I finished Lonesome Dove in July (thanks to you and the discussion on your channel) and that's easily my book of the month. Easily one of the best books I've ever read!
@@mimirudollfie3532 I got that one as well! Debating with starting that next or waiting until closer to spooky season..I really enjoyed A Child Alone With Strangers
Philip Fracassi is awesome! I also think Mike would really enjoy A Child Alone With Strangers-it’s as close to Stephen King a non-King book has been for me in a long time.
The books I read in July: - Bands of Mourning (Wax & Wayne (Mistborn Era 2) - book 3) - Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus - book 2) - Hunger Games (book 1) - Catching Fire (book 2) - The Scadrium System (Arcanum Unbounded) - The Eleventh Metal (Arcanum Unbounded) - Elantris (Sanderson) - Never Lie (Frieda McFadden) Watching your videos have given me a new spark back in reading, so thanks!
Recent subscriber here! I recently found your channel, not really sure how. I’m currently in the middle of WoT but I don’t think that’s what brought me here. But I’m hooked, as your opinions fall in line with mine! I gotta say, it’s hilarious that you’re on book 5 of The Expanse because I’ve been watching all your old videos and you were gushing over books one and two back in 2019! Hilarious because I’m the same way! Way too many good books to get through. You’re in inspiration, I’ve been reading so much more since finding your channel. Your excitement for reading is contagious. Thank you!
Michael, The Gathering Storm, the first book co-written by Brandon Sanderson was my fav WOT book, book 12. It has my favorite chapter titled “ Hinderstap”!
@@heidi6281 I got a little bit to go before I hit that! I am mid “slog” in Winter’s Heart but I’m enjoying it! I see the common criticisms but I don’t mind it!
@@michaelgionti9988 I liked Winter’s Heart too.. I think the slog is for the people who had to wait years in between books…even Twilight’s Crossing is not that bad… it just brings in more characters and aei sedai sisters if you can believe it!! Besides Mike’s reviews of WOT, it is good to find a podcast that summarizes each book in case you missed anything. Daniel Greene has some great best moments/ best character videos but do not watch his summaries…he spoils the next book as he forgets where one ended and the next one started!
Excellent list! Glad you're burning through the Expanse. My July reads was Return of the King Fairy Tale Picture of Dorian Gray Revival Persepolis Rising Tiamats Wrath Favorite read might have to be Revival
I just got back into reading like a month ago and have binged a lot of your videos. Plan to start a few books you’ve recommended. Already read the first Licanius book and loved it. Also starting Red Rising. Love your videos
Glad your vacation went smoothly and happy to see you back on UA-cam. I've started on the road to ASOIAF, finished A Game of Thrones and almost half way through A Clash of Kings. Maybe if I read them slow enough George will publish The Winds of Winter. No? Oh well.
I’ve been reading a lot of classics lately. This month I’ve been reading through Grapes of Wrath, Count of Monte Cristo, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Matilda, Charlottes Web, Deed of Paksenarrion, Ender’s Game and Deryni Rising. Also finishing off the Vagabond manga and reading 11/22/63 and Mr. Mercedes by King. Great month.
Thanks to you my amazon book wishlist is so long you have to scroll for several minutes to get to the end and my children are planning an intervention 😁
Reading the Godfather right now and I love it. I’ve never seen the movie because I’m a die hard book before movie guy, but now I can’t wait to see it 😁
Woooooo so happy you loved Nemesis Games!!! It was exactly the middle book the series needed to shake things up and give it new life. After finishing Liveship I was eager to return to that storyline with Rainwild, but now I have some dampened expectations which might be good.
I actually didn’t mind the slow burn domestic fantasy that I got in Dragon Keeper, and I’m hoping it will create investment in the characters down the road in Rain Wilds. That said, it is indeed my least favorite RotE book so far. I’m actually starting Dragon Haven in two days, so you’re still ahead of me, Mike!
