Fantasy Recs Friday! ep 1
Updated: Dec 7, 2020
Hello my lovely stars ♡
I'm going to be starting "Fantasy Recs Friday" as a weekly segment where I recommend 2 Fantasy books/series that I have read and 2 Fantasy books/series that I plan on getting to very soon!! Including mini-reviews and some of my thoughts on them 🧐 I'll be making sure to also incorporate a mix of Adult and Young Adult selections for each episode.
I want to focus on books that are not as well-known to give a spotlight on hidden gems (kind of), basically books that aren't Harry Potter or a Shadowhunter book (I love both of those though)
I just finished enrolling for my college classes today and we're starting in about a week. It's interesting to see how that's going to work with the pandemic still happening. In terms of bookish updates I'm currently reading The Devil's Thief and Laif of Dreams on audio (because I always just need a physical book and audiobook on me at all times, it helps lessen my procrastination). Update me how you guys are doing in this pandemic!
Thinking: of doing versions of this in the future with contemporary and historical fiction books or just add more than 4 books for the fantasy episodes
2 BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ AND LOVED
┈ Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson ┈
Brandon Sanderson is always my go-to for complex and unique fantasy magic systems.Warbreaker is follows these two sisters (but trust me there are way more characters) as they kind of try to rescue one another as one of them is forced to marry the God King who is like the leader of the group of gods that took over their land to ensure peace. I'm bad at summarizing plots BUT I can tell you that this is highly an adventurous book that will really take on such a unique journey even within the walls of one book.
If you are already familiar with the Cosmere world and the Brandon Sanderson universe but are intimidated while not knowing where to start... I suggest starting with Warbreaker! It's the easiest to get into in my opinion, especially if you are looking for a somewhat shorter but still thorough fantasy ✨
This was originally supposed to be standalone but it was made into a duology (currently in the works) but honestly the first book can stand on its own. Not that I'm complaining.
Repeating this free piece of advice: if it's a Brandon Sanderson book, just pick it up, the plot is probably embedded with its own mystery because you have to figure out how the magic system works per series... while having high-intensity battle scenes that makes you want to quit the YA genre entirely
┈ A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmer ┈
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a YA Urban Fantasy Beauty and the Beast retelling that features a main character that lives with Cerebral Palsy. With that being said, the disability rep alone makes me straight up recommend it but the way it was written into the story deserves another round of applause. Harper's life doesn't revolve around the fact that she suffers from Cerebral Palsy and I loved how that played out into the story 💙
There is a love triangle (the horror!) but I didn't mind it at all actually. I was fascinated by our two male main love interests more than our female lead actually #TeamGrey. What bothered me more was that I didn't feel the "Tale as Old as Time" vibes while reading but that is definitely a personal preference. If you go in not expecting the Disney tone then you won't be let down.
I'm going to be reading the second book soon because I just need to know what happens after that cliffhanger of an ending.
MY GOODREADS REVIEW2 BOOKS THAT I HAVE HAD MY EYE ON
┈ The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith ┈
A book about unfinished books that can come to life? I am sold! This honestly reminds me of Sorcery of Thorns if you have ever read it but if Margaret Rogerson made one in the Adult genre. With the librarians chasing down books that go awry. The premise of this is so interesting and the library itself actually reminds of that library from Nevernight, do you know what I'm talking about? ☠️
I'm getting slightly darker tones as well which I have found myself reaching for more and more. I already have my loan for the audiobook (and maybe listened to about 20 minutes of it) so I'm probably going to be getting to this sooner rather than later.
┈ Bone Crier's Moon by Kathryn Purdie ┈
There has been a resurgence in books about Fae in the YA genre recently so I might have started to block them all out so I almost did that to Bone Crier's Moon 🌝 when I thought it was about that too. Thankfully, it's not. This book has been on my most anticipated releases when I first heard about it and now it's at the top of my priority-to-read list.
It is a high fantasy and that's just about everything I know about it because I like going into most books not knowing much of the plot. But to be honest: it had me at Forbidden Love and Heaven and Underworld !
I saw the cover for the sequel it featured two female looking characters on the cover and comparing that to this cover... I'm really curious to know what goes down in this story.
I hope you have a great weekend and maybe you'll spend it curling up with one of these books?
stay safe, wear a mask, enjoy your books ♡
