Such a refreshing style of video you have going on here! Love the laid back attitude and slower approach. Very rare today in the super saturated "booktube" sphere. I think what you promote when it comes to how you approach reading and your reading goals very admirable. Soooo many creators will talk about how they read 100-200 books this year and I think to the average reader this just seems so unattainable and can often make people associate more with better...It can feel very alienating. Reading to so many people is a supplement to life not a career and I think normalising this slower, laid back form of reading is so important. Love your vibe man, more people should get to see your videos, please keep doing what you do.
@@thomasomeara6934 well this made my day. So encouraging. I love your use of “normalizing”. I just want to be a normal guy. I’m not some fancy influencer with some message about conquering your library. I appreciate this thank you! What kind of books are you into? What are your favorite books??
I really like your attitude towards reading, taking it slow. So many 'Booktubers' sem to just read as much as possible. I feel like it's more rewarding and more respectful towards the book, the story, to take your time. It's like focusing on the journey, not the destination. Keep doing it your way :)
Thank you! Enjoy the time you have before and during the wheel of time. Because you can only experience it for the first time once. I am thankful I took the leap. It was well worth it.
I do rarely comment UA-cam videos but I feel like I need to do it this time. I got into reading more or less an year ago and I have always looked for a cozy UA-cam channel where I can listen to someone just talking about books, but basically every channel I found had someone talking about "these are my 5-stars book of the year" or "this year I'm planning to read 200 books". I fell this is just too overwhelming, and finding your channel and seeing you just talking about how a book made you feel while you take some coffee sips really can calm me down in this fast world where everyone needs to do and read more and more. Last but not least: I have never liked or read any fantasy book, but listening to you talking about The Wheel of Time or The Name of the Wind) is just making me pretty curious about this genre. I will definitely give a shot to this kind of books soon! Thanks man, keep going!
Wow. This is awesome. I’m lost for words. I’m so happy you found my channel and that my style and personality is calming and even encouraging. Comments like these are of great encouragement to me. Thank you! Name of the Wind is a wonderful and calming book. It isn’t like most fantasy books. It’s less on action and plot and more about a character and his life. What kind of books are you into??
@@Thomas.R.Howell For me it might be even better to read a story mostly based on a character and his life, I have rarely read books where there is too much of action. I mostly read fiction, my favorite books of the year have been 'The Green Mile' and 'American Pastoral'. Feel free to recommend any standalone fantasy books, I would appreciate it. I'm not sure whether I'm ready to dive into a book series or trilogy at the moment 😁
@@arcticm5634 I'm looking into getting into the cosmere books that brandon sanderson wrote. I have yet to really dive into the fantasy genre, my favorite books are Stephen King books and The Hunger Games (I recently just started reading last year like you). Anyway I wanted to recommend Elantris or one of Brandon Sandersons standalone novels if you want to delve into a large fantasy world without committing to a whole book series. I think its a great way to get into fantasy because if you enjoy the book you can read another standalone in the cosmere and then if you want to commit to a trilogy you can read Mistborn and just keep going. The world doesn't end on the last page of the book, if you love the world you can continue on through his books and then after you can wait with the promise of more books releasing in the cosmere.
Yes, I love your perspective on quality vs. quantity. I finished A Song of Ice and Fire in 2024. And The First Law Trilogy. Those series feel so much more impactful than the rest of the forgettable thrillers I made myself finish.
I wish I could read more books. Mostly because there are so many books I want to read and I’m afraid I won’t be able to get to all of them. I read 13 books in 2024. I’ve noticed, though, that the longer it takes me to read a book, the more I enjoy it (usually). I live in the world longer. The most recent chapters/concepts/scenes linger in my mind more. Reading slow can make the experience richer.
I’m currently waiting for my A-level mock results which I get on January 21st and I’ve been panicking all day about them, watching this video, like always just calms me down. I’m going to be doing English Literature at uni if I get into the uni I want, and your videos make me so excited for it. I can’t explain why but thank you ❤️ These videos mean the world to me and put me in such a tranquil state of mind
I know exactly how you feel about Witcher. I watched the credits roll on Dragon Age Veilguard a month ago. It was a sad moment, but I plan to play through again very soon to get the couple trophies I somehow missed the first time. Finding your channel has really sparked a need for me to slow down my reading and focus on the quality and not quantity. I hit burnout midyear and didn't read much at all for 5 months. I read 79 books, but...there's less than 10 that really stuck with me. Granted, it was a bad reading year anyway because usually I read far more books that I love, but this year there were so many that were so mediocre or just bad. I did set my reading goal on Goodreads, but I set it at 80, which I have done the last four years (and I do read a lot of manga too) and I'm not focusing on it. I'm using my commonplace book notes pages as more of a marker than my Goodreads challenge. I have joined a book club that focuses on the classics. So far, the discussions are great and I find myself falling back into that learning mindset much faster and easier than I expected to considering I've been out of school for almost a decade. I've started keeping a commonplace book to take my notes in and it's helping so much! But...I still can't just focus on one book at a time. I used to have 3 books at a time going (physical, audio, and an ebook on the go). I've told myself that, unless I'm just really into one single book and can't put it down, I will limit myself to two at a time (one to deep dive into, and another just for entertainment but still take my time with it). So far, that's going really well. I'm currently reading Dracula alongside a cosmic horror short story collection. Last year, I read 2 books that I cannot stop thinking about (not including a reread), October by Michael Rowe and Native Fear by CF Page. I also found myself falling in love with cosmic horror last year and finding Lovecraft. I also read a short story prequel to one of my favorite books, One Last Gasp by Andrew C Piazza (which was my reread for 2024). Those out of 79 reads...
