Here are 7 books that Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart fans have personally recommended if you like Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Giovanni's Tree

patrick3

From Patrick's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Unknown Author Why Patrick loves this book

An enjoyable collection of stories inspired by Italian fairy tales. I like the interconnections - characters who reappear from story to story. Parts in my inner eye could have been filmed by Fellini.

By Nicholas A. Dichario ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Giovanni's Tree as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nicholas A. DiChario's GIOVANNI'S TREE: NEW ITALIAN FOLKTALES is a wildly imaginative book and an important contribution to Italian-American stories. In this collection, DiChario honors the traditional folktale form, while taking the genre in new and exciting directions. DiChario's fiction has been nominated for the World Fantasy and Hugo awards, among others, and his stories have appeared in many magazines and anthologies, including The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century.

"In the tradition of Italo Calvino's Italian Folktales, Nicholas A. DiChario's Giovanni's Tree: New Italian Folktales has all the humor, wonder, treachery, and great storytelling as its predecessor.…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Collected Essays on Evolution, Nature, and the Cosmos

patrick3

From Patrick's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Unknown Author Why Patrick loves this book

Thought provoking and poetic.

By Loren Eiseley , William Cronon (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Collected Essays on Evolution, Nature, and the Cosmos as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An eminent paleontologist with the soul and skill of a poet, Loren Eiseley (1907-1977) was among the twentieth century's greatest inheritors of the literary tradition of Henry David Thoreau, Charles Darwin, and John Muir, and a precursor to such later writers as Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, and Carl Sagan. After decades of fieldwork and discovery as a "bone-hunter" and professor, Eiseley turned late in life to the personal essay, and beginning with the surprise million-copy seller The Immense Journey (1957) he produced an astonishing succession of books that won acclaim both as science and as art. Now for the…


Book cover of Jade City

Mark Lawrence Author Of Red Sister

From Mark's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Mark's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Mark Lawrence Why Mark loves this book

A fine book. Set in alternate reality modern(ish) times with TVs, aircraft etc but with the power in the hands of clans that have personal combat magics that make them the dominant force in the setting.

Constantly engaging with a great portrait of "crime family" dynamics in a non-western setting. Shades of The Godfather and other Mafia tales, but also very much its own thing.

The jade-based magic system is both simple and interesting.

I wasn't particularly moved on an emotional level but the story with exciting, entertaining, and had lots of fascinating detail both on the small scale (street fights, family arguments, training school scenes) and the large (nations vying for power, government vs clan interactions etc). And the story has great potential to expand.

This will have to be a brief review - finished the book while sitting up all night with my daughter in A&E. But definitely…

By Fonda Lee ,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked Jade City as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD

'An epic drama reminiscent of the best classic Hong Kong gangster films but set in a fantasy metropolis so gritty and well-imagined that you'll forget you're reading a book' KEN LIU

'Gripping!' ANN LECKIE, author of Ancillary Justice and The Raven Tower

'Lee's astute worldbuilding raises the stakes for her vivid and tautly-described action scenes' SCOTT LYNCH, author of The Lies of Locke Lamora

*****Shortlisted for the Nebula Awards, the Locus Awards, the Aurora Awards, the Sunburst Awards and an Amazon.com Best Book of the Month*****

TWO CRIME FAMILIES, ONE SOURCE OF POWER: JADE.…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Julie Brooks Author Of A Haunting at Venus Bay

From my list on books where a mystery from the past stalks the present.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was twelve years old when I first read Jane Eyre, the beginning of my love for gothic fiction. Murder mysteries are fine, but add a remote location, a decaying old house, some tormented characters, ancient family secrets, and I’m all in. Traditional Gothic, American Gothic (love this painting), Australian Gothic, Mexican Gothic (perfect title by the way), I love them all. The setting in gothic fiction is like a character in itself, and wherever I travel, I’m drawn to these locations, all food for my own writing.

Julie's book list on books where a mystery from the past stalks the present

Julie Brooks Why Julie loves this book

It’s the voice that gets me with We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Merricat Blackwood is such a strange, chilling young narrator. Mysterious and vaguely unsettling, I could never be sure whether to believe her version of events. Or not.

Plus, it has some of my favourite story ingredients: a family tragedy, a murder trial, an unwelcome visitor, and a little bit of magic. 

By Shirley Jackson ,

Why should I read it?

24 authors picked We Have Always Lived in the Castle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Living in the Blackwood family home with only her sister, Constance, and her Uncle Julian for company, Merricat just wants to preserve their delicate way of life. But ever since Constance was acquitted of murdering the rest of the family, the world isn't leaving the Blackwoods alone. And when Cousin Charles arrives, armed with overtures of friendship and a desperate need to get into the safe, Merricat must do everything in her power to protect the remaining family.


Book cover of Thistlefoot

jules

From Jules' 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Unknown Author Why Jules loves this book

Thistlefoot is a story about generational trauma and how the body can remember things the mind cannot and that these stories/folktales exist because history was witnessed, because someone was there, because someone remembers. The author says "Folklore allows us to be playful and fun ... And it also allows us to address some things we may not have the ability to address otherwise."