My book of the month is close between Dark Matter and Hyperion but I think I’m going to choose Hyperion, an epic set of tales that are all compelling for very different reasons
Despite the fact that Hyperion ends on a cliffhanger I highly suggest you stop there. Fall of Hyperion wasn't awful but just was a downgrade and I've heard it gets worse from there...
@@TheMrNukeman went straight into it, already read it! I thought it was better in some ways with the politics but I still don’t get it fully 😂 yer heard mixed things on the Endymion books
Hi Mike, I keep meaning to start The Expanse series. I had a good month of reading in July Novels: Companions To The Moon - Charles De Lint Redshirts - John Scalzi Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams The Island Of Doctor Moreau - H G Wells The Martian - Andy Weir The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving Comic Books: Titan - Judge Dredd Cold Wars - Judge Dredd The Small House - Judge Dredd My favourite for the month was The Martian, I think I enjoyed that even more than Project Hail Mary.
You should really read The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. Yes, it's dense. Yes, it can be obtuse at times. believe me when i tell you that if you like it in any way, it will stick with you your whole life. For real. Its that good. My favorite quote, dont worry not a spoiler he mentions this within the first 30 pages but if you wish not to read it i understand "I don't know if I've ever told you this, but I'm blessed with a perfect memory" - Serverian
It's not even that bad, it just has weird words thrown in and is a little trippy. But the main four are really short and the action moves fast. A lot of authors say less and use ten times as many words to do it. It's not like Malazan with 100 new characters every book, it's really a very focused series. Except maybe the ship part of book 5.
This month I read The Exiled Fleet by J.S. Dewes. This series took me through the ringer!! I don’t generally read hard sci-fi, but I could not put this series down. I think there will be at least one more book so the series is not finished.
My big 4 this month were The Prophet of Edan, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, Warbreaker and a re-read of The Three Body Problem. All very good, with Yumi taking the lead for book of the month! In between there was some pirate nonfiction and a bit of Japanese authors. Terminal Boredom by Izumi Suzuki and The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji. I like to put some shorter non-fantasy between these big chunky fantasy books to prevent fatigue.
Just while watching your video a courier delivered my new to me copies of The Long Price quartet by Daniel Abraham (of The Expanse co author fame) as Tori and Madison have been reading them. Looking forward to starting them soon!
My book of the month is Blood trail by c.j box from the joe Pickett series I absolutely enjoyed this book definitely will be continuing with the series and I also enjoyed the tv show I can't wait to watch season 2
I read the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence. I mean, come on, assassin nuns? Good stuff. Main character Nona was not a Mary Sue. You never knew where the story was going. Great stuff.
Here's what I read in July The bone shard war Blood sugar by sacha Rothchild Blood trail by c.j box Crazy is my superpower by a.j mendez Brooks memoir Bad girl reputation by elle Kennedy The good girl complex by elle Kennedy End of watch by Stephen king Misrule by heather Walter A day of fallen night by samantha shannon After the funeral by Agatha Christie A light in the flame by Jennifer l armentrout The daughters of izdihar Blush by helen hardt The lost metal by Brandon Sanderson Chaos and flame
@Mike, re-reads of favorite books always put me in a good mood during a reading slump. Read the 7.5 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it was a good read! Highly recommend if you want a mystery. Tempted to read either Needful things, Duma Key or Bag of Bones...not sure which one to start with. Have an awesome day constant readers!
13:01 😊 where I work every Christmas we have a gift exchange limit $25. I’m gonna ask for a Barnes & Noble gift card so I can get their Agatha Christie’s And Them There Were None collectors book❤❤❤❤❤
July was not a fantasy oriented month but I'm making up for that this month. I started the month finishing The Burning God and currently reading Bag of Bones, as well The Sapphire Altar sequel to The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish. Max Devore is like that bully on the playground.
I have to say I enjoyed reading the short story The White Ship by H.P. Lovecraft. A long with Orochi volume 4 which is the final volume in the Orochi series by Kazuo Umezz. Quite enjoyable reads for me. 😊❤📚
@@nightmarishcompositions4536 oh I've heard of the drifting classroom by mr. Umezu. However, orochi is the first work I read by him to completion. I do have the drifting classroom on my manga to read list. 😊❤📚
Hey Mike, have you ever read A Painted House by John Grisham? I know you've mentioned your love for several Americana type novels so it made me wonder. It's one of the best books I've ever read.