It’s crazy when the credits roll. I never imagined I would actually finish Witcher 3. And just like a book, you can only play a game for the first time once. That magic and child like wonder playing a game for the first time. Hey there is nothing wrong with reading as much as you do! I could never because I’m such a slow reader haha. But I’m thankful I can encourage you! Lean into what you like! If you are loving cosmic horror seek those books out! I always follow my tastes or cravings when it comes to reading. Makes the reading process exciting. Engaging. And memorable.
Also there is just so many books being released now and a lot of them aren’t… good. Very much like tv shows. Content content and content. And more content!
@@Thomas.R.Howell You are so right. And I am also a slow reader, always have been, but I pushed myself, 2-3 manga a week, audiobooks on 2.5x speed, all along with a physical book, ebook at work too. It's a wonder I remembered any of it at all. I have learned not to put too much stock in hyped books too. They've continually fallen short. The books I've really loved have been found completely by accident.
My favorite read from last year was the "First Law" Trilogy. That journey felt so real and close to my heart that I was a different person after finishing it. I hope you get the chance to read it, I don't want to say anything about it as its best if you go in blind. Fortunately this is a series that is good from the beginning and is great as it progresses. To me this is as character focused as a series can get (though I am yet to experience wheel of time and other long fantasy series). You will feel sad, happy, excited, nervous, grief, guilt, love...etc, it just feels like one big ball of life.
@@GordonNemoy this trilogy is on my radar for sure! Thank you for respecting spoilers. Love going into books blind. I hear Joe is just amazing at character work!
@@Thomas.R.Howell I also read The First Law trilogy last year and was blown away and absolutely fell in love with the characters, the world, and the story!
Hey Thomas, great video as always. I really like your calm style and that you are doing it your own way. Keep up with your great work :) I hope you will have a great year and that you will achieve all of your (reading) goals. I am not a big reader, but in the last year i read more again. My favourite book of the year was Butcher´s Crossing by John Williams. It´s a great western, that is very authentic, but also grim and brutal with a fascinating topic (buffalo hunting). So my reading goals for 2025 is to read other books by this author, like Stoker. But i also want to continue reading Brandon Sanderson (i read the first Mistborn book last year) and read more Sci-Fi, like Ray Bradbury or Philip K. Dick. Other than that, i will probably also read more books of my favourite authors, Stephen King and Haruki Murakami. Greetings from Luxembourg:)
@@holzmischel577 greetings! Thank you! I love to hear it! Sounds like you’re reading what you want when you want and at your own pace! That’ll make the books you read much more memorable.
My favorite book of 2024 and my favorite book ever is Light Bringer by Pierce Brown. It is the 6th book in the Red Rising series. That book gave me the biggest emotional reaction to a piece of entertaining media I've ever had. I read it over memorial day weekend and an event that happened in the book reminded me so insanely much of something from my personal life that it just crushed me. I get emotional just thinking about it but I can't say what it is for sake of spoilers. There's no way I can describe it in a way that won't give anything away. I very highly recommend Red Rising.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :) For me, the best reads of 2024 were The Count of Monte Cristo and Mistborn--both books I wish I could read for the first time all over again.
Happy New Year. I do read 100 books a year. Not to brag about it. I just don't watch a lot of tv and I don't know anylne to hang out with, which means I got too much freetime...
@thestarheater973 For me it was The Watchers by A.M. Shine. A lot of atmosphere and the movie was just awful. I also enjoyed Five Deaths for Seven Songbirds by John Everson. What about you? I always look for inspiration. 😊
I love seeing a new video or comment response from you. I know I’ve said it before and will probably say it again, but you and your wife are truly my friends. And I hope to meet you both one day.
God above I think your videos are the only ones I can handle these days on UA-cam. The singular camera angle, the quiet no-background-music approach and tasteful visuals (no neon lights or clutter) are refreshing. I don’t finish your videos feeling agitated or on-edge as most YT vids make me feel. I didn’t read many books last year. Five, I think. Last year was somewhat of a difficult year; my dad was in hospital in May with double pneumonia and sepsis, and then on December 20th my mum fell and broke her shoulder/arm (the ball part of the ball and socket) which annihilated all of our Christmas and New Years plans 😓. She has her operation next week and it will be a hard few months ahead of recovery and physio. Last year was also a tough one at university for me, and I also had my heart broken a tad bit by someone I really liked. So, it’s a miracle I even got through five books looking back!🤣 Onwards and upwards it shall be. I’ve just finished reading Neil Postman’s ‘Amusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Showbusiness’. I thought it was absolutely brilliant and would recommend to anyone. The main thread is based on the societal shift from an Oral culture, to a Typographic Culture and now into a Visual one. Super interesting argument that we are in a world more akin to Aldous Huxley’s than George Orwell’s (that is, amusing ourselves to death). Some other parts I loved were the section about ‘image politics’ and the section towards the end of the book about the interaction between education and entertainment. Have you read The Institute by Stephen King? I read it during lockdown and it’s so incredibly atmospheric for me because of that. What you said about remembering how you feel when reading a certain book is really there with this one!! My reading goals for this year are just to continue reading things that really interest me, without limiting myself by putting myself in a box (ie, exclusively a ‘classics reader’). I delved into fantasy for the first time back in September and LOVED it. And I never would have picked up that Neil Postman book a couple of years ago because it’s non-fiction and academic in nature, but I was inspired by a class I took recently on Consumption patterns in the Digital Age. This open approach (as you said in your video about comfort zones!) has really reignited that love of reading for me in the last couple of months. Being able to sit with a book, poring over the words on the page. I’ve missed the feeling, and am glad to have it back!
