Got a book recommendation? Looking to talk about non-Warrior Cats books? You’ve come to the right page!
Welcome to the BlogClan Bookshelf!
Here, you can talk about books that aren’t Warrior Cats! You can ask for and give recommendations on what to read! You can also talk about those books!
[a ginger tabby cat with white socks squeezes into the space above books lined up on a shelf]
Housekeeping Rules
- Include content warnings if necessary! This can be things like graphic violence, death, sexual content, etc. If you wouldn’t recommend it to a young kid without warning them what’s coming, then include content warnings!
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Has anyone read Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger? I absolutely love it and is currently on Curtsies and Conspiracies (the second book) 🙂
I haven’t, but it sounds cool!!! 😀
I havent but it sounds really cool!
Does anyone have any good fantasy series recommendations??? Like, not epic fantasy or way-too dark fantasy (I’ve read way too much of that already 😛 ) just pure, genuine, fantasy. Semi-dark fantasy is also okay 🙂 😀
urgh I’m not sure if a corrupt superhero city quite counts as fantasy BUT EITHER WAY I fully recommend Renegades by Marissa Meyer!!! it’s about a city full of superpowered people led by a group of probably corrupt superheroes, and the main character (who is my favorite. i love her with all my heart) is a villain who double-agents her way into the hero crew to take them down from the inside because they are all terrible horrible people, except there’s also a hero who hates the villains for his own personal reasons, so the dynamic is absolutely WILD and the character development through the books is PHENOMENAL and oh my lord I want to give all of them a hug and PLEASE READ THESE BOOKS SO I CAN YELL ABOUT THEM WITH MORE PEOPLE
OHDKFNFDKFDF I LOVE RENEGADESSSSS
I haven’t read it in FOREVER and never finished Supernova but gosh the series is soooo good :DD I definitely plan on rereading the series soon, I just don’t have the time currently 😛
I’ve read the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer; Renegades sounds cool!!!! Ty!!!!!! 😀
– If you’re looking for something with lots of mystery and found family, I’d give Mistborn (also called The Final Empire) by Brandon Sanderson a go! It’s about a group of people with a power called allomancy who try to pull off a heist to defeat the cruel tyrant who rules their world. Lots of plot twists, very human characters and it’s generally very good! It does have its dark moments, but I wouldn’t say it’s dark overall. Tress of the Emerald Sea by the same author is also very good, but it’s whimiscal rather than suspenseful.
– If you’re looking for something with more of a traditional fairytail feel, then you could try Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim which is about a girl who (along with her brothers) is cursed by a wicked stepmother type figure. They are turned into cranes and she must find a way to save them as well as her kingdom . It’s very good fun! Spin the Dawn by the same author is also good.
– Another book with a traditional fantasy feel is The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, about a unicorn who discovers she’s the last of her kind setting out on a quest to discover what happened to her kin. Don’t be put off if that concept sounds silly- it’s a really beautiful story and the writing is so gorgeous.
– If you’d like fantasy with a modern twist, try This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron or The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas. The former is a bit darker than the latter, about a girl with the ability to control plants (I can’t say much about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but it mixes Greek myth and the modern day in a super cool way!). The Sunbearer Trials is sort of like Percy Jackson mixed with the Hunger Games, about a group of demigods who have to compete in a deadly tournament. It’s super good fun! Cemetery Boys by the same author is also lovely, but focusses a bit more on romance.
I
– f you’d like fantasy with a historical spin, Temeraire (also called His Majesty’s Dragon) by Naomi Novik! It’s basically the Napoleonic Wars but they ride dragons. I love how the dragons in particular are written in this one- the bond between Temeraire and his rider is lovely. The aerial battles are also very cool.
– And last but certainly not least, something which is fantasy with a twist: The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is a really fun read about a dragon who is cursed to turn into a human and discovers a passion for chocolate making! It did make me quite hungry reading it, but it’s a very good time.
I seem to have let this comment get away from me somewhat so apologies for the length 😛 But I hope there’s something here you’ll enjoy!
The Last Unicorn is a great story.
