this channel slowly. One day at a time and we will see where it goes. I love the community we have together here.
A fantastic list, excluding perhaps the Alchemist that is somewhat adolescent pseudo-philosophy in my humble opinion. Thomas, do you know how many years I've been waiting for Rothfuss to give us Doors of Stone so that I can finally pick up and read the entire Trilogy? I haven't read a word by him yet! Is he that good? My three 2025 books to tackle? A surprise, maybe: Hillbilly Elegy by the new Vice President, Stories of a Dirty Old Man by Bukowski, The Tunnel by William H. Gass, which is most likely a masterpiece.
@@DimitrisRebelYell interesting take! I haven’t heard that yet. We shall see when I read it if we see eye to eye on that. I’m Curious now. Ya know I might do a video on this but i honestly don’t care how long it’s been. The books he has written have been such a treat. He could’ve written those and never shared it with us but thankfully he did. I’m thankful for the first two and the other 2 novellas. With how that man writes, and how perfectionism has nearly paralyzed him, it’s understandable. It took him 14 years to write the first one. I’m just in the wheel house of an author doesn’t really owe readers anything. And a series doesn’t have to be finished for it to be great and readable. But that’s just my opinion!
@@DimitrisRebelYell Idk what the future holds of this channel but I do the best I can to always be honest and just genuine in my replies. I want to have conversation. Not just heart everyones comment lol.
with backman and every morning the way home gets longer and longer. read that one when your home alone. its short but its sharp. i don't think i've ever read anything that hurt so good.
In terms of what I want to read this year, I really want to finish off the Mabinogion cycle by Evangeline Walton. I've got 1 book left to read in that series, so that's pretty achievable. Also, I love classics and try to read at least one classic every year. This year I'm eyeing up Metamorphoses by Ovid and also One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Not sure which one I'll end up picking. Maybe both!
Apart from starting the WoT, I'm looking forward to reading the Lord of the Rings, for obvious reasons. It's pretty much my main goal for now, I still feel like I have so many great books and series to read that I can't set specific goals, because they can shift any day. Guess I'm just struggling with the dilemma between continuing the already started series and exploring new books!
That is a tough dilemma! Especially having two series side by side that one clearly took inspiration from. Jordan brought to fantasy what many authors couldn't at the time. He built on LotR. He took that trilogy as inspiration and built something TRULY magnificent. And come to think of it I don't think there has been a continuous story told through 14 books? That is very rare and one aspect that makes WoT so unique. Hope you enjoy!
I made a TBR this year mainly to remember all the books Ive been recommended. I'm forcing myself to focus on the book in my hand though and not too look too far ahead.
@@ExplosiveYoda that is a great exercise. In my opinion I think that’s the only good healthy benefit of a “TBR”. To organize and keep track of the books you want to read. But then again… what about a physical bookshelf 😂 Love your perspective!
@@Thomas.R.Howell I really like the characters and the way the book gives you difficult situations to try and challenge the reader into what is right or wrong.
I also don't have a TBR list. I have a ridiculous amount of books that I just need to start reading. That said, I'm going to focus more on fantasy books this year. Take a step back from romance. Not 100%, but keep fantasy for the majority of my reads. Just started A Darker Shade of Magic trilogy, by V.E. Schwab. So good. It reminded me why of love the genre so much.😁
Hey man, nice Video! If you're planning on reading a few shorter, or at least one-parted, books, maybe you could consider starting a digital book club? There are various options (e.g. Fable) where you can set up digital book clubs. I don't know how much effort it takes or whether there are any costs associated with it, but maybe it would be a cool way to be in contact with other people while reading and to be able to discuss the different chapters I have read the alchemist and it is a great book! Some people love it and some people do not, but I really hope you enjoy the short story! :)
@@moritzhafften3458 thank you dude! Ya you aren’t the first to mention a book club! I really don’t know where to begin with all that and I’d like to take it slow and see where this channel goes before starting that up. It sounds like an amazing idea!
@@Thomas.R.Howell Thank you! Hopefully it will work out at some point! By the way, if you want to read more in the direction of Si-Fi, I can also recommend the book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick! It is a fairly short but very cool and partly philosophical book, which was the inspiration for many Si-Fi works (e.g. the direct inspiration for Blade Runner)!
We just picked up a copy of Ender's Game at a second hand thrift store. My husband has been looking for a copy to save for our one year old son! That's how much he loves the book. Recommendation: The Lycanius Trilogy by James Islington
That is so sweet! Ugh I cannot wait to have a child. I hope to encourage reading and hand down some of my favorite books! Didn't he also write the Will of Many? I have heard much of that new book! Heard great things.