Nothing I love more than a reading wrap up! Also, I've just realised how close you are to 100K subscribers. There surely has to be some sort of bookish party when you hit it?!
Yay, «The Expanse»! In July I read: «The Strife from Camlamn» (book 2 in the «Arthurian Age») by Sean Poage, «Tortilla Flat» by John Steinbeck, «The Prophet of Edan» by Philip Chase, «Under Heaven» by Guy Gavriel Kay (book of the month and might be my new book of the year 🤩!) and «Badon Hill» by «I, Anonymous»! Have just started on my «Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser» by Fritz Leiber Omnibus, great S&S fun!
Book 3 of Rainwilds gave me hope and book 4 obliterated my raised expectations and ground them to dust under more teen agnst and Degrassi Jr High bullshit
I got duped into reading all 16 ROTE books. Everyone kept saying that it gets better and better. The dragon books broke me but everyone told me to keep reading because the last trilogy is the best… the last trilogy is the second worst in my opinion. The pacing throughout all 16 books was horrendous. Story could have been told in 8 or less books.
Yeah, I still have mixed feelings on that last trilogy. It had good moments, but you have to spend way too much time around that Dolores Umbridge-type villain and I don't think the payoff of the tragic ending was really worth it. Might have been better as a duology. I skipped Rainwilds, I trusted the bad reviews, plus I really didn't like the dragon character in the Liveship Traders, too tedious to read their dialog.
I'll take a wild guess and say the people who are anti-Gone With The Wind have absolutely no problem with how the white prisoners are treated in that book. I'm also going to guess they've never actually read the book.
Mike's opinions about the characters in Rain Wilds sound like my opinions about the characters in Age of Madness. Didn't even bother with book 3. Unless Bremer dan Gorst kills everybody, I'm not interested.
Yeah, I think he had good characters in that trilogy, I just hated most of them. The third book is actually the worst in that sense because Joe turned me against another one of the characters that I'd previously liked. I'd say it's still worth it for the final conversation between two characters, just epic, especially on audio, but the book was bleak and hard to read. And regarding your last point, you'd definitely be disappointed.
I finished Lonesome Dove in July (thanks to you and the discussion on your channel) and that's easily my book of the month. Easily one of the best books I've ever read!
It's so good!
Can’t wait for some spooky season reads..Philip Fracassi’s new release of Boys in the Valley would be perfect
I’ve got my hands on Phillip Fracassi’s book Gothic. I’m looking forward to reading that one during the spooky season. 😁
@@mimirudollfie3532 I got that one as well! Debating with starting that next or waiting until closer to spooky season..I really enjoyed A Child Alone With Strangers
Starting that next week, I loved Child Alone With Strangers
@@dpeady78 I still feel itchy when I think about it 😂
Philip Fracassi is awesome! I also think Mike would really enjoy A Child Alone With Strangers-it’s as close to Stephen King a non-King book has been for me in a long time.
The books I read in July:
- Bands of Mourning (Wax & Wayne (Mistborn Era 2) - book 3)
- Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus - book 2)
- Hunger Games (book 1)
- Catching Fire (book 2)
- The Scadrium System (Arcanum Unbounded)
- The Eleventh Metal (Arcanum Unbounded)
- Elantris (Sanderson)
- Never Lie (Frieda McFadden)
Watching your videos have given me a new spark back in reading, so thanks!
You have the best booktube channel. Shocked 100k subs has been teasing you for so long.
Recent subscriber here! I recently found your channel, not really sure how. I’m currently in the middle of WoT but I don’t think that’s what brought me here. But I’m hooked, as your opinions fall in line with mine! I gotta say, it’s hilarious that you’re on book 5 of The Expanse because I’ve been watching all your old videos and you were gushing over books one and two back in 2019! Hilarious because I’m the same way! Way too many good books to get through. You’re in inspiration, I’ve been reading so much more since finding your channel. Your excitement for reading is contagious. Thank you!
