My family loudly expressed emotions as a normal way of life. We shouted, we laughed, we wept, we sang (think My Big Fat Greek Wedding!). Emotional intelligence helps me understand the world and learn empathy for others. I illustrate dynamic character emotions through my science fiction and fantasy, and often through the themes of family, memory, and healing. Emotional roller coasters and high-stakes adventures are my jam! The books on this list got my feels firing on all cylinders and didn’t leave me bereft on their final page. Enjoy these gems!
After discovering a magic door in a forest, 15-year-old Calvin awakens his own sight and plunges into a swirling world of portents and shadow where friend and foe are hard to discern and his own talent threatens to consume his mind.
Calvin must brave extraordinary trials in order to wield his sight, defend his family, and prepare to battle not just an ominous secret society, but the man who’s brought Calvin the greatest pain—his father.
This book yanks you into the excitement and intrigue of a young boy without social power who gets pressed into the service of his king as a spy and wielder of a familial mind-magic that he was born to, but can’t claim because of his illegitimate birth. The characters show a wide breadth of kindness and cruelty, sacrifice and courage, and a healthy dose of humor and affection. I rooted for Fitz’s wins and ached for his heartbreaks. This book helped me grasp the deep impact that a foster parent’s love can have on a child as well as the bond of trust that forms between a servant and his master. I love a thrilling adventure and the levels of suspense and mystery are very gratifying in this story.
Voyager Classics - timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.
A beautiful clothbound edition of Assassin's Apprentice, the first book in the critically acclaimed Farseer Trilogy.
In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.
Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if…
Family is a huge part of my life, and this book is all about family. Two brothers, united by the death of their father, only to discover there’s magic in the family and they must use it to defend what’s left of their legacy. I love the themes of sibling rivalry, the anguish and joy of family ties, and the challenge of discovering an inner strength you didn’t know you had. Charlie Nancy is a kind, self-deprecating character who has to get out from under the shadow of his dashing, winsome brother, and he manages it with humor and heart. True story: this book also helped cure my fear of spiders! I recommend this one to all my friends!
From bestselling storytelling legend Neil Gaiman, author of American Gods and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Anansi Boys is a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth that will thrill Game of Thrones devotees and Terry Pratchett fans alike. 'Exhilarating and terrifying' Independent.
Fat Charlie Nancy is not actually fat. He was fat once but he is definitely not fat now. No, right now Fat Charlie Nancy is angry, confused and more than a little scared - right now his life is spinning out of control, and it is all his dad's fault.
I have a tender spot for heroines who experience such strong emotions that they’re prone to being tossed by their own inner tempests. (I…ahem…might resemble that last comment). Romy had to make a wretchedly hard choice to protect her brother and the fallout separates her forever from the man she loves. She’s a determined, fiery woman and her diligence helps her survive in a city where her magical gift is forbidden. Her past could easily have made her bitter, but she fights with hope for second chances and a ferocious love that makes me adore her! When Romy teams up with other magically gifted people for a complicated heist, she’s consistently kind, unifying, and bravely vulnerable. I just love her!
A ragtag crew with forbidden magic must pull off an elaborate heist and stop a civil war in An Illusion of Thieves, a fantasy adventure from Cate Glass.
In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence.
Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy's aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life―and the price is her banishment.
If I can tell a character is scared and emotional about their mission and then they force themselves to do the right thing despite that fear, I get a warm spot in my chest and think “I want to be brave like that, too.” Sabriel is an amazing heroine because she goes into extremely scary places, accepting her calling as the Abhorsen and learning to ring these bells of death that help her to send dead monsters back to the underworld. I love her grit and courage as she gets the job done, even though it’s absolutely terrifying! This book showed me that I could still read stories with horror elements as long as I was thoroughly attached to the main character—which I was!
A stunning anniversary gift edition of the second in the bestselling Old Kingdom fantasy series.
Sabriel has spent most of her young life far away from the magical realm of the Old Kingdom, and the Dead that roam it. But then a creature from across the Wall arrives at her all-girls boarding school with a message from her father, the Abhorsen - the magical protector of the realm whose task it is to bind and send back to Death those that won't stay Dead. Sabriel's father has been trapped in Death by a dangerous Free Magic creature.
I should begin by confessing that, way deep down, I’m a sappy romantic. This is a love story and a Cinderella retelling. I don’t typically read romance nor am I a big fan of the Cinderella story, but I adored this book! The interactions between Ella and Char are heartwarming and delightful. The storyline veers far enough from the Disney and storybook versions that I’ve read a thousand times, so things stay interesting. This book showed me that there is definitely room for fairy tale retellings as long as the characters stay strong, funny, and likable! Pretty darn sure that I was in love with Char by the time I finished reading!
ELLA ENCHANTED is a witty, refreshing take on the popular fairytale, Cinderella which preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female protagonist. "If you've read HARRY POTTER, try ELLA ENCHANTED" Publishers Weekly
Ella is given a blessing at birth by a very stupid fairy: She gets the gift of obedience! but the blessing turns into a horror for Ella who literally has to do what anyone and everyone tells her, from sweeping the floor to giving up a prrecious necklace! She has to battle with ogres and wicked stepsisters, make friends…
Inspiring historical fiction based on the real life of Bertha Benz, whose husband built the first prototype automobile, which eventually evolved into the Mercedes-Benz marque.
"Unfortunately, only a girl again."
From a young age, Cäcilie Bertha Ringer is fascinated by her father's work as a master builder in Pforzheim, Germany. But those five words, which he wrote next to her name in the family Bible, haunt Bertha.
Years later, Bertha meets Carl Benz and falls in love—with him and his extraordinary dream of building a horseless carriage. Bertha has such faith in him that she invests her dowry in his plans, a dicey move since they alone believe in the machine. When Carl's partners threaten to withdraw their support, he's ready to cut ties. Bertha knows the decision would ruin everything. Ignoring the cynics, she takes matters into her own hands, secretly planning a scheme that will either hasten the family's passage to absolute derision or prove their genius. What Bertha doesn't know is that Carl is on the cusp of making a deal with their nemesis. She's not only risking her marriage and their life's work, but is also up against the patriarchy, Carl's own self-doubt, and the clock.
Like so many other women, Bertha lived largely in her husband's shadow, but her contributions are now celebrated in this inspiring story of perseverance, resilience, and love.
Inspiring historical fiction based on the real life of Bertha Benz, whose husband built the first prototype automobile, which eventually evolved into the Mercedes-Benz marque.
"Unfortunately, only a girl again."
From a young age, Cacilie Bertha Ringer is fascinated by her father's work as a master builder in Pforzheim, Germany. But those five words, which he wrote next to her name in the family Bible, haunt Bertha.
Years later, Bertha meets Carl Benz and falls in love-with him and his extraordinary dream of building a horseless carriage. Bertha has such faith in him that she invests her dowry in his…
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