Book Recommendations

End of Year Tidings. 2024 Recap/Recommendations

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The ratings/numbers of which book read each month may be a bit eschew because I had such huge breaks in between when I did reviews during the year. I endeavour to keep up with book reviews this year, to keep track for myself if nothing else, and to give some ideas to all of you who might want a good book to read.

January  8
Feb 10
March 9
April 1
May 5
June 2
July 11
August 8?
September 6?
October 5?
November 7?
December 6?

I read so many good books this year, some of which were much longer than I’ve previously read, but I wanted to read books that I really thought I’d enjoy and the quality of books I read this year was overall quite stellar (though there were a few I could go without, as usual). I read 78 books this year, which while it may seem lower than years past, I don’t mind at all since I read quite a bit more epic fantasy, and a lot of high quality and truly wonderful books. Here’s a list of the best books of 2024, divided by whether they are a series or standalone.

In the series category we have:
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Think gaslamp fantasy with a snarky female main character who doesn’t care about men, especially not flirtatious ones, who is set to finish her largest project yet; an encyclopedia of the various fae. She isn’t good with people, which makes the overly attentive Wendell Bambleby all the more annoying to her. This is a great series, of which I’ve read both books (one after the other) and highly recommend it to those who love fantasy, fae, strong female characters, and seeing growth of both main characters throughout the story.

The Burning Witch by Delemhach
Take a prince who has fallen into very bad habits, and a witch who is brash, loud, and somehow knows just how to get under everyone’s skin and have them travel together to a country where everyone is very subdued and proper. Kat very much follows in her father and mother’s footsteps in various ways throughout this series, and I live for it. This series does a great job of showing how hard it can be to push forward in a role/position dominated by the opposite sex, while still maintaining your identity.

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Manipulating people can be easy if you have the right motivation, and what better motivation than knowing you’ll never have any control over your life otherwise? In The Shadows Between Us Alessandra is cunning and daring, and while she may not always make the best choices, she does try to make life better for not just herself, but others around her. In The Darkness Within Us Chyrsantha has gone about trying to fix her life in a very different way, but with an equal amount of cunning. Both books showcase what it’s like to do whatever you have to in order to have a life that you might enjoy, from two very different perspectives.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
“A blank page was nothing but potential, pointless until it was used.” -Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Magic coming from the earth, bestowed upon those worthy. Following a plethora of complex lives, Sanderson gives depth to all the characters met in the series (I’ve read up to the third one). There is an intricate magic system, politics, and story that a mere mortal could hardly sum up in a little burb to tell you that if you like epic fantasies and haven’t gotten into this, you’re truly missing out!

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
The Phantom of the Opera meets Caravel in this amazing adventure featuring interesting magical concepts, creatures beyond mortal comprehension, a competition for something you wish for, and a ghostly cat who acts befitting to a cat. It takes a little bit to get into the story, but once you’re there you are hooked and need to know what happens next. Fair warning that there is a lot of spice in this book. The second book in this series is due out April 8th, featuring Ophelia’s younger sister, Genevieve, and a new mystery.

What Moves the Dead by T Kingfisher
A perfect gothic retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher with the best gloomy oppressive atmosphere and little hints that will leave you guessing until the big reveal of what is actually going on. This retelling had me hooked with the historical references, and characters that really enthralled me. If you like gothic stories, I highly recommend this one! It is the first in a series and while I have bought the second, I have yet to read it. I will, of course, put up a review when I do.

A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette
Two writers with very different asperations and writing styles have to duke it out to see who will gain a full writing contract while fighting over which of them is the better love expert, but in the faerie tale world of Odette’s Fair Isle with magic and fae bargains and what could possibly go wrong? I was worried I wouldn’t love this book because Odette doesn’t usually write pure romances but it was spot on, and I absolutely recommend it for people who love fairy tales, fantasy, and romance mixed with characters with lots of hidden secrets and stakes to not winning the competition.

Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater
A maid with a bit of an anger issues finds herself enamoured with the younger man of the house and accidentally in the midst of a fae bargain with a stranger before she realizes it. Hijinks, magic, and great growth of characters await the reader in this delightful Cinderella retelling that I highly recommend.

