You have become my comfort creator that I always click on when I see your videos on my recommended. It’s the whole vibe of having a friend pop in and tell you all the cool stuff they’ve been doing. The background, your cadence and presentation, all of it just enhances that feeling.
My most surprising (and most favorite) read of the year was Blood Over Bright Haven. I listened to it on audiobook and it was incredible, but I didn’t have any concept of what it would be when I started! I was hooked from the first chapter.
While I expected to love "A Master of Djinn" by P. Djèlí Clarke, it surprised me by drawing some inspiration from a lesser known story from "1001 Arabian Nights" and it ended up being my favorite of 2024. Another surprise was "Sistah Samurai" by Tatiana Obey. I did not expected so much emotion and such a deep exploration of depression in such a short work.
A book that surprised me recently was Poisoned Pages by Lorna Barrett. The cover has a little bookshelf and an adorable cat all in a cozy room. It’s described on the cover as a “cozy mystery.” However, what I got instead was a plot full of uncomfortable stalking situations of the main character, along with her being in a small town (which is cozy, yes), but the other townspeople treat her like an outcast and spread misinformation about her and call her names as she’s trying to solve a mystery. Yikes. It was NOT cozy at all!😳
This year's been weird for me in regards to reading, but I gotta say, "When Among Crows" by Veronica Roth really surprised me, and might be my favorite read of the year! I see people mention it, but I don't really feel like it gets the hype it deserves for being such a well-written novella. I also just loved the story, characters, vibes, etc. Right down my lane. I *rarely* see urban fantasy executed *that* well -- and to do it in so few pages...! 👏
I LOVE daevabad ♥ glad you loved it too (Was going to ask why the title to this video is numeric but since no one else is complaining about it maybe it's a me thing?)
you mean the second book? I hope so, because I'm 1/3 way through and wondering why it seems "history is being rewritten" (trying to be as vague as possible)
Welcome to the Gideon the Ninth hype train! Strap in for the second book, it's a wild ride. And the fourth and last book has a very elusive release date (maybe next year?).
I read Gideon and Harrow back to back. I started Nona but got stuck. I think I'm gong to wait for the series to be finished, then start over - re-read Gideon and Harrow - and hopefully read on to the end.
Omg I used to play so much MTG. I really miss it but its an expensive hobby. 😬 I used to have a white black dredge deck that I LOVED. Zombies and angels were a surprisingly great combo.
My tastes align a lot with yours so I'm really curious to see where I stand on Guns of the Dawn. Also, I read Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay in October and while I really liked some elements of, I also severely disliked others 😢
Thanks for the rec for Race the Sands and The Fireborne Blade (didn't realize there's a sequel, adding to my TBR) I really enjoyed those two books. I'm kinda mid on Dragonfruit, the cover was pretty much all of the marketing that I needed, storywise I enjoyed it but I found the worldbuilding a little lacking, and the conclusion was a bit messy, but overall I'm glad I read it. Sadly I was disappointed by Starter Villain, Gideon The Nineth, and the most devastating of them was The Phoenix Keeper. I really expected to love these, but that just wasn't the case.
Do I need to read The First Law trilogy to enjoy Age of Madness? 😅 The beginning of FL didnt grip me at all. Not enough people talk about my fave author Auryn Hadley, maybe because its R.H 😂
I really enjoyed how to sell a haunted house lol I like my horror with a lot of humor though. I guess that's why Grady hendrix is pretty much the only "horror" i read
My 14 year old daughter has the most amazing mind when it comes to fantasy. Her drawings and stories are so good. Please if you have any ideas on how I can help her get these stories out I would be greatly grateful.
What caught me by surprise was Dungeon Crawler Carl. Hear me out… I’m not into reads that are too campy and I’m not a gamer. I picked this up because someone in my book club recommended it and I have to say it’s such a blast!! And it has an animal companion! The best POV is the AI…. I would have never thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. 🎉
Yes! Totally unexpected stand out. I had zero expectations but it's actually so much fun, and it keeps getting better through books 2 and 3. The audiobook also absolutely worth it for Donut and the AI's voices alone.
@@samanthasuper1668 I'll need to give the audiobook a try for Book 3. I'm almost through the second physical book. I almost didn't pick it up because of all the hype but the hype was right. It's such a fun ride.
