There was a while where I struggled to find any interest in reading. I've heard from many of my friends they also fall into the rut. Sometimes all it takes is one good book to relight that love of reading. Lucky for you I've got 5! Below are 5 of my favorite books that not only are (in my opinion) just phenomenal stories but will hopefully get you back into reading.
1. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
This book stole my heart by the first page. Not only does this series feel fresh, original, and striking, it is a stark examination on society and human nature. The characters chemistry in this new world makes the reader wonder how they might function in a world where the cloud has become sentient. It's been a long time when I found a book that made me audibly gasp, and surprise me. These books did it. I flew through the series in a matter of days.
The official description reads: "Thou shalt kill.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.
Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own."
2. A Court of Thornes and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
This series refreshed my love of fantasy. It is the go-to for most of my friends when they recommend a book. It's captivating, fun, and a little *spicy* (the following books get progressively spicer, so Adults Only!). Even if you don't like faeries and magic, give the first book a try. You'll be on the fourth of the series before you know it.
The official description reads: "Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever."
3. From Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This is another fantastic series that just keeps me asking for more. The world Armentrout creates is dark, mysterious, and absolutely captivating. You quickly fall in love with the protagonist, and the twists in this book are hard to see coming. This is another recommendation for adults only, as there are many spicy scenes.
The official description reads: "A Maiden…
Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.
A Duty…
The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.
A Kingdom…
Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel."
4. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Yes, this is another book about magic. But while the others have love, and romance, A Darker Shade of Magic is a riveting story about the struggle for power.
The official description reads: "Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive."
5. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
What makes this book so unique is not only the story, but the world that Moreno-Garcia plunges the readers into. The surrealism of Mayan Gods and the trials the heroine undertakes keeps the reader wanting more. If you're looking for a different story or by one from a person of color, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a great place to start.
The official description reads:" The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.
Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.
In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld."