Falling Into Fantasy

Posted September 13, 2017 by Cristina (Girl in the Pages) in Book Recommendations & Lists, Features / 21 Comments

I have the bad habit of buying fantasy books and taking ages to get around to actually reading them. I think this is due to my recent commitment-phobia when it comes to longer books, coupled with the exhaustion with “keeping up” with how many books other bloggers are reading. It’s a real shame too, since fantasy used to be one of my all time favorite genres. I’ve made huge strides on my reading goal this summer thanks to rereading some old series, and coupled with the changing seasons, I think I’ll be more motivated come fall to dive into some fantasy novels and finally knock them off of my TBR. I’ve rounded up some of my most anticipated fantasy reads that have been collecting dust on my shelves along with 5 upcoming fantasy books that I’m eager to get my hands on.

The good news is that most of these books I’ve only owned for two years or less. The bad news is I haven’t cracked open any of them, which especially worries me with the sequels (I’m going to forget what happened in their previous installments if I don’t get to them soon!) For some of the books, such as The Wrath and the Dawn and the His Fair Assasin’s series, I actually already own all of the (published) books so I’ll be able to binge them, which is a huge plus! And thanks to the lovely Alexa, I have an ARC/bound manuscript of Girls of Snow and Glass waiting for me too!

An Enchantment of Ravens | The cover is STUNNING and I heard a lot of chatter about it at YallWest! I didn’t get an ARC copy, but I’m really looking forward to picking it up this fall once it’s released!

Witchtown | I am a total fangirl for anything relating to good old fashioned magic and witches, so this is 100% up my ally and a perfect Halloween read.

The Wicker King | This novel looks to be part fantasy, part psychological thriller. I’m always looking for a thriller that can exceed my expectations and I’m hoping this genre blending tale will prove to be unpredictable and also insightful into mental illness.

Night of Cake and Puppets | I actually already own the e-book of this (but haven’t read it yet, story of my life) but the fact that it’s coming out as a physical novella with illustrations has me so excited! Zuze was my favorite character from the DoSaB series so I can’t wait to revisit her!

Roar | I will be honest and say a huge draw for me is the cover (doesn’t she look like Daenerys???) but I’m also getting some potential Sleeping Beauty retelling vibes from the name of the heroine- Aurora. I’ve heard super mixed things about this one but I’m still excited to try it!What fantasy books have been sitting on your shelves unread for the longest period of time? What about upcoming fantasy releases that you’re really excited for? Do you think you’ll be gravitating more toward fantasy reads as the fall approaches and the weather gets cooler? Let me know in the comments!

 

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21 responses to “Falling Into Fantasy

  1. I really loved The Wrath & The Dawn, and Girls Made of Snow and Glass is on my TBR. I have a lot of fantasy books on my TBR, too, and I’m really trying to get to them!

    • I keep hearing the Wrath and the Dawn is AMAZING and I already own both books so I can binge them when I finally get around to reading them! I’m almost scared they won’t live up to the hype since I’ve only heard incredible things about them!

  2. I also have the same problem when buying books. There are just too many books to keep up with! I really enjoyed Crooked Kingdom, Wrath and the Dawn, and Star Touched Queen. For me, the longest one might’ve been Look Who’s Back or Dreams of Gods and Monsters. I plan to read them both this month, especially the latter, so I can read Strange the Dreamer!

    • Oh I totally forgot about Strange the Dreamer! I preordered that one and everything since I met Laini while she was on tour in the spring, but have I gotten around to it? nope, hahaha! I really need to stop being intimidated to start fantasy novels!

  3. I’ll be super interested to hear your thoughts on ROAR. I’m guessing you already saw my review so I won’t say anything more to sway your opinion haha. Otherwise I definitely need to get going on some fall fantasy reads! I’m glad I’m not the only one who hasn’t gotten to WINDWITCH or CROOKED KINGDOM yet haha. Also, def have WITCHTOWN on my TBR!

  4. I need to read And I Darken! I’ve had it on my shelf since it released but only got fifty pages in before my commitment-phobia kicked in. Super interested to hear your thoughts on Crooked Kingdom. It took me ages to get through but I ended up loving it! Definitely adding The Wicker King to my TBR!

    Monica recently posted: September 2017 | Currently Reading
    • So my BF read Crooked Kingdom a while ago (he’s a huge Bardugo fan) and has been pestering me to read it ever since so he has someone to share all of his feels with, but I have a feeling based on his reaction that the ending is going to be depressing so I have been putting it off!

  5. Oooh I feel you SO much! I think the length of fantasy (and often, the number of books in a series!) have led me to leave so, so many books sitting on my shelves. Like most of these on your list, actually. Ooops? I have read Wrath (which is awesome, by the way), TSTQ (but not the sequel, again, I fail), Roar, Crooked Kingdom, and Strange the Dreamer. All were quite good. Roar was probably my least favorite of them all.

