Tag Archives: fantasy books

Apr 28 2014
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Top Ten Books You Might Like If You Enjoyed Throne of Glass – Revamped!

top ten tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Yup, I have finally jumped aboard the Sarah J. Maas fangirl train, and not a moment too soon! As high-fantasy YA novels are my favorite things EVER, I’m thrilled that Throne of Glass has had such an impact on the reading community. Most of the bloggers I follow have read it, the same holds for the many YA readers in my own community. After recommending it constantly to customers, I quickly realized that I needed to be prepared for when they came back with “Ooooooh! I loved it so much! What can I read next?” From that question was born this list:

Top Ten Eleven Books You Might Like If You Enjoyed Throne of Glass!

If you liked:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

You might like:

girlBook Info: Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: setting, story, and genre – this is my favorite book from this list. While I love reading about Celaena and think she’s a cool character, I don’t find a single thing about her relatable. Elise, however, from Girl of Fire and Thorns is exactly the kind of heroine that makes me fall in love with a book. Her relatability is what allowed me to fully immerse myself in the story, whereas ToG always seem to keep me at arms-distance. I’m not saying you will also like this one more, but there’s definitely a good chance you will enjoy it.
                                                                                                                                                                    

Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers

Book Info: Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: story, romance, character – and assassins! Granted the main character is a lot more timid than Celaena, but progression of the story in the romance feels really similar to ToG. I haven’t read the second or third book in this series, so I can’t speak to its ongoing similarity, but I think ToG readers will definitely at least enjoy the first one.

                                                                                                                                                                     

The Midnight ThiefBook Info: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: character, atmosphere – this book offers another kick butt heroine who shows a lot of skill in her profession (thieving) right from the start. The city she lives in and the conflicts also remind me of ToG and I thought the general atmosphere both books were incredibly similar. This one definitely takes its own unique turn, but I felt it was just as entertaining along the way.
                                                                                                                                                                     

The winner's CurseBook Info: The Winner’s Curse

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: character, genre, setting– of all the female protagonists on this list, actually view the main one in The Winner’s Curse as the most similar to Celaena, yet I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why. She’s an interesting character with a lot of strong convictions, so that might be why she resonated with ToG for me. I am really confident about the recommendability of this one to ToG fans – everyone seems to be raving about it with the same enthusiasm.
                                                                                                                                                                      

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Book Info: Young Elites by Marie Lu

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: character, setting, and genre – the main character for this book reminds me a lot of Celaena, only she wears the scars of what she’s been through on the outside as well as the inside. There is also a real darkness to her character that mimicked some of the low points of Celaena’s journey. Add in a secret guild and magic-users and you’ve got yourself a fairly comparable novel. I really liked it.
                                                                                                                                                                      

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Book Info: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: all the things – okay, I realize how stupid it is to say “if you like this author, you should read more of this author” but not everybody takes the time to read prequels and novellas, so I have to tell you this book makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE! If you haven’t read it yet, drop everything and read it now – it turned to me from a casual admirer of the series to a ToG super fan overnight… possibly because it gave me the insight into Celaena’s character that I’d been needing.
                                                                                                                                                                       

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Book Info: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: genre, character, romance – this is the teen fantasy book that got me hooked on the genre. It has a wonderful adventure and a beautiful love story. I’m recommending it for ToG fans because I think they will like the main character and enjoy the journey. I don’t have any specific similarities between the two series, but chances are if you liked the genre in general you’ll enjoy this book. That being said, the third book, Bitterblue, has a TON of similarities…
                                                                                                                                                                      

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Book Info: Poison Study by Maria Snyder

Genre: Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: character, story, pretty much everything – this is the single most similar book to ToG on my list, down to the introduction of our heroine being led from her prison and being made an offer. From there, the love story, the setting, the conflicts, and the plot all resonate with the things I loved about ToG, which is why I am highly recommending this title. If you only choose one book from my list to try, I’m most confident about this one.
                                                                                                                                                                      

The Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan

Book Info: Magician’s Guild by Trudi Canavan

Genre: Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: setting, atmosphere – this is another one of those titles that reminded me of ToG because of the general setting and atmosphere of the story. It takes place in a school for magicians, and the castle, city, and world all reminded me of where ToG took place. I also found a resonance with the magic system, particularly the dark magic. This wouldn’t be my first recommend on the list, but if you’ve read most of the others this one will definitely help hold you over.
                                                                                                                                                                         

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

Book Info: Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

Genre: Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: story, setting, character – I’ll admit it has been a really long time since I’ve read this book, but the overall essence of what I remember reminds me a lot of what I like in ToG, especially as the series progresses. It’s one of the books I’ve been itching to go back and reread, and now might be a great time while I’m waiting for the next ToG book to come out…
                                                                                                                                                                        

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Book Info: Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Genre: Fantasy

Reason for Recommending: setting, atmosphere – I’m including this book on my list because there are several parts within the story that evoked the same regal atmosphere as in ToG… And that’s kind of where the similarities end to be honest with you. This is one of my all-time favorite series, but it comes with several disclaimers – sexual content, violence, and slow pacing. Read it at your own risk…
                                                                                                                                                                        

I hope you find this list helpful and enjoy these titles as much as I did! I’ve added all of them to a shelf on my Goodreads page if you’d like to go read more about them. Happy reading! :-)

Have you read any good books similar to Throne of Glass?