This book explores the idea of using folklore to tell a memory too painful to talk plainly about. Many of us have likely read “what would happen if a fairytale was set in current times?” But this is different because the house narrates the difficult parts. It says, “I'll tell you what came before. I'll recite it like a folk tale. These sorts of memories - they're easier to understand that way.” As the story progresses the house's story moves further away from the tale and closer…

By GennaRose Nethercott ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Thistlefoot as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the tradition of modern fairy tales like Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver comes an immersive fantasy saga, a debut novel about estranged siblings who are reunited after receiving a mysterious inheritance.

“A wonderfully imaginative, wholly enchanting novel of witness, survival, memory, and family that reads like a fairy tale godfathered by Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton in a wild America alive with wonders and devils alike. Thistlefoot shimmers with magic and mayhem and a thrilling emotional momentum.” —Libba Bray, bestselling author of The Diviners

The Yaga siblings—Bellatine, a young woodworker, and Isaac, a wayfaring street…


Book cover of The Bruising of Qilwa

Avi Silver Author Of Two Dark Moons

From my list on fantasy books where siblings take center stage.

Why am I passionate about this?

As the oldest of nine kids, I can’t remember a time before I had siblings. When I was younger, I had a habit of writing protagonists who were only children—but as I finished the final book in my Sãoni Cycle trilogy, I discovered that each protagonist was processing a sibling connection! The older I get, the more curious I become about how these bonds shape and transform people, especially as they age. Speculative fiction provides countless contexts to explore notions of family. Perhaps siblings don’t have magic powers in the real world, but we might understand one another better if we did.

Avi's book list on fantasy books where siblings take center stage

Avi Silver Why Avi loves this book

I listened to this audiobook on my drive to and from work—and often found myself taking the long route home! Narrator Fajer Al-Kaisi brought an incredible story to the next level. This was an exhilarating five hours of blood magic, deeply nuanced explorations of axes of oppression, and queer normative, Persian-inspired worldbuilding.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the relationship between trans siblings Firuz and Parviz as they navigate trying to get Parviz access to gender-affirming healthcare. I appreciated being able to sit with this very real challenge outside of the context of the transphobia I see every day.

The love between these siblings (and I haven’t even mentioned found sibling Afsoneh!!) shines through the pages, even and especially during their toughest challenges.

By Naseem Jamnia ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Bruising of Qilwa as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“I loved this gorgeous book about blood magic, chosen family and refugees in a hostile city. Naseem Jamnia has created a rich, complex world.”
―Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky

[STARRED REVIEW] “A delight to read. Highly recommended.”
―Library Journal

In this intricate debut fantasy introducing a queernormative Persian-inspired world, a nonbinary refugee practitioner of blood magic discovers a strange disease that causes political rifts in their new homeland. Persian-American author Naseem Jamnia has crafted a gripping narrative with a moving, nuanced exploration of immigration, gender, healing, and family. Powerful and fascinating, The Bruising of…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Monster Portraits

Avi Silver Author Of Two Dark Moons

From my list on fantasy books where siblings take center stage.

Why am I passionate about this?

As the oldest of nine kids, I can’t remember a time before I had siblings. When I was younger, I had a habit of writing protagonists who were only children—but as I finished the final book in my Sãoni Cycle trilogy, I discovered that each protagonist was processing a sibling connection! The older I get, the more curious I become about how these bonds shape and transform people, especially as they age. Speculative fiction provides countless contexts to explore notions of family. Perhaps siblings don’t have magic powers in the real world, but we might understand one another better if we did.

Avi's book list on fantasy books where siblings take center stage

Avi Silver Why Avi loves this book

This book is a wonder of a collaboration between siblings Sofia Samatar and Del Samatar, and it has haunted me for years.

This collection is a surreal work of autobiography told through Sofia’s short fiction and Del’s illustrations, all featuring different monsters. These monstrous vignettes are interwoven with memories of growing up as multiracial Somali Americans in the 1980s—to me, they highlight the power of speculative fiction at its very best.

This book feels a little bit like reading someone’s journal, and a little bit like when I realize I’m dreaming but can’t wake myself up. The monsters mesmerized and unsettled me; the Graphis gives me shivers and the Collector of Treasures makes me feel ill. It’s a challenging read and one that I will come back to again and again.

By Sofia Samatar , Del Samatar (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Monster Portraits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fiction. Art. Hybrid Genre. Relentlessly original and brilliantly hybrid,

Monster Portraits investigates the concept of the monstrous through a mesmerizing combination of words and images. An uncanny and imaginative autobiography of otherness, it offers the fictional record of a writer in the realms of the fantastic shot through with the memories of a pair of Somali-American children growing up in the 1980s. Operating under the sign of two—texts and drawings, brother and sister, black and white, extraordinary and everyday—Monster Portraits multiplies, disintegrates, and blends, inviting the reader to find the danger in the banal, the beautiful in the grotesque. Accumulating…


Book cover of Giovanni's Tree
Book cover of Collected Essays on Evolution, Nature, and the Cosmos
Book cover of Jade City

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