It made me cry when I watched the movie, I don’t think I could do the book. 😭
I didn’t know there was a movie. I read the book many years ago.
Ooh, all of these sound really cool!!!!! I’ve heard of most of them; I’ll see if I can find them next time I visit the bookstore 😛 😀
I LOVE Six Crimson Cranes
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger is pretty good. It’s actually one of my favorite book series!
I’ve read it, but thanks!!!!!!!!!!
Shadow and Bone 100%
Also read that, but thanks for the suggestion!!! 😀
:0000 ALINA AND THE DARKLING 100%%%
YES 1000000000000000000000000%
I disagree with this notion as a reader myself /lh
>:0 *angry shipper noises* /lh
The Cruel Prince is my favourite fantasy series!! It’s about a mortal girl, Jude, who lives in this faerie land and one of the Fae, a prince, is about her age and kind of bullies her ig? then she gets recruited by another member of the royal family as a spy and all that jazz.
I can’t say much without giving away the plot but it’s AMAZING.
The Cruel Prince is so good but I would give it a 13+ age rating. like, y’all can do what you want but I think it’s a fair warning 🙂
I saw it at the book store earlier; I’ll try it out!!!!!! 😀
the newest warriors book is OUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT 😀
Wait what
YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs *happy noises*
WOOHOO :DD
:00
My library doesn’t have it yet… I literally finished reading the fourth book yesterday and now I’m on a cliffhanger😭
did you guys cry when reading Charlotte’s Web? I literally cried myself to sleep that night ;-;
no, because I have no soul /s
Hmmm you meanie>:( /jk
I read a bit, then I spoiled the end, then I never touched it because IT WAS SO SADDDDD 😭😭😭
(Tbf I was in grade 3 and way more sensitive than now; I might reread it even though I know what happens at the end)
I didn’t cry as far as I remember, because I’m outwardly emotionless when it comes to books/movies (the only book that I remember ever making me cry was The Words We Keep), but inside I’ll be sobbing :’)
Yeah. Who knew I could cry over a spider? 😅
Anyone read the testing?🥲
I really want to talk about it with someone.
Also I AM NOW READING THE INDEPENDENT STUDY (The testing 2) MWAHAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA
YESSSS, we can talk about it here, if you want!
https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/r1ovjsw/
(i’m also on independent studies!)
WhiteWhiskers Recommends: Books by Ursula K Le Guin (1929–2018)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursula_K._Le_Guin
Le Guin was one of the great writers of the second half of the 20th century. Not just one of the greatest writers of science fiction and fantasy, but one of the greatest writers. period. Just about anything she wrote is worth reading, but here are some things that I think would be of particular interest to BlogClanners:
The Earthsea Cycle This is for those of you who enjoy stories with wizards, dragons, and the like. It is set in a world of numerous islands in the midst of a vast sea. Magic and wizardry are a normal part of life in this world. In the first book, A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), a motherless boy is discovered to have great magical powers and is ultimately sent to study at the great school on the Island of Roke (the Island of the Wise). At the school and after his graduation, he struggles with his powers and his identity before finally finding himself and understanding the proper uses of his powers. This character (his name is Ged, but true names are not spoken openly and he goes by Sparrowhawk), is the central character of two subsequent books, The Tombs of Atuan (1971) and The Farthest Shore (1972), by which time he has become the Archmage, the chief wizard of all Earthsea and the master of the school of Roke. Le Guin originally ended the series here, but nearly 20 years later she returned to Earthsea and wrote two more books, Tehanu (1990) and The Other Wind (2001). The original trilogy was centered on celibate male wizards (the school of Roke is open to males only). Apparently she had second thoughts about this and the last two books focus on female characters and especially on women who can turn into dragons. It seems that the earliest wizards made a great mistake, and it is up to the women to correct it.
For older readers and especially those interested in non-binary subjects, I particularly recommend The Left Hand of Darkness, considered by many to be Le Guin’s masterpiece. It is set on a planet called Gethen, where humans are androgynous except for two days out of the month, when they become either male or female (unpredictably) in order to mate. That is the background of the story. The foreground concerns high politics and diplomacy.
