Hi Michael and Michael's wife! If you read this one, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Kimmerer is a wonderfully skilled and vivid writer, her book weaves her own personal stories with Indigenous history, with deep reflection and connections to many environmental issues we face today. The best book I've read hands down, can't recommend it enough!
Lets gooooo, Between To Fires is so good. Its making me crazy that its not talked about nearly as much as it deserves on youtube. My favorite book this year is House of Open Wounds, It was so well done in all aspects : characters, prose, worldbuilding, EVERYTHING is spectacular.
You might love Guy Gavriel Kay. His 'fantasy' novels with little to no magic are set in lands that are intended to resemble historical periods and have beautiful prose. I'd recommend The Lions of Al-Rassan, set in a world that resembles medieval Spain.
Project Hail Mary was Amaze. It easily became one of my absolute favorites. Weir has a way of explaining scientific stuff in a way that doesn’t make the reader feel stupid. I liked that about The Martian as well.
Im an ELA teacher and I just got back into reading more, after experiencing an extremely tumultuous last 7 years and I started ambitious, and went with John Gwynne's Bloodsworn Saga.... and I cannot wait to read them all again.... I have recommended it to everyone I know, and even some of my students are reading it. The imagery, the battle scenes, all of it, just magnificent. Lots of repetitive words and phrases in description, but I couldn't put it down! 4.9/5 and will read again! I also did a novel study of The Marrow Thieves again this year with my students and so many of them enjoyed it. Then I realized Dimaline created a sequel in 2021, which she wasn't originally going to do. It is called "Hunting by Stars" and it picks up right where the first book ends, and it was also absolutely fantastic! Lots of kids wanted more from the first book, nd to have so many kids come tell me they purchased the second one, having not read more that 4 books in their life was so incredible for me! Would also recommend! Currently working on Kings of the Wyld, and I'm not disappointed at all! Just want more hours in the day to read and mark and prep!
I followed you here from Booktok!!! Im loving this longer form content. My favorite book of the year would probably be And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliot. It's speculative and hallucinatory.
I read 110 books this year. The best one I read was Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut and I had to read it twice. It's completely underrated in his bibliography and in fiction in general, top literature in my opinion, 10/10.
Still finishing it up but East of Eden by John Steinbeck is one of the best books I’ve read purely on the character writing alone. The only book I’ve actually put off finishing because of how good it is.
A couple of those were on my favorites list this year too! - Project Hail Mary, and A Short Stay in Hell. And you know, despite its endlessness, I’m still relieved about the food. Some others that made my list for 2024 that I highly recommend: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield, Foe by Iain Reid, Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
I think your wife will love The Lions of Al-Rassan by GGK. Deep down it is a love triangle but it is more subtle than your average romance book. It is written by one of the great prose authors of fantasy!
These are both not published in 2024, but were my favorites - Non-fiction: Retracing the Iron Curtain By Timothy Phillips. A first hand account of lives and legacies of the places that represented the line between Western and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Fiction: Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan. I'm creeping up on the age of the characters in the second half of this story, so it has caused me to stop and examine my life and where I've gotten to by this point in it. Also a good look at male friendship and the ties that bind us to people we knew in our formative years.
Best book of 2024: Ice by Anna Kavan. Absolutely incredible! Dreamlike, surreal, philisophical, weird, emotional. As far as enjoying the journey and complexity of a book while feeling the emotions the main character is feeling, there aren't much better. 1. Ice-Anna Kavan 2. Berserk (3)-Kentara Miura 3. Children of dune-Frank Hurbert 4. Futurlogical congress-Stanislaw Lem 5. Crying of lot 49-Thomas Penchon 6. Vagabond (1)-Takehiko Inoue 7. Fifth head of cerberus-Gene Wolfe 8. Turn of the screw-Henry James 9. Babel 17-Samuel R. Delany Empire of silence-Christopher Ruocchio
My favorite of 2024 was also by Christopher Buehlman. The Daughters’ War was very creative with very believable Goblin battle tactics. This is my third Buehlman book this year and each one has been fantastic.
I love how diverse your reading and recommendations are. It was a light reading year for me but top of my list is The Tainted Cup and also The Silverblood Promise. But my #1 was a rec from you, The Greatest Knight. I loved it, so thanks for the recommendations!
