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Book Guides

Individual Book Guides

Publication date, series position, reading time, who it's for, and our editor's take — one page per book.

Fantasy & Romantasy

Fantasy Romance
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
2015 • ACOTAR #1 • 9–11 hrs
Fantasy Romance
A Court of Mist and Fury
Sarah J. Maas
2016 • ACOTAR #2 • 18–20 hrs
YA Fantasy
Throne of Glass
Sarah J. Maas
2012 • ToG #1 • 10–12 hrs
Urban Fantasy Romance
House of Earth and Blood
Sarah J. Maas
2020 • Crescent City #1 • 28–32 hrs
Fantasy Romance
Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros
2023 • Empyrean #1 • 13–15 hrs
Fantasy Romance
Iron Flame
Rebecca Yarros
2023 • Empyrean #2 • 16–18 hrs
Epic Fantasy
The Way of Kings
Brandon Sanderson
2010 • Stormlight #1 • 37–40 hrs
Epic Fantasy
Words of Radiance
Brandon Sanderson
2014 • Stormlight #2 • 42–46 hrs
Epic Fantasy
Mistborn: The Final Empire
Brandon Sanderson
2006 • Mistborn Era 1 #1 • 15–17 hrs
Epic Fantasy
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss
2007 • Kingkiller #1 • 19–22 hrs
Epic Fantasy
The Wise Man's Fear
Patrick Rothfuss
2011 • Kingkiller #2 • 35–38 hrs
Fantasy
Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
2015 • Six of Crows #1 • 12–14 hrs
YA Fantasy
Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo
2012 • Grishaverse #1 • 9–10 hrs
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Red Rising
Pierce Brown
2014 • Red Rising Saga #1 • 10–12 hrs
Fantasy Romance
From Blood and Ash
Jennifer L. Armentrout
2020 • Blood and Ash #1 • 16–18 hrs
YA Fantasy
The Cruel Prince
Holly Black
2018 • Folk of the Air #1 • 9–10 hrs
Epic Fantasy
A Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin
1996 • ASOIAF #1 • 33–35 hrs
Epic Fantasy
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Scott Lynch
2006 • Gentleman Bastard #1 • 16–18 hrs
Epic Fantasy
The Poppy War
R.F. Kuang
2018 • Poppy War #1 • 14–16 hrs
Epic Fantasy
The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan
1990 • Wheel of Time #1 • 30–33 hrs
Dark Fantasy
The Gunslinger
Stephen King
1982 • Dark Tower #1 • 6–7 hrs
YA Fantasy
Eragon
Christopher Paolini
2003 • Inheritance Cycle #1 • 14–16 hrs
Epic Fantasy
Gardens of the Moon
Steven Erikson
1999 • Malazan #1 • 22–25 hrs

Science Fiction

Science Fiction
Dune
Frank Herbert
1965 • Dune Chronicles #1 • 22–26 hrs
Science Fiction
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir
2021 • Standalone • 12–14 hrs
Science Fiction
The Martian
Andy Weir
2011 • Standalone • 9–11 hrs
Hard Science Fiction
The Three-Body Problem
Cixin Liu
2014 (English) • Trilogy #1 • 12–14 hrs
Science Fiction
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card
1985 • Ender's Saga #1 • 8–10 hrs
Science Fiction
Foundation
Isaac Asimov
1951 • Foundation #1 • 7–8 hrs

YA & Dystopian

YA Dystopian
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
2008 • Hunger Games #1 • 9–11 hrs
YA Dystopian
Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
2009 • Hunger Games #2 • 10–12 hrs
YA Dystopian
Divergent
Veronica Roth
2011 • Divergent #1 • 11–13 hrs
Children's Fantasy
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J.K. Rowling
1997 • Harry Potter #1 • 7–9 hrs

Thriller & Mystery

Psychological Thriller
Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn
2012 • Standalone • 10–12 hrs
Psychological Thriller
Verity
Colleen Hoover
2018 • Standalone • 8–10 hrs
Psychological Thriller
Sharp Objects
Gillian Flynn
2006 • Standalone • 6–7 hrs

Romance & Contemporary

Contemporary Romance
It Ends with Us
Colleen Hoover
2016 • Series #1 • 9–10 hrs
Contemporary Romance
November 9
Colleen Hoover
2015 • Standalone • 7–9 hrs
Historical Romance
Outlander
Diana Gabaldon
1991 • Outlander #1 • 25–28 hrs

Literary & Historical Fiction

Literary Mystery
Where the Crawdads Sing
Delia Owens
2018 • Standalone • 10–12 hrs
Historical Fiction
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
2017 • Standalone • 10–12 hrs
Historical Fiction
Daisy Jones & The Six
Taylor Jenkins Reid
2019 • Standalone • 9–11 hrs
Historical Fiction
The Nightingale
Kristin Hannah
2015 • Standalone • 12–14 hrs
Historical Fiction
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
2018 • Standalone • 12–14 hrs
Women's Fiction
Firefly Lane
Kristin Hannah
2008 • Series #1 • 13–15 hrs