I went through my entire reading history to put together a list of books that I can personally highly recommend! I originally posted this on [my profile](https://www.reddit.com/user/Lisbeth_Salandar/comments/18j82qf/book_recommendations/), but it occurred to me that some of you may enjoy these recommendations. All the books below link to their GoodReads pages for ease of use!
Some of these books blur the lines between genres, but I grouped them by what their primary genre is. Personal favorites are marked with ☆!
——————————————-
# RECOMMENDATIONS
## Fantasy
– [**☆ Swordheart** by T. Kingfisher](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42747739-swordheart?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ERp0BgJyjz&rank=1): Kingfisher is the queen of cozy and weird fantasy, and her best series of books are those set in the [World of the White Rat](https://www.goodreads.com/series/307546-the-world-of-the-white-rat). Swordheart is my favorite of the books set in that world. It is a genuinely heartwarming warming book with a ton of laugh-out-loud moments.
– [**Paladin’s Grace** by T. Kingfisher](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50702014-paladin-s-grace): This is the start of a planned 7-book series set in The World of the White Rat. Stephen is a berserker paladin serving his god, the Saint of Steel. Prior to the start of this story, the Saint dies and all but seven of his paladins die along with him. Without his god and with a piece of his soul ripped out, Stephen has to figure out what to do with the rest of his life.
– [**☆ Bound to the Battle God** by Ruby Dixon](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=bound+to+the+battle+god&ref=nav_sb_noss_l_23): Do you want to read a romantasy epic set in a world where Gods walk among humans on a quest to kill “themselves”? Then this is the book for you.
– [**☆ The Lazarus** by Marlow Locker](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61927078-the-lazarus?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Yyi1yEmG2X&rank=10): This is an urban fantasy (with a romance subplot) that inverts all the usual comic book hero tropes.
– [**☆ Burn For Me** by Ilona Andrews](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20705702-burn-for-me?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_11): Ignore how awful the covers of Ilona Andrews’ books are, because they are all excellent. This is an urban fantasy (with a romance subplot and a strong foot in the detective genre) and the first book in a pair of trilogies. Set in an alternate world where humanity’s innate magical powers have surfaced, where the world is no longer run by money but by those who have the most magic. Andrews also has another urban fantasy series, [Kate Daniels](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40691-kate-daniels), that is also excellent.
– [**☆ Captive Prince** by C.S. Pacat](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9305362-captive-prince?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RSWhEQNaWD&rank=1): This is the first book in a trilogy, with very heavy themes. If you are sensitive to content, definitely look up content warnings for this series. The prince of a kingdom is betrayed by his brother and sold into slavery in a neighboring enemy kingdom at the start of this book, and the plot goes from there.
– [**Daughter of the Forest** by Juliet Marillier](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13928.Daughter_of_the_Forest): Inspired by the Irish myth of the Children of Lir and the fairy tale of the Six Swans, this is the story of a young woman trying to undo a curse placed on her family. Again look up content warnings for this one if you need to!
– [**A Game of Thrones** by George R.R. Martin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496.A_Game_of_Thrones): Martin writes fantasy inspired by real historical events, and you can tell from all the wordlbuilding detail in his *A Song of Ice and Fire* series. While this series is incomplete, the first book is excellent and worth a read by anyone wanting to get into gritty fantasy.
– [**The Princess Bride** by William Goldman](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21787.The_Princess_Bride): Everyone knows the movie, but the book is laugh-out-loud hilarious.
– [**☆ Spinning Silver** by Naomi Novik](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36896898-spinning-silver): Miryem, a young moneylender, comes to the attention of the fey winter King of Staryk for her reputation to turn silver into gold. This story weaves multiple POVs and storylines together in a very satisfying way. I highly recommend the audiobook for first-time readers. In my opinion, this is Novik’s greatest novel.
– [**Uprooted** by Naomi Novik](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22544764-uprooted): Agnieszka is a young, poor woman living next to a demonic and evil forest. The local wizard, known as The Dragon, keeps the evil of the forest at bay in return for a young assistant chosen from the nearby population every ten years. This is the only book where I do not recommend you read the audiobook, it’s just really bad.
– [**Piranesi** by Susanna Clarke](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50202953-piranesi): This book is incredibly hard to describe, but one of the best thoughtful and philosphical fantasy books to come out in recent years. It’s best to go into this one blind and just stick with it.