I was very surprised and happy to see that The Alchemist is one of tje books yoi want to read this year. It is the book that got me into reading again after so long and the story behind it is very interesting to me. My friend was talking about it when I was 15 or so (he was 18 then) and he said he loved it but I didnt pay much attention back then to it. Then 4 years later when I was leaving my my girlfriends country to go home (we are of diffenrent nationalities and are apart 15 hours by bus) and the station that I was at is connected to this big hypermall. In the mall among many other things is a library and without any reason i told my gf that I would just like to look around and we came in. And there it was, beautiful stunning bright orange cover, looking right at me, calling me to read it. So I picked it up without thinking much about it. On the way back I didnt have internet so I figured ah what the hell lets try, and WOW, the amazement I got from it is not able to be put into words. Right after that I made a resolution to read and enjoy as many books as I can. That happened about a year or so ago, since then i have read around 15-20 books and right now im in the middle of LOTR, Im super proud of myself and amazed at every small detail that got me into reading from tje small convo with my friend to me having a foreign gf and finding a book in another country...simply marvelous!! I truly hope you will enjoy the book and review it sometime soon (I personaly have at least something underlined on like 50% of the pages 😅).
Hi Thomas! I adored Adrian Selbys "The Winter Road" (a stand alone) so I´m gonna jump on his "Brother Red" next. I recomend that you, if the mood strikes you, check out Steve Talks Books´ non spoiler review of The Winter Road :) Then I´m eagerly waiting for my copy of The Daugthers War by Christoffer Buehlman. Also I´ve told myself that this is the year that I´m finaly gonna get to The Lies of Locke Lamorra. If it is half as good as Murphy Napier says it is, then I guess I´ll just continue that series. I seldom get through more than 5-6 books in a year (I´m a slow reader who got kids) so that should pretty much be my 2025. Probably sipping some nice costa rican coffee from my lokal roastery while I get throug ém ;) All the best to you!
@@jonnyfromsweden7177 hello Jonny! Love your list! And love that you just want to read 5 or 6 books this year. You’ll get to read deeply not widely. Have you read the black tongue thief?? I hear daughters war has a much darker tone. And it sets things up for later books.
@ Haven´t read Blacktouge Thief, but it´s standing in my bookshelf, waiting. I thought I´ll start with Daughters War and then go to Blacktouge Thief, even though I know its not needed, and Daughters War can read as a standalone. Just thought it would help me get an idea about the world before I start Blacktouge Thief I guess.
We've chatted about a bunch of these, so nothing else I can really add 🙂other than 1) One of my good friends just read Wizard of Earthsea and really liked it, 2) Yes, please read Hitchhiker's! and 3) I should probably read Something Wicked by Bradbury as well. I concentrated on his short stories as of late, and Martian Chronicles is likely to be the next full book of his I read (since I got it almost two years ago for $2 on my Kindle). Tonight I'll finish Shock Value by John Waters (it's fantastic), then keep on Wise Man's Fear (on page 168 of 1k), and THEN it's probably onto Wheel of Time to see what the fuss is about. 😆I'm also slowly going through Lord of the Rings for my third or fourth re-read (to extract as much as I can out of it). It really is brilliant.
@@glauer42 I know! I always sound like a broken record but truly this is the year all of this is happening. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. SO excited.
@@Thomas.R.Howell The trick, as you know, is to not get distracted by some other shiny thing. I've historically succumbed to this, which is why I made a list six books I will read this year, since they have been hanging around too long. Shock Value was one of those; I got it for 14 cents back in 2013!
Some books im reading in 2025....The Troop by Nick Cutter, Holly by Stephen King, The Deep by Nick Cutter, Needful things by Stephen King, Blood Meridian and Child Of God by Cormac Mccarthy
@@Thomas.R.Howell Ive heard amazing things about Holly so many people really love her character im 1/3 of the way through The Troop and its really good! Might read Holly next
Hello there,yesterday I completed the wise man’s fear and now i join the eternal (hopefully not) wait for door’s of stone and was wondering if you had read the slow regard of silent things and the narrow road between desires,and what are your thoughts on them?
@@anmolsandhu6159 that’s amazing! Haha Yes I have. They are utter masterpieces in my opinion. How he writes he mundane and the ordinary. How he writes each of these characters. Just unreal. I could read rothfuss describe paint drying 😂
@@RandomReadingPathways I know very little. I just know it’s a popular and well known title. The wedding planner that recommended it she said it’s a book that will stick with ya… we shall see!