    But I too own most of these- and yet… still, I have not read them. I did finally finish a fantasy series that I had ALL the books of and hadn’t read (The Sin Eater’s Daughter, it was good!) so there is hope for us 😀 I Hope you’re able to get to all of these, and that you love them too!

    Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted: Auto-buy Authors Reviews in a Minute
    • I’m reading Wrath right now, and you’re right, it’s really good! I’ve missed the lush writing that comes along with fantasy. Honestly, I feel like I look back at all of the books I own but haven’t read yet and sometimes just think “What am I doing???” I’m trying to make every other book I read one of these books from now until the rest of the year to hopefully make a dent in them.

  6. Well this is apt, I’m currently wading my way through a fantasy book that has been on my shelf for about 5 years called Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell – it’s a beast of a book at over 1000 pages, which is why it’s taken me so long to pick it up. It’s an odd one, very drawn out and uppercrusty. Also very British – it kind of reminds me of a Dickens novel. Unfortunately it’s turning into one of those books that gives fantasy a bad name for being slow, boring and drawn out. I almost DNF’d in at 200 pages…. then started really enjoying it…and now I just want to get to the end, LOL. Not like me as I normally love a long book, and I love fantasy – but reading ones like this definitely makes me understand your point of view!

    Reading this, you’ve reminded me that I really need to pick up the next Throne of Glass book – last one I read was Heir of Fire and I really enjoyed it even if the writing really makes me cringe at points!

    • I find it SO impressive that you are sticking it through with the book- I feel like I would have DNF’d it way sooner for fear that it would put me in a reading slump!

      Also, I highly recommend picking up the next Throne of Glass book, Queen of Shadows was really good!

  7. I so relate to this! When I’m tired or stressed, it’s so much easier for me to read contemporary or NA romance even though I love fantasy! But I’ve also been better this year at making an effort because once I start I usually get hooked fast! And allowing myself the luxury of rereading has helped, because a lot of the times I’ve read the first book but not the sequels. The Winners Trilogy is on my list to read soon, as well as Now I Rise, A Poison Dark and Drowning, and Before She Ignites. I also need to read everything under “Books I Own” except The Assassin’s Blade lol! Including Grave Mercy, I’m so behind. But that just means we have good reading ahead of us 🙂 I really loved Crooked Kingdom and And I Darken, hope you do too!

    Morgan @ The Bookish Beagle recently posted: Mini Review Monday: Fireblood and Illegal Contact
    • SO TRUE. As a full time working adult, I feel like being tired and stressed is my default mode so I’ve definitely seen a shift in the books I’m reading as an adult. I’ve tried to make a promise to myself that for the rest of the year, every other book I read will be a fantasy (we’ll see how that goes). I’m currently reading The Wrath and the Dawn and really loving it! I’m hoping the progressively colder weather will help to get me into more of a “fantasy” reading mood! I really enjoyed the Winner’s Trilogy, it honestly felt more like historical fiction than fantasy and I think the lack of it feeling like a high fantasy made it pass by pretty quickly. I hope you enjoy it!

  8. I’ve gotten into a lot of contemporary reads this year and last and feel like I’ve neglected the fantasy genre. I am really looking forward to Enchantment of Ravens. Like you, I’ve heard wonderful things. I decided to give in and preorder it. There are so many on your list that I really love. And I Darken has such an interesting protagonist. She’s a vicious thing and I love her. The Wrath and the Dawn is so beautiful and The Star-Touched Queen’s writing made me pick up the sequel even though I wasn’t completely in love with this first one. I loved Windwitch so much. I did not expect to fall in love with that series as much as I have. Hope you enjoy all of these!

    • I’m reading the Wrath and the Dawn right now (I’m trying to make every other book I read through the end of this year a fantasy novel in order to try and catch up) and I am IN LOVE with Renee Adieh’s writing! I can’t get enough of Shazi and her mystical desert world. I’ve been putting off Windwitch because I loved Truthwitch and have heard very mixed things about the sequel, but I need to read it before I forget everything that happens in the first book!

  9. I have this tendency to procrastinate on fantasy books too! I’ve had The Bone Season on my shelves for about two years now, and it took me about as long before I got around to The Diviners. It’s weird because it’s my favourite genre, but they do require a bit more investment than contemporary novels, I think. I hope you’ll enjoy all of the books on your list!

    • The really do require more investment! I also can’t be around any distractions or multitasking at all when I read them, which I could with a contemporary book (tv in the background, etc). I’m hoping the upcoming winter weather will get me more in the mood for them!

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