Finally, for kits especially, but for anyone who loves cats (a category that includes me), there is Catwings, a series of four sweet little illustrated books about a litter of four kittens who are inexplicably born with wings. The series chronicles their adventures as they seek a safe place to live where they won’t be treated as freaks or exploited by humans (they eventually succeed).
earthsea!!! my brother gifted the first book to me when i was younger, apparently it’s one of the books that inspired harry potter c:
These books sound really cool! I like the first and second suggestions, I may give those a look!
Man I love that BlogClan has elders. They always seem to have the best book recommendations, as they have lived longer and usually suggest older books:) I’m thinking of checking out Earthsea!
Thank you. I’m happy that my suggestions are appreciated.
I’ve got The Left Hand of Darkness on my list to try! I’m also thinking of reading The Lathe of Dreams by Le Guin too, have you read that one?
Do you mean The Lathe of Heaven? I don’t think I have, or at least I don’t remember. But I think anything by her is worth checking out.
Ah yes, that is what I meant! I’ll definitely give Earthsea a go at some point too- it sounds right up my street! I also liked the look of The Word for World is Forest when I was browsing her books the other day.
WhiteWhiskers, you literally give the best descriptions of books ever. You’ve swayed me–Im going to go read Earthsea, because that looks really cool 😀
Thank you. It is our pleasure to serve.
has anyone read the one and only Ivan, one and only ruby and the one and only bob?
YES. Those books changed my life.
Ahh I read the One and Only Ivan in like 3rd grade. It was such a sweet story! Went back and watched the movie a few years later (:
I’ve read The One And Only Ivan and The One And Only Bob! My friend lent me her copy of TOAOI once on a school trip, and I finished it in the two-hour trip :PP I got TOAOB from the library a while ago, and want to get The One And Only Ruby later :)) The books were SOO sad but amazing
I’ve read The One and Only Ivan :DD
I’ve read both! For some reason I like The One and Only Bob better.
YES that is my favourite of the three
Yeah! Those books are really sweet.
I’ve read Ivan, but I haven’t gotten around to its sequels. Which is a shame, because I really liked Bob. At least, from what I remember. It’s been a minute 😛
Update: Got the e-book. Enjoyed Bob as much as I thought I would. Also, rented the film while I was at it, which was also enjoyable.
Keep in mind, I did all this in three hours.
There’s one about Ruby when did that happen?? well, time to get it from the library!
I read The One and Only Ivan in 5th grade and loved it. I read The One and Only Bob when it came out, and liked it, but a bit less, since my tastes have changed to be a little more mature
I’m still going to read The One and Only Ruby, though. I need to read the whole set
MY FRIEND KNOWS SOMEONE WHO VOICE ACTED IN THAT MOVIE AS RUBY! I think her name is Brooklyn Prince or something. She came and visited our school!
Warning! Spoilers for The Selection book 2, The Elite.
I’m reading The Elite, the second Selection book. It’s so dang frustrating. I hate love triangles with a passion. America should dump Aspen and go for Maxon, which she does, but the meantime is so annoying to read about. And after Marlee gets caned for being with someone other than Maxon.
Yeah, it’s annoying. I’ve read it as well
I used to like love triangles until I saw them too much. They are super annoying, but I ship America with Maxon way more than Aspen. I also read the spoiler, so I’m happy that she does pick him. I guess my brain just made me skip over the first line. 😂
Any dark fantasy recommendations? I’d specifically prefer books with a deep, complex, layered plot, unconventional [hint-no magical schools/any kind of magical training, nothing that follows the story-line of ‘normal girl/guy is suddenly forced into a magical realm, discovers parents connections with realm and learns magic yada yada yada’, and NO love triangles], touches on more mature themes, and ace representation would be good.
What age range(s) are you most comfortable with?
I’m fine with any, provided there’s no explicit content of an intimate nature, if you catch my drift.
I’m good with any level of gore and violence though.
You might enjoy Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson! It’s a very unique fantasy, and it does have some (clean) romance but it’s mostly focused on character growth.
I second this one!
