There are soooo many fantasy series that I absolutely adore and I would of had too many for one post so I broke it up into my Top 5 YA Fantasy series that I posted last week and this week it’s time for my Top 5 Adult Fantasy series. Most of these books have been my favourites for years and years now and probably won’t ever change!
The 1st series on my list is The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien. This series consists of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. I watched the movies way before I even knew that these books existed so when I found them and picked them up I was highly impressed. The world Tolkien creates is so immense and the storyline is epic and the characters are amazing.
The 2nd series on my list is the A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin. This series includes Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. I watched the first series of the t.v show and I wanted to know what happens next so I picked up this series and got swept away by the storyline. It is a highly complex and convoluted narrative with multiple perspectives of minor and major characters. I am highly anticipating a release date for The Winds of Winter.
The 3rd series on my list is the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. This series was my introduction to Brandon Sanderson and they did not disappoint. This series consists of The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages. The magic system is so original and the characters are dynamic and the storyline is epic! Love these books and just talking about them makes me think I’m due for a reread soon.
The 4th series on my list I have already spoken about in my top 10 books of the year so far and they’ve also made their way onto my top 5 favourite fantasy series as well and that is the Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab. This series includes A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows and A Conjuring of Light. The characters in this series arc so well, there is so much growth and the relationships between the characters are beautifully written. The world is expansive and the magic system is well thought out and executed. I love this series, so glad I finally picked them up this year!
And the last series on my list is The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. I know I am only at the very beginning of this series, but it is so epic and detailed and convoluted that I know this is going to be a top favourite of mine for many years to come! This series includes The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Edgedancer and Oathbringer. There is due to be at least 10 books in this series with each over 1000 pages so I am very excited about the journey I am about to undertake with each of these massive novels!
The 1st book I’m excited to be released is Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake. I believe this is the third and final book in the Three Dark Crowns series that I also read earlier this year consisting of Three Dark Crowns and One Dark Throne. This is a dark, atmospheric fantasy series that I flew through when I read them. I loved the characters and their growth and the twists and turns that occur are very entertaining to read. Released September 25th 2018
The 2nd book I cannot wait to read is Wildcard by Marie Lu. I read Warcross earlier this year and absolutely loved it. Emika as a character was one of my favourite female protagonists I’ve read this year, she’s clever, she’s street savvy but also tenacious and persistent. I enjoyed the gradual relationship she shared with Hideo and after that cliff-hanger at the end I can’t wait to get stuck in and see what happens next. Released September 17th 2018
The 3rd book on my list is Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor. I actually have Strange the Dreamer as one of my
this book, but I also didn’t love it. Jude just wasn’t a favourite character of mine; I didn’t find her to be likeable throughout the novel. Some of her choices she made just didn’t sit well with me and the relationships she formed Locke and Cardan just seemed a bit odd and cringey, especially after they made her life hell for so long. I much preferred her older sister Vivi, I loved that she rebelled from her father Madoc and how she tried to pry her younger sisters out of the world of Faerie and give them a normal life back in the mortal world. I did enjoy the ending however and I am curious as to how the series will be continued so I will be reading on. ⭐️3/5 stars
came out I seen it everywhere and everyone was raving about how good it was. I don’t read a lot of contemporary books but I was strolling through a bookstore one day and the title jumped out at me and so I immediately picked it up and proceeded to read it. I thought the plot was actually very captivating and original, I thought it was fast paced and entertaining. Aza as a character was very relatable and real, it was as if I could feel what she was going through and her anguish and pain was bleeding through the pages. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and I am glad that I bought into the hype and read it. ⭐️4/5 stars
is one of my all time favourite genres I regularly peruse YouTube for lists of fantasy favourites and Graceling would always make an appearance in those lists. I picked it up with not really any expectations, I just wanted to get into a good fantasy book as I was craving one at the time and I absolutely loved it. I thought the premise was amazing, people being gifted with different graces I just thought that was really creative and it was very engaging throughout the plot. Katsa, as a female protagonist was deadly, powerful yet still very feminine and graceful (lol) she was a joy to read and this book really caught me by surprise. ⭐️4/5 stars
Another book that I didn’t love but I also didn’t hate. Again it was just because I couldn’t quite gel with Camellia. I thought she was terribly naïve throughout the first half of the storyline and kind of put me off her as character. I did think she progressed throughout the story line and started to read between the lines of what was going on at the palace. I thought the premise of the book was interesting and original, how everyone is born grey and the Belles are the beautiful colourful young girls who have the ability to transform other’s appearances to follow beauty standards and trends. ⭐️3/5 stars
stage in the booktube community it seemed like everyone was reading Scythe at the same time and raving about how good it was. I gave in and read it and of course I loved it like everyone else! I just thought it was so clever and refreshing. The premise of this book is just so thought provoking and it’s structured so well that I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen next. There are so many twists and turns and political machinations in the Scythedom and I highly enjoyed my time reading this book! ⭐️4/5 stars
catch myself thinking about it every now and then. The Name of the Wind is another epic fantasy novel that really captures your imagination. The narrative is very intimate as we read as Kvothe grows and has to face a number of trials and tribulations in his young life and have that contradict to the man he is at present. This really has us guessing at every stage what will happen next to eventually lead up to the point that he’s retelling his story. The lore and fantasy elements woven into this world is expansive and really complements the plot beautifully!
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. Truly Devious really captured my attention as soon as I read it. I love a good YA mystery thriller and this book really ticked all the boxes for me. The flashbacks to the time of the kidnapping as well as the present day crimes that are occurring really have you second guessing every character and their motives. Mysterious, dark and captivating this book entrances you from the start all the way through to the cliffhanging end!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas. This book really took me by surprise. I don’t particularly like fantasy series that specifically revolve around fairies or the fey and I really had some misgiving about this series after I read A Court of Thorns and Roses and I just thought that it was kind of ok…. But then I read a Court of Mist and Fury and I was in love. The twists and turns and revelations that occur as well as the magical elements and surprises were everything that I love to read. By far my favourite book in the series!
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. It’s not often that I read contemporary books but I thought since I’ve heard about this book so much that I would bite the bullet and give it a go. This book was fantastic. Super relatable I think Eliza is every teenager going through high school at the moment having to deal with social media, and the scrutiny of her peers as well as thousands who have come to rely on her on a weekly basis for her posts. I thought it was very well written and showcased the struggle that everyday teenagers have to deal with in this cyber world!
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. I put off reading Strange the Dreamer for a while now as I wasn’t a fan of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series that everyone seems to love. I even DNF’d Dreams of Gods and Monsters as I just couldn’t gel with the story. However, Strange the Dreamer really surprised me! I actually really enjoyed the narrative. It’s lyrical and beautifully descriptive and the actually story is full of twists and turns and it really keeps you entertained throughout. I’m definitely going to be picking up Muse of Nightmares when it comes out later this year.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book was everything! Full of scandals and rumours, the winding path of Evelyn’s life is simply was amazing! The characters are flawed and sassy and entertaining and relatable and Evelyn’s story is super entertaining and tragically beautiful. I had high expectations for this book and Taylor Jenkins Reid really blew me out of the water with this tale.
Amy Leigh Reads 