Welcome back to Bookstr Team Tuesday! In this weekly series we highlight a member of the Bookstr team and dive into some of their all-time favorite books. This week we’re talking with Meghan Flaherty, a member of our video department.
Meghan is a fantasy fanatic, dog and cat mom, and a lover of a good peppermint tea as she gets cozy with her latest magical read. As far as reading accessories go, she loves to curate her playlist to match the vibe of whatever she’s reading. For example, her favorite go-to accompaniments for her fantasy reads are medieval-sounding instrumental tunes. Aside from fantasy, she has a deep appreciation for poetry and could watch Dead Poet’s Society on repeat. Read on to check out her recommendations!
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
This series does a great job of transporting the reader into its world and making
you feel as if you have been there before. The way Holly Black describes even
the most basic of things creates an atmosphere that seems to engage all 5 senses.
Jude wants nothing more than to belong to Faerie, to belong with the beautiful, terrifying, powerful Fae who call it home. But that’s hard to do when they hate her just for being human, and Prince Cardan — the cruel, beautiful, youngest son of the High King — hates her most of all. If she wants to earn her place at court, she must defy his orders and hope she can handle the consequences. When civil war threatens to destroy Faerie, Jude finds herself — and worse, her sisters — right in the middle of it. She must then journey to find allies, master Fae trickery, and gather her strength if she wants to save her family and Faerie itself.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
I loved following these characters on their high stakes journey. I love seeing
characters that would otherwise have nothing in common come together to
achieve a common goal.
Ketterdam is a dangerous, fast-moving city, where for the right price, you can have anything. Kaz Brekker, criminal mastermind, knows that better than most. When he receives an offer for a deadly heist that could make him filthy rich, he’s instantly intrigued — but he knows he can’t pull it off alone. His team includes a convict, a sharpshooter, a runaway, a spy, a Heartrender, and a thief. If they manage to make it through the dangers alive without killing each other, their team could be all that stands between their world and its destruction.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
I love deciphering the way Shakespeare plays are written and it allows me to
really dive deep into the story. I love the challenge of it and often it can feel like a
puzzle to piece together.
In this comedy, Shakespeare sets the stage for a complex web of love with a roundabout plot. In the woods outside Athens, before Theseus and Hippolyta are to marry, two young men and two young women try to sort out the challenging relationships between themselves, forming two love triangles before forming pairs.
In these same woods, the fairy King and Queen, Oberon and Tatiana, fight over custody of an orphaned boy. Oberon uses transformative magic to trick Tatiana, and the fae perform a shoddy version of the tragedy Pyramus and Thisbe.
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
I usually don’t read many books based in or around mythology so this was a
refreshing read. One of those books that sent me on a deep dive google search
later to learn more.
In this beautiful, touching retelling of Achilles and the battle of Troy, Miller crafts a heart-wrenching tale through the eyes of Patroclus, a young prince exiled for a violent crime. He is sent to the palace of King Peleus, and befriends his son, the perfect, powerful Achilles. As the two grow up together, their friendship turns to something more. When Achilles is pulled, by rumors of his greatness, to the front lines of the war, Patroclus sets on a journey of the mind, heart, and body that will last him many years, and challenge everything that the boys — now grown into men — hold dear.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This was one of my favorites back in high school and I would still consider it a
great series. I love how unique the story is and the overall mystery surrounding
many aspects of this world.
When Thomas wakes up with no memories, surrounded by supply crates and a circle of boys who remember no more than he does, the only thing he knows is his name. Trapped in a strange valley with only the supplies they need to survive, and surrounded by a mysterious maze with doors that open every night and close every morning, the boys tell Thomas they’ve been there for so long they’ve started to lose hope. But when a girl arrives — the first girl ever — with a terrifying message, everything changes. Remember. Survive. Run.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I remember reading this series during the peak of the Hunger Games hype back
when I was in middle school and that was such a great experience. Almost
everyone I talked to had read this book and great discussions took place. With
the semi recent Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie my fascination with the
world of the Hunger Games has been revived and the series made its way back
up my list.
In the ruins of North America lies the country of Panem, a nation divided into 12 districts. Katniss Everdeen is from District 12, the mining district, and the poorest in Panem. When the Reaping (the selection process for The Hunger Games) arrives yet again and each district is forced to offer one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 for the deadly games, Katniss does everything she can to protect her sister Primrose. Forbidding her younger sister from entering her name extra times in exchange for food rations, Katniss has already learned to do what it takes to survive. Whether that’s bartering in the black market or a hunting game outside the walls of the district, she’s determined to live — and more importantly — protect her sister. When the unthinkable happens and Katniss finds herself volunteering for the games, she will be put in impossible situations, risking her values, her heart, and her life for the things she holds most precious.
From global sensations to cult classics to straight up classic literature, Meghan’s taste touches on elements of fantasy from many different eras and subgenres. Are any of these recs your favorites, too? Let us know on our socials!
Want to meet more of the Bookstr team? Click here to check out last week’s article with manga enthusiast Brandon Smith!
Want more exciting fantasy recs? Click here to browse Bookstr’s featured fantasy bookshelf!