My wife and I recently got back into regular pleasure reading at the end of last year. I had forgotten the joy of being simply suspended in a story, living it for days, thinking, dreaming, breathing it. This year, my reading goal is 40 books. But my real goal is to stretch out of my comfort zone, to read some things that I may not have considered before. Mostly, this means the entire fantasy genre. I've always been put off my the serialized nature of them. But this year, anything goes. Okay. Not anything. No "Wheel of Time" for me at this point.
@@johnwatters3431 the hobbit is a good entry to fantasy. It’s a classic. Name of the Wind is my favorite fantasy book of all time. Not your typical fantasy story but a masterpiece in my opinion. The Farseer trilogy or the live ship Trader trilogy I hear are both absolute perfection.
Happy New Year Thomas. The greatest calm, chill guy on UA-cam! How I love coffee as well, I too can't drink too much. Half a cup when I wake up, another half in the afternoon. No, please talk about The Wheel all of the Time! Did you also read Lord of the Rings? Before this? I read a lot but I only loved three books last year. Very old ones, Kafka, Pessoa and Yourcenar. I plan to read over 60 this year, including Jordan's Series. Let's have a great reading 2025!
Oh my goodness your words mean so much! Thank you for the encouragement! Still haven’t read lord of the rings but I plan on it in my lifetime! Have a wonderful 2025 filled with many books and stories!
I love the Last Unicorn and maybe it's just nostalgia but it truly is magical. It's hard to explain. I feel like it's very contradictory: light-hearted but tragic, whimsical yet serious, extremely heavy at times but always hopeful. And the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is my favorite book second only (maybe) to the Count of Monte Cristo. I thought of the series the way you thought of WoT, as one book or one story. While Hitchhiker is definitely a comedy, there is such a range of emotion and tone across the books. I resonated with Arthur in the sense that when I was reading the book I was lost in life. That book was like therapy.
Thx for the video! Definitely read Hitchhiker's; it's one of my favs, and I've read it three or four times! Note that it is five books, although the fourth and fifth are, in my mind, very separate. All quick and short though...you'll fire through the first three in no time. I got the first three Wheel of Times and Name of the Wind for the holidays, and am currently about a third through Wind. It's good! I look at books like TV shows, and can fairly easily read a few at a time and still keep the narrative straight. So I'm currently also reading Lord of the Rings (slowly, since it's my third or fourth time though it, and I want to really savor the details) and Remarkably Bright Creatures. Have a great new year! 🎉
@@glauer42 dude love it! Thanks for the heads up on Hitchhiker’s. What are your initial thoughts on Name of the Wind?? Perfect book to read over winter time!! So excited for you.
@ One of my friends really liked Wind, so with your accolades as well, it was time to give it a shake. It's well written. Rothfuss has a style that is enjoyable and engaging. I find the hard right early on (in terms of plot shift plus point of view shift from third person to first), and how it layers stories within stories, intriguing. It keeps me guessing as to where it's going to go next!
Be sure to read the Witcher books also. They are great and offer a lot of insight in to the relationship between Geralt and Ciri. Although I have to say, one of my favorite aspects is the political intrique between the different rulers.
Happy new year Thomas! And all the best wishes for you and your wife! My 2 favorite books of last year were Anna Karenina by Tolstoj and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!
@@Rab182 such a fun read. It is a lot of books! But for me it’s worth it. I think long form storytelling is rare nowadays. There are a lot of series where things are quick and easy. Spelled out. And straight forward. And that’s not a bad thing. But I think ambiguity and scope is rare nowadays in books especially fantasy. Sure the series didn’t need to be 14 books long. But for some reason it is executed beautifully. I actually want more books lol
I feel you about taking a break with lighter books sometimes. Last year I read Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen and my brain needed a rest afterward. I was on a good reading roll, so I picked up a young adult fiction about setting up one of those community tiny libraries. I felt refreshed after And my favorite book from last year was Something Wicked This Way Comes
@@amorfatiloveyourfate exactly! Love that. Wheel of time isn’t the hardest read but it also isn’t the easiest. There is a lot of information and when I read most of the series straight through without any breaks, it can subconsciously become exhausting. Yet the series hasn’t been a chore nor exhausting (the for most part). It’ll be very refreshing to read some stand alones or some tight trilogies. Hey! I was about to read that in October! But Stephen king took up my time. I’ll have to read it this October!
Even though the tv series is done and the book series is probably never going to be finished, I hear it is still very well worth reading. I hear the books are completely different from the tv show.
I feel the same way when I finish most rpgs. I’m currently reading the black tongue thief, it’s really good. I bought the first book in the wheel of time over Black Friday, I’m not sure when I want to start that because I will want to read all of them.
@ I finished a couple rpgs last year, and what you described is how I felt each time. I was left speechless after final fantasy 16, I didn’t know what to do with myself.
@@andrewmichel7773 I cannot wait! I read the first paragraph awhile ago and I can tell it’s got such beautiful and poetic prose. Very similar to Name of the Wind.
2 books really stuck with me from last year: The Shining by Stephen King and Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. I also started the Eye of The World and about 2/3 through it, so good.
