The Wise Man’s Fear is the second book in The Kingkiller Chronicle and is a direct continuation of Kvothe’s story from The Name of the Wind. For those who haven’t read the first book, this is a fantasy series about a simple inn keeper who is actually one of the most notorious wizards in the world. But when Kvothe is discovered by a chronicler, the man decides to tell the story of his life and how he came to be an inn keeper out in the middle of no where.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: this is not your ordinary fantasy book. Like GoT, the magic is on the periphery for much of the story and is truly anchored by the life and experiences of our protagonist, Kvothe (pronounced Quo-th). I should also mention that the writing is exquisite. Patrick Rothfuss is an extremely gifted writer and you’ll find yourself falling into the world and falling in love with the characters right out the gate.

I recommend this series to nearly everyone, even if they’ve never read a fantasy book in their life. Especially if they’ve never read a fantasy book. I’ve read the first two books in the series twice and will read them again before the concluding book is released.   

Ernest Cline’s sci-fi, virtual reality adventure book was made into a movie by Steven Spielberg in the spring of 2018. It was already massively popular before that but was taken to new heights afterwards. Check out the rating statistics below if you don’t believe me. 

The story takes place in a world in which the Oasis, a virtual utopia, is so popular and pervasive, that it is just as important as the real world. Is that possible? I don’t know. But it isthe only place where Wade can escape his crappy life.

That’s the setting for you, but what about the plot? Before the creator of the Oasis died, he set up a mysterious and difficult contest and whoever wins inherits his massive fortunate and the Oasis itself. Wade has dedicated his life to figuring out the clues, but after five years without anyone making any progress, it seems hopeless. That is, until Wade solves the first riddle, propelling him to stardom and setting him on a quest to finish the contest.

This is such a great read. It has it all, and it is so exciting that you’ll finish it in no time. If you’re a plot chaser, then you’ll definitely finish it as quickly as I did. I’ll also add that while I did enjoy the movie, I much preferred the book and would highly recommend reading it first.

Hey, look! A Game of Thrones book! Yayyy. I love me some GoT, even if old R.R. Georgie hasn’t published a book in nearly eight years. The fifth book in the series is one of the best ones and was definitely a rebound from book four, which is the worst in the series (That is not an opinion. It is, objectively, the worst).

Everyone single human being in the entire world has heard of this series, I think, so I won’t bore you with the premise. Instead, if you’ve come upon this and are considering reading the books or watching the show (or reading it after watching the show), I’ll give you my two cents.

The show is a superb adaptation of the book. They keep and cut all the right things. It’s actually rather amazing how wonderful the show runners have done. One of the biggest things you get from reading the book that you don’t get from the show is character development. This is mostly due to the medium in which the story is presented. In books, it’s just easier to know someone more deeply because you are in their head. To be perfectly honest, though, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, it might be best to just watch the show. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I read the books, but show is SO GOOD. And frankly, I’m frustrated with George R.R. Martin and the progression of the series. Book 3, A Storm of Swords, came out in 2000. Book five came out in 2011. It is now 2018. THREE BOOKS in EIGHTEEN YEARS. I’m sorry, but at this point, I’m cool with just watching the show.

See my review above for my opinion on A Song of Ice and Fire compared to the television show and if I think it’s worth reading or not. As for A Feast for Crows, it was by far my least favorite of the series. Probably because it has zero perspective from my three favorite characters: Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion. There was still some very good scenes and I loved having Jamie’s perspective, but it was still disappointing. Love the series as a whole and truly love the show, though.

This YA fantasy/romantic novel really captured my imagination. It is unapologetically fantastical and really out-of-this-world, but it is a beautiful story. It begins with the main character, Karou, discovering a whole new world, one in which a war between monsters and angels has been going on for a thousand years. I hate spoilers, so I won’t give anything away, but the new world is very interesting and the characters are compelling. It is also very well written for a YA novel. Sometimes I’ll pick up a YA novel and I simply can’t get through it. Too much teen angst and the writing is so clearly written for a teenager and that’s fine, that’s what it’s supposed to be. I didn’t feel that way with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It is the first book in a trilogy.