ILONA ANDREWS

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The Book Recommendation Thread

Readers, Recommended Read POST A COMMENT by

From Ilona:

Like most prolific readers, I started reading in childhood. My regular library haul, which I carried over two tramway stops to my home in a canvas bag, usually required me to stop a few times and rest, because dragging 8 hardbacks over long distances was a bit much for a 9 year old. Some of those books left a huge impression on me. So of course, when I had my own children, I wanted them to read the same books.

Except that I realized as an adult that some of those books I used to love have problems. My children don’t need to be exposed to USSR-spawned propaganda, not matter what feelings I have attached to it. If I let them read something like that, it came with a caveat of “see how you are being manipulated.”

Books are no longer static things. Ebooks make editing even a published book a snap. The book you have read as a child might be very different now.

The great thing about human beings is that we learn and adapt with the circumstances. Our society is very different from the way it was 30, 20, or even 10 years ago. The past already happened. The more important thing is what we do going forward.

With that in mind, let’s get to the reason for this post.

It’s that time again! The old book recommendation thread is too long and cumbersome, so Mod R made a new one.

From Mod R:

We want your new favorites! Please post your book recommendations and your requests for books to read in the comments, all genres welcome. The recommendations on posts following this one will be removed to keep those discussions on topic.

Four Things to Keep in Mind

To make this post as helpful as it can be, we ask you to keep in mind four things.

First, before you recommend something, ask yourself how recently you read or reread it. If it’s a childhood favorite, does it hold up? Please do your due diligence, especially if it’s a recommendation aimed at a young reader. Do you feel comfortable handing this book to a child today? Skim it, you might be surprised. Some books are timeless, others…not so much.

Second, please try to focus on newer books. We all have read and admired the genre classics, such as the work of Mercedes Lackey and Ray Bradbury, but this is your opportunity to let people know about your new finds.

As an aside, last time Ilona did this, an author made a sock puppet account (fake account) and recommended her own books. She found them amazing. Please don’t do that.

Third, when responding to people asking for books to read in the comments, please make sure your recommendations are on topic. We all like books, and we get enthusiastic, and it’s easy to hijack the discussion. If the person is asking for PG 13 books about teenage vampires being bullied in school, recommending books by Julia Quinn, as awesome as they are, probably won’t help.

Fourth, please limit your comment to one favorite title, unless you are responding to someone asking for something specific. If you list every Urban Fantasy author in your comments in a giant wall of text, people will just skim it. Pick one and tell us why you liked it so much.

As usual, if you see your favorite book already recommended, please feel free to reply to it with your own take on it or just drop a +1 rather than making a separate thread on it, otherwise it just becomes too unwieldy and people’s eyes start to twitch. I received a scathing email on the previous recs post about not knowing how to do my job, because there were too many threads about the Murderbot Diaries series and the reader was NEVER, do I hear, EVER going to touch it after having to scroll past it so many times. Heh. So if I trim things here and there in repeat conversation, don’t begrudge me.

So to reiterate:

  1. If it’s an old favorite, reread or at least skim before recommending.
  2. Try to focus on new books.
  3. Keep the recommendations on topic.
  4. Limit your comment to one favorite title and list the reasons you love it.

There’s something else I’ve been meaning to address for a while. This blog has a newsletter, which goes out to several thousand people as a reminder that there has been a new post. Because it has to reach so many addresses, it usually has a 1 day delay from when the article goes live on the website for everyone. That’s just the nature of the beast, things are not being kept from you. If you reply to the newsletter reminder email- please know that those comments aren’t public. They do not count as recommendations for your fellow fans, or as contest entries, nor are they a contact form etc. The blog posts and comments are here, on the Ilona Andrews website and you can access them by clicking on the title of the post you receive in your email or the “Read in Browser” link at the end. So if you have books to share today and you’re reading this in an email, please click below and come to the websites to join the discussion!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. As a mom and an avid reader I’m always looking for books for my 2 year old. I fell in love with Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster. Originally I bought it because the main character deals with anxiety, but then I read it and realized the main character was a princess who decided to become a knight instead. My brother is a trans man and the book made the discussion about his transition SO MUCH EASIER. It’s a picture book for children, but it has so many layers. There are lessons about dealing with anxiety, being yourself, there is the hero’s journey, there is a dragon! It really has everything.

    • That sounds amazing! I’ve actually found kid’s books so helpful with emotional regulation- if you weren’t taught how to deal with that as a child, there is really a part of you that only responds to that level!

        • The sport series is good. It is different colored spots that represent different emotions

        • Keeping it Cool by Melissa Boyd- on dealing with change
          Be Mindful of Monsters by Lauren Stockly – on embracing all emotions, rather than blocking those perceived as “negative” away and pretending you don’t have needs. Everyone has needs 🙂
          It’s ok, Slow Lizard by Yeorin Yoom- on meditation and mindfulness and patience

        • Wilma Jean the Worry Machine and Ish are great examples of this. As a therapist I know not all of my clients are readers but most liked these when they read them in my office.

        • The Pout Pout Fish books have a lot of emotional regulation stuff, and they are not terrible even on the 100th reread for the parent.

        • The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Gary Rubinstein and Mark Pett for children struggling with perfectionism and being too hard on themselves for making mistakes

      • Grumpy Monkey has been super helpful in teaching my 2 year old the concept of ‘grumpiness’ and in how to react both as a friend and when you’re experiencing it

      • I’m really enjoying the preschool series bluey for precisely this reason. The kids are realistic and the parents are wonderful but not perfect. It’s really good for promoting empathy without too much moralising.

      • I used to run a Sunday School based on Children’s Books– I loved Fancy Nancy and Mo Willems just for that very reason.

      • We have loved the Rabbit Listened with our 4 year old. I feel like both his and my own empathetic listening skills have increased dramatically due to this book.

    • I LOVE this! What a beautiful, immediate gift to your family. I’m excited to add this to my PreK classroom collection!

    • Bad Guys books were a hit with my grandson. Recently made into a movie too.

      • +1 My kid loved them (It’s a series of graphic novels) and we all enjoyed the movie

  3. Here’s a recommendation and a question:

    I love the Bobiverse series, about a current era IT guy (Bob) who is sent into the future and plays a key role in helping humanity. There is some good hard science and lots of humor. The first book is We Are Legion (We Are Bob).

