#Blogmas Day 15 I Things I Love in Books

Today we’re talking about things I love in books – tropes, plot points, character traits, etc. And, I’ll be giving you 3 books to check out in case you like these things too. (Also, several of these books could be in multiple categories, but I decided to only use each book once so that I could fit more recommendations on the list.)

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Found Families: I love seeing friend groups become like family whether its a ragtag group of mistfits trying to overthrow an evil empire or a crew aboard a spaceship, I can’t get enough of this trope.
»» The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
»» Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
»» Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey

Heist Stories: Heist stories are so much fun, especially when its a group working together (and all three of these books have found families in them.) And, when they’re well done, these stories allow for some pretty surprising twists.
»» The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
»» Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
»» The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Strong Female Friendships: Girl hate and the non-like-other-girls trope are two of my least favorite things in books. I’d much rather see girls supporting girls so I absolutely love to see strong female friendships. Whether its girls who have been friends before the book starts, or friendships that develop throughout the story, its so nice to see female friends that show how great the bond can be when female characters work together and support one another.
»» Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
»» Uprooted by Naomi Novik
»» Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

Angsty Romances: I have a weakness for angsty romances, I admit it. Give me two characters who refuse to admit they have feelings or star-crossed lovers kept apart by circumstances, and I’m gonna ship that instantly.
»» An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
»» Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout
»» Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Morally Gray Protagonists: I much prefer my protagonists to be morally gray, than the classic “hero” especially when reading high fantasy. The world is complicated, and protagonists should be no different. Whether their jaded and cynical, or trying to make up for past wrong doings, or even doing the wrong thing for the right reason, I find these characters far more interesting. And, when you can’t always guess what the character is going to do, it keeps the plot more interesting too.
»» The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
»» Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
»» The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty

Snarky Protagonists: I’m a sucker for snarky banter. So if you give me a character who is kinda an asshole, but funny about it. I’m probably going to love them.
»» The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
»» Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Aime Kaufman
»» The Seven Blades in Black by Sam Sykes

AI Characters: I love AI characters in science-fiction because I think its such a great way to discuss what it means to be human. And I especially love them if they’re just a little bit snarky.
»» All Systems Red by Martha Wells
»» Illumiae by Jay Kristoff and Aime Kaufman
»» Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Animal Companions: I’m a sucker for a good animal companion. Especially since getting my dog Ahsoka a few years ago, seeing a human/animal bond in a book just tugs at my heartstrings and makes even more emotionally invested in the story.
»» Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
»» Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
»» The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

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So what about you? What kinds of things do you love in books? Do you have any recommendations for me that have any of things I’ve mentioned above?

Happy Reading ♥