Here are 69 books that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince fans have personally recommended if you like
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
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I have a passion for reading and telling tales. But I am a Christian first and foremost, and when I am not studying the Bible, I love to write when my mind is at rest and not too busy with life’s responsibilities. I love fantasy as it has a rich capacity for symbolism, and Jesus taught with parables. Symbolism in storytelling is such a potent way to convey truths and stimulate thought as thoughts work like seeds. It only takes one seed to germinate and sprout. It takes a humble heart to listen and consider something new we haven’t thought of before. And epic tales have a strong impact for touching hearts, for it had truly reached mine.
From childhood, hearing and reading stories and folk stories with my parents and grandfather to reading Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I have always had a passion for the hearing, reading, and telling of tales, which strongly stimulates my love for fantasy as it is rich with symbolism.
Tolkien’s The Silmarillion took that love to new levels as it is the book I find myself always returning to, almost as though in its study. While it is commonly a difficult read for many due to its slow build for establishing its own context, I love how this book is a rich library of stories bespeaking themes of tragedy, despair, courage, hope, and nobility, where we get to see their fruits in the story’s conclusion.
Despite Tolkien’s decision to refrain from allegory as he kept the story purely ambiguous in nature as the fictional world feels both…
The forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion fills in the background which lies behind the more popular work, and gives the earlier history of Middle-earth, introducing some of the key characters.
The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.
Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of…
An Heir of Realms tells the tale of two young heroines—a dragon rider and a portal jumper—who fight dragon-like parasites to save their realms from extinction.
Rhoswen is training as a Realm Rider to work with dragons and burn away the Narxon swarming into her realm. Rhoswen’s dream is to…
I am a very inquisitive person with a background in psychology and sociology. Human behavior and ancient civilizations fascinate me, as do the heart, mind, and soul. Why do we love? Why do we hurt? Why do we do the things we do? Having researched numerous vampire legends across history and cultures, I was surprised to find this folklore virtually everywhere! And now, I bring this love of research, psychology, and soul-level motivation to my plots, characters, and world building–hair color, eyes, and background are fine, but what makes this being tick!? Where’s the light, the dark, and the shadow? I hope you enjoy my book list!
This book is gritty, hard-hitting, and beautifully written–blood, sweat, and tears on a page.
I loved this book because the author did not pull any punches! The main male character was broken, his life had been tragic, and he didn’t just magically morph into some perfect model hero. While yes, I both see and imagine vampires as capable of incredible, deep love and loyalty, I also see them as a distinct species with an alternate nature, possessing the capacity for raw, animalistic pain, deep anger (even brutality), and the ability to act from all three places. This author nailed this, and she did it with intelligent, intricate plotting and bare, relatable emotion. She also wields some clever wit and biting snark.
I was sucked in from the first chapter, and I never wanted to put it down. This story gave me so much to think about, and it stayed with…
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion…
As a child, my imagination and love of art drew me to comic books, and later, to immersive, worldbuilding fantasy. My 26-year hiatus from devoted creative pursuits while serving in the Air Force rewarded me with amazing experiences around the globe. As an Airman, naturalist, and scuba diver, I have been immersed in worldly ‘extremes’: the best and worst of humankind; nature’s most remote places and incredible creatures; and troubled regions afflicted by climate change and conflict. I now distill my experiences and creativity into the genre of “eco-fantasy.” The books of my diverse selection also leverage and explore worldly and otherworldly ‘extremes’ to elevate their stories. Enjoy!
It would be the most extreme of criminal acts for this beloved book not to be my ‘list topper!’ Reading this book instilled an instant love of good fantasy storytelling in me early on. It defines the fantasy genre, exemplifying the absolute best extremes in great world-building, characters, and epic storytelling.
Tolkien set the high bar I strive for in all areas in my own writing with one of the most memorable stories in one of the most unforgettable worlds of all time … and he managed to pull it all off within the context of a single book! No matter how many times I go back and re-read this one, I find something new to cherish, and you will too!
Special collector's film tie-in hardback of the best-selling classic, featuring the complete story with a sumptuous cover design inspired by THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and brand new reproductions of all the drawings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End.
But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey 'there and back again'. They have a plot to raid…
Everything you know about Santa Claus is a lie. And that’s just the way she likes it.
She remembers nothing of her real parents. She was abducted by fairies who taught her all she knows. Everyone calls her Key, but no one can tell her why.