    Question: I’m looking for more modern sci-fi books. What would you recommend? (lots of people recommend the Expanse, I’m caught up on that series already thanks)

    • Have you read the Murderbot series yet? Ignore the name, it’s all about love. The MC is a cyborg who is basically learning how to be here real self in a universe that sees her as a robotic slave. At the same time, she’s finding that some humans, her found family, are definitely worth saving. Snark and humor abound

        • Love Murderbot, and loved it enough to go back and read the rest of Martha Wells, which I also really enjoyed.

      • I read Murderbot as a “he,” at least from a physiological standpoint (height, lack of sex characteristics– ie no breasts, etc). For the uninitiated, Murderbot is referred to throughout the series as an “it,” hence the disagreements when readers start assigning gender… 😉

        • Murderbot was a great chance for me to practice using the singular they in conversations, because they are clearly not an “it” in the conventional meaning, but neither are they male or female. They do tend to read more male to me, so I had to fight against calling them “he” at first, but given that they self identify as a genderless construct, I try to stick to that.

          • +1 Well reasoned, well said.

            I hadn’t thought about it, but I read them as “he” as well. Thanks, all.

          • Murderbot read as female to me, if I ever thought about gender. I love that series so much because the plot and characterization has absolutely nothing to do with gender. I had never read anything like it.

          • It’s definitely a great series for reminding yourself that whatever is in someone’s pants is their business not ours, and practising using they them. It was a steep learning curve for me with my friends who prefer they them I think mainly because I knew them under their old/dead name. I do love the level of violence balanced with neuroticism.

        • Since Murderbot has no genitalia, I see him as a sort of male eunuch. So could be she as well. But in my mind, a “he.” Wonderful!

        • This is so interesting – I read Murderbot as a “she” – not that it really matters/ed 🙂 This is a great series and definitely highly recommended. I even follow murderbot on twitter!

          • +1 Always seemed female to me, but there’s nothing to indicate either way. It is what it is, as it were. Doesn’t affect the story.

        • I’m pretty sure Murderbot chooses to refer to itself as “it” in at least one of the books.

          Definitely recommend too though.

      • For those that read the Murderbot diaries and found it less than murdery, i think that one should at least mention Tik-Tok by John Sladek.

        • I recently read a very good series that gave me very strong Murderbot vibes. Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach. It’s a trilogy and though the main character is human, she’s almost always in her suit that she calls Lady Gray.

          • I love Rachel Bach trilogy. Loved it the first time I read it. Now it’s become my go to comfort read.

          • If Sigouney Weaver in Alien met Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica, you’d get Deviana Morris — a hot new mercenary earning her stripes to join an elite fighting force. Until one alien bite throws her whole future into jeopardy.

            just read the blurb on this one, yeap, i want in

      • Thank you! I have been searching for something new and kept getting disappointed. And then the Book Angels gave me this thread. AND then you gave me Murderbot. I am soooooo in love!!!!

      • Those who enjoy Murderbot might also enjoy Tamsyn Muir’s Locked Tomb series, starting with Gideon the Ninth. It’s not quite like anything else I’ve read: space opera with political inrigue and necromancers in space. Fair warning, though, that the language is hilariously filthy!

    • Have you tried The Divide series by JS Dewes? The first book is called The Last Watch and it came out in 2020. The next one is called The Exiled Fleet.

      It’s fun, fast-paced, and I absolutely love the protagonists. The author has a knack for writing relatable characters you can’t help but root for, even when they appear only for a few pages.

    • Oh, I LOVE the Bobiverse series as well! I found it humorous, intelligent reading with clever world-building, intriguing political, social, economic problem solving as well as ethical issues of interactions with aliens and terraforming. I especially enjoyed the philosophical examination of what does it mean to be human (how much physiological/physical species drift before you can’t call yourself “human” anymore)! So I want to share my new favorite sci fi series with you:
      The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells ❤️ (The first book title is All Systems Red and free with Kindle Unlimited). The are currently 8 titles available.

      The MurderBot series has many of the same elements of a “created” sentience struggling to find identity and purpose- but from an opposite viewpoint. Where the Bobiverse protagonist is derived from Homo sapien, MurderBot was an intentional organic “tool” manufactured to replace a variety of specific manual labor tasks and becomes self aware enough to desire freedom. It was an incredibly fun read and I devoured the entire series; anxiously awaiting it’s continuation!

    • +1 for Bobiverse. Have you read Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series? I thought the series had interesting characters and world-building.

      • Thirding the Wayfarers series. It has almost a slice of life feel with diverse characters and just almost reads like a cozy only SF if that makes sense?

    • Perhaps you would like Children of Time by Tchaikovsky. The audio version is very good as well.

    • You might enjoy ‘The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant’. I’m working my way through this series. Very dry sense of humor, as one might expect.

      • Hmpff. I just went on B&N to see if that was available. The “sample” of the book was a copy of the cover page. Some sample! Very disappointing.

      • Pretty much anything by Drew Hayes. I like Fred, but I prefer “Super Powereds”, “Villian Code”, and “Spells, Swords, and Stealth” I bounce between them and the House Andrews catalog for my comfort reads.

      • I’m a huge Drew Hayes fan, thanks! I love Fred and can recommend his other series as well. My favorite by him is the Villain’s Code series

      • If you enjoyed this series you would also chuckle out loud at Oddjobs by Heide Goody and Iain Grant which is a hilariously British-style-humor book about ensuring that the apocalypse goes as smoothly as possible.

    • Any Ilona Andrews fan interested in sci fi should check out everything by Jessie Mihalik, if you haven’t already (IA has recommended her books on this blog in the past)! Her books feel more similar to IA books than anything else I’ve found (the highest compliment, imo!), but they’re sci fi/space opera-with-strong-romantic-subplots rather than fantasy-with-strong-romantic-subplots. Her Consortium Rebellion series is an excellent place to start.

      • I like her books but I hope that she starts developing her plots more. I found them a bit predictable, although I like her writing.

      • +1 Read and reread all her books. I really like her Queens Gambit series, but I’ve read them all multiple times.

      • +1 for Jessie Mihalik. I’ve read everything she’s published at least once. Thanks to IA for introducing me to her works in the first place.

      • +1 for Jesse mihalik, and for comparing her consortium rebellion to house A writing. It’s awesome.

      • I would say that T.A. White is comparable too. I recommend The Broken Lands series and The Firebird Chronicles series. But, neither are for children.

