So, I figure one of my regular posts can be Top 10 Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish.
This weeks theme is top 10 all time favourite books in X genre (I'm free to choose whatever genre I wish). I have chosen the fantasy genre. I have based a books genre off of the genres listed on the books' Goodreads page, so if you don't agree with my classification of a book that is where I got my info from.
So here it goes...
1. The Hobbit: JRR Tolkien - This was one of my favourite books as a child. It's still one of my favourite stories, even if it has been many years since I read it. It's a classic which I think everyone should read at some point in their life.
2. American Gods: Neil Gaiman - Now this book I struggled with. It took me a couple of attempts to get through it. Mostly due to it's length. I enjoyed it though. The entire mythology behind it was truly immense and it was for that reason it is one of my favourites. It is not strictly what you would think of as fantasy, but I feel the mythological elements to it qualify it enough for my liking.
3. Howl's Moving Castle: Diana Wynne Jones - This book took my years to get around to reading, but I always knew I would love it. After all, I adored the anime film, so there was no way I wouldn't like the book.
4. Graceling: Kristin Cashore - I only read this book recently, as in last week (with a review of the series to follow soon). I know it took a while for me to catch up with everyone else's hype, but I understand why everyone has been bigging up these books.
5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone: Laini Taylor - How psyched am I for next month when the third book in the series comes out? I didn't expect to like this book. It took me forever to buy it after some of the reviews I read, but eventually I decided I was intrigued so decided to buy. I am glad I did. This book had everything, I couldn't put it down, so it's definitely a favourite.
6. Good Omens: Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett - This book was immense. I wanted to read it for a long time, and it just wasn't available in my local bookstore (this was back in the days before I had my own bank card to buy things online with, so a few years ago indeed) so when I eventually got it I was wary. You know when you've hyped a book up so much in your mind and so you are fearful of starting it, in case it disappoints? I had that, but I got over it and it was awesome.
7. Throne of Glass: Sarah J Maas - Another book well known in the blogosphere, so I won't bother to go on about it. But it is a favourite, of course.
8. The Night Circus: Erin Morgenstern - This book was something I had heard of for a while, but didn't think it would interest me, then I saw a review online. That review completely changed my mind I instantly went out and bought it. It took a while for me to get into it, I didn't instantly warm to it. Once it hooked me though, it hooked me. I would recommend it to everyone.
9. The Bone Season: Samantha Shannon - Another book which needs no introduction. Everyone and their mom was talking about this book before it came out. I even saw it referred to as the new Harry Potter. That is a poor comparison. Sure, both are series with excellent world building, but that's where the similarity ends. Don't let me saying that to put you off though, I think the comparison and the hype ruined this book for many. Go in with no expectations and you should enjoy it more.
10. A Discovery of Witches: Deborah Harkness - This book has been lurking on various recommendation lists for me for a while. I overlooked it as the synopsis didn't intrigue me. Eventually, I decided to give it a go, mostly because I was forever seeing it around and because the protagonist it a historian, and I studied history and I figured that was a good enough link. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling to find a good modern fantasy/supernatural type novel intended for an adult audience.
And there you go. That's my first Top 10 Tuesday. What did you think? Have you read any books on my list? Are there any fantasy novels which you think should be on my list but aren't? What are your recommendations for me?
2. American Gods: Neil Gaiman - Now this book I struggled with. It took me a couple of attempts to get through it. Mostly due to it's length. I enjoyed it though. The entire mythology behind it was truly immense and it was for that reason it is one of my favourites. It is not strictly what you would think of as fantasy, but I feel the mythological elements to it qualify it enough for my liking.
3. Howl's Moving Castle: Diana Wynne Jones - This book took my years to get around to reading, but I always knew I would love it. After all, I adored the anime film, so there was no way I wouldn't like the book.
4. Graceling: Kristin Cashore - I only read this book recently, as in last week (with a review of the series to follow soon). I know it took a while for me to catch up with everyone else's hype, but I understand why everyone has been bigging up these books.
5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone: Laini Taylor - How psyched am I for next month when the third book in the series comes out? I didn't expect to like this book. It took me forever to buy it after some of the reviews I read, but eventually I decided I was intrigued so decided to buy. I am glad I did. This book had everything, I couldn't put it down, so it's definitely a favourite.
6. Good Omens: Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett - This book was immense. I wanted to read it for a long time, and it just wasn't available in my local bookstore (this was back in the days before I had my own bank card to buy things online with, so a few years ago indeed) so when I eventually got it I was wary. You know when you've hyped a book up so much in your mind and so you are fearful of starting it, in case it disappoints? I had that, but I got over it and it was awesome.
7. Throne of Glass: Sarah J Maas - Another book well known in the blogosphere, so I won't bother to go on about it. But it is a favourite, of course.
8. The Night Circus: Erin Morgenstern - This book was something I had heard of for a while, but didn't think it would interest me, then I saw a review online. That review completely changed my mind I instantly went out and bought it. It took a while for me to get into it, I didn't instantly warm to it. Once it hooked me though, it hooked me. I would recommend it to everyone.
9. The Bone Season: Samantha Shannon - Another book which needs no introduction. Everyone and their mom was talking about this book before it came out. I even saw it referred to as the new Harry Potter. That is a poor comparison. Sure, both are series with excellent world building, but that's where the similarity ends. Don't let me saying that to put you off though, I think the comparison and the hype ruined this book for many. Go in with no expectations and you should enjoy it more.
10. A Discovery of Witches: Deborah Harkness - This book has been lurking on various recommendation lists for me for a while. I overlooked it as the synopsis didn't intrigue me. Eventually, I decided to give it a go, mostly because I was forever seeing it around and because the protagonist it a historian, and I studied history and I figured that was a good enough link. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling to find a good modern fantasy/supernatural type novel intended for an adult audience.
And there you go. That's my first Top 10 Tuesday. What did you think? Have you read any books on my list? Are there any fantasy novels which you think should be on my list but aren't? What are your recommendations for me?
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