This year was the start of my reading fantasy after a life of scifi. No highlights are surprising (Legends and Lattes, Will of the Many etc), but disappointments include Malice by John Gwynne (too many characters at the start), the Matt Dinniman series that ISN'T Dungeon Crawler and the Red Rising series, which I found cliched and lacking in depth (too many "a part of me died that day" and betrayals that he never seems to learn from. I liked the universe though)
I came for the books, but stayed for all the nerdy stuff with video games and apperently now mtg. I mainly play commande and all my decs contain black xD
How to Sell a Haunted House was a disappointment for me because it wasn’t what I wanted it to be…I wanted a silly or funny haunted house story and this wasn’t that
I’m guessing you started with first law? If not, a lot of people would recommend getting into that trilogy first (sorry if you have, just wanted to throw that out there just in case 😅). It’s not for everyone though, so of course no worries if it’s not your thing ☺️
With The Gods Below I‘ll wait until the next book comes out. I really wanted to love the prior series by Andrea Stewart. The Bone Shard Daughter was an okay read, then I skimmed through the Bone Shard Emperor because it was soooo boring and dnf‘d the Bone Shard War completely. Don’t get the hype for this series at all. That’s why I am not sure if I‘ll like the new series. I hate the Kindred‘s Curse Saga. Diem as a character made me so mad I wanted to throw the book out of the window. She is a horribly whiny and annoying character. I could not continue past the first half of the third book. And also the romance is horribly written in the series. Absolute garbage! And 1.000 pages for what ? Not necessary for this kind of series.
Ohhhh so happy you liked the Daevabad Trilogy. It's currently on my shopping list and I haven't really heard anyone talk about it. So excited. I'm also currently looking into Mark Lawrence's 'Library' Trilogy (The Book that wouldn't burn) and am super excited. Thank you for your honest opinions ❤
My mom is in the hospital rn and I needed a hug and I got the notification for this video and got the mental/emotional hug I needed. Thank you for your content. ❤
I'm SO sorry in advance for the extremely long comment. Books that surprised me in a good way: -A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross! An immersive reading experience that I do not think I have ever had before. This was my first Rebecca Ross book and I am very impressed. It is definitely one of my top 5 books read this year. -A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher! Thank you for mentioning it in your cozy fantasy guide! I didn't expect the humor; I loved it so much! It was my first T Kingfisher book and another top 5 read of the year. I will definitely be checking out other works. -Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. I LOVE The Cruel Prince trilogy, the only work I have read of Holly Black's. I think The Spiderwick Chronicles movie gave me low expectations about what to expect. I never watched the movie but had seen trailers. I was amazed by the world and all the different faeries in the series. I wish there was an Encyclopedia of Faeries by Holly Black. If this already exists, let me know!! The fact that I listened to the audiobooks probably also greatly influenced my view of it as it was narrated by Mark Hamill, an amazing voice actor. While known for his role in Star Wars, he is also revered for his voice acting of The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series from the '90s. -Nine Lives Magic cozy mystery series by Danielle Garrett. My mom published a cozy mystery book this year. Having never read the genre, I wanted to look into some before reading hers. I found this one and was immediately sucked in. I loved the characters, especially the talking cat who reminds me of Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I also love a light/soft fantasy element. These are great in that they are lighthearted and funny and I am never not in the mood to read them. This is very uncommon for me as a mood reader. Books that surprised me in a not-so-good way: -Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki: it was a strange book and while I liked the diversity and themes, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. -House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland: the premise was interesting but I was confused the whole way through. I also never connected with the characters. -Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: a book that upset me due to the topics and I sadly didn't connect with the MCs. Books that I wish more people would talk about: -A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli: a debut novel from this year! It reminded me of an anime plot. I really liked the characters and execution. While it was a 5-star for me, I was surprised people gave it a 1-star. I find it very interesting how we all have different opinions on a body of work (certain aspects attract/enthrall some but not all). -Miracle Creek by Angie Kim: a debut novel from 2019. I was late to reading this because I wasn't reading much during the 2010s. It's written by an AAPI author and focuses on an Asian American family which I appreciate. The story is mostly shown through a courtroom case with multiple characters giving testimonies and you don't necessarily know who is guilty. Or maybe it's just me in that often I like to experience a story without theorizing/wondering what's going to happen in a book/movie/show.
