10 books/series i recommend if i like you
welcome to my first book recommendations post!
1. A Dowry of Blood, S.T. Gibson
“We’ve waltzed through a hundred tiny apocalypses, you and I, walked unharmed through the ash of countless crumbling regimes. We feast on the ruin of empires, Constanta. Their destruction is our high feast day.”
If you're searching for something short to finish up your Goodreads goal, read A Dowry of Blood. It's a retelling of the story of Dracula's first bride, Constanta, and one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read.
I think it's so painfully underrated. There's an air of suspense as Constanta recounts her story from the start to when she meets Dracula as a mortal and concludes it after his death. I loved how the story was told in a letter-like format with raw emotions and everything read like poetry.
2. Alone With You in the Ether, Olivie Blake
“Can you love my brain even when it is small? When it is malevolent? When it is violent? Can you love it even when it does not love me?”
Alone With You in the Ether is my favourite book of all time and I’m 2 rereads away from insanity. The writing is so brilliant and I think the way she described Aldo and Reagan’s relationship was so intricate. When I first read it, I fell in love with the complex storytelling and I remember how I wanted to highlight the whole book. Every single conversation or interaction between the main characters captivated me and I didn't want it to end.
For more quotes, check out my other post.
3. Sands of Arwaiya, Hafsah Faizal
“Your turn. What colour do you like most?"
"You," he said so softly it was only a sound.
The intensity of his gaze stole the air from her lungs. She shook her head. "That-"
"Every colour that makes you.”
The Sands of Arwaiya is one of my favourite duologies to date. You might know it as Hafsah Faizal's books, We Hunt The Flame and We Free The Stars. This series was slow-burn goodness, and everything about it was exquisite. The second book, in particular, is my favourite because of the quotes. The way Nasir professed his love for Zafira still sends me into a spiral, and I think you should read the book for them.
4. This Is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
“I love you. I love you. I love you. I’ll write it in waves. In skies. In my heart. You’ll never see, but you will know. I’ll be all the poets, I’ll kill them all and take each one’s place in turn, and every time love’s written in all the strands it will be to you.”
This Is How You Lose the Time War is another way to meet your reading goal because of how short it is, but truly, it’s so good. It’s sci-fi and fantasy with the enemies-to-lovers trope and they communicate in the form of letters. The writing is so incredible, and I love how they refer to one another with nicknames inspired by the colours they represent (Red/Blue).
I reread this back in July and I’ve fallen in love with it again. Be warned though, the ending hurts.
5. If You Could See the Sun, Ann Liang
“Eventually, when I decide it’s safe to look at him again without my skin bursting into flames, he says, “Do you feel better now?”
“Huh?”
“You tend to stop being so scared when you’re angry,” he explains.
Confusion bubbles inside me. “How—how do you know that?”
“I notice,” he says simply.”
If You Could See The Sun was one of my best reads of 2022, and because of this book, Ann Liang became one of my favourite authors. It's light-hearted, fast-paced, and I was unable to put the book because I was having so much fun reading it!
You’ll enjoy it if you love the academic rivals-to-lovers trope, and Alice and Henry will steal your heart. The paperback of If You Could See The Sun comes with bonus content of Henry’s POV, and trust me, you’ll want to read that one too.
P.S. Go check out Ann’s other books for me.
6. The Wrath & the Dawn Duology, Renée Ahdieh
“What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered.
“If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.” The weapons still in her grasp, she shoved against his chest.
“No.” His hands dropped to her waist. “Destroy me.”
The Wrath and the Dawn duology is a retelling of the 1001 Arabian Nights tale, and it's another addition to my list of favourite duologies. The writing was impeccable, and my favourite book quote of all time is in the first book. I was in complete awe of the first book because it truly felt like a gem, and the storytelling made it even better. Shahrzad was a force to behold, and I loved how brave and defiant she was.
7. The Marghazar Trials, Aamna Qureshi
“I lay myself bare before you,” he whispered, his nose grazing her jaw. “What fabric is your heart cut from? Is it silken and soft? Velveteen and plush? Woolen and thick? Whatever it is, cover me with it.”
I read The Marghazar Trials by Aamna Qureshi last year, and just thinking about it makes me want to break down again. I feel like if you loved We Hunt The Flame and The Wrath & The Dawn, you'll love The Lady or the Lion.
It's a desi retelling of Frank R. Stockton's The Lady, or the Tiger, and it's also one of my favourite 2023 reads The writing was exquisite, the world-building was magnificent, and most importantly, the protagonists were incredible. Durkhanai and Asfandyar have my heart, always.
8. Windy City Series, Liz Tomforde
“So, ‘Vee’, huh?”
“It’s a family nickname.”
“My family nickname is Zee. Vee and Zee. Aren’t we fucking adorable?”
A small laugh escapes her.
On the note of my top 2023 reads, there's another series you have to check out. The Windy City Series by Liz Tomforde is an amazing sports romance you have to check out.
I haven’t read a series this good in a long time and let me tell you why. Both Mile High and The Right Move lived up to the hype, and I enjoyed reading them so much. I loved Stevie and Zanders in Mile High so much, and I fell in love with Ryan and Indy by the time I started The Right Move. While I didn’t enjoy the third book, Caught Up, Play Along made up for it and reminded me why I loved this series so much.
9. Lovelight Series, B.K. Borison
“I’m going to love her in all the quiet ways, the slow ways, the loud and obnoxious ways. My heart has been moving steadily in that direction since she fell down the steps of a hardware store, right into my arms.”
If you're looking for a series that feels as comforting as a hot cup of tea, pick up the Lovelight Series right now.
Lovelight Farms was probably the book that deepened my love for small-town romances, and you have to read the rest of the series: In The Weeds (#2), Mixed Signals (#3), and the recently released Business Casual (#4). Each of the books represents a season, and overall, reading the series makes me so, so happy.
10. It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey
“Please. Please come here.”
“Why? So you can put me in the recharging station? You have the most dangerous job in the country, Brendan. I don’t want your hugs.”
“Recharging station?”
“That’s what I call it…Never mind.”
“When I hug you? My hugs are your recharging station?”
It Happened One Summer is another small-town romance that I adore. It’s light-hearted and steamy, and unfortunately, it also raised my standards a little too high. I still think about Brendan Taggart all the time 2 years after I read it because it’s just that memorable.
Brendan’s relationship with Piper was cute, but I absolutely loved how crazy he was simping after her. He’s just so dreamy, and that’s probably why he sits at the top of my book-boyfriends list.
This book has a sequel — Hook, Line, & Sinker — that follows her sister Hannah and his best friend Fox. It was a cute friends-to-lovers book, but clearly, the first book has my heart more.
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