        • I really love T.A. White! I would add that the Firebird Chronicles might be more YA-appropriate. I have loved them as a mid- to older teenager, and I would say that while there are difficult and disturbing elements, they are not gory, graphically sexual, or in any way gratuitous. I like that the series gets a bit more mature as it goes on. It’s an incredibly satisfying space fantasy with a very light romantic element.

          • The Firebird series has excellent world building. It isn’t until the second book you find out the driving force of the series.

          • +1 for TA White and some of her books are on Kindle Unlimited for people who have it

          • So true, I have read the three series, by T. A White, and have to say Firebird is my favorite, Kira is awesome. So far the best sci-fic series I have come across.
            And I have also read Jessie Mihalik’s Polaris Rising, which was also good.
            Recently, I started the Class 5 Series by Michelle Diener, and I really enjoyed it. Even though the first book was released in 2015, the series is ongoing, and features a different couple through out. So I guess as Sci-fic, I would be recommending Dark Horse, (book 1 of class 5 series) by Michelle Diener. I guess the book is ok for teenagers? There is nothing explicit, and would consider it softer than Rules of Redemption, but honestly, I have no idea what is ideal for different ages.

        • I’m as addicted to The Firebird Chronicles as I was to Kate Daniels series. So exciting!

        • I just started The Firebird series because of this thread and I can barely sleep, reading it on my breaks at work even.

        • I started reading that author because they’re on kindle unlimited. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read so far, but my favorite is the newer series, the firebird chronicles.

      • +1000!! I love Jessie Mihalik – especially the Consortium Rebellion. Such a good series.

      • +1 for both T.A White and Jessie Mahilik. Awesome authors.

        For those interested, Jennifer Estep has a sci-fi series coming out this September which should be good. I am really enjoying her fantasy romance series.

        • I’ve really been enjoying the series that starts with the book, ‘Kill the Queen’. I have read it several times now. One of my go to series, along with IA, for when I am desperate to read something.

    • ILOVED Bobiverse as well! I recommend another series (the 14th and final book comes out tomorrow!)called Expeditionary Forces by Craig Alanson (read by RC Bray on Audible) – aliens come to earth and the journey begins…not for age 16 or under? There is a strong overarching humor provided by a character I can’t name or it will spoil things. Highly recommend it.

      • yes.. waiting for it to come onto my account now.. here it’s the 7th already.. it should be there … lol..

        I didn’t realise it was going to be the last book.. but at the same time.. it has started to drag a bit.

    • SE Smith the Lords of Valdier series. Really funny. The later novellas of their children are cute as well.

      • I tried based off this recommendations, and I have to say, I strongly disagree, did not care for these books at all. Not to disparage this recommendation, but just so you go in with the knowledge!

        • Mileage always varies, I’m sorry the books didn’t work for you! Any particular reasons you want to warn others of?

    • It’s YA but still very good (I’m 66 and I loved it): Naomi Kritzer’s Catfishing on Catnet. Makes a great double feature with Murderbot because of the overarching question of AI having emotions and value systems.

    • Try expeditionary force by Craig Alanson. Very funny. Tomorrow is coming out new book in the series and I can’t wait. Stupid monkeys(humans) kick ass.

    • You might look at The Interdependency Series by John Scalzi. A series about the universe literally flipping on it’s head. Science, mystery and relationships.

      • Also by John Scalzi is The Kaiju Preservation Society. Absolutely hilarious and a stand-alone (at least for now since it recently came out). Recommend for anyone who likes the Kaijus (i.e. Godzilla)…

    • In a similar AI frame, have you tried the Imperial Radch series? I liked Leckie’s portrayal of an AI’s view of humanity and human customs a lot. From modern sci-fi I read most recently though, I adored Arkady Martine’s Teixcalaan series, with the ambassador having the memories of the old ambassador to guide her, also the introduction of the aliens in the second book. That was fun, especially the infection scene.

    • I recently enjoyed two books in Elizabeth Bear’s White Space series, “Machine” and “Ancestral Night”. The series is a solid mix of space opera (spaceships, aliens, danger), character arc (hard choices, friendships, coming to terms with the past), and old-school SF exploration of what makes us human. Well written!

    • Have you tried John Scalzi. He tends to be good for sci fi with some hard science and humour. The latest book is the stand alone Kaiju Preservation Society which is entertaining but also takes it’s premise seriously.

    • My husband is into humorous sci-fi fan; he likes the Bobiverse fan and also Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series. First book is Columbus Day.
      (also echo Murderbot +1k; not the same style but fun and funny and also depth)

    • I would recommend T.A White series The Firebird chronicles (3 books) – light and fun reading with a twist 🙂

    • On long road trips, my spouse, son and I enjoy listening to Craig Alenson’s Expeditionary Force audiobook series.

      Bobiverse is great. We’re still following that series too. We like the fact that they have a Skippy group, which references Skippy from the E.F. series.

    • If you don’t mind paying, Frank Chadwick has a good military science fiction novel called Chain of Command. If your looking for a more comedic bent, Lindsay Buroker has a great series on kindle unlimited called Star Kingdom about a nerdy mad scientist who invents his way through saving his solar system.

    • My recommendation would be the honor series by Rachel Caine. It’s a trilogy. It has living ships and is just really cool.

    • I really enjoyed the Class 5 series by Michelle Diener – the first one is called Dark Horse. It’s alien abduction with some AIs in there too. It’s light-touch on the Science side which I prefer – I find that big chunks of confusing Science explaining why something works in Space really puts me off a lot of Sci-fi. I prefer when authors just write well enough to make me believe it does!

    • Definitely second Murderbot. However others that I have enjoyed include: The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Lock In and sequel by John Scalzi, Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Hell Divers by Nicholas Sainsbury Smith.

    • Preach!

      U probably already read these, but can’t hurt to make sure:
      David Weber Safehold series and Honor Harrington series

  4. I swear the Penric and Desdemona books by Lois McMaster Bujold got me through the worst of the pandemic. I needed books where the protagonist cares and tried to make things right. And Bujold’s writing is lyrical.

    • Just finished Devon Monk’s Reed sisters series. Loved them. Looking for recommendations myself!

      • Check out A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark. Magic-infused steampunk set in early 20th century Cairo. Super rich in detail, so it’s a bit dense, but soooo interesting.

      • I really like A magical romantic comedy ( with a body count) by rj blain

        • The whole series is great! (I think the book count for this series is 20 at this point.) Her characters are real people, even when they are also shape-shifting unicorns, gorgons, vampires, and others.

