Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely people at The Broke and Bookish.
Today’s topic is the top ten book I would most recommend. Instead of listing every book of a series, I’m going to cheat and just mention the series as a whole.
10. King Raven Chronicles, Stephen R. Lawhead
This trilogy takes the story of Robin Hood back to the basics. Realism is the aim of the game but not to the extent where it is discouraging.
9. Tales of the Otori, Lian Hearn
Love these books. Love them, love them, love them. Both the incredible storytelling and deeper meaning of these novels strike a chord with me every time I read them.
8. A Place Called Here, Cecilia Ahern
I love all of Cecilia Ahern’s work and this is probably my favourite of all her works to date.
7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor
This story is so beguiling because it is so unexpected and, in my experience of fantasy works, quite unprecedented. I’m not sure I could say I liked it but I would definitely recommend it.
6. Jin Shei, Alma Alexander
This book was one of the first books that truly grabbed me by the throat and did not let go. I think it was probably the first book that made me cry and any book that can elicit that kind of response from me automatically qualifies for such a list as this.
5. The Kira Chronicles, K.S. Nikakis
What I loved about these books was the depth, detail and care Nikakis took with regards to creating the various cultures, life styles and characters.
4. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
The psychotic destructiveness of Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship make this tome unforgettable, even if it is a little creepy.
3. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
Now this book really did make me cry. I was absolutly blown away by this WWII novel with a twist.
2. A Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin
Great epic fiction with enough of everything to enterain most people. I can go on about this series for hours but I won’t because you need to be spending that time reading it. Now. Get to it.
1. The Kingkiller Chronicles, Patrick Rothfuss
Rothfuss’ writing combined with his impressive narrative skills, character voice and storyline make this series my favourite, perhaps even more than ASOIAF. Which is a big call. But while I can deal with the fact that the next ASOIAF might not be out for another few years, if the next Kingkiller isn’t released soon, it won’t be only the characters in the book with violent tendancies. 🙂
R.E. Navan 
The only book (series, I suppose) I’ve read on your list is A Song of Ice and Fire. George RR Martin is absolutely spellbinding, although by the fifth book I felt a little overwhelmed by the amount of characters I needed to keep straight in my head.
The Book Thief has been on my to-be-read list for ages; I keep hearing more and more great things about it. Thanks for sharing these!
“I’m not sure I could say I liked it but I would definitely recommend it.”
Could you explain a little more? It sounds intriguing, but I’m wondering why you didn’t like it… maybe.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone was very well written and intriguing but also a little too odd and unusual for me to feel entirely comfortable with it. It was slightly unnerving to read but at the same time, impossible to put down. I think I may have had this reaction to it because a) its set in a country completely foreign to me and b) some elements felt a little too convenient. But you should definitely read it and create your own thoughts on it. 🙂
Thanks!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is great. Plus I love A Song of Ice and Fire, but I don’t recommend it to everyone. It’s so long and there are some slower parts. Takes someone committed to follow through with it.
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Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know
The only one on your list I’ve read is the first book of The Kingkiller Chronicles. I really liked it, but decided I didn’t want to continue it until the series was complete. So… I wait… but I think the wait would be worse if I read the 2nd book and got more invested in the story.
I too loved The Name of the Wind, but need to reread before I read the sequel!
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