Jen Blair
These are going to take a long time… What could be a better use of your vacation than two weeks away from school with nothing to do but read? So, here are some thick books, some completed series, and some series that have multiple books already released that you can start enjoying now. Go ahead, INDULGE yourself!
The author of the Divergent series does it again. This duology tells the story of a planetary system where all people develop “currentgifts” upon reaching their teen years. Cyra’s gift is to deliver pain. Akos is able to negate any gift and is therefore the one person who Cyra is able to touch without harming him. Together they fight being used for their powerful gifts by the evil ruler, Ryzek, Cyra’s brother. The Fates Divide was released last April so you can read the whole series NOW.
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The City of Brass / The Kingdom of Copper (1-22-2019) - S.A. Chakraborty
“A historical fantasy in which a young con artist in eighteenth century Cairo discovers she's the last descendant of a powerful family of djinn healers. With the help of an outcast immortal warrior and a rebellious prince, she must claim her magical birthright in order to prevent a war that threatens to destroy the entire djinn kingdom.”
An adult fantasy that is SUPER long, but my husband finished it in less than a week. Now’s your chance to get started on this trilogy before the second book is released in January.
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Clash of Kingdoms series : Ever the Hunted / Ever the Brave / Once a King (12-4-2018) - Erin Summerill
“When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer. However, it’s not so simple. The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. Britta must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.”
A strong female protagonist, magic, and romance. What are you waiting for? And you can read the whole series at once!
Conqueror’s Saga: And I Darken / Now I Rise / Bright We Burn - Kiersten White
“No one expects a princess to be brutal. But Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and her brother, Radu, are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.”
A fantasy series based on historical Transylvania and Constantinople, the third one was released last summer so you can read the whole thing in one gulp.
Book trailer: https://www.getunderlined.com/video/watch-the-official-and-i-darken-series-trailer/
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An Ember in the Ashes / A Torch Against the Night / A Reaper at the Gates - Sabaa Tahir
Are you an Emberling? Why not? Take this break to catch up with the rest of us and the saga of former slave Laia, who together with soldier Elias, attempts to take on the rulers of their authoritarian kingdom. Only one book left in the series, but you don’t want to be left out!
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Flame in the Mist / Smoke in the Sun - Renee Ahdieh
Mariko is the daughter of a prominent samurai who is shipped off to be married to the emperor’s son. After her convoy is attacked, she manages to survive and join a gang of bandits, vowing revenge.
A duology of high political intrigue that actually gets better with the second book.
Folk of the Air Series: The Cruel Prince / The Wicked King (1-8-2019) - Holly Black
“Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.”
Join me in my late start reading this trilogy that everyone else seems to be raving about. This is definitely on my list for Winter Break reading this year. The third in the series is expected next year in 2020.
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue / The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzi Lee
Enjoy the wit and wonder of the Montague siblings. Gentleman’s Guide takes you on a tour of 18th Century Europe with randy, selfish, and hilarious Monty. I have never laughed so hard or loved so much a hero who is completely non-deserving of any love. Lady’s Guide is the story of Monty’s sister Felicity and her attempts to attend medical school, when no one believes that a woman is worthy of education, let alone the intelligence to become a doctor. I didn’t think I could love anything more than Gentleman’s Guide, but this is another series where I loved the second book even more than the first.
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The Illuminae Files series: Illuminae / Gemina / Obsidio - Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Kady and Ezra just broke up. They thought THAT was the worst thing that could’ve happened today. But no, now their planet has been invaded and only a few lucky people are able to escape. Now the trouble REALLY starts. Told through interviews, IMs, medical files and more. Part Battlestar Galactica, part War Games. This series is action packed, hilarious, and pitch-perfect from start to finish. You need these books in your life.
Book trailer: https://www.getunderlined.com/video/the-illuminae-files-by-amie-kaufman-and-jay-kristoff-official-series-trailer/
Impostors + Uglies series: Uglies / Pretties / Specials / Extras - Scott Westerfeld
You can read Imposters on its own, but as it’s set in the Uglies world, don’t you want to read them all? You do. Take the break to read the whole series for the first time, or read them all again. They are definitely worth rereading.
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The Queens of Innis Lear - Tessa Gratton
“Three Queens. One crown. All out war. A variation on the Shakespearean story of the daughters of King Lear. Three sisters: Gaela, Ruthless Commander, Regan, Master Manipulator, and Elia, Star-blessed Priest, fight to gain control of their ailing father's crown.”