I cannot express the level of anxiety I experienced when you started with, "Just to let you know that my dog, Lunabear.............is in the room with us" ELLIOT I AM TOO ANXIOUS FOR STATEMENTS LIKE THIS🤣😭😭 (p.s. glad Lunabear is okay and just in the room with us)
I need more MTG content from you! Recently got back into it and am loving the new series of cards as well as how much it's changed from a decade ago! Green is still my go-to 😊😊 love your stuff Elliott, someone else called it cozy UA-cam and I agree, you're like our best book buddy. Stay blessed!
You had us at "my doggo is in the room with me".....
the way she delivered this as worrying, my heart almost stopped lol
@@bisma1352yes! Was so scared for a second that something happened to her dog 🥲
You have become my comfort creator that I always click on when I see your videos on my recommended. It’s the whole vibe of having a friend pop in and tell you all the cool stuff they’ve been doing. The background, your cadence and presentation, all of it just enhances that feeling.
Oh wow, that’s so kind! Thank you for taking the time to write this-it’s made my morning 💗
My most surprising (and most favorite) read of the year was Blood Over Bright Haven. I listened to it on audiobook and it was incredible, but I didn’t have any concept of what it would be when I started! I was hooked from the first chapter.
While I expected to love "A Master of Djinn" by P. Djèlí Clarke, it surprised me by drawing some inspiration from a lesser known story from "1001 Arabian Nights" and it ended up being my favorite of 2024.
Another surprise was "Sistah Samurai" by Tatiana Obey. I did not expected so much emotion and such a deep exploration of depression in such a short work.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Harrow & Nona. I've reread several times & it's my fav series. Patiently waiting for Alecto. 🖤
I looked up the release and was sad when I couldn’t find it 😅
@@ebnovels yeah sadly still in the dark there as far as I know. None yet 😭
Patiently waiting to hear your thoughts on Harrow the Ninth! It's definitely a challenging reading experience but it's also a freaken masterpiece ☠🔥
A book that surprised me recently was Poisoned Pages by Lorna Barrett. The cover has a little bookshelf and an adorable cat all in a cozy room. It’s described on the cover as a “cozy mystery.” However, what I got instead was a plot full of uncomfortable stalking situations of the main character, along with her being in a small town (which is cozy, yes), but the other townspeople treat her like an outcast and spread misinformation about her and call her names as she’s trying to solve a mystery. Yikes. It was NOT cozy at all!😳
This year's been weird for me in regards to reading, but I gotta say, "When Among Crows" by Veronica Roth really surprised me, and might be my favorite read of the year! I see people mention it, but I don't really feel like it gets the hype it deserves for being such a well-written novella. I also just loved the story, characters, vibes, etc. Right down my lane. I *rarely* see urban fantasy executed *that* well -- and to do it in so few pages...! 👏
I just finished foul days (influenced by you) and I really enjoyed it!! Super quick read bc I couldn’t stop. I think the second is out now
I LOVE daevabad ♥ glad you loved it too (Was going to ask why the title to this video is numeric but since no one else is complaining about it maybe it's a me thing?)
Gideon the Ninth! Just beware with Harrow you will not know what's going until like 65% but then it all makes sense. Makes rereads a trip!
you mean the second book? I hope so, because I'm 1/3 way through and wondering why it seems "history is being rewritten" (trying to be as vague as possible)
Just keep going! You got this
I'd say the same about Gideon, TBH. They're a proper mystery series.
Welcome to the Gideon the Ninth hype train! Strap in for the second book, it's a wild ride. And the fourth and last book has a very elusive release date (maybe next year?).
Just wondering, do you have plans for a Titanchild review? (the next Jen Williams book after Talonsister)
I’m hoping to read the duology now that book two is out, and eventually talk about it in some form, yes! ☺️
I read Gideon and Harrow back to back. I started Nona but got stuck. I think I'm gong to wait for the series to be finished, then start over - re-read Gideon and Harrow - and hopefully read on to the end.
Omg I used to play so much MTG. I really miss it but its an expensive hobby. 😬 I used to have a white black dredge deck that I LOVED. Zombies and angels were a surprisingly great combo.
My tastes align a lot with yours so I'm really curious to see where I stand on Guns of the Dawn.
Also, I read Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay in October and while I really liked some elements of, I also severely disliked others 😢
Do you play commander format? That's my fave!
