Growing up I loved Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, LOTR, etc… I'm looking for something to read as a 27 year old SAHM. I've heard good things about Sarah J Mass books, but I'd prefer less spice to what I've heard of her writing. If anyone can recommend something similar but more "closed door" in regard to the spice factor, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks in advance😊
by BrutallyHonestMJ
3 Comments
I always like to recommend Sharon Shinn for people who want character-driven fantasy with strong world building and a slow-burn romance. She does a lot of series, but each book has a new focus/couple. You can try Archangel (literal angels and humans, arranged marriage trope, also political scheming and a music-inspired “magic” system), Mystic and Rider (country on the verge of civil war, found family vibes, different types of magic), or Troubled Waters (element-based magic, interesting religious system, lots of slice of life content along with royal politics). One of her YA novels, Summers at Castle Auburn, is a standalone coming of age tale.
Even though they’re marketed as YA, Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series is a really strong kingdom saga with fantastic characters and one of my favorite unconventional romances ever. The first book feels “young” but after that you really get into more “mature” themes (not sex— politics).
Lois McMaster Bujold’s Chalion (aka World of the Five Gods) books are excellent, with lots of attention paid to the world and in particular the religious system (which is very grounded but not without a few unexpected elements). Both The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls were five-star reads for me for very different reasons.
The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix is one of my all time favorites. It’s a YA series, so if that is a deal breaker, CJ Archer’s Glass and Steel series might be a good fit too.
My recommendation will be Brom books. They are more complex and have a lot of mythology.