Hex and Hexability by Kate Johnson
Victorian times meets witches and people who struggle with wanting to be more than what their station determines they should be in public, and a chance meeting between two who both find themselves trapped in the world of the ton that they have no desire to be a part of. This book is technically part of a series of witch stories by Johnson, but they all stand alone and are not related to each other. This book was a perfect standalone, and I highly recommend it for great characterization, world building, and character depth; everyone had an interesting backstory that could explain how they became how they were.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater
A not-really-a-governess appears to take charge of a very frustrating child who no one seems to notice is stolen by faeries finds herself having to fight to get him back and solve the mystery of the house they live in. Great Victorian fantasy, filled with mystery, great characters, and an unforgettable story of what power does to some people.


And for stand along books I’d recommend:
Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher
Doing what’s right is rarely what’s easy, and Marra doesn’t care about what’s supposed to be when she knows she can save her sister from an abusive prince. Marra finds a witch and has to complete three impossible tasks in order to gain the help she needs, and she might just find some friends along the way. Highly recommend this book for its unique settings, magic system, and great characters.

Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup
Rosalind is a widow who has a family to protect, but the author of her story has other ideas for what should happen. Follow along with Caroline as she fights with her book protagonists to make the story the fantasy she think lives needs to be, and while she learns a bit more of protecting and taking care of herself, as well as risk taking, in the process. If you follow Bearup on TikTok you likely already have this book. This book was everything the TikTok series would lead you to think it could be, but then even better! Bearup did an absolutely stellar, stand up job on this novel! If you’ve seen the videos, you’ll also totally hear it in her voice as you read as well.

Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti
Two pen pals since elementary school have been sending scathing letters to each other for years… but what happens when they end up in the same town and meet up? This is the only modern romance to make the list, and honestly I found it was refreshing and I loved how everything pulled together in the end–though I think the misunderstanding between them went on for far too long with neither ever correcting or thinking to ask each other the most basic of questions you’d ask a new neighbor.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
An absolutely brilliant gothic mystery featuring a secluded estate, rude and creepy distant in laws, and the bond of cousins that knows no bounds. Pulled to the out in the middle of nowhere estate, Noemí wants to see how her cousin is being treated, if she is well, and make it back in time to get in on the next semester of college. Since she’s more used to being a socialite than a detective, she has to use the wiles she has from working parties, and the wits she often doesn’t let the public see, to piece together exactly what is going on at High Place. Great atmosphere, horrible in laws, and awesome story.

What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball by Elisabeth Aimee Brown
This book was described as Cinderella meets Howl’s Moving Castle and that is exactly the feeling. Hester was a completely likeable and understandable protagonist who has real aspirations and whose life goes terribly astray after coming into contact with the princes of the kingdom. She’s practical, rarely gives in to whimsy, and never wants to be in debt. The choice to go to a ball, for the food, of course, leads her into a series of wonderful and sometimes horrid experiences, and is a remarkable tale that any fairy tale/fantasy lover would enjoy.

Review of The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

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Synopsis:
The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must race to figure out the clues before the lights go out on Ember forever!

Review:
This book was a nice, quick, light read that still brings the reader deep into another world underground. The City of Ember continues with the ever popular middle school dystopian series that have been gaining in popularity/been required reading since before I was in middle school. This book is both meant for a younger audience and also very easy to empathize and get into. Amazon recommendations are for 5th to 7th graders, but given that this doesn’t use a lot of higher level vocabulary and the concepts are rather simple, I’d likely say 9 years and up. While this book was rather fast paced and had a great variety of depth, it very much ends on a cliffhanger of uncertainty.

For the age it was intended for, I’d give this book a 5/5. For me personally, I’d give it a probably a 4/5. A book for the same age group as this would be The Giver by Lois Lowry, with an older and more obvious dystopian series being The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. A really neat standalone Dystopian style futuristic novel for teenagers I would recommend would be Feed by M. T. Anderson.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

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Synopsis:
This isn’t the kind of fairy tale where the princess marries a prince.

It’s the one where she kills him.