I need to try Gods Below! Sucks it went downhill 😢
Thanks for the rec for Race the Sands and The Fireborne Blade (didn't realize there's a sequel, adding to my TBR) I really enjoyed those two books. I'm kinda mid on Dragonfruit, the cover was pretty much all of the marketing that I needed, storywise I enjoyed it but I found the worldbuilding a little lacking, and the conclusion was a bit messy, but overall I'm glad I read it.
Sadly I was disappointed by Starter Villain, Gideon The Nineth, and the most devastating of them was The Phoenix Keeper. I really expected to love these, but that just wasn't the case.
I am so glad I found Foul Days because of you I was skeptical at first and then ended up finishing both books
Is your bookshelf tour from last year pretty accurate? I'm interested in knowing more and wondering if that vid is fairly up to date :D
It’s fairly accurate, but I am thinking of doing an updated one around the new year :D
Whoohoo - you play magic! Yes! I have an angel & cleric commander deck that I love.
I love magic! Plus the art is incredible 😄
@@ebnovels The art is great!
Luunnnnaaa
Do I need to read The First Law trilogy to enjoy Age of Madness? 😅 The beginning of FL didnt grip me at all.
Not enough people talk about my fave author Auryn Hadley, maybe because its R.H 😂
I really enjoyed how to sell a haunted house lol I like my horror with a lot of humor though. I guess that's why Grady hendrix is pretty much the only "horror" i read
Am I the only one who has a very very strange title : "570DF5F6 [...]" and who was attacked with an ai translated voice ?
Same! But her voice is back!
I usually really enjoy Grady Hendrix but also didn’t like how to sell a haunted house 😬
I really want to read The Fireborne Blade and Foul days !!
Lol, Am I the only one seeing the title as 570DF5F6 7E34 4683 8B0D BF110574FBA3?
That would be bizarre if so! I made sure the title was there quite awhile before even scheduling it 😆
Same here ! Never happened before, so weird
@@ebnovels I also see this weird title!
I see the same title!
Same! I wondered why no one comented anything
My 14 year old daughter has the most amazing mind when it comes to fantasy. Her drawings and stories are so good. Please if you have any ideas on how I can help her get these stories out I would be greatly grateful.
What caught me by surprise was Dungeon Crawler Carl. Hear me out… I’m not into reads that are too campy and I’m not a gamer. I picked this up because someone in my book club recommended it and I have to say it’s such a blast!! And it has an animal companion! The best POV is the AI…. I would have never thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. 🎉
Yes! Totally unexpected stand out. I had zero expectations but it's actually so much fun, and it keeps getting better through books 2 and 3. The audiobook also absolutely worth it for Donut and the AI's voices alone.
@@samanthasuper1668 I'll need to give the audiobook a try for Book 3. I'm almost through the second physical book. I almost didn't pick it up because of all the hype but the hype was right. It's such a fun ride.
This year was the start of my reading fantasy after a life of scifi. No highlights are surprising (Legends and Lattes, Will of the Many etc), but disappointments include Malice by John Gwynne (too many characters at the start), the Matt Dinniman series that ISN'T Dungeon Crawler and the Red Rising series, which I found cliched and lacking in depth (too many "a part of me died that day" and betrayals that he never seems to learn from. I liked the universe though)
I came for the books, but stayed for all the nerdy stuff with video games and apperently now mtg. I mainly play commande and all my decs contain black xD
My hubby plays green/black. I’m always a little sad when stuff is brought back from the graveyard 😂
How to Sell a Haunted House was a disappointment for me because it wasn’t what I wanted it to be…I wanted a silly or funny haunted house story and this wasn’t that
Loved gideon so much! Dnfd harrow though 😭 I have a newborn right now and I am just not in the head space for that book right now unfortunately
Ah, congrats on your newborn!!! 💗
@@ebnovels thank you 😁
I tried A Little Hatred but just couldn't get into it, but I wouldn't have tried it if not guy you.
I’m guessing you started with first law? If not, a lot of people would recommend getting into that trilogy first (sorry if you have, just wanted to throw that out there just in case 😅). It’s not for everyone though, so of course no worries if it’s not your thing ☺️
Luna needs more screen time.
That's Grady Hendrix brand, so dumb it's cool
Grady Hendrix writes satire. 😂 The ridiculousness is 💯 on purpose. 😊
Magic? Commander?
