2. top 5 books of all time?
oh, that's so hard!!! not to be cliche, but I'm gonna have to give you six. mostly series. in no particular order:
the insignia trilogy by S.J. Kincaid. I'm not sure if I have a favorite within these—maybe vortex—but they are so good. Combine elements of a capitalist dystopia (so scarily realistic that some elements of it have started to come true since its release), characters are that are so teenagers, incredibly endearing friendships, and an evolving plot... I consider it a must-read.
keeper of the lost cities by shannon messenger, of course (that is what this blog is about)! my favorite book is nightfall, because of the meaty humans vs. elves elements, which are so integral to the story plot! i especially love the reveal (SPOILERS!) that the reason the humans betrayed the elves was vespera's experiments.... chilling every time.
the mistborn trilogy by brandon sanderson. absolutely INSANE. The final book of the trilogy, the hero of ages, might just be my favorite book of all time. The way that he weaves a plot is like nothing I've ever read before. The plot twists make my jaw actually drop, and they all lead to a conclusion that smacks you off a cliff. Not to mention how endearing the characters are—the main character, Vin, is everything to me!! short wet rag women represent!
ella enchanted by gail carson levine! this has been a favorite of mine since I was eight years old, and I can quote the opening lines from memory. The character voice, the ROMANCE, the world-building, the story... gail carson levine is a master of her craft. (don't talk to me about the movie, though.)
the four kingdoms series by melanie cellier! if you like fairy tale retellings (which ella enchanted is also!), these are a must-read. they're sweet and romantic, with beautiful world-building and character arcs and themes... so good. and I love a series that tells each character's story in its own book! my favorites are the first two, but the second book, the princess fugitive, absolutely takes the cake. there is literally NOTHING like a battle for the throne to get me excited over a book.
and finally, one I bet a lot of you are familiar with, and the third fairy telling retelling on this list (...oops), the lunar chronicles by marissa meyer! it's hard for me to pick a favorite of these because they're all so charming in their own ways. Just like the four kingdoms, each of the main character's stories is told in their own book, but these ones have even more of an interconnected plot and cast. and it's SCI FI!!! Fairy tale retelling SCI FI! WITH CYBORGS! Truly SO good.
