I have recently rediscovered my love for reading, there is something so serene about opening the pages of a book and being transported to a whole new world (with new fantastic points of view). Reading has become my escape in this crazy world. I will say, I seldom read non-fiction because I always say reality is too sad as it is. I do sometimes enjoy historical fiction as the history nerd that I am.
I'd love to able to say I've never judged an actual book by its cover, but the cover is what always entices me to read the summary.
There is no particular order to this list as my favorites are ever-changing, but if I absolutely had to pick just one it would be The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
The Mortal Instruments series (6) by Cassandra Clare 5/5 Stars
There are six books in the series, each more adventurous than the last. I will say I never wanted this series to end so I never fully finished the last installment of the series. Perhaps this year my goal should be to finally finish the series that brought me so much joy. Cassandra Clare also has several other series, which I hope to read once I conclude The Mortal Instruments.
"The Mortal Instruments is a series of six young adult fantasy novels written by American author Cassandra Clare, the last of which was published on May 27, 2014. The Mortal Instruments is chronologically the third series of a planned five in The Shadowhunter Chronicles but it was the first one published. It follows Clarissa Fray (who interacts with a group of Nephilimknown as Shadowhunters) while also discovering her own heritage and her family history. The Shadowhunters protect the world of mundane/human people, who are also called mundanes or "mundies", from dark forces beyond their world."
Me Before You series (3) by Jojo Moyes 5/5 Stars
This is one of the books I finished more recently, the last book being published in 2018. The first installment of the books became a movie and I highly recommend it. This series will have your heart in knots but ultimately worth the read.
"Jojo Moyes The Me Before You Trilogy follows the story of Louisa Clark through love, heartbreak, and life-changing decisions as she discovers who she really is."
Mutual Feelings by Billy Taylor 4/5 Stars
"This story begins a few days after we leave August and Ethan’s. And it focuses on Will, an employee at Ron’s Ice Cream, who’s seemingly ordinary life is about to become a little less ordinary.
Will Evans lives an ordinary life working and living alongside his best friend, Ted, inseparable since they were four. That doesn't change when they both start seeing girls they're absolutely crazy for. But Will's situation is a complicated one. He wants something more than a physical relationship, but she's been hurt before and doesn't want to open herself up again. Can Will convince her to give him a chance and let their feelings become mutual?"
Just Friends by Billy Taylor 5/5 Stars
"August and Ethan have been bestfriends since the day they met at Ethan’s seventh birthday party. And now, twelve years on, their friendship continues to grow. But after magic, fame, money and an unexplainable miracle in a car accident, August realises maybe she wants to be more than just friends."
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn 5/5 Stars
This book is the first installment of the Bridgerton series, there are 8 books in this series but I am still currently reading them all. If you loved the Netflix original Bridgerton just trust me and read the book... amazing.
"In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen. Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar. The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule.. "
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 5/5 Stars
The Kite Runner is a PHENOMENAL piece of historical fiction. This book was actually one that I was required to read in high school, but I couldn't put it down it was truly incredible.
"The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies. A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic."
If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor 4/5 Stars
"Lucy Norton’s life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad’s always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She’s burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity basketball team, Lucy hopes her destiny has finally changed. With everything else going on in her life, doesn’t she at least deserve to get the handsome prince? Melissa Kantor’s enchanting novel proves that sometimes the happy ending isn’t quite the one you’d expect. Lucy’s about to discover the truth about finding her real Prince Charming… and finding herself."
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine 4/5 Stars
"In the kingdom of Ayortha, who is the fairest of them all? Certainly not Aza. She is thoroughly convinced that she is ugly. What she may lack in looks, though, she makes up for with a kind heart, and with something no one else has-a magical voice. Her vocal talents captivate all who hear them, and in Ontio Castle they attract the attention of a handsome prince - and a dangerous new queen. In this masterful novel filled with humour, adventure, romance, and song, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine invites you to join Aza as she discovers how exquisite she truly is."
Matched, Crossed, and Reached Trilogy by Ally Condie 5/5 Stars
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down, I read it shortly after reading the hunger games as it had a similar feel to it.
"Matched, by Ally Condie, is the first novel in the Matched trilogy. The novel is a dystopian young adult novel about a tightly-controlled society in which young people are "matched" with their life partners at the age of 17. The main character is seventeen-year-old Cassia Reyes, who is Matched with her best friend, Xander Carrow. However, when viewing the information for her Match, the picture of another young man Ky Markham, an acquaintance outcast at her school, is flashed across the screen. As Cassia attempts to figure out the source of the mishap, she finds herself conflicted about whether her Match is appropriate for her – and whether the Society is all that it seems to be. This book is followed by Crossed and Reached."
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins 5/5 Stars
These books truly took my love for reading to a new level. I can still remember willing myself to stay awake just so that I could continue reading it.
"The Hunger Games trilogy is a post-apocalyptic dystopia set in the small nation of Panem, which we assume is what is left of livable land in what used to be the USA. Panem is divided into 12 districts. It is a dictatorship that faced a rebellion previously by the 13th district."
A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn 5/5 Stars
Talia fell under a spell...Jack broke the curse.
"I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic...
I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.
I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.
I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.
Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!
Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels...The good news: My parents will freak!
Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?"
Beastly by Alex Flinn 5/5 Stars
"I am a beast.
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly."
The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne 5/5 Stars
"If you start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy named Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter one."
Divergent Series (3) by Veronica Roth 3/5 Stars
"The trilogy is set in the future in a dystopian society that is divided into five factions. The trilogy's society defines its citizens by their social and personality affiliations, with the five different factions removing the threat of anyone exercising independent will and threatening the population's safety. Beatrice Prior, who later changes her name to Tris, is born into Abnegation but transfers into Dauntless; she must figure out her life as a Divergent, conceal her true nature, and live with the danger of being killed if her true nature is discovered by the Erudite and Dauntless leaders."
Graceling by Kristin Cashore 4/5 Stars
"Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.
She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more."
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 4/5 Stars
"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love."
I hope you enjoyed these reading recommendations, send me some of your favorites so I can give them a read!
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