Michael, The Gathering Storm, the first book co-written by Brandon Sanderson was my fav WOT book, book 12. It has my favorite chapter titled “ Hinderstap”!
@@heidi6281 I got a little bit to go before I hit that! I am mid “slog” in Winter’s Heart but I’m enjoying it! I see the common criticisms but I don’t mind it!
@@michaelgionti9988 I liked Winter’s Heart too.. I think the slog is for the people who had to wait years in between books…even Twilight’s Crossing is not that bad… it just brings in more characters and aei sedai sisters if you can believe it!! Besides Mike’s reviews of WOT, it is good to find a podcast that summarizes each book in case you missed anything. Daniel Greene has some great best moments/ best character videos but do not watch his summaries…he spoils the next book as he forgets where one ended and the next one started!
I love Shusterman's stories, I recommend unwind
Excellent list! Glad you're burning through the Expanse. My July reads was
Return of the King
Fairy Tale
Picture of Dorian Gray
Revival
Persepolis Rising
Tiamats Wrath
Favorite read might have to be Revival
Dorian Gray is such a great classic. Fairy Tale and Revival are great to. Haven’t read the other ones yet.
Good updates with ur reading.. happy reading to you!! 🎉
I just got back into reading like a month ago and have binged a lot of your videos. Plan to start a few books you’ve recommended. Already read the first Licanius book and loved it. Also starting Red Rising. Love your videos
My book of the month was Light Bringer. Clang clang clang!
Glad your vacation went smoothly and happy to see you back on UA-cam. I've started on the road to ASOIAF, finished A Game of Thrones and almost half way through A Clash of Kings. Maybe if I read them slow enough George will publish The Winds of Winter. No? Oh well.
Enjoy!! Great series!!
Favorite fantasy read in July: Fool’s Errand. Reading Golden Fool now, it’s fine. I’m hoping to start the first Cahill book soon.
I’ve been reading a lot of classics lately. This month I’ve been reading through Grapes of Wrath, Count of Monte Cristo, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Matilda, Charlottes Web, Deed of Paksenarrion, Ender’s Game and Deryni Rising.
Also finishing off the Vagabond manga and reading 11/22/63 and Mr. Mercedes by King. Great month.
Thanks to you my amazon book wishlist is so long you have to scroll for several minutes to get to the end and my children are planning an intervention 😁
You’re welcome 😇
My favorites of July were the fourth and final of Manda Scott's Boudica series, and Light Bringer!
📖📚😃
Reading the Godfather right now and I love it. I’ve never seen the movie because I’m a die hard book before movie guy, but now I can’t wait to see it 😁
On my TBR...I just know it's going to be great!!
Woooooo so happy you loved Nemesis Games!!! It was exactly the middle book the series needed to shake things up and give it new life.
After finishing Liveship I was eager to return to that storyline with Rainwild, but now I have some dampened expectations which might be good.
I actually didn’t mind the slow burn domestic fantasy that I got in Dragon Keeper, and I’m hoping it will create investment in the characters down the road in Rain Wilds. That said, it is indeed my least favorite RotE book so far. I’m actually starting Dragon Haven in two days, so you’re still ahead of me, Mike!
Man. I would say happy reading but…yeah.
I did not like the Rain Wild books either, they were very bad. But... they are followed by masterworks :)
Fav book in july was Ship of Magic ! Sooooo good! Went straight to Mad Ship ❤
Congrats on making it thru July, Mike! Thanks for wrapping it up for us!
I am nothing if not a public servant.
My book of the month is close between Dark Matter and Hyperion but I think I’m going to choose Hyperion, an epic set of tales that are all compelling for very different reasons
Despite the fact that Hyperion ends on a cliffhanger I highly suggest you stop there. Fall of Hyperion wasn't awful but just was a downgrade and I've heard it gets worse from there...