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 22 2014
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Coming Soon: Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

firefightTitle: Firefight

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Series: Reckoners #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: January 8, 2015

The Overview: They told David it was impossible–that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart–invincible, immortal, unconquerable–is dead. And he died by David’s hand. Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there’s no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs. Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David’s willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David’s heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic–Firefight. And he’s willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

firefight 2

 Hosted by Breaking the Spine

 With the premise of superheroes gone bad, Steelheart could have easily been cheesy and overdone… instead, it was one of the most unique books I’ve read in a long time. I found it cheeky, action-packed, and thoroughly engaging and am practically chomping at the bit to get my hands on this sequel. Sanderson is quickly creeping up my list of favorite authors – everything I read by him is just so different and amazing… is there anything he can’t do? Who would’ve thought the man that brought us the most epic fantasy ever (Way of Kings) could also write a comic book adventure with a twist? It’s almost not fair. If you haven’t read the Sanderson yet, pick up anything – you won’t regret it. I had so much fun reading Steelheart, I can only imagine Firefight will be just as good!

What book are you waiting on?

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 22 2014
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Top Ten Female Characters That Inspire Me!

top ten tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 I have been so eager for this post that I started putting it together weeks ago. I just couldn’t wait to pay homage to my all-time favorite female characters, and thought it would be fun to figure out what I admired most about each of them. I’ve summed it up into a single attribute that represents what each of these characters inspired in me. Enjoy! :-)

Top Ten Female Characters That Inspire Me!

While I picked the attribute that most represented these amazing literary ladies to me, by no means are any of them limited to just one. :-) If you’d like explanation as to why I chose an attributes, or want to know which books they are from, let me know in the comments section and I’ll be sure to respond.

Which female characters inspire you?

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 18 2014
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Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

girl of fire and thornsTitle: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Author: Rae Carson

Series: Fire and Thorns #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one.  But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.  Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do.

The Review:

For one reason or another, this book didn’t have much initial cover appeal to me, so I passed it over early on without taking the time to find out what it was about. Foolish I tell you – FOOLISH! It wasn’t until I jumped aboard the Throne of Glass bandwagon that I started noticing the many cross-references between the two series. Then I randomly found and purchased a signed copy of the third book and decided I should probably borrow the first one from the library to see if I even liked it (yes, I’m utilizing the library now for the first time in my entire life… unemployment will do that to you). Anyway, after a massive reading binge, I’ve decided Girl of Fire and Thorns just might be among my all-time favorites – I loved it!!! Books two and three will be telling, but for now, lets suffice to say I’m completely thrilled about how much I enjoyed book one.

It had everything I expect from a great YA novel. Heck, it had just about everything I expect from a robust high fantasy novel, too. Great, relatable characters, a unique world filled with interesting cultures, magic, an epic adventure, and fantastic pacing! I laughed, I cried, I yelled, and I seethed – basically, I was completely invested from page one and felt every victory and loss as if they were my own. It’s always nice when a book is written so well that it can draw you out of reality, and this one did so in a way that will stick with me for years.

Elisa, the protagonist, is definitely what I would call an atypical heroine. Often, champions I’ve read about in other books start out with a solid set of skills, sporting flaws that are superficial or easy to overcome (such as not knowing how beautiful they are, or being too impulsive… you get the idea). I actually can’t immediately think of a female lead with so many things to overcome as Elisa at the beginning of the book. As a heavily protected Princess, Elisa had very few skills that would allow her to be self-sufficient. What’s more, she was also dealing with the emotional damage of feeling unloved, unwanted, and worthless. These feelings caused her to seek comfort from wherever she could find it… primarily in food. Overcoming these things took no small amount of effort, and because of that, Elisa is my favorite component of this book. She was compassionate, smart, courageous, and adaptable and, although she had magic, it was those endearingly human traits that let her do extraordinary things, touching my heart in the process. I truly loved going on this journey with her, and look forward to seeing where it takes her next!

The world building was probably my second favorite element of the story. I love it when authors imagine up multiple cultures, give them some swords and religious convictions, and throw them together and to see what happens. I find it fascinating to see how they develop and react around one another, and I have the feeling I’ve only just scratched the surface of the cultural convictions this series has to offer. And, oh my gosh, the setting! With everything from tropical forests to desert wastelands, the settings were vivid and exciting. I don’t know if this is what the author was going for, but I felt like I was experiencing landscape similar to Central and South America, and it was wicked cool.

