High Fantasy
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - my top top TOP recommendation for fantasy. This about a girl who competes in a competition to be the Kings personal assassin.
The Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo - a girl realizes she has magical powers during a dire situation and is forced whisked off to join an elite army led by the Darkling, aka one of my favorite HUMAN(ISH) BEINGS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor - it would be impossible for me to correctly summarize this beautiful trilogy so do yourself a favor and clink on the link.
The Queen of the Tearling trilogy by Erika Johansen - a young princess, swept away into hiding when she was younger, has come of age and has to ascend to her rightful place on the throne and deal with the political, and magical, drama that has plagued her nation. (A little side note here: this has multiple narrations and a lot of background information on them. I love these kinds of stories, since I'm nosy and wanna know everything, but if that isn't your type of thing than I wouldn't recommend this. Also, this is technically adult, but people assume it's YA since the narrator is 19. If that is a big issue with you, just know that it's only a few scenes where there's some crude references and language. Besides that, QotT is YA cleared!)
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - "Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist." You don't need to read The Grisha trilogy before this, since it doesn't spoil anything, but let's pretend I didn't say that because you should reALLY READ IT.
The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima - a recent favorite of mine, this tells the story of two people, princess Raisa ana 'Marianna and a struggling Hans Alister, and their individual roles in the turmoil between the Clan folk and wizards, and how everything changes when they meet.
The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima - a recent favorite of mine, this tells the story of two people, princess Raisa ana 'Marianna and a struggling Hans Alister, and their individual roles in the turmoil between the Clan folk and wizards, and how everything changes when they meet.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - a group of badass girls and their whipped boyfriends work together to stop Earth from being taken over by crazy moon people. Each girl is loosely based on a fairytale: Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. This is also set in the future and is a sci-fi.
Paranormal
The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - one of the first books that really got me into reading, this tells the story of two best friends, one a vampire and the other her training-to-be guardian, and their time at a school that's rife with danger, forbidden romance, and drama.
And once you read that... The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead - this is a spin-off series from Vampire Academy and is SO incredibly funny. It's a little difficult to explain, but this centers around a girl who is an alchemist, a human who dabbles in magic to help keep vampires a secret in society, and a mission she is sent on and the drama that unfolds from there.
The Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout - another hilarious series, this is about a girl who moves next door to aliens. I'm going to leave it at that. *winks*
The Raven Boys cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - how to describe this one? A girl meets a quirky group of guys, one of whom she realizes, through her clairvoyant family, is supposed to die, and becomes entangled in their quest for greatness. Stiefvater is the QUEEN of writing.
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - in a town where humans and the fae live side by side, a brother and sister become ensnared into the dealings of a sleeping prince who suddenly wakes up after being asleep for generations.
The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare - The mortal instruments is about a girl who finds out she is a Shadowhunter, a secret society of warriors that defend humans from things that go bump in the night. The Infernal Devices is a prequel trilogy. You should read these books by the release date, so: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, Clockwork Angel, City of Fallen Angels, Clockwork Prince, City of Lost Souls, Clockwork Princess, and City of Heavenly Fire. That way you wont be spoiled with anything! These books are also the funniest I've ever read, the characters are an absolute riot.
The Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow - a gritty story about a girl who grew up killing paranormal creatures with her father, and who has to strike out on her own when dear ol' pa winds up dead and has to escape before she's next. The summary on goodreads, which makes this series out to be half paranormal and half romance, is totally false. Dru is an independent, badass girl who refuses to let any guy distract her. Romance is definitely pushed to the back seat in here.
Dystopian
The Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi - our narrator, who can kill anyone with a single touch, fights back against the totalitarian government when she's released from a psych ward and into the care of a general who wants to use her as a tool for war.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken - a mysterious disease kills thousands of children and leaves the survivors with powers that frighten the world so much that they're thrown into work camps. Years later, Ruby has escaped and is on the run, hoping to find a safe haven. But forces bigger than her are at work, and they want Ruby.
The Legend trilogy by Marie Lu - I personally have not read this yet (it's on my TBR for next year!), but have heard such amazing things that I had to add this on here.
Sci-Fi
The Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner - three couples, told through three different books, try to take down a corrupt industry.
The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - told through an amazing dossier of files, text messages, documents, medical files, interviews, and more, Illuminae is about a recently broken up couple, Kady and Ezra, who's planet was invaded. They have to work together to fight back against their enemies and figure out just what the hell is actually going on.
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - as an alien race slowly invades Earth through sickening waves, Cassie Sullivan is desperate to find her missing brother, and is helped along the way by someone who she is unsure she should trust. Yancey's writing is phenomenal, one of the best I've ever read.