– [**☆ Reign & Ruin** by J.D. Evans](https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23072959-steph?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=favorites): The first in a planned 6 book *Mages of the Wheel* series. This is a world where there are six houses of magic. This series is heavy on political intrigue, with romance subplots.
– [**Kushiel’s Dart** by Jacqueline Carey](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153008.Kushiel_s_Dart): This series is set in an alternate-reality France, where the companions of a Christ-like figure have become religious god-like icons in their own right. Phedre is a courtesan serving the god Namaah under the tutelage of spymaster Anafiel Delaunay. Phedre gets caught up in court politics, betrayal, and mysterious intrigue.
– [**The Road of Bones** by Demi Winters](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/146832700-the-road-of-bones): Silla is a young woman with a mysterious background on the run from powerful and unknown enemies. While she flees to the safety of the north, she becomes a travelling companion to a pack of violent mercenaries and the plot goes from there.
– [**Between Wrath and Mercy** by Jess Wisecup](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59692061-between-wrath-and-mercy): A group of young friends is torn apart by one vilent night that leaves one of them dead. About fifteen years later, this book starts and the group is reuinited under less-than-ideal circumstances. A great book for those looking for adult romantasy novels where the main characters aren’t all 19 years old.
– [**Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries** by Heather Fawcett](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60657589-emily-wilde-s-encyclopaedia-of-faeries): What if you wanted to read a light historical romance with a nerdy academic female main character, but in a world where magical faeries exist? This is the book for you.
– [**A Deadly Education** by Naomi Novik](https://www.goodreads.com/series/282152-the-scholomance): This is the first book in a trilogy set in a magical school. You might be tempted to compare this to Harry Potter or similar magical-academia stories, but don’t. This school WILL try to kill you.
– [**Master of Crows** by Grace Draven](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6811150-master-of-crows): This is Draven’s best work, in my opinion. Half fantasy, half romance; Martise is a slave trying to win her freedom. Her master – a sorcerer of the Conclave – will free her if she can find incriminating evidence against a renegade sorcerer, Silhara – the Master of Crows.
## Historical
– [**☆☆ The Black Madonna** by Stella Riley](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50913323-the-black-madonna?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=CBZDZXL5BX&rank=7): This is a historical epic set during the English Civil Wars (1640s-1650s). This is my favorite book and I wrote an entire [rave post](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/comments/17n4lev/roundheads_cavaliers_by_stella_riley_a_series/) about this series describing why it is so excellent. It is the first book in the Roundheads & Cavaliers 4-book series.
– [**Lemonade** by Nina Pannachi](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24965067-lemonade?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RhVngZ0lFI&rank=8): This is a woman’s mundane horror written like it is a historical romance novel. This book contains graphic descriptions on on-page rape by the main male character, who is the villain of the story. Do not go into this book thinking it is a historical romance, because it is not.
## Romance
– [**☆ The Devil in Winter** by Lisa Kleypas](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10137516-the-devil-in-winter?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=77ZR8pfQMo&rank=1): Historical romance is my favorite kind of romance, and this book is the best of its genre and tropes.
– [**☆ The Parfit Knight** by Stella Riley](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57648671-the-parfit-knight?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=JGlLV7D86f&rank=1): Stella Riley is abslutely excellent at writing complex and flawed characters, and this series is no exception. Go into this book completely blind to get the most out of the experience.
– [**☆ The Duke of Shadows** by Meredith Duran](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3112394-the-duke-of-shadows?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=2EcrZ5k55f&rank=1): This is a historical romance that takes place in two parts, years apart: The first part in colonized (and revolting) India, the second part in London years later. A young couple experience the horrors of war and then are separated due to a particularly traumatic event. They are reunited years later and have to deal with the consequences of what they experienced.
– [**The Duke** by Gaelen Foley](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/958535.The_Duke): Bel is a ruined-woman-turned-courtesan who gets wrapped up in the Duke of Hawkscliffe’s quest to uncover the truth about a murder.
## Sci-Fi
– [**There Is No Antimemetics Division** by qntm](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54870256-there-is-no-antimemetics-division?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nHRDEoW4nz&rank=1): This is a book in the SCP universe and it made me feel insane while reading it. It is legitimately horrifying at certain points, and it’s very hard to describe what this book is actually about. It’s a masterpiece of creative writing style.
– [**The Land of the Beautiful Dead** by R. Lee Smith](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27228341-land-of-the-beautiful-dead?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_30): Smith writes very bleak philosophical sci-fi and this is their best book. Set in a dystopian future where a god-like figure of Death has destroyed much of humanity.