Marra — a shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter — is relieved not to be married off for the sake of her parents’ throne. Her older sister wasn’t so fortunate though, and her royal husband is as abusive as he is powerful. From the safety of the convent, Marra wonders who will come to her sister’s rescue and put a stop to this. But after years of watching their families and kingdoms pretend all is well, Marra realizes if any hero is coming, it will have to be Marra herself.

If Marra can complete three impossible tasks, a witch will grant her the tools she needs. But, as is the way in stories of princes and the impossible, these tasks are only the beginning of Marra’s strange and enchanting journey to save her sister and topple a throne.

Review:
I was looking for something to read on the 15th while waiting for the next Emily Wilde book to come out and I have to say that I didn’t expect to be completely swept away to another world that I did not want to leave. Instantly we are transported to a world where Marra is set trying to do three impossible things while considering her worth and abilities as the third royal daughter of a kingdom. There are so many amazing twists and turns of dark magic, forcing oneself to forge forward into what should be impossible, the knowledge gained in least expected places, and the relationships forged along the way.

Marra finds herself not as smart or brave as she wishes she could be, yet she pushes herself to become an unlikely heroine- a nun with more power than a princess. Throughout the novel she demonstrates countless times how her real knowledge came from those who nurtured her, realizing things such as “our own flaws infuriate us in other people”. (Chapter 12, Page 132) Marra has a few qualities that I found myself completely empathizing with and I’m sure many would feel the same; the desire to help others and make things right (even if the others do not see/desire it themselves), and that when putting forth to a huge task there is a daunting sense that despite having done so much it was still just the beginning and there is still so much more to do. It is a truth well known that it is quite hard to keep direction when it’s you that you are following.

I highly recommend this book and very much think it will be a standout read of 2024. It’s got an epic fantasy adventure, a demon, people who speak to the dead, those who are trying to do the impossible to save their family, and those they come to love along the way.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Happy New Year! 2023 Recap/Book Recommendations

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In 2023 I read 93 books, which is 20 more books than last year! Oh my! I went through to break down my reading on a month to month basis which looked like this:
Jan 11
Feb 6
Mar 4
Apr 8
May 8
Jun 9
Jul 7
Aug 10
Sep 4
Oct 7
Nov 12
Dec 7

Most of these books were rather lengthy, but as always, we end the year/begin the new year with the stand outs that I would highly recommend.

Books:


The House Witch by Delemhach
This book is an amazing find about an ornery magic user who doesn’t want people thinking he is more than a humble cook. The world building is amazing, and from the first page I found myself completely immersed in the world, invested in what happened next. This book is cozy and wholesome; a story where people realize they are more than just what they appear to be on the outside and that everyone has the potential to greatness. This is the start of a trilogy, with a spin off stand alone book, and another trilogy after that.

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
It’s no surprise that I love Vespertine since I’ve loved Rogerson’s other books, An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns. This book happened to be the right book at the right time for me and really helped me when dealing with the loss of a close family member. While perhaps a book about dealing with the dead and keeping them from rising again might not be useful to others in such a time, it transported me to another world and allowed me to deeply care for the flawed characters within that had a lot of trauma and issues to work through on their own. This is another book that leaves you with the thought that not everything is black and white, and that there are often mixing shades of grey interwoven in life.

Spellbreaker (Spellmaker) by Charlie N. Holmberg
This book duology was unique in its magic system as well as the connection between the two main characters. Elsie is easy to care for and to want to see thrive, especially given that she is an unlicensed magic user fighting against the injustice of the aristocracy. When Braccus Kelsey discovers her using her forbidden magic, she strikes a deal to help him remove curses around his estate but as a rogue spellcaster, Elsie has to keep a low profile or find a way to make her presence not be suspicious.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
I was never a real Jane Eyre fan, but this book takes that original story, adds magic, true connections, and interesting dilemmas faced by the debtera (exorcist) Andromeda as she tries to help Magnus face his horrors and be able to move on to a new age, even if that means letting go of what he once had. While perhaps inspired by Jane Eyre, if that wasn’t revealed the book does entirely stand on its own in shining gothic glory.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
This story was immersive from beginning to end, starting with Dora losing/being separated from half of her soul and becoming a very intriguing child that doesn’t quite know/think through all she does. The banter between her and the quite well known to be of bad temper Lord Sorcier is amusing and leaves one to wonder if there is more to both than meets the eye. It’s a true fairy tale in the sense that the fae make bargains, take what they want, and do not consider humanity. I personally in my own review have compared this to have a similar feel to Alice in Wonderland and The Little Princess, others have said it is a mixture of Bridgerton and Howl’s Moving Castle, even some mentioning Pride and Prejudice. That being said, it’s an amazing story that stands on its own and very much is about accepting yourself as you are, harnessing your strengths and working through/on your weaknesses, and never giving up on those who need your help.