I'm saving shining for next winter I can't wait! Really that is amazing!? How are you liking it so far? I got one of my wife's co workers to dive into Wheel of Time and he's already on book 3.
New subscriber here! Black Tongue Thief is excellent! The author, Christopher Buehlman, also wrote Between Two Fires, which is definitely one of my top-ten of all time. It's historical horror set in France during the black plague. Angels and demons and knights and cults. I recommend it to anyone that says they like fantasy or horror.
@@discopunk138 whoa! Thank you for joining this journey! I actually have that book! I am probably going to dive into Elden Ring and heard Between Two Fires gives off those dark thematic vibes! That sounds amazing.
I'm gonna sell you on 11/22/63. It is a long book, so maybe good to read after wheel of time, but I found it so moving because of this sort of coziness, Jake Epping has 5 years before JFK arrives in Dallas, so, what is he going to do in-between that time? I thought it was a terrific novel and as someone with a mutual love for longer stories, I think you would really appreciate it too. Plus I just think it would be awesome to see you do a review of it sometime in the future because of how genuine you are in your videos!
@@FinnMichael-s2b that is awesome! I have it on my shelf. I actually got it from a coffee shop book shelf. (Take one leave one kind of thing). I hear it’s one of King’s best!
@@Thomas.R.Howell Yessss. High school teacher finds a portal that takes him back to 1958 with a mission set to stop the assassination from happening to JFK. Like you said, Stephen King is a master at characters and bringing scenes to life so I definitely got engrossed a number of times as the main character navigates different townspeople and falls in love, etc. Sometimes forgetting the main plot of the story pitched is getting to 1963. It's such a journey and he clearly did his research to emulate the kind of small town charm for the times.
@@Thomas.R.Howell I haven't quite thought it through yet because I'm not finished it, but there seems to be themes of morality through decision making. The butterfly effect is mentioned a lot and just in general, how can decisions from the past effect the future vice/versa
@ I’m taking it slow and what I assumed it would be like is kinda correct. It’s like the makers of a fantasy video game (specifically Skyrim) wrote Game of Thrones.
I'm currently rereading Eye of the World. There is so much beauty to Robert Jordan's world and characters, so much magic. Its a love like no other. I am so excited to see you finish the story. Also, heads up, the last 2 books are going to knock off your socks. My favorite book of 2024 has to be Infinite Jest. It's a fairly divisive book, it's massive, pretentious, and says just about everything about everything. The writing is masterful, and Wallace makes you fall in love with just about every type of person, from addict to high school tennis prodigy to recovering criminals. There are a couple series I want to tackle in 2025. The first one is Red Rising, which I'm on book 4 right now. If you're interested in Sci-fi, I'd highly recommend. I also want to get to the Sun Eater series, Lightbringer series, and I'd like to dive deep into Gene Wolfe's work as well. And Stephen King. Always Stephen King. I'll probably read his new book when it comes out. Happy Reading!
Such a refreshing style of video you have going on here! Love the laid back attitude and slower approach. Very rare today in the super saturated "booktube" sphere.
I think what you promote when it comes to how you approach reading and your reading goals very admirable. Soooo many creators will talk about how they read 100-200 books this year and I think to the average reader this just seems so unattainable and can often make people associate more with better...It can feel very alienating. Reading to so many people is a supplement to life not a career and I think normalising this slower, laid back form of reading is so important.
Love your vibe man, more people should get to see your videos, please keep doing what you do.
@@thomasomeara6934 well this made my day. So encouraging. I love your use of “normalizing”. I just want to be a normal guy. I’m not some fancy influencer with some message about conquering your library.
I appreciate this thank you! What kind of books are you into? What are your favorite books??
I really like your attitude towards reading, taking it slow. So many 'Booktubers' sem to just read as much as possible.
I feel like it's more rewarding and more respectful towards the book, the story, to take your time. It's like focusing on the journey, not the destination.
Keep doing it your way :)
@@VideoSmirf exactly! I always say enjoy the journey not the destination. Love that!
The only problem with watching other book tuber channels is that it increases the tbr. So many books and so little time.
Love the style of video-and I enjoy your passion for wheel of
Time-haven’t read it yet but I know my time will come
Thank you!
Enjoy the time you have before and during the wheel of time. Because you can only experience it for the first time once. I am thankful I took the leap. It was well worth it.
I do rarely comment UA-cam videos but I feel like I need to do it this time. I got into reading more or less an year ago and I have always looked for a cozy UA-cam channel where I can listen to someone just talking about books, but basically every channel I found had someone talking about "these are my 5-stars book of the year" or "this year I'm planning to read 200 books".
I fell this is just too overwhelming, and finding your channel and seeing you just talking about how a book made you feel while you take some coffee sips really can calm me down in this fast world where everyone needs to do and read more and more.
Last but not least: I have never liked or read any fantasy book, but listening to you talking about The Wheel of Time or The Name of the Wind) is just making me pretty curious about this genre. I will definitely give a shot to this kind of books soon!
Thanks man, keep going!
Wow. This is awesome. I’m lost for words. I’m so happy you found my channel and that my style and personality is calming and even encouraging. Comments like these are of great encouragement to me. Thank you!
Name of the Wind is a wonderful and calming book. It isn’t like most fantasy books. It’s less on action and plot and more about a character and his life.
What kind of books are you into??
@@Thomas.R.Howell For me it might be even better to read a story mostly based on a character and his life, I have rarely read books where there is too much of action.