Overall, this is one of those books I want all of my friends to read because I’m just bursting to talk about it. I liked Girl of Fire and Thorns so much, I immediately ordered it and the sequel in hardcover for my collection. It has similarities to things I’ve read before, but there were enough unique elements to make me feel like I read something fresh and original. If you need me, I will be devouring the second and third books in the series…

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 8 2014
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Top Ten Most Unique Books I’ve Ever Read!

top ten tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

  I’ll admit I had a little more trouble than normal compiling this particular top ten. In my opinion, the uniqueness of a book strongly depends on how many other books you’ve read within that genre. So one book that I found unique may be just like another one that you’ve read and vice versa. Although, I guess all of these posts are subjective, so I don’t know why I am taking exception to this week, haha. Anyway, here are the ten awesome books I landed on:

 Top Ten Most Unique Books I’ve Ever Read

All of these I found unique one way or another, whether they had a different writing style, point of view, setting, or plot, each one stood out to me as fantastically atypical. If I’m not mistaken, I rated all of them at least four stars or higher, and some of them are among my all-time favorites… Quite possibly because of the uniqueness.

 What’s the most unique book you’ve read and loved?

by nikihawkes

Apr 6 2014
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Book Review: Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey

kushiel's scionTitle: Kushiel’s Scion

Author: Jacqueline Carey

Series: Imriel’s Trilogy #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Imriel de la Courcel’s blood parents are history’s most reviled traitors, but his adoptive parents, the Comtesse Phèdre and the warrior-priest Joscelin, are Terre d’Ange’s greatest champions. Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in art, beauty, and desire. It is a court steeped in deeply laid conspiracies … and there are many who would see the young prince dead. Some despise him out of hatred for his birth mother Melisande, who nearly destroyed the realm in her quest for power. Others because they fear he has inherited his mother’s irresistible allure – and her dangerous gifts. And as he comes of age, plagued by dark yearnings, Imriel shares their fears.

kushiel's scion 2

The Review:

I want to start off by saying that Carey’s Kushiel’s trilogy (the first set of novels that comes before this trilogy) is easily one of my all-time favorite fantasies. Those books affected me so profoundly that I was incredibly sad to see them come to an end… Until I realized that Imriel’s trilogy picks up right where Kushiel’s left off. It’s always wonderful to find out that a journey you thought was over is, in fact, just beginning! Only now, we are reading from Imriel’s perspective rather than Phedre’s, which is a change that only furthered my excitement for this new adventure. I fell in love with Imriel in the last book and was incredibly curious to see the world and the other beloved characters through his eyes. So, as you can see, I went into this novel with high expectations (risky, I know) and was not disappointed in the least!

While I loved the Kushiel’s trilogy for its epic love story and adventure, I love this one mostly for the inner conflicts and strong character development (although by no means did it lack love or adventure). The story follows the journey of Imriel as he learns about himself, his allies and enemies, and the world. His growth throughout the novel pulled at my heartstrings. Watching him try to overcome the horrors of his past while simultaneously trying to find his place in a world of intrigue (one he would not have chosen for himself) was profound. While it’s a little early in his journey for a true love story to develop, there is still plenty of adventure and excitement to be had within these pages. It’s one of those novels that had me up until the wee hours of the night just to see how everything played out.

This novel, much like its predecessors, was incredibly sexual, but not once did it ever feel dirty. The sex is more like an integral part of the plot and character development rather than a ploy to make the novel more risqué. Because of this, the love/sex/relationships remained secondary to the overall arc of the story. This is why, even though it has elements you’d find in a romance novel, it’s still read more like an epic fantasy than anything else. Although I don’t mind an occasional romance, reading about characters and relationships within a complex plot structure and robust world always seems more gratifying. I’ve come across very few who achieved that beautiful balance as well as Jacqueline Carey.

These novels are also very political. You should know that I find politics in general incredibly boring. What’s amazing is that Carey incorporated them into the story with abundance but managed to make it interesting and often… dare I say it… downright entertaining. As profoundly not boring as the politics are, it requires a bit more focus from the reader than your average fantasy novel. Because the payoff was so high, the extra effort to remember all the foreign names and political agendas tied to them didn’t bother me in the least (the trick is to relax a little bit – Carey usually reminds you what each person was involved with in the past when she brings them up again).

Overall, there’s not a single bit of this novel I didn’t like. I will say it is difficult to recommend because of the risqué subject matter, generous politics, and incredibly slow-developing plot line. If you think you can handle all that, I suggest starting with Kushiel’s Dart… :)

Other books you might like:

by nikihawkes