Here are 100 books that The Inventor's Tomb fans have personally recommended if you like The Inventor's Tomb. 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 A Wrinkle in Time

Mary K. Savarese Author Of The Girl in the Toile Wallpaper

From my list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been drawn to a world of fantasy adventure; be it books or movies made from classics or current adventures. Start with an interesting title and intertwine with romance or several, even better, and my heart is a flutter. I am known for my quirky titles, and I think I love to write these fantasy adventures intertwined with romance and talk about them on podcasts because life is too real. How wonderful when I and we need to escape reality these wonderful worlds are within our fingertips’ reach. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Mary's book list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance

Mary K. Savarese Why Mary loves this book

I read this book many years ago as a young adult. Along with other classics such as Alice in Wonderland, I fell in love with a world of imagination, and imagination that pushed the envelopes in terms of literature.

Time travel for me had a place in changing the lives of characters and teaching them about love and growth. Taking on one’s life challenges and force play, good vs. evil…  

By Madeleine L'Engle ,

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked A Wrinkle in Time as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child.

We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts.

When Charles and Meg Murry go searching through a 'wrinkle in time' for their lost father, they find themselves on an evil planet where all life is enslaved by a huge pulsating brain known as 'It'.

Meg, Charles and their friend Calvin embark on a cosmic journey helped by the funny and mysterious trio of guardian angels, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which. Together they must find the weapon that will defeat It.…


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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 The Gauntlet

Mary K. Savarese Author Of The Girl in the Toile Wallpaper

From my list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been drawn to a world of fantasy adventure; be it books or movies made from classics or current adventures. Start with an interesting title and intertwine with romance or several, even better, and my heart is a flutter. I am known for my quirky titles, and I think I love to write these fantasy adventures intertwined with romance and talk about them on podcasts because life is too real. How wonderful when I and we need to escape reality these wonderful worlds are within our fingertips’ reach. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Mary's book list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance

Mary K. Savarese Why Mary loves this book

I love the Jumanji series and how it has been brought to the big screen. How imaginative is it to incorporate time travel through a board game! The mysteries revealed, the friendships that build romance, the treachery.

The twist here is that the author does this with a Middle Eastern flair and builds a whole different imaginary world…   

By Karuna Riazi ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Gauntlet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A trio of friends from New York City find themselves trapped inside a mechanical board game that they must dismantle in order to save themselves and generations of other children in this action-packed debut that's a steampunk Jumanji with a Middle Eastern flair.

Nothing can prepare you for The Gauntlet...

It didn't look dangerous, exactly. When twelve-year-old Farah first laid eyes on the old-fashioned board game, she thought it looked...elegant.

It is made of wood, etched with exquisite images-a palace with domes and turrets, lattice-work windows that cast eerie shadows, a large spider-and at the very center of its cover,…


Book cover of The Secret Library of Midnight

Mary K. Savarese Author Of The Girl in the Toile Wallpaper

From my list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been drawn to a world of fantasy adventure; be it books or movies made from classics or current adventures. Start with an interesting title and intertwine with romance or several, even better, and my heart is a flutter. I am known for my quirky titles, and I think I love to write these fantasy adventures intertwined with romance and talk about them on podcasts because life is too real. How wonderful when I and we need to escape reality these wonderful worlds are within our fingertips’ reach. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Mary's book list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance

Mary K. Savarese Why Mary loves this book

I loved this short novel because I found the plot so imaginative and page-turning. Just the title alone intrigued me, a Secret Library. What happens of Midnight? I love the idea of taking whimsical tales and weaving them from impossible to possible.

I came across this as a recent published work and I found it interesting because the protagonist enters an imaginary world, portals, a secret library, and learns to navigate the present adventure confronted…

By Justine Hardy ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Secret Library of Midnight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Secret Library of MidnightA Forgotten Book. A Hidden Library. A World Where Stories Come to Life…When 11-year-old Oliver Morgan stumbles upon a mysterious, dust-covered book hidden deep in his school library, he unknowingly opens a portal to the Storyworld—a world where fairy tales breathe, books fly, and the impossible becomes real.But something sinister has escaped from the pages: The Shadow, a creature born from unfinished stories and forgotten words. If Oliver doesn’t stop it before the next full moon, both the magical world and reality itself will unravel.With the help of a feisty girl trapped in the Storyworld, an…


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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 Legend of the Golden City

Mary K. Savarese Author Of The Girl in the Toile Wallpaper

From my list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been drawn to a world of fantasy adventure; be it books or movies made from classics or current adventures. Start with an interesting title and intertwine with romance or several, even better, and my heart is a flutter. I am known for my quirky titles, and I think I love to write these fantasy adventures intertwined with romance and talk about them on podcasts because life is too real. How wonderful when I and we need to escape reality these wonderful worlds are within our fingertips’ reach. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Mary's book list on fantasy adventure novels intertwined with romance

Mary K. Savarese Why Mary loves this book

I loved this recent read because the adventure starts on page one. I loved how the author weaved true friendships and betrayals. How finding untold treasure leads them to the truth.