@@TheMrNukeman went straight into it, already read it! I thought it was better in some ways with the politics but I still don’t get it fully 😂 yer heard mixed things on the Endymion books
Hi Mike, I keep meaning to start The Expanse series.
I had a good month of reading in July
Novels:
Companions To The Moon - Charles De Lint
Redshirts - John Scalzi
Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Island Of Doctor Moreau - H G Wells
The Martian - Andy Weir
The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
Comic Books:
Titan - Judge Dredd
Cold Wars - Judge Dredd
The Small House - Judge Dredd
My favourite for the month was The Martian, I think I enjoyed that even more than Project Hail Mary.
In July I read Kingdoms of death and golden son. Both were really good.
You should really read The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. Yes, it's dense. Yes, it can be obtuse at times. believe me when i tell you that if you like it in any way, it will stick with you your whole life. For real. Its that good.
My favorite quote, dont worry not a spoiler he mentions this within the first 30 pages but if you wish not to read it i understand
"I don't know if I've ever told you this, but I'm blessed with a perfect memory" - Serverian
It's not even that bad, it just has weird words thrown in and is a little trippy. But the main four are really short and the action moves fast. A lot of authors say less and use ten times as many words to do it. It's not like Malazan with 100 new characters every book, it's really a very focused series. Except maybe the ship part of book 5.
I read Legend and it deserves all the hype!! Excellent and surprisingly different feel from your average fantasy tale!
This month I read The Exiled Fleet by J.S. Dewes. This series took me through the ringer!! I don’t generally read hard sci-fi, but I could not put this series down. I think there will be at least one more book so the series is not finished.
18min long video and it felt more like 3! Keep up the great content Mike.
Nemesis Games was my pick of the month as well
My book of the month is either Witcher: Baptism of Fire or Witcher: Tower of Swallow. Both are great
My big 4 this month were The Prophet of Edan, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, Warbreaker and a re-read of The Three Body Problem. All very good, with Yumi taking the lead for book of the month! In between there was some pirate nonfiction and a bit of Japanese authors. Terminal Boredom by Izumi Suzuki and The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji. I like to put some shorter non-fantasy between these big chunky fantasy books to prevent fatigue.
Book of the month for me would be Jade Legacy, she sticks the landing.
Just while watching your video a courier delivered my new to me copies of The Long Price quartet by Daniel Abraham (of The Expanse co author fame) as Tori and Madison have been reading them. Looking forward to starting them soon!
Also better late than usual 😂 clearly catching up on my watch later list
Loved the "Best 2nd Book" video! In July I finally read The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson and had a lot of fun with it.
For a second I thought it was spooky season already.
I just finished Justice of Kings last night. Really fun stuff
My book of the month is
Blood trail by c.j box from the joe Pickett series I absolutely enjoyed this book definitely will be continuing with the series and I also enjoyed the tv show I can't wait to watch season 2
I read the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence. I mean, come on, assassin nuns? Good stuff. Main character Nona was not a Mary Sue. You never knew where the story was going. Great stuff.
Here's what I read in July
The bone shard war
Blood sugar by sacha Rothchild
Blood trail by c.j box
Crazy is my superpower by a.j mendez Brooks memoir
Bad girl reputation by elle Kennedy
The good girl complex by elle Kennedy
End of watch by Stephen king
Misrule by heather Walter
A day of fallen night by samantha shannon
After the funeral by Agatha Christie
A light in the flame by Jennifer l armentrout
The daughters of izdihar
Blush by helen hardt
The lost metal by Brandon Sanderson
Chaos and flame
@Mike, re-reads of favorite books always put me in a good mood during a reading slump. Read the 7.5 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it was a good read! Highly recommend if you want a mystery. Tempted to read either Needful things, Duma Key or Bag of Bones...not sure which one to start with. Have an awesome day constant readers!
Needful things! 😊
@@loriwald9532 Jimmy Mango just did a review, its now locked in for my next read!! 👻
13:01 😊 where I work every Christmas we have a gift exchange limit $25. I’m gonna ask for a Barnes & Noble gift card so I can get their Agatha Christie’s And Them There Were None collectors book❤❤❤❤❤
Dark age was my best July read for sure. If Zelda is you and your family’s fave game you should have your kids try Skyrim!