@ that wouldn’t be surprising a lot of books are like that! I’ll still give it a shot and see what I think. Sometimes going into a book without any expectations is the best because then it hits you right in the soul. It’s deep in a very surprising way.
There's a book called The Gilded Nexus of Prosperity, and it talks about how using some secret techniques you can attract a lot of money, it's not some bullshit law of attraction, it's the real deal
I used some techniques from that book to make money, and I can truly say I'm earning more now
Nothing feels better than to just see this guy drop a video on a Friday night
@Ritwik-h3c I’m honored
My approach to TBR piles is a hybrid approach, I guess. I do have a large TBR, but I make sure that I alternate between reading a book from my TBR and reading rando books that catch my fancy in the moment. That way, reading doesn't feel like a chore because I still have those spontaneous picks, but I am still making regular progress on my TBR pile. It works for me.
love that! I guess you could say I have a TBR but it is very much in the back of my mind. So whatever sprouts up, is usually what I want to read!
nothing better than openning youtube just to put some music in the background and being blessed with another video of yours
@@yonigatcheva1952 always a joy seeing your kind words 🙏
"Eye of the World" is en route to me from Amazon,dipping my toe in the water with the first book. Your content has made me curious about the series. 🙂
@@Redbird-UJ76 That’s awesome! Let me know what you think!
Going into book 1 I knew Jordan was very much inspired by Tolkien. And in America, you weren't going to get published unless you wrote a lord of the rings-esque story. You will see a lot of similarities. But this didn't bother it. It was an extremity cozy read and the world just expands in book 2. Jordan clearly had a vision right from the start. Reading book 14 I am seeing the buds and roses bloom from the many planted seeds.
Earthsea is one of my favorites ❤ I'm currently on book 4 of The Wheel of Time, and I'm loving it 🥰
@@weronikawojtak2091 love to hear it! Keeping it spoiler free of course, what are you thoughts on book 4?
I just finished A Wizard of Earthsea and was about to comment that I feel like it’s up your alley and then I got to the end of the video. It is such a pleasure and weirdly a breath of fresh air that I didn’t know I needed at the age of 29.
@@Backphlipps you know a story is amazing and deep when it feels timeless. No matter the age I feel like Earthsea can hit us on so many levels. So excited to read it!
You just about made me spit out my coffee when you mentioned Of Mice and Men. It made me think of the bar mission in RDR2 because of…LENNIE! 😂
@@Twiceborn_by_grace lolol what a classic mission hahaga
What a cool looking list. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Bradbury.
That dude basically molded a huge percentage of my taste in reading and in writing. His book Dandelion Wine has some of the best prose I've ever read.
@@Justin_Rose that is awesome. Ya I remember reading Fahrenheit 451 in highschool I didn’t have the appreciation for it like I would now. I really want to reread it!
@@Thomas.R.HowellF451 is a must read for all book lovers! You'll get so much more out of it now than you did when you were younger.
As a slow reader myself, I know how it feels to watch others read a shit ton of books & not break a sweat. Sometimes, I wish I could do that, but most of the time, I am grateful that I am a slow reader. It just makes reading far more enjoyable for me personally. Instead of a TBR, I just make a list of genres I would like to explore or make a list of authors whose books I would like to read. Amidst all these content creators' book challenges and book hauls and TBRs and best books, your approach and honesty truly are admirable.
I am happy I'm not alone. You paint such a true picture. I look around and everyone is blowing through books. I am still reading the same series for the past 2 years. But I am not mad. I'm VERY thankful. We get to take our time and soak it all in. Makes the journey that much more rewarding.
It's even funny when I talk to other people about books and they ask what I am reading. It's hard for me to explain because I have been on the same series for 2 years. All the while they throw out 15 book recommendations on their Goodreads. Feels like I can't keep up haha.
I'm happy my video resonated with you. What book are you currently reading? And what is your favorite book? One that has stuck with you.
Another banger, Thomas. This year, i want to read some more wheel of time, Brandon Sanderson, and get into some robin hobb.
@@nickbreaux2635 thank you! I love it. ThT sounds like an amazing list
Whenever you are ready, you should definitely read Sun Eater! I'm going back and forth between those books and Wheel of Time and it's been a ton of fun.
@@devonmorris1992 that is awesome!
@@devonmorris1992 without any spoilers what are your thoughts on each series?
@@Thomas.R.Howell I love Sun Eater because it feels like you are watching galactic events, literally, unfold in Hadrian's life as if you were sitting on his shoulder the entire time. Also, true to Sci-Fi it presents a ton of philosophy to think about, but imo does it in a much more human relatable fashion that other Sci-Fi novels e.g. Dune.