I love a journey that begins and grows into an imaginative fantasy adventure. If you can dream it…

By Michael Webb ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Legend of the Golden City as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

The lost City of Gold will solve all their problems . . . if they live to find it.

Fresh off their previous adventure, Peter and his friends settle into ordinary lives, despite their newly gained special powers. Everything changes when they stumble upon artifacts that point to a legendary city of gold, its location lost in time, and its existence doubted by everyone they meet. Enchanted by the promise of untold riches and the thrill of adventure, they embark on a quest to uncover its fabled treasures.

But danger lurks at every turn, and soon they find themselves entangled…


Book cover of One-Star Romance

Mia Page Author Of Bookishly Ever After

From my list on bookish romance novels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I worked in a bookshop for three years in Washington, DC, and it was the best job I’ve ever had. There’s nothing like being around books all day and working with colleagues who love them just as much as you do. I’ve also worked in publishing, and loved that as well. So it’s no surprise that, like a lot of avid bookworms, I love reading about bookish environments—and writing about them, too.

Mia's book list on bookish romance novels

Mia Page Why Mia loves this book

I felt incredibly seen by this novel about a romance author who, as a bridesmaid, has to walk down the aisle with a man she knows has given her book one star on Goodreads.

It’s an emotionally resonant depiction of the ups and downs of being an author, alongside a great love story and beautifully written exploration of an evolving lifelong friendship. My favorite read of 2024!

By Laura Hankin ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked One-Star Romance as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin.

Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man.

Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new…


Book cover of The Kingdom of the Hittites

Gordon Doherty Author Of Son of Ishtar

From my list on the Hittite Empire.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a Scottish writer, addicted to reading and writing historical fiction. My love of history was first kindled by visits to the misty Roman ruins of Britain and the sun-baked antiquities of Turkey and Greece. My expeditions since have taken me all over the world and back and forth through time (metaphorically, at least), allowing me to write tales of the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, Classical Greece and even the distant Bronze Age.

Gordon's book list on the Hittite Empire

Gordon Doherty Why Gordon loves this book

Every historical period needs a seminal work to set the scene and give a solid grounding in the era. Bryce's 'The Kingdom of the Hittites' does that and manages to entertain along the way, with stories of outlandish Hittite customs - such as spitting in a sheep's mouth to cure marital strife! - adding colour and character to the foundational principles of their ancient societal system.

By Trevor Bryce ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Kingdom of the Hittites as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the 14th century BC the Hittites became the supreme political and military power in the Near East. How did they achieve their supremacy? How successful were they in maintaining it? What brought about their collapse and disappearance? This comprehensive history of the Hittite kingdom seeks to answer these questions. It takes account of important recent advances in Hittite scholarship, including some major archaeological discoveries made in the last few years. It
also features numerous translations from the original texts, so that on many issues the ancient Hittites are given the opportunity to speak to the modern reader for themselves.…


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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 The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Michael Denis Higgins Author Of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

From my list on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Why am I passionate about this?

My father was a curator and archaeologist at the British Museum, so I had to have my own collection in our attic. It was somewhat more modest but included both cultural and natural artifacts and guided me to both a career in geology and an interest in the links between culture and science. I wrote a book with my father on the geology of Greece for archeologists, which eventually led to my latest book on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. I write from the perspective that ancient cultures were constrained and shaped by natural resources and events, as they are still today. By understanding that link, we can perhaps better comprehend our world.

Michael's book list on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Michael Denis Higgins Why Michael loves this book

This short book starts with my favorite executive summary of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, ‘Two statues, a temple, a roof-top garden, two tombs and a lighthouse’.

Each monument is discussed by an expert on the subject who gives you all you need to know and not much more.

The book was first published in 1988 but is still acknowledged as the best general summary, as the classical sources and archeology have not changed significantly since then.

By Martin J. Price (editor) , Peter A. Clayton (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sets each of the seven wonders in their historical context, bringing together materials from ancient sources and the results of modern excavations to suggest why particular places and objects have been seen as the touchstone for human achievement.


Book cover of The Ecology of the Ancient Greek World

Robin Waterfield Author Of Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens: A History of Ancient Greece

From my list on ancient Greek history.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a British scholar – a former university lecturer, many moons ago – now living in rural southern Greece. In fact, I have Greek as well as UK citizenship, which really pleases me because I’ve loved Greece and things Greek since boyhood. I started to learn ancient Greek at the age of ten! I’ve written over fifty books, mostly on ancient Greek history and philosophy, including many volumes of translations from ancient Greek. But I’ve also written children’s fiction in the form of gamebooks, a biography, a book on hypnosis, a retelling of the Greek myths (with my wife Kathryn) ... I’ll stop there!

