This year, I’ll be participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by thatartsyreadergirl.
I thought this was going to be difficult to come up with ten choices, but it turns out I’ve actually read a lot of books with names in the title… and have a lot more on my TBR.
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
I limited myself to one per author, and it was a hard choice between The Song of Achilles and Circe, but Achilles made me cry, which meant it perversely won out. - Sabriel by Garth Nix
A classic that I came to as an adult, and I didn’t love it any less for that. Though I do wish I’d had Sabriel as an example of fantasy featuring strong women when I was younger. I’m not sure how I missed this series. - Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
This middle grade novel packs a punch, and has a lot to say to both kids and adults alike. A great example of diversity in fiction for younger readers. - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Again, it was a tough choice between this and Piranesi, but I have to admire Clarke for putting out a book so dense and ambitious for her debut. It’s not for everyone, but this book really rewards close reading and is one of my favourites. - Cinder by Marissa Meyer
From chonky adult fantasy to chonky YA, the Lunar Chronicles series is one of my favourites. I love the way that Meyer keeps elements of each fairytale but also makes them completely her own. - Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
This book has a bit of a cult following over at r/fantasy and I can see why. It’s wildly imaginative, and the prose is excellent. I really need to get around to reading the sequels. - The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
I included this one in last week’s Top Ten Tuesday, but I’m adding it again because I enjoyed it so much. - Lore by Alexandra Bracken
It doesn’t matter how many times I recommend this book, I still find the cover very unsettling. But the book itself is a fun blend of urban fantasy and Greek myths, and very easy to get hooked by. - Fable by Adrienne Young
I love seafaring/pirate stuff so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I enjoyed this, but I didn’t expect it to be one of my favourite YA books in recent years. The atmosphere is incredible. - Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle was one of my favourite series last year, and I was just blown away by both the depth of character relationships and the prose, as well as the way it turns a lot of the typical YA tropes on their head. (This is actually my least favourite of the quartet, but it was the only one with a character name in the title).
Firstbreaths Reviews 