If You Liked____/Try ____ — kelsey holtaway

I love book match-making.

Helping someone find their next perfect read is like an extreme sport for me, hence the book blog. One of many tactics I have for helping someone pick their next book is figuring out what they’ve read and liked before and source recommendations from there.

So I thought it’d be fun to do a version of that here. Below are recommendations for five books based on other books you may have read and liked. I’ll be continuing on with this series, but let me know if there are specific books you’d like recommendations based on.

Enjoy!

1. If you liked Percy Jackson/ try Aru Shah

Or really any of the books from the Rick Riordan imprint. And god bless the Rick Riordan imprint.

My guess is if you've read Percy Jackson you’re interested in mythology and adventure. Good ole Rick shares that passion with you, so he started an imprint to continue his legacy of middle-grade mythology adventure books. Each series under the imprint is about a different culture’s mythologies written by an author of that culture. I’ve been working my way through each of the current series under the ever-growing imprint.

One of my favorites though, is the Aru Shah series by Roshani Chokshi (who also writes the Gilded Wolves series, she does not miss). In the series we’re following Aru Shah as she discovers she’s a Pandava, a hero from Hindu mythology. Her and her growing group of fellow Pandavas embark on quests in each book with the overall goal of defeating The Sleeper.

It’s such a fun series and the way the characters grow from book to book have cemented them all in a very special place in my heart. I highly highly recommend.

2. If you liked Harry Potter/ try Nevermoor

Honestly try anything, but Nevermoor is a good start.

Like many others my age, my youth was mainly consumed by Harry Potter. First in line at any and every midnight release event, traveled to London TWICE to do Harry Potter things, read the books and seen the movies 10,000 times, wrote play adaptations, the list goes on. I was thoroughly entwined.

And then JKR had to JKR all over the place, and it felt like a huge loss. How could this person who wrote these beautiful stories about overcoming adversity think, say, support, and fund such cruel things? I’ve had to come to terms with her and what her ultimate legacy will be. It’s sad.

So when I can recommend something with the whimsy, heart, and soul of Harry Potter without the implications of funding the person who wrote Harry Potter, I jump at the chance.

Enter Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend. A truly magical find that I cannot believe hasn’t totally blown up yet. But I’m calling it here, folks.

In Nevermoor we’re following Morrigan Crow, 11 years old and cursed. Born on Eventide, the unluckiest day, Morrigan is blamed for every unfortunate thing, big and small, in her dreary town. She’s also slated to die at midnight on her 12th birthday.

Days before her birthday she’s selected by Jupiter North to compete as his player for a spot in the Wundrous Society. She’s whisked away to a secret city, competes in each of the trials, and learns more about her past.

Like. Come on. You’ll love it.

3. If you liked Illuminae/ try Sleeping Giants

Sleeping Giants is one of my most-recommended and most-gifted book (like I’ve gifted it, not like it attends a super exclusive secondary school).

If you liked the mixed media format, wild but accessible sci-fi storytelling, and cast of characters of Illuminae, you’ll love Sleeping Giants.

Very different in actual premise, this is just as fast and compulsively readable.

In Sleeping Giants, we’re following Rose, 17 years after she’s fallen into a hole containing a giant robot hand while riding her bike in the woods. She’s grown to become a physicist, and she’s now leading the team to crack a code found on the giant hand. And it’s off from there.

I absolutely could not put this down. I devoured this and the second book in the series (and was wildly disappointed by the third book which takes a sharp left turn and I recommend just reading the Wikipedia to save your time and heartache).

Everything is told through interviews, transcripts, etc. much like Illuminae. It’s such a cool story but not so big-brained sci-fi that it’s impossible to follow. I recommend this ALL THE TIME because it’s such an easy book to sink into, that even the most reading-resistant enjoy this story.

4. If you liked City of Bones/ try Legendborn

BUT IT’S EVEN BETTER BECAUSE OF THE NO INCEST PLOTLINE SITUATION.

City of Bones is such a fun concept RIGHT up until the point where the tension of the story comes from “are they/aren’t they siblings who are in love” which frankly, makes me want to die.

If you love the concept of Clary being dropped into the secret underbelly of society that just so happens to be full of magic and politics and intrigue, then this is for you.

In Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, we’re following Bree attending a residential program for high schoolers at UNC Chapel Hill following the death of her mother. During her first week of the program, she witnesses something that throws her into a world of magic, secret societies, and a deeper look into her past. This is a King Arthur retelling, and it is propulsive.

You will need to make sure you’re comfortable and surrounded by snacks before starting this because once you flip that first page you will not move until you’ve devoured this whole book.

5. If you liked The Poppy War/ try Iron Widow

If you liked the cut-throat morally gray power-hungry-revenge-bent world of The Poppy War, then hoo boy, Iron Widow is your next favorite book.

What I loved about Poppy Wars is you really didn’t know if you were following Rin through her trials and tribulations of overcoming adversity to reach her goal OR if you were watching her villain origin story. She really toed that line. And honestly, when she DID do something that was downright unethical, I ended up cheering her on instead of shaking my head. I loved that.

I felt the same way with Iron Widow.

In Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, we’re following Zetian and 18-year old woman who has given herself up to be a concubine pilot, who give their energy to the men who pilot the huge robots that defend the country from big ole evil alien things. She volunteers initially so she can exact revenge on the pilot who drained and killed her sister. Except Zetian ends up overpowering her co-pilot during their first battle. It’s cool as hell. She teams up with another powerful pilot and begins to unravel the deep buried secrets of women’s roles as concubines, the truth behind the alien invaders, and MORE.

And she’s pissed, y’all.

I can’t wait for the next one. This series is top tier.