Kindred Reads {10}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature where I recommend similar books. These books contain similar elements, whether it's content, writing style, or other themes found in the novels. They are always books which I have read, and clicking on the title of the book will take you to my review of that book (if I have reviewed it) or the Goodreads page (for those not yet reviewed). They aren't always books that I've loved, but always include reasons why I'm recommending them for specific similarities.

This is something that I personally wish I saw more of; after reading a book I enjoy, I often want to read similar books but they can be hard to discover!

This week, I'm recommending books filled with magic in a Victorian setting - these are some of the best paranormal stories out there, just because it's such a fabulous setting! There's so much mystery and intrigue, and the men are always gentlemen... well, most of the time!

If you like...

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray

Then you might want to read...

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber

After first discovering Darker Still on Goodreads, I was SO excited by its cover and description! It just sounded wonderful, and while reading this novel I found myself completely enchanted by it! Nothing says dark magic like a young Victorian heroine getting into all sorts of mischief to save a dashing gentleman from some dastardly fate!

You can read my review here, if you want to hear more!









Dark Mirror (Dark Mirror #1) by M.J. Putney

Dark Mirror is somewhat special to me, because it was the book that kind of set my book blogging in motion... :)
This was the first book I ever won in a Goodreads giveaway- and one of the first I ever reviewed seriously. This is M.J.'s transition from adult romance to YA - and it's an impressive one as well. In a society where magic is highly frowned upon and outlawed, the world is just dark with hidden secrets and mysteries. Plus, it was rather unexpected as things turned out in a twist that I wasn't quite expecting.

You can read my review here - but remember, this was one of my FIRST reviews!





Let me know your thoughts - did I miss any other books? Have you read any of these, and did you enjoy them? Do you love these Victorian paranormals as much as I do? I'm really hoping for some more in the future!

Waiting on Wednesday ~ 7/20

(see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. So thanks to her for sharing it!)
 Breaking the Spine hosts weekly "Waiting on Wednesday" for books that haven't been released yet but we are anxious for!

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

 

Release Date: September 5, 2011

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.

I really adore Greek plays/myths/stories, etc. and if I could have continued to study it in university (had there been more courses) I would have loved to! So any book based on Greek stories is a must-read for me.

Dark Passage (Dark Mirror #2) by M.J. Putney

Release Date: September 13, 2011

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Irregulars return home to 1803 England safely, but their worldview has changed.  Not only have their heroic efforts at Dunkirk given them pride and confidence but their dangerous mission has increased their magical powers. 
Tory delights in the ever deepening bond she shares with Allarde until she discovers how powerfully he is connected to his ancient family estate—the lands he will not inherit unless he denies his magical powers and chooses a nonmagical mate. If Tory really loves him, she must walk away—but does she have the strength to leave the love of her life?
Cynthia’s heroic efforts at Dunkirk have won her the respect of the Irregulars, but her sharp tongue keeps everyone at a distance. Isolated and very alone at Lackland Abbey over the Christmas holidays, she reluctantly agrees to join Jack Rainford and his family for their celebration even though they’re commoners, far below her own noble rank. The warm welcome of the Rainfords makes her feel happier and more accepted than she has ever been. But she can’t possibly be falling in love with flirtatious Jack! Can she?
Then the Irregulars are drawn into a dangerous attempt to rescue a vitally important French scientist from Nazi-occupied France. Tory and Allarde must work together because countless lives are at stake. Disaster strikes and not only is their mission threatened, but their very lives. Can magic and their loyalty to each other help them survive to return home?

I won Dark Mirror in a Goodreads giveaway and really enjoyed it. The story was pretty easy to get in to, and I'm excited for this sequel (coming out soon)! You can read my review of Dark Mirror on this blog post. Also, I think this cover is gorgeous! Much better from the first.

So what are you waiting on today?