I haven’t read this one yet. I’m saving it for vacation so I can immerse myself in this world. I can’t wait!
Rebel of the Sands series: Rebel of the Sands / Traitor to the Throne / Hero at the Fall - Alwyn Hamilton
Amani left her small town life long ago. But it’s one thing to join a rebellion, it’s another to lead it. The finale of one of my favorite series ever. I know, I know, I keep talking about this series. Stop whining about my repetitiveness and just go read it already!
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Red Queen series: Red Queen / King’s Cage / Glass Sword / War Storm - Victoria Aveyard
“Power is a dangerous game. Mare Barrow, a lowly Red in a world of red-blooded laborers and silver-blooded elites, thought she knew what her future held. But when she learns that her red blood has been disguising a secret ability, one usually reserved only for Silvers, her life is turned upside down. How will the Silver ruling class keep her secret hidden from the increasingly restless Red population and their Scarlet Guard revolutionaries? And how will Mare use her sudden power to change the caste system, the kingdom, and the world--forever?”
Now that the whole series has been released, you can read it all now!
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Reign of the Fallen / Song of the Dead (1-22-2019) - Sarah Glenn Marsh
A fantasy duology with the final book in the series released in January.
"Odessa is one of Karthia's master necromancers, catering to the kingdom's ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it's Odessa's job to raise them by retrieving their souls from the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, the grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, blood thirsty Shades. A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears among Odessa's necromancer community. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees?"
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Renegades / Archenemies - Marissa Meyer
I love this trend of duologies - you get to finish a series after only two books! This duology by Marissa Meyer, author of The Lunar Chronicles, is about a world where society has fallen apart and the people are dependent on a group of a powerful few who have superpowers. Superheroes, battle of good and evil, action, vengeance… this series has it all.
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Scythe / Thunderhead - Neal Shusterman
The Thunderhead must only observe. But it does not like what it sees in the Scythedom. There are two factions of scythes fighting over when it is right to kill. But is it ever right to kill? And who gets to decide? If you haven’t read Scythe, start now, because this sequel only gets better. The third book in the series, The Toll, will be released sometime in 2019.
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Shatter Me series: Shatter Me / Unravel Me / Ignite Me / Restore Me - Tahereh Mafi
"No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering the strength to fight back for the very first time. As Juliette learns to embrace her power, she finds that everything she thought she knew was wrong. And that in Juliette's shattered world, her greatest enemy may be herself.”
The Shatter Me series continues with this year’s release of Restore Me. If you haven’t yet read Juliette’s story, now would be a great time to start!
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Strange the Dreamer / Muse of Nightmares - Laini Taylor
"In the aftermath of a war between gods and men, a hero, a librarian, and a girl must battle the fantastical elements of a mysterious city stripped of its name. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.”
Prepare yourself for devastation and death, fight scenes, revenge, and romance. Welcome to Weep.
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This Mortal Coil / This Cruel Design - Emily Suvada
"In a world where people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, gene-hacking genius Cat must decrypt her late father's message concealing a vaccine to a horrifying plague. Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?”
Only the first two of the trilogy have been released, and BOTH end with serious cliffhangers. I understand if you want to hold off until the final book is released, but they are so great I don’t know if you should wait!
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Throne of Glass series - Sarah J. Maas
Finally!!! Book Seven (The Kingdom of Ash) has been released! We will finally know the fate of Celaena Sardothien/Aelin Galathynius and her kingdom. Let’s all read the finale together!
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Truly Devious / The Vanishing Stair (1-22-2019) - Maureen Johnson
“New at Ellingham Academy, Stevie Bell tries to both solve a murder at campus and the decades-old cold case of a double kidnapping. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.”
I really wish these books had better covers. If you love a good murder mystery, witty dialogue, and non-stop suspense, ignore the covers and start reading this series NOW.
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Warcross / Wildcard - Marie Lu
A combination of Hunger Games and Ready Player One and Wall-E, this is the story of virtual reality prodigy, Emika Chen who breaks into the world championship of Warcross only to become embroiled in a hostile takedown of the game, that has repercussions far beyond the video game. The twists and turns of this story make it impossible to put down. And now that both books in this duology have been released, you can read the whole story!
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