Wheel of Time is almost too good with its world building. Also the growth of each character is incredibly compelling and believable. I'm only on book 5 but every time new details about the world are revealed, I can't help but eat them up and think about the connections/implications. I won't spoil anything but there are some big connections that are revealed in book 4 regarding the various factions and some of those were a bit mind blowing.
Both series are incredible.
hi thomas Howell nice to meet you, Wheel of time novice here😁😁👍👍
@@IrfanIPE hello! That’s awesome what do you think of the series so far?
Really cool list! I'm currently reading Name of the wind and i'm also going to start wheel of time soon! Other than that i'm hoping to read some books from Ken Follett,Cormac McCarthy and Stephen King
@@petrisor2136 how are you liking it??
Just finished today. The story is not much but it's one the most unique and for sure the most beautiful writing i've ever read and that just pays it off! And i really really enjoyed reading about Kvothe! With the world that Rothfuss bulid it just can take you out of the real one! I would have liked a bit more of action tho..I belive that you can make a breathtaking paiting with almost every thing that happend in the book! (I'm sorry for the broken english)
@ YES! Love to hear this! It was a book that truly transported me. I was immersed. Lost in his words and world. I didn’t care about your typical action. The action was already there in his story. In between the lines. The mystery. The characters. Etc. ugh I can’t wait to reread it. So glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing!
@@petrisor2136 you’ve inspired to make me a new video on this book. I’m excited.
@@Thomas.R.Howell Ok that just made my whole day:)))
I don’t see my TBR list as books I “must” read. More a list of books that previously caught my attention that I may (or may not) fancy reading after the book I am presently reading.
Unless it’s the next book in a series I love, I don’t tend to buy any on that list until I’m ready to start it.
If you want a short, standalone story and also want to dive into classics, Animal Farm is a short easy read and has a strong message.
If you don't like Enders Game, plz don't write off sci Fi, because it wasn't my favorite but there still is some good sci Fi that isn't at all similar to it.
And I still strongly would love an 11/22/63 review! no pressure but from what I've seen of your videos, it sounds right up your alley!
@@FinnMichael-s2b thank you for this! I’ll look into animal farm. And yes that King book has been recommended a ton. I know for a fact I will get to it sooner or later!
@@Thomas.R.HowellI reread Animal Farm for the third time last year. Quite short, so easy to sneak in between other books, and worth the time.
Hello! Started WoT just now because of you and rich from 2toramble, wish to finish at least 10 books this year from it, and besides that I have on my vision lonesome dove, hyperion and some stephen king here and there. Hope everyone has a nice reading year!
@@alexgrigore1287 hello! Love to hear it! I wish Rich would continue to do WoT videos.
I too have my eye on Lonesome Dove! Thank you for hanging out and hope you have a wonderful year of reading. I’ll be eager to hear your thoughts throughout your journey of WoT!
My Father has been trying to get me to read Assassin's Apprentice for six ish months now. He also absolutely loved The Name of The Wind, so I feel like it will be right up your alley!
@@CampbellNotTheSoup oh this makes me even more excited!
@@CampbellNotTheSoup you reading anything good lately??
The Road from Cormac McCharty is the first and only book that ever made me burst into tears while going throught the last pages.
I would have never expected that, especially since I had already watched the movie and I knew what was going to happen.
I definitely need to read more books of his.
@@arcticm5634 I too remember bursting in tears at the end. I’ll let you know if I cry again on my reread!
As an English student my 'tbr' is set by the reading list. But I'm excited to read Babel in the upcoming months. I only know that it's about translators, I love going into stories basically blind about the plot/trope/set up.
I also might have the chance to read Ulysses by James Joyce at uni, which would be amazing to get more out of the book I think.
If you're interested in short stories this year: "Send N udes" by Saba Sams really hit me when I read it last year. I think a good way to describe it is to say it captures many different female experiences. (It can get very "uncomfortable" though, so be aware).
@mjofthelake2649 exactly I love going in blind! I’ll have no preconceived thoughts or expectations going in. I’ll be surprised in the most genuine way!
The Road is on my TBR for this year too! It’ll be my first read from McCarthy. 🙂
@@akliterature it was my first McCarthy book too! Excited to read it again!
Three things I’m definitely reading in 2025 is the First Law trilogy, Piranesi, and also gonna catch up to Sun Eater for the last release!
I saw this morning that the ebook version of Beartown is currently $1.99 anywhere you'd buy it (Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Apple, etc). So it's a good time to snag it if you want a copy!