          I also like her “Royal States” series for something more serious. (Pen name for this series is Susan Copperfield.)
          She addresses the problems of child marriage in her alternate world (and also in ours.)

          • Personally, I like the Royal states series (pen name Susan Copperfield) better than the Magical romance with a body count (pen name RJ Blain). But that’s just personal preference. Both series er fun, easy reads with a funny take on urban fantasy genre.
            The style is a bit repetitive occasionally, but great books when you are stressed and just want to escape from the world for a little while.

            • I liked the first books of the series, but as they went on, I realized there was a whole lots of talking about why the Royal Bodyguards were doing X, Y, or Z and little plot movement.

            • Me too. I really enjoy Blain’s rom/coms, but I love the Royal States books. I also love Honor Raconteur’s Case Files of Henri Davenforth (a recommendation from Ilona in fact.)

        • ±1 for that. Fun and ongoing plot arc through out the series. Her Client from Hell series ties in as well, thats more comedy less romance. I also enjoy the Booknapped series.

      • I second the recommendation of the “Ordinary Magic” series by Devon Monk. The Reed sisters are the sheriffs of Ordinary where the gods lay down their magic to vacation. The first book is titled “Death and Relaxation”.

    • One of my very favorite books/series of all time! I can’t recommend The Scholomance books(starting with ‘A Deadly Education’) enough. I feel like they’re right up your alley if you particularly love The Edge books.
      Think Harry Potter for adults, except Hogwarts is trying to kill you at all times. Truly the only series I recommend to everyone I meet, aside from The Innkeeper Chronicles and The Edge books.

      • Thank you for this! The original comment was a brief but after this reply and reading up the summary, I am interested. Will start reading it today.

      • This. My sis hates scifi/fantasy and I gave her Scholomance telling her, it’s not what you think, it’s about character growth, accepting both who you are and how you relate to the people in your world and how your actions affect both. The MC grows so much in just the first two books, and the journey is amazing. She loved them and cannot wait for the third.

      • +1
        I also love this series. Can anyone recommend anything similar please? The September wait for book 3 is killing me!

      • I was wondering why no one had mentioned the Scholomance series. I’ve recommended it to so many people. Did you see that book 3 is coming out in September?

      • As if Hogwarts wasn’t trying to kill the students at all times… it would not surprise me if the germ of the Scholomance idea wasn’t reading some meme about why people would continue sending their kids to Hogwarts when the death toll was so high, and then coming up with a reason WHY people would do so.

        Related: the cartoons My Life as a Background Slytherin by Emily McGovern are fantastic. (I think they can be found on her instagram?)

        • The Scholomance is based on a mythical and secret school of Black Magic in the mountains of Transylvania. It is absolutely NOT Ms Novik’s invention, having been taken from the folklore of the region and medieval writings- nor is it a retelling of Hogwarts.

          • Ahhh I hadn’t realized. That definitely fits with her recent stand alones of Spinning Silver and Uprooted that are retelling of folklore. Thank you!

      • Also Rachel Caine’s the Great Library series – starting with Ink and Bone. The writing is wonderful. They are YA but for adults too and have books and magic and contemporary themes in an alternative universe – more or less present day but where the Library at Alexandria was never lost.

    • +1

      After reading the first I was glad to find out there was 2 more… then realized my mistake of reading them now as the third isn’t out until September! 😭😂

      • I thought it was a duology and waited for the second only to get hit by book 2’s cliffhanger. Bring on Book 3.

        Also loved Novik’s Uprooted.

    • +1 but be warned the ending of book 2 is going to make you think the wait until September for book 3 is impossible!

    • Love it, but I’ve been hanging off the cliff at the end of The Last Graduate (second in Deadly Education trilogy) for far too long!

    • I’ve loved the “Her Majesty’s Dragon” series. The rest of her books are on my “to-read” list next.

    • I’m enjoying her Scholomance series, but I *loved* UPROOTED. Outstanding plotting, fast-paced narrative, engaging characters, everything you could want in a modern fairytale.

      Along the “modern fairytale” lines, I highly recommend Holly Black’s “Folk of the Air” trilogy, starting with *The Cruel Prince.* It has a young, smart, driven female protagonist; the thread of moral ambiguity/horror that is so common in Black’s books; and the combination of strong writing, characterization and plot that makes her books so enjoyable. Her characters “win” not by bashing things with swords (though they’re often good at that too), but by thinking, planning, strategizing to stay one step ahead of enemies… and always by making the best of often terrible choices.

      • Oh yes the Folk of the Air series is incredible. It felt real but also like a fantasy in a really enjoyable way– showing individuals successfully fighting back and thriving in societies that are weighted against them.

      • +1 for both Holly Black’s Folk of the Air and Naomi Novik’s Scholomance & Uprooted!

    • +1 – Me too, gritty Steampunk/magic version of the whole boarding high school experience. Great primary character ‘voice’.

    • Love this! I love her other books too like Uprooted and Spinning Silver.

    • The Last Graduate is the sequel to A Deadly Education and I am desperately hoping it will have another book following to make a trilogy. I also love her Temeraire series, Spinning Silver, Uprooted… okay, anything she writes is an automatic purchase. The Temeraire series is YA friendly and has some great plot threads about gender roles.

  6. Rivers of London Novel by Ben Aaronovitch. The series is known as either the Rivers of London or the Peter Grant series. I prefer listening to audiobooks but I would read the book. There are graphic novel novellas in the series available from your local public library as well either on Hoopla (a library streaming platform).

    It is difficult to find new quality urban fantasy novels to either read or listen to. Too many authors self publish (not a bad thing), but the quality is simply not there. I was in heaven when I discovered this series last summer.

  7. The house in the cerulean sea by T.J Klune

    It just gripped my heart and sqeezed. It is just such a magical gem of a book.

    • +100000000. When I started reading the book, it *felt* so dreary. I honestly wasn’t sure that I’d be able to finish it. Then I got a few chapters in and realized TJ Klune did that on purpose. Prepare for emotions, especially if you have wild children.

      • Yes! I started and it was good writing but dreary is the perfect word for it. Then it started to pick up, in both pace and tone, and it just flew by.

    • Yes, this!! I also loved his books ‘Under the Whispering Door’ and ‘The Bones Beneath My Skin’, and plan on reading more of his books. Every one of them has grabbed me by the heart (and tear ducts!) Such beautiful writing…

    • Love everything by TJ Klune, but Cerulean and Under the Whispering Door are among the very best

    • If you liked that I recommend “Light from Uncommon Stars” by Ryka Aoki. Similar heartfelt found family theme.

