Reading slumps are the absolute worst! You want to read something good but you just don’t know what to start and commit to. Worry not, I am here to help you get out of that slump with these book recommendations that I loved. From unique fantasies to emotional realism, there is something here for everyone.
The Cruel Prince
Holly Black’s “The Cruel Prince” follows Jude Duarte as she, a mere human, lives life in the faerie world, Elfhame. When the King of Elfhame is killed, Jude’s world flips upside down. She must protect what’s left of the royal family and somehow put the prince, Cardan Greenbriar, on the throne. This is all happening while her father hunts them down, hoping to secure the throne for himself and doom Elfhame to a future of war and destruction.
Jude’s whole life is in Elfhame, it is her home. So, in order to ensure the safety of Elfhame’s future, Jude and Cardan must put their rocky pasts behind them. Together, they work together in the shadows, gaining allies and political power from Elfhame’s many courts.
With betrayal around every corner and new dangers arising every second, Jude must manage to navigate it all despite being a powerless human in a supernatural world. The question is, can she survive it all while keeping Cardan alive and Elfhame from falling apart?
I absolutely loved this book for its political plot and intense action. The fantasy world of Elfhame is so beautiful. It is full of many unique creatures and concepts that sweep the readers away from reality and into the story.
The dynamic between Jude and Cardan changes so much throughout the book. From enemies to an unlikely duo, the energy between them is unmatched.
The hardships Jude faces as a human in the faerie world are what make her a truly incredible main female character. She demonstrates great strength and overcomes many challenges throughout the book.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to get lost in a unique fantasy world and are looking for a book with a strong female lead to relate to.
Powerless
Lauren Roberts’ series “Powerless” follows Paedyn, an Ordinary in a world of Elites with supernatural powers. Paedyn is forced to compete in the “Trials” against Elites where she meets Kai, a powerful Elite who can wield any power. Throughout the book, Paedyn and Kai form a relationship. That is, until it is shattered by the King of Ilya.
With Paedyn’s troubled past and heritage, she is forced to fight for her life both during and outside of the Trials. The King knows something that she doesn’t even realize.
Meanwhile, Kai struggles with where his loyalties lie. The King and his duties, or the girl who has made him start to question what he stands for. After years of lies and betrayal, Paedyn and Kai are inching closer to the truth, whether they want to or not.
This book, and overall the whole series, is the definition of an emotional roller coaster. Betrayals, loss, love, and huge revelations make an intense storyline. The plot of the story has so many twists and turns that you can never fully know what to expect with each new page.
The romance in the story is so intense as well. The slow burn and tension between the two main characters is enough to hook anyone, even from the very beginning. There is a great dynamic between Paedyn and Kai, as they change throughout the stories. Their beliefs and motives change along with them as well, showing considerable growth in their characters.
My favorite aspect of the book is definitely the romance, however the action and suspense are what truly makes the book special. By the end of the book I was in a chokehold, desperately reading on to see what happened next. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into suspenseful thrillers and romance.
Shatter Me
Tahereh Mafi’s “Shatter Me” follows Juliette through a broken world controlled by the Reestablishment. The world is split into its continents and then sectors, each individually controlled by someone of the Reestablishment, the corrupted government. Juliette lives in Sector 45, run by the cruel son of the Supreme Commander of North America.
Juliette is imprisoned for the world’s safety. She is dangerous, for a simple touch from her could suck the life straight out of a person.
But one day her life flips around. She breaks out of the facility she is held in and joins Adam Kent in escape. Adam comes from the Reestablishment, however he has decided to go against the corrupt organization and help Juliette escape.
Following her escape, she starts to learn things about her powers. She finds people who are immune to her touch and who can help her learn to control her powers. Now that she can command her powers, she becomes an unstoppable force.
Juliette dares to take on the challenge of bringing the Reestablishment down. After years of drowning in hatred of it, she is finally free to take the revenge she didn’t know she was capable of taking.
Though things change, people change. Allies from unlikely places emerge, even from the place she swore to take down. Juliette is torn between trust and deception and can’t place what fits where. Who are her real allies?
This book is extremely action packed and there are new twists and turns with every page. I read this book in a single day after getting hooked right away from the start. The intensity only increases the further you get into the book.
I absolutely loved this book for its dystopian world and the main character. Juliette is a strong female character but she also has her downs that I can understand. She isn’t all-powerful, but human, just like the reader.
I also loved the romance throughout the book and the rest of the series as characters change and adapt to new situations. The dystopian world paired with the tense energy of the romance throughout the book work together to make a fantastic read. I also loved Mafi’s writing style and imagination.
This book includes a little bit of everything from all the fiction subgenres but not in an overwhelming way. Everything in this book fits together perfectly, naturally.
I would totally suggest reading this book to all the dystopian readers who are looking for something a little different. I will also recommend this book to the romance and fantasy readers since this book includes a little for them as well. This book definitely has something for everyone.
if he had been with me
Laura Nowlin’s “if he had been with me” follows Autumn through her middle and high school years, her best friend, Finny by her side the entire way. However, as they enter their high school years, a distance begins to grow between them.
