﻿-Today’s video is going to be all about me recommending books
specifically to my subscribers based off of what was submitted.
I posted on my Instagram story asking for some prompts to recommend some books.
Because I had so many prompts, there’s no way I can get through them all,
but I’m going to try to get through as many as I can.
We’re going to do this video a little bit different.
Onto the recommendations.
The first one is, "Gives you Fredrik Backman vibes."
For this, I think of a beautiful writing style while
tackling more complex and difficult subjects.
For that, I recommend My Dark Vanessa, The Vanishing half, and The Boy,
the Mole, the Fox, and his Horse.
For fantasy without a ton of gory or disturbing violence,
Brandon Sanderson is really good for that,
though he does have a little bit here and there.
Then here’s several other books that I think do this well.
I’m going to be honest,
gore isn’t something that actually bothers me so I can’t
guarantee you that there’s none in any of these books,
but these are ones that I’m pretty sure don’t have a lot.
A book with a great brotherhood or band.
Obviously, I’m going to recommend The Lies of Locke Lamora here.
It’s my favorite friendship and favorite crew ever that I’ve read,
but I also have a stack of other books that I have loved.
The Band or The Friendship depicted in,
as well as here are two books that have been recommended to me
specifically for the friend groups for The Band or The Brotherhood,
both of which are really high on my TBR but I haven’t actually read yet.
A book with a heart-wrenching ending.
Two of my favorites are And Every Morning the Way
Home Gets Longer and Longer, as well as The Outsiders.
And Every Morning features a grandfather,
his son and his grandson as the grandfather is slowly
losing his mind within himself because he has dementia.
This book just really made me feel seen, made me feel that my family was seen.
It just meant a lot to me.
The Outsiders, you probably already know
the basic idea of because it’s a classic,
and it’s a classic for a [?] reason.
Even if you feel like you know what this book is about,
even if you’ve seen the movie, just please read the book because oh,
my goodness, this book just meant so much to me.
A book that you would give to someone to torture them.
This was an easy choice.
Yes, I did an entire video ranting about
all the reasons this book is so bad.
If you want to see me die a very slow death,
I’ll link the video if you haven’t seen it yet.
This person is looking for an Asian inspired book,
specifically not looking for the Poppy War.
Even though Girls of Paper and Fire wasn’t for me,
I know that this entire world-building is based on Asian mythology.
This person wants a recommendation like Avatar.
Like Avatar?Nothing can compare.
"Will just make me feel good and smile."
Here are some classic books that make me smile.
Here are some modern books that make me smile.
For you specifically, Dan, because I know the person that
asked this question, I’m going to recommend the book that
I recommended to you a couple of months ago.
I still think you’re going to love it.
"Recommend a book that is similar to The Picture of Dorian Gray."
I personally think that Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde is similar to Dorian Gray,
and recommend both though I do like Dorian Gray a bit more.
"Matches Joe Abercrombie’s delicious prose
and Brandon Sanderson’s creative worlds."
For you, I recommend the Broken Earth trilogy.
While I didn’t love books two and three as much as book one, I love N.K.
Jemisin’s writing.
It packs a serious punch, and her world is very detailed, very well realized.
In general, I’m just really blown away especially by that first book.
"Depicts an unusual horror or thriller story."
For you, I’m going to recommend Into The Drowning Deep.
This is a book that has mixed reviews,
but I really loved it despite its very slow
beginning and not perfectly executed ending.
This is a killer mermaid sci-fi horror.
It’s just great despite the flaws.
"Recommend me a book that I would like
if I love Rebecca and the Yellow Wallpaper."
This is difficult because you’re asking about two of my favorite books.
I think Edgar Allan Poe definitely captures that level
of creepiness in his poems and his short stories.
I’m also going to go ahead and step out on a limb here
and recommend a book that I’m only eight pages into,
but already am in love with, and that’s Mexican Gothic.
It gives those gothic creepy vibes and it’s modern, so it’s a change of pace.
This person wants me to recommend something that I absolutely hated.
That’s easy. Yes, I gave both of these books one star.
I may have been a little bit harsh on my Goodreads reviews, a lot a bit harsh.
I may have ranted.
There’s also a rant review for the Duke and I as well.
I’ll link it if you need it.
I got several questions asking for a good start into adult fantasy.
I think Foundryside and City of Brass are both perfect for that.
They have writing styles similar to the distinct writing style that
is YA as well as the distinct feel that young adult books bring.
They also have very full worlds and intricate
plots that adult fantasy tends to bring.
A book that follows the protagonist’s corruption arc.
Personally, I think that Count of Monte Cristo is
the most satisfying corruption arc ending.
It’s the most satisfying and thrilling corruption arc I’ve ever read.
As well as far as corruption arcs go,
this is the most satisfying ending I’ve read for that type of book.
This person wants a soft magic system.
Two of my favorite soft magic systems both in concept
and in execution are in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, as well as Earthsea.
This person wants of Brandon Sanderson read-alike.
I think that the obvious answer is Wheel of Time because
Sanderson modeled his writing style after Robert Jordan,
and he finished the series. "Makes my skin crawl.
I don’t know why that’s what I’m for." I got you.
I think that The Troop is the perfect book for this.
The Troop follows a group of Boy Scouts that are on a deserted island.
It turns out that what is also on this deserted island is worms.
Worms that get into your body through open wounds, any open wounds, even a cut.
Then they just eat your insides and continue laying eggs and reproducing until
they eat you up to the point that you are starving and will do anything to eat,
including kill the other people around you.
This all happens very, very quickly from the point
of infection until they just take over your body.
It’s a horror and it is the grossest thing.
I think it’s what you need. I loved it.
This person wants, "A book with complex and morally ambiguous characters,
kind of like Game of Thrones."
The obvious answer for this as well is going to be The First Law.
Not only is this grimdark fantasy done the best I’ve read it,
coming from someone who isn’t a huge fan of grimdark.
Also, Abercrombie’s prose are untouchable.
You have phenomenal writing, unbelievable morally grey characters,
like some of the most compelling characters and realistic characters
I’ve read, but also has that very dark, grey gritty world.
You’ve probably already read it, but it can’t be matched within the genre.
This person wants African fantasy. Rage of Dragons is the entire world.
Lore and magic system is all based
on African lore and mythology and traditions.
It’s such a good book.
This person wants a book that touched my heart immensely.
This may be an obvious answer,
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer.
The Boy, The Fox, The Mole, The Horse.
I still can’t ever remember at the correct order for that title,
and of course, Peter Pan means so much to me.
The last one that I’m hitting in this video is a request
for something that involves a heist or found family.
For you, I’m just going to redirect your attention
back to The Lies of Locke Lamora.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is not only exactly what you’re looking for,
what you described here, but it is filled with humor and master plans,
and stupid characters that are so, so, so smart,
which I know is a contradiction but if you know them, you know.
It’s my favorite series of all time.
I really enjoyed doing this video.
If you guys enjoyed it too, we might do a round two some time, but for now,
back to the pre-recorded stuff.
Those are all the recommendations that I was able to get through this time.
I’m probably going to hate myself in editing,
but I hope that you end up enjoying the video overall.
All right, that’s all I have for you guys.
Be sure to chat with me more about it all in the comments.
What are some books you want to discuss more,
some recommendations you have for some of these questions,
and some books that you think you’re going to pick up now?
I post videos every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
I’ll see you guys again soon. Bye.
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