I mostly read fiction, my favorite books of the year have been 'The Green Mile' and 'American Pastoral'.
Feel free to recommend any standalone fantasy books, I would appreciate it. I'm not sure whether I'm ready to dive into a book series or trilogy at the moment 😁
@@arcticm5634 I'm looking into getting into the cosmere books that brandon sanderson wrote. I have yet to really dive into the fantasy genre, my favorite books are Stephen King books and The Hunger Games (I recently just started reading last year like you). Anyway I wanted to recommend Elantris or one of Brandon Sandersons standalone novels if you want to delve into a large fantasy world without committing to a whole book series. I think its a great way to get into fantasy because if you enjoy the book you can read another standalone in the cosmere and then if you want to commit to a trilogy you can read Mistborn and just keep going. The world doesn't end on the last page of the book, if you love the world you can continue on through his books and then after you can wait with the promise of more books releasing in the cosmere.
Yes, I love your perspective on quality vs. quantity. I finished A Song of Ice and Fire in 2024. And The First Law Trilogy. Those series feel so much more impactful than the rest of the forgettable thrillers I made myself finish.
@@booksbeerhorror753 that sounds like an amazing year of reading!
I wish I could read more books. Mostly because there are so many books I want to read and I’m afraid I won’t be able to get to all of them. I read 13 books in 2024. I’ve noticed, though, that the longer it takes me to read a book, the more I enjoy it (usually). I live in the world longer. The most recent chapters/concepts/scenes linger in my mind more. Reading slow can make the experience richer.
@@joshmyers867 YES! love that. I totally agree.
I’m currently waiting for my A-level mock results which I get on January 21st and I’ve been panicking all day about them, watching this video, like always just calms me down. I’m going to be doing English Literature at uni if I get into the uni I want, and your videos make me so excited for it. I can’t explain why but thank you ❤️ These videos mean the world to me and put me in such a tranquil state of mind
I hope your test goes well! You’ve got this!
I know exactly how you feel about Witcher. I watched the credits roll on Dragon Age Veilguard a month ago. It was a sad moment, but I plan to play through again very soon to get the couple trophies I somehow missed the first time.
Finding your channel has really sparked a need for me to slow down my reading and focus on the quality and not quantity. I hit burnout midyear and didn't read much at all for 5 months. I read 79 books, but...there's less than 10 that really stuck with me. Granted, it was a bad reading year anyway because usually I read far more books that I love, but this year there were so many that were so mediocre or just bad. I did set my reading goal on Goodreads, but I set it at 80, which I have done the last four years (and I do read a lot of manga too) and I'm not focusing on it. I'm using my commonplace book notes pages as more of a marker than my Goodreads challenge.
I have joined a book club that focuses on the classics. So far, the discussions are great and I find myself falling back into that learning mindset much faster and easier than I expected to considering I've been out of school for almost a decade. I've started keeping a commonplace book to take my notes in and it's helping so much! But...I still can't just focus on one book at a time. I used to have 3 books at a time going (physical, audio, and an ebook on the go). I've told myself that, unless I'm just really into one single book and can't put it down, I will limit myself to two at a time (one to deep dive into, and another just for entertainment but still take my time with it). So far, that's going really well. I'm currently reading Dracula alongside a cosmic horror short story collection.
Last year, I read 2 books that I cannot stop thinking about (not including a reread), October by Michael Rowe and Native Fear by CF Page. I also found myself falling in love with cosmic horror last year and finding Lovecraft. I also read a short story prequel to one of my favorite books, One Last Gasp by Andrew C Piazza (which was my reread for 2024). Those out of 79 reads...
It’s crazy when the credits roll. I never imagined I would actually finish Witcher 3. And just like a book, you can only play a game for the first time once. That magic and child like wonder playing a game for the first time.
Hey there is nothing wrong with reading as much as you do! I could never because I’m such a slow reader haha. But I’m thankful I can encourage you!
Lean into what you like! If you are loving cosmic horror seek those books out! I always follow my tastes or cravings when it comes to reading. Makes the reading process exciting. Engaging. And memorable.
Also there is just so many books being released now and a lot of them aren’t… good. Very much like tv shows. Content content and content. And more content!
@@Thomas.R.Howell You are so right.
And I am also a slow reader, always have been, but I pushed myself, 2-3 manga a week, audiobooks on 2.5x speed, all along with a physical book, ebook at work too. It's a wonder I remembered any of it at all. I have learned not to put too much stock in hyped books too. They've continually fallen short. The books I've really loved have been found completely by accident.
My favorite read from last year was the "First Law" Trilogy. That journey felt so real and close to my heart that I was a different person after finishing it. I hope you get the chance to read it, I don't want to say anything about it as its best if you go in blind. Fortunately this is a series that is good from the beginning and is great as it progresses. To me this is as character focused as a series can get (though I am yet to experience wheel of time and other long fantasy series).
You will feel sad, happy, excited, nervous, grief, guilt, love...etc, it just feels like one big ball of life.
@@GordonNemoy this trilogy is on my radar for sure! Thank you for respecting spoilers. Love going into books blind.
I hear Joe is just amazing at character work!
@@Thomas.R.Howell I also read The First Law trilogy last year and was blown away and absolutely fell in love with the characters, the world, and the story!
@@Thomas.R.Howell Oh he absolutely is! Can't wait for you to meet them!
Hey Thomas, great video as always. I really like your calm style and that you are doing it your own way. Keep up with your great work :) I hope you will have a great year and that you will achieve all of your (reading) goals.