Some good ones in there. I would recommend another somewhat adventure/love story, but I say that as the opposite of a love story guy. Shantaram. It's actually sort of based on a true story. At least elements of it. It really opened me up to fiction as someone who had always found fiction pointless. Which is kind of wild, because it's a thick fiction. I assumed it would get stale, but I just kept wanting to read it in my free time. For me personally, I'm trying to read "East of Eden", "Stoner", and "A Canticel For Leibowitz". They are books that seem to just keep popping up from the most random sources.
I love fantasy books and the style of your videos, very comforting to watch! Subscribed. My personal favourite series is Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings. I definitely recommend it for future videos if you havent checked it out yet 😊
And by the way your expectation is 100% bull's eye. You are going to get exactly that and more from the Farseer trilogy
@grigorismath3852 oh my goodness thank you! Yes I’ve heard such amazing things about Hobb and I’m really excited to finally read her words.
I also want to read her Liveship Traders trilogy!
Read Anxious People in October. Definitely recommend. I'm reading Brothers Karamazov which was one of my yearly goals. Alchemist another big one. Maybe Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry.
@@andrewmichel7773 done. I’m taking your advice. I love reading books that correlate to a season.
Perhaps we’ll both end up reading the Beartown trilogy this year! I own The Road, but don’t know if I’ll get to it this year. A lot of intriguing books on this list! I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts on whichever ones you read
@@mansreads that would be amazing! When do you think you’ll start beartown?
@ Great question. They’re perfect winter books so if I can swing it, next month. But that’s seems unlikely haha, so probably closer to the end of the year!
@ sounds like a plan!
Hey Thomas, I wanted to update you on my The Name of the Wind journey! I am a little over 100 pages in and it looks like Abenthy is about to part ways with Kvothe which is sadning. Athough difficult at times I do really enjoy the lyrical writing of Rothfuss. I am surprised at how long we've focused on a young Kvothe but it has been handled well showing his naturally gifted nature for learning. I am excited to keep going and started writing down quotes from the book that really spoke to me. Here are two quotes I've liked so far:
"So this is the difference between telling a story and being in one, he said numbly, the fear." (Chronicler)
"If you are going to impose your will on the world, you must have control over what you believe." (Abenthy)
@@haydenhunold4698 this was such a treat. Wow this makes me want to drop everything and crack Name of the Wind open again haha
When I read it I didn’t have any expectations. My friend just spoke highly of it. And each page just gripped me. I was lost in that story. I didn’t care what was happening I just wanted to sit and live in this world.
This book made me look at books in a different light. The plot didn’t need to have a traditional structure or typical events you’d see in a character’s arch. It was so intimate and quiet in the way the story progressed. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
You talking about how you like slow, slice of life books and tv shows makes me think you’ll love Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and (I just finished this today!) The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Both books are that slow, character centric style where you are following a handful of characters throughout their life. In particular I recommend The Dutch House audiobook read by Tom Hanks, I’m not normally an audiobook guy, but I did for this one at my sister’s recommendation, and I think Tom’s reading of it really added more character to the story than what I would of gotten out of reading alone.
Finished Carrie last night :) It was a fun time even if it was a bit rough around the edges - could definitely tell it was his first book. Also, would love to hear your thoughts on Steinbeck when you get around to GoW. I haven't read it myself yet but after reading Of Mice and Men, East of Eden and The Pearl last year he became one of my favourite writers.
@@lachy1383 what timing! That’s awesome. I’m excited to try out Carrie just to see how far King has come.
3 books I would love to read this year are Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Hunchback of Notre Dame & book one in the Riyria Chronicles!
@@shirpov my wife loves Dungeon crawler Carl!
7:19 so true. About 3 years ago I started diving into classics again. I didn’t care in high school, but I sure do now! I wish I’d cared back then, so many amazing books I could’ve been reading! Better late than never I guess 😅
I read Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian (well, most of it) two years ago and I could not finish it. The writing style was fine…it was the violence. It was so much and so intense that it was putting me in depressive type moods. I set it to the side at about 3/4 of the way through. I would really like to try those two books that you held up though, I hear they’re different from the one I chose so I hope I can enjoy them!
Also want to read Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. I read The Halloween Tree a couple years ago on Halloween. It was a fun time!
Robin Hobb is a phenomenal author!!!
Also-‘hey’ all the way from the other side of the states, amish country area PA! 👋🏼
@@RachelJ2016 hey! A few years back I flew out to Lancaster and filmed a wedding for new years. Miss that state so much.