Anything by Marie Lu, really 😀
Fairy Tale by Stephen King, or just Stephen King, is a good choice! There are some swears and inappropriate mentions in some of them, so I’d suggest looking up for a specific book what the rating or age range is, but Fairy Tale is definitely good!
Six of Crows. One of the characters is implied to be asexual, and the plot is just- amazing. It’s a heist!! Which I believe counts as unconventional. There are 5 point of view characters, and in the sequel there’s 6. It’s pretty much my favorite book so I hope you check it out
As a fan of the books myself, which character are you referring to? I don’t quite recall any of them being implied asexuals, though Wylan and Jesper are gay and bisexual.
The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix sounds right up your street! It’s about a young necromancer who journeys to try to find her father who’s gone missing. It starts out in a “magic school” but we only spend like one/two chapters there so it’s not a big part of the story at all!
Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald is also a very unique dark fantasy. It does sort of have a magic-y school, but it’s definitely not the standard fare and turns a lot of tropes on its head! It’s about a girl who can speak with the dead struggling to survive in a world where her power is punishable by death. The magic is super fun too.
This is probably the book I most enjoyed out of these! The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. It’s like a fantasy/murdery mystery mash up and it is super good fun. It follows an apprentice investigator as he tries to solve the murder of an officer, while the looming threat of leviathans destroying the city overshadows everything.
These last two definitely depend on what you’re comfortable with reading, as they can get pretty violent.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter is about a young man in a highly caste-oriented society whose father is killed by a noble. So, he goes on a quest for vengeance. It is really, really good but can get quite brutal at times and the subject matter is dark, so please bear that in mind!
The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne is a Norse-inspired fantasy that follows three people, each with different goals. It’s very hard to summarise without spoilers, but basically old gods that were thought to be dead are rising again and causing all sorts of chaos! Again, it doesn’t shy away from violent so please be aware of that! But it is very good.
I just finished They Both Die At The End and it was SO sad 😭😭😭
I was dying inside for most of the second half of it aaaaa
I guess the entire title is a spoiler so it does sound sad:(
I would read Shimmz Dies At The End Of They Both Die At The End /j
I tried to read it once – should I try again? Is it worth it?
UhM >:( /j
YES YOU SHOULD IT’S SOO GOOD
Okay I might!
Are the Twilight books, the ones about vampires, any good? We had to edit a passage in it in Creative Writing because my teacher said it was too “sparkly” but the writing was actually pretty beautiful. Also are there any mature things, besides violence in it? Thank you. 🙂
I’ve only seen the first movie (haven’t read the books), but they seemed very angsty, over dramatic, and the romance is pretty creepy 😛 I’ve also heard from a lot of my bookish friends that the books aren’t any better. I’m not sure about the content warnings.
that’s pretty much correct, yeah. The last book is even worse though
Okay, thank you! 🙂
Don’t read them. Just don’t. It’ll spare you many hours you won’t get back. THe world is interesting, and sometimes the plot is good, but it’s just not worth it.
The writing is good, but that’s the only thing that kept me reading the series. I hated the way the plot went in the last book especially, just no.
Overall, don’t read them, it’s not worth it, you’ll never get the time back, and just don’t.
Okay, thanks for saving my precious time, and from reading a creepy romance. I hate those. 😅
I personally agree with most of this! I like the last book tho :p
but mostly because I don’t like Edward and I got to see him suffer for like half the book so yayI concur!
I never got past the first book 😛
Has anyone read the Inheritance Games? I’m reading it right now and it’s sooo good
my friend does!
YES THE INHERITANCE GAMES ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
The Inheritance Games is excellent! My friend introduced me and then I read all three books myself. I also have The Brothers Hawthorne, which is focused on the brothers as a sequel to the series. It’s very good.
yes i’v read 3 books! who’s your favourite character?
Anyone read A Deadly Education? Just finished the first book and it’s AWSOME!
YES YES YES YES I HAVE
This is one of my favourite book series ever! Loved all of the books, but the first one is my favourite :DDD
Yes, I’ve read the first two! Those are fun books!