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
This book was interesting on multiple levels, from the story itself of a scientist looking to find the occult and be able to speak to one who has passed on to solve a murder, to the relationships of those who passed and those left living (both hidden and in the open), as well as the mention both in book and additional at the end of what secret societies, religion and mourning styles were like. Though I personally was not a fan of some parts of the romantic side of this novel, overall I loved the twists and turns of illusion versus truth, and what people are willing to do both for those they love and what they have worked for.

Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Shockingly another Jane Eyre retelling made it on the list, and another involving magic (which is likely less shocking). This book was gripping from the very beginning, where we wonder if our Jane is about to get in deep trouble. There is quite a lot of Lizzy/Darcy of Pride and Prejudice tension between our Jane and Mr. Rochester, with Jane’s tenacity and fiery spirit drawing us in and making us root for her more. There were always stakes, and one was always left wondering what, exactly, Jane and Mr. Rochester were up against. I absolutely loved the witchy aspects of this novel, and both highly recommend this book and have already gifted a copy to a friend.

The Book of G by Lily Archer
The only book on this list that is smut/romance, a Beauty and the Beast retelling about our favourite villain. Before reading this book I never would have considered ever finding Gaston redeemable in any way ever, but throughout the novel G grows and learns and fights and is left both wondering who he is, and what he’s worth. The banter through this book is absolute perfection. This book features morally grey, enemies to lovers, Beauty and the Beast retellings and a whole lot of spice- five whole peppers worth.


Authors:


Delemhach
Amazon Page
While known predominantly for The House Witch series, this author writes in a way that is gripping, funny, immersive and hard to put down. If you love infuriating characters and fantasy, The House Witch and other series of Delemhach are for you. In the words of Fin, “What can I say; being infuriating is part of my charm.”

Tessonja Odette
Amazon Page
Excellent worldbuilding, from The Fair Isle Trilogy to the Entangled with Fae series, to Prophecy of the Forgotten Fae, I’ve yet to find a book/series by her that I truly haven’t enjoyed and devoured. None of her stories are exactly the same as ones you think you already know, and there are always some interesting twists and turns worked throughout.

K. M. Shea
Amazon Page
What can I say; another author that I absolutely cannot get enough of. Her books are immersive, amusing, and highly entertaining. There has yet to be a book out of hers that I haven’t loved, and she seamlessly switches between writing fantasy and modern fantasy. My only problem is with so many amazing modern fantasy connected books in Magiford, being able to pick my favourite of the trilogies has become completely impossible.

T. A. Lawrence
Amazon Page
Lawrence is the author of a series called The Severed Realms, a series of fairy tale retellings that are never quite what you expect them to be. I have quite loved all of the series I’ve read so far, and highly recommend this series to any who love fairy tale retellings and fantasy.

Greer Rivers
Amazon Page
The only fully romance/smut series on here; The Tattered Curtain series may be a bit unhinged at times, but is absolutely amazing. Though there are bits of some of the books that didn’t resonate with me, usually those bits fly by so quickly that you forget they exist. Sometimes the characters can be slightly caricature, but they are dark gothic romances and I very much enjoyed them.

Stephanie Garber
Amazon Page
I had Caraval on my list for so long, and once I finally fell into it I couldn’t imagine setting it down. The world is immersive, interactive, and never quite what it seemed. While I thought that was going to be one of my favourites for a while and impossible to compare to, I feel so much stronger for the spin off series Once Upon a Broken Heart. I cannot recommend Garber enough for people who love fairy tales, fantasy, and magic never quite working out how it was meant/originally intended to.