I know I always have that feeling of fomo. Like I missed out now reading during my childhood. But I’m thankful Name of the Wind lit that fire in me!
Blood Meridian is a very polarizing book. I really want to try it! We will see if I can push through….
Ugh cannot wait to read Hobb. And even her Liveship Traders trilogy!
@ that’s awesome!! I’m so glad you got to visit Lancaster. It’s beautiful ❤️
I just bought Name of the Wind a couple weeks ago. Really hoping to find time for it this year !
@ that’s amazing! I vividly remember going to various coffee shops on my free day in Lancaster. Carrying my copy of “The Wise Man’s Fear”. The second book to Name of the Wind.
12:27
i have been reading the wheel of time for 4 years😂
im close to finish it
few pages lift in book 13 and one last book
im sad
@@theemperor1793 no way? I’m happy I’m not alone! I’m sad too… very sad. Made a video on sad I feel the other week haha
Carrie is so good! I don’t think it gets the love it deserves
@@sholladay12 I’m excited because I’ve read a handful of his classics but never his FIRST book! That’ll be fun.
Carrie was the first published book but I believe The Long Walk was the first he wrote. It’s also worth checking out. It’s a really interesting story
Sun Eater is good. Im almost done with Empire of Silence. I like the world, the prose and Hadrian. It hasn't blown me away with anything super emotional yet, but it's enjoyable. Howling Dark is supposed to be next-level I hear, so I'm excited.
@@RalphNC09 ya I heard book 1 is slow and that’s exactly how I like my stories
I think you will love the Shining! It’s eerie AF!
@@DasUberMoose that’s what I’m talking about! I felt like his other books were a bit predictable. So I’m hoping this one is just weird and catches me by surprise!
@ I really enjoy your channel dude, so many good chill vibes. Not sure why if you’re open to it, but many of the books you listed here are actually part of my current reading plans. Are you open to having some sort of read along, like a WhatsApp group or a Discord server?
@ that is an awesome idea. I really don’t know how I’d get that started. Let alone have the energy to keep all of that organized haha. I would love to have a book club sort of thing. But I’m taking this channel slowly. One day at a time and we will see where it goes.
I love the community we have together here.
my list:
1- the memory of light
2- the ships of merior
3- the first law
@@theemperor1793 that is an absolute beautiful list
A fantastic list, excluding perhaps the Alchemist that is somewhat adolescent pseudo-philosophy in my humble opinion.
Thomas, do you know how many years I've been waiting for Rothfuss to give us Doors of Stone so that I can finally pick up and read the entire Trilogy? I haven't read a word by him yet! Is he that good?
My three 2025 books to tackle? A surprise, maybe: Hillbilly Elegy by the new Vice President, Stories of a Dirty Old Man by Bukowski, The Tunnel by William H. Gass, which is most likely a masterpiece.
@@DimitrisRebelYell interesting take! I haven’t heard that yet. We shall see when I read it if we see eye to eye on that. I’m Curious now.
Ya know I might do a video on this but i honestly don’t care how long it’s been. The books he has written have been such a treat. He could’ve written those and never shared it with us but thankfully he did. I’m thankful for the first two and the other 2 novellas. With how that man writes, and how perfectionism has nearly paralyzed him, it’s understandable. It took him 14 years to write the first one.
I’m just in the wheel house of an author doesn’t really owe readers anything. And a series doesn’t have to be finished for it to be great and readable. But that’s just my opinion!
@@Thomas.R.Howell Wow, thanks for that long reply, you're the best!
@@DimitrisRebelYell Idk what the future holds of this channel but I do the best I can to always be honest and just genuine in my replies. I want to have conversation. Not just heart everyones comment lol.
with backman and every morning the way home gets longer and longer. read that one when your home alone. its short but its sharp. i don't think i've ever read anything that hurt so good.
@@maxsinclair787 I’m not ready 😭
Man if “coffee shop” was a style of TH-cam video editing……you’d be the Starbucks!
In terms of what I want to read this year, I really want to finish off the Mabinogion cycle by Evangeline Walton. I've got 1 book left to read in that series, so that's pretty achievable. Also, I love classics and try to read at least one classic every year. This year I'm eyeing up Metamorphoses by Ovid and also One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Not sure which one I'll end up picking. Maybe both!
Apart from starting the WoT, I'm looking forward to reading the Lord of the Rings, for obvious reasons. It's pretty much my main goal for now, I still feel like I have so many great books and series to read that I can't set specific goals, because they can shift any day. Guess I'm just struggling with the dilemma between continuing the already started series and exploring new books!