Autumn meets new people at high school, one of which is her new boyfriend, Jamie.
As Finny starts to fade into the background, Autumn finds happiness with Jamie and her new friend group. However, her friends and boyfriend aren’t who they seem to be on the outside. After being abandoned by them, she finds herself with Finny, being comforted, despite the years of distancing they have now gone through with each other.
After some making up and confessions, they two find themselves together at last, finally realizing that they needed and wanted each other all along.
Though, they don’t have the time to be together for long. Finny is off, driving to pick up a friend from the airport, and everything goes wrong. Fatally wrong.
“if he had been with me” is a very emotional and impactful story, especially for those in their high school years. The book covers a lot of experiences that the majority of high school students can relate to, as well as deeper and more serious topics. Most everyone who reads this book will find something they can relate to and understand.
The emotion conveyed in this story is intense as well, with the characters experiencing ups, downs, and a few hitting rock bottom. This book shows how different events can affect one’s life, even from those who aren’t directly involved.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone in high school who is looking for a deep and impactful story. My favorite aspect of the story was the emotion shown in the characters. It was so deep and meaningful to both the story overall and myself as the reader.
Once Upon a Broken Heart
Stephanie Garber’s “Once Upon a Broken Heart” follows Evangeline as she finds herself locked in a deal with the evil Prince of Hearts, Jacks. Broken hearted and desperate, Evangeline involves herself with magic, dangerous and unnatural power. Tangled in a world with Jacks, she begins to discover secrets, things about herself that end up with her in a mess of chaos.
She finds herself going from being loved to hunted rather quickly by her fiancé, forcing her to turn to Jacks for answers. After revealing some dark secrets about Evangeline and what she’s capable of, Jacks convinces her to help him unlock the Valory Arch, a place where anything, even time travel, is possible for his selfish needs. Little does she know, this mission would greatly endanger her life.
As the pair attempts to find the missing stones needed to help Evangeline to open the Arch, they are forced to confront many dangers, from vampires to enchanted princes, they face it all. Along the way, Jacks, the ruthless Prince of Hearts, begins to feel something forbidden. Is his cold heart cracking?
Meanwhile, Evangeline fights against the dangers of the supernatural world, uncovering secrets and revealing truths. Can they actually survive long enough to unlock the Valory Arch?
I absolutely loved this book for its romance and the dynamic characters. Despite the romance being slow-paced, it is intense throughout all parts of the story and the chemistry between the two characters was the kind that had me giggling and kicking my feet.
On top of the romance, the plot overall is very well written and ties the world and magic together neatly. The plot is what ended up bringing the characters together despite it being through unlikely and dangerous circumstances. I like that this book is the kind of fantasy you would see from old Disney movies, with curses and true love.
I especially enjoyed this fantasy because it was easy to understand and dive into the storyline. I am not usually much of a fantasy fan because they can be hard to follow and understand but this one keeps it simple but in the most unique way.
I highly recommend this book to the romantasy (romance/fantasy) readers who want a fantasy love story that feels like a fairytale. This is a book where those readers can feed their inner child on that classic fairytale vibe.
Caraval
Stephanie Garber’s “Caraval” follows Scarlett Dragna as she and her sister are invited to participate in the travelling sensation, Caraval; a game that defies all normal laws of nature. Master Legend, the game-master, has invited them personally to attend the show! However, they must remember to never get swept too far into the game, for it could end up with fatal consequences.
Little does Scarlett know, this game is about to become all too real. When her sister, Donatella, goes missing and becomes the main component in the game, Scarlett must race against the other players to find her and crack the code to the game. She teams up with another player, Julian, to find her sister, but Julian seems to know a little too much about the game.
From defying the laws of time to seeing the future, Scarlett does it all to find her sister. Is Scarlett getting swept too far away in the game? Is the game actually real?
With so many questions left unanswered, Scarlett continues forward, solving each clue to take another step closer to the truth.
This book is definitely among the most unique fantasy books I’ve ever read. The world of magic is unlike anything I’ve read about. That paired with the mysterious storyline makes this a very entertaining read.
“Caraval” is definitely one of those stories that will make the reader think. The book is like one giant mystery to solve alongside the main character. There are many clues given the the main character that the reader can also take part in dissecting, making the book an easy way for readers to step away from reality and plunge into the fantasy world of “Caraval”.
This read is definitely entertaining and quite a thriller, even from the start. With the world of “Caraval” being so mysterious, the storyline and topics make so many unexpected twists and turns that any normal fantasy reader wouldn’t expect.
I highly recommend this to all the fantasy lovers, or to those who are just getting into fantasy in general, since there is more of a realistic touch than most normal fantasies. If you are someone who doesn’t like the complexities of typical fantasy with faeries and odd creatures then this book is right for you.
Now that you have your books, get reading! You have a whole new world inside these books to explore.
