Book Recommendations
Updated: September 21, 2025
Author: Blaine Hoak
Here are some of my favorite books that I highly recommend. This is not a comprehensive list of all the books I've ever read, but rather a curated list of books that I think are particularly special or impactful. I love reading fantasy the most, but I also enjoy dystopian and science fiction. If you have any book recommendations for me, or have read any of these books, let's chat!
The Last Hour Between Worlds
by Melissa Caruso
Short description: The Last Hour Between Worlds is a reality-bending fantasy about a party that falls down into different layers of reality.
Why I love it: Honestly, I don't have any other words to describe this book other than just...wow. The world is so incredibly imaginative and well-crafted. The entire time you read this book, you really feel like you are part of the action. This felt like nothing I had ever read before in the best way possible. The imagination and creativity that went into making this book is off the charts.
Fantasy Adventure
Genre: Fantasy
Tress of the Emerald Sea
by Brandon Sanderson
Short description: Tress of the Emerald Sea is a whimsical fantasy adventure that follows the journey of a young woman named Tress as she navigates a world filled with magic, danger, and self-discovery.
Why I love it: This book felt so nostalgic to me. The entire time I was reading it, I felt like I was in a pirate version of The Princess Bride. The characters are hilarious with so many self-aware and meta witty moments throughout the book that I was legitimately laughing out loud.
Fantasy Adventure Funny
Genre: Fantasy
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Short description: The Hunger Games is a gripping dystopian story that explores themes of survival, government control, and personal sacrifice through the eyes of its strong protagonist, Katniss Everdeen.
Why I love it: I remember so vividly being 12 years old and reading this series under the covers with a flashlight. Even though I read it when I was much younger, I'm always amazed at how incredible these books still are even as an adult. This is true dystopian literature and it is just *chef's kiss* perfection. If you already love the main series but haven't read the newest prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, you need to! Have tissues handy when you get to the epilogue.
Dystopian Action Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult
Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas
Short description: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a captivating fantasy novel that follows the journey of a young assassin, Celaena Sardothien, as she navigates a world of magic, betrayal, and self-discovery.
Why I love it: This book is actually one of the first books that got me back into reading as an adult, so I'll always love it for that reason alone. Beyond that, there are so many incredible characters that have amazing developments throughout the 8 book series. Yes, this is a super long series (the last book is 980 pages...), but it's worth it! One thing that really stuck out to me while reading this is that the side characters are just as well-developed as the main ones, which is a rarity. Actually, my favorite characters in this series are technically side characters. There is so much epic adventure, insane plot twists, and emotional depth to this series that is really hard to find anywhere else.
Fantasy Adventure Epic
Genre: Fantasy