Best book I read was Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson. It's now my favorite book of all time.
July was not a fantasy oriented month but I'm making up for that this month. I started the month finishing The Burning God and currently reading Bag of Bones, as well The Sapphire Altar sequel to The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish. Max Devore is like that bully on the playground.
I have to say I enjoyed reading the short story The White Ship by H.P. Lovecraft. A long with Orochi volume 4 which is the final volume in the Orochi series by Kazuo Umezz. Quite enjoyable reads for me. 😊❤📚
Can’t go wrong with classic Lovecraft. Drifting Classroom is another really cool horror read from Kazuo Umezu.
@@nightmarishcompositions4536 oh I've heard of the drifting classroom by mr. Umezu. However, orochi is the first work I read by him to completion. I do have the drifting classroom on my manga to read list. 😊❤📚
100k vid I’d love to see; you Pierce B & Ruocchio just shooting the shit for a couple hours
Happy National Books Lover Day everyone
I read 6 books in July. My book of the month is Until the Last by Mike Shackle.
Hey Mike, have you ever read A Painted House by John Grisham? I know you've mentioned your love for several Americana type novels so it made me wonder. It's one of the best books I've ever read.
Hey mike! Is the bound and the broken grimdark?
Mike calling Margaret Mitchell a gangsta writer….😂😂😂😂
Accurate, though!
Nothing I love more than a reading wrap up! Also, I've just realised how close you are to 100K subscribers. There surely has to be some sort of bookish party when you hit it?!
Yay, «The Expanse»!
In July I read: «The Strife from Camlamn» (book 2 in the «Arthurian Age») by Sean Poage, «Tortilla Flat» by John Steinbeck, «The Prophet of Edan» by Philip Chase, «Under Heaven» by Guy Gavriel Kay (book of the month and might be my new book of the year 🤩!) and «Badon Hill» by «I, Anonymous»!
Have just started on my «Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser» by Fritz Leiber Omnibus, great S&S fun!
Book 3 of Rainwilds gave me hope and book 4 obliterated my raised expectations and ground them to dust under more teen agnst and Degrassi Jr High bullshit
That happened to me too
😂
Does the expanse tv show have a ending? Or do the books have the ending?
I got duped into reading all 16 ROTE books. Everyone kept saying that it gets better and better. The dragon books broke me but everyone told me to keep reading because the last trilogy is the best… the last trilogy is the second worst in my opinion. The pacing throughout all 16 books was horrendous. Story could have been told in 8 or less books.
Yeah, I still have mixed feelings on that last trilogy. It had good moments, but you have to spend way too much time around that Dolores Umbridge-type villain and I don't think the payoff of the tragic ending was really worth it. Might have been better as a duology. I skipped Rainwilds, I trusted the bad reviews, plus I really didn't like the dragon character in the Liveship Traders, too tedious to read their dialog.
The way of kings and the hobbit and botm is the way of kings
Will you create a subreddit if you hit 100K?
Dragon haven is absolutely awful 100% hated it lowest point by far, but it does get better. If I’d started with rainwilds I would have given up there.
I'll take a wild guess and say the people who are anti-Gone With The Wind have absolutely no problem with how the white prisoners are treated in that book. I'm also going to guess they've never actually read the book.
Mike's opinions about the characters in Rain Wilds sound like my opinions about the characters in Age of Madness. Didn't even bother with book 3. Unless Bremer dan Gorst kills everybody, I'm not interested.
Yeah, I think he had good characters in that trilogy, I just hated most of them. The third book is actually the worst in that sense because Joe turned me against another one of the characters that I'd previously liked. I'd say it's still worth it for the final conversation between two characters, just epic, especially on audio, but the book was bleak and hard to read. And regarding your last point, you'd definitely be disappointed.
@@calebmauer1751 I just didn't expect Abercrombie to go full Stephen King with his politics. Red Country is the final FL novel for me.