Well, hi! It's been a while since I wrote a blog post. A looooong while. I promise to be better about doing this once a month.
I wanted to take a moment to share my all-time most-influential books. None of these are recent reads. Why? Because I wanted to list books that I've come back to over many years, reread multiple times, and have influenced me as a person, reader, and author. They're books that have stood the test of time in my life. Books I love. Books I hold dear. Books that I have a strong sentimental attachment to.
Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling. I have managed to separate this book from its author in light of her ignorant comments, but this series has perhaps the most important books I have ever read. This series made me love the fantasy genre and realize that magic is cool, but HP also made me want to write. I only started seriously considering writing in 5th grade after I read The Sorcerer's Stone. I don't think I'd be published today if I hadn't picked up HP1 that year. It's also my most re-read series (I think I'm counting at least 10 times all the way through).
Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Admittedly, I only read this series after I saw The Fellowship of the Ring in movie theaters, but I became obsessed with the story and the world. It was right around the same time I began writing my own fantasy story, and Tolkien has heavily influenced my work for decades. My older sister was a huge Tolkien nerd, and had spent years trying to get me interested in his works. She used to read The Hobbit to me when I was five, but to be honest, I really didn't listen, and mostly enjoyed her attention. She made me go see Fellowship, and I'm so glad she did. Turns out that she was right all along.
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. This series. This author! I'd say this is one of my first fantasy obsessions outside of HP & LoTR. I've reread this many times, and I'm hankering to read it again soon. Taylor's worldbuilding is so magical and unique, and her writing is impeccable and moving. It's also the first YA series I read where romance was a focus, and I had no idea fantasy could do that, while also having strong female characters. It also made me want to go to Prague, and I did several years ago! I highly recommend this series to everyone.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. An underrated, little-known YA historical fantasy. I think I stumbled upon this in high school, and it instantly entranced me. Dark magic at a girls boarding school in the Edwardian era? I loved the vibes and the characters, and also more romance.
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin. This is my all-time favorite fantasy series. Since the moment I randomly bought the first book at B&N after college, it's had its hold on me. No one writes like Jemisin. She cannot be replicated, and I cannot properly express how her writing speaks to me. This series altered my brain chemistry. It's dark and depressing and gritty and gripping. I will always recommend this series to anyone interested in reading something that is truly a masterpiece in fantastical writing.
Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones. I saw the movie first, but it launched me into this series in high school. It's as whimsical as the movie, and more detailed, so if you've only watched the 2004 film, please read the book. Both are beautiful, but the book has even more magic. Did you know this is actually a trilogy? People don't often realize Howl isn't a standalone, although the 2nd two books don't follow Howl & Sophie (but they do make appearances). This series is full of fun and heart, and it's a gold standard for traditional YA fantasy.
Hopefully, I've inspired you to pick up a few new fantasy series.
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