Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic.  Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by  The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here.  This week’s topic :

Books to Read If You Love/Loved X 

This week I’ve come up with a list of books all from this year’s reading and these are all books I loved and recommend.  I hesitate to make too many comparisons between authors and books so take these comparisons with a grain of salt – but definitely check them out:

1. Mask of Mirrors – Well, I loved this start to The Rook and Rose series by MA Carrick and for me it had a flavour of Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastards but a female version.

2. Shiver bt Allie Reynolds.  If you fancy a locked room mystery set atop a freezing cold mountain with a small group of friends who all seem to have their own secrets then this is for you.  Will perhaps appeal to fans of Lucy Foley.

3. The Echo Wife by Sarah Galley – if you like Stepford Wives you might enjoy this strange little story.  Two wives, one dead husband and a lot of unexpected scientific developments that come with their own moral dilemmas.   Described as ‘Big Little Lies meets Black Mirror’

4. Witherward by Hannah Mathewson – a magical book with not one but two Londons.  Compared with good reason to a Darker Shade of Magic and Six of Crows, I really enjoyed this story and  it is described as ‘perfect for fans of VE Schwab’.

5. The Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin – futuristic, dystopian world where champions fight in the arena to prevent the need for war.  I think fans of the Hunger Games or Red Rising would enjoy this.  It’s quite unique with excellently described fight scenes and a good master/student vibe.

6. The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman- packed with fantasy elements jostling alongside the occasional dose of horror and full of humour and grimdark(ness).  I really enjoyed this.  I think if you like adult fantasy with a touch of the grim. some colourful cursing and great characters, I’m thinking along the lines Abercrombie/Eames/Remic – then this might work well for you.

7. Come With Me by Ronald Malfi- psychological thriller/horror, chilling with light supernatural aspects. Think a strange mash of Silence of the Lambs meets Gone Girl.  Definitely a chilling story that is totally addictive.

8. The Women of Troy series by Pat Barker- if you enjoy Greek myth and the story of the Trojan War this is a retelling told from the females who survived the sacking of their city.  Highly recommended.

9. Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis- Regency rom com a la Austen style with a delicious dollop of dragons, magic and romance – you’re welcome.

10. The Hidden by Melanie Golding – a great blend of dark atmosphere, mystery and folklore – I think if you enjoy authors such as Alice Hoffman and Kate Atkinson you will enjoy Melanie Golding.