– [**The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August** by Claire North](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35066358-the-first-fifteen-lives-of-harry-august): I give North props for coming up with the most unique take on time travel I’ve ever read. Harry August is a human who is reborn at the start of his life every time he dies. At the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears and warns him that the end of the world is coming unless Harry can do something about it.
– [**Ender’s Game** by Orson Scott Card](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game): I don’t particularly like the author, but I can’t deny that this is a sci-fi classic everyone should read.
## Horror
– [**A Dowry of Blood** by S.T. Gibson](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60521937-a-dowry-of-blood?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=X3w8x8zDB9&rank=1): This is the gothic tale of Dracula as told from the perspective of his first bride, Constanta. It is an excellent example of female rage.
– [**Then, Earth Swallowed Ocean** by Shiloh Sloane](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22098369.Shiloh_Sloane): This is a very bloody and dark horror-romance. The best, grittiest version of animalistic werewolves I’ve read, written in a really interesting style. The sequel, [Cracked Blue Sky](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200818626-cracked-blue-sky) is also very good, but I preferred the horror of the first book to the detective-mystery of the second.
– [**Harrow Faire** Series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley](https://www.goodreads.com/series/299614-harrow-faire): This series straddles several genres: horror, fantasy, paranormal, dark romance. It has some very messed up stuff in it, so definitely check content warnings if you are sensitive to abusive or violent content in books. Cora is a normal girl who goes to a circus-like faire one day. She is tricked into becoming part of the faire itself: an eternal, ghostly world where the performers are semi-immortal and violent formerly-human creatures.
## Mystery
– [**The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2429135.The_Girl_with_the_Dragon_Tattoo): In my opinion, this is the most well-crafted mystery/detective novel written in the 21st century. The very best books of this genre are ones where the reader is given enough clues that they could possibly work out the mystery on their own, but you could still feasibly still be very surprised by how the plot ultimately plays out. This book accomplishes that excellently.
– [**☆ The Alienist**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40024.The_Alienist): This may be my favorite detective novel and it works very well with the time, culture, and technology constraints of the time period in which it is set. The year is 1896 and New York is home to a serial killer. The field of criminology is new and little understood, and the detective in this case is psychologist Laszlo Kreizler. Definitely read the book and don’t want the tv show based on it.
## Thriller
– [**The Mindf*ck** Series by S.T. Abby](https://www.goodreads.com/series/198785-mindf-ck): Lana is a serial killer with a mysterious background, taking revenge on those who have harmed her and her family. Logan is an FBI agent tracking down this serial killer. They cross paths without knowing who the other is. This is a series of 5 very short books, so they could all be read together like one larger book.
## Classics
– [**☆ The Count of Monte Cristo** by Alexandre Dumas](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7126.The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo): This is the single greatest revenge story ever written. Do not be intimidated by the length of the book and do not read a shortened version; every page of this book is perfect.
– [**☆ The Annotated Pride and Prejudice** by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=the+annotated+pride+and+prejudice&ref=nav_sb_noss_l_33): Jane Austen is a queen of satire and romance, but I highly recommend the versions that include Shapard’s annotations. The additional historical context adds so much to the stories.
– [**Jane Eyre** by Charlotte Bronte](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10210.Jane_Eyre): Gothic romance does not get better than this.
– [**Les Miserables** by Victor Hugo](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24280.Les_Mis_rables): Do you want to read a historical epic and learn about French history while drowning in a sea of human misery?
## Fan Fiction
– [**Manacled** by SenLinYu](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52122096-manacled?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_8): What if Dumbledore died before he could teach Harry about the Horcruxes, meaning the war between good and evil became that much harder and thus the good guys lose. What then?
——————————————-
# Deep Dives
I’ve written several deep dive posts about certain series I love that deserve more attention than they get, here they are:
– [Roundheads & Cavaliers by Stella Riley](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/comments/17n4lev/roundheads_cavaliers_by_stella_riley_a_series/)
– [Mages of the Wheel by J.D. Evans](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/187puej/why_you_should_read_mages_of_the_wheel_by_jd/)
– [Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/comments/18hnxwi/daughter_of_the_forest_by_juliet_marillier_the/)
——————————————-
I hope you guys find a book or two you enjoy from this list 🙂
by Lisbeth_Salandar