Happy New Year! 2022 Book Recommendations…

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In 2022 I read/wrote book reviews for 73 books (that’s one down from last year)! Of course there are always a few stand out authors/series/books so of all the books I read my top recommendations would be:

Books

A Dreadful Splendour by B.R. Myers
A Victorian spiritualist who made her way by swindling people ends up in jail. Her salvation is a stranger who asks her to help a grieving widow move on, except Mr. Pemberton doesn’t seem like the heartbroken man she was supposed to manipulate. He believes his fiancée had been murdered, and he wants her to help use her trickery to convince the murderer to confess. When odd happenings begin around the manor, they realize there may be more to the Somerset ghost than originally thought.

The Forgotten Book by Mechthild Gläser 
A forgotten book can hold such power! Emma finds a book that whatever she writes in comes true, but there are consequences. Unfortunately someone else has realized the power of the book, and she has to rely on the new boy with a sour face and rude disposition, Darcy de Winter, to help. A mixture of fairy tales meets Jane Austen, this story will suck you in and enrapture you.

The Raven Spell by Luanne G. Smith
Ian Cameron finds himself bludgeoned and almost killed, demanding answers from two witches, Edwina and Mary Blackwood with odd abilities. As their secrets are slowly unveiled, Edwina attempts to help Ian figure out his lost time and the investigative case he was on. As they search through London for a missing person, and a series of gruesome murders, they find clues that threaten the unshakeable bond of being a twin.

A Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Elisabeth, a librarian who had been orphaned and raised by the library staff, is implicated in the crime of releasing the most dangerous magical book. The only choice she has is to go to Nathanial Thorn, even though as a sorcerer he should be her mortal enemy. Once with Thorn and his demon servant, Silas, she finds herself caught up in a centuries-old conspiracy, racing to keep the great libraries, and the world, from going up in smoke.


Authors

Helen Harper
Amazon Page – Website
Originally recommended to me because of her Slouch Witch books, I found her writing style quite enjoyable, with mysteries that I often don’t quite figure out before the end. I quite enjoyed that series, so when I started reading The Firebrand series, I was surprised how much I absolutely adored her way of writing a quirky detective who doesn’t exactly listen to what she’s told, despite having been the best in class before being “demoted” to working with the supernatural squad. Very English, great descriptions of locations with The Firebrand taking place predominantly in London, England.

Tessonja Odette
Amazon Page – Website
Having just started another one of her books, I can say I was drawn in from the first sentence. The depth of her characters and politics within her novels is quite endearing. Her retellings of fairy tales I’d long known and loved were refreshing and while they did have a connection, the story doesn’t merely follow the same path we already know, and there are certainly times when it seems that there will not be a happy ending. I ended up reading all of the books in the Entangled in Fae series and found that none of the characters were as I expected them to be, and their depth and uniqueness made them all the more enthralling to read about.

LJ Andrews
Amazon Page – Website
Oh my goodness, she writes amazing fairy tale retellings mixed with Vikings. Once you start reading they are impossible to put down, and I binge read the entire series she’d done of The Broken Kingdoms (which starts with a Beauty and the Beast retelling) just to find the next one won’t be out until February 21st! Soon, I’ll get to continue! Her writing immediately draws you in and immerses you in the world, and her characters are both flawed but likeable. Her characters drastically change throughout the books and grow, making you feel as if you’re truly along for the experience.

K. M. Shea
Author Page – Website
She writes some amazing fantasy books. I first got hooked on The Fairy Tale Enchantress books, but there hasn’t been a book of hers I’ve read that I haven’t loved. Her writing is refreshing and her plotlines interesting and you’re never quite sure what you might be getting yourself into. Also absolutely loved her Court of Midnight and Deception book series, and of course Pack of Dawn and Destiny!

