Top 8 Books That Live In My Head Rent-Free

I know I advertise this blog as a mainly nostalgic space, however, this topic has been in my head for a long while. Here are my 8 books that live in my head rent free.

8: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Let's get the obvious out of the way. A Christmas Carol will always be in my head. It has since childhood, and I think it will when I die. It's my favorite classic. How everyone quotes Pride and Prejudice is how I quote A Christmas Carol. Everyone knows at least one iteration of the story, and I will not go so gun-ho about it in this article. I'll save up all my pent-up energy for December.

 

7: Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham

    Who would have thought mixing The Great Gatsby with Boardwalk Empire would be such a great read? Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham explores the 1920s black wealthy society in Chicago and follows Penelope Sawyer, a rich high-society woman who wants to make her own name for herself by being an investigative journalist. She gets her big break when she gets an assignment to prove her worth: To track down the Mayor of Maxwell Street, a ghost of affluent connection and means. Mayor of Maxwell Street is thrilling, and the characters and what they get into have lived in my brain since I finished it two months ago, especially at the end of the last chapter (if you know you know). If you haven't checked this book out you should. You can find it in any Barnes and Noble.

6: Kyoshi Saga by FC Yee

    If you love Avatar: The Last Airbender like I do, then you should check out The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi. The companion books to the Avatar Saga are a beauty to behold. I loved the character of Kyoshi since she was introduced in the show. (I love it so much I have her as my computer screen image). So of course I would want to love the Kyoshi books, and I do. Though I have some reservations about the first book, the sequel holds my brain hostage. The characters, the lands they go to, and everything that ends up being revealed replay in my brain every time I hear the name Kyoshi. If you haven't checked these books out, and you are an Avatar fan, you are missing out.  

5: Mightnight Maiden by Kathryn Marie

        An assassin duchess, what else would anyone would want? Midnight Maiden follows Christiana, a duchess and an assassin who targets abusers. When she has to go to court, her secret life is at a crossroads when her noble life is brought into the folds of court intrigue. It is an amazing book, and its sequel though I admit not as good as the first is also a great continuation at any rate. The characters, and a particular scene that had me so hooked I had to read it twice have been burned into my brain in the best way. It was my introduction to political fantasy and is the best example of it. If you haven't checked it out yet you can buy it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble or on Kathryn's website. You won't regret reading it.

4: A Tip For The Hangman by Allison Epstein

        To be a poet or to be a spy, that is the question! Well, that is the question that Christopher Marlowe constantly explores as he takes on the duty of being Francis Walsingham's (and by extension Queen Elizabeth I's) spy. Historically we know the famous poet and playwright was infamously murdered at 29 but we never truly know why. Well, Allison Epstein explores the possibilities in A Tip For The Hangman. The characterizations, the LGBTQIA subplot romance between Marlow and his beau Tom, and the historical accuracy inside a historical fiction are what make my brain glued to this story. I always go back to it when I'm in a reading slump, and I strive to make my male characters just as endearing and foolish as Marlowe. If you have somehow not read this book, it is a 10/10 recommendation. You can find it at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. 

3: Crowned In Shadows by Meagan Johnson

    What do you get when you mix Avatar The Last Airbender, The Last Kingdom, and Reign together? You get this amazing, well-crafted, and beautiful book. This book follows a former soldier named Everett, a Princess named Danielle, and a warrior named Cal as they search for the answer to the war plaguing the kingdom. The romance in this is so good, the magic system is enthralling, and the characters themselves feel real like you're with them on the journey. I love this book so much. You can find it on Meagan's website and right now it is on sale! You should get it!

2: The Starchaser Saga by Renee Dugan

If you want a fantasy that reminds you of Six of Crows and Final Fantasy, this is your series right here. Cistine, a Princess of a land that may be on the brink of war, leaves with her friends to another kingdom that could help. But when they are stopped and kidnapped by a gang of Rogues, Cistine and her friends learn that the kingdom they thought could help them needs help of their own. Throughout the series, the reader learns so much about not only the characters but also the magic and the land Cistine eventually calls a second home. All of the characters have their own tragedies and pasts but also their own dreams and when we get to the final book, it grips you with the tightest, heart-wrenching hold you will ever experience. I cannot, I repeat, CANNOT recommend this book enough! I will say the first book is a bit slow but once you get to the rest it is a rollercoaster of emotions. You can find all of them at Renee's website, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. 

1: Beneath The Scarlet Frost by Marissa Miller

Inspired by the Romanov Story, Beneath The Scarlet Frost is an immersive, immaculate story that everyone who loves historical fiction and fantasy needs to read. All Sorrel Zdrievts, Grand Princess of Eisa, wants is to help people, be with her family and one day marry the love of her life. But when her father brings the kingdom and subsequently his family into a war against wielders of different magical affinities, affinities which are illegal to use in Eisa, Sorrel, her sisters, and little brother are pushed into the war effort. But when coming across a secret that could undo everything they hold dear, Sorrel and those close to her have to make sure they all can survive it. These characters are so real, and maybe  because they are deeply modeled from their real-life counterparts. The climax and an intense scene involving fire have lived in my head since February. I cannot wait until the sequel comes in a year or two. I need to be in this world again. Please, please pick this book up this book. You can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

Please, everyone, pick up all the books I've mentioned on this list up at least once. I promise they're all worth it.