Warning: rambling ahead
So I am back with part 2 of the ‘Books you should read if you like XXX’ series, and this time I’m focusing on fantasies!! Now fantasies is actually a fairly new genre to me, although I read a few back when I was younger, I only really got into them this year through The Cruel Prince which was reccommended to me by a friend (and I am so glad it was). But since then i’ve been trying to read as many fantasies as I could because I have missed so many!! Some of the most popular ones such as ACOTAR I haven’t actually read yet so this list is fairly limited so far but I’m sure I’ll do an updated version by the end of the year. Anyways, here is my list of books you should read if you like fantasies….
1. The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air Series) by Holly Black
‘Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.’ – Description from Goodreads
So, as mentioned in my introduction, the Folk of the Air series really got me into the realm of fantasy fiction, I absolutely adored this series and am trying to force everyone to read it. To be honest I found ‘The Cruel Prince’ fairly slow to begin with but once I really got into it I sped through the series and the second and third books are just *chefs kiss*. Also if you’re into enemies to lovers (who isn’t?) then you have to read this book!! I also really loved the whole aesthetic of the book, the land of faerie isn’t some perfect place ( at all ) yet I want to spend all my life there. Honestly I could ramble about this book for a while but i’m trying so hard not to spoil anything so onto the next…
2. In The Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland
‘A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead.
In Thanopolis, those gifted with magic are assigned undead spirits to guard them—and control them. Ever since Rovan’s father died trying to keep her from this fate, she’s hidden her magic. But when she accidentally reveals her powers, she’s bound to a spirit and thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception.
Desperate to escape, Rovan finds herself falling for two people she can’t fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling, rebellious princess; and Ivrilos, the handsome spirit with the ability to control Rovan, body and soul.
Together, they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis. To save them all, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and spirit battling for her heart—if she doesn’t betray them first.’ – Description from Goodreads
If you regularly read my blog you may remember I actually reviewed this book a few months ago here, as thanks to NetGalley I recieved an e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review and I absolutely loved it. I really can’t say much about the book because I don’t want to ruin anything for you but take my word when I said it was one of the best books i’ve read this year, its full of twists and a very well thought out plot!! Also theres some really great LGBTQ+ representation in this book!!
3. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
‘The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.’ – Description from Goodreads
The Night Circus is definitely a different type of fantasy to the first two books i’ve mentioned but I loved it!! It was recommended to me by the same friend who recommended the Folk of Air so I trust her with all recommendations now and simply steal them for my blog (sorry). But anyway, I only recently finished this book and it was so beautiful!! and is also considered a vintage classic despite the fact it was published only 10 years ago (that’s how you know its gotta be good). It was just simply pure magic in a book, I don’t know how the author thought up such a beautiful story but I am *so* glad she did! I love all the characters and the magic in this book and ahh, I don’t even know how to summarise all my feelings about it but I think everyone should read it, it is a must!!
4. These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
‘Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.’ – Description from Goodreads
I was able to read These Hollow Vows early thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and its another one of my favourites from this year!! It’s another juicy faerie story so if you’re into that then definitely give this ago!! It also has a nice love triangle where even I as the reader cannot choose who is the best!! I believe it is part of a duology so i’m really excited for the sequel because it was left on such a cliff hanger!! (also unrelated but this is the rumoured book for the August fairyloot and I am so excited to own a pretty copy of it)
I am going to leave the list on 4 books this time since i’m pretty new to the fantasy genre and I really want to delve into it more so please recommend all the fantasy books!!
Also as I mentioned I am now on the Fairyloot subscription list (finally) so if blog posts about the books within it and the other goodies inside it would interest you please let me know!! The first box I will be recieving is ‘Tales Retold’, which sounds really exciting and I will probably be posting an unboxing on my tiktok too!!
Happy reading!!
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