I spent all my teenage years daydreaming about being magical (cue a handful of sparkling glitter). Even as an adult, those daydreams haven’t stopped. Magic promises the ability to change the story. I revisit those teen years when I can because ultimately, what each of these stories of magic offer is a coming-of-age story. The struggle of being pulled between two different worlds has always felt familiar to me, whether those worlds are literally different worlds (magical vs non-magical) or figurative (childhood vs adulthood). I’ve felt some version of that struggle my whole life, and I think I always will, which is why these stories will always feel like home.
Suze Simon might be one of my favorite characters of all time.
She’s a mediator (which means she speaks to the dead, and sometimes kicks their butts too). She grew up in New York, which made her tough and edgy. Our story starts when her mom remarries and they move to sunny California to live with Suze’s new stepdad and step-brothers (who are all varying degrees of hilarious, annoying, and down right adorable). Suze has to figure out how to navigate going from life as an only child to life as one of four kids kind of overnight.
I love how Meg Cabot plays with what it’s like to be the new kid, particularly the new kid with a BIG secret.
Shadowland is the first book in the thrilling, romantic Mediator series, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot.
Suze is a mediator—a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living.
But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and…
I spent all my teenage years daydreaming about being magical (cue a handful of sparkling glitter). Even as an adult, those daydreams haven’t stopped. Magic promises the ability to change the story. I revisit those teen years when I can because ultimately, what each of these stories of magic offer is a coming-of-age story. The struggle of being pulled between two different worlds has always felt familiar to me, whether those worlds are literally different worlds (magical vs non-magical) or figurative (childhood vs adulthood). I’ve felt some version of that struggle my whole life, and I think I always will, which is why these stories will always feel like home.
My best friend hates me for recommending this book, but I won’t stop. It’s 1895, and Gemma Doyle is British but has grown up in India. After seeing her mother killed in a vision (which she didn’t even know she had) and then finding she’s been killed in real life, Gemma is sent to boarding school to learn to become a proper lady. That’s when the real magic begins.
I love the friendships in this story, the real struggles, the grief, the dirt and grime of real life mixed with the mystery and glitter of magic. The story sucks me in every single time, no matter how many times I read it.
It's 1895, and after the death of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's being followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls - and their foray into the spiritual world - lead to?
Fantasy stories were introduced to me by my father in early childhood. It was one way he and I connected, and I held it close to my heart. I’ve always wanted to write, feeling fascinated with creating a world entirely your own. I remember my first short story/book that I wrote when I was eight years old; it was about a rabbit who got lost. It probably wasn’t my best work, but we all need to start somewhere. Although I’ve read many fantasy stories, I’ve always thought it important to find your own voice when writing. My favorite authors each had their own style. I hope you find this list of recommendations worthwhile. Happy reading!
Drizzt Do’urden is arguably one of the most beloved characters ever to be created in a fantasy world. He is a dark elf of conviction, not allowing the circumstances of his birth to dictate how he lives his life. He understands the evil nature of his kin and chooses a different path, never giving up through his journeys. Beautifully, he meets people along the way that don’t judge him based on his appearance, but rather the contents of his character. Such a thing creates a bond between Drizzt and his friends that lasts their entire lives.
This three-book set is perfect for collectors and an ideal gift for readers unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms setting. The Dark Elf Trilogy--Homeland, Exile, and Sojourn--are enclosed in a hard-sided slipcover case featuring the cover art from the series.
India Muerte and the Ship of the Dead
by
Set Sytes,
After a night of misadventure, a roguish street lad from Mexico Island wakes up aboard a legendary ship crewed by skeletons. In search of the father he’s never met—a great mound of treasure would be nice, too—India sails the fantastical Caribbean on the Ship of the Dead, exploring the colonial…
Fantasy stories were introduced to me by my father in early childhood. It was one way he and I connected, and I held it close to my heart. I’ve always wanted to write, feeling fascinated with creating a world entirely your own. I remember my first short story/book that I wrote when I was eight years old; it was about a rabbit who got lost. It probably wasn’t my best work, but we all need to start somewhere. Although I’ve read many fantasy stories, I’ve always thought it important to find your own voice when writing. My favorite authors each had their own style. I hope you find this list of recommendations worthwhile. Happy reading!
The Dragonlance series has always been a favorite of mine and this book is how it all began. We get a glimpse into the childhood and early beginnings of all our heroes and how they came together, especially Raistlin, the most powerful wizard ever to come to being. Each character brings something unique to the group and it’s a wonderful thing to see how they evolve and work together to overcome obstacles.
