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Lila
Welcome to Hardcover Haven, a haven for any and all bookworms! I'm Lila, your guide around this particular patch of internet. I'm a twenty-something college student studying anthropology. When I'm not reading, I can usually be found singing, spending time with family and friends, and/or snuggling my two cats, Snoopy and Clementine.

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Find Your Inner Fantasy Fan! 10 Fantasies That Are GREAT For Getting Started With The Genre (Wyrd and Wonder 2020)

Hello, friends! How ya been doing? Welcome to my first post for Wyrd & Wonder 2020!

Wyrd & Wonder is a fanatasy themed blog-a-thon hosted by Imyril at There’s Always Room for One More, Lisa of Dear Geek Place, and Jorie from Jorie Loves A Story. Check out all the info for it here!

Today I’ll be recommending some books for readers interested in getting into fantasy. I think a lot of people are kind of intimidated by fantasy. I mean, the books are big, the series are long, and there are so many types to choose from! Knowing where to start, or even what kind of fantasy book you might be interested in can be tough!

But have no fear, dear fantasy beginners! I’ve compiled a handy dandy listicle of fantasy books I think are great starting places for anyone who’s new to the genre!

* As a note: These are all YA fantasy books/series because I think that the style and pace of YA is easier to get into and a lot less intimidatingly dense than Adult fantasy. That being said, there are a lot of great Childrens, Middle Grade, and Adult fantasies out there too and if YA’s not your thing, it’s still worth it to look into finding fantasy books that you might enjoy which are in a different marketing demographic.

✵.*•:★.•

FANTASY FOR FIRST-TIMERS

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Recommended For: Book-lovers who like adventures with a dash of silliness

What It’s All About: Elisabeth is a young apprentice librarian in a world where books are very much alive and sorcerers exist. She has been taught that all socerers are evil ne’erdowells but when she’s framed for a monstrous crime, she must team up with socrcerer/notorious scoundrel, Nathaniel Thorn, and his demonic servant in order to get to the bottom of what is going on.





The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Recommended For: Lovers of angsty historical romances

What It’s All About: In Victorian London, something dark lurks beneath the peaceful facade of the city, and our protagonist, Tessa Gray, is about to discover exactly what it is! When she’s tossed into a world of demon-hunting descendants of angels, Tessa discovers that not everything is not what it seems and that she just might be the key to defeating the darkness brewing within the city…





Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Recommended For: Fans of fluffy contemporary romances

What It’s All About: Set in modern day Seoul, Wicked Fox is about two Korean teens, Miyoung and Jihoon, and their blossoming romance. The catch? Miyoung’s hiding a BIG secret: she’s a gumiho—a nine-tailed fox shape-shifter from Korean myth, who feeds on the souls of men. Worse, when Miyoung decides to rescue Jihoon, she ends up losing her precious fox bead, which holds her soul as a gumiho. Chaos and cuteness ensue!





The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Recommended For: Readers who want to familiarize themselves with basic YA fantasy tropes

What It’s All About: In the magical land of Ravka, young woman discovers she has magical abilities that make her a powerful figure in the country and pit her against a seductive and evil ancient force. A fun showcase of the tropes that have become the basis of YA fantasy, Leigh Badugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy is a great starting point for fantasy newcomers!






The The Devouring Gray Duology by Christine Lynn Herman

Recommended For: Fans of shows like Riverdale and/or Stranger Things / Fans of friendship stories

What It’s All About: Set in the modern New York state, the The Devouring Gray duology follows five teens whose families are descended from the founders of their town and who have been granted magical abilities in order to protect their town from a monster trapped in an alternate dimension. But could the politics of their families end up putting the town in more danger?





The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

Recommended For: Readers who want plenty of action, adventure, and romance and a story they don’t have to try hard to follow

What It’s All About: The series starts out following Celaena Sardothien, the most notorious assassin in the land, who is freed from slavery by a prince who wants her to compete to become his father’s champion. However, the series morphs from there into a wild ride including the return of lost royalty, fae, monsters, plenty of romance, and so much more!





To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Recommended For: Fans of The Little Mermaid and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise

What It’s All About: Lira is a deadly siren princess, but when she kills a mermaid, she’s banished from her undersea kingdom, turned into a human, stripped of her siren song, and told she has a year to deliver the heart of Prince Elian to the sea queen. But what happens when Lira and Elian find that maybe they’re not as destined to hate each other as it seems?






Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

Recommended For: Romance readers who are looking for a hint of fantasy and adventure

What It’s All About: Kazi is a former thief turned soldier. Jase is the heir of a family of outlaws with an intriguing past. When Kazi and Jase clash in a cat and mouse game, they find that their freedom and their futures are at stake—as well as their own hearts! A wild ride full of action and romance, Dance of Thieves is a perfect first fantasy read






Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Recommended For: Fans of historical romantic comedies who want to spice up their books with some magic

What It’s All About: In a historical France-inspired fantasy world, young witch Lou was already on the run when she is forced to marry Reid, a witch-hunter, and live under the nose of the Church. Find out what happens when Lou and Reid begin to start falling for each other and find themselves embroiled in far more dangerous circumstances.






The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Recommended For: Slytherins who don’t mind a dash if silliness

What It’s All About: Alessandra knows what she wants—power—and she plans on getting it! Her plan is to marry and murder the Shadow King in order to steal his kingdom for herself. Unfortunately Alessandra isn’t the only one who has set her murderous sights on the king. Worse—Alessandra find that she might even be growing fond of the king! Find out who wins this hilarious and dark race to control the kingdom in The Shadows Between Us!





✵.*•:★.•

So, that’s all for today, friends. I hope you enjoyed and found a recommendation or two that you think you might like!

✵.*•:★.•

SPILL THE BEANS, FRIENDS!

  • Are you a fan of fantasy?
  • If so, what books/series do you recommend for readers who want to get into the genre?
  • If not, are you considering trying out fantasy?


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