Friday Fun Post: If You Like This...Read That!

Hi everyone! It's hard to believe it's already March, and TBF is only a little more than two months away! There are a ton of books to read until then, and today I've included a few of my top suggestions.

If you liked An Ember in the Ashes, read Furyborn!

I will admit, I read and reviewed Furyborn last year when the author, Claire Legrand, first came to TBF, but I still remember thinking how it seemed to mesh together all my favorite YA fantasy novels. Furyborn is the story of Rielle and Eliana, two women inextricably linked despite the millennium separating them. Rielle's story of magic and trials reminds me of Red Queen and Shadow and Bone, but it is Eliana's story that I want to highlight today. Hers especially is full of grit and sacrifice, and reminded me so much of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Both include once-glorious empires that have since been corrupted, an underworld of insurgents, and a fight for survival. Both have bold, gritty female leads who fight for their families and then for something greater…a fight against forces more sinister than they ever imagined…

If you liked The Perks of Being a Wallflower, read Dig!

A.S. King's Dig is truly unlike any other novel I've read, but there are definitely elements that I can identity in other novels like The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Both portray teenage life in an unapologetic light--stripping away the rose-tinted lens over our experiences and sharing the unfiltered difficulties, the moments of happiness, and the hard realities. While each focuses on their respective protagonists, there is an emphasis in both novels on the flaws of society and the circumstances that can determine the advantages/disadvantages one has in the world. If you want to read about the raw experiences of teenagers with an underlying twist, I would strongly recommend Dig.

And if you liked The Wrath and the Dawn, read Spin the Dawn!

These books share more than just a key word in their titles! Spin the Dawn, by Elizabeth Lim, and The Wrath and the Dawn, by Renée Ahdieh (a TBF alum!), both incorporate vivid imagery of sights and sounds, legends and myths, and journeys that test their protagonists' wills and determination. Both stories' protagonists find themselves willingly in an endeavor that could mean life or death, and both discover so much more about themselves, the land, and the people around them. Maia's journey to become a master tailor and Shahrzad's journey to seek retribution are full of twists and turns, secrets and unimaginable truths. Spin the Dawn is truly a magical read, and I hope you decide to check it out!

There are so many amazing authors coming this year, and I encourage you to look through their novels even if you don't recognize many of them. Read some synopses, check out some books...I am positive there is something that you'll love.

Until next time!
Amy