Books Like the Lunar Chronicles

Legendborn

Author: Tracy Deonn

Year: 202

Genre: YA Fantasy

More info: The Legendborn Cycle #1, Coretta Scott King Book Award

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Bree Matthews’s mother died in a tragic accident and she cannot seem to recover. When she has a chance to attend a special program for bright high school students at UNC-Chapel Hill, she jumps at the chance.

When Bree witnesses a magical attack on her first night there, her world is thrown upside down as she enters the world of the Legendborn. It is a secret society of students with powerful magic who are also descendants of King Arthur! This is one of the best re-tellings I have read.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, Death of parent

Why Jackie loves it

Why did I not read this book before now? In a way, I’m glad I just read this because I only have to wait a few more months for the sequel. If you love YA fantasy books, this King Arthur re-imagining is a must-read. While Bree is technically still in high school, she is attending a college program which means, I get to scream about this book from the rooftops in both college and high school book lists.

Find this book in: Books About Secret Societies / Dark Academia / Books Set in College / The Ultimate List of YA Fantasy Books / Books Like Ninth House

The Belles

Author: Dhonielle Clayton

Year: 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

More info: The Belles #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 13+

Plot

The people in the world of Orleans are devoid of natural beauty and need The Belles to use their magical treatments to be beautiful. The most powerful of the Belles is known as the favorite and works for the royal family to set trends and perform beauty treatments.

But what happens when a sick queen and a greedy princess have differing views on ruling the people of Orléans and The Belles of the world?

Trigger Warnings

Body shaming, Sexual assault

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved the first book. I finished it and immediately rushed into book 2. The world-building in this YA Fantasy was wonderful and the descriptions of the elaborate beauty treatments painted a vivid picture. The characters were flawed but wonderfully constructed and the teacup pets were adorable.

Find this book in: Books Like the Selection / YA Fantasy / Best Books for 13-year-olds

Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Year: 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

More info: Red Queen #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 15+

Plot

In this world, those with red blood are common and those with silver blood are elite with superhuman abilities. In the war against Silvers and Reds, Mare Barrow is special. She’s a red blood with the abilities of a Silver. But how can that be? To cover the anomaly, she is brought into the King’s home where it’s announced that she will be marrying one of the princes, Maven, who she begins to grow close to. But she’s also attracted to Cal, the heir to the throne. As their attraction grows, so do the problems in the realm, and Mare’s knowledge of just how dangerous the world can be.

Why Kirsten loves it

I have been on some weird YA fantasy/sci-fi kick recently – which is funny because I had to be forced to read the Hunger Games. Now I can’t seem to stop! I’m sure I’ll switch gears this summer, but I love this young adult fantasy novel. The ending was a total shock! I couldn’t put it down.

Find this book in: Books like The Hunger Games / YA Romance fantasy books / Books like ACOTAR / YA Dystopian Novels / Books Like The Selection / Books with Red in the Title / Best YA Romance Books

Uprooted

Author: Naomi Novik

Year: 2015

Genre: Fantasy

More info: Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, HUGO Award Finalist

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Wow!  This book is an epic adult fairy tale.  It is complex and so unlike any traditional American fairy tale retelling.  An enchanted wood, magic, and mythical creatures grab you and pull you in. This is not a typical damsel-in-distress tale so do not let it fool you.

Agnieszka lives next to a wood filled with dark powers. The village depends on the Dragon to protect them from these dark powers. In exchange, one woman from the village must go and serve him every ten years. To everyone’s surprise, he chooses Agnieszka.

Why Jackie loves it

I don’t want to say more about this book and ruin its magic. But, if you love fairy tale retellings or are looking for books like ACOTAR, this is a perfect pick. Novik has yet to write a book I did not devour. This is the first book of hers I read and with each book, she proves herself as a must-read author.

Find this book in: Books Like A Court of Thorns and Roses / Fairy Tale Retellings for Adults & YA / Like the Lunar Chronicles to Read Now!

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Year: 2019

Genre: YA fantasy
More info: Cursebreaker Book 1 of 3
Spice Rating: 💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This is a fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I read it for a buddy read with some bookstagram friends. I love that the modern retelling of some of the classics give more power to the women in the story.  

I enjoyed this first in the series of YA fantasy romance books although it is a lot tamer than the ⁣other books in the series.  It is not a typical Beauty and the Beast retelling because it has more of a love triangle but, I don’t want to reveal more.⁣ It’s the first in the series about Prince Rhen and his kingdom.

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved the love triangle in this first book in the Cursebreaker series. There were twists and turns I was not expecting.

Why Jackie loves it

I also read this book as a buddy read and enjoyed it. This book sets the stage for the other books in the series that become more complex with plot and characters.

Find this book in: Books Like Cinder

A Spindle Splintered

Author: Alix E. Harrow

Year: 2021

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling

More info: Book 1 of 2: Fractured Fables

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This is the story of sleeping beauty like you have never read it before. This is a true twisted fairy tale Zinnia is turning 21 and it is the last birthday that she will have. She has a rare medical condition in which nobody has ever lived past twenty-one. Zinnia has always thought that she is a modern sleeping beauty.

Charm, Zinnia’s best friend, wants to make the last birthday special but, when Zinnia pricks her finger on the spinning wheel, she finds herself in another dimension with another sleeping beauty.

Why Jackie loves it

This modern Sleeping Beauty fairy tale retelling gives power back to the women whose lives are stolen. It is a quick read from ya fantasy books that I loved because the women are no longer helpless.