With The Gods Below I‘ll wait until the next book comes out. I really wanted to love the prior series by Andrea Stewart. The Bone Shard Daughter was an okay read, then I skimmed through the Bone Shard Emperor because it was soooo boring and dnf‘d the Bone Shard War completely. Don’t get the hype for this series at all. That’s why I am not sure if I‘ll like the new series.
I hate the Kindred‘s Curse Saga. Diem as a character made me so mad I wanted to throw the book out of the window. She is a horribly whiny and annoying character. I could not continue past the first half of the third book. And also the romance is horribly written in the series. Absolute garbage! And 1.000 pages for what ? Not necessary for this kind of series.
The will of the many ..... ugg I can't get into it. It reminds me of hunger games, but not as good.
Heo friends 😂
Ohhhh so happy you liked the Daevabad Trilogy. It's currently on my shopping list and I haven't really heard anyone talk about it. So excited. I'm also currently looking into Mark Lawrence's 'Library' Trilogy (The Book that wouldn't burn) and am super excited. Thank you for your honest opinions ❤
My mom is in the hospital rn and I needed a hug and I got the notification for this video and got the mental/emotional hug I needed. Thank you for your content. ❤
Hugs to you. Been there. I know it's so hard. I hope your mom gets better. ❤️
I'm SO sorry in advance for the extremely long comment.
Books that surprised me in a good way:
-A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross! An immersive reading experience that I do not think I have ever had before. This was my first Rebecca Ross book and I am very impressed. It is definitely one of my top 5 books read this year.
-A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher! Thank you for mentioning it in your cozy fantasy guide! I didn't expect the humor; I loved it so much! It was my first T Kingfisher book and another top 5 read of the year. I will definitely be checking out other works.
-Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. I LOVE The Cruel Prince trilogy, the only work I have read of Holly Black's. I think The Spiderwick Chronicles movie gave me low expectations about what to expect. I never watched the movie but had seen trailers. I was amazed by the world and all the different faeries in the series. I wish there was an Encyclopedia of Faeries by Holly Black. If this already exists, let me know!! The fact that I listened to the audiobooks probably also greatly influenced my view of it as it was narrated by Mark Hamill, an amazing voice actor. While known for his role in Star Wars, he is also revered for his voice acting of The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series from the '90s.
-Nine Lives Magic cozy mystery series by Danielle Garrett. My mom published a cozy mystery book this year. Having never read the genre, I wanted to look into some before reading hers. I found this one and was immediately sucked in. I loved the characters, especially the talking cat who reminds me of Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I also love a light/soft fantasy element. These are great in that they are lighthearted and funny and I am never not in the mood to read them. This is very uncommon for me as a mood reader.
Books that surprised me in a not-so-good way:
-Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki: it was a strange book and while I liked the diversity and themes, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
-House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland: the premise was interesting but I was confused the whole way through. I also never connected with the characters.
-Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: a book that upset me due to the topics and I sadly didn't connect with the MCs.
Books that I wish more people would talk about:
-A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli: a debut novel from this year! It reminded me of an anime plot. I really liked the characters and execution. While it was a 5-star for me, I was surprised people gave it a 1-star. I find it very interesting how we all have different opinions on a body of work (certain aspects attract/enthrall some but not all).
-Miracle Creek by Angie Kim: a debut novel from 2019. I was late to reading this because I wasn't reading much during the 2010s. It's written by an AAPI author and focuses on an Asian American family which I appreciate. The story is mostly shown through a courtroom case with multiple characters giving testimonies and you don't necessarily know who is guilty. Or maybe it's just me in that often I like to experience a story without theorizing/wondering what's going to happen in a book/movie/show.
I cannot express the level of anxiety I experienced when you started with, "Just to let you know that my dog, Lunabear.............is in the room with us" ELLIOT I AM TOO ANXIOUS FOR STATEMENTS LIKE THIS🤣😭😭
(p.s. glad Lunabear is okay and just in the room with us)
I need more MTG content from you! Recently got back into it and am loving the new series of cards as well as how much it's changed from a decade ago! Green is still my go-to 😊😊 love your stuff Elliott, someone else called it cozy UA-cam and I agree, you're like our best book buddy. Stay blessed!
I liked the first 2 Locked Tomb books quite a bit but Nona was a letdown for me.
It’s always the damn angels 🥲 (I say as a red green white dinosaurs player)