Jen Blair
Not everyone is a huge fantasy fan. I am. I read fantasies all the time. Some...are not good. They are not on this list. But these are the best of the best. Check it out!
They say vampires are back. Okay. I really didn’t want to read about vampires. But when Ahdieh writes about vampires? I’m in. A tale of thieves, magic, murder, and New Orleans. Follow Celine Rousseau as she tries to uncover the secrets of a serial killer while protecting her own secrets.
Sybella (Remember her from the Fair Assassin series?) and Genevieve are fighting to protect the duchess and themselves in a world filled with evil and uncertainty. Read anything and everything by Robin LaFevers. She is so, so good.
Folk of the Air [series] - Holly Black
If you need to binge an entire series this Winter Break - this is the one. With the release of The Queen of Nothing, the story of Jude, a human living in the land of faerie and Cardan, a faerie prince who is predicted to destroy the kingdom, comes to a satisfying close. This is one of my favorite series of all time. Simply brilliant.
You might think you know the story of King Arthur and his court, but you don’t. This is the story of Camelot from Guinevere’s perspective. With a twist from the very beginning that you won’t see coming, this tale takes you on a journey that you can’t forget. Guinevere rocks.
The rare sequel that was as good [better?] than the first. This book continues the story of A Curse So Dark and Lonely, but focuses on Grey and his ties to the monarchy. Following his heart might mean the destruction of his country. Oh, this story. These characters. One of my favorites ever.
Because Leigh Bardugo. You should just read everything by Leigh Bardugo. Always. This is a return to the Grishaverse with a story about the young king Nikolai Lantsov, who must find a way to hold his country together while protecting a secret so huge it threatens to tear him apart.
True confession: I bought this one for its cover. But the insides are just as delightful. From the opening set on the Orient Express in pre-WWII Europe, I was hooked. This is the story of Theodora and her best friend, Huck, as they try to find her father, an Indiana Jones-esque academic, and the secrets of Vlad the Impaler. This one is all the things. It’s like it was written just for me.
This book received so much buzz all summer. Was it just because of the pretty cover? Maybe. But then I was thoroughly transported by the story of a witch being forced into a marriage with a witch hunter for political reasons. All the things I love: powerful women, snappy dialogue, and rebelling against authoritarian leaders. Perfection.
A retelling of Rapunzel, with two sisters trapped inside a castle, away from the eyes of the world. One sister, apparently mad, and another trying to hold what’s left of her family together. Until one day a man walks through the hedge and everything changes.
In this conclusion to the [excellent] Dance of Thieves, Kazi and Jase continue to fight for their home and their people, risking their lives and their love to do so. Good gracious, this is just the best series.
“A girl who can speak to gods, a prince who must learn whom to trust, and a boy with a monstrous secret seek to assassinate the king and stop a centuries-long war.” This one had me enthralled from page one. Read it all in one sitting. Can’t wait for book two!