Discover the early history of Raistlin Majere, one of Dragonlance’s most complicated yet beloved characters, in this prequel to the wildly popular Chronicles and Legends series
A mage’s soul is forged in the crucible of magic.
Raistlin Majere is six years old when he meets an archmage who enrolls him in a school for the study of magic. Weak and frail, and tormented by jealousy and inadequacy compared to his twin brother Caramon, the gifted boy begins to forge his wizarding skills. But shadows are darkening over Raistlin even as the same shadows lengthen over all of Ansalon.
As a lover of all things love and being a published author who has read and watched countless romance books and movies, I wanted to recommend bad/gray characters who have stolen my heart because it’s not easy writing a bad guy who deserves your undying love. Most think a bad guy should redeem himself. I believe some should but I also believed some should remain as they are, bad and proud. If I can write a dark character who can steal your heart, then I’ve won a fan for life. Even through bad guys, we can learn life lessons. So, embrace the dark souls in my recs and the ones I’ve written.
Lothaire features a Vampire on the brink of madness with revenge in mind. He is known as the Lothaire the Enemy of Old because he’s been around for hundreds of years. He was tortured and has done bad things to get what he wants and that is the throne. Who doesn’t love a revenge story? I love them but ones with a love interest he must kill to gain his goal when he is deeply attracted to her, is rough. I love a bad guy, especially one who really has little care for redemption, and that is Lothaire.
From the humblest of beginnings a millennia ago, Lothaire the Enemy of Old rose to power, becoming the most feared and evil vampire in the immortal world. Driven by his past, he will not rest until he captures the vampire Horde's crown for himself. The discovery of his Bride, the female meant only for him, threatens to derail his plot.
Elizabeth Peirce is a mere mortal, a glaring vulnerability for a male with so many deadly foes bent on annihilating anything he desires. Yet soon he discovers his Bride's secret. A magnificent power dwells inside the fragile human, one that…
As a lover of all things love and being a published author who has read and watched countless romance books and movies, I wanted to recommend bad/gray characters who have stolen my heart because it’s not easy writing a bad guy who deserves your undying love. Most think a bad guy should redeem himself. I believe some should but I also believed some should remain as they are, bad and proud. If I can write a dark character who can steal your heart, then I’ve won a fan for life. Even through bad guys, we can learn life lessons. So, embrace the dark souls in my recs and the ones I’ve written.
Laurie is your typical sixteen-year-old who is enjoying life until she is tempted by the fantastical experience she never imagined. A fun, otherworldly experience that she is inexplicably drawn into by someone she feels she can trust but this person isn’t as good and helpful as she seems and it is that person who wants to ruin Laurie. And I was there for it all with my shock and sympathy for that person…oh yeah, and Laurie.
Laurie Stratton finally has everything a sixteen-year-old could ever want. But just as her perfect summer comes to a close, things start to unravel when her boyfriend insists he saw her out with another guy-when Laurie was really home sick! More mysterious sightings convince Laurie someone very real is out there, watching her. . . .
The truth reveals a long-lost sister who has spent the years growing bitter and dangerous. She has learned how to haunt Laurie, but the visits soon become perilous. She wants something from Laurie-her life!
Millions watch on live stream as Brit battlemage Daxx and his teammates, Asian-American twin-blade sword-dancer Qrysta and heavily-armored Aussie Orc warrior Grell, triumph in the World Championship of Sword and Sorcery.
The next thing he knows, Daxx is in the middle of a wilderness he’s never seen before. And he’s…
As a lover of all things love and being a published author who has read and watched countless romance books and movies, I wanted to recommend bad/gray characters who have stolen my heart because it’s not easy writing a bad guy who deserves your undying love. Most think a bad guy should redeem himself. I believe some should but I also believed some should remain as they are, bad and proud. If I can write a dark character who can steal your heart, then I’ve won a fan for life. Even through bad guys, we can learn life lessons. So, embrace the dark souls in my recs and the ones I’ve written.
Colt is more of a guy in a bad situation. Nevertheless, he isn’t so nice and when he takes a job of being Cheyenne’s fake boyfriend for pay, you wonder how he will steal your heart. The more you get to know him, the more you become his biggest fan. Even when he’s messy, you can’t help but yell at the book, asking him when is he gonna wake up and learn because he already has you sucked into his web of love.
Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection.
Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too.
Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both.…