Happy New Year! 2021 Book Recommendations…

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In 2021 I read/wrote reviews for 74 books! Of those, of course there were some favourites, both of books in general and authors. My top three authors that I quite enjoyed this year and would recommend would be:

K. M. Shea:
Amazon Author Page – Website
She writes some amazing fantasy books. I first got hooked on The Fairy Tale Enchantress books, but there hasn’t been a book of hers I’ve read that I haven’t loved. Her writing is refreshing and her plotlines interesting and you’re never quite sure what you might be getting yourself into. Also absolutely loved her Court of Midnight and Deception book series!

Melanie Karsak
Amazon Author Page – Website
Be still my steampunk loving heart. You got gothic steampunk mixed with fantasy elements and magic? You got it! I got hooked on the Steampunk Red Riding Hood books and couldn’t put any of the others she’s written down once I started. She really draws you in to a detailed and well flushed out steampunk world leaving you wanting more and more, even at the end.

Kel Carpenter
Amazon Author Page – Website
Carpenter isn’t like the other two authors I’d recommend in that she’s very much fantasy (mostly modern fantasy) but quite romance based. Her books are definitely R rated, and some I enjoyed quite a bit more than others. A few of her series feature reverse harems.

Tidings for the New Year

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Wow, this past year has been insane! I’ve read more than I recall doing before, surpassing my total of 2016 and 2015 by a large portion. I am quite pleased with the amount of books I have read, though I do wish there had been a bit more quality.

My end of the year total was 102 books!

Of those 102 books, I’m going to recommend the ones who have stuck out most to me, without me having to go back and go through the log of what I have read. Without further adieu, my reading recommendations from 2017 are as follows:

A Court of Thorns and Roses
Starting with the last series I’ve read first, I was enamored with this series from the first book, and that love has only continued as I read the second book, and am entrenched in the third. While this particular book could be considered a retelling of my absolute favourite fairy tale and is by far my favourite fairy tale retelling, this story in no way NEEDS to be considered a retelling to be enjoyable. It completely stands alone, and is a fantastic story and the beginning of a trilogy I’m certain will be beloved for many as it is for me.

Something Strange and Deadly
This book has a bit of everything. It’s in Victorian times, there are steampunk elements, and there are zombies. There’s intrigue and passion and the desire to stay in society’s good graces even when society hasn’t been kind. In essence: it’s wonderful. There’s magic and darkness and the need to keep one’s ambitions and goals always at the forefront of one’s mind. This book is the beginning of a trilogy, and I would recommend it and also recommend you have all three books ready because waiting when you finish one is torture (I know, I had to wait until I bought the third when I had already gotten the first and second).

Slouch Witch
Another first in a series, I absolutely adored the book series Slouch Witch. Not only do we have an unlikely heroine, but we learn that appearances can be deceiving, and that even in the magical world, who you know and are connected to matters. Through a mistake the cab driver Ivy ends up working on solving a mystery with a high ranking magical employee– and it’s quickly realized that just because she’s lazy, doesn’t mean she’s dumb or inept. I absolutely love this book and am so very glad that a good friend recommended it to me.

The Apothecary’s Poison and The Magician’s Diary
Books 3 and 4 in the Glass and Steele series by C. J. Archer. I recommend starting with the first book in the series– The Watchmaker’s Daughter, and going from there. Archer writes well, and the books are mysteries that aren’t so easily figured out, and sometimes not in time.

Vow of Deception
What was supposed to be the 9th and final book in The Ministry of Curiosities series– what can I say other than this is amazing, and you really should read this series starting with the first book, The Last Necromancer. The series follows Charlie, a necromancer, and Lincoln, the head of a mysterious organization.

Honorable Mention in order of most currently read:
Colorless by Rita Stradling
The Four Kingdoms and  Beyond the Four Kingdoms books by Melanie Cellier
Beauty and the Beast and Zarina and the Djinn by Vivienne Savage *These are Fairy Tale Retelling Romance
Fairy Tale Adventures series by A. G. Marshall
Cinder and Ella by Kelly Oram
The Wizard Heir series by Cinda Williams Chima

 

Favourites Friday: Fantasy

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Cheers for finding more books in the genre you love.  Here for our first featured Favourites Friday we’ll have a lot of Fantasy picks (talk about alliteration.)  Some of these are my suggestions, some my husband’s, and many from various family members, friends, and acquaintances across the world.