That is a tough dilemma! Especially having two series side by side that one clearly took inspiration from. Jordan brought to fantasy what many authors couldn't at the time. He built on LotR. He took that trilogy as inspiration and built something TRULY magnificent. And come to think of it I don't think there has been a continuous story told through 14 books? That is very rare and one aspect that makes WoT so unique.
Hope you enjoy!
I made a TBR this year mainly to remember all the books Ive been recommended. I'm forcing myself to focus on the book in my hand though and not too look too far ahead.
@@ExplosiveYoda that is a great exercise. In my opinion I think that’s the only good healthy benefit of a “TBR”. To organize and keep track of the books you want to read.
But then again… what about a physical bookshelf 😂
Love your perspective!
@ I should have made it clear. I only write down books that I don’t currently own. More of a “to be bought” than a TBR.
Of Mice and Men is my favorite book of all time!! I hope you enjoy it! It’s short and easy, you can read it in a few hours.
@@myfriendmademereadit that’s so cool! I’m excited!
@@myfriendmademereadit without spoilers, what makes this book your favorite of all time??
@@Thomas.R.Howell I really like the characters and the way the book gives you difficult situations to try and challenge the reader into what is right or wrong.
@ love that
I also don't have a TBR list. I have a ridiculous amount of books that I just need to start reading. That said, I'm going to focus more on fantasy books this year. Take a step back from romance. Not 100%, but keep fantasy for the majority of my reads. Just started A Darker Shade of Magic trilogy, by V.E. Schwab. So good. It reminded me why of love the genre so much.😁
love that! What do you think of V.E Schwab? My wife is read one of her books and loved it.
@Thomas.R.Howell Really enjoyable. The story flows easily and appreciates the whole cast of characters. I'm looking forward to where the story goes.
SUNEATER YESSSSSSSS
Edit: my three books i want to tackle this year - Lonesome Dove, Project Hail Mary, Hyperion
@@jennings824 suneater! Let’s gooooooo
I’ll read Nietzsche, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy major books/recommended this year, maybe Kafka. Hope to finish it all, happy new year everyone.
Hey man, nice Video! If you're planning on reading a few shorter, or at least one-parted, books, maybe you could consider starting a digital book club? There are various options (e.g. Fable) where you can set up digital book clubs. I don't know how much effort it takes or whether there are any costs associated with it, but maybe it would be a cool way to be in contact with other people while reading and to be able to discuss the different chapters
I have read the alchemist and it is a great book! Some people love it and some people do not, but I really hope you enjoy the short story! :)
@@moritzhafften3458 thank you dude! Ya you aren’t the first to mention a book club! I really don’t know where to begin with all that and I’d like to take it slow and see where this channel goes before starting that up. It sounds like an amazing idea!
@@Thomas.R.Howell Thank you! Hopefully it will work out at some point!
By the way, if you want to read more in the direction of Si-Fi, I can also recommend the book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick! It is a fairly short but very cool and partly philosophical book, which was the inspiration for many Si-Fi works (e.g. the direct inspiration for Blade Runner)!
@ I have that on my shelf! LOVE blade runner.
This year, I want to read Infinite Jest
We just picked up a copy of Ender's Game at a second hand thrift store. My husband has been looking for a copy to save for our one year old son! That's how much he loves the book.
Recommendation: The Lycanius Trilogy by James Islington
That is so sweet! Ugh I cannot wait to have a child. I hope to encourage reading and hand down some of my favorite books!
Didn't he also write the Will of Many? I have heard much of that new book! Heard great things.
I was very surprised and happy to see that The Alchemist is one of tje books yoi want to read this year. It is the book that got me into reading again after so long and the story behind it is very interesting to me. My friend was talking about it when I was 15 or so (he was 18 then) and he said he loved it but I didnt pay much attention back then to it. Then 4 years later when I was leaving my my girlfriends country to go home (we are of diffenrent nationalities and are apart 15 hours by bus) and the station that I was at is connected to this big hypermall. In the mall among many other things is a library and without any reason i told my gf that I would just like to look around and we came in. And there it was, beautiful stunning bright orange cover, looking right at me, calling me to read it. So I picked it up without thinking much about it. On the way back I didnt have internet so I figured ah what the hell lets try, and WOW, the amazement I got from it is not able to be put into words. Right after that I made a resolution to read and enjoy as many books as I can. That happened about a year or so ago, since then i have read around 15-20 books and right now im in the middle of LOTR, Im super proud of myself and amazed at every small detail that got me into reading from tje small convo with my friend to me having a foreign gf and finding a book in another country...simply marvelous!! I truly hope you will enjoy the book and review it sometime soon (I personaly have at least something underlined on like 50% of the pages 😅).