    • Agree along with the 5 or so sequels to Tinker. Very strong female characters.

    • +1
      Love this series and have enjoyed the other books Wen Spencer writes as well.

      • I love the series, she’s great but not perfect. Fabulous secondary characters she’s not even really aware of but fighting the fight.

      • +Infinity
        Also her standalones and other series’ are worth reading too, all good stuff 👍

        • +1 – Tinker is definitely my favorite of her books, but the standalone novels, like Endless Blue, A Brother’s Price, and Eight Million Gods show the range of her writing and provide good entry points for those new to her work.

      • The new book is great but don’t miss the latest short story- Monsters in our Midst. It’s great

      • +1 for Tinker
        And thanks for the rec mentioning the new book. I have been waiting for the next book forever and hadn’t realised it had finally come out. Just placed a library hold…

  9. A series I’ve been thouroughly enjoying is the Cradle series by Will Wight. To take the description from wikipedia:

    On the Iteration known as Cradle, Wei Shi Lindon is born a weak Unsouled, forbidden to seek power as sacred artists do. However, he is faced with a looming fate that he must defy his family’s rules to avoid. The Cradle series follows Lindon’s journey as he forges a Path for himself.

    Basically the series follows a boy who is regarded as someone with no power and abilities as he leaves his village to try and become powerful enough to save said village when several years in the future it will be destroyed by a creature larger than mountains.

    The series has massive depth and has really both thrilled and entertained me and frequently reduced me to gales of laughter.
    Definitely worth a read.

    • +1 – it really picks up the pace from Book 2 onwards and is a pretty addictive ride! Not my subgenre at all, but really fun characters and fast pace. Before you know it, you’re really invested… The next book is coming out soon!

      It’s available on Kindle Unlimited. The ebooks are also cheaper to buy in the box sets than individually. The first few will likely be offered free or on sale before the release of the next installment (11 out of planned 12). The author releases about 2 books per year.

    • +1 i had trouble getting through the first book- the pacing was a bit slow but it picked up match faster after book 1- love the whole series!

    • Yes, Cradle, OH MY YES. IA’s recommendation. My Brit Lit PhD spouse does NOT APPROVE my taste in books. I begged and pleaded and finally promised unspeakable duties to listen to the audiobook together. Made it through a couple chapters of highbrow, snooty complaints…then they stopped, and the gushing began.

      We’re now eagerly waiting book 11. And She’s now unashamedly recommending it to every friend she’s ever had (including the people she studied with at Oxford years ago).

  10. I highly recommend The Goblin Emperor (2014) by Katherine Addison, a pseudonym of Sarah Monette. It has a thoroughly likable protagonist, and beautiful narrative. My one caveat is that the names of people and locations are difficult to read. I listened to the audiobook and it was splendid.

    • +1 and the Witness for the Dead spinoff is great. Low angst, good people coming out on top, bad guys don’t get away with things – great escape

    • +1 – my top book of the year! Have been recommending it to everyone. It’s like a warm hug. Very different from your usual fantasy – more like a cozy. Kind and gentle protagonist. Read it twice already.

      • P.S. I had no problems with the names, probably because I don’t care about pronunciations. I just process them as sight words.

        Actually I liked how the author took the trouble to have a proper naming system…

    • +1 I have to agree. The names were a bit boggling, but the MC and story were very good.

    • +1 for sure! I read this as a child (maybe 12?) and it was so lovely and poignant

    • +1 I discovered this on an NPR list of recent recommended recent sf/fantasy and have passed it on to friends.

    • I was waiting for someone to mention The Goblin Emperor. I loved how a biracial just-adult thrust into a world from where he’d been exiled his entire life, treading water while staying true to himself.

    • +1 This is my all-time favorite novel. And the names/locations are part of the writing as our main character is also thrown into the situation with little/no knowledge of the names/places/relations of those around them. I re-read it at least once a year. The audiobooks are also lovely.

  11. A book I can strongly recommend is C.J. Cherryh’s novel, Cyteen. It is epic space opera dealing with issues of large- and small-scale genesis of cultures, communities, and individuals, and it is SMART.

      • CJ Cherry’s is in my top 10 authors, and I loved Cyteen as well… hard to believe now that it was 1st published over 30 years ago!

        • Foreigner is another fantastic novel by CJ Cherryh. It is 28 years old now, but still relevant and interesting. There are 20 newer books in the series, with the latest published in 2020.

    • +1 C.J. Cherryh is in my top 5 favorite authors. *Love* Cyteen, love the Chanur series (which, yes, has held up over time).

      • CJ Cherry books are still on the bookshelf. May never get rid of them. Am feeling the need to revisit the past!!

  12. I think my favorite book last year was “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Vampire Slaying”. I listened to the audiobook, which I believe added to the experience.

    • That attic scene where she’s hiding from him and the insects crawl on her ear will HAUNT me for years! So well done scary.

      • I would like to recommend the Union Station series by E.M. Foner. Fun fact: the first book of the series (Date night on Union Station) was actually reviewed by Ilona on this very blog! She liked it, but thought the resolution of the book a bit rushed… Well, by now this first book has turned into a prolific series and an epic saga of mankind in space sponsored by a vastly superior and benevolent (while somewhat quirky) AI race. We get vast space stations, aliens, romance and lots of comedy and fun. If you care to look a little deeper, you will also find deep insights and critique about our real world economical and political systems.

        • +1 for the Union Station Series! As well as the spinoff series. We need way more funny, lighthearted scifi in the world.

    • I absolutely adore Grady Hendrix. If you have not yet read Horrorstor, it is the single most resonating horror story I have ever read. I can’t even explain why, but years later that book still terrifies me.

      His book “Satan Loves You” is an absolute delight as well. Despite the title, it is a workplace comedy (sort of 😂).

    • Yes, lord, Grady Hendrix is AMAZING – he captures so many southern subtleties and the snark that flows deep in the southeast. Read ’em all!

  13. I think on another thread the author asked about fantasy for a young reader. Fablehaven is a fun young reader fantasy-creature story about a family that keeps a rare zoo.

  14. Susan Cooper’s Dark is Rising series of 5 still keeps me hooked and gave me a love of the Welsh countryside and myth. The movie of one of the books never did it justice.

