I used to love to read when I was younger. I could get through a 500+ page novel in a day. Unfortunately, like so many others, I stopped reading as much during high school because the books I was supposed to read for a grade were not interesting to me, and it ruined my love for reading. Now I'm 22 and I think I've read maybe 3 novels in the past five years. I want to read again so badly, but I don't know where to start book-wise.
These are some books I liked growing up: Pride & Prejudice, The Raven Cycle series, The Song of Achilles, Percy Jackson. The usual young adult reads.
I know there's not a lot there, so I'll give you some movies I like too: Tron: Legacy, Sinners, The Birdcage (1996), The Fall (2006), Howl's Moving Castle.
I've always loved fantasy, so I think that's probably the best genre to start with. I don't mind a little NSFW, but that's not really the reason why I like fantasy; I'm much more into world-building. That's really my biggest thing, if there's a book with lots of intense and structured world-building, I'm sure I'll love it.
I apologize if this isn't enough information to give some solid suggestions, but I'm really working from scratch here, so anything would probably be helpful.
Thank you!
Edit: Should add, I want books that aren't so male character-heavy. Not saying I need every character to be a women, but I have no interest in reading books where the only female character is a poor-written love interest.
by ericaleigh20
3 Comments
Since you liked the movie Howl’s Moving Castle, you could read the book by Diana Wynn Jones. It is pretty different than the movie (and better imo.) It’s a YA book, so it should be a nice, easy way to ease back into reading and retrain your focus. There are some sequels to the book, too, that you might enjoy.
**”Classic” Fantasy (80s-early 00s)**
* Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr
* Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearne (this one is more like Historical fiction with fantasy elements)
* *The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey*
* Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
**”Modern” fantasy: (mid/late 00’s – now)**
* Red Rising by Pierce Brown (sci fi space opera but reads more like fantasy)
* The Lightbringer Chronicles by Brent Weeks
* *Book of the Ancestor by Mark Lawrence*
* *Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey*
Edit: This list includes books old and new that generally are fast paced, have great character work, intricate world building, and incredible depth. There is a range here and the 3 italicized are the ones I suggest yo start with as they are the best ones IMO. The rest are also great but these are the easiest to digest. They are all series (some of them long) but with first books that either draw you in completely or which don’t make it feel like a waste if you don’t want to continue with the series.
Spinning Silver and Uprooted by Naomi Novik are both great standalone fantasy books!
Her Golden Enclaves trilogy is great too, and has a lot of world building.
Robin McKinley also has a bunch of awesome female-centric fantasy books.
The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword are set in the same world.
She also wrote several fairytale retellings.