Discovered you through Instagram a lil while back and super glad I subbed to your UA-cam. Impeccable taste and your recs haven't failed to hit-- got into Historical non-fictions through you. You seem like a fella I'd love to chat with about anything! I read plenty of great stuff this year, but narrowed down to two recs (you may have read these, but whatever!) are Tom Lake by Anne Patchett-- I love a book on sisterhood, motherhood, and a calm melancholy. And Enemy of God, the second Warlord Chronicles novel by Bernard Cornwell. Just read the series, incredible stuff. Grim and twisted and historical and damn moving at times.
My favorite fiction book of this year would have to be Misery by Stephen King. While it being an older book, I could not put it down. It's a very slow burn, but it keeps you glued
The best book I read this year was “All The King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. I was completely blown away and nothing else came close. Coincidentally, I tried to purchase “ Stoner” today at Barnes & Noble but they did not have a copy. Will definitely get my hands on it.
This list definitely added to my TBR, so thanks. My top read this year is probably Circe by Madeline Miller, but her Song of Achilles is also up there, same as Project Hail Mary and also Neverwhere from Neil Gaiman and Babel from R. F. Kuang.
@@KistReadsBooks Song of Achilles was more self-contained as a story, but Circe stayed with me longer and I was really unable to pick up anything new becasue I was thinking about it. But for both, Miller has a beautiful prose and these books prove to me that I will be happy to read anything she will come up with next.
A lot of my favorites overlap with what you’ve already read, but I’ll throw out These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs and Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan as additional favorites!
my top book of the year is definitely The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard!! its very long but it is SO worth the space in my opinion!! the world is beautifully sprawling, rich with history and culture, and i loved all the themes and conflicts between the characters. it's definitely on the slower side just to warn you but i normally don't like slow-paced books and i ate this up!!
If you want to try non fiction…. Vanishing Treasures by Katherine Rundell. She is an amazing writer (you’d also like her children’s fiction book Impossible Creatures!) Otherwise Red Rabbit by Alec Grecian. Western horror!
No Robin Hobb on that list? I'm shocked! 😲 Best fiction book that I've read this year? Not sure I can pick one, but a few that I don't think you have read or aren't in the middle of the series are Shogun by James Clavell, Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow (book 23 in Roman historical fiction series) and Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
I only read Assassins Quest and Ship of Magic this year from Hobb, if it was Royal Assassin it'd be way up there. And I just filmed a short-form video where I mention Shogun being a priority read for me next year (handshake emoji)
Mostly a non fiction reader here. So, i have a limited list of fiction reads. But, I really enjoyed the mammoth Drood by Dan Simmons. Stormbird by Conn Iggulden was also great and i will be reading the remainder of his War of the Roses series this year. May 2025 bring you many great reads.
Knowing you as a First Law guy, kinda shocked to see Project Hail Mary on here. Polar opposites. I couldn't stand that goofy Reddit EPIC TRUE STORY BRO humor. But to each their own. May you read prosperously in the new year 🙏🏼
I am new to your channel and hope to read some of the books you recommended and enjoy. Thanks but there is a book you may like, it’s a book of Yakama Legends based out of the Yakama Nation in the PNW it’s called Anaku Iwacha Yakama Legends and Stories by atway (the late) Virginia Beavart, Michelle Jacob, and Joana Jansen Hope you enjoy!
War Cry by Ian Ross was my best. Second in a trilogy set in the Baronial Wars of 13th century England. I think you’d love this author! He also has a 6 part series set during the time of Constantine in late Rome.
Best Fiction: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (first time ever in my adult life I had to read a book with the dictionary app open on my phone) I also read two 5-star non-fiction. Before We Were Trans by Kit Heyam, and The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan. The first is a study on the history of what can be deemed "gender non-conforming" individuals before the use of the word transgender was in use. The second is an ecological study of the Great Lakes over the course of nearly a century and how its biodiversity has been damaged but also how its being brought back and, impressively, has repaired itself too.
Hey Michael! New viewer of the channel. Loving the content. This might've already been filmed on your channel but I would love to see a collection/book room tour. With some stories of standout pieces. Keep up the good work!
yup I'll be doing that pretty soon after all the yearly wrap/setup videos are done and dusted (mainly because I have books lying everywhere from filming)
New here. Do you have any recs for us history, wealth inequality, Christian nationalism, and the history of Christians and Catholics. I’m very disheartened by the state of the U.S today and I just want to educate myself more so I can pass on knoweledge and educate others to hopefully make the world a better place.
Booth by Karen Joy Fowler. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Stuart Turton. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi Shannon Chakraborty. Abandon Blake Crouch,
What was your best fiction read of 2024?!
Hi Michael and Michael's wife! If you read this one, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Kimmerer is a wonderfully skilled and vivid writer, her book weaves her own personal stories with Indigenous history, with deep reflection and connections to many environmental issues we face today. The best book I've read hands down, can't recommend it enough!
Lets gooooo, Between To Fires is so good. Its making me crazy that its not talked about nearly as much as it deserves on youtube. My favorite book this year is House of Open Wounds, It was so well done in all aspects : characters, prose, worldbuilding, EVERYTHING is spectacular.
You might love Guy Gavriel Kay. His 'fantasy' novels with little to no magic are set in lands that are intended to resemble historical periods and have beautiful prose. I'd recommend The Lions of Al-Rassan, set in a world that resembles medieval Spain.
Hey Michael's wife, I recommend the Shardlake series, a historical mystery by the late great CJ Sansom
Found your channel a few days ago... Amazing combination of genres! Keep up the good work! I am totally going to try some history books
Love, love, love the variety here! Some good books to add to my list!
Project Hail Mary was Amaze. It easily became one of my absolute favorites. Weir has a way of explaining scientific stuff in a way that doesn’t make the reader feel stupid. I liked that about The Martian as well.
Great list! Picking up several of these!
Im an ELA teacher and I just got back into reading more, after experiencing an extremely tumultuous last 7 years and I started ambitious, and went with John Gwynne's Bloodsworn Saga.... and I cannot wait to read them all again.... I have recommended it to everyone I know, and even some of my students are reading it. The imagery, the battle scenes, all of it, just magnificent. Lots of repetitive words and phrases in description, but I couldn't put it down! 4.9/5 and will read again!
I also did a novel study of The Marrow Thieves again this year with my students and so many of them enjoyed it. Then I realized Dimaline created a sequel in 2021, which she wasn't originally going to do. It is called "Hunting by Stars" and it picks up right where the first book ends, and it was also absolutely fantastic! Lots of kids wanted more from the first book, nd to have so many kids come tell me they purchased the second one, having not read more that 4 books in their life was so incredible for me! Would also recommend!
Currently working on Kings of the Wyld, and I'm not disappointed at all!
Just want more hours in the day to read and mark and prep!
I followed you here from Booktok!!! Im loving this longer form content. My favorite book of the year would probably be And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliot. It's speculative and hallucinatory.
Hey thanks for traveling here! I'll check that one out
I read 110 books this year. The best one I read was Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut and I had to read it twice. It's completely underrated in his bibliography and in fiction in general, top literature in my opinion, 10/10.
oh that's interesting I love Vonnegut but haven't read that one, I'll pick it up
Lonesome Dove. Black Tongue Thief. Any of the Murderbot Diaries. Let me know what you think
The Fantasy Sickos are reading Blacktongue in January, I've got Lonesome Dove on deck for January too, and I really dig Murderbot.
I just discovered your channel and I really like how you read diverse books!
Still finishing it up but East of Eden by John Steinbeck is one of the best books I’ve read purely on the character writing alone. The only book I’ve actually put off finishing because of how good it is.
I read IT by Stephen King at the beginning of this year, but is still my favorite book of the year. It’s amazing
Mrs. Kist, get him The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It's my favorite book ever.
The Sword of Kaigen was definitely my favorite book this year! So I’ll surely be reading BOBH in 2025
- Born A Crime - Trevor Noah
- The Lion Women of Tehran - Marjan Kamali
- The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah
A couple of those were on my favorites list this year too! - Project Hail Mary, and A Short Stay in Hell. And you know, despite its endlessness, I’m still relieved about the food. Some others that made my list for 2024 that I highly recommend: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield, Foe by Iain Reid, Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
I think your wife will love The Lions of Al-Rassan by GGK. Deep down it is a love triangle but it is more subtle than your average romance book. It is written by one of the great prose authors of fantasy!
Apparently my wife would because she just ordered it haha, I've been wanting to get to GGK so thank you!
It's really crazy, but I will be finishing my 71st book before December 31! My best read was The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa.
These are both not published in 2024, but were my favorites - Non-fiction: Retracing the Iron Curtain By Timothy Phillips. A first hand account of lives and legacies of the places that represented the line between Western and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Fiction: Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan. I'm creeping up on the age of the characters in the second half of this story, so it has caused me to stop and examine my life and where I've gotten to by this point in it. Also a good look at male friendship and the ties that bind us to people we knew in our formative years.