    • Well said, I loved those books growing up. The poems are one of the best examples of prophecies done well. The way she integrates the land into the stories is inspiring. There’s a Facebook fan page where she posts every so often, great books 🙂

      • +1000

        Love these books – they’re my Christmas Eve go-to to settle down for sleep after the excitement of the day!

        • They never get old. I often re-read them during the winter holidays. (I used to read them over Christmas. Now, it closer to New Year’s.)

    • +1 There is a timeless quality of melding history, folklore, and and epic battle between good and evil that is satisfying to read and gives levels to the story. The characters are relatable and start to feel like old friends with re-reads.

    • +1 – love the Dark is Rising series! I read it so many times as a kid and reread again during pandemic. Just as good as I remembered!

  16. At least four books immediately popped in to my head, but if I have to pick one, I’d go with The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab. The style of it is unlike anything I can remember reading, and almost every page had a line or three that made me feel like someone had rooted around in my brain. I felt seen, and even though the story itself isn’t my usual fare, it’s such a beautiful book, I’ve been telling everyone I know about it.

    Anyone looking for fantasy recs, I have a couple to share.

  17. Just started Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven. It’s my first book by her and I am enjoying it.

  18. Indie book: The Books of Binding- by Lowan. Readers who like a mix of weres, demons, witches, found family, romance, fighting evil, and a string female MC will probably like it as long as they do not mind non-monogamy in a doors-closed fashion. I slurped the 3 out in a very BDH manner.

    • Such a great series, that reminded me more than almost any books I’ve read about the way we grew up before travel teams and nonstop parental supervision. Not the part about the mansion, of course, or the fully equipped chemistry lab or a few other trappings of faded English grandeur. But the part about going everywhere on your bike, and showing up mainly for meals, because there was just so much exploring to do.

  20. For a clean and funny series that would be good for 14-adult age check out The Court of Midnight and Deception trilogy by K.M. Shea

    It’s about a half Fae named Leila who wants nothing to do with the Fae but ends up their Queen. It’s really funny.

    • Oooh! I’ve read that. I couldn’t put it down. It was like watching Kdrama. Bargaining with myself, telling myself one last chapter and then I’ll finish it tomorrow. Nope, didn’t happen. Finished it at 3 in the morning, lmao. And to top it off, I did not even notice I was on the last page until there was no more page to turn to, and I was so devastated because I had to wait for the next book for a few months. But all worth it.

      • Yes!!! I keep rereading it because my mind is like hey you know what we haven’t read lately lol! I really enjoy the whole series set but Leila is my favorite.

    • Yes, The books are so enjoyable. Magiford is a quirky city, and the related books are good as well

      • +1! Agreed, because it’s fine! I adore KM Shea too, especially because her books are so laugh out loud funny. I was laughing so much when reading her books that my teenage son and daughter as well as my husband started reading them too!

    • +1… The KM Shea Magiford Supernatural City series are written in trilogy format…the order of reading the trilogies begins with:

      1. Hall of Blood and Mercy (vampires and wizards)
      2. Court of Midnight and Deception (fae)
      3. Pack of Dawn and Destiny (wolf shifters)

      She is working of the 4th one now but all of them are nice clean reads featuring different types of supernaturals with some crossover cameos.

    • +1 I really LOVE KM Shea – each series captures you and the Court of Midnight and deception was AMAZING, all the funny stunts leila pulls on the court plus the magical creatures she corrals makes for a menagerie of magic and mayhem!

  21. The Serpent Gates series by A.K. Larkwood is one of my new favorite fantasy offerings. The first book is called The Unspoken Name and it came out in 2020. The second book came out last year.

    I love the worldbuilding in this and the magical system. Also, Csorwe is an amazing protagonist.

  22. I think one of my current favorite series I’d let a kid read, are the books by Honor Raconteur. She does all kinds of fantasy, but I particularly enjoy her “Case Files of Henri Davenforth” series. The first book is “Magic and the Shinigami Detective” series. Its basically a mix of detective mysteries, fantasy, a bit of steam punk.

    Basically a human FBI agent from our world is snatched through a magically portal and dumped in another world by a rogue witch. The Agent promptly kills her captor in the first chapter and then goes off to find her place in this new world and gets a job as a police detective with a Magical CSI (Magical Examiner) for a partner. The series follows their combined cases. There is a minor romance thread that takes place over the course of the series, but it’s mostly cool stuff about her bringing techniques from her world to this new magical one and all the cool cases they solve together with other fun characters. It also has really good audio book narrators for the first three books in that series so far for those who prefer to listen.

  23. For a hilarious adult series check out The Devils Angel’s M.C. series by Lola Wright.

    This series will have you laughing so hard you could pee yourself. There is a McCaw that is extremely sassy and a few other characters but Mac the McCaw will steal your heart!

  24. Next after high adventure mixed with low comedy – for which, Ilona Andrews is the best among the authors I have found – I like genres-thoroughly-mixed.

    I have no specific recommendations among the books for the author I like best – I have my favorites, but all of them are good. Celia Lake blends magic with mystery with history with romance with whatever else catches her fancy.

    Celia Lake’s characters and relationships are almost as real to me as the ones House Andrews comes up with, and her history is as accurate as she can make it and still play with the magic.

    I have a Kindle, so I get her books through Amazon; but I know she publishes other e-formats as well. Check her out.

    • Sarah Addison Allen is another author you might like – romance touched with a bit of magic.

      • I recently discovered Heather Webber who writes sweet, southern stories with a touch of the mystical. Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is great for anyone in the mood for a gentle story about family and forgiveness.

  25. I highly recommend The Murder of Crows series by Chris Tullbane. It’s a post-apocalyptic superhero series. The MC is a 18/19 year old orphan who can see the dead. It has amazing world building, a great anti-hero, and the character growth is to die for. I love a character who grows up on the page, learning from their past mistakes and making better choices or at least new bad choices and learning from them. There are also several strong female characters and an amazing friendship story that made me tear up. It’s gory and has some spicy language so definitely for adults and older teens. It was one of the best things I read last year.

  26. +1

    Urban Shaman is definitely one of the best urban fantasy series I’ve read lately.

  28. I recently reread Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart, which is classified as romantic suspense. I think it holds up very well aside from some outdated slang. It was written in the late 50s and set in France. When I first read her books as a teenager, they gave me a deep desire to travel.