I am not a big reader, but in the last year i read more again. My favourite book of the year was Butcher´s Crossing by John Williams. It´s a great western, that is very authentic, but also grim and brutal with a fascinating topic (buffalo hunting). So my reading goals for 2025 is to read other books by this author, like Stoker. But i also want to continue reading Brandon Sanderson (i read the first Mistborn book last year) and read more Sci-Fi, like Ray Bradbury or Philip K. Dick. Other than that, i will probably also read more books of my favourite authors, Stephen King and Haruki Murakami.
Greetings from Luxembourg:)
@@holzmischel577 greetings! Thank you!
I love to hear it! Sounds like you’re reading what you want when you want and at your own pace! That’ll make the books you read much more memorable.
I love reading a series straight through. It's so immersive. WOT is on my 2025 TBR.
This sir, this video is why I am subscribing. it’s the experience, the journey and not the number
@@apurvabooktalk yes!! Exactly!
Thank you! 😭
My favorite book of 2024 and my favorite book ever is Light Bringer by Pierce Brown. It is the 6th book in the Red Rising series. That book gave me the biggest emotional reaction to a piece of entertaining media I've ever had. I read it over memorial day weekend and an event that happened in the book reminded me so insanely much of something from my personal life that it just crushed me. I get emotional just thinking about it but I can't say what it is for sake of spoilers. There's no way I can describe it in a way that won't give anything away. I very highly recommend Red Rising.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :) For me, the best reads of 2024 were The Count of Monte Cristo and Mistborn--both books I wish I could read for the first time all over again.
@@Cymbals231 Merry Christmas!
Great video, you inspired me to create a channel of my own! You have such a calm way about you that is contagious, keep doin you man!
@@BookswithSam1 what?? That’s amazing! Congratulations!
Thank you for the kind words!
@ thank you! It’s been fun so far, can’t wait to get more involved
Happy New Year. I do read 100 books a year. Not to brag about it. I just don't watch a lot of tv and I don't know anylne to hang out with, which means I got too much freetime...
Which was the best book you read last year?
@thestarheater973 For me it was The Watchers by A.M. Shine. A lot of atmosphere and the movie was just awful. I also enjoyed Five Deaths for Seven Songbirds by John Everson. What about you? I always look for inspiration. 😊
I love seeing a new video or comment response from you. I know I’ve said it before and will probably say it again, but you and your wife are truly my friends. And I hope to meet you both one day.
This made my day! Thank you! It's always nice seeing your comments and kind words. Warms my heart.
@ you and your wife are the only two pot heads I’m friends with ☕️. And yes, I stole that joke from your mug.
God above I think your videos are the only ones I can handle these days on UA-cam. The singular camera angle, the quiet no-background-music approach and tasteful visuals (no neon lights or clutter) are refreshing. I don’t finish your videos feeling agitated or on-edge as most YT vids make me feel.
I didn’t read many books last year. Five, I think. Last year was somewhat of a difficult year; my dad was in hospital in May with double pneumonia and sepsis, and then on December 20th my mum fell and broke her shoulder/arm (the ball part of the ball and socket) which annihilated all of our Christmas and New Years plans 😓. She has her operation next week and it will be a hard few months ahead of recovery and physio. Last year was also a tough one at university for me, and I also had my heart broken a tad bit by someone I really liked. So, it’s a miracle I even got through five books looking back!🤣 Onwards and upwards it shall be.
I’ve just finished reading Neil Postman’s ‘Amusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Showbusiness’. I thought it was absolutely brilliant and would recommend to anyone. The main thread is based on the societal shift from an Oral culture, to a Typographic Culture and now into a Visual one. Super interesting argument that we are in a world more akin to Aldous Huxley’s than George Orwell’s (that is, amusing ourselves to death). Some other parts I loved were the section about ‘image politics’ and the section towards the end of the book about the interaction between education and entertainment.
Have you read The Institute by Stephen King? I read it during lockdown and it’s so incredibly atmospheric for me because of that. What you said about remembering how you feel when reading a certain book is really there with this one!!
My reading goals for this year are just to continue reading things that really interest me, without limiting myself by putting myself in a box (ie, exclusively a ‘classics reader’). I delved into fantasy for the first time back in September and LOVED it. And I never would have picked up that Neil Postman book a couple of years ago because it’s non-fiction and academic in nature, but I was inspired by a class I took recently on Consumption patterns in the Digital Age. This open approach (as you said in your video about comfort zones!) has really reignited that love of reading for me in the last couple of months. Being able to sit with a book, poring over the words on the page. I’ve missed the feeling, and am glad to have it back!
Bro, I am always waiting for your video's notification to just pop up on my screen ❤✨
@@jashanjotsingh7430 dude seriously? That’s amazing! I feel unworthy. But thank you!
@ Bro you are WORTHY ✨
My wife and I recently got back into regular pleasure reading at the end of last year. I had forgotten the joy of being simply suspended in a story, living it for days, thinking, dreaming, breathing it.
This year, my reading goal is 40 books. But my real goal is to stretch out of my comfort zone, to read some things that I may not have considered before. Mostly, this means the entire fantasy genre. I've always been put off my the serialized nature of them. But this year, anything goes.
Okay. Not anything. No "Wheel of Time" for me at this point.
@@johnwatters3431 the hobbit is a good entry to fantasy. It’s a classic. Name of the Wind is my favorite fantasy book of all time. Not your typical fantasy story but a masterpiece in my opinion.
