Have you tried The City We Became? It's the first of the books in NK Jemisin's new urban fantasy series (I think there are 2 out right now, but I haven't read the second)! I found the characters really compelling (several of whom are queer) and the plot incorporates some clever and interesting allegories for racism and gentrification in NYC.
The Final Strife is good - more fantasy / alternate reality with magic! (School for Good Mothers was so good! You might like Mother of Invention!) Empire Games is also really good - alternate universes, strong female lead, connections to East Germany! Oh, and End of Men (if you can deal with a global pandemic book - written in like 2016, but eerily accurate.) (I tend to read more space opera sci-fi, but love a good alternate universe / time travel!) Oh, and all of River Solomon's books!
Hi Johanna! I'm about to finish The Final Strife (around 30 pages left!) and wanted to come back and thank you! It is incredible! Can't wait to dive into book 2 of the trilogies. :)
Johanna!!! Thank you so much for this list! I am excited to check some of these out. I haven't heard of the genre "space opera" yet and just Googled it--so fun. If I come across anything that I think might by up your alley I'll be sure to share. :)
Of course! For Dark Academia, think gothic, spooky, often magical settings where young people (middle or high school, or college or grad school) are learning something. I love the kinds that have a magical twist. For TV, it might be the show "The Magicians," but for books, Kuang's "Babel" and Olivie Blake's series would fit. Also Naomi Novik's "The Scholomance Series." I just finished Mona Awad's "Bunny" and I think that would fit, too. I love love love stories where folks go to learn magic at a school but something is dark, spooky, threatening and they have to band together to save the school (or the world!). I guess Harry Potter would fit, too, but I'm more interested in books that are set at universities or with older teenagers. Have you read books like this? What would you suggest? :)
I haven't even thought yet about Dark Academia movies! Carrie is such a brilliant example of this. Let me know if you have anything that comes to mine. Also, please feel free to share some of your recommendations in general! :)
Have you tried The City We Became? It's the first of the books in NK Jemisin's new urban fantasy series (I think there are 2 out right now, but I haven't read the second)! I found the characters really compelling (several of whom are queer) and the plot incorporates some clever and interesting allegories for racism and gentrification in NYC.
I haven’t read it! Going to put in on request at the library! Thank you ☺️
The Final Strife is good - more fantasy / alternate reality with magic! (School for Good Mothers was so good! You might like Mother of Invention!) Empire Games is also really good - alternate universes, strong female lead, connections to East Germany! Oh, and End of Men (if you can deal with a global pandemic book - written in like 2016, but eerily accurate.) (I tend to read more space opera sci-fi, but love a good alternate universe / time travel!) Oh, and all of River Solomon's books!
Hi Johanna! I'm about to finish The Final Strife (around 30 pages left!) and wanted to come back and thank you! It is incredible! Can't wait to dive into book 2 of the trilogies. :)
Johanna!!! Thank you so much for this list! I am excited to check some of these out. I haven't heard of the genre "space opera" yet and just Googled it--so fun. If I come across anything that I think might by up your alley I'll be sure to share. :)
Enlighten me on Dark Academia! Which of these would fit that genre? Thanks for the recs!
Of course! For Dark Academia, think gothic, spooky, often magical settings where young people (middle or high school, or college or grad school) are learning something. I love the kinds that have a magical twist. For TV, it might be the show "The Magicians," but for books, Kuang's "Babel" and Olivie Blake's series would fit. Also Naomi Novik's "The Scholomance Series." I just finished Mona Awad's "Bunny" and I think that would fit, too. I love love love stories where folks go to learn magic at a school but something is dark, spooky, threatening and they have to band together to save the school (or the world!). I guess Harry Potter would fit, too, but I'm more interested in books that are set at universities or with older teenagers. Have you read books like this? What would you suggest? :)
ahhhh ok, ok, I get you! Thank you.
I'm not sure but I like the concept. :) So many good films like that, starting with Carrie of course. I will ponder it.
I haven't even thought yet about Dark Academia movies! Carrie is such a brilliant example of this. Let me know if you have anything that comes to mine. Also, please feel free to share some of your recommendations in general! :)