    • All the Mary Stewart books are awesome, i was so excited to get them on kindle

    • Yes! Mary Stewart remains the grande dame of romantic suspense, even after all these decades. I read my aunt’s copies when I was a teen. My three sisters remain fans, and collected used copies of all of her books when many were out of print. We were happy when they finally came out as ebooks. All of them (but one, IMO) are great. Her first book, “Madam, Will You Talk?” remains a favorite. Her fantasy series about Merlin is also excellent.

    • +1 My grandmother got me started on Mary Stewart (“Nine Coaches Waiting” and “The Moonspinners”).

      “Thornyhold” is my go-to comfort re-read about a woman at a crossroads after WW II finds and makes her home and happiness … and “Touch Not the Cat” is a guilty pleasure of a mystery buried in a family home, with some psychic romance for spice. “The Crystal Cave” and “The Hollow Hills” are unsung masterpieces of the making of King Arthur and the soul of a classic legend.

    • And her Arthurian quartet, from Merlin’s POV, is one I reread every so often. The Crystal Cave is the first.

  30. I like books from different parts of the world, so was pleased to find a series located in Tasmania. I found W. R. Gingell’s The City Between series is a great series, imho, with many twist & turns, big surprise ending, unique world building, plenty of mysteries and all around good read. The romance is very low key with no sex. Bonus: my library had the audio version so got to hear the Australian accent.

    • Alice Worth series by Lisa Edmonds was my Covid Lockdown find…. It helped me escape the blah, and embrace the….rah? 🤦🏽‍♀️😁

    • I love all of Gingell’s books. In addition to the urban fantasy series City Between, she has also written a clean fantasy romance/fairy tale retelling series, The Two Monarchies. It’s great!

    • Check out N. K. Jemisin’s The Killing Moon. Worldbuilding heavily based off ancient Egypt, loved it and its sequel soooooo much

      • +1 for NK Jemisin. I especially loved the Inheritance series, which starts with the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

        Truly amazing world building. Gods, through an ancient war, are tied to a royal family. The heroine had been a black sheep who is recalled to the capital and has to deal with life or death politics while uncovering the truth behind ancient myth. Each book in the trilogy expands on the world.

    • I’ve been scrolling trying to find someone that recommended The City Between series so I could comment without having to do a new post. I LOVE this series. The twists and turns, the mystery, the way each book built on the foundation of the prior ones while at the same time turning them on their head, the ending truly surprised me, while at the same time I could nod and say okay I can see it as opposed to being disgruntled like books where the ending comes out of left field… I loved the Australian setting, I loved that Pet started out strong willed, but still grew and changed as the series progressed. The whole idea of the Fae taking her as a Pet and her embracing that to get her way just did it for me.

    • +1 I really liked this series. I thought it had an original take and world building. bonus for the aussie location.

  31. It’s so hard to recommend only one, but I recently binge read Hailey Edwards’ Necromancer series. She’s indie, and I don’t read a lot of indie books, but she came highly recommended in my reading groups. So glad I gave her a chance. That series is finished and so is the spin-off from it.

    • I enjoyed her Foundling series. The Necromancer series is on my ever-expanding TBR list.

    • I was going to recommend this series too! Glad I read the comments first. Loved this series! You do not end up where you think you are going, at all. Really good!

    • AHH!! I can’t believe someone recommended this! (Not because it’s bad, but because I didn’t think anyone *knew* about it!) These are *SO* good! Some of my favorite tropes (found family, Southern Charm, matriarchal society, ghosts, etc.) are included and make me smile.

  32. I teach high school, and I always recommend Intisar Khanani’s Thorn. Actually, anything by her is phenomenal. Her writing style is beautiful; her characters have integrity and courage.

      • Please forgive me for posting here. If there’s a specific place to post questions I am unaware of it. Is there a bookfinder website you know of? I’ve been trying to find a book I once read and I only remember a few character’s name and a small part of the plot.

    • +1 – Thorn is wonderful retelling of the Goose Girl. I actually like her Sunbolt Chronicles even better! Hope she writes more of those…

      The closest thing to Tamora Pierce in terms of style and quality that I’ve seen.

  34. Just read and liked “A Little Too Familiar” by Lish McBride. It’s paranormal romance in a slightly different vein, but full of nice people of the friends-make-the-best-family variety, great banter, inclusive characters, animals, etc.

  35. I really enjoy Sherwood Anderson’s Inda series. They are full of adventure and thrills, but also diverse characters and life lessons in integrity.

    • You might mean Sherwood Smith! I recall enjoying her novels, but I haven’t re-read them in ages.

  36. One of the best debuts I read last year – Sistersong by Lucy Holland. It’s a brilliant retelling of the folk tale The Two Sisters. Every time we got it instore, it flew out in hardback. I’m pretty sure the paperback just came out. We recommended it to anyone who reads Song of Achilles or Ariadne or Naomi Novak’s Uprooted or Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale. I happen to know Sistersong was published in the UK and US – managed to grab the UK cover…

  37. The Black River Chronicles by L G Surgeson
    Fantasy story loosely based on a LARP campaign – it’s an awesome series

    • + 1 start with the girl who wasn’t Min, it’s a good jumping off point if you aren’t sure if you want to commit to learning the world mythology before you know the author!

  39. I would strongly recommend “A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking” by T. Kingfisher. It’s funny, a bit scary, and totally captivating. Great characters with interesting strengths and flaws. Our main protagonist, 14-year-old Mona, has very limited magic abilities that only work on bread, so she has to get very, very creative to help save her city. I’ll also recommend pretty much anything else by T. Kingfisher (the pen-name of Ursula Vernon), though you should be warned that many of her other books are much darker and scarier than this one.

    • Loved A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking. I loved that the character was not overpowered and instead made do with what she had. The story is so well told and the characters well developed.

    • Both Wizards Guide and Minor Mage are great for anyone who has trouble valuing themselves (and don’t we all) because they are not doing conventionally great work.

      • +Millions
        I just finished Nettle and Bone and as is often the case I was moved – saddened, angered and disquieted but also amused, sympathetic and hopeful and of course ultimately happy with the story.
        It’s a rare writer that gets all that.
        She reminds me of the late great Diana Wynne Jones. Quirky surreal stories but oh so sadly human emotions and reactions.

    • I was looking for T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon! I loved Wizard’s Guide, Minor Mage, the White Rat books and shivered over The Twisted Ones & Nettle & Bone.

      And my husband’s 2nd Graders love the Dragonsbreath Series. Hilarious!