The Farseer trilogy or the live ship Trader trilogy I hear are both absolute perfection.
@Thomas.R.Howell Thanks for the recs! I've had my eye on The Name of the Wind recently, I might have to pick it up.
Happy New Year Thomas. The greatest calm, chill guy on UA-cam! How I love coffee as well, I too can't drink too much. Half a cup when I wake up, another half in the afternoon.
No, please talk about The Wheel all of the Time! Did you also read Lord of the Rings? Before this?
I read a lot but I only loved three books last year. Very old ones, Kafka, Pessoa and Yourcenar. I plan to read over 60 this year, including Jordan's Series.
Let's have a great reading 2025!
Oh my goodness your words mean so much! Thank you for the encouragement! Still haven’t read lord of the rings but I plan on it in my lifetime!
Have a wonderful 2025 filled with many books and stories!
I love the Last Unicorn and maybe it's just nostalgia but it truly is magical. It's hard to explain. I feel like it's very contradictory: light-hearted but tragic, whimsical yet serious, extremely heavy at times but always hopeful. And the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is my favorite book second only (maybe) to the Count of Monte Cristo. I thought of the series the way you thought of WoT, as one book or one story. While Hitchhiker is definitely a comedy, there is such a range of emotion and tone across the books. I resonated with Arthur in the sense that when I was reading the book I was lost in life. That book was like therapy.
I love to hear it! Makes me more excited to read em!
Thx for the video! Definitely read Hitchhiker's; it's one of my favs, and I've read it three or four times! Note that it is five books, although the fourth and fifth are, in my mind, very separate. All quick and short though...you'll fire through the first three in no time.
I got the first three Wheel of Times and Name of the Wind for the holidays, and am currently about a third through Wind. It's good!
I look at books like TV shows, and can fairly easily read a few at a time and still keep the narrative straight. So I'm currently also reading Lord of the Rings (slowly, since it's my third or fourth time though it, and I want to really savor the details) and Remarkably Bright Creatures.
Have a great new year! 🎉
@@glauer42 dude love it! Thanks for the heads up on Hitchhiker’s.
What are your initial thoughts on Name of the Wind?? Perfect book to read over winter time!! So excited for you.
@ One of my friends really liked Wind, so with your accolades as well, it was time to give it a shake. It's well written. Rothfuss has a style that is enjoyable and engaging. I find the hard right early on (in terms of plot shift plus point of view shift from third person to first), and how it layers stories within stories, intriguing. It keeps me guessing as to where it's going to go next!
Excellent quality of video! Really like your style!
@@GeekGawk thank you so much!!
Be sure to read the Witcher books also. They are great and offer a lot of insight in to the relationship between Geralt and Ciri. Although I have to say, one of my favorite aspects is the political intrique between the different rulers.
@@liborheld2521 oh trust me those are on my radar too. Loved the first two books!
Happy new year Thomas! And all the best wishes for you and your wife!
My 2 favorite books of last year were Anna Karenina by Tolstoj and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!
happy new year! Thank you! I love to hear it. Pretty sure my wife would love to read Pride and Prejudice.
Mr. Mercedes is such an easy read. People keep mentioning the Wheel of Time series but like you said it's a LOT of books.
@@Rab182 such a fun read. It is a lot of books! But for me it’s worth it. I think long form storytelling is rare nowadays. There are a lot of series where things are quick and easy. Spelled out. And straight forward. And that’s not a bad thing. But I think ambiguity and scope is rare nowadays in books especially fantasy.
Sure the series didn’t need to be 14 books long. But for some reason it is executed beautifully. I actually want more books lol
intro is lowkey fire
I feel you about taking a break with lighter books sometimes. Last year I read Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen and my brain needed a rest afterward. I was on a good reading roll, so I picked up a young adult fiction about setting up one of those community tiny libraries. I felt refreshed after
And my favorite book from last year was Something Wicked This Way Comes
@@amorfatiloveyourfate exactly! Love that. Wheel of time isn’t the hardest read but it also isn’t the easiest. There is a lot of information and when I read most of the series straight through without any breaks, it can subconsciously become exhausting. Yet the series hasn’t been a chore nor exhausting (the for most part).
It’ll be very refreshing to read some stand alones or some tight trilogies.
Hey! I was about to read that in October! But Stephen king took up my time. I’ll have to read it this October!
East of Eden and Lonesome Dove are my 2 favorites.
Byhis point I want to start "The Wheel of Time."
My Favorite Book in 2024 is A Game of Throne. And my self-proud Book is Dracula 1897.
Even though the tv series is done and the book series is probably never going to be finished, I hear it is still very well worth reading. I hear the books are completely different from the tv show.
I feel the same way when I finish most rpgs.
I’m currently reading the black tongue thief, it’s really good.
I bought the first book in the wheel of time over Black Friday, I’m not sure when I want to start that because I will want to read all of them.
Yeah RPGs are crunchy long games. And they hit hard if it has a deep story and complex character growth. Persona 5 is on my rpg list.
@ I finished a couple rpgs last year, and what you described is how I felt each time. I was left speechless after final fantasy 16, I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I am anti-reading goals. I have monthly plans/TBRs but no goals.
Reading goals did not work for me. I'd like to pick up a book every day this year to keep the habit. I don't think "more" means "better".
Ok, I was about to suggest the Last Unicorn. Got it and read it for Christmas, it's incredible. Honestly the perfect fantasy book.