3 horror books I loved: The Croning by Laird Barron, Little Heaven by Nick Cutter, and The Fisherman by John Langan.
Best book of 2024: Ice by Anna Kavan. Absolutely incredible! Dreamlike, surreal, philisophical, weird, emotional. As far as enjoying the journey and complexity of a book while feeling the emotions the main character is feeling, there aren't much better.
1. Ice-Anna Kavan
2. Berserk (3)-Kentara Miura
3. Children of dune-Frank Hurbert
4. Futurlogical congress-Stanislaw Lem
5. Crying of lot 49-Thomas Penchon
6. Vagabond (1)-Takehiko Inoue
7. Fifth head of cerberus-Gene Wolfe
8. Turn of the screw-Henry James
9. Babel 17-Samuel R. Delany
Empire of silence-Christopher Ruocchio
My favorite of 2024 was also by Christopher Buehlman. The Daughters’ War was very creative with very believable Goblin battle tactics. This is my third Buehlman book this year and each one has been fantastic.
I love how diverse your reading and recommendations are. It was a light reading year for me but top of my list is The Tainted Cup and also The Silverblood Promise. But my #1 was a rec from you, The Greatest Knight. I loved it, so thanks for the recommendations!
Heck yeah thank you
Discovered you through Instagram a lil while back and super glad I subbed to your UA-cam. Impeccable taste and your recs haven't failed to hit-- got into Historical non-fictions through you. You seem like a fella I'd love to chat with about anything!
I read plenty of great stuff this year, but narrowed down to two recs (you may have read these, but whatever!) are Tom Lake by Anne Patchett-- I love a book on sisterhood, motherhood, and a calm melancholy.
And Enemy of God, the second Warlord Chronicles novel by Bernard Cornwell. Just read the series, incredible stuff. Grim and twisted and historical and damn moving at times.
appreciate the support! I'm definitely wanting to get to Warlord Chronicles
My favorite fiction book of this year would have to be Misery by Stephen King. While it being an older book, I could not put it down. It's a very slow burn, but it keeps you glued
The best book I read this year was “All The King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. I was completely blown away and nothing else came close. Coincidentally, I tried to purchase “ Stoner” today at Barnes & Noble but they did not have a copy. Will definitely get my hands on it.
This list definitely added to my TBR, so thanks. My top read this year is probably Circe by Madeline Miller, but her Song of Achilles is also up there, same as Project Hail Mary and also Neverwhere from Neil Gaiman and Babel from R. F. Kuang.
I just picked up Song of Achilles and own Circe already so I gotta get to those
@@KistReadsBooks Song of Achilles was more self-contained as a story, but Circe stayed with me longer and I was really unable to pick up anything new becasue I was thinking about it. But for both, Miller has a beautiful prose and these books prove to me that I will be happy to read anything she will come up with next.
I read many books this year. my Number one was Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike. Man, that book was awesome. You must read it.
The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen - my best novel of 2024. The Twilight Warriors by Robert Gandt - my best nonfiction.
Months later, im still thinking about Stoner
Michael sounds like The Devils and Between Two Fires have a similar premise? You have given the best blurb of the Devils yet!!
Now that you mention it they aren't totally dissimilar but I think The Devils is probably more like Kings of the Wyld set through a grimdark filter
Rabbit is rich and Rabbit at rest by John Updike- rereads for me , absolute masterpieces!
A lot of my favorites overlap with what you’ve already read, but I’ll throw out These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs and Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan as additional favorites!
my top book of the year is definitely The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard!! its very long but it is SO worth the space in my opinion!! the world is beautifully sprawling, rich with history and culture, and i loved all the themes and conflicts between the characters. it's definitely on the slower side just to warn you but i normally don't like slow-paced books and i ate this up!!
James was the best book I’ve read in many years.
The mustache is getting better with every video.
Slowly, sloooowly getting there
If you want to try non fiction…. Vanishing Treasures by Katherine Rundell. She is an amazing writer (you’d also like her children’s fiction book Impossible Creatures!)
Otherwise Red Rabbit by Alec Grecian. Western horror!
Hannah Coulter and Daniel Deronda were my 2 top favs.