      • +1. T. Kingfisher is one of my new discoveries. I love that she decided to publish her own YA/adult books when her publisher wouldn’t publish them because she was “a children’s author.” Just finished the Clockwork Boys and Swordheart series. She’s promised us two more, but that was several years ago. She says that some of her books take years, so there’s still hope.

  40. There is a series of stayed abc books that are fun to read to kids. T is for Tarheel is the one for North Carolina and I have enjoyed reading it to nieces and nephews and telling the about the state I live in. The series would be fun for teaching about the various States I think.

  41. Wow. This is so much harder after reading the guidelines! Anyway, I am a huge fan of Frank Tuttle. Your can’t go wrong with anything of his. His Markhat series is great. Excellent writing, character development over a long story arc, each character is distinct and real and consistent, and the stories have good plots with lots of excitement. Clearly fantasy genre though with a touch of realistic romance. Some stories are VERY dark, most aren’t and there’s humor in all of them. Enjoy!

  42. I really enjoyed Zoraida Cordova’s duology Illusionary and Incendiary. The two books are fantasy with a nice romance subplot that is explored more in the second book. These have great world building and are a nicely plotted story. I’m excited to read her upcoming Star Wars High Republic book.

  43. Yona of the dawn by Mizuho Kushanagi is a 38 (so far) volume manga, I have read to 25. It’s mostly fantasy/action/adventure with a hint of romance, that picks up a bit later in the series. Some sad parts with a ton of funny ones and so many great characters it’s hard to have a favorite. Basically the story is a princess on the run becoming stronger in all ways, while picking up friends along the way and helping those in need. There is also a 24 episode anime that does not get too far into the story.

  44. Limit one! How provoking!

    I’m going to go left field and recommend the Seven Seas publication of Tian Guan Ci Fu (Heaven Official’s Blessing) as an excellent introduction into the light novel structure. I enjoyed the storyline, though the short thought structure took some getting used to – but excellent for expanding your worldview!! I particularly enjoyed that the cultural references were NOT just swapped for English-similar idioms. Instead, the translators added footnotes to explain the Chinese idioms and references.

    In short, you get an excellent love story with interesting characters AND an expansion of your worldview. Highly recommended!

    • There’s a cartoon of this on netflix and it is wonderful, though there’s only one season so far.

  45. I just finished re-reading Kristen Ashley’s Fantastical and Wildest Dreams from her Fairytale Series. 5 books, these 2 are my favorite. It is intended for 18 and up and book 2 has a lot of triggers for those who do not like dark romance/fantasy. I like books where women are portrayed as strong and smart, and not airheads who cry and wait for prince charming to come save them. That said, another book I would recommend that is from Kristen too is the Girl in the Mist which is I think her latest. It is for mature audience too. Mostly because the protagonists are in their 50s.

    • +1
      Interesting series, quite the romp with the different MC’s. Definitely 18+ readers

    • Yep, some sexy good books there! I just read her short novella set in Fantasyland called “Gossamer in the Darkness” that she did for the 1000 Dark Nights series on Amazon. It was a new romance but included a reunion of all the main characters from the series. Really fun.

      • Did not know about Gossamer, but I quicky found it and finished it today. Absolutely awesome read. I am hoping for more on that series. Thank you for the info.

  46. I’ve been getting into Japanese light novels lately. My recommendation is A Late Start Tamer’s Laid Back Life by Yuu Tanaka. The lead is given a choice early on, on whether to restart his video game or continue with his original character and make the best of it, and you get to read about his making the best of it adventure. Lots of humor, little to no violence.
    The author does have another series, but I think that parents should read it before handing it over to kids, because violence. I once went to a Hans Christian Anderson museum and the docent told me about a woman coming in to yell at her. The woman had downloaded a list of Christmas stories, which included Little Match Girl, which she then cold read to her children. Not a warm, uplifting story, to say the least. I don’t want parents coming after me because their youngster was exposed to dismemberment.

  47. The Others series by Anne Bishop
    I really enjoyed the series and the spin off books as well!

    • I’m sorry. I didn’t add a description. Oops. Blood prophet Meg can see the future when her skin is cut and was enslaved by a controller that sells her prophecies. She escapes to a business district controlled by the others; vampires, shape-shifters.
      I enjoyed it very much and have read the series multiple times.

    • I love this series and reread it quite a lot (actually rereading written in red right now!)

      I also love the World of the Others spin offs lake silence is my favorite of those!

    • I think this is a wonderful series as well. It has a slow burn romance element but is really a great series.

      • Anne Bishop’s ‘Black Jewels’ series definitely comes with many trigger warnings. That being said, her world building is amazing. The different worlds, brings, types of magic still wows me when I reread her books. Her characters, while sometimes broken and flawed, persevered. Loved it so much I wanted to name my son Lucien 10 years later (went with James instead :)).

        • The Black Jewels series is one of my all-time favorites. Amazing world-building and such an interesting magic construct (with the combination of raw power and caste). As a woman, I appreciate the woman-centric power structure, and I also like how being good stewards of the earth is integral. (These two are fairly common themes in all her series.) Lucivar is, and always will be, one of my most beloved Book Boyfriends.

          But yes — MAJOR trigger warnings (for all her books, really; she has a lot of dark elements).

        • House of Gaian especially I felt was very dark and should come with some serious trigger warnings – there’s violence in all of them, which I’m personally fine with but your mileage may vary, but I’ve reread all the other series yet never the House of Gaian ones, especially after I had a kid…

      • +1 Others series
        +1 World of Others series (especially new novella Black Ships)
        +1 Black Jewels series
        +1 Tir Alain series
        +1 Ephemera series

    • I love Anne Bishop. Her series can be darker than I usually read, but there’s enough hope and humor to balance it out (that and after the first read, I started skipping some of the more depressing parts). Two of my favorites of hers are the shadow queen and shaladors lady. Those are my go to whenever I’m feeling a bit down or just blah. There’s so much hope in those books.

    • Yes! A very unique universe where humans were never even close to being the top of the food chain. Where humanity’s colonizer and exploitative tendencies were / are kept in check. Also a great exploration of found family.

  48. I really loved The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder. Gender swapped sleeping beauty, with updates to the tropes for modern sensibilities. Humor, found family, and adventure. It’s main flaw is that book 2 doesn’t come out till next year.

  49. My favorite book is The Blue Sword by Robin Mckinley. I have re-read it at least once a year since middle school. Magic, action, adventure, romance, and a heroine that starts out just going along with what other people tell her to do, but in the end learns to make her own choices.