My personal recommendations:

  • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  • Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
  • Witch for Hire (A Witch’s Path book series) by N. E. Conneely
  • The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
  • The Selkie Spell — though this could be considered folklore/fairy tale retelling (Seal Island trilogy) by Sophie Moss
  • The Paper Magician (series) by Charlie N. Holmberg
  • The Dresden Files (series) by Jim Butcher
  • Codex Alera (series) by Jim Butcher
  • The Dark Tower (series) by Stephen King
  • Neil Gaiman– he has so many books and they are all so wonderful!  My top three adult fantasy recommendations from him would likely be as follows.
    • Neverwhere
    • American Gods
    • The Ocean at the End of the Lane

My husband’s recommendations:

  • The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings (trilogy) by J. R. R. Tolkein
  • The Essential Conan
  • The Icewind Dale Trilogy, The Dark Elf Trilogy, the Legacy of the Drow series, the Paths of Darkness series, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, the Transitions series, and the Neverwinter Saga
  • Monster Hunter International (series) by Larry Correia
  • Son of the Black Sword (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior series) by Larry Correia
  • Hard Magic (The Grimnoir Chronicles) by Larry Correia
  • Witch World (Witch World Chronicles) by Andre Norton
  • The Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny
  • The Aeronauts Windlass (series) by Jim Butcher

 

These suggestions are from various people at a website that I frequent.

Alex recommends:

  • The Blade Itself trilogy by Abercrombie
  • The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
  • Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne (series) Brian Staveley
  • Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Ken recommends:

  • Black Company (Chronicles of the Black Company series) by Glen Cook
  • The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski
  • The Stone and the Flute by Hans Bemmann

Cael recommends:

  • The Last Necromancer (series) by C. J. Archer
  • Kingkiller Chronicles (series) by Patrick Rothfuss
  • Powder Mage trilogy by Brian McClellan
  • Age of Iron (series) by Angus Watson
  • Traitor’s Blade/The Greatcoats series by Sebastien de Castell

Wolf, seconded by numerous others, recommend:

  • Discworld series by Terry Pratchett– I am told that this is more of a satire of fantasy, so be aware of that before starting.

Dixon recommends:

  • The Belgaraid series by David Eddings

Brin recommends:

  • Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind
  • Xanth series by Piers Anthony
  • Runelords series by David Farland
  • The Sword of Shanara trilogy by Terry Brooks

Cederic recommends:

  • The Wayfarer Redemption (two trilogies released as a single six book series, and has a follow up sequence) by Sara Douglas

Paul recommends:

  • Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

 

Other various friends and family have weighed in for these additional recommendations.

Oran T Kelly recommends:

  • The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
  • The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Once and Future King by T. H. White
  • The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard series) by Scott Lynch
  • The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (The Inheritance Trilogy) by N. K. Jemisin
  • A Natural History of Dragons (series) by Marie Brennan
  • The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
  • Mistborn series by Sanderson
  • Malazan Empire (Malazan Book of the Fallen series) by Erickson
  • The Lightbringer (series) by Brent Weeks

N & C recommend:

  • The Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne

Kostis recommends:

  • Coldfire Trilogy by C. S. Friedman

Maria Picone recommends:
(Remember Maria recommended I read Furies of Calderon, and you can contact her here)

  • Alex Verus (series) by Benedict Jacka

Shelby recommends:

  • Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter — Shelby says she would definitely recommend this to any readers who like vampires, sex, love, mystery and death!
  • Iron Chronicles by Elizabeth Hunter
  • The Darkness Series by K. F. Breene

Cory recommends:

  • Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

 

There were more people who gave feedback, and many gave the same answers, so I attributed books generally to the first person who mentioned them.  Thank you so much for being a part of this giant list, and to those of you here looking for something amazing to read, I do hope that these 65 book recommendations featuring 54 book series help you find something fun to read in the Fantasy genre! 🙂

Next month’s genre will be Young Adult Fantasy!

 

 

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