Contemporary
Stolen by Lucy Christopher - written as a letter to her captor, this is the story of Gemma and her captivity with a man who, against all odds, she may come to love. This book absolutely smashed my heart to shreds. This was the worst ugly cry I've ever had and I'm still not over it, even though I read this years ago.
The Sky is Everywhere and I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson - my favorite contemporary author EVER, these two novels are absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful. With her magical and lyrical prose, Nelson first wrote The Sky is Everywhere, a story about a girl who's mourning the loss of her sister, yet falling in love with new boy in town and her sisters ex-boyfriend. One understands her pain and helps keep her adrift while the other brings out the most unexpected happiness she's ever experienced. I'll Give You the Sun is about a set of twins, Noah and Jude, who were inseparable until they weren't. Noah's chapters are told from his POV when they were 13, and Jude's is when they're 16. Together, we figure out just what happened to this beautiful, broken family.
Anything by Colleen Hoover! I've read 5 of her books and have yet to be disappointed. She is the absolute queen of New Adult.
The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne - Kate, who previously believed her father was forever out of the picture, is shocked to find him in her living room on the eve of her mothers death. He whisks her away to live with him for the summer, learning that he's running for president. Kate is catapulted into the public eye, falling in love and struggling to figure out who she is and what she believes in. Not only does Thorne nail the coming-of-age aspect perfectly, but she weaves together politics and certain hot topics in the news today perfectly.
FanGirl by Rainbow Rowell - twin sisters Cath and Wren have been close since they were born, both delighted in writing fan fiction for their favorite book series, Simon Snow. But once they enter college, everything changes. Wren joins the social scene, leaving Cath completely out of her comfort zone. Will she able to find her own path and outgrow Simon Snow?
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - a heartfelt story about love lost and then possibly found, best friends Anna and Frankie head to the beach for twenty days with one thing on the agenda: boys. But what Frankie doesn't know is that Anna already had her first romance, and that was with Frankie's older brother before his tragic accident.
I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios - desperately trying to get out of her small town, Skylar only has to survive a summer before she's off to San Francisco for school. But when her coworker returns home from the Marines, missing a limb and scarred where no one can see it, they form an unlikely friendship from their shared burdens in life.
Mystery
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall - a girl finds out that her father, who she's never met before, is part of a dangerous society called the Circle, and that she may be the key to figuring out an ancient prophecy. Throw in two guys scrambling to keep her safe, international travel, and gorgeous writing, and this will become your newestdrug favorite book :)
Historical Fiction
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I seriously cannot come up with a simple way of summarizing this book unless I copy and paste the summary from Goodreads. Click on the link and just know that this book is absolutely incredible and magical and gut wrenching and beautiful and sob worthy. SO MUCH UGLY CRYING.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - I know what you're thinking. "Random much?" Trust me, I KNOW. I picked this up when my cousin was reading it and got completely caught up in the world and the characters. It was the most complex book I had ever read. Mind you, I was 12, so it was definitely a new experience for me. It also was the most raunchiest book I had ever read at that age, and maybe that's why I love it so much? Who knows! But I highly suggest this if you're in the mood for a heavy adult historical fiction.
The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - one of the first books that really got me into reading, this tells the story of two best friends, one a vampire and the other her training-to-be guardian, and their time at a school that's rife with danger, forbidden romance, and drama.
And once you read that... The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead - this is a spin-off series from Vampire Academy and is SO incredibly funny. It's a little difficult to explain, but this centers around a girl who is an alchemist, a human who dabbles in magic to help keep vampires a secret in society, and a mission she is sent on and the drama that unfolds from there.
The Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout - another hilarious series, this is about a girl who moves next door to aliens. I'm going to leave it at that. *winks*
The Raven Boys cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - how to describe this one? A girl meets a quirky group of guys, one of whom she realizes, through her clairvoyant family, is supposed to die, and becomes entangled in their quest for greatness. Stiefvater is the QUEEN of writing.
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - in a town where humans and the fae live side by side, a brother and sister become ensnared into the dealings of a sleeping prince who suddenly wakes up after being asleep for generations.
The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare - The mortal instruments is about a girl who finds out she is a Shadowhunter, a secret society of warriors that defend humans from things that go bump in the night. The Infernal Devices is a prequel trilogy. You should read these books by the release date, so: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, Clockwork Angel, City of Fallen Angels, Clockwork Prince, City of Lost Souls, Clockwork Princess, and City of Heavenly Fire. That way you wont be spoiled with anything! These books are also the funniest I've ever read, the characters are an absolute riot.
The Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow - a gritty story about a girl who grew up killing paranormal creatures with her father, and who has to strike out on her own when dear ol' pa winds up dead and has to escape before she's next. The summary on goodreads, which makes this series out to be half paranormal and half romance, is totally false. Dru is an independent, badass girl who refuses to let any guy distract her. Romance is definitely pushed to the back seat in here.
Dystopian
The Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi - our narrator, who can kill anyone with a single touch, fights back against the totalitarian government when she's released from a psych ward and into the care of a general who wants to use her as a tool for war.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken - a mysterious disease kills thousands of children and leaves the survivors with powers that frighten the world so much that they're thrown into work camps. Years later, Ruby has escaped and is on the run, hoping to find a safe haven. But forces bigger than her are at work, and they want Ruby.
The Legend trilogy by Marie Lu - I personally have not read this yet (it's on my TBR for next year!), but have heard such amazing things that I had to add this on here.
Sci-Fi
The Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner - three couples, told through three different books, try to take down a corrupt industry.
The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - told through an amazing dossier of files, text messages, documents, medical files, interviews, and more, Illuminae is about a recently broken up couple, Kady and Ezra, who's planet was invaded. They have to work together to fight back against their enemies and figure out just what the hell is actually going on.
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - as an alien race slowly invades Earth through sickening waves, Cassie Sullivan is desperate to find her missing brother, and is helped along the way by someone who she is unsure she should trust. Yancey's writing is phenomenal, one of the best I've ever read.
Contemporary
Stolen by Lucy Christopher - written as a letter to her captor, this is the story of Gemma and her captivity with a man who, against all odds, she may come to love. This book absolutely smashed my heart to shreds. This was the worst ugly cry I've ever had and I'm still not over it, even though I read this years ago.
The Sky is Everywhere and I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson - my favorite contemporary author EVER, these two novels are absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful. With her magical and lyrical prose, Nelson first wrote The Sky is Everywhere, a story about a girl who's mourning the loss of her sister, yet falling in love with new boy in town and her sisters ex-boyfriend. One understands her pain and helps keep her adrift while the other brings out the most unexpected happiness she's ever experienced. I'll Give You the Sun is about a set of twins, Noah and Jude, who were inseparable until they weren't. Noah's chapters are told from his POV when they were 13, and Jude's is when they're 16. Together, we figure out just what happened to this beautiful, broken family.
Anything by Colleen Hoover! I've read 5 of her books and have yet to be disappointed. She is the absolute queen of New Adult.
The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne - Kate, who previously believed her father was forever out of the picture, is shocked to find him in her living room on the eve of her mothers death. He whisks her away to live with him for the summer, learning that he's running for president. Kate is catapulted into the public eye, falling in love and struggling to figure out who she is and what she believes in. Not only does Thorne nail the coming-of-age aspect perfectly, but she weaves together politics and certain hot topics in the news today perfectly.
FanGirl by Rainbow Rowell - twin sisters Cath and Wren have been close since they were born, both delighted in writing fan fiction for their favorite book series, Simon Snow. But once they enter college, everything changes. Wren joins the social scene, leaving Cath completely out of her comfort zone. Will she able to find her own path and outgrow Simon Snow?
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - a heartfelt story about love lost and then possibly found, best friends Anna and Frankie head to the beach for twenty days with one thing on the agenda: boys. But what Frankie doesn't know is that Anna already had her first romance, and that was with Frankie's older brother before his tragic accident.
I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios - desperately trying to get out of her small town, Skylar only has to survive a summer before she's off to San Francisco for school. But when her coworker returns home from the Marines, missing a limb and scarred where no one can see it, they form an unlikely friendship from their shared burdens in life.
Mystery
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall - a girl finds out that her father, who she's never met before, is part of a dangerous society called the Circle, and that she may be the key to figuring out an ancient prophecy. Throw in two guys scrambling to keep her safe, international travel, and gorgeous writing, and this will become your newest
Historical Fiction
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I seriously cannot come up with a simple way of summarizing this book unless I copy and paste the summary from Goodreads. Click on the link and just know that this book is absolutely incredible and magical and gut wrenching and beautiful and sob worthy. SO MUCH UGLY CRYING.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - I know what you're thinking. "Random much?" Trust me, I KNOW. I picked this up when my cousin was reading it and got completely caught up in the world and the characters. It was the most complex book I had ever read. Mind you, I was 12, so it was definitely a new experience for me. It also was the most raunchiest book I had ever read at that age, and maybe that's why I love it so much? Who knows! But I highly suggest this if you're in the mood for a heavy adult historical fiction.
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