Robin's book list on ancient Greek history

Robin Waterfield Why Robin loves this book

This is a fat book, but almost unputdownable. What could be more fundamental to understanding the world of the ancient Greeks than finding out how many of them there were, and how they worked the land? We are learning more and more about the uses of the countryside, especially from survey archaeology, in which walkers systematically transect a given area of land. A good eighty or ninety percent of all ancient Greeks made a living (not necessarily a good one) through agriculture. The issues involved in trying to determine, say, the overall population of Greece in 500 BCE, or the pattern of land use in Athens, or the annual rates of cereal productivity, are complex, but Sallares steers us through the evidence with a sure hand.

By Robert Sallares ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Ecology of the Ancient Greek World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A pioneering study in historical population biology, this book offers the first comprehensive ecological history of the ancient Greek world. It proposes a new model for treating the relationship between the population and the land, centering on the distribution and abundance of living organisms.


Book cover of Glory and the Lightning: A Novel of Ancient Greece

Alison Blasdell Author Of The Confederates' Physician

From my list on historic romance to wish you lived in the past.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love reading novels that take me to another time, place, or adventure (an antithesis to my 30-year career as a professor teaching physiology & pathophysiology to medical and nursing students). I read for entertainment and variety. As an author, I write books I'd like to read! Drawn to history, I've written five historical romances—a woman of courage, intellect, and compassion at the heart of each. I've authored two contemporary espionage thrillers with a woman as the protagonist. I enjoy stepping out of the bounds of empiricism in my novels, blending genres, and stretching the imagination.

Alison's book list on historic romance to wish you lived in the past

Alison Blasdell Why Alison loves this book

I read this years ago; it's one of the reasons I began writing historical romance novels. It's the story of Aspasia, a woman in ancient Greece. She's educated in a selective school for courtesans, beautiful, groomed for pleasure, and bought by a Persian man who comes seeking a courtesan from this famous establishment. He takes Aspasia back to Persia. Eventually, she is freed and returns to Athens, where she meets Pericles. Inspired in part by his love of Aspasia, Pericles initiated the building of the famous Acropolis in ancient Greece. 

I was fortunate to visit Athens after reading Glory and the Lightning, and standing on the Acropolis, I found myself thinking of Pericles and Aspasia, real people who lived and loved over 2,000 years ago. (And yes, I may have gotten a lump in my throat and one or two tears threatened.)

By Taylor Caldwell ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Glory and the Lightning as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times Bestseller: A breathtaking saga of ancient Greece and one of history's most influential political couples, Aspasia and Pericles.

Born in the Greek city of Miletus, Aspasia was destined for a life of tragedy. Her wealthy father vowed to abandon any female child, so Aspasia was secreted away, educated independently of her family, and raised as a courtesan. She discovered at an early age how to use her powers of intellect as ingeniously as those of the flesh.

Ensconced in the Persian harems of Al Taliph, she meets the man who will change her fate: Pericles, the formidable…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance

Rachel Plotnick Author Of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic, and the Politics of Pushing

From my list on technologies that seem boring but aren’t.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been attracted to picking apart “taken-for-granted” things and wondered how ubiquitous and mundane technologies have become that way. What were they before they were ordinary? When I started researching and writing about push buttons, I discovered that the interfaces right under our fingers have a long and complex history. I loved reading about a time when pushing a button was both a novelty and a danger, and these recommended books similarly reframe familiar technologies as anything but familiar. I hope that these books will add a little bit of strangeness to the every day, just like they did for me!

Rachel's book list on technologies that seem boring but aren’t

Rachel Plotnick Why Rachel loves this book

I opened up this book as a skeptic–how interesting could a history of this ubiquitous writing tool be? However, I quickly ate my words (a fitting metaphor for such a book) after diving into Henry Petroski’s meticulously researched and easy to read tale of how a common thing becomes common in the first place.

While the book is a study in engineering, it’s also a story of people who doodle, think, design, and imagine. Petroski taught me that much as we live in a digital age, we’re indebted to the simple and impressively designed artifacts that stick around century after century. 

By Henry Petroski ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Henry Petroski traces the origins of the pencil back to ancient Greece and Rome, writes factually and charmingly about its development over the centuries and around the world, and shows what the pencil can teach us about engineering and technology today.


Book cover of A Wrinkle in Time
Book cover of The Gauntlet
Book cover of The Secret Library of Midnight

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