Find this book in: Books Like the Lunar Chronicles / Fairy Tale Retellings

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Author: Gregory Maguire

Year: 1995

Genre: Fantasy

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Tony Award-winning musical, soon to be a major motion picture

Age Range: 13+

Plot

Everyone knows the Wicked Witch of the West but not everyone knows how she became that way. She wasn’t always bad. This is the story of a girl who would grow up to become one of the most hated villains in history. Elphaba is born with green skin and is treated with superstition and dislike. When she enters Shiz University, she is eventually able to make friends

When Elphaba realizes that Animals are threatened with exile, she tries to protect them. After all, they have voices, minds, thoughts, and opinions too. Soon she finds herself in a war with the mysterious wizard.

Why Kirsten loves it

I think of Professor Snape from Harry Potter in the same way. If you love witches and rooting for the bad guys, this book is for you. Like the Broadway play, the movie adaptation of this will be a must-see.

Why Jackie loves it

I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz and could not imagine the Wicked Witch of the West as anything else, until I read this book. This is a brilliantly written book that shows there are always two sides to the story. This is a message that is so strong and remains relevant in our society.

Find this book in: YA Books About Witches / Books Becoming Movies or TV Series / Books Like the Lunar Chronicles / Classic Book Retellings / Adult Books Similar to Harry Potter

The Bear and the Nightingale

Author: Katherine  Arden

Year: 2017

Genre: Fantasy

More info: Book one of the Winternight Trilogy

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This fantasy book which is based on Russian folklore was a slow build.  I wasn’t sure about it until about halfway through when I couldn’t put it down.  In fact, I went out to buy the sequel (The Girl in the Tower) immediately because I needed to find out what had happened. 

Vasya lives with her family on the edge of a Russian forest where they hear stories of the Blue-eyed winter demon and honor household spirits. When Vasya’s dad brings home a new stepmother who forbids these practices, misfortunes follow. Vasya now must use the gifts that she has kept hidden all these years.

Trigger Warnings

Death of a parent

Why Jackie loves it

The plot of this story is detailed and unlike anything I have ever read. I felt invested in following Vasya’s story. The writing is captivating and I loved this trilogy in its entirety. I felt like all three books were needed to make this a complete story.

Find this book in: Fairy Tale Retellings / Adult Fantasy Novels / Mythology Books

Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Year: 2010

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

More info: New York Times Bestseller, Matched #1

Spice Rating: 💋

Age Range: 11 – 14

Plot

In the future, Officials choose who you will marry according to who will be your perfect match. When Cassia’s match comes in, she sees Ky Markham’s face on the screen before it turns black. She is told it was a glitch and is given another name as the person who is her ideal match.

Cassia slowly starts to doubt everything she has been told about her perfect society and falls in love with Ky. It causes her to reconsider everything she knows about her world and its rules.

Trigger Warnings

Child Death, Grief

Why Jackie loves it

Think of matched as The Giver with a love triangle.

Find this book in: Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Like the Selection / Books Like Cinder

Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline

Year: 2011

Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi

More info: #1 New York Times Bestseller, A Major Motion Picture

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:16+

Plot

In 2045, most people spent their days in the OASIS, a virtual reality world. When the elusive creator of the OASIS dies and leaves clues behind, the first person to solve the riddles will be in control of the entire OASIS and a massive fortune.

When Wade Watts solves the first clue, he might fight for his survival to win along with his group of misfit friends. Love, a fight for survival, and a group of loyal friends all give me Lunar Chronicle vibes.

Why Jackie loves it

While this book is technically set in the future, everything about it screams 1980. As someone who lived her teenage years in the 80s, I consider myself an expert. This book is so unlike anything else I have read. It is smart and well-written. As a sci-fi, I feel like this would appeal to those who do not normally read sci-fi as well.

Find this book in: Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Set in the 80s / Best Books About Puzzles / Books Like the Lunar Chronicles

The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Year: 2008

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

More info: Hunger Games #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 10+

Plot

This is the first book in the Hunger Games series and it is epic! In the aftermath of what was once North America, there are 12 Districts surrounding the capital.

Each year, each district sends one boy and one girl to fight to the death in a competition called “The Hunger Games”. Katniss Everdeen volunteers as a tribute to save her younger sister, Prim, from certain death in the games where it is kill-or-be-killed.

Trigger Warnings

Death, Violence

Why Jackie loves it

This sci-fi book has everything, but at its heart, it is a book about family, love, and survival. This book has a heart while also being a total page-turner!

Why Kirsten loves it

I’m not usually a sci-fi girly, but Jackie convinced me to read this one and I finished the entire series in a week and immediately binged the movies!

Find this book in: Books Like The Hunger Games / Young Adult Fantasy Series / Books About Sisters / Sci-Fi Books / Books Like Fourth Wing / YA Dystopian Novels / Fun Books for Teens / Best YA Romance Books / Books for 11-year-olds / Reality TV Novels

Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Year: 2005

Genre: YA Dystopian Fiction

More info: Uglies #1

Age Range: 12+

Plot

Tally is about to turn 16, the time when every teen will undergo radical and high-tech surgery to make them unnaturally beautiful. Before the surgery, teens are sequestered because of how ugly they are to look at.

When Tally’s best friend runs away to live with a group of people who have rejected the surgery, her life takes a spin. She must choose to track down her friend and betray her or live as “an ugly” for the rest of her life.

Trigger Warnings

Body Shaming

Why Jackie loves it

It took me a while to wrap my head around just how messed up this society is but I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

Find this book in: Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Like The Hunger Games