No Robin Hobb on that list? I'm shocked! 😲
Best fiction book that I've read this year? Not sure I can pick one, but a few that I don't think you have read or aren't in the middle of the series are Shogun by James Clavell, Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow (book 23 in Roman historical fiction series) and Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
I only read Assassins Quest and Ship of Magic this year from Hobb, if it was Royal Assassin it'd be way up there. And I just filmed a short-form video where I mention Shogun being a priority read for me next year (handshake emoji)
Mostly a non fiction reader here. So, i have a limited list of fiction reads. But, I really enjoyed the mammoth Drood by Dan Simmons. Stormbird by Conn Iggulden was also great and i will be reading the remainder of his War of the Roses series this year. May 2025 bring you many great reads.
Favorite: White Noise by Don DeLillo, peak post modern lit fic, gave me actual existential dread
One of my favs that I read this year: A Music of Chance by Paul Auster
Just finished 11/22/63, do you have any recommendations for like the Cuban missle crisis jfk or the Cold War?
A couple days ago I ordered The Abyss: Nuclear Crisis Cuba 1962 by Max Hastings
The Devil's Chessboard - David Talbot
Red Heat - Alex Von Tunzelmann
Best book I read this year was The Green Mile by Stephen King.
Knowing you as a First Law guy, kinda shocked to see Project Hail Mary on here. Polar opposites. I couldn't stand that goofy Reddit EPIC TRUE STORY BRO humor. But to each their own. May you read prosperously in the new year 🙏🏼
I am new to your channel and hope to read some of the books you recommended and enjoy.
Thanks but there is a book you may like, it’s a book of Yakama Legends based out of the Yakama Nation in the PNW
it’s called Anaku Iwacha Yakama Legends and Stories by atway (the late) Virginia Beavart, Michelle Jacob, and Joana Jansen
Hope you enjoy!
War Cry by Ian Ross was my best.
Second in a trilogy set in the Baronial Wars of 13th century England. I think you’d love this author! He also has a 6 part series set during the time of Constantine in late Rome.
Best Fiction: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (first time ever in my adult life I had to read a book with the dictionary app open on my phone)
I also read two 5-star non-fiction. Before We Were Trans by Kit Heyam, and The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan.
The first is a study on the history of what can be deemed "gender non-conforming" individuals before the use of the word transgender was in use.
The second is an ecological study of the Great Lakes over the course of nearly a century and how its biodiversity has been damaged but also how its being brought back and, impressively, has repaired itself too.
Wall of Storms (Book 2 in the Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu). Give that series a go. It was a masterpiece.
Just today I ordered the set of the UK editions
Great list! The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand surpassed anything else i read this year
A middle school book by Gary Schmidt was my favorite. The Wednesday Wars is a coming of age story set during the Viet Nam War.
Loved Between Two Fires
The Count of Minte Christo!!
Hey Michael! New viewer of the channel. Loving the content. This might've already been filmed on your channel but I would love to see a collection/book room tour. With some stories of standout pieces.
Keep up the good work!
yup I'll be doing that pretty soon after all the yearly wrap/setup videos are done and dusted (mainly because I have books lying everywhere from filming)
Check out’The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ my wife and I loved it!
Reread simon greens deathstalker series.
Try Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier.
wait - a PHM movie with Ryan Gosling?! Buying my ticket now 😅
Best Fiction of the year: The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope.
11/22/63 best stand alone
He who fights with monsters best series
And best non fiction was chop wood carry water
Blindsight, Peter Watts
Hey Michael's wife i don't recommend ice planet Barbarians
But I do?
New here. Do you have any recs for us history, wealth inequality, Christian nationalism, and the history of Christians and Catholics. I’m very disheartened by the state of the U.S today and I just want to educate myself more so I can pass on knoweledge and educate others to hopefully make the world a better place.
Best fiction of the year: The Hobbit
Read lions of al rassan thank me later
Tokyo Ghoul is great. You should definitely read more manga if you havent already
Reading Berserk next
Best book I read in 2024 was Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson. Hope you enjoy
I'll check it out!
The count of Monte Cristo by Alexande Dumas
Best for me: Familiaris
Best book ive read this year is lion heart by ben kane
All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
Mistborn! my first entrance into Brandon Sanderson and loved it! highly recommend
How do you live? Genzaburo Yoshino
Empire of the Vampire, Blacktongue thief
Booth by Karen Joy Fowler. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Stuart Turton. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi Shannon Chakraborty. Abandon Blake Crouch,
fist my bump! 🤭