I also read based off my mood
Hi Thomas!
I adored Adrian Selbys "The Winter Road" (a stand alone) so I´m gonna jump on his "Brother Red" next. I recomend that you, if the mood strikes you, check out Steve Talks Books´ non spoiler review of The Winter Road :)
Then I´m eagerly waiting for my copy of The Daugthers War by Christoffer Buehlman.
Also I´ve told myself that this is the year that I´m finaly gonna get to The Lies of Locke Lamorra. If it is half as good as Murphy Napier says it is, then I guess I´ll just continue that series. I seldom get through more than 5-6 books in a year (I´m a slow reader who got kids) so that should pretty much be my 2025.
Probably sipping some nice costa rican coffee from my lokal roastery while I get throug ém ;)
All the best to you!
@@jonnyfromsweden7177 hello Jonny! Love your list! And love that you just want to read 5 or 6 books this year. You’ll get to read deeply not widely.
Have you read the black tongue thief?? I hear daughters war has a much darker tone. And it sets things up for later books.
@@jonnyfromsweden7177 enjoy your coffee and happy reading!!
@ Haven´t read Blacktouge Thief, but it´s standing in my bookshelf, waiting. I thought I´ll start with Daughters War and then go to Blacktouge Thief, even though I know its not needed, and Daughters War can read as a standalone. Just thought it would help me get an idea about the world before I start Blacktouge Thief I guess.
We've chatted about a bunch of these, so nothing else I can really add 🙂other than 1) One of my good friends just read Wizard of Earthsea and really liked it, 2) Yes, please read Hitchhiker's! and 3) I should probably read Something Wicked by Bradbury as well. I concentrated on his short stories as of late, and Martian Chronicles is likely to be the next full book of his I read (since I got it almost two years ago for $2 on my Kindle). Tonight I'll finish Shock Value by John Waters (it's fantastic), then keep on Wise Man's Fear (on page 168 of 1k), and THEN it's probably onto Wheel of Time to see what the fuss is about. 😆I'm also slowly going through Lord of the Rings for my third or fourth re-read (to extract as much as I can out of it). It really is brilliant.
@@glauer42 I know! I always sound like a broken record but truly this is the year all of this is happening. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. SO excited.
@@Thomas.R.Howell The trick, as you know, is to not get distracted by some other shiny thing. I've historically succumbed to this, which is why I made a list six books I will read this year, since they have been hanging around too long. Shock Value was one of those; I got it for 14 cents back in 2013!
@@glauer42 exactly! Love that perspective.
If you’re looking for a wonderful California Steinbeck book check out “Cannery Road”.
Thankyou! I think it's included in my copy of Mice and Men.
Some books im reading in 2025....The Troop by Nick Cutter, Holly by Stephen King, The Deep by Nick Cutter, Needful things by Stephen King, Blood Meridian and Child Of God by Cormac Mccarthy
@@steveotatooed holly is such an amazing character. I have her stand alone novel and am saving it for a special season of life!
@@Thomas.R.Howell Ive heard amazing things about Holly so many people really love her character im 1/3 of the way through The Troop and its really good! Might read Holly next
Hello there,yesterday I completed the wise man’s fear and now i join the eternal (hopefully not) wait for door’s of stone and was wondering if you had read the slow regard of silent things and the narrow road between desires,and what are your thoughts on them?
@@anmolsandhu6159 that’s amazing! Haha
Yes I have. They are utter masterpieces in my opinion. How he writes he mundane and the ordinary. How he writes each of these characters. Just unreal. I could read rothfuss describe paint drying 😂
Hi I would like to read the last unicorn 🦄
@@cdomenicci we can read it together in a couple of weeks!
did you read the rick riordan books? I'm reading House of hades right now, its pretty good
I don't think so. What are they about?
Enders game is good!
can you give me just a single sentence elevator pitch? I still don't know what it's about haha
I just picked up that copy of The Alchemist to check out. I’ve heard it’s a polarizing book for some reason but curious to see how it is.
@@RandomReadingPathways I know very little. I just know it’s a popular and well known title. The wedding planner that recommended it she said it’s a book that will stick with ya… we shall see!
It's polarizing because some people will say it's superficially "deep", me included.. no offense though, just my opinion
@ that wouldn’t be surprising a lot of books are like that! I’ll still give it a shot and see what I think.
Sometimes going into a book without any expectations is the best because then it hits you right in the soul. It’s deep in a very surprising way.