@@andrewmichel7773 I cannot wait! I read the first paragraph awhile ago and I can tell it’s got such beautiful and poetic prose. Very similar to Name of the Wind.
@@Thomas.R.Howell Absolutely, the prose is awesome. And yep Patrick Rothfuss totally has a similar vibe.
Ironically, I just found your channel and started playing The Witcher 3 today😂
@@dawsonjohnson no way! Is this your first time playing it?
@ yep, first play through!
@ I’m so jealous. Take your sweet time and enjoy the journey!
2 books really stuck with me from last year: The Shining by Stephen King and Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. I also started the Eye of The World and about 2/3 through it, so good.
I'm saving shining for next winter I can't wait!
Really that is amazing!? How are you liking it so far? I got one of my wife's co workers to dive into Wheel of Time and he's already on book 3.
@ I’m really liking the eye of the world, very cozy vibes so far about a band going on an adventure.
@ soooo cozy!
New subscriber here! Black Tongue Thief is excellent! The author, Christopher Buehlman, also wrote Between Two Fires, which is definitely one of my top-ten of all time. It's historical horror set in France during the black plague. Angels and demons and knights and cults. I recommend it to anyone that says they like fantasy or horror.
@@discopunk138 whoa! Thank you for joining this journey!
I actually have that book! I am probably going to dive into Elden Ring and heard Between Two Fires gives off those dark thematic vibes! That sounds amazing.
@@Thomas.R.Howell Oh yeah, they definitely FEEL the same.
I loved Morde from vandermeer because it was so weird. I also startet W3 again its a great game. Happy 2025 folks!
such a great game! I will be saving the DLC for the time I want to return to that world and sit in the shoes of Geralt again.
I'm gonna sell you on 11/22/63. It is a long book, so maybe good to read after wheel of time, but I found it so moving because of this sort of coziness, Jake Epping has 5 years before JFK arrives in Dallas, so, what is he going to do in-between that time?
I thought it was a terrific novel and as someone with a mutual love for longer stories, I think you would really appreciate it too.
Plus I just think it would be awesome to see you do a review of it sometime in the future because of how genuine you are in your videos!
@@FinnMichael-s2b that is awesome! I have it on my shelf. I actually got it from a coffee shop book shelf. (Take one leave one kind of thing). I hear it’s one of King’s best!
@@Thomas.R.Howell I have about 50 pages left to go in 11/22/63 and would also already like to sell you on it haha. Goddamn it's good.
@ I love it. Give me your elevator pitch! Sell me even though I’m already sold haha
@@Thomas.R.Howell Yessss. High school teacher finds a portal that takes him back to 1958 with a mission set to stop the assassination from happening to JFK. Like you said, Stephen King is a master at characters and bringing scenes to life so I definitely got engrossed a number of times as the main character navigates different townspeople and falls in love, etc. Sometimes forgetting the main plot of the story pitched is getting to 1963. It's such a journey and he clearly did his research to emulate the kind of small town charm for the times.
@@Thomas.R.Howell I haven't quite thought it through yet because I'm not finished it, but there seems to be themes of morality through decision making. The butterfly effect is mentioned a lot and just in general, how can decisions from the past effect the future vice/versa
Hope everyone had a great holiday season. Top books for my year were Project Hail Mary and Chasing The Boogeyman
Why does project Hail Mary sound so familiar!?
I'm going to read what i own until my birthday with the exception of one banes and noble trip and kindle with audible
@@jesseengland456 that’s what I like to hear!
@@Thomas.R.Howell and library
Hey man, quick question but where is that shirt from? Also Happy New Years!
Oh man my wife gifted it to me. I think it was from target!?
The witcher. What a masterpiece
Ah yes. Truly a masterpiece. I cried.
lol you took my line, why would I ever read more books then I want to read
Exactly! Such a good line.
My favorite read from last year was Malice by John Gwynne. It was my very last read of the year.
I’m reading that right now and it’s AWESOME!
@ It was great! Left me needing time before starting Valor but also the feeling of wanting to jump right back into the story.
@ I’m taking it slow and what I assumed it would be like is kinda correct. It’s like the makers of a fantasy video game (specifically Skyrim) wrote Game of Thrones.
I'm pretty sure that is on my shelf some where. How is it!?
@@Thomas.R.Howell It’s so dang good! It’s hard not to picture Nords and Giants as I read.
But more importantly, where can I buy a coffee pot like that??
@@davidmcfather1884 Fellow! It’s the Adin coffee maker. So so good.
@ Thanks, bro!
I'm currently rereading Eye of the World. There is so much beauty to Robert Jordan's world and characters, so much magic. Its a love like no other. I am so excited to see you finish the story.
Also, heads up, the last 2 books are going to knock off your socks.
My favorite book of 2024 has to be Infinite Jest. It's a fairly divisive book, it's massive, pretentious, and says just about everything about everything. The writing is masterful, and Wallace makes you fall in love with just about every type of person, from addict to high school tennis prodigy to recovering criminals.
There are a couple series I want to tackle in 2025. The first one is Red Rising, which I'm on book 4 right now. If you're interested in Sci-fi, I'd highly recommend. I also want to get to the Sun Eater series, Lightbringer series, and I'd like to dive deep into Gene Wolfe's work as well. And Stephen King. Always Stephen King. I'll probably read his new book when it comes out.
Happy Reading!
@sovereignprints_217 I cannot wait! I really miss Eye of the World. Such a cozy beginning to this epic story!
@@Thomas.R.Howell cozy is the perfect word!